https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=46762Aluminum -VS- Zinc :
- Zinc is cheaper
- Aluminum is lighter
- Zinc feels less cold (but still colder than Titanium)
- Zinc "needs" plating -> Bad, as it wears off over time
- Aluminum can be anodized to color it, and to improve surface hardness
Aluminum -VS- Titanium :
- Aluminum is lighter
- Titanium is tougher
- Both can be anodized
- Both build a tough oxide layer
- Titanium is more expensive (same for alloys)
- Titanium is harder to machine and process in general
- Aluminum feels much much colder (10x better heat conductivity iirc)
Titanium -VS- Stainless Steel
- Titanium is lighter
- Stainless Steel can be tougher
- Stainless Steel can't be anodized
- Stainless Steel can be harder to machine than Titanium
- Stainless Steel feels less cold than Titanium (the least "cold" of the 4 materials)