Akko CS Jelly Black vs Gateron Black
The Akko CS Jelly Black and the Gateron Black are separated mostly by spring weight, 10 g of it at actuation, with the Gateron Black the firmer press and the Akko CS Jelly Black the easier one to hold down. Our switch library puts these two on each other's shortlist, and the player below is the fastest way to settle it: match the volumes, then work down through the table and the verdict.
Hear them back to back
simulated from real specssound loads on your first tapShortcuts: press A or B anywhere outside a text box to fire that burst. Use the volume trims to loudness-match the pair before judging which sounds better.
Spec by spec
| Spec | Akko CS Jelly Black | Gateron Black |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Linear | Linear |
| Brand rates force at | actuation | actuation |
| Actuation force | 50 g | 60 g |
| Bottom-out force | 63.5 g (our estimate) | 70 g (our estimate) |
| Pre-travel | 1.9 mm | 2 mm |
| Total travel | 4 mm | 4 mm |
| Silent (dampened) | No | No |
| Factory lubed | Yes | No |
| MX-compatible stem | Yes | Yes |
| Price tier | Budget | Budget |
| Street price | varies | varies |
Both makers rate these at actuation, which is the one case where the advertised numbers compare directly. Every other force row still has to be matched basis to basis. Neither Akko nor Gateron publishes a bottom-out figure, so the two figures marked "our estimate" are our own derivation from the forces that are published rather than a rating. What actuation force actually measures .
Verdict
Akko and Gateron are selling the same stroke here, so the Akko CS Jelly Black and the Gateron Black separate on spring, distance and voice instead. The springs are far apart, with the Gateron Black at 60 g actuation versus 50 g for the Akko CS Jelly Black, a gap you feel within a paragraph of typing. One of them is ready out of the bag: the Akko CS Jelly Black is lubed at the factory and the other is not. One pick, not three: the Akko CS Jelly Black takes gaming and typing, and it is the one that carries less across a room. The Gateron Black is the answer only to a question our scoring does not ask.
- Overall pick
- Akko CS Jelly Black
No use case rescues the Gateron Black here. The Akko CS Jelly Black wins gaming, typing and the office question alike, so the block collapses to one.
Force curves
Akko CS Jelly Black
Akko publishes no bottom-out force for this switch, so the 63.5 g at the end of the stroke is our estimate and the run into it is dashed. Everything up to actuation comes from the published numbers. How we derive it.
Gateron Black
Gateron publishes no bottom-out force for this switch, so the 70 g at the end of the stroke is our estimate and the run into it is dashed. Everything up to actuation comes from the published numbers. How we derive it.
Akko CS Jelly Black or Gateron Black: the long answer
Specs first, since the feel gap is what you notice in the first minute of typing. The Gateron Black carries the heavier spring at actuation, 60 g to 50 g. That is a real 10 g without being a change of bracket. Akko and Gateron are both selling you linears here, so neither one puts a bump or a click in the way of the press. The Akko CS Jelly Black registers earlier, 1.9 mm against 2.0 mm, inside the same 4.0 mm of total travel. Everything else about them is close enough that the spring is the honest tiebreak.
Sound decides more of these arguments than force curves do. The Akko CS Jelly Black sits at firm clacky bottom-out, a step deeper than Jelly Pink; the Gateron Black answers with firm, deeper clack with a planted landing. These demos are synthesized from published specs and documented character rather than studio recordings, which every player on the site says plainly.
On cost and convenience, both are budget friendly. Factory lube is on the Akko CS Jelly Black alone. Budget the extra time if you pick the Gateron Black and want it at its best.
The scoring gives up trying to divide this pair: the Akko CS Jelly Black is our pick for gaming, for typing and for a shared desk. On speed, a lighter spring at actuation and a shorter distance to actuation go its way. On typing feel, nothing about it gets tiring by the afternoon, which is the whole test for a writing switch. On noise, it is the one of these two you would not apologize for. That leaves the Gateron Black to anyone who preferred its voice in the player above, which is a good enough reason on its own. Match the trims above, play both, and trust whichever one you keep replaying.
There is more on both than a head-to-head can carry. Start with the Akko CS Jelly Black page and the Gateron Black page. If you are here to check the board you already own, use our free keyboard tester.
Frequently asked questions
For gaming, should I buy the Akko CS Jelly Black or the Gateron Black?
We pick the Akko CS Jelly Black for gaming. Of the two it has the quicker, less intrusive stroke, winning on a lighter spring at actuation and a shorter distance to actuation.
Akko CS Jelly Black or Gateron Black: which one is quieter?
Neither is dampened, so volume comes down to your board and your typing force. The one audible difference on the spec sheet is lube: the Akko CS Jelly Black is lubed at the factory, which takes out spring ping and scratch rather than loudness.
Is the Akko CS Jelly Black heavier than the Gateron Black?
The Gateron Black. Both brands publish at actuation, which makes 60 g against 50 g an honest 10 g rather than two numbers from different rulers.
Do the Akko CS Jelly Black and the Gateron Black need lubing?
The Akko CS Jelly Black arrives lubed from the factory, so it is usable straight out of the bag. The Gateron Black does not, and on a full board that is an evening of work if you want it at its smoothest. Plenty of people run unlubed switches happily; it is a question of whether a slightly drier stroke bothers you.
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