Cherry MX Linear Grey vs Gateron Black
The Cherry MX Linear Grey and the Gateron Black are separated mostly by spring weight, 20 g of it at actuation, with the Cherry MX Linear Grey the firmer press and the Gateron Black the easier one to hold down. Our library of every switch we simulate 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 | Cherry MX Linear Grey | Gateron Black |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Linear | Linear |
| Brand rates force at | actuation | actuation |
| Actuation force | 80 g | 60 g |
| Bottom-out force | not published | 70 g (our estimate) |
| Pre-travel | 2 mm | 2 mm |
| Total travel | 4 mm | 4 mm |
| Silent (dampened) | No | No |
| Factory lubed | No | No |
| MX-compatible stem | Yes | Yes |
| Price tier | Mid-range | 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. Gateron publishes no bottom-out figure for the Gateron Black, so the figure marked "our estimate" is our own derivation from the forces that are published rather than a rating. How we derive a bottom-out figure .
Verdict
Cherry and Gateron are selling the same stroke here, so the Cherry MX Linear Grey and the Gateron Black separate on spring, distance and voice instead. The springs are far apart, with the Cherry MX Linear Grey at 80 g actuation versus 60 g for the Gateron Black, a gap you feel within a paragraph of typing. Budget also has a say, since the Gateron Black is budget friendly and the Cherry MX Linear Grey is mid priced. Our picks: the Gateron Black for gaming and typing, the Cherry MX Linear Grey for a shared office.
- Gaming pick
- Gateron Black
- Typing pick
- Gateron Black
- Office pick
- Cherry MX Linear Grey
Force curves
Cherry MX Linear Grey
Cherry publishes no bottom-out force for this switch, so the dashed end of the curve is an estimate, not a spec. Everything up to actuation comes from the published numbers.
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.
Cherry MX Linear Grey or Gateron Black: the long answer
Take the mechanical side first, since that is where this pair separates. The springs are a long way apart: 80 g against 60 g at actuation, so the Cherry MX Linear Grey asks noticeably more of your fingers across a long session. The stroke itself is shared: nothing sits between the top of either key and the bottom. The two stroke depths are identical, 2.0 mm to actuation inside 4.0 mm of total travel. Same stroke character, so the spring is the fact to weigh.
The ears usually get the last word here. The Cherry MX Linear Grey sits at deep and heavy; a slow, weighty clack; the Gateron Black answers with firm, deeper clack with a planted landing. One caveat we repeat wherever a player appears: no studio recording sits behind either of these. They are built from what each maker publishes and what the community reports.
On the practical side, the Cherry MX Linear Grey is mid priced, while the Gateron Black is budget friendly. Lube is on you with both of these, which is a real cost in time whichever one you order.
Who buys which, then? Everything except noise points at the Gateron Black. For fast inputs, a lighter spring at actuation goes its way. Across a long writing session, its keystroke stays consistent and comfortable across a full day of writing. Noise points the other way, to the Cherry MX Linear Grey, as it makes the least fuss of the pair in a shared space. None of this beats hearing them yourself, which the player above lets you do in about a minute.
Each of these has a page of its own with the full spec sheet and the sound notes. Start with the Cherry MX Linear Grey page and the Gateron Black page. Or leave switches aside for a minute and run your current keyboard through the free keyboard tester.
Frequently asked questions
For gaming, should I buy the Cherry MX Linear Grey or the Gateron Black?
We pick the Gateron Black for gaming. It takes this one on a lighter spring at actuation, which is what a fast repeated press actually cares about.
Is the Cherry MX Linear Grey quieter than the Gateron Black?
They are close. Neither is a silent switch and neither clicks, so loudness depends mostly on how hard you bottom out and the board they sit in. Their character differs though: the Cherry MX Linear Grey leans toward deep and heavy; a slow, weighty clack, while the Gateron Black is firm, deeper clack with a planted landing.
Which switch is heavier, the Cherry MX Linear Grey or the Gateron Black?
The Cherry MX Linear Grey is heavier: 80 g against 60 g, both measured at actuation, so this is a fair like-for-like comparison.
Which is cheaper to fill a board with, the Cherry MX Linear Grey or the Gateron Black?
The Gateron Black sits in the budget friendly bracket and the Cherry MX Linear Grey in the mid priced one. We do not hold a reliable per-switch price for both, so the bracket is the honest answer rather than a total.
More comparisons
More vs Cherry MX Linear Grey
Or browse every switch comparison on the site.