Durock T1 Shrimp vs Zeal PC Zilents V2
The Durock T1 Shrimp and the Zeal PC Zilents V2 are separated mostly by spring weight, 8 g of it at actuation, with the Zeal PC Zilents V2 the firmer press and the Durock T1 Shrimp 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 | Durock T1 Shrimp | Zeal PC Zilents V2 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Tactile (silent) | Tactile (silent) |
| Brand rates force at | bottom-out | bottom-out |
| Actuation force | 52 g | 60 g |
| Bottom-out force | 67 g | 67 g |
| Pre-travel | 2 mm | 2 mm |
| Total travel | 4 mm | 3.8 mm |
| Silent (dampened) | Yes | Yes |
| Factory lubed | Yes | No |
| MX-compatible stem | Yes | Yes |
| Price tier | Premium | Premium |
| Street price | varies | ~$1.00 / switch |
Both makers rate these at bottom-out, which is the one case where the advertised numbers compare directly. Every other force row still has to be matched basis to basis.
Verdict
This is a tactile versus tactile contest: the Durock T1 Shrimp and the Zeal PC Zilents V2 share the same stroke character, which makes the smaller spec gaps decisive. There is a real weight gap too: 60 g against 52 g at actuation, so the Zeal PC Zilents V2 asks noticeably more of your fingers over a long session. Only the Durock T1 Shrimp arrives factory lubed, which is an evening of work saved on a full board. Nothing here separates by use case: the Durock T1 Shrimp is our pick for gaming and for typing, and it is the dampened one, so a shared room is not an argument. Take the Zeal PC Zilents V2 only if you specifically want near-silent soft 'muc' with the full Zealios bump.
- Overall pick
- Durock T1 Shrimp
No use case rescues the Zeal PC Zilents V2 here. The Durock T1 Shrimp wins gaming, typing and the office question alike, so the block collapses to one.
Force curves
Durock T1 Shrimp
Zeal PC Zilents V2
Durock T1 Shrimp or Zeal PC Zilents V2: the long answer
Start with feel, because it settles most switch arguments before sound comes up. At actuation the Zeal PC Zilents V2 is the firmer press, 60 g against 52 g, a difference you notice after a paragraph rather than on the first keystroke. Type is not in play. Both are tactiles, and both raise a bump close to the point the press registers. They register at the same 2.0 mm, then part company on depth: 4.0 mm on the Durock T1 Shrimp against 3.8 mm on the Zeal PC Zilents V2. Nothing here is decisive on its own, which is why the sound comparison matters more than usual on this pair.
Sound decides more of these arguments than force curves do. Put them through the player above and the Durock T1 Shrimp lands as big bump, muted dampened landing where the Zeal PC Zilents V2 lands as near-silent soft 'muc' with the full Zealios bump. Both carry factory dampening, so this is a contest between two of the quieter switches you can buy rather than a loud one against a quiet one. These demos are synthesized from published specs and documented character rather than studio recordings, which every player on the site says plainly.
On what they cost to fill a board, both are premium priced, with the Zeal PC Zilents V2 at roughly $1.00 per switch, about $70 for a typical 70 pack and no reliable street price for the Durock T1 Shrimp. Factory lube is on the Durock T1 Shrimp alone. Budget the extra time if you pick the Zeal PC Zilents V2 and want it at its best.
The scoring gives up trying to divide this pair: the Durock T1 Shrimp is our pick for gaming, for typing and for a shared desk. On speed, the honest answer is that either would do, and it wins on a margin too small to feel. On typing feel, nothing about it gets tiring by the afternoon, which is the whole test for a writing switch. On noise, the pads stop the bottom-out from traveling past your own desk. That leaves the Zeal PC Zilents V2 to anyone who preferred its voice in the player above, which is a good enough reason on its own. None of this beats hearing them yourself, which the player above lets you do in about a minute.
For either one on its own terms, read the Durock T1 Shrimp page and the Zeal PC Zilents V2 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 Durock T1 Shrimp or the Zeal PC Zilents V2?
We pick the Durock T1 Shrimp for gaming. This is close to a coin toss. The scoring hands it over by a margin you would not feel in a match.
Which is quieter, the Durock T1 Shrimp or the Zeal PC Zilents V2?
Both are dampened silent switches, so they sit among the quietest options you can buy. At this level the remaining differences come down to your board, your keycaps and how hard you type, not the switch itself.
Which switch is heavier, the Durock T1 Shrimp or the Zeal PC Zilents V2?
The Zeal PC Zilents V2, and the comparison is clean: actuation on both sides, 60 g to 52 g.
Do the Durock T1 Shrimp and the Zeal PC Zilents V2 need lubing?
The Durock T1 Shrimp arrives lubed from the factory, so it is usable straight out of the bag. The Zeal PC Zilents V2 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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