Gateron Black vs Outemu Black
The Gateron Black and the Outemu Black are separated mostly by spring weight, 10 g of it at bottom-out, with the Outemu Black the firmer press and the Gateron Black the easier one to hold down. Our library of every switch we simulate cross-links them because this matchup keeps coming up. Start with the A/B bursts below, then take the spec table and the picks in order.
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 | Gateron Black | Outemu Black |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Linear | Linear |
| Brand rates force at | actuation | actuation |
| Actuation force | 60 g | 60 g |
| Bottom-out force | 70 g (our estimate) | 80 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 | Budget | Budget |
| Street price | varies | varies |
Gateron and Outemu both advertise an actuation force, so the two headline figures in this table are measured at the same point and can be read against each other. The two figures marked "our estimate" are our own derivation and not a manufacturer number, because neither Gateron nor Outemu publishes a bottom-out figure. How we derive a bottom-out figure .
Verdict
Both the Gateron Black and the Outemu Black are linears, so this matchup comes down to weight, travel and sound rather than feel. Weight separates them clearly: measured at bottom-out, the Outemu Black is 10 g heavier than the Gateron Black, which changes both fatigue and sound. Neither Gateron nor Outemu publishes a bottom-out figure, so both of those are our estimates. With the numbers this close, the honest tiebreak is the voice: firm, deeper clack with a planted landing on the Gateron Black, firm mid-pitched budget clack on the Outemu Black. Nothing here separates by use case: the Gateron Black is our pick for gaming and for typing, and it is the one that carries less across a room. Take the Outemu Black only if you specifically want firm mid-pitched budget clack.
- Overall pick
- Gateron Black
This pair does not split by use case: the Gateron Black comes out ahead of the Outemu Black on all three, so there is one pick here rather than three.
Force curves
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.
Outemu Black
Outemu publishes no bottom-out force for this switch, so the 80 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 or Outemu Black: the long answer
Put the two side by side on paper before you trust your ears. The Outemu Black carries the heavier spring at bottom-out, 80 g to 70 g. That is a real 10 g without being a change of bracket. Neither Gateron nor Outemu publishes a bottom-out figure, so both of those are our estimates. Both are linears either way, so both give you spring resistance and nothing else. 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.
Now the part spec sheets cannot carry: the voice. The Gateron Black sits at firm, deeper clack with a planted landing; the Outemu Black answers with firm mid-pitched budget clack. As everywhere on the site, these are simulations built from published specifications and documented character. Accurate enough to compare, not a recording.
On the practical side, both are budget friendly. Neither ships lubed, so budget an evening with a brush if you want either at its best.
Who buys which, then? One switch takes every axis we score: the Gateron Black is our pick for gaming, for typing and for a shared desk. On speed, the two are close enough here that either works, and our scoring gives it the nod by a hair. On typing feel, it holds the same feel from the first hour of writing to the last. On noise, it is the quieter of the two once the room is listening. That leaves the Outemu Black to anyone who preferred its voice in the player above, which is a good enough reason on its own. The player above is the cheapest part of this decision, so use it before your wallet is involved.
For either one on its own terms, read the Gateron Black page and the Outemu Black page, or test how your current keyboard performs with our free keyboard tester.
Frequently asked questions
For gaming, should I buy the Gateron Black or the Outemu Black?
We pick the Gateron Black for gaming. Honestly either is fine here. It takes the nod once the scoring is added up, and only just.
Which is quieter, the Gateron Black or the Outemu Black?
Nothing in either one is built to reduce noise, so on raw volume this is a tie decided by your keyboard rather than your switch. What you will actually hear is a difference of pitch and texture, which the player above shows better than a sentence can.
Gateron Black vs Outemu Black: which one is the heavier press?
The Outemu Black on the figures this page carries, 80 g to 70 g at bottom-out, but the comparison is not manufacturer against manufacturer: neither Gateron nor Outemu publishes a bottom-out figure, so both of those numbers are our own derivation from the forces they do publish.
More comparisons
More vs Gateron Black
More vs Outemu Black
Or browse every switch comparison on the site.