Gateron Oil King vs C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split
Weight is the real gap here: 7 g between the Gateron Oil King and the C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split at actuation, which is enough to change how a long session ends. Our full switch library already points each of these at the other. Hear them back to back below with the trims matched before you read a single number.
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 Oil King | C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Linear | Linear |
| Brand rates force at | actuation | bottom-out |
| Actuation force | 55 g | 48 g |
| Bottom-out force | 80 g | 62 g |
| Pre-travel | 2 mm | 2 mm |
| Total travel | 4 mm | 4 mm |
| Silent (dampened) | No | No |
| Factory lubed | Yes | Yes |
| MX-compatible stem | Yes | Yes |
| Price tier | Mid-range | Premium |
| Street price | ~$0.65 / switch | varies |
Watch the "brand rates force at" row: these two makers do not measure at the same place, actuation for the Gateron Oil King and bottom-out for the C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split. Force numbers only compare within a row.
Verdict
This is a linear versus linear contest: the Gateron Oil King and the C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split share the same stroke character, which makes the smaller spec gaps decisive. The Gateron Oil King is the firmer of the two at actuation, 55 g to 48 g, though 7 g is not much to choose between. The Gateron Oil King is the cheaper board to fill by a full bracket, mid priced against premium priced. Split by use: the C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split for gaming, the Gateron Oil King for typing and a shared office.
- Gaming pick
- C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split
- Typing pick
- Gateron Oil King
- Office pick
- Gateron Oil King
Force curves
Gateron Oil King
C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split
Gateron Oil King or C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split: the long answer
Take the mechanical side first, since that is where this pair separates. The Gateron Oil King carries the heavier spring at actuation, 55 g to 48 g. That is a real 7 g without being a change of bracket. Both are linears either way, so both give you spring resistance and nothing else. Distance is not the difference: both register at 2.0 mm and stop at 4.0 mm. Neither one out-feels the other on type, so the small differences in the table are where the decision lives.
Sound is where most people finally pick a side. Through the A/B player above, the Gateron Oil King comes through as deep, muted, oily thock; dark and full-bodied, while the C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split reads as creamy deep thock, rounder than Tangerine. 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 cost and convenience, the Gateron Oil King is mid priced at roughly $0.65 per switch, about $46 for a typical 70 pack, while the C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split is premium priced. Both arrive lubed from the factory, which is one project you can skip either way.
This one genuinely splits. The C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split for games, because the two are close enough here that either works, and our scoring gives it the nod by a hair. The Gateron Oil King for writing, since nothing about it gets tiring by the afternoon, which is the whole test for a writing switch. The Gateron Oil King for an office, as it is the quieter of the two once the room is listening. Before you order either, match the volume trims above and hear them back to back.
There is more on both than a head-to-head can carry. Start with the Gateron Oil King page and the C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split page, or test how your current keyboard performs with our free keyboard tester.
Frequently asked questions
Gateron Oil King or C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split for gaming?
We pick the C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split 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 Gateron Oil King or the C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split?
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.
Which has the heavier spring, the Gateron Oil King or the C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split?
The Gateron Oil King, by 7 g. Both figures are published at actuation, 55 g against 48 g, so they are measured at the same point and can be read straight.
Which is cheaper to fill a board with, the Gateron Oil King or the C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split?
The Gateron Oil King sits in the mid priced bracket and the C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split in the premium 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 Gateron Oil King
More vs C³Equalz x TKC (JWK) Banana Split
Or browse every switch comparison on the site.