Gateron Oil King vs TTC Ace
Nothing in the spec sheet decides between the Gateron Oil King and the TTC Ace, so this comparison comes down to voice and to what each one costs to fill a board. 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 Oil King | TTC Ace |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Linear | Linear |
| Brand rates force at | actuation | actuation |
| Actuation force | 55 g | 53 g |
| Bottom-out force | 80 g | 60 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 | Mid-range |
| Street price | ~$0.65 / switch | 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.
Verdict
This is a linear versus linear contest: the Gateron Oil King and the TTC Ace share the same stroke character, which makes the smaller spec gaps decisive. Their springs sit close together, just 2 g apart at actuation, with the Gateron Oil King the marginally firmer press. What really separates them is sound, with the Gateron Oil King tending toward deep, muted, oily thock; dark and full-bodied and the TTC Ace toward refined muted clack, condensed and clean. Where we land: the TTC Ace for gaming, the Gateron Oil King for typing and a shared office.
- Gaming pick
- TTC Ace
- Typing pick
- Gateron Oil King
- Office pick
- Gateron Oil King
Force curves
Gateron Oil King
TTC Ace
Gateron Oil King or TTC Ace: the long answer
The table above already holds the answer. Here is what it means under a finger. The stroke is the same shape on both: both give you spring resistance and nothing else. That leaves the spec sheet to separate them. The Gateron Oil King is nominally firmer at actuation, 55 g to 53 g, but 2 g is not a gap you buy a switch for. Distance is not the difference: both register at 2.0 mm and stop at 4.0 mm. Nothing here is decisive on its own, which is why the sound comparison matters more than usual on this pair.
What the table cannot tell you is how either one lands in a room. The Gateron Oil King sits at deep, muted, oily thock; dark and full-bodied; the TTC Ace answers with refined muted clack, condensed and clean. As everywhere on the site, these are simulations built from published specifications and documented character. Accurate enough to compare, not a recording.
On what they cost to fill a board, both are mid priced, with the Gateron Oil King at roughly $0.65 per switch, about $46 for a typical 70 pack and no reliable street price for the TTC Ace. Factory lube on both, so the smoothness you hear in the player is roughly the smoothness you get.
The picks split by use. Take the TTC Ace if games come first, because the honest answer is that either would do, and it wins on a margin too small to feel. Take the Gateron Oil King if the board is mostly a writing tool, since its keystroke stays consistent and comfortable across a full day of writing. Take the Gateron Oil King if other people have to sit near it, as it is the one of these two you would not apologize for. 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 TTC Ace page. If you are here to check the board you already own, use our free keyboard tester.
Frequently asked questions
Gateron Oil King or TTC Ace for gaming?
We pick the TTC Ace 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 TTC Ace?
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 Gateron Oil King leans toward deep, muted, oily thock; dark and full-bodied, while the TTC Ace is refined muted clack, condensed and clean.
Which switch is heavier, the Gateron Oil King or the TTC Ace?
The Gateron Oil King. Both brands publish at actuation, which makes 55 g against 53 g an honest 2 g rather than two numbers from different rulers.
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