Gateron Oil King
LinearGateron's modern flagship linear: Ink-blend bottom housing, nylon top, and generous factory lube producing a deep, muted, "oily" thock straight out of the bag. A consensus favorite since launch.
Sound & feel
Oil King is what happens when Gateron aims its premium Ink housing material at the mainstream. The proprietary-blend bottom housing and nylon top combine with a heavy factory lube job to produce the switch's namesake character: a dark, muted, liquid-feeling stroke with a full thock at the bottom.
At 55 g actuation and 80 g bottom-out it carries far more authority than the typical 45 g linear, which suits the dense sound signature. Critically, it needs nothing: no lube, no films, no break-in. Stock consistency across a batch is among the best at its price.
The 80 g is Gateron's own published figure, repeated by Keychron, and it follows from the short 20 mm spring: light where you press, climbing hard into the landing. MechanicalKeyboards and kbd.news both print 65 g instead, so a store page you cross-check may not agree with this one.
For builders who want the deep custom-board sound without the tuning ritual, Oil King became the modern default answer: the Gateron Yellow of the thock era, at around $0.65 per switch.
Sound on this page is synthesized from the switch's published specs and community-documented character: an honest simulation, not a recording. We're progressively replacing simulations with our own studio recordings. How our sounds are made
Compare it
- Gateron Oil King vs Gateron Ink Black V2 , or jump to Gateron Ink Black V2
- Gateron Oil King vs Gateron Milky Yellow Pro , or jump to Gateron Milky Yellow Pro
- Gateron Oil King vs Akko V3 Cream Yellow Pro , or jump to Akko V3 Cream Yellow Pro
- Gateron Oil King vs NovelKeys NK Cream , or jump to NovelKeys NK Cream
- Gateron Oil King vs Durock (JWK for PrimeKB) Alpaca , or jump to Durock (JWK for PrimeKB) Alpaca
Frequently asked questions
What does the Gateron Oil King sound like?
deep, muted, oily thock; dark and full-bodied. Use the player on this page to hear simulated press and release sounds derived from its real specifications.
Is the Gateron Oil King good for gaming or typing?
As a linear switch with 55g actuation force and 2mm pre-travel, it suits fast, repeated presses, which is why linears are a common gaming pick. It types perfectly well too if you like a smooth, uninterrupted keystroke.
How heavy is the Gateron Oil King?
55g actuation, 80g bottom-out. Note that Gateron officially rates actuation force. Brands differ, so check the basis when comparing switches.