Akko Botany vs. Outemu Gold

Overview

When considering mechanical keyboards, the choice of switch can significantly impact your typing experience, and two notable options are the Akko Botany and the Outemu Gold. The Akko Botany, known for its lively and crisp clacky sound, is a linear switch that provides a smooth and quiet keystroke, making it an excellent choice for those who prefer a streamlined, distraction-free typing environment. In contrast, the Outemu Gold is a clicky switch that offers a more tactile feedback and an audible click with each press, appealing to users who enjoy the satisfaction of hearing each keypress and often find that sound enhances their typing rhythm. While the Botany caters to those seeking a fluid and silent typing experience, the Gold is perfect for individuals who thrive on the feedback from their keyboard. However, let's dive in a bit deeper beyond generalities so you can best decide on the best switch for you.

By the numbers

Akko Botany Linear

Outemu Gold Clicky

$3.89

$3.11 per 10

$3.10 per 10

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Housing materials

When comparing the housing materials of the Akko Botany and the Outemu Gold, the most notable distinction lies in their top housings. The Botany utilizes nylon, which is renowned for its ability to produce a deeper and fuller sound profile. This characteristic is primarily due to nylon’s softer nature, which helps absorb sound, leading to a duller and rounder auditory experience. In contrast, the Outemu Gold employs polycarbonate for its top housing. This material's stiffer composition results in a sharper, higher-pitched sound, creating a clearer and more resonant profile, particularly appealing to users who prefer a more vivid auditory feedback. Consequently, while both switches are designed to deliver high-quality performance, the Botany emphasizes warmth in sound, while the Gold accentuates clarity.

Despite the differences in their top housing materials, both the Botany and Gold utilize nylon for their bottom housings. Since nylon is consistent in performance and sound absorption, both switches exhibit similar qualities in this regard. The softer plastic of the nylon bottom contributes to a deep and rich sound profile, allowing for a rounded experience upon actuation. Regardless of the variations in the top housings, the nylon bottom ensures that both switches maintain a solid foundation in delivering a satisfying tactile experience that enhances overall performance.

In essence, the combination of materials in the Botany and Gold results in distinct sound profiles owing to their unique top housing construction, while their shared nylon bottom housing grounds them in a similar base performance. When the switches are engaged, the characteristics of the bottom housing are felt more profoundly, affecting the bottom-out feel and sound. Conversely, once the key is released, the influence of the top housing material becomes more pronounced, emphasizing the differences between the two. Thus, while the two switches may offer varying auditory experiences, they converge on a fundamental level through their shared nylon bottom, allowing for somewhat comparable performance outcomes.

Weight

When comparing the Akko Botany linear switch and the Outemu Gold clicky switch, we see notable differences in their actuation and bottom out forces. The Botany switch features a lighter actuation force of 38 grams and a bottom out force of 45 grams, making it suitable for users who favor a softer touch for extended typing or gaming sessions. In contrast, the Outemu Gold clicky switch has a heavier actuation force of 45 grams and a bottom out force of 60 grams, providing a more substantial resistance that some typists might prefer for its tactile feedback. This indicates that the Botany switch is more appropriate for those seeking a lighter and easier typing experience, while the Gold switch appeals to users who enjoy a firmer feel under their fingers. Overall, if you desire a lighter switch, the Botany is your best bet, whereas the Gold provides a stronger push feel for those who favor a more weighted keystroke.

Travel distance

When comparing the travel distances of the Akko Botany linear switch and the Outemu Gold clicky switch, the Botany features a travel distance of 3.6 mm, while the Gold has a slightly longer travel distance of 4 mm. This difference means that the Botany may offer a more responsive feel, appealing particularly to gamers who favor quicker key presses. Conversely, the Gold’s 4 mm travel distance aligns with the more traditional switch design, providing a deeper and potentially more satisfying keystroke for those who appreciate a more pronounced feedback. In essence, if you're leaning towards a switch that offers rapid responding with less travel, the Botany would be the better choice, whereas if you enjoy a more substantial, deeper feel, the Outemu Gold would be preferable.

Price comparison

Typing experience

In terms of sound, the Akko Botany linear switches are known for their crisp and lively clacky noise, which can provide a satisfying auditory feedback while typing. This attribute makes them particularly appealing for users who enjoy a more dynamic sound profile during their typing experience. On the other hand, the Outemu Gold clicky switches do not have a specific reputation for sound, which suggests that they may not produce the same level of distinctive auditory feedback. However, it's important to note that the overall sound produced by both switches can also depend on external factors such as the type of keyboard case and keycap materials used.

When it comes to feel, the Akko Botany switches offer a smooth typing experience, characterized by their linear design that enables fluid keystrokes without any tactile bump. This can be ideal for users who prefer a seamless keypress without interruptions. In contrast, the Outemu Gold switches are clicky, which means they provide both auditory feedback and a tactile bump that enhances the typing experience for those who enjoy more pronounced response feedback. This distinct kick at actuation can enhance accuracy for typists and gamers alike who appreciate the extra sensation.

In summary, while the Akko Botany linear switches excel in producing a crisp sound and offer a smooth feel, the Outemu Gold clicky switches lack a sound signature and provide a tactile experience enhanced by their clicky nature. For someone new to mechanical keyboards, these differences highlight how personal preference can guide the choice between auditory feedback and tactile response, as both switch types can contribute to enjoyable typing experiences depending on individual tastes.

Conclusion

To conclude, choosing between the Akko Botany linear switch and the Outemu Gold clicky switch ultimately boils down to your personal typing preferences and intended use. If you prefer a lighter switch with a soft feel and enjoy a lively acoustic feedback that can enhance your typing experience, the Botany is a fantastic choice. Its 45-gram bottom-out force allows for swift actuation, making it ideal for those long typing sessions or when you're gaming, as it requires less effort to press the keys. On the other hand, if you appreciate a more tactile and audible typing experience, the Outemu Gold with its 60-gram bottom-out force provides a medium resistance that can deliver satisfying feedback without being overly taxing. This makes it better suited for tasks where you might want to feel more stability and assurance in each keystroke. Ultimately, your choice should reflect whether you value smoothness and lightness with the Botany or the tactile and pronounced response of the Gold.

Mentioned in this article

Akko Botany Linear

$3.89

$3.11 per 10

Learn more

Outemu Gold Clicky

$3.10 per 10

Learn more