Everglide Crystal Violet vs. Gateron Mountain Top
An in-depth look at the Everglide Crystal Violet and the Gateron Mountain Top switches—which one is the best fit for you?
Overview
When considering mechanical keyboard switches, the Everglide Crystal Violet and the Gateron Mountain Top stand out as top contenders in their respective categories. The Crystal Violet offers a tactile typing experience with a light operating force of 45g, making it ideal for those looking for a relaxed and stepped tactile feel. Its mellow and lower-pitched sound profile, thanks to the rare use of ABS in its housing, adds to its appeal. On the other hand, the Gateron Mountain Top is a linear switch designed specifically for office environments, focusing on discretion and quiet typing. With a comfortably light actuation, it provides a subdued sound signature suitable for professional settings. While the Crystal Violet leans towards a creamy and stepped typing experience, the Mountain Top delivers a bouncy and easy-to-press feel. However, let's dive in a bit deeper beyond generalities so you can best decide on the best switch for you.
By the numbers
Technical specifications
Actuation force
45g
Actuation force
40g
Bottom-out force
55g
Bottom-out force
50g
Pre-travel
2.00 mm
Pre-travel
1.40 mm
Total travel
4.00 mm
Total travel
3.40 mm
Factory lubed
Yes
Factory lubed
Yes
Stem construction
Standard
Stem construction
Standard
Stem material
POM
Stem material
POM
Top housing material
ABS
Top housing material
Nylon
Bottom housing material
ABS
Bottom housing material
Nylon
Mount type
PCB (5-pin)
Mount type
PCB (5-pin)
Spring
Gold-plated
Spring
22mm double-stage spring
Housing materials
When comparing the housing materials of the Everglide Crystal Violet and the Gateron Mountain Top, a clear distinction can be seen in their top housings. The Crystal Violet utilizes ABS for its top housing, resulting in a relatively low-pitched sound profile that is common in keycaps but rare in switch housing. In contrast, the Mountain Top incorporates a nylon top housing that produces a deeper and fuller sound profile, thanks to nylon's softer properties that absorb more sound. While ABS offers a distinct sound, nylon provides a richer and rounder tone, catering to different preferences in typing experience.
Moving on to the bottom housings, both the Crystal Violet and the Mountain Top feature ABS and nylon materials respectively. Similar to their top housing counterparts, the ABS bottom housing of the Crystal Violet contributes to a low-pitched sound profile, while the nylon bottom housing of the Mountain Top enhances sound depth and fullness. This demonstrates how the choice of housing material can significantly impact the overall sound and feel of a switch, with ABS delivering a unique sound experience and nylon adding a softer, more absorbing quality to the typing sensation.
Overall, the Everglide Crystal Violet and the Gateron Mountain Top showcase the importance of housing materials in switch design. While both switches offer distinct sound profiles based on their ABS and nylon components, they cater to different preferences in typing feel and sound quality. Whether you prefer the sharpness of ABS for a clicky sound or the richness of nylon for a fuller tone, both switches provide a unique typing experience that can enhance your overall typing enjoyment. Ultimately, the choice between these two switches will depend on individual preferences for sound, feel, and typing style.
Weight
In comparing the Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch and the Gateron Mountain Top linear switch, it is clear that the Crystal Violet requires a slightly heavier actuation force and bottom out force compared to the Mountain Top. The Crystal Violet has an actuation force of 45 grams and a bottom out force of 55 grams, making it a medium-light switch. On the other hand, the Mountain Top has an actuation force of 40 grams and a bottom out force of 50 grams, categorizing it as a light switch. For those who prefer a lighter typing experience, the Mountain Top switch would be the better option, allowing for extended typing sessions without fatigue. However, for individuals who prefer a more substantial typing experience with a stronger push feel, the Crystal Violet switch would be the more suitable choice. Both switches offer a different typing feel based on their actuation and bottom out forces, catering to different preferences for keyboard users.
Travel distance
The Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch has a travel distance of 4 mm, while the Gateron Mountain Top linear switch has a travel distance of 3.4 mm. The Crystal Violet has a slightly longer travel distance, which may appeal to those who prefer a deeper key press. On the other hand, the Mountain Top offers a slightly shorter travel distance, making it ideal for gamers looking for faster response times. Both switches fall within the range of traditional travel distances, but the slight difference may make one more preferable depending on individual preferences. Ultimately, whether you choose the Crystal Violet or the Mountain Top, you can expect similar results in terms of travel distance.
Price comparison
Which switch is more bang for your buck?
The Everglide Crystal Violet has an MSRP of $7.08 per 10 switches. At Milktooth, we are able to pass on savings to our customers and offer the Crystal Violet for $4.19.
The Gateron Mountain Top comes in at $6.00 per 10 switches.
Here at Milktooth, we offer the best prices on switches (on average, 27% lower the competition). In addition, we offer free shipping on orders over $49.00. We also offer free returns and exchanges, so you can shop with guaranteed satisfaction.
That said, while price is an important piece of the puzzle, our opinion is that you should ultimately pick the option that most suits your unique preferences since you’ll be using these switches for years to come. In other words, finding something perfect for you is, in our view, the most important criteria.
Typing experience
When it comes to sound, the Everglide Crystal Violet switch offers a low-pitched and mellow tone that is non-intrusive and easy on the ears, thanks to its unique ABS housing material. On the other hand, the Gateron Mountain Top switch provides a neutral sound profile that is suitable for a professional environment where quiet typing is preferred. Both switches offer a moderate sound profile that can cater to a wide range of users, whether at home or in the office.
In terms of feel, the Everglide Crystal Violet switch provides a creamy and stepped tactile typing experience, creating a smooth and gentle sensation with each key press. In contrast, the Gateron Mountain Top switch offers a bouncy and easy-to-press feel, making typing effortless and comfortable with its light actuation force. Both switches fall under the category of providing a mild typing experience, appealing to users looking for a balance between comfort and responsiveness in their typing sessions.
In conclusion, the Everglide Crystal Violet and Gateron Mountain Top switches offer different yet complementary qualities in terms of sound and feel. While the Crystal Violet switch leans towards a mellow and stepped tactile typing experience with a low-pitched sound profile, the Mountain Top switch focuses on providing a quiet and gentle typing feel suitable for professional settings. Ultimately, whether you choose the Crystal Violet or Mountain Top switch, you can expect a comfortable and versatile typing experience tailored to your preferences.
Conclusion
In closing, when deciding between the Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch and the Gateron Mountain Top linear switch, consider your preferred typing experience and environment. If you value a relaxed and tactile typing experience with a creamy and mild feel, along with a mellow, low-pitched sound profile, the Crystal Violet may be the perfect choice for you. On the other hand, if you require a light and bouncy typing feel with a subtle and easy-to-press actuation, paired with a neutral sound profile suitable for office settings, the Mountain Top switch may be more suited to your needs. Ultimately, your decision should be based on your personal preferences and the specific requirements of your typing environment.
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