HMX Deep Navy vs. Outemu Red

Overview

When exploring the world of mechanical keyboards, two popular linear switches that often come up for consideration are the HMX Deep Navy and the Outemu Red. The Deep Navy switch stands out with its full nylon construction and a rich, sharp sound profile, delivering not only a smooth keystroke feel but also a satisfying auditory experience that keyboard enthusiasts often desire. In contrast, the Outemu Red switch is known for its simplicity and accessibility, offering a reliable linear feel without any frills or distinctive features, making it a great choice for gamers and typists who prioritize speed and responsiveness. While both switches fall under the linear category, providing a quieter keystroke with minimal tactile feedback, the Deep Navy leans more towards an immersive experience with its auditory elements, while the Outemu Red emphasizes straightforward performance. However, let's dive in a bit deeper beyond generalities so you can best decide on the best switch for you.

By the numbers

HMX Deep Navy Linear

Outemu Red Linear

$3.50

$2.79 per 10

$3.10 per 10

Learn moreLearn more

Housing materials

The HMX Deep Navy and Outemu Red switches utilize different materials for their top housings, leading to distinct sound profiles during typing. While the Deep Navy is characterized by its nylon top housing, which produces a deeper and fuller sound due to the material's soft and sound-absorbing properties, the Outemu Red features a polycarbonate top housing that results in a sharper, higher-pitched sound. Polycarbonate, being a stiffer material, enables a clearer resonance, producing a crisp auditory experience. This fundamental difference in the top housing materials affects how each switch performs, making the Deep Navy more suitable for users who prefer a softer sound, while the Outemu Red caters to those seeking precision and clarity.

In contrast, both the Deep Navy and Outemu Red switches use nylon for their bottom housing, generating a similar acoustic experience when pressing down the key. The use of nylon in the bottom housing across both switches contributes to a duller, rounder sound profile that enhances the bottom-out experience. As a classic switch housing material, nylon provides a consistent feel and sound quality when engaging the switch, making both models feel more alike in this aspect. This commonality in the bottom housing helps mitigate the differences created by the contrasting top housings, allowing users to still appreciate a cohesive typing experience when the key is fully pressed.

When considering the overall typing experience, the way each switch structures its sound profile becomes essential. The Deep Navy may produce a fuller sound on key presses due to its nylon top, while the Outemu Red offers a brighter sound from its polycarbonate top. However, both switches utilize nylon on the bottom, which effectively harmonizes the sound upon bottoming out. For users who wish to enjoy the best of both worlds, these switches demonstrate that despite divergent top housing materials, the shared nylon bottom housing can yield a balanced auditory experience, allowing for satisfying keystrokes that resonate well regardless of the switch type.

Weight

When comparing the HMX Deep Navy linear switch and the Outemu Red linear switch, there are notable differences in their actuation and bottom out forces. The Deep Navy features a lighter actuation force of 40 grams, while the Outemu Red has a slightly heavier actuation force of 46 grams, making the Deep Navy more suitable for users who prefer a lighter touch that can accommodate longer typing sessions or extensive gaming. Additionally, the bottom out force of the Deep Navy is 45 grams, whereas the Outemu Red weighs in at 62 grams, highlighting a significant difference in the feel and resistance when pressing keys all the way down. This means that the Deep Navy provides a less forceful typing experience overall compared to the Outemu Red, which caters to those who enjoy a more substantial push feel. In summary, the Deep Navy is the lighter switch, offering a more effortless typing experience, while the Outemu Red is heavier and may appeal to users seeking a firmer keystroke.

Travel distance

The HMX Deep Navy linear switch features a travel distance of 3.6 mm, while the Outemu Red linear switch has a travel distance of 4.0 mm. This means that the Deep Navy switch offers a shorter travel distance compared to the Red switch, making it potentially more responsive for gamers who prefer quicker key presses. Conversely, the Outemu Red, with its longer travel distance, may provide a deeper feel that some users find more satisfying, as it tends to offer a more pronounced tactile experience during use. Ultimately, if you're looking for a faster response time, the HMX Deep Navy would be the better choice, while the Outemu Red caters to those who appreciate a more traditional and deeper keystroke.

Price comparison

Typing experience

In terms of sound, the HMX Deep Navy linear switch stands out with its rich and sharp audio profile, creating a distinctive acoustic experience that enhances the typing or gaming atmosphere. The full nylon construction contributes to this quality, providing a notable resonance that can be quite satisfying to the user. On the other hand, the Outemu Red linear switch does not have any specified sound characteristics, which makes it difficult to compare directly. However, it is important to note that the overall sound produced by either switch can be influenced by other factors, such as the choice of keyboard and keycaps, allowing for some level of customization regardless of the switch type.

When considering feel, the HMX Deep Navy linear switch offers an exceptionally smooth keystroke experience, bolstered by the Ly stem construction that aims to minimize friction and create an effortless typing sensation. This smoothness is often sought after by enthusiasts for both gaming and typing. In contrast, without mentioned characteristics for the Outemu Red linear switch, its feel remains an unknown quantity. While the Deep Navy provides a very specific tactile sensation, the Red might offer a different experience, but this is speculative.

Overall, the HMX Deep Navy linear switch offers a more defined sound and feel profile compared to the Outemu Red, which lacks detailed information in these areas. If you prefer a richer sound experience paired with a smooth keystroke, the Deep Navy is likely the better choice. However, if you are seeking similar feel characteristics, you may find satisfaction in the functionality of both switches, depending on the tactile preferences and acoustics provided by your keyboard and keycap selections.

Conclusion

To conclude, the choice between the HMX Deep Navy linear switch and the Outemu Red linear switch ultimately depends on your preferences and typing style. If you prefer a lighter actuation force and a more engaging sound profile, the Deep Navy switch might be the better option for you. With its 45-gram bottom-out force, it offers a more effortless typing experience which can be great for extended typing sessions or gaming, especially if you enjoy the pleasing auditory feedback from its sharp sound profile. On the other hand, if you appreciate a slightly firmer feel and a more robust switch, you might gravitate towards the Outemu Red, with its medium 62-gram bottom-out force. While the Red lacks distinctive sound characteristics, its solid resistance can provide a more deliberate and controlled keystroke, suitable for those who prefer a more traditional typing experience or who aren’t as sensitive to auditory feedback. Ultimately, your decision should hinge on whether you prioritize lightness and sound or firmness and control in your typing experience.

Mentioned in this article

HMX Deep Navy Linear

$3.50

$2.79 per 10

Learn more

Outemu Red Linear

$3.10 per 10

Learn more