HMX Gravel vs. PH Studio Milk Tea

Overview

When choosing mechanical keyboard switches, the HMX Gravel and PH Studio Milk Tea are two linear options that cater to different preferences and typing styles. The HMX Gravel switch is celebrated for its smooth and refined typing experience, paired with a medium-light actuation force that allows for quick and responsive key presses without much effort. This makes it an excellent choice for users seeking a fluid and enjoyable typing experience, perfect for both gaming and productivity. On the other hand, the PH Studio Milk Tea switch, manufactured by BSUN, stands out for its unique auditory characteristics—a high-pitched yet muted sound that balances presence with subtlety. Its Ly-stem material contributes to a soft feel, making every keystroke feel effortless and ensuring a pleasant typing experience. While both switches share the linear classification and offer a satisfying touch, they cater to different sensory preferences and use cases. 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 Gravel Linear

PH Studio Milk Tea Linear

$3.50

$2.99 per 10

$4.50

$4.00 per 10

Learn moreLearn more

Housing materials

The HMX Gravel and PH Studio Milk Tea switches present a compelling contrast in their housing materials, particularly in how those choices influence sound profiles and aesthetic appeal. The Gravel employs a polycarbonate top housing that is renowned for its stiffness, leading to a sharper and crisper sound. This quality makes polycarbonate especially desirable for setups that rely on RGB lighting, as its translucency allows for vibrant visual effects. Conversely, the Milk Tea features a POM top housing, which produces a deeper and more muted sound profile. While both materials allow for distinctive sound characteristics, they diverge in how they deliver auditory experiences—from bright and resonant in the Gravel to warm and subdued in the Milk Tea. This fundamental difference ultimately shapes how users experience each switch under their fingers, especially with regard to RGB integration.

Moving to the bottom housings, the Gravel utilizes a nylon material that amplifies a deeper and fuller sound due to its softer composition, which absorbs sound more effectively. In contrast, the Milk Tea opts for POM in its bottom housing, which similarly offers a unique sound profile that skews toward the muted side. Despite the differing materials, both switches achieve a deeper timbre that appeals to users seeking a more robust auditory experience. This highlights how each brand's approach to sound engineering influences the overall character of the finished switch, with nylon's deeper sound complementing the polycarbonate's resonant clarity, while POM provides a consistent sound profile that leans toward a warmer quality.

The interplay of the top and bottom housings is essential in determining the overall feel and sound when typing with each switch. As the Gravel's polycarbonate top enhances the sound when releasing keys, the nylon bottom contributes substantially to the bottom-out experience, creating a distinct auditory landscape. The Milk Tea, with its POM upper and lower sections, similarly presents a unified sound profile that maintains a consistent depth across both actions. While the specific materials differ, users can achieve a degree of similarity in their overall typing experience, namely a rich soundscape, by considering how each housing material influences the switch's acoustic characteristics. Ultimately, both the HMX Gravel and PH Studio Milk Tea serve to illustrate the complex relationship between material choice and desired auditory feedback in mechanical switches, catering to various user preferences in both sound and feel.

Weight

The HMX Gravel linear switch and the PH Studio Milk Tea linear switch both offer light actuation and bottom out forces, making them suitable for extended typing sessions and long gaming marathons. The Gravel switch has an actuation force of 45 grams and a bottom out force of 50 grams, while the Milk Tea switch features a lighter actuation force of 37.5 grams and a bottom out force of 43.5 grams. This comparison reveals that the Milk Tea switch is the lighter option overall, providing less resistance when pressing keys. In contrast, the Gravel switch, though still categorized as light, offers a slightly higher actuation and bottom out force, appealing to users who prefer a bit more push feel in their typing experience. While both switches allow for an easy typing experience, individuals seeking a more tactile feel may gravitate towards the Gravel due to its slightly heavier nature.

Travel distance

The HMX Gravel linear switch features a travel distance of 3.5 mm, while the PH Studio Milk Tea linear switch has a slightly longer travel distance of 3.6 mm. The Gravel's profile offers a marginally shorter distance, making it potentially more appealing to gamers who prioritize rapid response times in their key presses. On the other hand, the Milk Tea's 3.6 mm travel distance may provide a more satisfying and hearty depth for users who enjoy a fuller feel when pressing keys. Although the difference between the two switches is minimal, it highlights the balance between responsiveness and tactile feedback, ultimately catering to different user preferences: those favoring speed might gravitate towards the shorter Gravel, while those who appreciate depth could prefer the Milk Tea. Thus, while both switches can deliver a satisfying experience, their slight variance in travel distance allows for tailored choices based on individual needs.

Price comparison

Typing experience

In terms of sound, the HMX Gravel linear switch is not explicitly described, leaving its auditory qualities somewhat unknown. Conversely, the PH Studio Milk Tea linear switch is characterized by its fairly high-pitched sound, which maintains a muted essence while creating a harmonious blend of clarity and subtlety. This high-pitched quality could appeal to those who prefer a lighter, crisper auditory feedback without the overwhelming presence of bassy depths, making the Milk Tea an engaging option for sound-sensitive typists.

When examining the feel of these switches, the Gravel is recognized for its exceptional smoothness and refined typing experience, often favored by mechanical keyboard enthusiasts. It offers a medium-light actuation force that provides a responsive and effortless typing sensation. In contrast, the Milk Tea switch is described as having a polished and silky feel, indicating a meticulously smooth finish that reduces friction and enhances typing comfort. This contributes to a seamless keystroke experience, which might make it appealing for those seeking a high level of smoothness in their typing feel.

In summary, while the HMX Gravel and PH Studio Milk Tea linear switches both emphasize smooth and refined experiences, the Gravel focuses on overall effortless typing with its medium-light actuation and is uncharacterized in sound, while the Milk Tea offers a distinct high-pitched auditory profile paired with a polished and silky feel. If you are drawn to similar qualities, you may find satisfaction in either choice, though your preference for sound might lead you to favor the Milk Tea for its unique auditory characteristics.

Conclusion

To conclude, when choosing between the HMX Gravel linear switch and the PH Studio Milk Tea linear switch, it ultimately depends on your personal preferences and typing experience. If you value exceptional smoothness and a responsive feel, the Gravel switch might be the better option for you. With its 50-gram bottom-out force, it offers a light typing experience that retains satisfying feedback, making it great for extended typing sessions where comfort is key. On the other hand, if you prefer a switch that provides a unique auditory presence along with an effortlessly smooth keystroke, the Milk Tea switch could be your choice. Boasting a lighter bottom-out force of 43.5 grams, it's designed for users who appreciate a higher-pitched, clacky sound that strikes a balance between subtlety and clarity. Additionally, its polished and silky feel can enhance the overall typing experience, especially for those who appreciate tactile refinement in their keystrokes. Ultimately, your decision should reflect the blend of feel and sound that resonates with you, ensuring an enjoyable mechanical keyboard experience tailored to your needs.

Mentioned in this article

HMX Gravel Linear

$3.50

$2.99 per 10

Learn more

PH Studio Milk Tea Linear

$4.50

$4.00 per 10

Learn more