Outemu Lime vs. Everglide Rice Pudding
An in-depth look at the Outemu Lime and the Everglide Rice Pudding switches—which one is the best fit for you?
Overview
When it comes to enhancing your typing experience, the choice of mechanical keyboard switches can significantly influence both feel and performance. The Outemu Lime switch stands out as a lightweight tactile option, providing an approachable tactility that caters to users who appreciate a gentle feedback without overwhelming resistance. These muted switches offer a feather-light touch, making them ideal for tactile enthusiasts seeking a smooth and subtle typing experience. In contrast, the Everglide Rice Pudding switch brings a different appeal with its smooth operation and pleasingly deep sound profile. Known for delivering a satisfying and precise typing experience, these switches are a great fit for those who value performance and compatibility, particularly with innovative keyboards like those from Wooting. While the Lime is excellent for a quieter, softer touch, the Rice Pudding excels in providing a more robust auditory and tactile experience. 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
35g
Actuation force
38g
Bottom-out force
45g
Bottom-out force
48g
Pre-travel
1.80 mm
Pre-travel
N/A
Total travel
3.30 mm
Total travel
3.50 mm
Factory lubed
Yes
Factory lubed
Yes
Stem construction
Partial box
Stem construction
Standard
Stem material
POM
Stem material
POM
Top housing material
Nylon
Top housing material
Polycarbonate
Bottom housing material
Nylon
Bottom housing material
Nylon
Mount type
PCB (5-pin)
Mount type
PCB (5-pin)
Spring
Stainless steel
Spring
Custom stainless steel
Housing materials
When comparing the housing materials of the Outemu Lime and the Everglide Rice Pudding, one crucial difference stands out: the top housing material. The Lime features a nylon top housing, which is touted for its ability to produce a deeper and fuller sound profile due to its softer plastic nature. This results in sound absorption, allowing for a duller and rounder acoustic experience when typing. In contrast, the Rice Pudding employs a polycarbonate top housing, known for its stiffer composition that delivers a sharper and crisper sound. The translucency of polycarbonate also allows for more vibrant RGB lighting effects, making it aesthetically favorable for customization. Thus, while both switches provide quality experiences, the auditory characteristics diverge significantly due to their top housing materials.
On the other hand, both switches share the same nylon bottom housing material. This uniformity means that both the Outemu Lime and the Everglide Rice Pudding benefit from the sound absorption properties inherent to nylon, resulting in a similar deep and full bottom-out sound and feel when a key is pressed. The bottom housing largely influences your typing experience by providing a consistent tactile response, which adds to the richness of sound produced during usage. Thus, even though the top housings differ, the shared nylon bottom means that both products deliver a fulfilling and rounded bottom-out sound upon key presses.
In summary, the Outemu Lime and the Everglide Rice Pudding showcase a blend of different acoustic signatures due to their respective top housing materials. While the Lime delivers a mellow and deeper auditory profile with its nylon top housing, the Rice Pudding offers a brighter, more resonant sound through polycarbonate. However, they find common ground in their nylon bottom housings, which help create a similar depth in sound and a satisfying tactile feedback that characterize the user experience across both switches. Whether you prefer the profound warmth of nylon or the crispness of polycarbonate, the distinct features of each switch ultimately cater to individual preferences while providing cohesive performance due to the matching bottom housing material.
Weight
When comparing the Outemu Lime tactile switch and the Everglide Rice Pudding hall effect switch, it is clear that both options offer lightweight typing experiences, but they do differ slightly in force specifications. The Lime switch features an actuation force of 35 grams and a bottom out force of 45 grams, while the Rice Pudding switch has a marginally higher actuation force of 38 grams and a bottom out force of 48 grams. This means that the Lime switch is the lighter option, requiring less force to both actuate and bottom out, making it suitable for extended typing or gaming sessions without fatigue. In contrast, the Rice Pudding switch, while still light, provides a slightly heavier keypress, which some users may prefer for a more substantial feel. Overall, although both switches are categorized as light, the Outemu Lime offers an easier touch, ideal for users seeking a softer typing experience.
Travel distance
When comparing the travel distance of the Outemu Lime tactile switch and the Everglide Rice Pudding hall effect switch, we find that the Lime has a travel distance of 3.3 mm, while the Rice Pudding measures slightly longer at 3.5 mm. This makes the Outemu Lime the shorter option, catering to those who prefer faster response times, which is particularly appealing to gamers. On the other hand, the Everglide Rice Pudding, with its greater travel distance, would be more suited for users who appreciate a more robust and tactile feedback when typing or gaming. The difference of just 0.2 mm may seem minimal, but it can significantly affect the feel and responsiveness of each switch, making the choice dependent on personal preference for depth and responsiveness.
Price comparison
Which switch is more bang for your buck?
The Everglide Rice Pudding has an MSRP of $8.00 per 10 switches. At Milktooth, we are able to pass on savings to our customers and offer the Rice Pudding for $6.79.
The Outemu Lime comes in at $3.40 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 comparing the sound profiles of the Outemu Lime tactile switch and the Everglide Rice Pudding hall effect switch, we find that the Lime is characterized by a neutral and muted sound signature. This means it strikes a balance that makes it suitable for various environments, whether at home or work, and is less intrusive compared to clicky switches. The muted nature of the Lime contributes to a quieter typing experience, minimizing the characteristic clacking sounds associated with mechanical keyboards. In contrast, the sound profile of the Rice Pudding switches is not provided, leaving an unknown factor in their tonal characteristics. Ultimately, if you're seeking a noise-friendly environment, the Lime is a safe choice, but the Rice Pudding's sound remains a mystery that could either complement or contrast the Lime’s softer profile.
In terms of feel, the Outemu Lime switches excel with their mild, feathery, subtle, and polished characteristics. The switch design is lightweight, allowing for effortless key presses that significantly reduce finger fatigue during extended use, making them particularly appealing for those who type or game for long durations. Their polished nature suggests a smooth keystroke, enhancing the overall typing experience. On the other hand, the specific feel of the Everglide Rice Pudding switches is not detailed, which leaves uncertainty about their resistance, actuation force, or tactile feedback. The absence of this information makes them advantageous yet unpredictable when compared to the well-defined attributes of the Lime.
In summary, while the Outemu Lime switches stand out for their muted sound and light, enjoyable tactile feel, the Everglide Rice Pudding switches bring an intriguing aspect of versatility for performance-focused users but lack detailed sound and feel descriptions. For newcomers, if you favor a quiet, easy typing experience, the Lime is a reliable choice. If you're drawn to the potential performance of the Rice Pudding, be mindful that their characteristics remain somewhat ambiguous, and this uncertainty may require further exploration to determine if they meet your specific preferences.
Conclusion
To conclude, your choice between the Outemu Lime tactile switch and the Everglide Rice Pudding hall effect switch ultimately depends on your specific preferences and typing needs. If you’re seeking a lightweight and muted typing experience that prioritizes ease of use and subtle tactility, the Lime switches would be an excellent fit. Their feathery actuation helps reduce finger fatigue, making them particularly suitable for extended typing sessions, whether for gaming, work, or casual use. On the other hand, if you desire a more satisfying and precise typing experience with a deeper sound profile, the Rice Pudding switches might be your best bet. These switches offer a balanced blend of smooth operation and auditory feedback, perfect for enthusiasts looking for performance and a bit of flair, especially if you’re using them with Wooting keyboards. In essence, weigh your priorities—lightness and silence versus a satisfying feel and sound—to decide which switch aligns better with your typing style and environment.
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