Durock Mamba vs. TTC Yunhai

Overview

When choosing between the Durock Mamba and the TTC Yunhai, both linear switches offer distinctive features that cater to different typing preferences. The Mamba, a tribute to basketball legend Kobe Bryant, is renowned for its smooth gliding sensation and rich, creamy auditory experience, making it an appealing option for those who enjoy a polished and thocky feel while typing. Users often appreciate its neutral characteristics, which provide a balanced experience suitable for both gaming and prolonged typing sessions. On the other hand, the TTC Yunhai stands out with its incredibly light actuation force, providing typists a unique, effortless keystroke experience complemented by a deep, rounded sound profile. This makes the Yunhai an excellent choice for those who prefer a softer touch and soothing auditory feedback. Both switches have their unique advantages, appealing to a range of preferences and styles; however, let's dive in a bit deeper beyond generalities so you can best decide on the best switch for you.

By the numbers

Durock Mamba Linear

TTC Yunhai Linear

$6.50

$5.17 per 10

$7.50

$5.99 per 10

Learn moreLearn more

Housing materials

The Durock Mamba and TTC Yunhai keyboards highlight the distinct sound profiles that can emerge from various housing materials used in their construction. The Mamba employs a unique blend of Polymer nylon and ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) in its top housing. This combination results in a sound profile that leans towards the brighter end of the spectrum, while still maintaining a pleasant overall tone. In contrast, the Yunhai utilizes standard nylon for its top housing, which is associated with a deeper and fuller sound. The characteristics of nylon as a softer plastic enable it to absorb sound more effectively than harder materials, creating a rounder and duller auditory experience. As such, while both keyboards feature housing that contributes to their respective sound signatures, they do so in ways that cater to different auditory preferences.

Examining the bottom housings, the Mamba opts for a POM bottom housing, known for its ability to produce a pleasingly muted and deeper sound profile. On the other hand, the Yunhai continues the use of nylon for its bottom housing. Like the top housing, the nylon’s sound-absorbing properties contribute to a fuller auditory experience, albeit with a somewhat less muted response compared to POM. Both designs showcase how bottom housing plays a crucial role in the bottom-out sound and feel when pressing the keys. In this aspect, the Mamba's POM provides a notably distinct auditory signature; its deeper, unique sound potentially appeals to those seeking a more subdued typing experience, whereas the Yunhai's nylon maintains a slightly brighter profile on bottoming out.

Ultimately, the Mamba and Yunhai keyboards present contrasting compositions in their housing materials that lead to differing auditory experiences, despite some similarities in their top and bottom housings. While the Mamba’s polymer nylon and UHMWPE blend introduces a brighter sound and the POM bottom brings deeper tones, the Yunhai’s use of pure nylon in both the top and bottom effectively creates a fuller, rounder sound profile. If both keyboards were to feature similar materials, the results could harmonize across the spectrum of typing sounds, allowing users to enjoy an equally pleasing auditory experience reflected in varying textures and depths, strictly dependent on how each individual component influences the overall sound signature.

Weight

When comparing the Durock Mamba linear switch and the TTC Yunhai linear switch, there are notable differences in their actuation and bottom out forces. The Mamba has an actuation force of an unknown value, while the Yunhai requires a lighter actuation force of 42 grams. In terms of bottom out force, the Mamba reaches 60 grams, which is classified as medium, compared to the Yunhai's lighter bottom out force of 50 grams. This means that for those who prefer a softer touch, the Yunhai may be the ideal choice, especially for long typing sessions. Meanwhile, the Mamba, with its heavier bottom out force, might appeal to users seeking a more tactile experience. Overall, the Yunhai is lighter and could contribute to less fatigue during extended use, while the Mamba offers a more substantial feel that may be preferred by individuals who favor a firmer key press.

Travel distance

When comparing the travel distances of the Durock Mamba and the TTC Yunhai linear switches, the Mamba offers a travel distance of 3.5 mm, while the Yunhai has a slightly longer travel distance of 3.6 mm. This difference of just 0.1 mm indicates that if you’re looking for slightly quicker responsiveness, the Mamba would be the better choice for faster key presses, appealing to those who appreciate a more immediate feedback. On the other hand, the Yunhai, with its longer travel distance, may cater to users who prefer a more substantial keystroke that provides a deeper feel without being overly abrupt. Overall, while both switches are designed for different preferences, the Durock Mamba is the shorter option at 3.5 mm, and the TTC Yunhai takes the title for the longer switch at 3.6 mm.

Price comparison

Typing experience

When it comes to sound, the Durock Mamba linear switches stand out with their neutral and thocky characteristics. The neutral sound profile ensures they're versatile, making them suitable for a variety of environments, whether at home or work. This creates a moderate auditory experience that appeals to both beginner and advanced typists. The thocky quality further enhances the experience, giving a rich, deep "thud" on actuation that many find satisfying. In contrast, the TTC Yunhai linear switches do not have a defined sound profile mentioned, leaving their auditory characteristics unspecified. This uncertainty means that while both switches can yield satisfying sounds, the Mamba clearly offers a well-rounded auditory experience.

In terms of feel, the Durock Mamba switches deliver a mild and polished typing experience. The mild characteristic allows for a gentle and approachable typing sensation, suitable for a broad audience, while the polished finish enhances smooth key travel, offering reduced friction during use. This combination results in a refined, comfortable typing feel that typists can enjoy over prolonged sessions. The TTC Yunhai switches, however, do not have defined feel qualities listed, which leaves potential users without specific insights into their tactile experience.

In conclusion, the Durock Mamba switches provide a well-defined auditory and tactile experience characterized by their rich thocky sound and smooth, mild feel. Meanwhile, the TTC Yunhai switches remain enigmatic in both sound and feel attributes, leaving questions for those interested in exploring their unique qualities. For those who prioritize sound and a pleasant typing experience, the Mamba switches may be more suited, while the Yunhai switches could be an unknown quantity worth exploring for a different typing experience.

Conclusion

To sum up, when choosing between the Durock Mamba linear switch and the TTC Yunhai linear switch, your decision should hinge on your personal preferences regarding typing feel and sound profile. If you enjoy a more robust typing experience with a subtle thock sound and a medium actuation force of 60 grams, the Mamba is an excellent choice, particularly if you appreciate a smooth, polished finish that enhances your overall typing sensation. Its balanced characteristics make it suitable for both home and work environments, catering to a wide range of users from beginners to experienced typists. On the other hand, if you prefer a lighter touch with a gentle, effortless feel, the Yunhai switch—boasting a lower 50 grams of actuation force—might be right for you. It’s designed for those who favor a softer, rounded sound profile and a more relaxed typing experience. Ultimately, your choice should reflect your typing style and the acoustic ambiance you desire—opt for the Mamba if you seek depth and richness, or the Yunhai for a light and effortless keystroke.

Mentioned in this article

Durock Mamba Linear

$6.50

$5.17 per 10

Learn more

TTC Yunhai Linear

$7.50

$5.99 per 10

Learn more