SP-Star Meteor White vs. Everglide Tourmaline Blue

Overview

When it comes to choosing a mechanical keyboard switch, two popular options to consider are the SP-Star Meteor White and the Everglide Tourmaline Blue, both of which are linear switches. The Meteor White is best known for its gentle and subdued nature, offering a soft and easy-to-push type feel with a pitter-patter sound profile. On the other hand, the Tourmaline Blue stands out with its deep and satisfying thocky sound profile, immersing users in a gratifying typing experience. With a lengthened single-stage spring, it provides a bouncy feel with each keystroke and strikes a balance with its standard spring weight, making it enjoyable and accessible to a wide range of users. While these general descriptions give a good overview, let's dive in a bit deeper beyond these generalities so you can best decide on the ideal switch for your needs.

By the numbers

SP-Star Meteor White Linear

Everglide Tourmaline Blue Linear

$5.60

$5.00 per 10

$6.86

$3.89 per 10

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Housing materials

The SP-Star Meteor White and Everglide Tourmaline Blue differ in their housing materials, with the Meteor White featuring a nylon top housing and bottom housing, while the Tourmaline Blue has a polycarbonate top housing and bottom housing. The choice of housing materials significantly influences the sound profile of a keyboard switch. The nylon housing of the Meteor White creates a deeper and fuller sound due to its softness, which absorbs more sound, resulting in a duller and rounder sound profile. On the other hand, the polycarbonate housing of the Tourmaline Blue produces a sharper and crisper sound due to its stiffness, allowing for a more clear and resonant sound profile.

In terms of aesthetics, the Tourmaline Blue has an advantage with its polycarbonate top housing. As polycarbonate is translucent, it enables the use of RGB lighting to create stunning visual effects. This makes the Tourmaline Blue an ideal choice for those who prioritize a visually appealing keyboard with customizable lighting options. On the other hand, the Meteor White's nylon top housing does not offer the same translucency and RGB lighting capabilities.

While their top housings differ, both switches share the same nylon bottom housing. This means that when pressing down on the switch, the qualities associated with the nylon material will be felt, resulting in a deeper and fuller bottom-out sound and feel. However, when releasing a key, the impact on the sound profile will be more influenced by the top housing material. Therefore, although the bottom housings are the same, the overall sound profile and user experience can still vary between the SP-Star Meteor White and the Everglide Tourmaline Blue due to their differing top housings.

Weight

When comparing the actuation force and bottom out force of the SP-Star Meteor White linear switch and the Everglide Tourmaline Blue linear switch, there are notable differences. The actuation force of the Meteor White is unavailable, making it difficult to directly compare to the Tourmaline Blue's actuation force of 59 grams. However, both switches have a bottom out force measurement. The Meteor White has a bottom out force of 57 grams, which is considered medium-light, while the Tourmaline Blue has a bottom out force of 67 grams, categorized as medium-heavy.

Considering weight, the Meteor White, with its undisclosed actuation force, may offer a lighter typing experience, beneficial for extended typing sessions or prolonged gaming. On the other hand, the Tourmaline Blue, with its higher actuation force, provides a stronger push feel, resulting in a more substantial typing experience. This heaviness could be preferred by individuals seeking a more tactile and satisfying keystroke.

While the specific actuation forces of the two switches are not directly comparable, it can be assumed that the Meteor White is lighter than the Tourmaline Blue due to its lower bottom out force measurement. In both cases, users can expect reliable actuation and bottoming out results. Ultimately, the choice between the two switches will depend on personal preferences for typing experience and the desired force required to trigger keystrokes.

Travel distance

The travel distance of the SP-Star Meteor White linear switch and the Everglide Tourmaline Blue linear switch is the same, both measuring 4mm. This means that when you press down on a key with either switch, you will experience the same distance of travel. Therefore, regardless of which switch you choose to use, you can expect similar results in terms of the tactile sensation and response of the switch.

Price comparison

Typing experience

When it comes to sound, the SP-Star Meteor White and Everglide Tourmaline Blue switches both fall into the category of neutral switches, which means they have a moderate actuation force requirement and a moderate sound profile. However, the Meteor White is known for its gentle and pitter-patter sound profile, offering a soft and subdued typing experience. On the other hand, the Tourmaline Blue provides a deep and thocky sound profile, immersing the user in a satisfying typing experience. The Tourmaline Blue's sound is described as a deep "thud" or a soft "knock" when the key is pressed and released, providing a distinct and immersive sound profile. Keep in mind that the sound of a switch can also be influenced by factors such as the keyboard and keycaps being used.

In terms of feel, the Meteor White offers a mild typing experience. It falls into the category of mild mechanical keyboard switches, which provide a more gentle typing experience compared to switches with more pronounced characteristics. The Meteor White switch has a smooth and refined finish, resulting in a sleek typing experience. This polished switch delivers reduced friction and smooth key travel, enhancing the overall feel of typing on it.

Similarly, the Tourmaline Blue switch is described as buttery, implying a smooth and fluid keystroke experience. These switches offer a seamless and effortless typing sensation, delivering a uniform feel with every key press. They are also easy to press, requiring minimal force to activate. The light actuation force of the Tourmaline Blue switches enhances the typing experience by providing a responsive and low-impact feel, reducing finger fatigue during extended typing sessions. Overall, the Tourmaline Blue strikes a balance between accessibility and enjoyment, catering to a wide range of users.

In conclusion, the SP-Star Meteor White and Everglide Tourmaline Blue linear switches offer different subjective qualities in terms of sound and feel. The Meteor White provides a gentle and soft typing experience, with a pitter-patter sound profile and a polished feel. On the other hand, the Tourmaline Blue delivers a deep and thocky sound profile, with a buttery and easy-to-press feel. If you're looking for a neutral switch with a moderate sound and feel, both switches can provide similar results, but if you prefer a subdued and gentle experience, the Meteor White is the way to go. If you prefer a more immersive and satisfying sound and feel, the Tourmaline Blue would be a great choice. Ultimately, the choice between the two will depend on your personal preferences and typing style.

Conclusion

To sum up, if you're looking for a gentle and soft typing experience with a subtle sound profile, the SP-Star Meteor White linear switch would be a great choice for you. With its medium-light bottom out force of 57 grams and the descriptors of "mild" and "polished" in terms of feel, this switch offers a comfortable and approachable typing experience. It is suitable for both beginners and advanced users, whether you're using it at home or at work. On the other hand, if you prefer a more immersive and satisfying typing experience with a deep and thocky sound profile, the Everglide Tourmaline Blue linear switch would be perfect for you. With its medium-heavy bottom out force of 67 grams and the descriptors of "buttery," "easy-to-press," and "mild" in terms of feel, this switch provides a bouncy and responsive feel with each keystroke. It strikes a balance with its standard spring weight, making it enjoyable for a wide range of users. Ultimately, the choice between the SP-Star Meteor White and Everglide Tourmaline Blue switches depends on your preferences for typing experience and sound profile.

Mentioned in this article

SP-Star Meteor White Linear

$5.60

$5.00 per 10

Learn more

Everglide Tourmaline Blue Linear

$6.86

$3.89 per 10

Learn more