Haimu Orange Sea vs. Outemu Brown

Overview

When it comes to mechanical keyboards, the choice of switches can significantly impact your typing experience, and two popular options to consider are the Haimu Orange Sea and the Outemu Brown switches. The Haimu Orange Sea switches are celebrated for their impeccably smooth typing feel and neutral sound signature, making them an excellent choice for users who prioritize a seamless and quiet experience. In contrast, the Outemu Brown switches, known for their tactile feedback, provide a noticeable bump when you actuate a key, catering to those who enjoy a more responsive feel while typing or gaming. While both switches offer unique advantages—smoothness with the Orange Sea and tactile feedback with the Brown—your personal preferences and use cases will ultimately guide your decision. However, let's dive in a bit deeper beyond these generalities so you can best decide on the switch that suits your needs.

By the numbers

Haimu Orange Sea Linear

Outemu Brown Tactile

$2.79 per 10

$3.10 per 10

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Housing materials

The Haimu Orange Sea and the Outemu Brown switches both incorporate polycarbonate for their top housing, resulting in similar acoustic properties. This material gives each switch a sharper, higher-pitched, and crisper sound profile. The stiffness of polycarbonate contributes to a clear and resonant sound, enhancing the overall typing experience. Additionally, the clear nature of polycarbonate allows for vibrant RGB lighting effects, making it aesthetically pleasing and functional for users who value illumination in their keyboards. Thus, both switches share similar sound characteristics and visual appeal largely thanks to their identical choice of top housing material.

In contrast, the bottom housing of the Haimu Orange Sea and the Outemu Brown switches consists of nylon, a classic material known for its capacity to produce a deeper and fuller sound profile. This is attributed to nylon's softer composition, which absorbs more sound energy than harder materials like polycarbonate. As a result, the switches with nylon bottom housings deliver a more muted and rounded auditory experience when the keystrokes bottom out, emphasizing a different aspect of the overall sound profile compared to the top housing. Both switches will exhibit this deeper sound layer, yielding a richness in auditory feedback that enhances the typing experience.

When assessing the combined effect of the housing materials on the typing experience, the Haimu Orange Sea and Outemu Brown switches display distinctive characteristics due to their differing bottom and top housing compositions. While the polycarbonate top housing provides clarity and brightness during key releases, the nylon bottom housing contributes to a more blended and rounded sound when keys are pressed down. This architectural interplay means that each switch creates a unique auditory profile, with the potential for a seamless mix of sharpness and depth, appealing to users with varying preferences in tactile and sound responses. By harnessing the strengths of both materials, the switches aim to deliver a satisfying typing experience.

Weight

The Haimu Orange Sea linear switch and the Outemu Brown tactile switch display distinct differences in both actuation and bottom out forces. The Orange Sea features a lighter actuation force of 37 grams and a bottom out force of 45 grams, making it an excellent choice for users who prefer a more effortless typing experience, ideal for extended use during work or gaming sessions. In contrast, the Outemu Brown switch has a notably heavier actuation force of 53 grams and a bottom out force of 65 grams, catering to those who appreciate a more substantial tactile feedback and a stronger push feel. Therefore, for users seeking a lighter touch, the Haimu Orange Sea would be more suitable, while those desiring a heavier and more pronounced keystroke should opt for the Outemu Brown. The variation in forces results in different typing sensations, emphasizing the importance of personal preference in choosing between these two switches.

Travel distance

The Haimu Orange Sea linear switch features a travel distance of 3.6 mm, while the Outemu Brown tactile switch has a slightly longer travel distance of 4 mm. This makes the Orange Sea the shorter option, aligning with the preference for faster response times often favored by gamers and those who enjoy more immediate feedback from their keystrokes. In contrast, the Brown switch's 4 mm travel distance provides a more substantial feel, appealing to users who prefer deeper, more tactile typing experiences. Therefore, while both switches offer distinct advantages based on personal preference, those seeking a swifter response would benefit from the Orange Sea, whereas those desiring a more pronounced keystroke would likely gravitate towards the Brown.

Price comparison

Typing experience

When it comes to sound, the Haimu Orange Sea linear switch features a neutral sound signature, allowing for a relatively quiet typing experience. This means that it won’t produce the loud clicks or clacks that can be characteristic of other switch types. The Outemu Brown switch, while tactile, does not have a defined sound profile to distinguish it from the Orange Sea, which suggests that, like the Orange Sea, it may also lean towards a less disruptive acoustic footprint. However, the sound can still be influenced by factors such as the keyboard frame and the keycap material used.

In terms of feel, the Haimu Orange Sea is noted for its impeccably smooth typing experience, providing a frictionless action that many users find desirable for fast and accurate typing. Conversely, the Outemu Brown switch is recognized for its tactile feedback, giving a noticeable bump during keypresses. This difference in feel can cater to different preferences; those who enjoy a more smooth and linear action may prefer the Orange Sea, while tactile users might lean towards the Brown switch for the feedback it provides.

Overall, both the Haimu Orange Sea and Outemu Brown switches offer unique characteristics that can enhance the typing experience in various ways. The Orange Sea’s smoothness and neutral sound make it an excellent choice for those looking for silent and fluid keystrokes, while the Brown switch’s tactile feedback offers a more engaging typing sensation. Ultimately, the choice between these switches will largely depend on personal preference regarding sound and feel, as both can lead to satisfying results depending on the user’s needs.

Conclusion

To conclude, when deciding between the Haimu Orange Sea linear switch and the Outemu Brown tactile switch, your personal preferences and usage scenarios should guide your choice. If you favor a light touch and a beautifully smooth typing experience, the Orange Sea is your go-to option, boasting a bottom out force of just 45 grams. This makes it ideal for rapid typing or gaming, where every millisecond counts and you want to minimize finger fatigue. Its neutral sound signature allows for quiet operation, which can be particularly beneficial in shared environments. On the other hand, if you appreciate the feedback of a tactile switch and don't mind a slightly heavier bottom out force of 65 grams, the Outemu Brown could be the better fit. While it may lack the renowned characteristics of other switches, its tactile bump offers a satisfying sensation that can enhance your typing accuracy and provide a more engaging experience, especially for tasks like coding or document editing. Ultimately, choosing between these two switches will depend on whether you value speed and smoothness or tactile feedback and a bit more resistance.

Mentioned in this article

Haimu Orange Sea Linear

$2.79 per 10

Learn more

Outemu Brown Tactile

$3.10 per 10

Learn more