Outemu Silent Ocean vs. Gateron Smoothie
An in-depth look at the Outemu Silent Ocean and the Gateron Smoothie switches—which one is the best fit for you?
Overview
When it comes to mechanical keyboard switches, the Outemu Silent Ocean and the Gateron Smoothie offer unique features to suit different preferences. The Outemu Silent Ocean is a linear switch that is best known for its silence and smooth keystrokes. On the other hand, the Gateron Smoothie, also a linear switch, stands out for its thocky sound signature, remarkable smoothness, and lightweight touch. While the Silent Ocean provides a quiet typing experience, the Smoothie offers a satisfying tactile feedback. Both switches have their own appeal and strengths, making them ideal choices depending on your personal preferences. However, let's dive a bit deeper beyond generalities so you can best decide on the best switch for you.
By the numbers
Technical specifications
Actuation force
45g
Actuation force
40g
Bottom-out force
65g
Bottom-out force
N/A
Pre-travel
1.60 mm
Pre-travel
2.00 mm
Total travel
4.00 mm
Total travel
3.60 mm
Factory lubed
Yes
Factory lubed
Yes
Stem construction
Partial box
Stem construction
Standard
Stem material
POM
Stem material
POM
Top housing material
Polycarbonate
Top housing material
POM
Bottom housing material
Nylon
Bottom housing material
POM
Mount type
Plate (3-pin)
Mount type
PCB (5-pin)
Spring
Stainless steel
Spring
22mm extended double-stage spring
Housing materials
When comparing the housing materials of the Outemu Silent Ocean and the Gateron Smoothie, one key difference is in the top housing material. The Silent Ocean features a polycarbonate top housing, which creates a sharper, higher-pitched sound profile. This is due to polycarbonate's stiffness, resulting in a clear and resonant sound. On the other hand, the Smoothie uses a POM top housing, which produces a deeper and more muted sound. While both materials provide unique sound profiles, the polycarbonate top housing of the Silent Ocean will give a crisper sound compared to the POM top housing of the Smoothie.
Moving on to the bottom housing, the Silent Ocean utilizes a nylon bottom housing, known for creating a deeper and fuller sound. Because nylon is softer and absorbs more sound, it produces a duller and rounder sound profile. Similarly, the Gateron Smoothie also uses a POM bottom housing, resulting in a pleasing and unique sound profile that is deeper and more muted. While both switches offer deep sound profiles from their bottom housings, the slight differences in material properties may impact the overall feel and sound during typing.
Overall, while the top and bottom housing materials vary between the Outemu Silent Ocean and the Gateron Smoothie, their intended sound profiles are quite similar. Both switches aim to provide a pleasing and unique typing experience, with the top housing influencing the sound upon key release and the bottom housing affecting the bottom-out sound and feel. Whether it's the polycarbonate and nylon combination of the Silent Ocean or the POM pairing of the Smoothie, both switches offer distinct sound profiles that cater to different preferences in mechanical keyboard enthusiasts.
Weight
When comparing the Outemu Silent Ocean linear switch and the Gateron Smoothie linear switch, it is clear that the actuation and bottom out forces play a crucial role in determining the typing experience. The Outemu Silent Ocean has a slightly higher actuation force of 45 grams compared to the Gateron Smoothie's 40 grams. This means that the Silent Ocean requires a slightly firmer push to register a keystroke. Additionally, the Silent Ocean has a bottom out force of 65 grams, while the Smoothie's bottom out force is unknown. This makes the Silent Ocean a bit heavier in terms of bottoming out pressure. The weight of the keystrokes can greatly impact the typing experience, with lighter forces being preferred for longer typing sessions and heavier forces providing a more substantial feel. Overall, both switches offer unique characteristics in terms of actuation and bottom out forces, providing users with options to suit their typing preferences.
Travel distance
The Outemu Silent Ocean linear switch has a travel distance of 4 mm, while the Gateron Smoothie linear switch has a travel distance of 3.6 mm. In this case, the Smoothie has a shorter travel distance compared to the Silent Ocean. A 0.4 mm difference may not seem significant, but can be felt by users who are sensitive to these nuances. Gamers who prioritize quicker response times may lean towards the Gateron Smoothie with its shorter travel distance. On the other hand, those who prefer a more substantial key press may find the Outemu Silent Ocean more satisfying with its slightly longer travel distance. Ultimately, the choice between the two switches will come down to personal preference and the desired feel of the key press.
Price comparison
Which switch is more bang for your buck?
The Gateron Smoothie has an MSRP of $3.00 per 10 switches. At Milktooth, we are able to pass on savings to our customers and offer the Smoothie for $2.60.
The Outemu Silent Ocean comes in at $3.10 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
In terms of sound, the Outemu Silent Ocean switch is known for being quiet and producing a subtle sound when pressed, while the Gateron Smoothie switch is famous for its thocky, low-pitched, and subdued sound profile, offering a satisfying deep "thud" or soft "knock" when keys are pressed and released. The choice between the two switches will largely depend on personal preference for sound, as the Silent Ocean provides a more subdued and quiet typing experience, while the Smoothie offers a more pronounced and satisfying auditory feedback.
When it comes to feel, the Outemu Silent Ocean switch lacks specific descriptors, leaving its tactile characteristics unknown. On the other hand, the Gateron Smoothie switch is renowned for providing a buttery, creamy, and silky typing experience. These descriptors indicate that the Smoothie switch offers a smooth, fluid, and effortless keystroke, enhancing typing comfort and satisfaction. Individuals who prioritize a smooth and seamless typing experience may lean towards the Gateron Smoothie switch for its unique tactile feel.
Overall, the Outemu Silent Ocean and Gateron Smoothie switches offer distinct subjective qualities in terms of sound and feel. While the Silent Ocean switch is characterized by its quietness, the Smoothie switch stands out for its thocky sound profile and buttery typing feel. Choosing between the two switches will ultimately depend on individual preferences for sound and typing experience. Both switches are capable of providing a pleasant typing experience, with the Silent Ocean offering a quieter operation and the Smoothie delivering a more pronounced tactile feedback. Ultimately, selecting the right switch will come down to personal preferences and typing requirements.
Conclusion
In closing, when choosing between the Outemu Silent Ocean linear switch and the Gateron Smoothie linear switch, you should consider your preference for bottom out force. If you prefer a medium-heavy bottom out force of 65 grams, the Silent Ocean would be the better choice for you. On the other hand, if you prefer a switch with no specified bottom out force that offers a thocky sound signature, remarkable smoothness, and a lightweight touch, the Gateron Smoothie would be the ideal switch for you. Ultimately, your decision should be based on your individual typing preferences and the overall typing experience you are looking for in a mechanical keyboard switch.
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