Durock Sea Glass vs. Gateron Silent Ink Black
An in-depth look at the Durock Sea Glass and the Gateron Silent Ink Black switches—which one is the best fit for you?
Overview
The Durock Sea Glass and the Gateron Silent Ink Black are both popular mechanical keyboard switches, each offering unique features and benefits for different preferences. The Sea Glass switch series by Durock stands out with its captivating selection of five pastel colors, making it visually appealing. These linear switches provide a distinct dryness, wispiness, and airiness while maintaining a smooth typing experience. Despite its 62g bottom-out force, the Sea Glass switches feel weightless, defying expectations and offering an easy-to-press sensation. Additionally, these switches produce a uniquely hollow sound signature. On the other hand, the Gateron Silent Ink Black is the go-to choice for those who prioritize quiet typing. This silenced version of the Ink Black switch offers a cushion-like bottom-out feel with minimal audio feedback, ensuring a peaceful typing experience. Categorized as silky, muted, and polished, the Silent Ink Black switch provides a smooth and refined typing 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
45g
Actuation force
60g
Bottom-out force
62g
Bottom-out force
70g
Pre-travel
2.00 mm
Pre-travel
2.00 mm
Total travel
3.80 mm
Total travel
4.00 mm
Factory lubed
Yes
Factory lubed
Yes
Stem construction
Standard
Stem construction
Standard
Stem material
P3+
Stem material
POM
Top housing material
Polymer nylon and UHMWPE blend
Top housing material
Proprietary INK blend
Bottom housing material
Polymer nylon and UHMWPE blend
Bottom housing material
Proprietary INK blend
Mount type
PCB (5-pin)
Mount type
PCB (5-pin)
Spring
Gold-plated
Spring
Color coated
Housing materials
The housing materials of the Durock Sea Glass and the Gateron Silent Ink Black differ in terms of their composition. The Sea Glass features a Polymer nylon and UHMWPE blend for both its top and bottom housing, while the Silent Ink Black utilizes Gateron's proprietary INK blend for its top and bottom housing. Despite this difference, both switches offer unique sound profiles that are described as not overly sharp but slightly brighter in tone. This means that users can expect a pleasant and satisfying sound experience when typing on either switch.
In terms of the bottom housing, the Sea Glass and Silent Ink Black again showcase distinct materials. The Sea Glass utilizes its blend of Polymer nylon and UHMWPE, which contributes to the overall sound profile of the switch's bottom-out sound and feel. The Silent Ink Black, on the other hand, utilizes Gateron's INK blend for its bottom housing. This blend is known for its pointed and relatively high-pitched sound profile, providing a clacky and thin sound experience. Therefore, users can expect a slightly different bottom-out sound and feel between the Sea Glass and Silent Ink Black switches.
Moving on to the top housing, the Sea Glass and Silent Ink Black also differ in their materials and resulting impact on sound. The Sea Glass incorporates its unique Polymer nylon and UHMWPE blend for the top housing, which adds to the switch's overall sound when the key is released. In contrast, the Silent Ink Black utilizes Gateron's INK blend for its top housing, contributing to its satisfying clacky sound upon key release. While the specific materials vary, users can still anticipate a similar effect of a slightly brighter and pointed sound when letting go of a key on both switches.
Overall, the housing materials of the Durock Sea Glass and Gateron Silent Ink Black switches offer distinct characteristics to the typing experience. The Sea Glass's blend of Polymer nylon and UHMWPE brings a unique sound profile, while the Silent Ink Black's proprietary INK blend provides a satisfying clacky and high-pitched tone. Despite these differences, users can enjoy a similar pleasant and not overly sharp sound when typing on either switch. It's worth mentioning that the bottom housing has a greater impact on the switch's bottom-out sound and feel, while the top housing influences the sound upon key release.
Weight
When comparing the actuation force and bottom out force of the Durock Sea Glass linear switch and the Gateron Silent Ink Black linear switch, there are notable differences between the two. The Sea Glass switch has a lighter actuation force of 45 grams, while the Silent Ink Black switch requires a slightly heavier force of 60 grams to trigger a keystroke. This means that the Silent Ink Black switch may provide a slightly more resistant push feel during typing. Additionally, the Sea Glass switch has a bottom out force of 62 grams, while the Silent Ink Black switch has a higher bottom out force of 70 grams. This indicates that the Silent Ink Black switch requires more force for a complete press, potentially providing a more substantial typing experience. However, it is important to note that both switches fall within the medium to medium-heavy range in terms of actuation and bottom out forces, respectively. Therefore, although they have different specific force requirements, users can expect to achieve similar results in terms of overall performance and typing experience. Ultimately, the choice between the two switches will depend on personal preference, with some individuals favoring the lighter actuation force of the Sea Glass switch for extended typing sessions, while others may prefer the heavier forces of the Silent Ink Black switch for a more substantial typing feel.
Travel distance
When comparing the travel distance of the Durock Sea Glass linear switch and the Gateron Silent Ink Black linear switch, it is clear that there is a slight difference. The Sea Glass has a travel distance of 3.8 mm, while the Silent Ink Black has a travel distance of 4 mm. Both of these distances fall within the range of what is considered typical for linear switches. The Sea Glass offers a slightly shorter travel distance, which may appeal to gamers looking for faster response times. On the other hand, the Silent Ink Black provides a slightly longer travel distance, which may be preferred by those who prefer a deeper and more substantial key press. Overall, while the difference in travel distance between these switches is minimal, it can still impact the user experience depending on individual preferences.
Price comparison
Which switch is more bang for your buck?
The Durock Sea Glass has an MSRP of $5.80 per 10 switches. At Milktooth, we are able to pass on savings to our customers and offer the Sea Glass for $4.87.
The Gateron Silent Ink Black has an MSRP of $8.50 per 10 switches. At Milktooth, we are able to pass on savings to our customers and offer the Silent Ink Black for $8.35.
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 Durock Sea Glass switch offers a uniquely hollow sound signature. This means that when typing on these switches, the sound produced is distinct and different from other switches. On the other hand, the Gateron Silent Ink Black switch is described as muted, which means it produces a softer and quieter sound compared to regular switches. The Silent Ink Black switch minimizes the noise typically associated with mechanical keyboards. However, it is important to note that the sound of a switch can also be influenced by other factors such as the keyboard board and keycaps chosen. Therefore, while the Sea Glass switch has a hollow sound signature and the Silent Ink Black switch is muted, the overall sound of each switch can be further influenced by other components.
In terms of feel, the Durock Sea Glass switch is described as frictionless, mild, feathery, and easy-to-press. This means that the typing experience on these switches is extremely smooth and effortless, with minimal resistance or friction when pressing the keys. The Sea Glass switch offers a fluid travel and a gentle typing experience that is approachable to most users. Additionally, these switches are exceptionally light to press, reducing finger fatigue and making them comfortable for extended typing sessions. On the other hand, the Gateron Silent Ink Black switch is described as silky and polished. This indicates that these switches offer an exceptionally smooth typing experience with a refined finish. They minimize resistance when pressing and releasing keys, resulting in a sleek and smooth typing feel. The Silent Ink Black switch also offers a cushion-like bottom-out feel, enhancing the overall typing experience.
In conclusion, the Durock Sea Glass linear switch and the Gateron Silent Ink Black linear switch offer different subjective qualities in terms of sound and feel. The Sea Glass switch has a uniquely hollow sound signature and a frictionless, mild, feathery, and easy-to-press feel. On the other hand, the Silent Ink Black switch is muted in sound and offers a silky and polished feel. Both switches provide smooth typing experiences, with the Sea Glass switch emphasizing weightlessness and airiness, and the Silent Ink Black switch emphasizing cushion-like bottom-out feel. It is important to consider personal preferences and the specific requirements of the intended environment (such as noise level) when choosing between these two switches. However, if a user is looking for a quieter typing experience with a smooth feel, both switches can provide similar results.
Conclusion
In summary, if you're looking for a switch that offers a distinct dryness, wispiness, and airiness in its typing experience, along with a weightlessness that defies expectations, the Durock Sea Glass linear switch is the choice for you. The Sea Glass switches possess a frictionless nature, providing an extremely smooth and effortless typing experience. They also have a uniquely hollow sound signature, adding to the overall tactile experience.
On the other hand, if you value a quieter typing experience, the Gateron Silent Ink Black linear switch is the way to go. This switch offers a cushy, pillow-like bottom-out feel with minimal audio feedback. It is specifically designed for environments that require reduced noise levels.
In terms of sound, the Sea Glass switch provides a distinct and unique typing sound, while the Silent Ink Black switch offers a muted sound to minimize noise.
When it comes to feel, the Sea Glass switch offers a frictionless, mild, and feathery typing experience, with easy-to-press keys that require minimal force to activate. On the other hand, the Silent Ink Black switch provides a silky and polished typing experience, with exceptionally smooth key travel and reduced friction.
Ultimately, the choice between the Durock Sea Glass linear switch and the Gateron Silent Ink Black linear switch depends on your specific preferences. Consider whether you prioritize a unique and weightless typing experience with a hollow sound signature (Sea Glass) or a quiet and cushioned typing experience (Silent Ink Black). Both switches offer their own advantages and are well-suited for different preferences and environments.
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