Gateron and Cherry are the two most dominant switch companies in the mechanical keyboard market.
One is known for its smooth and snappy typing experience and the other is known for its durability and excellent typing experience.
Gateron vs Cherry– Both are perfectly made for a mechanical keyboard.
That’s why users are always confused between Gateron vs Cherry Switches as both share many similarities based on a variety of technical specifications as well as fundamental aspects.
If you are the kind of user who is confused between Gateron and Cherry Switches, this article is specially designed for you.
I am going to break down this article into 6 different factors which are based on their Feel, Typing Experience, performance, price, and durability.
This post will provide you with every detailed answer regarding these switches along with a conclusive difference so you can pick the best switch according to your needs and requirement.
You can take your typing experience to a next level by installing the best mechanical switch on your keyboard.
Let’s get dive into the details!
Table of Contents
Gateron Switches: A Brief Overview
Designed by Gateron Electronic Technology Co. Ltd. and manufactured in Huizhou, Guangdong, China, Gateron switches are the most popular switches and are considered the best competitor of Cherry MX switches.
Gateron switches signature is to offer a super-smooth, quiet, and balanced typing experience throughout the typing on them.
This manufacturer has many different varieties of switches in its family lineup that are widely used for various and different purposes, people can pick any switch type according to their needs and circumstances.
Initially, Gaterons was known to construct clones of Cherry Mx switches but later on, this company developed its own mechanism to fulfill keyboard enthusiasts’ needs.
That’s why Gateron got huge success in the mechanical keyboard switch market.
Cherry Switches: A Brief Overview
When anyone talks about mechanical switches origination, Cherry always comes on top as Cherry is the oldest and only manufacturing company that used to have a patent for mechanical key switches.
After some contradictions about patent associates with Cherry, many companies are constructing the clone of cherry switches, but one thing I would say is Cherry is still the king in the mechanical switch segment.
Cherry is an American company which works in this industry since 1953, In 1979 Cherry shifted its setup to Germany and is still established there.
Cherry has various no. of switches in its family for their use so they can opt for any switch according to their needs and usage.
Gateron Vs Cherry Switches: Which is Better Pick?
Here is the significant difference between Gateron vs Cherry switches, this is just an overview table you can find a detailed guide below.
Don’t forget to read the complete article so you will be able to understand these switches differences in depth.
Take a sneak peek at the properties of both switches.
Technical Benchmarks | Gateron | Cherry |
Feel | Silky-smoother | Scratchier |
Key Travel | Free from resistance | Slightly Scratchy feel |
Noise Level | Quietier | Slightly Louder |
Availability | Hard to find | Easily available |
Price | Budget-Friendly | More Expensive |
Variety of Switches | More Variety | Less Variety |
Durability | More Durabe having 100 million keystrokes | Less Durable having 50 million keystrokes |
Gateron Vs Cherry Switches – A Detailed Comparison
After looking at the sneak peek, here is the detailed and in-depth comparison between Gateron Vs Cherry Switches which is completely based on the following significant factors.
These key factors can make a huge difference depending on usage and functionality along with drawing a broad edge between these two switches.
Here is the breakdown.
1. Feel and Touch
The feel and touch of a switch are determined by how a user gets an initial impression of the switch.
If a switch gives a magnificent feel, you will certainly love to type on, as a result, you will get a smoother feel and an excellent hold over the switches.
In this segment, Gateron Switches take a broad edge as these switches provide you a great feel and touch (especially Gateron Linear Switches) due to the premium components from which Gateron switches are constructed.
Gateron switches are more comfortable to type while playing games or typing compared to Cherry.
However, Cherry switches are slightly tighter side because of their stem which is more compressed and has a lower space to move inside.
Apart from the linear switches, if we compare clicky and tactile switches of both companies, I have found both switches offer you equal comfortability and feel.
Overall, Gateron wins in terms of overall feel and touch due to its Linear switch lineup.
Winner = Gateron
2. Price
Price is a decisive factor for any product whether a product will be successful or not, It can be a deal-maker or deal-breaker for the people like us.
I always look for a value-for-money product in the market, I hope you also look for the same.
In terms of price, Gateron Switches take a huge lead in this segment as Gaterons are way cheaper and more economical than Cherry MX switches.
The price creates a major difference between Gateron Vs Cherry Switches.
The reason for Gaterons being cheaper is, they are produced mainly in China by a well-known manufacturer, there is also uncertainty about test and quality checks because I didn’t find any information regarding their quality and test.
But cheaper doesn’t always mean low performance. Let me clear you Gateron switches are as equal as cherry in terms of performance.
However, Cherry switches are too much expensive as they are best known to be expensive side. Cherry switches are produced in Germany and undergo many advanced and quality checks which make these switches most durable and more expensive.
Cherry is the most reliable and the first mechanical switch company, while Gateron usually copies the design of Cherry switches and after produced them according to their mechanism under a very good budget.
So Cherry has its own importance, reliability, and brand value.
Overall, as far as the value for money is concerned Gateron switches are a clear winner here.
Winner = Gateron
3. Durability
This is the segment where no switch company can match the standard of Cherry Switches.
Cherry destroys Gaterons single handly in terms of quality and durability.
Many keyboard enthusiasts are concerned about their switches and have major doubts about How long these expensive mechanical switches last?
As they pay a higher price for the mechanical keyboard switch compared to the conventional membrane.
In this scenario users always stick with Cherry switches because they can survive up to 100 million keystrokes which are straightly double compared to Gateron’s durability and quality.
Even after the given durability benchmark, Cherry switches can work absolutely well.
However, Gateron Switches are designed to survive 50 million keystrokes which is certainly considered good if you compare with some other switches like Kailh and Outemu but except the Cherry.
I would say Gaterons are not as durable as Cherry switches but they can survive for long even without any severe mechanical problem.
Between Gateron vs Cherry, Cherry definitely won this durability battle and one thing keeps in mind Cherry switches are expensive too, so we can’t ignore Gateron Switches.
Winner = Cherry
4. Variety and Choice of Switches
Both Gateron and Cherry switches have a variety of switches in their family for various purposes of use.
Gateron have Regular switches, Ink switches, Speed switches, and Silent switches in its lineup and each switch can be used in different utility scenario.
While Cherry also provides all this variety of switches to the users.
When if I have to pick out a switch between Gateron Vs Cherry, I would certainly go with Gateron most of the time due to its special edition like Silent switch which performs exceptionally well and stand out of the box.
However, If I have to pick one switch from Cherry, I would pick Cherry MX Speed Silver switches, as far as gaming is concerned there is no competitor for these switches because of their immense speed and beat performance.
Gateron Ink and Gateron Silent switch create a significant difference between Gateron vs Cherry.
When picking out the best switches among them, Gateron has a broad and special no. of varieties in their family.
So in terms of the variety of switches, Gateron slightly got a point.
Winner = Gateron
5. Noise Level
A Satisfying Noise from a mechanical switch can entirely change your typing experience.
On other hand, A scratchy, loud, and rattling sound from a switch can ruin your typing experience too, so noise plays a significant role to boost your typing experience.
Gateron switches are buttery smooth and less scratchy that’s the reason Gateron switches produce less noise and achieved an edge in the sound section.
Talking about the Cherry’s Sound, Cherry switches generally produce a slightly loud noise when typed.
If you compare both sound profiles of Gateron vs Cherry, Gateron slightly has a quiet, rich, and deep sound profile which most of the users like. While Cherry’s sound profile is a little bit louder.
The sound profile completely depends on the user-specific preference as some people like to type on a switch that produces loud noise like Clicky Blue Switches however, some users like me prefer linear switches that produce less noise.
Gateron Linear switches are considered the best for quiet sound profile users.
If you a fan of Clicky Blue switches Cherry switches are perfectly suited to your needs.
Overall, Gateron has an edge as far as the balanced sound profile is concerned as it has a variety of switches for all kinds of users.
Winner = Gateron
6. Easier to Find
The big challenge to these switches is to get in real hands as there are fewer no. online and offline platforms that sell individual switches in specific countries.
Being a well-known and old brand, Cherry MX switches are mostly installed on the mid-range and higher-range mechanical keyboards so it is easily available online as well as in the offline market.
Many mechanical keyboard manufacturers generally used Cherry MX switches in their keyboards to grab user attention due to their brand name value.
While Gateron switches are not easy to find in the stores and the keyboard as well.
You should find Gateron switches on most of the online platforms, among them some popular and trusted platforms are Amazon, mechanicalkeyboards.com, and more.
If your mechanical keyboard supports hot-swappable features you can simply order these key switches separately and install them on your keyboard.
If you are looking for a pocket-friendly mechanical keyboard having excellent mechanical switches, you can go with Gateron Keyboards as Gateron switches are found mostly in economical mechanical keyboards.
Between Gateron vs Cherry switches easy to find battle, Cherry MX switches are easy easier to find on the market.
Winner = Cherry
Gateron Vs Cherry Switches: Comparison Table
As we have looked at above how these two switch companies performed differently on some technical benchmarks which can be a conclusive factor for us to decide.
I have prepared an in-depth table for each switch type and the variety of its colors to get a better perspective regarding Gateron and Cherry switches.
This table will include switch type, actuation force, travel difference of each mechanical switch of both manufacturers.
Take a look and decide at your own what seems best:
Gateron Switches
Color | Switch Type | Actuation Force | Travel Distance | Noise Level |
Clear | Linear | 35cN | 2mm | Low |
Red | Linear | 45cN | 2mm | Low |
Yellow | Linear | 50cN | 2mm | Low |
Black | Linear | 60cN | 2mm | Low |
Blue | Clicky | 60cN | 2.3mm | High |
Green | Clicky | 80cN | 2.4mm | High |
Brown | Tactile | 55cN | 2mm | Medium |
Cherry MX Switches
Color | Switch Type | Actuation Force | Travel Distance | Noise Level |
Clear | Tactile | 65cN | 2mm | Medium |
Red | Linear | 45cN | 2mm | Low |
Silver | Linear | 45cN | 1.2mm | Low |
Black | Linear | 60cN | 2mm | Low |
Blue | Clicky | 60cN | 2.3mm | High |
Green | Clicky | 80cN | 2.4mm | High |
Brown | Tactile | 55cN | 2mm | Medium |
I am embedding a video for you so you may be able to differentiate Gateron vs Cherry switches in practical use.
Source: ZXTECH
The table clearly shows, there are slight differences between Gateron vs Cherry switches in terms of travel distance as well as noise level.
Apart from these two factors, both switches have almost similar functionality and specifications such as actuation force and the switch type profile which certainly give head-to-head competition to the Cherry switches.
If you read this table attentively you will find A Clear switch from Gateron clearly stands out from the table because of its linear switch profile having 35cN actuation which is perfectly lighter and smooth to use.
There are more switches from Gateron and Cherry but I have not included them in this table as they are most common and not worth to be put into it.
Gateron switches have an edge over Cherry in many factors that the reason people are love to invest in Gateron switches more than any other manufacturer.
Conclusion
I have tried my best to put each and every single difference between Gateron vs Cherry switches on a single platform.
So you may be able to decide which switch perfectly fulfill your requirements.
well, picking the best mechanical switches completely depends on the user-specific preference.
As some gaming enthusiasts prefer loud switches whereas some professional typer mostly love to type on a silent switch to avoid unwanted disturbance noise.
Some keyboard user always wants value for money product while some users want a switch that works best for many years.
This totally comes down to a user surrounding circumstances.
Now come to the conclusive part, if you want smooth, quiet, fast, and affordable switches you can pick Gateron switches without any lookback.
If you want sturdy and slightly scratchy switches that can survive for many years and budget is not your primary concern, your choice certainly is Cherry MX Switches.
Both switches are exceptionally best, I will highly recommend you to use Gateron Switches first for your mechanical keyboard.
I hope this post was helpful and able to provide you with a conclusive difference between Gateron vs Cherry Switches.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers!!
Gateron vs Cherry FAQs
Are Gateron switches better than cherry?
Gateron switches are silky smooth, quiet, and balanced sound which makes Gaterons slightly better than cherry but Cherry switches are known to be more durable and have a sturdy build which works best for expensive mechanical keyboards.
Why are cherry switches more expensive than Gateron?
Cherry switches go through many advanced test and quality checks which makes them more reliable as well as cherry offers a warranty for 50 million actuation which make Cherry more expensive than any other switches, while there is no surety about quality checks and test about Gateron switches.
Is Gateron a cherry clone?
Yes, we can say because initially Gateron was created keeping in mind Cherry's design and structure but as of now, Gaterons are focusing on their own mechanism which is making them successful.