As far as the linear switches are concerned in mechanical keyboards, Red switches always come on top due to their excellency.
But do you know? Gateron Yellow switches gradually establishing their feet and maybe they will surely dominate the linear switch market soon.
Gateron Yellow switches are not as popular as Red switches.
You will find Yellow switches are somehow ahead in terms of smoothness and performance.
Now keyboard enthusiasts are recognizing their potential and started to give preference to yellow switches over red.
But the question arises Are Gateron Yellow switches really that good in practical applications?
Is it a good substitution for Red switches?
To know all the answers, I’m going to publish a detailed and well-prepared article about Gateron Yellow Switches which will cover everything from their basic introduction to an in-depth review.
Let’s get dive into the details!
Table of Contents
What are Gateron Yellow Switches?
Gateron Yellow Switches are linear types of switches that are super smooth, fast, consistent, and provide a very quiet sound profile with no vertical bump.
The actuation is 50g which is considered very light, it is responsible for a fast and light typing experience that users loved typing.
It consists of a total travel distance of 4mm, considering the linear switch profile it is considered ideal and which is equal to other linear switches like Red.
Smoothness is the main identity of Gateron switches, and Gatgeron yellow truly justified it by offering a buttery smooth typing experience to the users.
The overall feel is quite satisfying, not as premium as Cherry switches but looking at the price, I would say it’s beyond mediocrity.
Gateron yellow switches are for those people who don’t like some scratchiness and stiffness of Cherry Red switches and need a smoother switch with strong feedback for their mechanical keyboard.
Gateron Yellow Switches Specs
In terms of specification, Gateron yellow switches are said to have more advanced specifications compared to red switches.
But it will be clear in our review section how they actually perform.
I’m sharing a specification table that briefly shows all the features equipped with Gateron Yellow switches:
Name | Gateron Yellow Switches |
Manufactured By | Gateron Electronic Technology Co. Ltd |
Switch Type | Linear Profile |
Top Housing | Transparent top housing |
Bottom Housing | Black bottom housing |
Actuation Force | 50g |
Spring-Force (Bottom-Out) | 65g |
Compatibility | Cherry MX compatible (PCB Mounted) |
Feel | Slightly Heavier then Red switches |
Sound Profile | Quiet |
Typing Experience | Very smooth and fast typing experience with quiet sound, vertical pressing sensation with no clicky feel. |
Gateron Yellow Switches Review
Should you prefer Gateron Yellow over red switches?
Well, this in-depth review of Gateron Yellow switches will clear all your doubts as well as give a conclusive answer so you can decide for yourself which is better.
This review is completely based on real applications along with all essential technical benchmarks to achieve optimum efficiency of these switches.
Here is the detailed review of all the features, specs, and performance:
1. Smoothness
All switches from Gateron are best known to offer super smoothness and Gateron Yellow switches are not that exception, which means they give a truly smooth typing experience throughout the typing.
The smoothness of any mechanical switch is not dependent on a single factor.
whereas actuation force, switch profile, spring force, and building mechanism play a vital role to make switches smooth and consistent.
Being a linear switch, Gateron Yellow switches provide extra smoothness and soft gripping as you will feel very light and smooth while typing.
It is not required to lube Gateron yellow at initial but the best thing is you can lube them to achieve more smoothness especially when you start to hear a rattling sound after long usage.
Luing can also enhance the sound profile of the switches which can be clearly felt differences before lubing and after lubing.
Gateron Yellow is certainly an excellent switch with a super smooth experience.
2. Sound Test
Talking about the sound profile of Gateron yellow switches, the sound of yellow switches is similar to Red switches due to many similarities.
Gateron produces a very silent sound while typing as well as gives a slight feeling of deep and rich sound because of internal components.
Due to their quiet and silent sound just the same as the Red switches, Yellow switches are most preferred by the gaming community, office workers, and central apartments because loud and clicky sounds may create a disturbance while working.
from a gaming perspective, I would say Gateron yellow did a great job with their sound which can give some advantages to the gamers like hearing the enemy’s footsteps.
Apart from sound some other factors also impact gaming performance as well.
As we have seen above, performing a lubing process on the switches can optimize their sound if needed.
Take a look at the real sound of the Gateron Yellow switches through a video.
Source: Deadspirit
3. Stem Wobble
Internal Components of Gateron Yellow switches
This is a very minor downside of all Gateron switches that there is a tiny spring and stem wobble which can’t be felt without extreme monitoring.
In regular and day-to-day usage, this wobble can not be noticeable but with the taller key profiles user can notice it with respect to the N/S direction.
For the top housing, the wobble is supposed to non-exist, which means even with the intentional observation it won’t be experienced.
It can be acceptable considering their price and their impressive performance.
4. Actuation & Push Feel
Source: switches.mx
The push feel and actuation both are the most significant reasons users love to use Gateron Yellow switches on their mechanical keyboards.
Gateron Yellow switches are constructed with high-quality plastic materials as well as stem, top, and bottom housing all are placed beautifully and enhance these switches’ touch and feel and offer an impressive linear feel.
That’s the reason Gateron Yellows are the hot favorite switches for the people who love linear switches feel.
The switches are accurate and consistent throughout the entire typing, the force is also consistent with no change in the reading. I would say the linear feel is the big upside for these switches.
The actuation force is 50g which is 5g high compared to red switches, the bottom-out with standard spring weight gives you a sturdier experience even with the aggressive typing on the board.
Pre-travel distance is 2mm whereas total travel distance is 4mm which allows users to type as fast as they can without much stretch of their wrist and enable frequent finger movement.
5. Durability
In terms of durability, Gateron yellow switches will not disappoint you.
Durability is the main concern for a user when opting for switches from the Gateron family due to their economical price, especially when compared to Cherry switches.
Having a lifespan of 50 million keystrokes, Gateron Yellow switches can survive easily for long years even with an aggressive hand. These switches come without any warranty certificate.
Looking at cherry lifespan, Gateron easily gets overshadowed but you should keep in mind that there is no match of cherry switches in terms of durability.
So you don’t need to be concerned because many peoples are using Gateron switches for a long time without a severe issue, reliability should not be a concern for Gateron yellows.
50 million keystrokes with any mechanical switches is certainly a good lifespan.
6. Overall Performacne
Having all the essential features and specifications, Gateron Yellow switches perform exceptionally well on every technical benchmark.
The 50g light actuation with strong feedback, super-smoothness, quiet sound profile, and decent build with a good lifespan is all enough to grab the title of best linear switches.
Having a fast response time, and smooth typing with quietness give broad advantages in fast-paced gaming whereas strong feedback improves typing efficiency.
Talking about compatibility, Gateron yellow switches are compatible with most mechanical keyboards which support fully customizable functionality.
Vertical pressing sensation with no bumpy and clicky feel is the significant characteristic of Gateron Yellow switches, if you love to type on bumpy keyboards these Gateron yellows are not for you.
Some spring wobble can be a downside for these switches but keeping aside Gateron yellows are certainly one of the best linear switches out there on the market.
In terms of overall performance and practical utility, Gateron Yellow switches are excellent in all ways and truly dominate in all technical benchmarks.
Where to buy Gateron Yellow Switches?
There are many sellers on various platforms who sell Gateron Yellows for different prices according to availability and demand.
Some are selling for $0.20 per switch, whereas some sellers are selling these switches for $0.30.
So buying them from trusted sources is recommended so you may not get cheated.
I would suggest you buy Gateron yellow switches on the below following platforms which are completely trustworthy:
Note: Please keep in touch with these sites regularly for grabbing the best deals.
Bestseller No. 1
- ✅Totally 65 Pieces
- ✅PCB Mount
- ✅ Light and Linear Profile
- ✅Best for long-time typing in the office, and gaming
The Difference Between Gateron Red and Gateron Yellow
People are usually looking for red switches when they need linear switches for their mechanical keyboard as they think red switches are the only option in the linear switches category.
It is because many manufacturers produce only red linear switches, but let me tell you Yellow switches from the Gateron family are the best competitor of red switches.
The main differences between Gateron Red and Gateron Yellow switches are the actuation, feedback, and touch. Gateron Red switches are very soft and light with very light feedback whereas Yellow switches are a bit heavy with stronger feedback.
Many people feel Gateron red switches are very soft to type without any feedback.
For them, Gateron Yellow can be a better pick as they offer slightly heavy feedback (not that much) due to 5g more actuation force, this 5g force creates little difference in feel while typing on the keyboard.
You should pick out switches according to your preferences, some prefer the lightest whereas some prefer bit heavy switches.
Are Yellow Gateron Switches Good?
As I have told you there are many similarities between Gateron red and Yellow switches. So question surrounds your mind.
Are Gateron Yellow switches Good?
Gateon Yellow switches provide a super smooth, fast response, consistent typing experience with a quiet sound profile and a bit stronger feedback, considering these factors Gateron yellows are excellent switches for gaming purposes, office usage, and day-to-day work.
Price is also a vital factor considering these switches, you can get these switches for around $0.20 per switch.
So yes, they are good for those users who think Gateron reds are very soft and light with no feel, yellow is certainly a much better option for them.
Should I Buy 3 Pin or 5 Pin Support?
Gateron switches are very similar to cherry switches in terms of compatibility, calling them clones of Cherry Mx at an affordable price is totally justified.
So the keyboard which supports Cherry Mx switches certainly support Gateron switches.
Generally, 3-pin switches work on the plate-mounted mechanism, whereas 5-pin switches work on the PCB mount mechanism.
So if you are not sure about which one to buy, you can simply buy 5-pin support switches and you can clip their extra legs if not needed. This will not be going to create any issues.
Note: Please check does your keyboard support hot-swappable functionality along with compatibility as every mechanical keyboard has a different layout and structure.
Conclusion
It’s time to wrap up this post on Gateron Yellow switches.
Gateron Yellow switches are definitely the best alternatives to red switches, on some benchmarks they performed really better than reds.
There are many positive aspects we have seen when reviewing these yellow switches and smooth and fast typing with moderate feedback is one of them.
You won’t experience any feedback and a clicky feel in red switches.
I don’t see any major cons on yellow switches except their stem wobble which is hardly noticeable in regular typing, although Gaterons yellow are stable and sturdier mounted on the PCB.
But keeping this aside Gateron Yellow switches are a great option for keyboard enthusiasts who are looking for a linear switch with nice pressing feedback.
You will have such a nice typing experience with yellow switches, just install them on your mechanical keyboard and yes don’t forget to checkout your keyboard compatibility before placing an order.
I hope this post was helpful to you.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers!!
Gateron Yellow Switches FAQs
Are Gateron yellow switches the fastest?
Gateron yellow switches are linear switches which make them slightly faster than tactile and clicky switches, having a light actuation and short travel distance is the significant reason for being yellow switches fast.
Is Gateron yellow switches loud?
Sound profile for gateron Yellow switches is quite similar to red switches, so yellow switches are very quiet during typing.
Is Yellow switch good for gaming?
The Yellow switches being a linear switch offers very smooth typing, fast response, and quick reaction time with quiet typing sound which makes them a very good choice for gaming.