Switch: Gateron Green

Epomaker itself does not sell all of the switches they sent me. Their intention simply is to let our readers know more about these fairly uncommon Gateron switches. As such, packing the switches in bubble-wrap envelopes is all function over form, and even so not necessarily the best way to go about it as a few inside the package had tears due to sharp metal contacts poking the envelope. Regardless, in the absence of a note stating which is which, I chose an envelope at random to begin with and found myself with the Gateron Green switches.


The Gateron Green is not a new switch, having launched in late 2016. It is thus one of the switches from the Cherry MX copy time frame with its attempt to mimic the MX Green in being a heavy tactile and clicky switch. We see a very similar design thus, albeit with RGB backlighting support in contrast to the MX Green that never got an RGB version. A green stem is present inside plastic housing that is transparent on the top half and and opaque white for the bottom housing. The Gateron logo is on the top of the other side of the housing, which has a cutout to allow LED lighting through from under the switch. We also see the typical two-prong metal contacts here, which fit into the switch socket on the GK68XS PCB from earlier.


Disassembly is trivial since all you need is a thin, flat object to pry apart the locking tabs on two sides of the housing—these keep the top and bottom pieces together. Between these pieces is the switch stem itself, which in this clicky switch has extensions that touch the metal contact leaf in the housing for both actuation and clicky feedback. As with the MX Green, the feedback and actuation mechanisms are tied into the same set of parts, so the clicky feedback happens at a different point than the actuation.


Using the Gateron Green switch with the Epomaker GK68XS is quite simple, just align the switch such that its two contacts fit into the hot-swap socket on the PCB. With that done, press down on it in the center. There are a couple of issues that are more specific to the case, however. The space bar guide plate being replaceable means there is movement with the guide plates around the space bar to where the switches do not get enough support during their installation. The guide plate moves down to where you can never tell whether the switch has gone down completely the first time around, so press down again to be sure. Also, especially closer to the edges, the higher-profile case means you may not have enough of a gap to have your fingers press down the switch fully in comfort. This is more of an issue when removing the switch with the included tool, where you may have to angle it steeply first to hook into the notches at the top and bottom before turning the switch remover vertically and pulling the switch out. So do be aware that this combination may be frustrating, but the switches themselves are not to blame.


Seen above is what in my opinion is the best default fit with the Akko keycaps for this configuration. I used the blue and purple color keycaps, with the modifier keys getting the darker base. From the side, we also see the lower-height Cherry profile of the keycaps playing well with the higher profile GK68XS case.


So how do these switches work with the other components? Not very well in my opinion, and this time, the switches can't escape the blame game. The Cherry MX Green was never a popular switch to begin with, with only rare offerings from their customers in certain keyboards before RGB took over. The Gateron Green, in an attempt to replicate the MX Green, falls prey to a similar issue. The biggest problem, as per me anyway, is its heavy actuation force. Thanks to Input Club, who have done quantitative force-travel testing of the switch, we see a rough curve that is also fairly inconsistent across switch samples. These tests were done a few years back, but my own testing shows that there is not much of a difference now. Gateron was notorious for poor yields in the past, mostly owing to quality control, and the stiff spring and scratchy stem-leaf contact combination on a barely lubed switch results in an unsatisfying experience for someone wanting a crisp clicky switch. Actuation force is rated at ~60 gf but hits closer to 65 gf in practice, and peak force is closer to 90 gf than the rated 80 gf.


Here is what this specific combination sounds like, and while this is completely subjective, I remained disappointed. There is no single consistent feedback note across these switches. The space bar key in particular only occasionally gave me a clicky sound depending on where I pressed down on the keycap. The guide plate and switches both contribute here equally, and all I can say is that I am happy this was the first time I used the Gateron Green switches. It will also be the last time unless I get a keyboard with these switches out of the box. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with clicky switches.