Office · Head-to-head
Gateron Oil King Linear Switch Set vs Akko Creamy Yellow U1 Switch (Lubed)
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Keyboard Switches: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Oil King wins on published evidence as much as feel: a lubed POM stem, an ink-blend base, and published specs that give pre-travel, total travel, end force and a force-travel curve. The Akko Creamy Yellow U1 gets you most of the way there for far less, and it is one of the few budget switches that publishes an end force alongside its operating force.
Gateron Oil King Linear Switch Set
Buy itA factory-lubed 55 gf linear with a POM stem and an ink-blend base, and the most complete published spec of anything here.
- Gateron publishes pre-travel and total travel on the product page, plus a data sheet with an end force limit and a force-travel diagram.
- Ships lubed from the factory with a POM stem, PA66 nylon top and Gateron's ink-blend base.
- 5-pin construction seats firmly in a 5-pin PCB with no wobble from the plate alone.
- Rated up to 60M cycles, below the up to 100M Gateron claims for most G Pro 3.0 switches.
- The opaque housing means Gateron itself warns the backlight effect will not be very visible.
- If your board uses SMD LEDs, only unraised ones are supported, so some lit boards are out.
Akko Creamy Yellow U1 Switch (Lubed)
Buy itA lubed 45 gf linear sold in 100-piece packs that publishes both its operating force and its end force, which almost nothing at this price does.
- Akko lists operating force 45 plus or minus 8 gf and end force 55 plus or minus 8 gf, so you can see the whole stroke.
- A force-travel diagram is printed right on the product page.
- POM stem with POM top and PA66 bottom housing, lubed at the factory, with a transparent housing and integrated light diffuser.
- Akko does not publish a rated lifetime in keystrokes for this switch.
- Total travel is 3.6 plus or minus 0.4 mm, shorter than the 4.0 mm most people are used to.
- The force tolerance is wide at plus or minus 8 gf, and Akko gives no tighter spec to compare against.
Side by side
The 8 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Gateron Oil King Linear Switch Set Our pick | Akko Creamy Yellow U1 Switch (Lubed) | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Someone who wants a deep, smooth, quiet-ish linear and does not care about RGB. | A first switch swap, or anyone filling a whole board without spending much. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
| Type | Linear | Linear |
| Actuation force (as published) | 55 ± 5 gf | 45 ± 8 gf |
| Bottom-out / end force | Under 110 gf in the data sheet (a maximum); page cites 80 g bottom-out | End force 55 ± 8 gf |
| Actuation point / total travel | 2.0 ± 0.6 mm / 4.0 mm max | 2.0 ± 0.4 mm / 3.6 ± 0.4 mm |
| Pin count | 5-pin | 5-pin, Akko says it converts to 3-pin |
| Stem and housing | POM stem, PA66 nylon top, ink-blend base | POM stem, POM top, PA66 bottom |
| Rated life | Up to 60M cycles | Not published |
| Force-travel curve published | Yes, in the data sheet PDF | Yes, on the product page |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Gateron Oil King Linear Switch Set if
someone who wants a deep, smooth, quiet-ish linear and does not care about RGB.
Know before buying: rated up to 60M cycles, below the up to 100M Gateron claims for most G Pro 3.0 switches.
Pick the Akko Creamy Yellow U1 Switch (Lubed) if
a first switch swap, or anyone filling a whole board without spending much.
Know before buying: akko does not publish a rated lifetime in keystrokes for this switch.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Gateron Oil King Linear Switch Set - A factory-lubed 55 gf linear with a POM stem and an ink-blend base, and the most complete published spec of anything here. Choose the Akko Creamy Yellow U1 Switch (Lubed) instead if a first switch swap, or anyone filling a whole board without spending much.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Keyboard Switches: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).