Let’s talk about the Gateron Melodic switches!
I’m a keyboard nerd who’s built dozens of boards and swapped switches more times than I can count.
I’ve put these things through the wringer for you.
This Gateron Melodic review breaks down their specs, performance, and whether they’re worth your hard-earned cash.
Stick around to see if these switches deserve a spot in your next build!
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Switch Snapshot
Gateron was founded in 2000 and is a manufacturer of mechanical keyboard switches and related components. The company has become a prominent player in the mechanical keyboard market and is known for producing high-quality switches.
The Melodics are one of the most popular clicky switches in the keyboard community. They’re frequently recommended in “best of” lists on Reddit.
These switches feature Gateron’s newer three-layer pin design, which is a significant improvement over the original pins.
Specs
- Type: Clicky
- Top Housing: Polycarbonate
- Bottom Housing: Nylon
- Stem: POM
- Spring Weight: 60g (Operating Force)
- Total Travel: 4.0mm
- Lubrication: Pre-Lubricated
- Pins: 5-pin
Specs were sourced directly from the manufacturer’s website.
Wanna get into details about mechanical switches? Learn more about them here.
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Hands On Breakdown
I tried these switches as they came from the factory using the following setup:
Keyboard: Neo Studio Neo65
- Case: Aluminum
- Plate: FR4
- Mount: Gasket
Check out our keyboard case article, plate article, and gasket mount article for more info.
Keycaps: Wuque Studio BOW
- Material: PBT
- Printing: Double Shot
- Profile: Cherry
Learn all about keycaps here.
Note: Neo Studio Neo65 doesn’t have RGB. RGB was tested on a Keychron Q1.
Check out the force curve for the nerdy details:
I tested these switches in both gaming and typing scenarios.
Performance
Performance Score: 5
Preferences:
The switches I’ve used the longest are the Gateron Oil Kings. So, you can consider them the baseline for what my preferences are.
I like to rest my fingers on the keys when I’m typing. This often leads to keys being inadvertently pressed.
I also type like I’m hammering nails. I bottom out pretty hard when I press the keys.
General:
These switches were very, very smooth and I didn’t catch a hint of scratchiness.
The initial force was a bit light for me, but the amount of force it took to get over the click was chef’s kiss. I loved the fact that it took a deliberate amount of force to get through.
The bottom out force around 50g sounds on the lighter side, but you won’t notice at all because of how much effort it takes to get through the click.
Gaming:
I’ve been disheartened by my losses in Marvel Rivals and decided to play something else. I tried Dead Island 2 for the first time. This game was so good. On my first day, I accrued almost 12 hours in the game, only taking a couple of breaks to eat lunch and dinner.
The switches felt amazing during the gameplay. I don’t normally use clicky switches, but the clicky feedback was something I found myself enjoying as I played through the game.
I would have played all night if I could, but unfortunately, I had to go to sleep and go to work the next day.
For those that aren’t familiar with the game, Dead Island 2 involves moving your character using the WASD keys and pressing a bunch of other keys to use your character’s abilities. Everything felt really responsive to me and I stomped the zombies with no issues.
I jumped right back onto the game after work for the following days. The switches were great and I really enjoyed using them.
Typing:
I’m actually writing this review using these switches right now.
I have to be honest, typing with these switches felt really, really good. The clicky feedback was so helpful when it comes to typing. There was no second guessing. You’ll know exactly when the the key press registers.
I was able to somewhat rest my fingers on these switches. The switches still sunk down a bit, but the amount of force need to get over the click was so much that there was no way I would have accidentally actuated a switch inadvertently.
I did well on the typing test too, was able to break 100+ wpm without any warming up. I got the score below on my second try.
Overall, I really enjoyed typing on these switches. I just wish they had a slightly heavier initial force. I don’t like feeling the keys sink at all when I’m resting my fingers.
Check out the score I got on TypeRacer:
Sound Profile
Sound Score: 4.5
Sound Signature:
These switches click. I hate the sound.
However, if you ignore the click and just listen to the bottom out, they sound surprisingly thocky. I really liked that part of the sound.
Unfortunately, I can’t have the thocky without the click.
To be fair, the click on these switches is actually a lot softer than other clicky switches.
Pinging:
I couldn’t hear anything but the disgusting clicks from this switch. If there’s pinging, it’s definitely covered up by the clicking.
This applies to both bringing individual switches up to my ear and bringing my ear down to the keyboard. Can’t hear anything but clicks.
Microphone Usage:
In the past, I regularly had complaints on Discord about my mic picking up keyboard sounds when I was using these switches, but I didn’t get any complaints at all during the play sessions where I was testing out the switches.
I even told my teammates to specifically listen for my typing as I mashed on the keyboard for them. They said they couldn’t hear anything.
I tried an additional test. I placed my phone next to the keyboard while on speaker phone and the other line still couldn’t hear any of the clicks.
Build Quality
Build Quality Score: 4.5
Socket Fit:
These switches snapped into place securely during installation and I didn’t have to use any excessive force to get them to seat properly.
Wiggled the switches in the socket and they felt tight. I didn’t notice any extra wobbling.
Pins:
I poked around on the switches and didn’t discover anything wrong with the build quality.
The pins were nice and sturdy and I didn’t bend a single one while seating them into the sockets.
The switches were 5-pin design and they seated very securely.
As noted above, they use the newer pin design.
Errors:
There were no issues with ghost-typing and all my keys worked on KeyboardTester.com.
Lubrication:
I opened them up to check out the insides. I could barely tell these things were lubed, which is good news when it comes to clicky switches.
They felt just right.
Click Mechanism:
These switches use click leafs, which mean they only click on the downstroke.
Aesthetics and Compatibility
Compatibility Score: 4.5
Colorway:
The switches have the following color scheme:
- Light Pink: POM stem
- Transparent: Polycarbonate top housing
- Light Blue: Nylon bottom housing
I don’t like transparent and I don’t like pastel colors = I don’t like the way these switches look.
Keycaps:
Keycaps went on with no issues. I got the usual resistance when pressing the keycaps onto the stems.
The keycaps felt secure. I didn’t notice any excessive amounts of wobbling on any of the keys.
Removing the keycaps was super easy. Everything came off smoothly and didn’t rip out the corresponding switch.
RGB:
RGB worked phenomenally on these switches. The transparent top really made a difference in how much the LED shined.
If you’re looking for maximum glow, these switches will put a smile on your face.
Quick Comparison
Here’s how the Gateron Melodic switches stack up against some similar options:
| Switch | Type | Actuation Force | Travel Distance | Materials |
| Gateron Melodic | Clicky | 60g | 4.0mm | PC/Nylon Housing, POM Stem |
| Kailh Box Jade | Clicky | 50g | 3.6mm | PC/Nylon Housing, POM Stem |
| Gateron G Pro 3.0 Blue | Clicky | 60g | 4.0mm | PC/Nylon Housing, POM Stem |
| Glorious Raptor | Clicky | 55g | 3.9mm | PC/Nylon Housing, POM Stem |
| EPOMAKER Aqua | Clicky | 46g | 3.9mm | PC Housing, UPE Stem |
| Cherry MX Blue | Clicky | 50cN | 4.0mm | Plastic Housing, Plastic Stem |
| Akko Creamy Cyan | Clicky | 50g | 4.0mm | PC Housing, POM Stem |
| Kailh Box White | Clicky | 45g | 3.6mm | PC/Nylon Housing, POM Stem |
| TTC Golden Blue | Clicky | 37g | 3.5mm | PC/Nylon Housing, Unspecified Stem |
| Kailh Box Navy | Clicky | 75g | 3.6mm | PC/Nylon Housing, POM Stem |
Price and Value
Value Score: 3
At the time of this writing, the Gateron Melodic switches cost ~$0.65 per switch. This is mid-range pricing territory.
I think the pricing for these switches is pretty much average for Gaterons. They’re a premium switch brand and you should expect this kind of pricing.
They’ve definitely been on sale before and are totally worth it at their sale price.
Be sure to set a price tracker and jump in when these guys drop to a price point you’re comfortable with.
Who Are These Switches For?
You’ll love these switches if you’re a typist looking for a very satisfying typing feedback. It feels really nice to know when your key presses are registering.
These things are also for those that are into a softer clicky sound. I didn’t like the way they sounded, but that’s just me. You should still give them a try if clicky is your thing.
These switches are also for the lazy tinkerer, just toss them in your board and forget about them. They already offer a great experience straight out of the box. No need to waste any time lubing them on your own.
Wrapping Up
Performance Score: 5
Sound Score: 4.5
Build Quality Score: 4.5
Compatibility Score: 4.5
Value Score: 3
Total Score: 4.3 out of 5
The Gateron Melodic switches, as they came from the factory felt awesome to me.
I really enjoyed the way they typed and how they felt when I was playing games. I just can’t get over the clicky noise.
With that said, I probably won’t be keeping them in my keyboard. It’s not because they’re bad. I’d just rather go with a tactile switch that thocks to the max.
Overall, I wouldn’t hesitate to point clicky lovers towards this switch.
So, you ready to give them a spin? Grab a pack and upgrade your typing today!
How We Tested and Our Methodology
Keyboard Forge is a 100% independent publisher.
We purchased these switches with our own funds and were not paid by any company or manufacturer to influence our opinions or decisions.
We conducted numerous hours of hands-on testing with these switches in both gaming and typing environments. Majority of the gaming testing was done playing a variety of Steam games. Majority of the typing testing was done writing articles for Keyboard Forge.
We hope this review helps you get a better understanding of these switches. Feel free to reach out to suggest switches to review in the future.
Thanks for the support!
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