Time to pit the Gateron Cream Soda switches against the Gateron Oil King 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 (so you don’t have to).
This Gateron Cream Soda vs Gateron Oil King article breaks down their specs, performance, and whether they’re worth your hard-earned cash.
Stick around to see which one of 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 Gateron Oil Kings are top-of-the-line products from the company. The Gateron Cream Sodas are highly popular in the enthusiast community and frequently mentioned on the forums. For a more in-depth look, check out my Gateron Cream Soda Review and my Gateron Oil King Review.
Specs
| Gateron Cream Soda | Gateron Oil King | |
| Type | Linear | Linear |
| Top Housing | Polycarbonate | Nylon PA66 |
| Bottom Housing | Proprietary Ink Material | Proprietary “INK” Blend |
| Stem | POM | POM |
| Bottom Out | 63g | 80g |
| Total Travel | 3.8mm | 4.0mm |
| Lubrication | Pre-Lubricated | Pre-Lubricated |
| Pins | 5-Pin | 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.
I tested these switches in both gaming and typing scenarios.
Performance
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 can both be considered on the heavier side. Although, I would consider the Cream Sodas more of a medium-heavy than a true heavy switch. But for people who are used to light, 45g switches, the Cream Sodas can definitely be considered “heavy.”
They both felt very smooth without any unusual scratchiness to me. To be honest, I’m not particularly sensitive to scratchiness.
The Oil Kings have a significantly lighter initial force than the Cream Sodas. This difference completely changes the way they feel when pressed.
I favor switches that are heavier, which means I should be favoring the Oil Kings, but I actually found the Cream Sodas more comfortable to type on because of the initial force difference.
The separate, in-depth reviews for these switches go more into how they feel and also include force curve graphs if provided by the manufacturer. Check them out if you’re into the nerdy details.
Gaming:
I played various Steam games while reviewing the switches.
My movements felt great with both switches, regardless of game. Everything was snappy and responsive.
Most of the games I played involved a lot of WASD action to move the character around. Various other keys were also used for character abilities.
Being linear switches, neither the Oil Kings nor the Cream Sodas gave me any feedback when pressed. However, they both felt buttery smooth and made the gaming experience very pleasant. I didn’t experience any finger fatigue at all when using either of them.
I especially liked gaming with the Cream Sodas. I found myself pressing random buttons during load screens just to feel them.
Typing:
Typing felt awesome.
The Oil Kings had the perfect bottom out weight for me. I wish the Cream Sodas were just a bit heavier.
I love switches that are heavy enough for me to rest my lazy fingers on the keys without accidentally activating them.
I did still notice a very slight bit of travel as I rested my fingers on the Oil Kings. They would have been perfect for me if they just had a bit of a higher initial force.
The Cream Sodas, on the other hand, had the perfect amount of initial force. I didn’t find my fingers sinking down at all. If only they had a bit of a higher bottom out force.
Upon taking a typing test, I found that I performed way better with the Cream Sodas. They felt amazing to type on and I made minimal mistakes on them.
Winner: Gateron Cream Soda
Sound Profile
Sound Signature:
There was a huge difference between the way these switches sounded.
The Gateron Oil Kings are clacky. Despite the fact that I liked the way they felt and used them for years, the sound always bothered me.
The Gateron Cream Sodas, on the other hand, sounded amazing. Their thock was incredible. I loved the way they sounded every time I pressed them, and like noted above, I pressed them during all the loading screens just to feel/hear them.
Pinging:
Neither the Oil Kings nor the Cream Sodas had any pinging at all. I put dozens of them up to my ears to listen closely and heard nothing.
I put my ears down to the keyboard to listen while they were installed and also was unable to hear anything.
Microphone Usage:
Neither of the switches had any issues on Discord. In the past, Discord would frequently pick up all the typing sounds. However, it seems the newer mic options in the mic are really good at suppressing keyboard sounds now.
Winner: Tie
Build Quality
Socket Fit:
Coming from Gateron, of course these switches looked and felt premium.
They performed like premium switches too.
The Oil Kings were a bit difficult to install, but once in place, they sat very securely.
The Cream Sodas were much easier to install and kinda felt like they just squished into place. Despite that, they sat very securely as well.
Pins:
Both switches use the 5-pin design and, as noted in the earlier section, seated very securely in the sockets.
I have the Oil Kings from before they upgraded the pins. These pins were super flimsy and would do the “splits” when installing some of the switches. This is an issue that Gateron has acknowledged in the past and already remedied. With this in mind, I won’t be counting the pins negatively against the Oil Kings in this comparison.
The Cream Sodas have the upgraded pins and worked great.
Errors:
Neither of the switches experienced any ghost-typing, which meant I didn’t have to reseat any of them during installation.
Lubrication:
I opened a handful of both switches to check their factory lubrication.
The Oil Kings were nicely lubed from the factory. The Cream Sodas seemed to have very little lube on them. This didn’t appear to affect their performance at all as they were still smooth as butter.
Winner: Tie
Aesthetics and Compatibility
Colorway:
The switches have the following color scheme:
| Gateron Cream Soda | Gateron Oil King | |
| Stem | Red | Black |
| Top Housing | Milky | Black |
| Bottom Housing | Transparent Light Brown | Black |
I’m not a fan of transparent housings, so the Oil Kings look better to me.
Keycaps:
Keycaps installed on both switches without any issues and were very secure. Although, some of them felt like they went on the Oil Kings a bit loose. Regardless, they all had the normal amount of wobble.
Keycaps also came off the Oil Kings without any issues, but there were a handful of keycaps that pulled their corresponding switches out with the Cream Sodas.
RGB:
This is a major difference between the switches. The Oil Kings were not designed for RGB at all. You’ll barely get any light shining through.
The Cream Sodas, though, work great with RGB. It’s a bit more muted than clear transparency, but it’s leagues better than the Oil Kings.
Winner: Tie
Price and Value
The Gateron Cream Sodas cost ~$0.75 per switch. The Gateron Oil Kings cost ~$0.65 per switch.
Being a budget shopper, I don’t like the price for either of these switches.
However, both of these switches perform amazing and can definitely justify their more expensive pricing.
They both also periodically go on sale, so be sure to keep an eye on them and hit that checkout button when they drop to a price point you’re comfortable with.
Winner: Gateron Oil King
Wrapping Up
Performance: Gateron Cream Soda
Sound: Tie
Build Quality: Tie
Compatibility: Tie
Value: Gateron Oil King
Winner: Tie
There you have it. A quick comparison of the Gateron Cream Sodas vs Oil Kings.
I’m slightly surprised that they ended up in a tie. I thought the Oil Kings would win, but you really can’t go wrong with either.
My Pick: Gateron Cream Soda
This pick is mainly because of the way they sounded and their heavier initial force. I found myself really enjoying using them.
My goal for this sum up was to give you a place to get info on a general comparison of the switches. Be sure to check out my in-depth review for the Gateron Cream Soda and Gateron Oil King switches if you want more info.
Otherwise, if you’re ready to jump in on these switches, grab a pack 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 various 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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