Getron switches are mechanical in nature and available in three different types: clicky (blue and green), tactile (brown and clear), and linear (black and red). Each of those categories is split into a heavier and lighter version. There are a total of six colors available and each switch has its own purpose. For gaming, Gateron mechanical switches are much smoother and faster to actuate than the keys on cheaper membrane boards.
Black and Red color switches are the best Gatron switches for gaming. Green and Blue are more typically used for typing. If you're looking for a Gateron switch that is more balanced for both typing and gaming then the brown Gateron switches are best. The Gateron switches are smooth and decent quality, and also cheaper than Cherry MX switches. The Gateron ink switches are extra smooth, so we would rank them as the best for gaming overall if we had to choose.
Using a mechanical keyboard for gaming can make you a much more effective thanks to the smoothness and responsiveness of the keys. Tactile switches also have a bump that assists in judging when a keypress will register, letting you release the key and move to the next key straight away before bottoming out the key.
But to be frank, the best Gateron switch for gaming will depend on your personal preference. Gateron's trademark is a smooth keystroke, so we recommend trying out one of the linear Gateron switches (no bump) such as a Red, Yellow, or Black switch. If you like a bit of feedback on your keypress when gaming, then I would go with the Brown Gateron switch which is tactile (has a bump on the switch) but still fairly smooth and responsive.
I generally wouldn't go with Blue Gateron switches for gaming unless you really insist on a nosier clicky experience from your keys when gaming. And if you like brown switches but want a little bit more bump feeling then I'd go with the Gateron yellows which are butter smooth.
Picking out the best switch is sort of like me picking out your favorite color, everybody has different ideas of what they want from a switch. If you're looking at Gateron switches though it's hard to pass up on the linear switches, due to the smoothness. But if you're looking for a tactile or clicky switch there are better switch manufacturers like Cherry MX that make these switch types better.
Ask yourself these questions when trying to find a Gateron switch you'd prefer for gaming:
- Do you like a clicky sound?
- Do you like feeling a "bump" when pressing a key?
- Do you like pressing keys all the way down to the bottom?
A good option is to get a switch tester. You can get a Gateron key switch tester for less than $20 on Amazon that has the main Gateron switch types and colors: blue, green, brown, clear, red, and black.
