Gateron

Gateron Oil King Switch

€42,00 EUR

Tax included

A linear switch built specifically for a deeper sound profile. The Gateron Oil King uses a specific blend of opaque plastics to absorb higher-pitched echoes, giving you a muted, solid thock. Since they are consistently factory-lubricated, you get a clean keystroke straight out of the box without needing to do any time-consuming modifications yourself.

Number of switches 45 switches

45 switches

In stock, ready to ship

Main features

Factory Pre-Lubed: Expertly lubricated out of the box to eliminate any scratchiness or spring ping. Ready to use immediately.
Unique Housing Blend: Features a Nylon PA66 top and Gateron’s proprietary INK bottom material for optimal acoustics.
Ultra-Stable: The upgraded 5-pin design and POM stem ensure a solid keystroke with virtually zero stem wobble.
Extended Spring: A 20mm black-plated spring provides a snappy, responsive, and consistent typing feel.

Feel & sound

The Feel: The Oil King is celebrated in the custom keyboard community for its buttery-smooth linear travel. With a 55g actuation force and a 80g bottom-out weight, it offers a perfectly balanced, slightly heavier keystroke that feels deliberate and premium.
The Sound: If you are chasing the ultimate deep "thock", this is your switch. The dense housing materials create a muted, full-bodied sound signature.
Please note: Because of the opaque black housing, RGB backlight will barely shine through. This switch is designed purely for sound and typing performance.

Specifications

Type: Linear
Actuation Force: 55±5 gf
Bottom-Out Force: 80 gf
Pre-Travel: 2.0±0.6 mm
Total Travel: 4.0 mm Max
Top Housing: Nylon PA66 (Opaque Black)
Bottom Housing: Proprietary Gateron INK blend (Opaque Black)
Stem: POM (MX style)
Spring: 20 mm black-plated spring
Mounting Pins: 5-pin

Compatibility & pairings

Compatibility: Fully compatible with any 5-pin MX-style mechanical keyboard (including all our Keychron Q and V Max series). Can be modified to fit 3-pin boards by simply clipping the two plastic legs.
Perfect Pairings: Want to maximize the acoustic potential of these switches? Pair them with a heavy, gasket-mounted aluminum board like our Keychron Q1 Max ISO or Keychron Q5 Max ISO. The combination of a solid metal frame and Oil King switches guarantees a deeply satisfying, premium typing experience.

What's in the box?

Set of 45 Gateron Oil King Linear Switches.
Packaged securely in a protective hard-plastic container.
💡 Tip: How many sets do you need? For a compact 75% keyboard like the Keychron Q1 Max or V1 Max, we recommend buying 2 sets to cover the ~84 keys. For a larger 96% or full-size layout like the Keychron Q5 Max, you will need 3 sets to cover all ~108 keys and keep a few spares for the future.

Shipping & returns

Shipping: Free shipping on orders over €100 (BE) or €150 (FR).
Delivery: In stock? Delivered within 2-3 business days (BE) or 3-5 business days (FR).
Warranty: 2-year statutory warranty covering manufacturing defects. Please be careful when installing switches: pins bent during installation due to user error are not covered under warranty.
Returns: 14-day money-back guarantee. Please note that for quality assurance, switches can only be returned if they are unused and have not been mounted on a keyboard.

Gateron Oil King Switch

45 switches

€42,00 EUR

A buttery smooth linear switch

If you've spent any time looking into custom mechanical keyboards, you've probably heard people talk about the Gateron Oil Kings. Honestly, there is a good reason for that. We test a lot of linear switches, and these remain a solid favorite for anyone looking to get that deep, muted sound right away. They just feel buttery smooth out of the box, without forcing you to spend your weekend opening them up to add lube yourself.

Smooth out of the box

The factory pre-lubing is remarkably consistent, giving you a clean, frictionless feel from day one.

Deep sound profile

They use a specific mix of Nylon and INK plastics, which naturally dampens higher-pitched noises.

Maximum stability

The 5-pin design keeps key wobble to an absolute minimum, making your typing feel secure.

A housing built for a deeper sound

The main reason people end up choosing Oil Kings is the acoustics. Gateron used a rather specific mix of plastics here. The top part is Nylon PA66, and the bottom uses their proprietary INK blend. In practice, this denser plastic absorbs higher frequencies really well. When you type on these, the bottom-out sound is distinctly solid and deep. It completely takes away the thin, plasticky clack that standard switches often have.

Pre-lubed and snappy

Typing on scratchy switches is frustrating, and so is hearing a metallic spring ping every time you hit a key. Luckily, the Oil Kings come consistently pre-lubed from the factory, which saves a massive amount of time. They also use an extended 20mm spring with a 55g actuation force. We noticed that this gives the keys a satisfying, quick bounce back. Your fingers don't have to work as hard to return to the starting position, which is definitely a plus during a long day of typing or gaming.

The trade-off with RGB lighting

We do have to mention one practical downside: these switches prioritize sound over aesthetics. The housing is solid, opaque black. This thick plastic is exactly what makes them sound so good, but it will essentially block the backlighting on your keyboard. If having bright RGB shining through your keycaps is important to you, these might not be the best fit. But if you mostly care about typing feel and a heavy sound signature, it's a trade-off we gladly make.

Compatible Keyboards.

Any K series (Gateron Mechanical Hot-Swappable or Keychron Mechanical Hot-Swappable versions only), K Pro series (Normal-profile versions only), C and C Pro series (Hot-Swappable versions only), V and V Max series, Q, Q Pro and Q Max series Keychron keyboards, and L and P Series Lemokey keyboards.

Note: These are 5-pin switches. If your keyboard only supports 3-pin switches, you can easily modify them by clipping off the two plastic side legs with a flush cutter.

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Frequently asked questions

Are Gateron Oil King switches pre-lubed?

Yes, Gateron Oil King switches come factory pre-lubed. Gateron's automated lubrication process for this specific switch is highly regarded in the mechanical keyboard community for its consistency. You do not need to manually open and lube them to get a smooth, scratch-free typing experience.

Are these switches good for gaming?

Absolutely. Because they are linear switches, there is no tactile bump to overcome, making double-tapping very easy. The extended 20mm black-plated spring provides a very snappy return, offering excellent responsiveness for fast-paced gaming while maintaining a premium feel for typing.

Will these switches let RGB light through?

The Oil Kings feature an opaque black housing (both top and bottom). While there is a small cutout for the LED, the thick black materials will block most of the RGB backlighting. These switches are designed purely for optimal acoustics and typing feel, rather than bright RGB aesthetics.

How fast is shipping?

We ship directly from our Belgian warehouse. Orders to Belgium are usually delivered within 2-3 business days via bpost. Deliveries to France take about 3-5 business days.

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Gateron Oil King Switch