Akko Penguin Silent vs Gateron Silent Brown

The Akko Penguin Silent and the Gateron Silent Brown are often cross-shopped. The main differences: the Akko Penguin Silent is lighter to actuate (43g versus 45g); travel is 3.3 mm on the Akko Penguin Silent and 3.5 mm on the Gateron Silent Brown; stock they sound different: muted, soft tactile thump versus silent light tactile.

Akko Penguin Silent Silent tactile · 43g
Gateron Silent Brown Silent tactile · 45g

Choose the Akko Penguin Silent if

  • you want a switch popular for office.
  • you want a switch popular for quiet builds.
  • you want a lighter keystroke (43g).
  • you want to spend less per switch.

Choose the Gateron Silent Brown if

  • you want a switch popular for quiet tactile office.
  • you want a heavier, more deliberate press (45g).

Akko Penguin Silent vs Gateron Silent Brown, spec by spec

Akko Penguin SilentGateron Silent Brown
Type Silent tactile Silent tactile
Compatibility Standard MX sockets Standard MX sockets
Actuation force 43g 45g
Bottom-out force 60g n/a
Pre-travel 2 mm n/a
Total travel 3.3 mm 3.5 mm
Stem n/a n/a
Top housing n/a n/a
Bottom housing n/a n/a
Spring n/a n/a
Factory lube light n/a
Pins 5-pin 5-pin
Price / switch $0.24 (stronger spec) $0.45
Sound profile muted, soft tactile thump silent light tactile
Released 2023 2019

Highlighted rows are where the two differ; a check marks the objectively stronger spec (price, battery, modability). Feel and preference rows never get a check. Fields marked n/a are unpublished by the maker; we list only verifiable numbers.

Where they sit among all 227 switches we track

Actuation force lightest heaviest
Akko Penguin Silent 43g
Gateron Silent Brown 45g

19% of the 198 switches tracked here actuate lighter than the Akko Penguin Silent; 22% of the 198 switches tracked here actuate lighter than the Gateron Silent Brown.

Total travel shortest longest
Akko Penguin Silent 3.3 mm
Gateron Silent Brown 3.5 mm

8% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the Akko Penguin Silent; 16% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the Gateron Silent Brown.

Price per switch cheapest priciest
Akko Penguin Silent $0.24
Gateron Silent Brown $0.45

13% of the 193 switches tracked here cost less per switch than the Akko Penguin Silent; 56% of the 193 switches tracked here cost less per switch than the Gateron Silent Brown.

Where to buy the Akko Penguin Silent

No verified retailer link right now. Check the maker or your usual switch retailers.

Where to buy the Gateron Silent Brown

No verified retailer link right now. Check the maker or your usual switch retailers.

KeebScout is reader-supported: some links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes specs or rankings.

Want more options? Browse every silent tactile switch we track, or the full switch database.

Add a third switch to this comparison

Esc