Jwick Ginger Milk vs. Durock Mamba

Overview

When it comes to choosing a mechanical keyboard switch, two popular options that you may come across are the Jwick Ginger Milk and the Durock Mamba. Both switches belong to the linear switch category, providing a smooth typing experience without the tactile feedback of clicky or tactile switches. The Ginger Milk stands out with its soft and pastel design, reflecting the gentle feel it offers while typing. It provides a silky smooth push feel and emits a muted, snappy sound profile. On the other hand, the Mamba pays tribute to basketball legend Kobe Bryant with its name and offers a gliding typing sensation. Alongside this, it offers a rich and creamy auditory experience. The Mamba switch is also characterized by its 'Neutral', 'Mild', 'Thocky', and 'Polished' attributes. These general distinctions can help you make an initial decision, but let's delve deeper to give you a better understanding of which switch would best suit your preferences.

By the numbers

Jwick Ginger Milk Linear

Durock Mamba Linear

$5.50

$4.25 per 10

$6.50

$5.17 per 10

Learn moreLearn more

Housing materials

The housing materials of the Jwick Ginger Milk and the Durock Mamba differ significantly in terms of their composition and resulting sound profiles. The Ginger Milk features a polycarbonate top housing, which lends itself to a sharper, higher-pitched, and crisper sound. This is due to polycarbonate being a stiffer plastic that produces a clear and resonant sound. Additionally, its translucency makes it ideal for RGB lighting. On the other hand, the Mamba's top housing is a blend of polymer nylon and UHMWPE, resulting in a pleasant sound that is not particularly sharp but leans towards the brighter side. While both switches provide unique sound profiles, the Ginger Milk offers a sharper tone, while the Mamba leans more towards a brighter sound.

Moving on to the bottom housing, the Ginger Milk utilizes a nylon material known for eliciting a deeper and fuller sound profile. As a softer plastic, nylon absorbs more sound than harder materials, creating a duller and rounder sound. Alternatively, the Mamba employs a bottom housing made of POM, which generates an incredibly pleasing and unique sound. This sound profile leans towards the deeper side and exhibits a relatively more muted tone. Therefore, the Ginger Milk's nylon bottom housing produces a deeper and fuller sound, while the Mamba's POM housing generates a unique, deeper, and relatively more muted sound.

It's worth noting that for switches with different top and bottom housings, the qualities of each housing material will impact different aspects of the switch. When pressing down on a switch, the bottom housing's qualities become more evident, influencing the bottom-out sound and feel. Conversely, the top housing has a greater impact on the sound produced when releasing a key. Therefore, while the Ginger Milk and the Mamba may have different housing materials, the way the sound profiles are distributed remains similar, with the respective top and bottom housings contributing to the overall sound experience.

Weight

When comparing the actuation force and bottom out force of the Jwick Ginger Milk linear switch and the Durock Mamba linear switch, we can see some similarities and differences. The actuation force of the Ginger Milk is 50 grams, while the force for the Mamba is unavailable. However, both switches have a bottom out force of 60 grams for the Mamba and 63.5 grams for the Ginger Milk. This means that while the actuation force for the Ginger Milk is slightly lighter, resulting in a potentially more comfortable typing experience for longer periods, both switches offer a similar bottom out force. Thus, both switches provide a medium level of resistance when pressing all the way down. Ultimately, those seeking a lighter switch for extended typing sessions may prefer the Ginger Milk, while those who desire a slightly stronger push feel may lean towards the Mamba.

Travel distance

When comparing the travel distance of the Jwick Ginger Milk linear switch and the Durock Mamba linear switch, one can observe that the Ginger Milk has a travel distance of 3.7 mm, while the Mamba features a slightly shorter distance of 3.5 mm. Although both switches have relatively short travel distances, the Mamba is the shorter of the two. In general, a travel distance of 4.0 mm is considered traditional, while 3.0 mm is the most shallow. However, with the rise in popularity of shorter travel distances, gamers, in particular, tend to prefer switches like the Mamba for their faster response times. On the other hand, those who appreciate a more profound key press experience might opt for the Ginger Milk with its slightly longer travel distance. Ultimately, the choice between these switches depends on personal preference and the desired level of responsiveness.

Price comparison

Typing experience

The Jwick Ginger Milk linear switch is best known for its soft and pastel appearance, which is reflected in its typing experience. When using these switches, users will notice a silky smooth and approachable pushing sensation, accompanied by a muted and snappy sound profile. On the other hand, the Durock Mamba linear switch pays tribute to Kobe Bryant and offers a great linear switch for typing. Users will experience a gliding typing sensation and a rich and creamy auditory experience.

In terms of sound, both the Ginger Milk and the Mamba switches are described as having a neutral sound profile. This means that they offer a moderate actuation force requirement and a moderate sound profile, making them suitable for most intents and purposes. They are versatile switches that can be used by both beginners and advanced users, whether for home or work. However, it's important to note that the sound of a switch is also influenced by other factors such as the keyboard board and keycaps chosen.

When it comes to feel, the Ginger Milk switch provides a buttery typing experience. This implies a smooth and fluid keystroke, offering a seamless, effortless, and uniform typing sensation. On the other hand, the Mamba switch is described as offering a mild typing experience. It falls into a safe middle-ground zone, providing a more gentle typing experience compared to switches with more pronounced characteristics. Additionally, the Mamba switch is polished, meaning it has a smooth and refined finish that results in a sleek typing experience with reduced friction and smooth key travel.

In conclusion, the Jwick Ginger Milk and Durock Mamba linear switches offer different subjective qualities in terms of sound and feel. The Ginger Milk switch provides a muted, snappy sound profile and a silky smooth, buttery typing experience. On the other hand, the Mamba switch offers a rich and creamy auditory experience with a gliding typing sensation. While they both have a neutral sound profile, the Mamba switch also has a thocky profile that produces a deep and satisfying sound. Ultimately, the choice between the two switches depends on the individual's preference for sound and feel. Regardless of the choice, users can expect a high-quality typing experience from either switch.

Conclusion

In closing, if you are looking for a linear switch with a slightly heavier bottom out force, the Jwick Ginger Milk switch would be a great choice. These switches offer a silky smooth and approachable typing experience, with a muted and snappy sound profile. They are suitable for both beginners and advanced users, whether you are using them at home or work.

On the other hand, if you prefer a switch with a medium bottom out force, the Durock Mamba switch is an excellent option. These switches provide a gliding typing sensation and a rich and creamy sound experience. They offer a more gentle typing experience and have a polished finish, resulting in a sleek and smooth key travel.

Both switches have a moderate sound profile, making them suitable for various purposes and skill levels. Ultimately, your decision should be based on your personal preferences for bottom out force, sound, and feel. We hope this comparison has helped you in choosing the right mechanical keyboard switch for your needs.

Mentioned in this article

Jwick Ginger Milk Linear

$5.50

$4.25 per 10

Learn more

Durock Mamba Linear

$6.50

$5.17 per 10

Learn more