Outemu Spring Breeze vs. KTT Sea Salt Lemon
An in-depth look at the Outemu Spring Breeze and the KTT Sea Salt Lemon switches—which one is the best fit for you?
Overview
When it comes to mechanical keyboard switches, the Outemu Spring Breeze and the KTT Sea Salt Lemon stand out for their unique characteristics. The Spring Breeze is a clicky switch, offering a satisfying tactile feedback with each key press. On the other hand, the Sea Salt Lemon is a linear switch known for its smooth typing experience, thanks to its progressive spring and dry-lube design. While the Spring Breeze provides a more tactile feel for those who enjoy the audible click, the Sea Salt Lemon offers a quieter and smoother typing experience. However, let's dive in a bit deeper beyond generalities so you can best decide on the best switch for you.
By the numbers
Technical specifications
Actuation force
40g
Actuation force
45g
Bottom-out force
55g
Bottom-out force
53g
Pre-travel
1.50 mm
Pre-travel
2.00 mm
Total travel
4.00 mm
Total travel
4.00 mm
Factory lubed
Yes
Factory lubed
No
Stem construction
Standard
Stem construction
Standard
Stem material
pom
Stem material
POM
Top housing material
Nylon
Top housing material
Polycarbonate
Bottom housing material
Nylon
Bottom housing material
Nylon
Mount type
Plate (3-pin)
Mount type
Plate (3-pin)
Spring
Stainless steel
Spring
13mm progressive spring
Housing materials
The main difference between the Outemu Spring Breeze and the KTT Sea Salt Lemon lies in their top housing material. The Spring Breeze utilizes a nylon top housing, which creates a deeper and fuller sound profile due to its softer texture that absorbs more sound. In contrast, the Sea Salt Lemon features a polycarbonate top housing, resulting in a sharper, higher-pitched, and crisper sound profile. While the nylon top housing of the Spring Breeze provides a duller and rounder sound, the polycarbonate top housing of the Sea Salt Lemon offers a more clear and resonant sound. This variation in top housing material ultimately impacts the overall typing experience and sound output of each switch.
On the other hand, both the Spring Breeze and the Sea Salt Lemon share a commonality in their bottom housing material, which is nylon for both switches. This classic switch housing material contributes to a deeper and fuller sound profile when typing on switches with nylon housing. The relatively softer texture of nylon absorbs more sound compared to harder plastics, resulting in a duller and rounder sound. Therefore, despite the differences in their top housing material, both switches benefit from the qualities of nylon in their bottom housing, enhancing the overall typing experience with a deeper and fuller sound profile.
In terms of the impact of housing material on the typing experience, the bottom housing plays a significant role in the bottom-out sound and feel of the switch, while the top housing influences the sound when releasing a key. With this in mind, the choice between nylon and polycarbonate housing for the top and bottom of a switch can significantly alter the sound profile and overall feel of typing. Whether you prefer a deeper and fuller sound with the nylon housing of the Spring Breeze or a sharper and crisper sound with the polycarbonate housing of the Sea Salt Lemon, selecting the right housing material is crucial in achieving your desired typing experience.
Weight
The Outemu Spring Breeze clicky switch has a lighter actuation force of 40 grams compared to the KTT Sea Salt Lemon linear switch with a slightly heavier actuation force of 45 grams. However, when it comes to bottom out force, the Spring Breeze requires 55 grams while the Sea Salt Lemon needs 53 grams, making them fairly similar in this aspect. The Spring Breeze provides a medium-light typing experience overall, perfect for those who prefer a lighter touch for longer typing sessions. On the other hand, the Sea Salt Lemon offers a slightly heavier actuation force, providing a more substantial typing feel for those who prefer a stronger push. Both switches offer their own advantages depending on personal preference, with the Spring Breeze leaning towards the lighter side and the Sea Salt Lemon offering a slightly heavier typing experience.
Travel distance
Both the Outemu Spring Breeze clicky switch and the KTT Sea Salt Lemon linear switch have the same travel distance of 4 mm. This means that when pressing down on a key equipped with either switch, you will experience a similar amount of travel from the top to the bottom. This makes both switches ideal for those looking for a consistent typing experience in terms of key travel distance. Ultimately, it can be inferred that the travel distance for both switches is equal, providing users with a similar tactile feedback regardless of which switch they choose to use.
Price comparison
Which switch is more bang for your buck?
For 10 switches, the Outemu Spring Breeze comes in at $3.10, whereas the KTT Sea Salt Lemon comes in at $2.80.
Here at Milktooth, we offer the best prices on switches (on average, 27% lower the competition). In addition, we offer free shipping on orders over $49.00. We also offer free returns and exchanges, so you can shop with guaranteed satisfaction.
That said, while price is an important piece of the puzzle, our opinion is that you should ultimately pick the option that most suits your unique preferences since you’ll be using these switches for years to come. In other words, finding something perfect for you is, in our view, the most important criteria.
Typing experience
The Outemu Spring Breeze clicky switch and the KTT Sea Salt Lemon linear switch offer distinct qualities in terms of sound and feel. The Spring Breeze switch is known for its unique clicky sound, which can be satisfying for those who enjoy auditory feedback while typing. On the other hand, the Sea Salt Lemon switch is described as having a low-pitched and neutral sound profile, providing a more mellow tone with a moderate actuation force requirement suitable for various typing preferences. When it comes to feel, the Spring Breeze switch's tactile feedback is not specified, while the Sea Salt Lemon switch is characterized as offering a mild typing experience. This means that the Sea Salt Lemon switch provides a gentle yet approachable typing feel, suitable for a wide range of users.
Overall, both switches have their own unique characteristics that cater to different preferences. If you prefer a clicky switch with pronounced tactile feedback, the Spring Breeze switch may be more suitable for you. On the other hand, if you prefer a linear switch with a smoother typing experience and a more neutral sound profile, the Sea Salt Lemon switch would be a great option. Ultimately, the choice between the two switches will depend on your personal preferences for sound, feel, and typing experience.
Conclusion
To sum up, if you are looking for a clicky switch with a slightly higher bottom out force and a satisfying tactile feedback, the Outemu Spring Breeze clicky switch would be a great choice for you. On the other hand, if you prefer a smooth and buttery typing experience with a linear switch that has a lower bottom out force, the KTT Sea Salt Lemon linear switch would be the better option. Ultimately, your choice between these two switches will depend on your preference for clicky feedback and lighter feel versus smoothness and lower force actuation. Choose wisely based on what suits your typing style and preferences best.
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