The Gateron Ink V2 switches are decent overall, but they might not be for everyone. While they're marketed as linear, I found the actuation force to be a bit on the heavier side, with noticeable resistance when pressing the keys. This makes them feel less like the traditional linear switches I’m used to. For some, this added resistance could be a plus—it helps reduce accidental keystrokes and might be ideal for dedicated typists.However, as someone accustomed to lighter linears, I found the heaviness a bit tiring after extended typing sessions. In terms of sound, these switches are quiet with a slightly deeper tone depending on the keyboard build, though I wouldn’t describe the sound as particularly satisfying. On the bright side, they don’t feel mushy at all, and the stock lubing is good.If you’re someone who enjoys a heavier, more deliberate typing feel, these could be a great fit. But for users who prefer smooth, effortless linears, these might take some getting used to.

These are a pretty nice switch. They're definitely on the firmer side, and I'd describe the sound as poppy--they're not quite high-pitched enough to really be clacky. They don't diffuse RGB particularly well if that's a goal, but the lubing on them was really nice. Honestly, Gateron really has been doing great work with switches, and this is no exception.

These switches have a nice bit of resistance to them when you're typing. For me, this minimizes errors since I have to press down more deliberately. I like this since I am a sloppy, but fast typer.There is no noise when pressing down. No rattle or spring shake. The only thing I hear is my keys bottoming out.There is also no grittiness when pressing down. It is smoooooooth. The keys definitely feel factory lubed.Though the housing is (translucent) black, they don't interfere with my RGB at all. These really do feel premium, hence the price.

There's little not to like about the Inks. I've been using Ghosts and Oil Kings for a while, and while these fall into a similar vein, I feel the Inks have a slightly different sound profile- a little more on the traditional 'deep-clacky' side, if you know what I mean. However, the core benefit is definitely the semi-translucent top housing. If you have a keyboard with RGBs, the black semi-translucent top housing allows more light to pass through, making your keyboard shine brighter than one with a non-translucent housing. I do have to say, some Inks feel like they could benefit from extra lubing. Still, it's a really nice switch overall, and most came well-lubed without issue. The experience of a good Ink switch is just really comfy after a smooth, heavy keypress... It's like that feeling of cutting butter with a hot knife.

The Ink in the name refers to the proprietary "ink" material used in the housing. The V2 is an update to the classic Ink Black switch. In this incarnation the pins are thicker so are less prone to bending and factory lubrication has been added.The switch retains a full 4mm travel, a 60gf actuation point and 70gf bottom out. This puts the switch on the heavier side for linear switches, targeting folks with very "deliberate" heavy handed typing. Fortunately I am one of those folks who prefers heavier springs so these Ink Blacks do me just fine. Of course, one can always swap out the springs for lighter ones or purchase the lighter Ink Reds or a different switch altogether. The 70gf 20mm spring offers a smooth downstroke and fairly peppy return.The Ink housing gives this switch a low pitched and somewhat muted sound profile. It would be very nice in a foamy, thocky build, for example. I use them in a foamless build, however, and while they don't clack as loud or as high pitched as many other linear switches, I still enjoy these in foamless builds anyways.The thicker pins on various Gateron V2 switches can take their toll on PCB hotswap sockets since they will widen the socket leaves more than other switches. When changing out V2 switches for switches that have "regular" pins, I recommend to double check that the socket leaves are not too wide. If they are they should be forcibly closed to ensure proper contact with the pins on the next set of switches.I opened up 5 switches in the batch of 35 and found the factory lube application to be quite consistent. This was a pleasant surprise as in the past I have found Gateron factory lubing to be a bit of a mixed bag. I guess there are good batches and not so good batches.Out of the 35 switches in this batch, 2 exhibited pinging noises from the spring. Applying a bit of 205g0 lube to the spring ends removed this annoying noise. I am glad I don't have to re-lube every spring or switch in this batch though. While I don't regularly use films, the Ink Blacks might benefit from them because there is a tiny bit of movement between the top and bottom housing when I give the switches a twist. In practice, however, I find the switches more than adequate to use out of the box, those 2 that I had to fix up aside.The Ink Black is LED backlight friendly but not as good with lighting as switches with a dedicated light tunnel of course. The smoky transparent housing adds a gray tint to lighting.The high price of the Ink Blacks is what makes them hard to recommend. These days there are excellent switches available from competitors for literally less than half the price. Granted, there is something to be said about the legendary Ink Blacks and their smooth, full travel but the heavier typing feel and high price are a bit of a barrier for many keyboard enthusiasts.If Gateron were to price these reasonably, like around 45 cents apiece instead of 75+ cents I'd easily rate them 5 stars.