Cherry Reveals Best

The new MX2A is, according to Cherry, the best switch it has ever made.

Mechanical keyboards from companies like Keychron, NuPhy and Cherry have enjoyed massive popularity over the past few years. Consumers are moving away from the flat and low-profile keyboards made by Apple and others in favor of more tactile feedback and a better ergonomic design. Mechanical keyboards initially found favour with gamers, but they’re now mainstream and appearing in offices and homes worldwide.

One of the significant benefits of mechanical keyboards is that many of them are hot-swappable. That means they have switch mechanisms that can be exchanged for different switches with varying amounts of travel, feedback and sound. One of the biggest names in MX keyboard switches is German company Cherry.

Cherry was the originator of the mechanical keyboard switch. Today, the company announced its most advanced design, the Cherry MX2A. In a press release issued to mark the launch of the MX2A, Cherry claims its new switch design is the best MX full-size switch on the market, largely thanks to some significant enhancements.

The new MX2A switches have a barrel-shaped spring instead of the more traditional cylinder shape. ... [+] This offers smooth action and less scratchiness.

The MX2A switch has been designed for enthusiasts, gamers and professionals and reflects the company’s heritage of German engineering and high-quality manufacture. To mark the launch of the new switches, Cherry has also announced what it describes as “one of the most customizable gaming keyboards in the world.” The Cherry XTRFY K5V2 has a Swedish design to thank for its appearance and benefits from the all-new MX2A switches.

Cherry has opted to manufacture its new switches in Germany and the MX2A promises smoother actuation, which Cherry claims offers a more responsive and satisfying typing experience. The new switch design also has a more pleasant sound profile and a guaranteed lifespan of more than 100 million actuations! That’s probably more typing than I’ve managed in the average decade.

The MX2A builds on the legacy of Cherry’s original MX switches. The company claims each switch aspect has been refined with targeted improvements, delivering an actuation experience that's smoother, more responsive and incredibly durable.

All the new MXZ2A switches are pre-lubbricated at Cherry's German factory.

Cherry says the MX2A line will be available as full-size switches in MX Red, MX Brown, MX Black, MX Speed Silver, MX Silent Red and their respective RGB variants. While incorporating the overall MX2A enhancements, the MX Blue variant will keep its distinct clicky character without the lubrication and barrel spring due to technical considerations.

To achieve an industry-leading 100 million actuations for each switch, Cherry has used Hyperglide technology for a smoother actuation, which is due to a factory-applied premium-grade lubricant on the newly shaped, radius-convexed and diamond-polished socket dome. The high-precision ring lubrication process is automated and reduces the spring's noise, producing a more peaceful and quieter typing experience.

The MX2A also has a new spring design. Cherry has moved from using a cylindrical spring to one with a barrel geometry for near-contactless linear movement. The spring has a more precise and consistent feel and sound, reducing scratchiness and improving sliding properties. As with all MX switches, the MX2A still uses the Gold Crosspoint Contact System for reliability, precision and a debounce time of less than a millisecond.

The German keyboard and switch pioneer claims its new MX2A sets the gold-standard for keyboard ... [+] switches.

Benefiting from the new MX2A switches is the all-new Cherry XTRFY K5V2. The new keyboard is the first mechanical model to use Cherry’s new switches and has a compact form factor that’s ultra-customizable for gaming keyboards. The K5V2 has a 65% format and builds on Cherry’s popular K5 keyboard. The company says that everything, from the switches, stabilizers and keycaps to the cable, frame and even the logo plate, can be swapped out, making it easier to personalize the keyboard.

The K5V2 also has super-scan technology that scans all keys every half a millisecond for faster detection of keystrokes. There is also strip LED RGB lighting onboard, while metal plate construction, double layers of sound-dampening foam and pre-lubed PCB-mounted stabilizers make this a deluxe gaming keyboard with a premium build quality. The new keyboard offers per-key customizable RGB illumination, macros and media controls. All settings can be made using the keys, so no software is needed.

Pricing & Availability: The new Cherry MX2A switches are available now for B2B orders and will later be sold to end-users and DIY enthusiasts. The first keyboards with the new switch will also follow soon. CHERRY XTRFY is starting with the K5V2, which will be available later this year. Pricing for the keyboard will be $149.

More info: www.cherryamericas.com