The Cherry MX swap, first launched means again in 1983, is the spine of the present mechanical keyboard craze. We can discuss all day in regards to the IBM buckling spring or Topre’s “thocky” electrostatic rubber domes, however for those who’ve purchased or constructed a high-quality mech board in the previous couple of years, odds are overwhelming that it used switches primarily based at the very least essentially on this ubiquitous semi-standard. After years of cautious tweaking, Cherry is again to introduce a brand new era of its unique design, christened the MX2A.

Coming in acquainted color-coded variations of linear, tactile, and clicky switches, the upgraded MX2A contains a new barrel spring design that vastly reduces contact in linear motion in addition to spring deformation and scratching. The redesigned stem with “ribs” on its crown enhances the impact, together with a lightweight lubricant utilized to the underside dome proper from the manufacturing unit. All these adjustments add as much as “smoother actuation” and “improved acoustics” whereas preserving Cherry’s 100 million click on industrial promise.

Cherry

There’s lots of engineering packed into the brand new swap design, however they’re nonetheless suitable with all current MX-compliant keyboards and keycaps. At launch, Cherry is committing to constructing the brand new MX2A switches in Red, Silent Red, Brown, Black, and Speed Silver variants, together with RGB variations. Switches are going out to manufacturing companions instantly, and will begin showing in new keyboard fashions at retail beginning in late 2023 or early 2024. The first board to function them would be the K5V2, a brand new entry in Cherry’s own XTRFY series.