Summary
Cherry KC 200 MX mechanical keyboard are better than integrated keyboards seen in most of our favorite Chromebooks or standard membrane boards found on shop shelves. In notebooks, mechanical choices are designed to last much longer than rubber dome and scissor switches, whose lifespan isn’t dependent on other parts and causes computers to seem outdated after a few years.
Cherry KC 200 MX mechanical keyboard review
The majority of our most cherished mechanical keyboards come with switches that are designed to withstand years and years of heavy daily use. Yet, with the release of the new KC 200 MX keyboard and its MX2A switches, which have a 100 million actuation rating, German firm Cherry—which has its origins in the US—has taken lifespan to a whole new level. That is not only a strong enough cause for us to physically inspect the board, but it is also twice as much as most switches are rated for.
Cost and accessibility
High price for what’s being offered
The corporate client is one of the largest markets for mechanical keyboard purchases outside of the enthusiast community, and this is who the Cherry KC 200 MX mechanical keyboard is initially aiming for. This is clear from a few oddities we found in the construction of the keyboard, but more on that later.
This new keyboard is easily accessible on Amazon and has a sticker price of $90. The Cherry Americas website has a specific product page for this model, however you are unable to purchase the keyboard straight from it.
On Amazon, the board is easily accessible, however.Cherry provides a multitude of language versions for this mechanical keyboard, including French and German, in addition to a UK layout including a large enter key. But, fans have an abundance of appealing choices for aluminum-bodied small keyboards, such as Keychron, for $90. The claimed dependability of the KC 200MX alone justifies its selling price, and the typical bespoke mechanical keyboard manufacturer has little competition in that regard.
Details
100% form factor
Change the settings
MX2A Silent Red, MX2A Brown Cherry Colorways
White (with a silver plate), Black (with a brown plate)
Absence of backlight
Building
Plastic that is injection molded with an aluminum/steel plate
Dampening
Not one
Keychains
ABS plastic engraved using a laser
operating systems that were supported
Windows
Warm-changeable
Lack of battery capacity
Interaction
Non-detachable wired cable
angle of typing
Adjustable in two steps
Lack of software customization
Measurements
Dimensions: 430 x 120.9 x 39.1 mm; Weight: 1.83 kg; Cost: $90
108 keys total; brand
Yes, Cherry Num Pad
Water resistance In the affirmative
Life of battery NAWhat makes Cherry’s KC 200 MX mechanical keyboard good?
Link it and then let it go.Cherry is well known for creating the Cherry MX mechanical keyboard switch design. Despite its enormous success, this design has now generated an entire industry of identical switches from companies like Gateron, Outemu, and Kailh, which are sometimes referred to as clones. That being said, Cherry also produces a number of mechanical keyboards under its own name; among them is the KC 200 MX, which is one of the newest models in its lineup.
A copper color plate and either black or white keycaps with a silver color plate are included with the board. The keyboard is available with the new MX2A Brown switches or MX2A Silent Red switches; the former provides a more tactile typing experience, while the latter produces keystrokes that are quieter. As with the original MX Brown, I tested the black version with brown switches that were guaranteed to last at least 100 million actuations. However, you should be aware that Cherry only rates the quiet red switches for 50 million keystrokes. In the meantime, the firm actively touts the robustness of the switches on its packaging, but there’s not much to brag about—its claimed life is comparable to that of standard MX Browns.
The MX Brown is considered by many mechanical keyboard enthusiasts to be the most tactile of the original Cherry switches; in fact, the color is now associated with tactile switches in keyboard circles. Much like the original, Cherry’s new MX2A switches include a revised stem, spring, and housing, yet despite this, they maintain the deliciously light tactile feel halfway through the keystroke.
I would describe the new design as a “ticklish” tactile switch, but it feels much smoother right out of the box than the typical MX Brown—possibly because the community has lubricated it from the manufacturer with Krytox 205 grade 0 oil. Although the MX2A Browns’ performance is consistent and less batch-dependent than that of the original Browns, they nevertheless have a scratchy sound and cannot be compared to broken-in switches.
Typing is standard fare with a redesigned stem design that minimizes keycap wobbling, clear and easy-to-read key legends (unlike similarly priced gamer-y boards), and separate indicator lights for the Scroll Lock, Num Lock, and Caps Lock keys that shine through the keycaps. The lengthier edge of the spacebar facing you has a different design as well, with a rounded edge in the center and sharper angles on the sides. The bigger keys’ stabilizers function nicely and don’t jar or wobble much. Just above the numpad are convenient shortcut buttons to the volume controls and calculator. Multiple simultaneous key presses may be registered without any problems thanks to N-key rollover, and the anti-ghosting function of the board guarantees error-free typing with no missing inputs.
Still, the KC 200 MX’s best feature is its robust switches. To put that into perspective, the new KC 200 MX would last an astounding 16 years before the switches began to fail if a typist typed five-letter phrases at a rate of 100 words per minute, eight hours a day, five days a week. Just one feature makes Cherry’s KC 200 MX more appealing to a very particular kind of customer: companies searching for low-cost, reliable workhorse peripherals to cut down on related replacement and maintenance expenses.
Why is the Cherry KC 200 MX mechanical keyboard a substandard product?
Keycaps that are so thin they rival the paper that the keyboard is packaged in
As you can see, the KC 200 MX is by no means a mechanical keyboard for enthusiasts. The only noteworthy features are its typing experience and dependability; all other parts of the user experience have been dreadfully overlooked, maybe in the hopes that Cherry’s name would serve as sufficient justification. It begins with opening the box, where the keyboard is placed within a thin piece of black paper and is only accompanied by a handbook. Its non-detachable cord means you lose out on features like software customization, per-key illumination, compatibility for macOS, and wireless networking. It’s also the first time we’ve seen a classic yellow PCB in a long time.
Given that the KC 200 MX is an office keyboard, the most of these missing functions are acceptable, but the inexpensive keycaps really got to me. The laser-etched legends on the ABS keycaps are unsettlingly thin, and this negatively affects the sound profile. More crucially, the keycap legends will be polished to a shining smudge before the switches start to fail since ABS plastic is prone to abrasion. While most aftermarket keycap sets are compatible with this keyboard, we don’t think companies will want to use them. Double-shot injection molded ABS or dye-sublimated PBT keycaps in this price range would have been excellent, at the very least.
Is it wise to get the mechanical Cherry KC 200 MX keyboard?
Switch redesigns don’t justify the switchThough it has been chattering away for years, there’s no disputing the Cherry KC 200 MX belongs in an office; yet, I wouldn’t recommend it to a mechanical keyboard enthusiast. Indeed, this keyboard checks all the appropriate boxes if you’re looking for one that promises years of worry-free use. If all you want to do is get a feel for Cherry’s new MX2A switches without adding a bunch of other variables from the custom keyboard scene, this is a terrific keyboard as well.
If you’re simply looking for the new MX2A Brown switches, however, they come in packs of either 35 or 110, with the former offering superior value at just $45—half the price of a KC 200 MX. Even while we like it for its subtle style and simplicity, the $90 tag price made me think negatively. Although creating a new mechanical key switch is expensive, the KC 200 MX isn’t on par with other mechanical keyboards that cost less than $100 and have much broader feature lists.
If you want a more feature-rich, compact keyboard but are worried about how long the switches will last, I recommend getting any keyboard that has hot-swappable switches so you can swap them out if the switches start to break. In my opinion, the Cherry KC 200 MX isn’t worth the money unless you’re the particular kind of Office Manager that this board is intended for. However, this alternative also doesn’t make much sense in a workplace.
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