After pressing the first few buttons, Cherry’s £80/90 dollars The KC 200 MX mechanical keyboard deftly showcases the genius of the German firm’s new MX2A switches – it’s an impressive, but not flawless, keyboard for typing or gaming.
These switches are definitely the star of the show and come with a real set of improvements over the original Cherry MX designs seen on every popular mechanical keyboard made in the last 13 years. The MX2A switches are smoother, quieter, more uniform, longer lasting, more environmentally friendly…and less wobbly, scratchy or ping-y with “contactless” action. This new switch even “boasts its aesthetics” (direct quote) – and of course for the KC 200 MX itself, available in the usual wide range with MX Silent Red and MX Brown options.
Given that Cherry’s original MX switch design dates back to the 1980s, it seems like there were a lot of potential improvements that could have been put together when the MX2A arrived, and indeed, as promised by the new Silent Red switches in my review unit. it’s surprisingly good: buttery smooth, refined factory lubrication with a deeper, quieter report, and a new barrel-shaped spring as opposed to the previous cylindrical shape. I also got a chance to try out the new Brown keys, which, like the Silent Red, are silent or non-depressed, but perhaps better for typing given the added tactile bump.
Considering that these keys still use the familiar cross-shaped bodies on top to maintain compatibility with older keys, that’s pretty impressive. It feels like a real step forward over the original Cherry MX designs, and it’s an important step considering how many good and cheap Cherry MX “clones” have been made over the years.
Interestingly, while the keyboard’s keys are highly rated for longevity, the chassis of my review unit broke right out of the box. The bronze-colored anodized metal plate on top of the chassis looks and feels great, but in this particular review unit, that plate is severely bent below the number plate. It’s actually skewed to the extent that the zero and period keys point in noticeably different directions – and there’s similar, but less extreme damage under the space bar.
I haven’t dropped or damaged the keyboard since I took it out of the box a few days ago, and I think it’s a new unit, so that’s a little disappointing. I’ve never had this damage on other metal-clad keyboards I’ve used in the past, so I’m a little confused as to how this happened.
To Cherry’s attention, they sent a replacement inspection unit very quickly and it shows no signs of similar damage – and I tried lifting the metal chassis in the same area to see if it was possible to do intentional damage, but the replacement held firm. I’m willing to let it fail for now, but I’ll definitely look at other KC 200 MX reviews for similar damage.
There are other quirks, though they don’t matter by comparison. The keyboard legends look a bit different to me in terms of brightness, some WASD keys already seem dull after a week or so of typing and a few long Starfield sessions. I’m not sure if this is just a trick of the light, natural variability, a manufacturing defect, or even too early wear, but it doesn’t fill me with great confidence that the ABS buttons will look great after a few. of years. For a typist’s keyboard in 2023, I’d like to see more durable (and more expensive) PBT keyboards here.
Still, the KC 200 MX has some nice features. The gap bar forms a gentle curve in the center where your fingers will come into contact with it, mimicking the effects of the popular back-to-front mounting favored by some enthusiasts. I also like the inclusion of volume keys to fill the existing space on the numpad, and the status lights are integrated into the caps lock, num lock and scroll lock keys.
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The keyboard also has full n-key conversion (NKRO; any keys pressed simultaneously are recognized), which is nice for gaming – especially in rhythm games or the rare game that offers multiplayer co-op using a single keyboard.
One feature you won’t find here is backlighting. The keyboard doesn’t have this feature, which is probably fine for office use, but it’s not good home for office use or gaming, where I appreciate the simple single-color backlight for finding keys that are rarely used in low ambient light conditions.
I appreciate that the keyboard takes a fairly aggressive aim £80/90 dollars price point — which would also explain the modest keys — but given that this keyboard is one of the easiest ways to try out Cherry’s new switch innovations, it’s still worth a note for gamers and twilight typists alike.
Ultimately, while the KC 200 MX is a nice keyboard that feels reasonably priced, I’m looking forward to trying out these keys. other models (like Cherry’s own Xtrfy K5V2) to see how they perform when paired with a higher-end box and perhaps fancier buttons. The typing experience is already great on the KC 200 MX, but I understand that a board with higher quality components elsewhere could take these super switches to the next level. This is what I heard about some super custom MX Purple switches..?