The Cherry MX keyboard switches are one of the most popular and well-known keyboard switches on the market today. Introduced in 1988, these switches were designed to provide a reliable, responsive experience when typing. Since their inception, the Cherry MX keyboard switches have become the go-to choice for gamers, typists, and anyone who values accuracy and speed when working with a keyboard. In this article, we explore the history of these iconic switches and how they’ve come to be such a popular choice.
The Cherry MX keyboard switches were originally designed by CHERRY, a Japanese manufacturer of keyboards and other electronic devices. These switches were first introduced in 1988 as the successor to the Cherry G80 key switch, which was one of the earliest mechanical keyboard switches ever created.
CHERRY’s original design for the Cherry MX keyboard switch consisted of a metal body with two gold contacts on each side. When actuated, these contacts would send a signal to the keyboard controller, which would then use this information to activate the appropriate key.
The History of Cherry MX Keyboard Switches
The Cherry MX switch remained largely unchanged until 2006 when CHERRY released the MX Blue switches. These switches featured a blue anodized body and an updated design that allowed for faster actuation and greater force feedback. Today’s Cherry MX keyboard switches are available in several different versions, including red-brown greens whites blacks, and a special edition designed specifically for gaming .
The Cherry MX keyboard switch has become one of the most popular and well-known on the market thanks to its reliable performance and versatile design. These switches are perfect for anyone who wants an accurate, responsive experience when typing or gaming.
1: MX Blue: Tactile, 50g actuation force.
2: MX Brown: Clicky, 45g actuation force.
3: MX Black: Silent, 40g actuation force
Cherry’s Early Years
CHERRY was founded in 1938 as Tokyo Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo Electric Industrial Company). The company initially developed and manufactured electric motors, light bulbs, and other electrical appliances. In the late 1960s, CHERRY began marketing keyboard switches under their own name.
The Cherry MX keyboard switch was originally introduced in 1988 as the successor to the Cherry G80 key switch, which was one of the earliest mechanical keyboard switches ever created.
Today, Cherry MX keyboard switches are available in several different versions and are used by some of the world’s leading brands, including HP, Dell, Acer, Lenovo, and Asus.
The Cherry keyboard switches are manufactured by CHERRY in Japan and sold through several different resellers, including mechanicalkeyboard.com
Specifically to keyboards: Silicone moisture-proof cover to protect the switches from daily use without altering its mechanical force feel. The coating is thick enough which increases typing feeling with keys strongly, and easy to wipe clean. Will provide extensive anti-oxidation protection with no visible sign of aging if used for a long time as well as minimal damage in case it was accidentally hit by something harder or higher than you intended (i mean keys).
Mechanical Keyboard Covers We offer a variety of mechanical keyboard covers to protect your valuable investment from dust, spills, and day-to-day wear. Our silicone keyboard covers are made with a thick silicone membrane that increases typing force while minimizing key noises.
Birth of the Cherry MX Switch
The Cherry MX keyboard switch was originally introduced in 1988 as the successor to the Cherry G80 key switch, which was one of the earliest mechanical keyboard switches ever created. The original Cherry MX switch design used two sets of metal springs that pressed against each other to create different types of key presses.
As technology has changed, so too has the way keyboards are manufactured. Today, Cherry MX switches are available in several different versions and are used by some of the world’s leading brands, including HP, Dell, Acer, Lenovo, and Asus.
Cherry in the 2000s
In the 2000s, Cherry transferred some of its production to China in order to take advantage of lower costs and increased production rates. However, Cherry retained ownership of all intellectual property related to its keyboard switches and continues to license its technology worldwide.
Today, Cherry MX keyboards are still widely popular and are used by a wide range of users across many different industries. Thanks largely to their durability and customizable features, they remain an important part of the gaming and typing experience for many people.
Return of Mechanical Keyboards in 2010
In 2010, mechanical keyboards made a triumphant return to the market after being absent for many years. This was thanks in large part to the popularity of gaming and typists who had begun to appreciate the unique feel and responsiveness of mechanical switches.
Since then, keyboard manufacturers have continued to野研舆情及产品动态进行更新为 广大消费者提供优质产品服务,为满意客户的需求不断往前背发。 Make improvements to their products and services to meet the needs of consumers more forward-looking.
Cherry MX switches are still widely popular and are used by a wide range of users across many different industries. Thanks largely to their durability and customizable features, they remain an important part of the gaming and typing experience for many people.
Expiration of Cherry’s MX Switch Patent in 2014
In 2014, Cherry’s key switch patent expired, leading to the release of many new mechanical keyboards with competitor switches. This decreased the demand for Cherry MX switches and led to decreases in sales and profits for the company. Nonetheless, Cherry continues to produce and sell its keyboards using various competitor switches.
Cherry MX Switch of 2017-2018
In 2017, Cherry returned to the keyboard market 2018 with several new models using its MX-series key switches. The company released two gaming keyboards: one with a sold switch and another that uses a different third party switch, both of which feature membrane key switches that can be actuated by clicking or single CPI (Cycle Per Minute) actions versus performing double click actions as previous offerings from Cherry have required.
Cherry quickly followed this release with a new family of keyboards that used its MX-series key switches and also added three tactile membrane key switches to existing lines. The springy, clicky “Cherry Trigger” series use Cherry’s alternative Tai-Hao switch while the more quiet mechanical keyboard uses Clicky technology from TTC.
The company claims that they’ve changed to using mechanical typefaces for the spongier Keycap Font Marker ink rather than the standard silk. Cherry MX switches have been used on many other companies’ keyboards, such as Cooler Master’s Sentinel line of mechanical keyboards and Cougar’s XCalibur gaming keyboard series., which use its own “Cherry Trail” smart technology that combines RGB backlighting with a digital interface to improve responsiveness. Many other mechanical switches, such as some Zealio keyboards also use Cherry’s switch. Cherry MX Switch of 2017-2018
Cherry offers the following switch types
Compatible mechanical switches for their keyboards (note that with some keycaps this may not apply): Brown, Black, Blue. Red and White are no longer in production; these were replaced by SSM blue/red/white switches respectively soon after initial release.
MX Blue: Tactile, 50g actuation force.
MX Brown: Clicky, 45g actuation force.
MX Black: Silent, 40g actuation force
MX Red/White:No action is required for activation:
The optical sensor detects the keypress and converts it to electrical input which activates the switch
Cherry offers “Cherry Trigger” keyboards that use alternative Tai-Hao switches in addition to their traditional Cherry MX switches. The Tai-Hao switch is a tactile and clicky design, while the Clacky technology uses a springy at to simulate actuation.
MX Blue: Tactile, 50g actuation force MX Brown:
Clicky, 45g actuation force MX Black: Silent, 40g actuation force Cherry offer “Cherry Trail” keyboards that use digital interface with backlighting in addition to their traditional Cherry MX switches. MX Blue: RGB backlighting with digital interface (1.3 million colors), compatible with most software and hardware devices MX Brown: Clicky, 45g actuation force
MX Black: RGB backlighting only, no digital interface available.
MX Red/White: No action required for activation;
The optical sensor detects the keypress and converts it to electrical input which activates the switch Cherry offers “Cherry Speed” keyboards that use alternative Tai-Hao switches.
Cherry in Today’s Market
There are many keyboard manufacturers out there today. Cherry is no longer the only powerhouse in the keyboard industry, but they still hold its own and provide high-quality products at an affordable price. Some of their competitors include Razer, Corsair, Logitech G975 gaming keyboard, Askey Professional Keyboard KB-9000C Q, Cooler Master Elite-512 RGB mechanical gaming keyboard.
Video Suggestion
FAQ,s
How old are Cherry MX switches?
Cherry MX switches have been around since 2000.
What are the mechanical differences between Cherry MX switches?
Cherry has posted a comparison chart on their website of some major physical characteristics to differentiate between their different keyboard switch designs: The wiki of Cherry keyboard switches explains further differences, including the actuation force needed to activate a switch.
What was the first Cherry MX switch?
The Cherry MX Blue switch was the first Cherry keyboard switch to be introduced. This switch is still the most popular, though Cherry has re-introduced it multiple times. Cherry also added Red and Black switches in 2004.
The other two types of switches were White, which was introduced in 2005 but discontinued in 2007 due to keyboard failure rates (notably the Cherry Cube mechanical keyboards), and Brown switches which debuted in late 2008. Most modern keyboards use MX Blue or MX Red while keys such as Enter are activated by a still-invented switch called Thumb. Older non-Cherry “Ergo” keyboards use either rubber dome or scissor switches.
What are Cherry MX style switches?
Cherry MX style switches are a type of switch found in keyboards. They have a red housing with two small metal contact points on top and bottom, compared to the larger contacts on most other keyboard types. The move away from using Alps mount switches has helped make Cherry MX style switches more popular as they require less tooling and design changes when compared to traditional mechanical keyboards.
What does MX stand for in CHERRY?
The MX designation stands for the Cherry model number assigned to each switch type. MX switches are also known as Blue switches, Red switches, or Brown switches.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many different types of Cherry switches and each has its own specific features and benefits. Ultimately, it’s up to the user to decide which switch type is best suited for their individual needs.