Cherry’s new, ultra-flat keyboard disappoints me
27/6/2023
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
The MX-LP 2.1 is Cherry’s latest low-profile 65 per cent keyboard. At first glance, the keyboard wins you over with a retro charm. However, typing on it lets you down.
«I’m sure that’s nothing,» I have to reassure myself after typing on the MX-LP 2.1 for a few minutes. First off, there’s no real mechanical feel with the flat switches. Second, I don’t like the flat design much. Even after several days of use, I’m not warming up to the Cherry keyboard.
65 per cent keyboard in a retro garb
The MX-LP 2.1 is small and flat, which I can already tell from the packaging – it’s similarly compact. The new Cherry is a 65 per cent keyboard with keys that have been squeezed together. Compared to a full-size keyboard, the numeric keypad, most navigation keys and all F-keys are missing.
In addition to the keyboard, a 1.6-metre USB-A to USB-C cable and a dongle for connecting to the PC are included. The new Cherry can be connected via cable, Bluetooth 5.2 or dongle with a 2.4 GHz wireless connection. Cherry doesn’t provide any information about the battery life. But it’ll vary because of the lighting anyway. After three working days with the brightness on full tilt, the battery level is at 56 per cent. So you can assume that, even with full lighting, you’ll manage a whole work week without charging.
Source: Kevin Hofer
The keyboard is available in white and black. In both versions, certain keys have a different colour. On my black model, which Cherry provided to me for the test, these modification keys are grey and the Esc, space and Enter keys are orange. This gives the MX-LP 2.1 a retro touch. The case is black with white specks. The entire keyboard measures 30.8 × 9.9 × 2.7 centimetres and is completely made of plastic.
There are four rubber feet on the bottom to prevent the keyboard from slipping when used. You can take out the rear ones and rotate them, increasing the angle of inclination. Very useful for me.
Source: Kevin Hofer
There’s no joy in typing
Other people complain about wrist pain after using keyboards set to my preferred angle. But without adjusting the angle, that’s how I feel about the flat Cherry keyboard. It’s pretty flat, but not as flat as a chiclet keyboard. I feel like I have to bend my hands over the keyboard to type. The raised rubber feet help, but I’d prefer a degree or two more.
Angles aside, I can’t warm up to the typing feel. On the one hand, this is due to the keyboard’s design. It’s a so-called tray-mount keyboard with switches visible from the side. The cover plate and the circuit board, which contains the switches, are directly connected to the lower part of the case. This usually creates a rather stiff typing feel. At least the MX-LP 2.1’s rubber feet and plastic case add a bit of bounce. Still, far too little.
I expect a keyboard to interact with me when I work, to let me know that I’mtyping. After all, it’s what I use for my job and I spend a lot of time with it every day. However, the Cherry’s stiff typing feel blocks any interaction. Like talking to a wall, I get no response when using it. Writing degenerates from fun to torture, not least due to the installed switches.
Rusty instead of well lubricated
The MX Low Profile Speed Switches are too hard for me. This despite the fact that only 45 grammes of force is required to trigger them. My discomfort probably stems from the easily noticeable and audible friction. I’m used to a smoother typing feel from my modified switches.
The switches are called Speed because they trigger after just one millimetre of key travel. For «normal» mechanical switches, two millimetres is the norm. The signal therefore doesn’t actually transmit to the PC faster, there’s just less key travel. The total key drop is 3.2 millimetres. Quite a lot, the norm is only 0.8 millimetres more. It’s amazing how much travel Cherry has packed into these switches.
Source: Kevin Hofer
Even so, I don’t get that familiar mechanical typing feel. The MX Low Profile Speed Switches feel like something in between a scissor and mechanical switch – and this is despite the fact that they work just like «big» MX switches in principle. Maybe I’m being fooled by the look of the keyboard. Still, as a purist, this isn’t for me.
At least the built-in stabilisers are good – they support long keys like the space bar. They’re usually the reason for clattering when typing. They’re lubricated on my test device, so they’re less prone to this. They aren’t perfect, but much better than most ready-made keyboards.
Noticeably greasy
The keycaps are made of ABS plastic – this becomes apparent after just a few minutes of typing. ABS tends to shine quickly due to finger grease. This makes keycaps look not only greasy, but grubby. Clearly visible on the black keycaps of the MX-LP 2.1. Too bad, because according to the manufacturer, the caps are UV coated, but probably not against fingerprints in this case.
Source: Kevin Hofer
Grease aside, the keycaps are laser-inscribed. This adds a translucent effect; they get illuminated by the RGB LEDs on the board. The effect is uniform for keys in the upper area. It’s weaker on lower ones and uneven on the Windows logo.
The font of the lettering is based on gaming keyboards from other manufacturers like Corsair, Asus and the like. Too clunky, too «gamer-y» for me.
Rudimentary software
You can adjust the lighting using the Cherry Utility Software. Eleven presets are available, and you can further personalise certain ones by changing the colour or speed of the effect, for example.
Source: Kevin Hofer
You can also reassign keys, create macros or update the firmware. The software offers the bare essentials and looks like a relic from the noughties.
Verdict: I’d have expected more
The MX-LP 2.1 looks cool. I really like the retro look of the black version. Unfortunately, aesthetic quality doesn’t carry over to functionality. The keyboard does what it’s supposed to, but I simply don’t like typing on it. It’s too stiff for me and the switches sound scratchy. Moreover, even looking at the keyboard quickly becomes difficult after a few minutes. The keycaps virtually gleam with finger grease.
Overall, I can’t recommend the keyboard. Especially since it’s rather expensive at around 130 francs/120 euros given the build quality and scope of delivery. Unfortunately, I’m hard-pressed recommending a flat alternative in the 65 per cent form factor. If you want a 75 per cent keyboard, I’d recommend the Keychron K3.
Kevin Hofer
Senior Editor
kevin.hofer@digitecgalaxus.chFrom big data to big brother, Cyborgs to Sci-Fi. All aspects of technology and society fascinate me.
