Cherry MX-Board 3.0 review

The Cherry MX-Board 3.0 model we reviewed came equipped with Cherry’s Red key switches, but is also available with Black, Brown and Blue-type switches. The different switches provide different operating forces for keystrokes to be registered, and differ in other ways such as rebound rate and noise levels. Red switches require a relatively low level of force to register a keystroke, so may be less tiring to use for long periods than other mechanical keyboards – especially ones designed for gaming.

Each key is rated for 50m keystrokes, and the keyboard certainly feels well made. It also has a detachable 1.8m Mini USB cable, so if the cable or plug ever becomes damaged, swapping it out is a simple and cheap task. The keyboard has a compact footprint, so won’t take up much room on your desk.

The MX-Board 3.0’s feet have two rubber non-slip feet covers or, if you prefer to type with a completely flat keyboard, two adhesive non-slip strips are also provided for you to attach to the underside. The keyboard never moved around during use, which helped with typing accuracy and speed.

The key layout is a standard affair, with no strange placements or reduced-size keys. There are volume controls located at the top-right and a button to launch your web browser. You’re also able to disable the Windows key, which is useful when playing games so you don’t get pushed back to the Desktop.

As with most mechanical keyboards, the level of tactile feedback from each keystroke was incredibly satisfying and meant we were able to comfortably build up to high typing speeds. The clicking noise associated with mechanical keyboards wasn’t the loudest we’ve heard but it is certainly going to be noticeable if you’ve never used one before; we also wouldn’t recommend this keyboard if there’s a chance of disturbing those around you.

If you’re more interested in a hard-wearing mechanical keyboard for accurate typing than something to give you the edge in games, the Cherry MX-Board 3.0 is a great choice.