Cherry switches are reliable, unwavering, and the standard by which many of us judge all other switches. What happens if Cherry changes them? You get the new MX2A Red switches in the Cherry-made Xtrfy K5V2 – a new and improved version of the Cherry MX Reds we’ve come to know well over the years.
The MX2A Reds are an improvement in a number of ways. First and foremost, they are factory lubricated. If you’re a regular reader of our keyboard coverage here at PC Gamer, you know that lube makes for smoother switching with a satisfying click. This certainly also applies to the MX2A Reds. Every key slides effortlessly with every stroke of my fingers.
The MX2A switches come with “pin-point ring lubrication” applied to the new ‘socket dome’ in the lower housing. If that sounds like jargon, it is, but it basically means that every switch leaves the factory floor with a big glob of grease in it, and that should stick around for the life of the switch. For comparison with some original MX Reds, I grabbed my Corsair K65 off the shelf. The MX2A switches in the Xtrfy lack the scratching and rattling noticeable on the admittedly outdated Corsair.
Other upgrades with the MX2A switches provide a more consistent keystroke, including: a new barrel spring, housing dome, guide ribs and stem geometry. The latter is important, as the MX2A is considerably less wobbly than older MX Reds.
Xtrfy K5V2 Specifications
Mate: 65%
Connectivity: USB Type-C to Type-A
Keycaps: abdominal muscles
Switches: Cherry MX2A Red
Hot swappable: Yes
Media Controls: Shortcuts via function key
Relief: RGB lighting modes + on-board controls
Software: No
Price: $140/£139/€139
All these changes provide a much smoother keystroke than previous Cherry MX Red switches. I’d also say they’re less cluttered overall, although it’s hard to put a value on how much of that is the new switch itself or the keycaps and stabilizers used on this exact Xtrfy model. Overall it is a much better switch than the original MX Reds. That’s good news for gamers, as we’ll likely see a lot of these keyboards in gaming keyboards from multiple brands.
But how does the typing experience on the Cherry Xtrfy K5V2 compare to our favorite keyboard of the moment, the ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless? Simply put, for typing I prefer the Scope II 96. The lack of wobble in the PBT keycaps via the ROG NX Snow switches is as impressive now as the day I first tried it. Considering the feel of the last-generation Cherry MX Reds and a few other keyboards I have on hand, the Cherry’s snappy and lightweight keystroke remains quite good overall.
On to the keyboard itself. This is a compact plate with a division of 65%. That means it measures just 325 x 112mm and doesn’t come with a numpad or the usual cluster above the arrow keys. However, it does retain the arrow keys, along with the Page Down, Page Up, and Delete keys. The rest of the missing keys can be accessed via the many, many shortcuts on this keyboard.
The End, Home and F1 – F12 keys can be accessed by pressing the Function key. To compensate for the lack of physical media keys, some shortcuts have been placed in the top alphabet row. All pretty sensible keyboard shortcuts for any compact keyboard. There are also shortcuts for moving and using the mouse, which are less common but can come in handy.
What I find a bit overwhelming are the many more shortcuts for functions with unclear intentions. There is one key of mysterious machination with a fingerprint on it, another says K-LED. BG Color, K-Slow, K-Fast, K-Mask, E-speed+… the list goes on. All of the ones I just mentioned control the RGB lighting on the board, and the reason why there are so many pre-programmed keys to do this is due to the lack of dedicated Cherry software to control this keyboard. That may appeal to some, but if you’re looking for simplicity, I’d look elsewhere.
Programming the RGB lighting is a process of trial and error. You hold down one key, press another, and maybe the key you’re holding changes color. That means changing the overall lighting mode. It can also mean changing the color the keys light up in as you type. I still have to figure it all out. The manual loosely explains which key does what, but not exactly how they all work together. After trying to change a static color on a handful of keys, I ultimately settled on one of the preset lighting modes.
Buy as…
✅ You don’t want another piece of lighting software on your PC: Forget the proprietary apps to control the RGB lighting of your peripherals; the Cherry Xtrfy K5V2 controls all that with a few shortcuts. Although the learning curve is a bit steep.
✅ You like a Cherry MX Red switch and you want more of the same: Just like the Red switch, you only know better materially. That’s the MXA2 Red switch that comes with the Xtrfy K5V2.
Don’t buy if…
❌ You don’t mind certain software: The built-in controls are fine, but they’re a bit clunky compared to the full controls available through an app.
❌ You need a cheap compact mechanical keyboard: There are plenty of similarly sized wired compact keyboards for much less money, but you can’t get the newer Cherry switches in them yet.
There are a few other things to consider with this keyboard. Firstly, how long it took me to comment on the translucent case. Don’t let its mushy looking exterior fool you, this thing is built like a tank and I couldn’t manage to bend even a little. And I am Real strong. It seems a little strange to have a case so conveniently designed for bizarre RGB lighting on a keyboard that’s also meant to appeal to the naturally software-skeptical among us. Those things don’t often go together. But it can appeal to a niche audience, and there’s always the less distinctly black option. Oh, there’s also a strange magnetic removable logo above the arrow keys, which I assume you can 3D print your own replacement for.
The keycaps are made of ABS plastic, which is a bit of a shame for the money, but they are easy to replace thanks to MX cross stems. The switches themselves are also hot-swappable and the USB Type-C to Type-A cable is removable. All of this should make this keyboard last a long time, at least until those switches wear out around the 100 millionth click.
You must fork over $140/£139/€139 to enter the Xtrfy promotion. That’s cheaper than the ROG Falchion RX Low-Profile I recently reviewed, a similarly compact board, although the Xtrfy left less of an impression on me. It’s a neatly packaged gaming keyboard with a lot of functionality for its lack of software, which for some may be all they need to hear, but it nevertheless feels like a lot of money for fewer keys than most.