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If you’re looking for a top-tier keyboard, you may wonder what wins the debate between Cherry MX Black vs Red switches. The mechanical keyboard switch you use affects your typing technique and tactile experience, so finding one that meets your personal preference is essential. While mechanical switches seem complicated, we’re here to help you decide whether Cherry MX Black vs Red switches are best for you.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
You can control a mechanical keyboard’s audible and tactile feedback by picking the switch type that matches your personal preference. For example, when comparing Cherry MX Blue vs Red switches, a heavy typist might appreciate the click sound of Cherry MX blues, but the shorter travel distance of Cherry MX reds better suits gamers. Of course, sometimes the difference is nuanced, like when comparing Cherry MX Clear vs Brown switches.
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Red and black switches are relatively similar on a tactile and sound level because they are both linear. Black switches require 60-gram actuation on average to register a keypress, and Cherry MX reds need 45-gram actuation. Either type of switch is an excellent pick for gaming keyboards due to the shorter actuation distance compared to other common switches.
Both types of linear switches have minimal travel distance, but Cherry Black switches have a higher gram actuation weight than Reds. The Cherry Red’s lower resistance delivers faster actuation than Cherry MX Black switches, which makes them an excellent choice for quick presses while touch-typing or gaming.
Neither Cherry Blacks nor Reds offer much tactile response while typing. That said, heavy typists appreciate the higher resistance of Cherry Blacks. Compared to Cherry Blacks, Reds register inputs with the lightest touch, leading to more mistakes.
Warning
Heavy-resistance switches will wear you out unless you have the strong fingers of an accomplished typist.
Cherry Reds and Blacks are not ideal if you’re after clicky switches. Since both are linear models, you will not experience much audible feedback while typing. That said, either switch is an excellent pick for shared office environments or quiet public workspaces.
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