News Cherry’s First Mechanical Laptop Switches Improved My Typing Speed, Comfort

[Admin]

We go fingers on with the new mechanical keyboards on Alienware’s m17 and m15 laptops and their Cherry MX Low Profile switches.

Cherry’s First Mechanical Laptop Switches Improved My Typing Speed, Comfort : Read more

 

[LinuxDevice]

I'd like to know if the underlying "Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile" keys/switches are available for purchase anywhere? For example, for making custom keyboard devices without purchasing an actual full keyboard. Lots of suppliers of other Cherry MX keys, but I have trouble finding the ultra low profile switches for separate purchase.

 

[BillyBuerger]

I'd like to know if the underlying "Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile" keys/switches are available for purchase anywhere? For example, for making custom keyboard devices without purchasing an actual full keyboard. Lots of suppliers of other Cherry MX keys, but I have trouble finding the ultra low profile switches for separate purchase.

Like Cherry always seems to do with their new stuff, these are exclusive for now. So no, not likely going to be available anywhere for a year or so. Usually it seems to be Corsair who gets the exclusive but I suppose it makes sense for Dell/Alienware to take this one since Corsair doesn't make any laptops, right? I'm pretty happy with my custom Kailh Choc keyboard that I can use with my Thinkpad Yoga with the keyboard folded out of the way. But these would allow an even lower profile keyboard. The click noise on these wouldn't be best for my laptop needs as I use laptops mostly for when I'm working in meetings or with customers. Noisy keyboards are not good in those situations.

Also note, the article states that MX switches have 2mm of travel instead of the actual 4mm.

 

[badpool]

It would great if the reviewer described what makes these switches "mechanical" as opposed to more standard butterfly styles used by other laptop keyboards. I can believe that cherry makes a great laptop switch, but it sounds like we're calling these mechanical mainly because it's branded Cherry MX (whose other switches are labelled as such for rather weak reasons, but I digress).

 

[BillyBuerger]

It would great if the reviewer described what makes these switches "mechanical" as opposed to more standard butterfly styles used by other laptop keyboards. I can believe that cherry makes a great laptop switch, but it sounds like we're calling these mechanical mainly because it's branded Cherry MX (whose other switches are labelled as such for rather weak reasons, but I digress).

The previous article that talked about these switches showed an some details about the switches...

Alienware's Latest Laptops Debut Cherry MX Ultra-Low Profile Mechanical Switches

They use their mechanical contacts underneath to make the contacts instead of a membrane and the spring provides the force instead of a rubber dome. Not exactly sure how the clicker works yet but it appears to be a metal leaf spring that is put under pressure then released. I found a review on YouTube where someone is actually typing on it and you can hear the click. Sounds more similar to a Kailh clickbar switch which is good. Sharp, not rattly like their crappy MX Blue click jackets...

Alienware M17 R4 Cherry MX keyboard review

 

[crooked windows]

CHERRY MX ULTRA LOW PROFILE - so what is special compared to traditional Scissor mechanical switches? apart that scissor are very quiet. The CHERRY MX ULTRA LOW PROFILE look more unstable to tilt.

 

[BillyBuerger]

CHERRY MX ULTRA LOW PROFILE - so what is special compared to traditional Scissor mechanical switches? apart that scissor are very quiet. The CHERRY MX ULTRA LOW PROFILE look more unstable to tilt.

Well, technically, these are a scissor switch in that they have a scissor type support system to ensure the key travel is stable. So I wouldn't expect it to be much different in that regard.

These would have similar pros/cons as normal mechanical switches compared to rubber dome keyboards. Domes work well for their tactile feeling and are generally pretty quiet. But they also can be a bit mushy feeling. These should in theory be more sharp and crisp feeling. And with membrane keyboards, you generally have to bottom out before the key press is registered. Mechanical type switches generally actuate mid-way through the key travel which can be nice since you don't have to bottom out so hard. And of course, the metal contacts used are designed to have a longer lifetime.