The Cherry MX Board 6.0 Mechanical Keyboard Review
by E. Fylladitakis on January 27, 2016 8:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Keyboard
- Cherry MX
- Mechanical Keyboards
Quality Testing
In order to test the quality and consistency of a keyboard, we are using a texture analyser that is programmed to measure and display the actuation force of the standard keyboard keys. By measuring the actuation force of every key, the quality and consistency of the keyboard can be quantified. It can also reveal design issues, such as the larger keys being far softer to press than the main keys of the keyboard. The actuation force is measured in Centinewton (cN). Some companies use another figure, gram-force (gf). The conversion formula is 1 cN = 1.02 gf (i.e. they are about the same). A high quality keyboard should be as consistent as possible, with an average actuation force as near to the manufacturer's specs as possible and a disparity of less than ±10%. Greater differences are likely to be perceptible by users.
The machine we use for our testing is accurate enough to provide readings with a resolution of 0.1 cN. For wider keys (e.g. Enter, Space Bar, etc.), the measurement is taking place at the center of the key, right above the switch. Note that large keys generally have a lower actuation force even if the actuation point is at the dead center of the key. This is natural, as the size and weight of the keycap reduces the required actuation force. For this reason, we do display the force required to actuate every key but we only use the results of the typical sized keys for our consistency calculations. Still, very low figures on medium sized keys, such as the Shift and Enter keys reveal design issues and can easily be perceptible by the user.
The quality testing of the Cherry MX Board 6.0 gave us unnaturally good results, smiting every other mechanical keyboard that we have tested to this date - including those made with Cherry's own switches. Our instruments recorded an average force of 43.5 cN, with a disparity of just ±1.61% for the main keys. Even the force of the larger keys is abnormally close to that of the smaller keys, as their force figures are usually significantly lower due to the size of the keycap.
Although this is just an assumption on our part, we believe that these abnormal figures are a product of more than just the lack of variability in Cherry's mechanical switches. Our testing equipment is set to hold the force value once a key has been actuated, but it can only realize that it has actually been actuated once the keyboard sends a signal to a computer. Inherently, this process has a latency of a few milliseconds, during which the analyzer keeps increasing the force. Cherry claims that with the Realkey technology of this keyboard, it can signal the system every single millisecond. Again, this is a mere educational guess on our part, but it may be that Cherry effectively minimized the latency of the keyboard, which is now signaling our test system to stop more consistently. This could explain the abnormal consistency of the results, as a latency of even a few ms would increase every recorded value slightly.
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Margalus - Wednesday, January 27, 2016 - link
Sorry, but I disagree vehemently.. I cannot stand Red, you may as well just use a cheap chiclet keyboard imo if you like red. That is what they feel like to me. Brown is the best compromise for mechanical, imo, if you don't want the extremely loud blues.Ancillas - Wednesday, January 27, 2016 - link
Have you tried the Clear switches that are on the CODE keyboard?SteelRing - Wednesday, January 27, 2016 - link
I have not tried Red, but I have Rosewill Blue, Rosewill Brown and CM Brown as well as CODE Clear. Blue was my first one and it types just fine for me, but after a while you get enough of that higher pitched clicking noise. Brown really hits it for me because it's just the right amount of force to my fingers and the subdued clacking sound is much more suited in professional environment instead of the Blue screaming "hey I'm typing here y'all better listen to it, hear how hard I'm working". With all the hype on the Clear CODE I picked one up on massdrop and it's by far the worst for me. It requires much higher actuation force so it's tiring my fingers much easily and it feels squishy to push down like there is a resistance all the way down and up, not snappy and sharp the way I like it. Clear is a total letdown so I'm sticking with Brown from now on.Samus - Thursday, January 28, 2016 - link
Brown is without a doubt the best because they don't actually make it feel like a mechanical keyboard. Studies have shown that error rates are higher on mechanical keyboards compared to membrane keyboards so the less mechanical of a feel, the more accurate you are likely to be.BurntMyBacon - Thursday, January 28, 2016 - link
@Samus: "Studies have shown that error rates are higher on mechanical keyboards compared to membrane keyboards ..."That's surprising. I guess mechanical keyboards aren't all they are cracked up to be. Still feel better to me, though. Is the error rate difference large or mostly insignificant? Does if vary highly between switch type? Are linears better than non-linears given the conclusion? Why don't you just post a link to the study. I've got more questions than appropriate for a single post given that the study doesn't line up with my personal observation. Perhaps it can give me some insight as to what I'm doing wrong with membrane keyboards and what I can do to fix it.
hansmuff - Wednesday, January 27, 2016 - link
What a weird keyboard. I don't mind spending $200 on a good keyboard, but certainly not one with that kind of font on it and orange back lighting. Looks like a very misguided attempt at a "gamer" keyboard.529th - Wednesday, January 27, 2016 - link
Terrible review. No in-depth examination, comparison, and explanation of the "new" Real Key technology that is incorporated into the board. How many other boards have this technology? Why, and how is it different than the others? Etc Etc. This lack of interest in the ONE thing that separates this board from others screams for your resignation and or being fired.ukyrgf - Wednesday, January 27, 2016 - link
Nearly every sentence starts with some nonsense fluff like "With all of that said," "On the other hand," "As a matter of fact," but they don't really make sense in context. Probably sponsored content by a non-native speaker. Oh, now I see the Amazon affiliate link!Ryan Smith - Wednesday, January 27, 2016 - link
It is not sponsored content. If it was, we'd tell you.And yes, E. speaks English as a second language.
catavalon21 - Wednesday, February 3, 2016 - link
Thanks, Ryan. E.'s English is better than any second lanuage I would dare take a stab at writing for an audience like this. Keep 'em coming.