Verdict
If you ’re looking to biz with the best and poke at things in your spare meter , the Cherry XTRFY K5V2 is a dream . It ’s for the tinkerer who ca n’t settle , but at the same price as one of Corsair ’s best it ’s not the go - to for gamers .
Pros
Cons
Introduction
Unless you ’re already well - poetize in keyboard switch technology , the immediate benefits of the Cherry XTRFY K5V2 ’s fresh MX2A switches wo n’t be forthwith obvious . chance are you ’re just here for a diminutive keyboard directly from the clothes designer of the switches most other mechanical boards still use today .
This cable , 65 % clacker is dubbed as ultra - customisable , hot - swappable , pre - lubed and sound - dampened . With vibrant RGB lighting to boot , there is n’t much this keyboard ca n’t do – unless you ’re look for a wireless card to quickly switch between equipment on your desk or stuff into your travel old bag . There ’s a lot to sexual love .
Design
As a 65 % clacker , the Cherry K5V2 RBG Compact keyboard is almost as small as they come . There ’s a slender place row on the right - script side with developer - specific command cap off with a magnetic logo you ’ll certainly practice as a restlessness toy , but other than that it ’s very compact .
Though entirely customisable through blistering - swappable switches , there is n’t much you’re able to do to personalize the deck at the point of leverage . It ’s an all - contraband excogitation with RedCherry MX2A switches – and a very sturdy one due to its metallic element backplate .
What you need to do is enter the maker ’s keyboard constructor pageboy . There , you ’re capable to switch to a crystalline deck of cards that accentuates the RGB lighting , quieter Reds , linear Silvers , or tactile Clear switches , take your frame colour , or even remove it altogether .
These petty tweaks make the price very flexible , but if the received black instrument panel with Red MX2A switch is n’t for you and you ’re not sure about DIYing it down the line , there ’s your option .
In the boxwood you ’ll determine two renewal switches , which can go a long way in encouraging the customisation efforts at the vanguard of this board ’s aim , a 2 m USB - one C / A cable for overcharge it up to your machines , a keycap dragger , a manual of arms and the keyboard itself .
It ’s all neatly packaged in a simple composition board box , with most of the accessory being housed in easily reuse materials .
Performance
While I do n’t have the equipment to test Cherry ’s topnotch - scan technology , which it claims boosts its response times to around 1ms , I can say that it feels very fast and liquid in use . At 841 g with the default configuration , it is n’t likely to lurch around the desk as you breeze through oeuvre , either .
The Cherry MX2A switches , which are not backed by the optical technical school you ’ll feel on the hyper - responsiveRoccat Vulcan II Mini Air , are wonderfully smooth in motion . The pre - lubed stabiliser work a dainty there . Underneath the whole thing is a stratum of profound - dampening foam , too , which I loved on the similarly pro - levelKeychron Q1 Max .
Paired together , you get a faithfully quiet and still surgical process that keep back a firm degree of feedback with each stroke . You wo n’t put on the line heat anyone in the adjacent elbow room , but you ’ll still get to enjoy each square propulsion no matter how slow you bring off to go .
There ’s the familiar spirit of friction at these slower speeds – almost a light scratch up as the keys demoralize – so make of that as you will . I witness it to be a sound indication of intent when you ’re adjudicate to stay on silent . You wo n’t notice it at all as you pick up speed .
There ’s a picayune more friction with the larger keystone ; place , return , backspacer , etc . You ’ll notice the light scratch more with these key , but it ’s nothing that feels detrimental to the whole experience . If anything , it creates a demand to be a little more forceful with the important strokes . Again , it ’s good so long as you get past the feeling .
Key wobble is also kept to a minimum here . The stabilisers do a skillful job . They ’re not entirely rigid , but the light amount of wobble allowed through could be view as a gateway to touch - typing .
Software and lighting
Rather than hide individual LEDs beneath each switch , the Cherry XTRFY K5V2 use firing strips . These are bright and vibrant and have no trouble shining balanced clarification through the fable of the default ABS keycaps .
Once your machine picks up the board ’s connexion , the smooth lighting kicking right in , sending a wafture of colour down each run-in as you rattle off your strokes .
Tweaks are all made on - machine with the board ’s dizzying numeral of primal modifiers ( all labelled , thankfully ) , and you could even use them to toggle between USB 2 and USB 3 mode , with the latter boosting its RGB style further with high power draw . Though it ’s neat to have on - instrument panel option to tweak RGB lighting , the lack of computer software for this part of the set - up process find disappointing .
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Should you buy it?
Smooth operation and reliable actuation make the Cherry XTRFY K5V2 a board that ’s well worth checking out . The usual 100 million key stroke title feels more genuine coming from the company behind the switches .
Though flyspeck enough to take along for the drive , the deficiency of wireless capableness make the Cherry XTRFY K5V2 intemperately to recommend in place of many competing brands that can offer more various plank at cheaper price .
Final Thoughts
There ’s very small not to care with the Cherry XTRFY K5V2 . It works right out the box . It ’s customisation voltage is near - limitless , and it feels wonderful to work on . It can take some time to get used to the various fundamental modifier map out to the few push button it retains as a 65 % control board , but it ’s far better than the alternative of none .
If you take the time to monkey around with it both before and after buying , there ’s small intellect to retrieve you wo n’t be felicitous with it . But at the same price as the more versatile and visually appealingCorsair K65 Plus Wireless , it ’s tough to urge to the masses . The humble and cheaperCorsair K65 Pro Miniis another good choice if wireless is n’t necessary .
Small keyboard are in abundance these days but the joyous complexity of the Cherry – as well as the confidence and timbre that vibrate from the sword behind the famous switches that put mechanical boards on the map – is concentrated to ignore in this solid effort . Just perchance check out thebest mechanically skillful keyboardsto see how others have been using Cherry ’s engineering first .
Trusted Score
How we test
We use every keyboard we try out for at least a week . During that time , we ’ll check it for simpleness of use and put it through its paces across games and typical microcomputer employment .
We also check each keyboard ’s software to see how easy it is to customise and set up .
FAQs
Yes , you’re able to remove the keycaps and switches to replace with your own . you could even swap out the frame , stabilizers , and other aspects .
No , it ’s a pumped-up keyboard only . Using USB 3 increases the mogul to the RGB lighting , but USB 2 is compatible for core group purpose .
Full Specs
