Cherry MX Board Silent Review: A great mechanical keyboard for the office
I’m new to the world of mechanical keyboards. My experience was limited to the keyboards attached to my laptop, which isn’t the best keyboard around. The dissatisfaction with laptop keyboards led me to discover Cherry mechanical keyboards. If you’re not aware of the company Cherry, you’ve never used a mechanical keyboard. The German company makes the best mechanical keyboard switches on the market. Many of the leading mechanical keyboards utilize the Cherry switches include Razer, Corsair, and other leading mechanical keyboard makers. What you may not have know is Cherry makes their own mechanical keyboard with their MX Silent switches. The Cherry MX Board Silent uses Cherry’s latest silent switches to cut down on noise but still offer the same travel and overall feel you’d get from other mechanical keyboards.
At $150, currently $120 on Amazon, the keyboard feels a little overpriced for how little it offers. There’s no media keys, no programmable buttons, and no flashy RGB lights. Now if you’re looking for a mechanical keyboard for the office that’s not loud and doesn’t draw a lot of attention, the Cherry MX Board Silent is for you.
Price
As I said in the intro, $150 is a little steep for a basic mechanical keyboard. With no media keys or programmable buttons, I have a hard time seeing what makes the keyboard worth the extra money. At the same time, if your company will expense the keyboard for you then it’s the best mechanical keyboard for the office. The discrete look and feel make it easy for any 9 to 5 worker to use the mechanical keyboard without drawing the attention of all their coworkers.
At the time of publishing the post, the keyboard is only $120 which sounds more reasonable.
Features
If your job requires typing all day, much like mine does, and you haven’t switched to a mechanical keyboard because of the noise then this keyboard is for you. The only lights on the keyboard is the light for the num lock, caps lock, and scroll lock. Otherwise it’s plain with the top row of F keys, a keypad, and the main keyboard.
My biggest request is for some media keys or programmable buttons. I like to quickly change the volume, adjust playback of the video, or change video sources. I’ve seen other keyboards with buttons that can quickly launch Slack, Photoshop, or the program you use on a daily basis. If this keyboard is going to target the office users, then they need some pro-level offerings.
Typing Experience
Switching for a laptop keyboard with butterfly switches to a mechanical keyboard is a significant shift. The keys are more responsive, with less pressure needed to actually press a key down. I took a typing test to see if there was a difference in my typing performance. On my Dell XPS 13 I was able to type 110 WPM, but on the MX Board Silent I was able to type 130 WPM with 6 errors. While it’s not a major difference, it is notable. I’ve used my XPS 13 keyboard for over a year and the Cherry was only used for a couple days.
The Cherry MX Board Silent is comfortable to type on, but the large size overtook my desk very quickly. While I have a relatively large desk, I can only imagine how it would be to juggle the keyboard on a desk that’s much smaller and more in line with what most offices have.
Bottom Line
At $150 it’s a tough sell if you’re going to use it at home for gaming or to spice up your setup. Now if you’re going to use it at the office whether, in an open or cubicle configuration, the silent keys won’t distract any neighbors. The basic design comes in a matte white which looks like the classic white you’d see on a 90’s Gateway Desktop. I’d personally prefer the black color but I might be in the minority. I do wish there were some programmable keys or media buttons, considering just how large the keyboard is.
At the end of the day, I’ve taken the keyboard to the office and feel confident typing away without annoying my neighbors with a loud keyboard. It’s still louder than other non-mechanical keyboards but won’t cause any commotion. I’m also not drawing a ton of attention with a rainbow of colors on my keyboard, which most other mechanical keyboards offer.
Let me know what you think about the Cherry MX Board Silent in the comments below! Are you going to buy a mechanical keyboard for the office or stick to a modern keyboard?