Cherry, the famous German keyboard manufacturer, surprised many people back in August when it announced the MX2A switches. It was the first real upgrade the company had made to its mainstream switch line in some time. Since basically every switch manufacturer has made Cherry clones that are far superior, this was a required upgrade if Cherry wanted to continue to compete in this space. Thankfully, the MX2As are smoother out of the box, feature less wobble, and are overall quieter. They're still not the best switches I've ever used, but they're a huge improvement over their scratchy predecessors.

They were only available to business customers for a time, but now, we have the KC 200 MX, the first keyboard to be made solely by Cherry to feature the MX2As. This is a midrange office keyboard that Cherry also wants to be your best all-around keyboard option, whether you're just typing or gaming at the end of the day. Interestingly, it would choose such an unassuming vessel for its new switches (especially considering that the company teamed up with Xtrfy to make a customizable gaming keyboard with the MX2A switches as well). Still, it makes sense as a way to get them out onto the market. For $90, it's also a great full-sized option for people who work around others, thanks to the Silent Red switches that muffle the sound and a sleek, unassuming design.

Unfortunately, there aren't a ton of reasons to get this keyboard. Sure, it's quiet and comes with all the basics, but other generalized keyboards can give you the same experience and might provide some extra features on top.

About this review: Cherry sent me the KC 200 MX for the purposes of this review, and it had no input into its contents.

Pricing and availability

The Cherry KC 200 MX was released on Nov. 21 and is now available on Amazon for $90. You can get it in two colors, bronze and white, and with either the new MX2A Brown (tactile) or the MX2A Silent Red (silent linear) switches. I received the white version with Silent Red switches for this review.

Design

As standard as you can get

This full-sized Cherry keyboard comes in two variants. The white I was sent for review is fairly nondescript, with uniform white keys, a silver backplate, and the Cherry logo above the arrow keys. The bronze option is a bit more interesting, with black keys and a bronze plate that creates a more old-school design. There isn't any backlighting on either option, so the KC 200 MX is about as standard of a keyboard as you can get. This is mostly fine, considering it's primarily for office use, but Cherry also markets it for more all-around tasks and even gaming. While it can be used for gaming, it doesn't have any of the features that make it great for anything beyond productivity tasks like typing and working in spreadsheets.

The metal plate upgrades the KC 200 MX from a regular ol' office keyboard into something a bit more pleasing to use and look at.

For example, as a full-sized keyboard, you get all the classic keys, including the Fn row, the nav keys, and the numpad. Cherry also added a four-key shortcut row above the numpad that includes three volume buttons and, oddly, one that launches Calculator. As a writer, that's not something I would use much, but it could be a helpful addition if you do a lot of administrative or accounting tasks. (Or maybe you're just bad at math. I won't judge.) The keyboard also has three indicator lights on specific keys — Caps Lock, Scroll Lock, and Num Lock — so you'll know when they're on. I was disappointed to see these and not any actual backlighting for working in the dark, but I always appreciate a Caps Lock light as somebody who accidentally hits it a lot.

Using the keyboard is also a fairly standard experience overall, although this is the area where you don't need any fancy tricks. It has four rubber feet on the back, including two that are adjustable that pop it up at a comfortable typing angle. The keycaps are, of course, Cherry profile, so they're on the lower side. This makes for a no-frills typing experience good for just about anybody, whether they come from super low-profile tablet keyboards or loud, clicky ones.

One last thing to note is the build. This is a lightweight keyboard at just 29 ounces, with a mostly plastic build on the bottom. However, the plate behind the keys is made of anodized metal, making it feel a bit more premium. It's noteworthy that Cherry chose the area you'll interact with and look at the most to add durability and a bit of texture, and it upgrades the KC 200 MX from a regular ol' office keyboard into something more pleasing to use and look at. It is wired only, though, so you'll have to deal with a basic USB-A cable if you want to keep your setup looking clean, but at least it's long and feels sturdy. It just breaks up what is overall a clean look.

Software and features

Unnecessarily complicated

As I mentioned, the KC 200 MX has a calculator button I didn't have a lot of use for. Thankfully, Cherry does offer software that allows you to customize your keys, but it's an odd setup. For one, there are two apps you need to download. There is Cherry Keys, which lets you reassign the special keys and the Fn row, along with your mouse, and seems to work with some non-Cherry devices. Then, there's Cherry Utility, which lets you reassign individual keys and really only works with Cherry products. I'm not sure why Cherry would force you to download two programs if you want to customize your layout when most other companies either lump all customization together or don't have software at all.

Cherry did a lot of work to improve its MX line with the MX2As, and that really comes off here with smooth performance.

I couldn't get Cherry Utility to run properly (it couldn't detect the keyboard), but Cherry Keys allowed me to remap the calculator button easily. Just click the button you want to change and choose one of the functions at the bottom. You can record macros, launch webpages, or use it to run certain apps. It's unnecessarily confusing, but it's easy to use once you have it downloaded, at least.

The only other features worth noting are the full N-key rollover and anti-ghosting tech, which means that any key can be pressed at any time, and the keyboard will register the inputs. Many modern keyboards tout some form of N-key rollover, so it's not something you'll likely notice, but it does mean that the KC 200 MX is great for typing and, oddly enough, for gaming, at least in this category. I saw zero lag during testing, including while I was playing Lethal Company and bashing keys as I scurried away from enemies screaming.

Typing experience

You have a choice: quiet or tactile

It's a bit tough to talk about what using the Cherry KC 200 MX is like because your experience will depend on your switch choice. Yes, that's the case with any keyboard, but the two switch options are drastically different. You can get it with either MX2A Silent Red switches, which I have here, or Browns. If you're not used to silent switches, you might have difficulty adapting.

The Silent Reds are indeed quiet, but they're mushy, which isn't the most pleasant feeling, especially if you prefer instant feedback from your keys. I always feel the need to push down on the keys harder than I would on other keyboards to make sure they register, and that's even more the case on a silent keyboard, which gives you less feedback. However, I was able to adjust after a week of use, so it definitely comes down to your preference. Plus, the mushiness that comes with silent switches seemed to go away after a few days, although I'm not sure if that's from use or just me getting used to the feeling.

Even the heaviest of typers can't make this thing sound obnoxious.

Either way, the Silent Reds are great if you like those switches. Thanks to some good factory lubrication, they're smooth and have a deep, quiet sound. Even the heaviest of typers can't make this thing sound obnoxious. I've used the Brown MX2A switches in other keyboards, and since they're tactile, they feature a bump that provides feedback while typing. The bump is a bit too prominent for my liking, but they're still great-sounding switches for the office that also feel smooth in use. Neither switch is too heavy, either. The Silent Reds only have 1.9mm of pre-travel, so it's easy to register keypresses, and with only 45gf operation force, you don't have to slam on the keyboard, either. The Browns are only slightly heavier, but they're still responsive and won't bother too many people in the office.

Finally, we have the keycaps, which are, again, simple and solid. They're slightly curved, so they cradle your fingers. The spacebar, by contrast, has a smooth outer curve that feels natural to hit as you're quickly typing. However, they are made from ABS plastic, meaning they feel smooth but might not hold up over time. Still, they add to the overall ease of using the KC 200 MX.

Should you buy the Cherry KC 200 MX?

You should buy the Cherry KC 200 MX if:

• You want a sleek, quiet keyboard for the office
• You need a full-sized keyboard
• You have a bit of a budget to spend

You shouldn't buy the Cherry KC 200 MX if:

• You need a dedicated gaming keyboard
• You want a wireless keyboard
• You want backlighting or RGB

In many ways, Cherry has created the perfect office keyboard. It's certainly better than any of the noisy, lackluster $30 options you see in offices, with a quiet sound profile, great ergonomics, and a few features that make it great for filling in spreadsheets and then gaming after hours. The silent switches took some getting used to, but Cherry did a lot of work to improve its MX line with the MX2As, and that really comes off here with smooth performance.

While the $90 price isn't too strenuous, it's unfortunate that you don't get any prominent extras or even basic features like backlighting or wireless capabilities. Other mechanical keyboards in this price range can offer what the KC 200 MX does, sometimes more. Still, you could do much worse if the goal was to get the new switches into more hands than the enthusiast crowd.