Cherry’s switches are reliable, unchanging, and the standard by which most of us evaluate all other switches. So what happens when Cherry changes these? You get the new MX2A Red switches inside the Cherry-made Xtrfy K5V2; This is a new and improved version of the Cherry MX Reds we have come to know well over the years.
The MX2A Reds are an improvement in many ways. First of all, it is lubricated at the factory. If you regularly read our keyboard content on PC Gamer, you know that lubrication provides smoother transitions with a satisfying click. This certainly applies to the MX2A Reds as well. Each key slides effortlessly with every stroke of my fingers.
MX2A switches come with ‘cut-end ring lubrication’ applied to the new ‘socket dome’ in the bottom housing. If that sounds like jargon, it is, but it actually means that every key leaves the factory with a large amount of grease, and that grease should remain around for the life of the key. I took my Corsair K65 off the shelf to compare it with some original MX Reds. The MX2A switches on the Xtrfy lack the scratches and rattles admittedly noticeable on the aging Corsair.
Other upgrades to the MX2A switches provide more consistent key presses: a new barrel spring, housing socket dome, guide rods, and body geometry. This last one is important because the MX2A is much less wobbly than the old MX Reds.
Xtrfy K5V2 features
Dimension: 65%
Connection: USB Type-C to Type-A
Keyboard keys: ABSs
Keys: Cherry MX2A Red
Hot swappable: Yes
Media controls: Shortcuts via function key
Lighting: RGB lighting modes + onboard control
Software: None
Price: $140/£139/€139
All these changes make the keys much smoother to press compared to previous Cherry MX Red switches. I’d also say they’re less rattley overall, but it’s hard to put a value on how much of that is the new switch itself or the exact keycaps and stabilizers used on this Xtrfy model. Overall a much better switch than the original MX Reds. This is good news for gamers because we will see many of them appearing in gaming keyboards from multiple brands.
So how does the Cherry Xtrfy K5V2’s typing experience compare to our current favorite keyboard, the ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless? Simply put, I prefer the Scope II 96 for writing. The lack of wobble on the PBT keycaps via the ROG NX Snow switches is just as impressive as the day I first tried it. Considering the feel of last-gen Cherry MX Reds and a few other keyboards I have in my possession, the Cherry’s fast and light key press remains pretty good overall.
Towards the keyboard itself. This is a compact plate with 65% layout. This means it’s only 325 x 112mm in size and doesn’t have the usual cluster above the number pad or arrow keys. However, it retains the arrow keys along with the Page Down, Page Up, and Delete keys. The rest of the missing keys can be accessed through the numerous shortcuts on this keyboard.
End, Home and F1 – F12 keys are accessed by pressing the function key. To compensate for the lack of physical media keys, some shortcuts have been thrown into the alphabet row at the top. All pretty sensible shortcuts for any compact keyboard. There are also shortcuts for moving and using the mouse that are less common but can be useful.
What I find a bit overwhelming is the many more hotkeys for functions with vague purposes. Another, K-LED says, is the key to a mysterious mechanism with a fingerprint on it. BG Color, K-Slow, K-Fast, K-Mask, E-speed+… the list goes on. The keys I just mentioned all control the RGB lighting on the board, and the reason there are so many pre-programmed keys to do this is because there is no proprietary Cherry software to control this keyboard. This may appeal to some, but if you’re looking for simplicity then I’d look elsewhere.
Programming RGB lighting is a trial and error process. You hold down one key, press another, and maybe the color of the key you’re holding changes. This means you change the overall lighting mode; It could possibly mean that you’ve also changed the color the keys light up as you type. I haven’t quite figured it out yet. The user manual explains in general terms which button does what, but it doesn’t explain exactly how they all work together. After trying changing the static color on a handful of keys, I settled on one of the preset lighting modes instead.
If you buy…
✅ You don’t want any other lighting software on your computer: Forget dedicated apps to control RGB lighting on your peripherals; Cherry Xtrfy K5V2 takes care of all this with some keyboard shortcuts. Although the learning curve is a bit steep.
✅ You love the Cherry MX Red switch and want more of the same: Like the red key, you only know better financially. This is the MXA2 Red switch found on the Xtrfy K5V2.
Do not buy if…
❌ You don’t mind some software: The onboard controls are good but a bit cumbersome compared to the full control available via an app.
❌ You need a cheap, compact mechanical keyboard: There are plenty of wired compact keyboards of similar size for much cheaper than this, but you won’t be able to get the newer Cherry switches in yet.
There are a few more things to consider about this keyboard. First is how long it took me to comment on the translucent casing. Don’t be fooled by its soft exterior, this thing is built like a tank and I couldn’t bend it even a bit. And me Really strong. It seems a bit odd to have a case designed so well-suited to weird RGB lighting on a keyboard, while also appealing to the naturally software-sceptical among us. These things don’t often mix. But it may appeal to a niche audience, and there’s always the less obvious black option. There’s also a weird magnetic removable logo above the arrow keys, which I assume is so you can 3D print your own replacement part.
The keycaps are made of ABS plastic, which seems a bit lacking for the price, but they can be easily replaced thanks to the MX cross stems. The switches themselves are also hot swappable and the USB Type-C to Type-A cable is removable. All of this should see this keyboard last a long time; At least until those switches wear out around the 100 millionth click mark.
To get in on the Xtrfy action, you’ll have to part with $140/£139/€139. It’s cheaper than the ROG Falchion RX Low-Profile, a similarly compact motherboard I reviewed recently, but the Xtrfy left less of an impression on me. It’s a neatly packaged gaming keyboard with a lot of functionality due to its lack of software; For some, that may be all they need to hear, but for many it still saves a lot of money for fewer keys.