There are many different switches in the market today, and we need to make the decision on which one is the best for us, especially when it comes to gaming.
In today’s tutorial, we’ll see how Cherry MX Brown performs and how popular it is. So what makes the Brown switch so special?
There are two types of this switch:
- Cherry MX Brown
- Cherry MX Brown RGB
Cherry MX Brown
Cherry MX Brown RGB
Cherry MX Brown
The most popular type of tactile, non-clicky switch is the Cherry MX Brown. It was introduced in 1994 as a special ‘ergo soft’ switch and became one of the most popular switches.
Advantages:
- Tactile and quiet
- Light medium feel
- 45g actuation force
- 55 cN operating force
- 2.0±0.6 mm Pre-Travel
- 4.0 mm total travel distance
- Non-clicky switch
- Rated lifespan of 50 million keystrokes per key
- It has a soft pressure point, keystroke with soft tactile contact feedback
- Mechanical high-precision key module
- In use worldwide for Original CHERRY keyboards and in keyboards of demanding input device manufacturers
- Safe and long-lasting reliability of switching performance and characteristics
- Short bounce time for high switching frequency (such as for fast typing).
- Self-cleaning contacts, resistant to dust and dirt
- Over 50 million keystrokes/contacts per module with no loss of quality
- Proven a billion times over and continuously developed
- World exclusive CHERRY Gold Crosspoint technology
Cherry MX Brown from inside:
- Upper Housing
- Switching slide / stem
- Gold crosspoint contact
- Precision coil spring
- Housing base
- Upper Housing – CAD high precision component made of plastic polymer. The component guides the switching slide precisely, with a tolerance of less than 0.01 mm.
- Switching slide/stem – Made of plastic polymer, specifically for the Cherry MX, creates the pre-travel and the keystroke feel between the upper housing and coil spring.
- Gold crosspoint contact – The basis of its incredible reliability and durability, and the heart of every CHERRY MX key switch. This innovation provides protection against corrosion, guaranteeing over 50 million operations.
- Precision coil spring – Its pressure resistance is the CHERRY MX’s sparring partner for your fingers.
- Housing base – made of plastic polymer and glass fiber.
Actuation graph
Cherry MX Brown RGB
It’s a high-precision MX key switch specially engineered for RGB Multicolor Illumination.
Advantages:
- A soft pressure point, keystroke with soft tactile contact feedback.
- MX switch variant optimized for use with SMD LEDs (RGB or single color)
- More consistent lighting throughout the keycap due to the optimised, transparent casing and scattering surface including a lens.
- 16.7 million usable RGB colours in high luminosity.
- Every key can be illuminated individually in a different color (depending on the keyboard).
- SMD LEDs directly mounted on the circuit board for cost-efficient, fully automated production.
- High-precision mechanical key switch based on the MX standard.
- CHERRY Gold Crosspoint technology
- Short bounce time for high switching frequency, nice for fast typing
- Self-cleaning contacts, resistant to dust and dirt
- Over 50 million keystrokes/contact switches per module
Some people who tested the RGB switch version say that they are slightly quieter than usual MX Brown’s.
List of keyboards with Cherry MX Brown switch variation:
note: These keyboards may come in many variants
- Corsair K70
- Corsair K95 RGB Platinum
I use CHERRY MX Browns because they have that great balance of tactile feel and just the right amount of resistance for a satisfying key press.
Jackson “Bajheera” Bliton, gamer
Typing experience
There’s light tactile feedback for comfortable typing. The switch is a good middle-of-the-road option appropriate for both typing and gaming. They are also ideal for typing in office environments, where a clicky switch might be annoying. The tactile bump is pretty mellow, and many people find that they love the physical feedback for both typing and gaming alike, making it a great choice for an all-purpose keyboard.
It feels like a little bump when you’re pushing buttons and it’s like going over something. When you’re typing, you can feel the tactile click before bottoming out. This means that the key press gets registered even though you can still push the key. People like to push it halfway and they know they pressed it, so that’s why this is popular for typing.
Overall, this key switch is quiet with tactile feedback, making it perfect for accurate typing. If you are a touch typist and like the feel of a typewriter, but don’t want the noise then brown is the way to go.
But how good is it for gaming?
A good keyboard is a very important piece of gear when you rush into the battlefield against friend, but especially in a tournament or some kind of competitive game mode.
When it comes to gaming, knowledge is power. They provide light tactile feedback, so you know exactly when your key press registers.
Cherry MX Brown is widely considered to be the best “middle-ground” switch. It has the tactile bump feeling, silent travel, and medium actuation force which makes it a very versatile switch.
You won’t hear much noise from this switch unless you bottom out, because there is no audible click that might be a distraction. You will feel the key response because the key won’t budge until you’ve pushed it down with enough force to actuate the key.
Due to the MX Brown switch design, the keys require slightly less force for actuation, making them a nice alternative for people who want feedback from the keyboard but without the loud clicking of MX Blue switches.
A responsive, reliable keyboard is required gear when you dive into the latest battleground royale, hottest FPS games, legendary MOBAs, and epic MMO worlds. Cherry MX Brown switch won’t let you down!
It’s also a good choice for developers, writers, or anyone who spends a lot of hours in front of the computer screen.
Conclusion
With this ultimate switch, you will get a superior mix of gaming and typing performance. If you want to compare them to other switches, check this guide.