Cherry MX Black
Manufacturer | Cherry |
---|---|
Family | Cherry MX |
Product code | MX1A-11xx |
Introduced | 1984 |
Switch type | Linear |
Sense method | Metal leaf |
Actuation force | 60 cN |
The Cherry MX Black switch is a medium stiff, linear, non-clicky mechanical keyboard switch in the Cherry MX family.
Keyboards with these switches often have the stiffer Cherry MX Linear Grey switch for the space bar.
Contents
History
The Cherry MX Black switch was one of the very first mechanical keyboard switches available to the mass market. Introduced in 1984, it first came in an open housing variant and was later introduced in a design very similar to the current one. Over the years there have been several slight adjustments to the Cherry MX Black switch. Earlier variants are reported to feel smoother and less stiff. Material tests have shown that Cherry indeed seemed to have changed the material of the Cherry MX Black switch. This is assumed to have happened sometime between 1994 and 1995, when Cherry also changed some data of their other MX switches in their product catalogs.
Keyfeel
Linear, medium-stiff.
Some keyboard enthusiasts claim that older ("vintage") MX Blacks feel smoother than newer ones, but other enthusiasts dispute this.
Availability
Cherry MX Black switches are widely available as parts or assembled in hundreds of keyboards. Being the preferred switch of most POS and industrial keyboard manufacturers, it is widely available in all variants.
Product numbers
- MX1A-11NN no diode, plate mount
- MX1A-11DN with diode, plate mount
- MX1A-11NW no diode, PCB mount
- MX1A-11DW with diode, PCB mount
Variants
Nixie
"Nixie" refers to an unusual and rare MX Black variant only known in Nixdorf keyboards, such as the Nixdorf CT06-CT07/2 M Softkeys. The switch top is translucent instead of opaque black.
Clear-Top
On 2022-11-03 Cherry announced a reproduction of the original "Nixie" switch, the Cherry MX Black Clear-Top. It has an actuation force of 63.5 cN.[1] The top housing carries a more modern Cherry logo and is slightly milkier and less transparent than on the original switches.[2]
Keyboards
- Alcatel MMK Keyboard
- Blaupunkt Keyboard for CEPT Decoder DC36
- Cherry G80-0418
- Cherry G80-0427
- Cherry G80-0528
- Cherry G80-0535
- Cherry G80-0689H[3]
- Cherry G80-0693
- Cherry G80-0777
- Cherry G80-0778
- Cherry G80-0779
- Cherry G80-0832
- Some Cherry G80-1000
- Cherry G80-1229
- Cherry G80-1246
- Cherry G80-1300
- Cherry G80-1500
- Cherry G80-1501
- Cherry G80-1502
- Cherry G80-1600
- Some Cherry G80-1800
- Cherry G80-2000[4]
- Cherry G80-2100
- Cherry G80-2500
- Cherry G80-2510
- Cherry G80-2515 [5]
- Cherry G80-2550
- Cherry G80-2551
- Some Cherry G80-3000 (When 2nd letter in model name is P [e.g. G80-3000LPCES-2])
- Cherry G80-3314
- Cherry G80-3471
- Cherry G80-9013
- Cherry G80-11900
- Cherry KXN3-8451
- Some Chicony KB-5152[6]
- Some Chicony KB-5160 (Model: KB-5160XT)
- Some Chicony KB-5181
- Some Commodore Amiga 2000 keyboards
- Some Commodore PC-5/PC-10 keyboards
- Commodore PC-10 keyboard
- Cooler Master CM Storm Trigger
- Dekko Fast Action[7]
- Gravograph G80-0832H-04
- Kimtron KT-7
- NCR G80-0577H[4]
- NCR H0150-STD1-10-17
- Nortel NTNX51HH
- Nixdorf CT22
- Nixdorf G80-0942H[4]
- Some Olivetti KBD 2812
- Olivetti WS 685[8]
- Olivetti WS 785[9]
- Quest V-2508
- Siemens F500[10]
- SteelSeries 6G, 6GV2 & 7G
- Strong Man KB-8861
- Some Strong Man SMK-88
- Tatum 6075 (DEC LK-201 Clone)[11]
- Tatung C1250 [12]
- TG3 KBA-BL82/BLT
- TG3 KBA-D2911C[13]
- Thermaltake Meka G1
- Unitek K-150M
- Unitek K-151L
- Some Unitek K-156
- Unitek K-973[14]
- Some Unitek K-959
- Wyse 30
- Wyse 50
- Wyse 85
- Some Wyse ASCII (Part #: 840105-01 & 840338-01)
- Wyse AT Standard
- Wyse PCE
Keypads
Nixies
- Nixdorf CT06-CT07/2 M Softkeys (Nixies)
- Nixdorf CT11 (Nixies)
Gallery
Cherry MX Black switches with integrated diodes
Naked Cherry G80-3700
Nixie
See also
- Cherry MX Linear Grey: A stiffer switch used for the space bar on keyboards with Black switches
- Cherry MX Red: a lighter linear Cherry MX switch
- Cherry MX RGB Black
- Cherry MX Silent Black
- Cherry MX Silent RGB Black
References
- ↑ CherryMX Blog—CHERRY MX Black Clear-Top: New edition of a legendary MX switch. Dated 2022-11-03. Retrieved 2022-11-03
- ↑ ThereminGoat's Switches—Cherry MX 'New Nixie' Switch Review. Dated 2022-12-04. Retrieved 2022-12-04
- ↑ YouTube — Cherry G80-0689H Keyboard Typing Demo Uploaded 2022-07-01.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Deskthority — [NCR Cherry g80-0577H Damonskv's collection] Uploaded 2020-12-31.
- ↑ YouTube — Cherry G80-2515HAG Keyboard Typing Demo Uploaded 2022-07-11.
- ↑ Imgur — Found in my basement. Vintage cherry blacks. Can you tell me more about it? Uploaded 2018-06-25.
- ↑ YouTube — Deko Fast Action Keyboard review (Cherry MX Black) Uploaded 2018-11-30.
- ↑ Deskthority — OLIVETTI WS 685 Posted 2022-02-08.
- ↑ Imgur — Olivetti Wyse WS 785 (Cherry MX Black) Uploaded 2023-04-12.
- ↑ Deskthority — Siemens F500 Posted 2019-06-16.
- ↑ Imgur — Tatum 6075 (Cherry MX Black)Posted 2004-06-03.
- ↑ Imgur — [1] Uploaded 2021-06-26.
- ↑ Nitter — @wuzhangwu Posted 2021-10-17.
- ↑ Deskthority — Unitech K-973 IBM I aint battle ship keyboard Posted 2021-04-20.