Cherry’s latest mechanical switches may be the antidote to soft membrane laptop keyboards. The new Cherry MX Low Profile switches are 35% thinner than current mechanical switches, standing at only 11.9mm tall.
The first Cherry MX Low Profile keys announced at CES are based on Red switches, with 3.2mm of travel rather than the usual 4mm travel actuation. It’s not quite the same thing, but this may be the only way to get mechanical switches on a regular sized gaming laptop.
Other differences includes a cylinder surrounding the stem of the switch. This gives the switches some degree of water resistance, although not to the point of water-proof. According to reports, the actuation point is lower by design and the force needed to press each key is also different, but the feel of having a slim mechanical keyboard should be welcoming.
Cherry has said that some gaming laptop makers have already approached them to feature these keys into their upcoming products for the year. It also hinted that other switch types are also in the horizon, and we can expect products featuring the new Cherry MX Low Profile Reds sometime this year.
(Source: PCMag)
