Cherry MX Blue
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 | |
| Manufacturer | Cherry |
|---|---|
| Family | Cherry MX |
| Product code | MX1A-E1xx |
| Switch type | Clicky |
| Sense method | Metal leaf |
| Actuation force | 50 cN |
The Cherry MX Blue switch is a light, tactile, clicky mechanical keyboard switch in the Cherry MX family.
Keyboards with these switches often have the stiffer Cherry MX Green switch for the space bar.
Key feel
The Cherry MX Blue is both a tactile and a clicky switch. You can both feel the tactile bump and hear the "click" that occurs when the activation point is hit.
Mechanism
Unlike most other Cherry MX switches, the plunger consists of not one, but two parts: a blue plunger (that is connected to the key) and a white inner slider (which opens/closes the circuit). The movement of the inner slider is constrained by the blue plunger, which can pull the slider up or push it down.
At rest, the inner slider is held by the leaf spring. The blue plunger does not push on the slider until close to the activation point.
At the activation point, the blue plunger has pushed the white slider out of rest into a position where the force of the leaf spring on the slider's inclined plane will propel the slider towards the bottom. The leaf spring encounters no more resistance from the slider and closes the circuit. Because the blue plunger is no longer pushing on the white slider, the key resistance decreases sharply.
The "click" sound is made by the white slider hitting the bottom of the switch housing. The force of the leaf spring on the slider is high enough to make the switch function in any orientation.
Variants
Availability
Cherry MX Blues are available on some Cherry G80 - series keyboards, certain Filco, Leopold and Archiss keyboards, Das Keyboards, the Adesso MKB-135B, the DSI Modular Mac Keyboard, the Rosewill RK-9000 and the Razer BlackWidow, among many others. As of 2013, these switches are available directly from the manufacturer and some suppliers.
Keyboards
- Some Cherry G80-1000
- Cherry G80-1813
- Cherry G80-3800
- Some Cherry G80-3830
- Some Cherry G80-3850
- Some Cherry G80-3920
- Some Chicony KB-5161
- Some Chicony KB-5181
- Some Chicony KB-5191
- Some Chicony KB-5581
- Some DTK MBK-1013
- Some NTC KB-6251
- PACI108KB
- Parex Modern-I
- Qtronix KT-30
- Some Strong Man SMK-88
- Some Unitek K-156
- Unitek K-158-1
- Some Unitek K-258
- Some Unitek K-959
Gallery
MX Blue switches in shipping box.
MX Blue switch shipping boxes.
Filco keyboard with MX Blue switches.
Close-up of a single switch
MX Blue switch with the top taken off
Click sliders from Blue and White switches
See also
- Cherry MX Green: Used for space bars in keyboards with MX Blue switches. Also available on full keyboards.
- Cherry MX White: A stiffer clicky Cherry MX switch.
