Cherry Xtrfy K4V2 TKL review

Mechanical keyboards have gone from niche enthusiast products to a trusted mainstay for most even slightly serious about their PC gaming. It's all about those mechanical keys, and Cherry switches have been a prized choice throughout every step of this journey into the mainstream. A good mechanical keyboard fitted with Cherry switches used to be a huge purchase but thankfully, with wider adoption, prices have become more reasonable. It's now possible to get the new Cherry Xtrfy K4V2 TKL complete with mecha switches for under $130 USD/$200 AUD. But the question is, with so much competition, is it worth it?

The K4V2 TKL comes in three different colour options: black, white, or a retro themed grey, like the one I've got in front of me for this review. It evokes memories of some very old school gaming with its two toned grey look, highlighted with vibrant red accent keys. It's enough to draw a double take for any computer that isn't a Commodore 64.

This look extends to the grey braided cable, which is adorned with the same red as the accent keys at the connection points. It connects to the PC with a USB-Type A port with no software required. The cable also sits quite far out at the bottom on the back helping to make cable positioning a bit easier to manage.

The Cherry Utility software can be downloaded to set key backlighting options but it's quite limited, and by no means necessary. Everything can be done via function key actions, including setting the six different lighting zones, though you might want the manual at hand to remember the controls.

The tenkeyless setup is the standard layout, though the spacing is just different enough from other boards to mess me up. The numpad has been cut off in favour of ergonomics and space saving. I'm a big fan of smaller keyboards for the ability to angle them to suit my own comfort and because I'm often juggling a lot of different stuff on my desk—any extra space is worth it.

The K4V2's keycaps are laser engraved so you can see the backlight shine through the keys, which is a feature I like for gaming in the dark. Unfortunately the backlighting only goes so low, and these are quite brightly lit keys. It means I have been slightly blinded by them a few times and have even opted to turn them off completely more than once. I'd prefer to have dimmer keys so I could leave the lights on, but neither the software nor the onboard controls would let me dim it down enough.

The keys also feature Cherry's new MX2A red switches, which just aren't my favourite. I've used red switches before, but these new ones feel looser. They have fast action and are very clacky. When I reach typing speed it sounds like someone's firing a plastic uzi in the study.

No one living with me enjoys me using this keyboard. The sound can even make me hesitate, which isn't great for writing flow, and is especially bad for gaming. The speed of actuation is nice, but they bottom out really quickly. It feels almost rough, and even a little wobbly. While I'm sure I've hit the key, it doesn't offer that secure feeling in the press and just leaves me wanting.

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I played a fair chunk of Doom Eternal and Warframe to test this board, and while I'm in the heat of gaming my switch gripes are usually less heinous. Having the game music in my headphones deafens the sound, and all the visual distraction combined with the speed of wanting to react dampens that loose feeling from the switches. In contrast, that feeling of the keys hitting the bottom too easily can feel a little worse in mashy moments and makes my brain question whether the key has been pressed properly.

This all made Cherry's K4V2 TKL a bit of a disappointing experience. I was hoping for a simple yet incredibly solid feeling board, and instead it's just the former. There's nothing here that's particularly interesting or special, and at its best it only ever feels somewhat mediocre. If we were still in 2010, an okay mechanical keyboard with some lighting options for just under $200 would be a dream, but it just doesn't add up 15 years down the track.