Are you considering the Cherry MX Brown switch for your next mechanical keyboard? This is a great choice if you’re looking for a tactile, versatile switch. The Cherry MX Brown has been praised by users as allowing precise keystrokes with barely any audible sound or vibration. With its medium force and sharp actuation point, it is considered ideal for both typing and gaming.
Cherry MX Brown switch is a tactile switch that is very popular with mechanical keyboard enthusiasts. The typing feel provided by Cherry MX Brown switch is a combination of Cherry MX red and Cherry MX blue that feels smooth but can provide slightly bumpy tactile feedback. The Cherry MX Brown switch is a very light touch switch as it only requires 45g of drive to operate over a 4mm travel distance, meaning the Cherry MX Brown is a light and sensor switch. In this ultimate guide to the Cherry MX Brown switches, we will walk you through their performance and features to help you decide if this type of switch is right for your needs!
What are Cherry MX Browns
The MX Brown is a light tactile force switch made by Cherry, designed to be an extremely moderate alternative to the red and blue switches of the Cherry MX. Cherry’s Brown switch has a driving force of 55 grams and a bottom of 60 grams. It’s actually a very stable weight. The touch bump is rounder and more subtle than the blue switch.
The peak force required to drive the MX Brown switch is higher relative to the red linear switch, but it doesn’t feel as smooth. Cherry described it as “focused and compelling” and praised it as “the ideal switch for precise typing”. In both theory and concept, MX Brown sounds like a satisfying transformation. In fact, MX Brown sounds better on toilet paper than on a keyboard.
Cherry MX Brown Performance
Appearance
Cherry MX Brown is fairly short and sweet when it comes to the look. These feature black, nylon shells, brown, “tea” colored stems, and silver springs, most likely made of steel. As shown in Figure 6, below, you will notice that the tactile stem legs on the Cherry MX brown are quite subtle in their bump as well as there are only two mold logo circles on the stem, which are located on the front side of the cherry MX brown stem.
The only thing of note about the appearance of these switches is the mold markings on the bottom of the bottom housing. Cherry switches are copied one by one by JWK or any other Chinese manufacturer, but I’m still as interested in the mold markings as I am in the newly released products.
In particular, relative to the other newer versions, the most prominent mold marker is the laterally printed collection of three numbers that, I think, correspond to the mold or production line number. In Figure 7 below, a fairly standard one-letter mold code can be found between the LED pin holes in the bottom right corner, which is common in the molds I photographed recently. Finally, there are two large smooth circles in which the PCB legs will be realized.
Push Feel
The push feel of Cherry MX Brown is the most enduring meme of the “Cherry MX Brown experience,” and I honestly don’t think it’s deserved. While the touch of these switches is by no means exactly the kind that those steeped in the hobby would prefer, the switches actually have a rather subtle, light end-touch bump that is noticeable but not too strong. Both the down and up strokes are centered in the middle of the stroke, providing a light and airy touch, both in terms of feel and a large number of force curves.
Sound
In stock form, the sound of these switches is. Not so good. The feeling of gritty scratches in the push is certainly in the form of an identical gritty scratch sound that would even make DMX a little shy. In addition, a fairly noticeable spring/blade ping noise occurs at higher activation speeds when the hand is used. Having said that, when placed on a board with a lid of either kind, both will be hygroscopic.
One highlight of these switches in terms of sound is the same highlight of all black shell cherry switches: quiet, deep, solid sound from bottom to top. Upon examination, the almost pure nylon composition of these casings, in addition to the noticeably thicker top and bottom casings, makes all the Cherry switches as well as the MX Browns collide with incredible sound.
Wobble
There was some top-case jitter in the E/W direction, but not enough to affect performance. Besides being able to fix it by using thin film, I believe this problem can be easily solved by using steel plates with smaller tolerances. Also, there is a distinct stem wobble in both the N/S and E/W directions, and even the larger E/W wobble is not the most severe wobble I have seen in my reviews so far. Overall, they weren’t as bad as I or many others have painted them to be, but they weren’t spectacular either.
Are Cherry MX Browns Bad
No, the MX browns are good. That doesn’t mean they’re good, just that they’re no worse than the alternative: no typing. To say that any switch is intrinsically and objectively “bad” is completely ridiculous, contrived, ignorant, and pedantic. While Cherry MX browns may not be as intense, funky, or tactile as Santa Panda, T1, or Blueberry, they’re certainly not a bad choice if cherry reds are too light.
One of the biggest complaints about cherry red and light linear switches is that simply placing your finger on the key can lead to unwanted accidental keystrokes. Even accidentally brushing your fingers over the keyboard can cause a drive. The Cherry MX brown will give you a little extra resistance at the top of the keyboard, so you’re less likely to have typos. Cherry Blue may be too loud for those around you and too erratic for yourself. Cherry MX Brown gives you a similar level of resistance and spring weight without anemic clicks.
While browns may not be as smooth as pure cherry red, they definitely feel smoother than pure blueberry red sandpaper. If MX Brown is your first choice or your only option, then what’s not to like? You’ve never felt what the “right” switch feels like, let alone a more tactile one. Maybe you just prefer lighter, more subtle tactile collisions and just want a switch to help with your accuracy. Once you compare it to other, more tactile switches, or even variations of the same design, such as Gateron Brown or Kailh Box Brown, you really start to see why people call the MX Brown “dirty linear.”
Best Cherry MX Brown Keyboards
Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT
The per-key RGB backlight and 19-zone LightEdge across the top of the keyboard provide dynamic and vibrant lighting effects with almost unlimited customization.
Precision-molded 1.5mm thick 104/105 key PBT Double beat key cap kit that resists wearing, fades, and shines through years of play.
Get the in-game advantage of six dedicated macro keys, fully programmable complex macro and key remapping, or switch to the included s key keycap and program special flow commands via the Elgato Flow Deck software.
100% Cherry MX RGB Mechanical Key switch provides the reliability and accuracy you need.
A detachable, soft-textured upholstered faux leather palm rest provides a plush comfortable breeze through marathon gaming sessions.
Corsair K70 RGB MK.2
The Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 is a full-size keyboard that uses Cherry MX Brown switches and is very reliable for gaming. The Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 also has a cool design, full features, and very good build quality. The body of the Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 is made of sturdy plastic covered with a thick, premium aluminum frame, so this keyboard has a very sturdy build quality.
The Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 also comes with a thick ABS keycap that feels smooth on the surface, perfect for typing or playing games. The ABS keycap on the Viking K70 RGB MK.2 fits perfectly with the Cherry MX Brown, which is tactile and slightly bumpy, but light enough for handling.
The Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 also features a magnetic wrist mount, a volume wheel, a USB pass-through, and a dedicated mute button, but unlike other high-end Corsair keyboards, the Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 is not equipped with programmable macro keys. But for RGB, the Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 also uses the same RGB as other high-end Corsair keyboards, which you can customize with iCUE software and is very easy to use.
Durgod Fusion
The Durgod Fusion is a 65% wireless mechanical keyboard with a unique and cool design. The Durgod Fusion also comes with a Cherry MX Brown switch. The Durgod Fusion has a compact yet cool design, and the build quality of this keyboard is excellent, with the entire body of the keyboard made of chunky yet sturdy plastic.
A special feature of this keyboard is the use of a quality cherry-shaped keycap made of thick and sturdy PBT plastic, which is very pleasant for typing and playing games. There’s no RGB on the Durgod Fusion, but its keyboard is deliberately designed to give it a classic retro look. As for software support, the Durgod Fusion comes with the Durgod Hera Engine, which you can use to customize the features on this keyboard.
For connectivity, the Durgod Fusion supports a very full range of connectivity options such as a 2.4GHz wireless adapter, with a very stable Bluetooth version 5.0, and the use of a removable USB Type C that allows this keyboard to connect to a variety of devices with different operating systems, Such as Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
Mistel X-VIII
The Mistel X-VIII is a full-size keyboard that uses Cherry MX Brown switches and is a high-quality full-size keyboard that is very comfortable for typing. The Mistel X-VIII keyboard is made of thick and strong plastic, which makes this keyboard feel very sturdy, with no flexible parts.
The Mistel X-VIII also comes with a premium OEM configuration keycap made of thick PBT plastic and is a pleasure to type on. Mistel X-VIII has no RGB and no software support. But you can find the full guide in Mistel X-VIII’s Customization Key Features manual. In terms of connectivity, Mistel X-VIII only supports connectivity via a removable USB Type C cable, and the keyboard is compatible with Windows, Mac OS, and Linux operating systems.
WASD Code V3
WASD Code V3 is a TKL keyboard that is really fun to type on. This is also a TKL keyboard equipped with Cherry MX Brown switches. The WASD Code V3 body is made of thick, high-quality plastic, which makes the build quality of this keyboard feel very hard and solid.
WASD Code V3 also comes with a high-quality OEM configuration key cap, made of thick PBT plastic, which is very pleasant for typing. WASD Code V3 only comes with white LED lights, and when the LEDs are on, the keyboard looks very elegant.
This keyboard comes with onboard memory, which can be used to store keyboard Settings that you can update at any time. For connectivity, WASD Code V3 only supports connectivity via a removable USB cable, and the keyboard is compatible with Windows, Mac OS and Linux operating systems.
Conclusion
Cherry MX brown is a great switch for those who are looking for a mechanical keyboard that has a little bit of tactile feedback but doesn’t make too much noise. If you’re someone who likes to type fast and wants to feel the keys as you press them, then cherry MX brown is definitely the switch for you. In this article, we have introduced the performance and future of Cherry MX Brown switches and given you some best Cherry MX Brown switch keyboards. Thanks for reading and I hope you found this guide helpful!
