Cherry mechanical key switches without tactile bumps aren't loud, exactly, but they still produce more noise than the average rubber-dome keyboard. Some enthusiasts solve this problem by adding rubber O-rings to their boards, but Cherry and Corsair may have a more elegant solution. The new MX Silent switch could make the mechanical keyboard more polite without the need for modification. This switch is getting an exclusive debut inside Corsair's Strafe RGB Silent gaming keyboard.
To quiet down its trademark clickers, Cherry says it's engineered a "patented fully-integrated noise reduction system" into each MX Silent switch. This system purportedly makes it harder to bottom out the switch, and it also reduces "spring-back" noise—presumably, sound from the key returning to the top of its range.
Those improvements are claimed to reduce key noise by "up to 30%," though it's not clear what the baseline is. Even so, for those who want to use a mechanical board in an office or shared space, the reduced noise could be a blessing.
The Strafe RGB Silent itself is a full-sized board with per-key RGB LED backlighting, paired with a fully-programmable LED controller like we saw in the K70 RGB. Insane backlighting aside, the Strafe includes textured, contoured WASD key caps and a textured space bar for a surer touch while gaming. Corsair also builds in a USB pass-through port for a mouse, headset, or other USB devices. 104-key rollover ensures that every single key press gets registered, and a padded, contoured wrist rest provides a soft resting place for one's hands during furious typing.
The Strafe RGB Silent is a Best Buy exclusive, and it'll cost $160 at the big-box retailer and through Corsair's web store.