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Cherry MX Red vs Speed Silver {Head-to-Head Comparison}

The mechanical keyboards and their switches have a long history that you may want to follow. However, the Cherry MX range of switches always has offered an outstanding service quality to its users. The responsiveness and the durability are a few of the best options that you would find an extremely rewarding option ever. If you are checking out the best linear mechanical switches, the Cherry MX Red and Cherry MX Speed Silver are a couple of the excellent options for providing you with one of the outstanding service quality ever. Let us check out a Cherry MX vs Speed Silver comparison for arriving at the best possible experience in how to use them. 

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Cherry MX Red vs Speed Silver – Which among them is better?


Both Cherry MX Red and Cherry MX Speed Silver switches belong to the same genre and are designed to provide a linear mechanical keyboard experience. We will compare the two of them based on several parameters that would include feel, sound, application, and several other parameters. 

The brief specification options for the two switches can include: 

SPECS CHERRY MX RED CHERRY MX SPEED
Operation Type Linear Linear
Force Required 45cN 45cN
Actuation Travel 2.0mm 1.2mm
Total Travel 4.0mm 3.4mm
Sound Quiet Quiet

Feel 

The feel offered by the either of the switches would be a tough choice to make. The two switches come from the same manufacturer and have the same workmanship. You will find them having same actuation, same springs and same housing construction. The feel therefore across the two switches should ideally be similar. 3

In case you are into gaming, the linear switches would meet your needs more positively. That does hold true in the case of both Cherry MX Red and Cherry MX Speed Silver. Ultimately, your choice among the two based on the feel and comfortability would ideally be based on your personal preferences. 

The Speed Silver switches provide you with the 0.6 mm lesser travel than the Red switches. You may perhaps like it, while a few others may not like it. 

Gaming Performance

The Speed Silver switches actuate faster than the Reds. This can be one of the excellent options for providing you a great degree of experience  that would make the Speed Silver one of the excellent options for providing you an enhanced and a great degree of experience. 

Of course, being the linear switches, they both offer you an outstanding gaming performance, but the faster actuation is what puts the Speed Silver ahead of the competition. Having said that, it may be noticed that the Cherry MX Switches are invariably used on most of the gaming keyboards. 

Sound 

In terms of the sound emanated when typing or gaming, we would consider them tied. The sound is similar across the two switches. If you are comparing the sound between the two switches, they two appear to be exactly similar in every respect. 

Both the switches are quite quieter. The linear switches are considered to be the quietest switches for gaming. They would not distract the people around you. 

Typing 

The comfortable typing should be one of the prime factors that you would want to focus on and the Cherry MX reds should be one of the prime options from this perspective. 

The longer keystroke offered by the Cherry MX Red switches makes them a little cushiony on your fingers as you type. That would provide you with better comfortability when typing. 


Cherry MX Red Switches – An Overview


The Cherry MX red switches are one of the most widely known and popular switches on a  mechanical keyboard. The low actuation force, linear construction, and a  quieter operation are a few of the features that would make it a formidable option and a preferred one at that. 

The characteristics of the Cherry MX red switches would include:

  • Liner Switching genre
  • 45 cN operating force
  • 2.0 mm pre-travel distance 
  • 4.0 mm of total travel distance 
  • Quieter sound

Cherry MX Reds provide you access to a great degree of experience in terms of huge reliability. The lifespan of 100 million keystrokes should further make it one of the excellent choices ever. 


Cherry MX Speed Silver – An Insight


The Cherry MX Speed Silver switches are similar to the Cherry MX Red, but there is a slight difference. You would find that the actuation is a little faster on the Cherry MX Speed Silver Switches. 

The characteristics of the Cherry MX Speed Silver would include 

  • Linear switching genre 
  • 45 cN operating force
  • 1.2 mm pre-travel distance 
  • 3.4 mm of total travel distance 
  • Quiet sound

You would also get access to the same reliability as on the Chery MX Reds as well. They are found on some of the pre-built gaming mechanical keyboards. 

The Closing thoughts 

The right choice for the key switches among the Chery MX Reds and Chery MX Speed Silver would be based on your individual preferences. In fact, it would largely be based on what applications you are using the switches for. Under most of the circumstances, you would find the Cherry MX Red switches are much preferred over the Cherry MX Speed Silver switches. 

The only difference between the two Cherry MX Switches lies in the fact that they differ i0n terms of activation and total travel distance. 

In essence, if you are a gamer, you would find that 5he Cherry MX Speed Silver switches would be a better option when compared to the Reds. However, the Reds would be a better option if you are into typing.