After more than 30 years of popularity, why is the mechanical keyboard CHERRY still the only one?

When we talk about mechanical keyboards, what do you think of? Is it the crisp button sound, the cool RGB lighting, the choice of the switch body, and the specific brand. If you go further and talk about the development history of mechanical keyboards and the current status of the industry, you will find that there is a name that cannot be avoided, that is CHERRY.

This company from Germany was founded in 1953 and has a history of 69 years. They not only created the concept of mechanical keyboard, but also CHERRY MX mechanical switch is recognized as the most classic mechanical keyboard switch. Just like when talking about mobile phones, you will think of Apple, and when talking about electric cars, you will talk about Tesla, but today we will talk about, after so many years of development of mechanical keyboards, why does CHERRY still have the only gear?

The design idea of ​​the keyboard is the same as that of the typewriter. The early typewriter is the reference model of the current keyboard. In the early days of keyboards, mechanical keyboards appeared. For example, early servers were equipped with mechanical keyboards. With the advent of personal computers in the 1970s, household mechanical keyboards became popular, and CHERRY also introduced keyboard production lines in 1967. , built the world's first keyboard factory, ZF Electronics, and keyboard manufacturers at the same time include Key Tronic, IBM and so on.

With the continuous improvement of computer technology, the competition among manufacturers of keyboard switches has become more and more cruel. In the 1980s, the only major keyboard switch manufacturer that could compete with CHERRY was ALPS, and it was also recognized as the most classic during this period. The mechanical keyboard switch CHERRY MX mechanical switch was born——

In 1983, CHERRY MX BLACK was born

In 1986, CHERRY MX BLUE was born

In 1992, the CHERRY MX BROWN brown shaft was born

In 2000, the CHERRY MX RED red switch was born

……

Around the millennium, as home computers began to enter thousands of households, compared with expensive mechanical keyboards, which cost tens of dollars, membrane keyboards that directly touch PCB boards to generate digital signals through silicone bowls and metal bowls directly A wave of dimension reduction strikes began. At the beginning of the new century, the production line of CHERRY MX continued to shrink, and the market was almost completely occupied by membrane keyboards.

The turning point lies in the rise of the game e-sports industry. In 2006, SteelSeries, a well-known steel factory, purchased CHERRY MX switches, made a 6G keyboard, and pushed it to the game market, which was well received for a while. As a result, many keyboard brands have taken a fancy to the potential of mechanical keyboards, and have begun to cooperate with CHERRY. Today, brands that still use CHERRY MX switches include: Logitech, Corsair, iKBC, Magic Duck, Felco, etc., of course as The originator of the mechanical keyboard, CHERRY also entered the Chinese market at this time. Its distinctive cherry logo and standard ammunition box have also become one of the beliefs of many game players.

In 2014, with the expiration of the patent protection period of CHERRY, the mechanical keyboard began to compete for the axis body. Domestically-made axes that focus on cost-effective advantages, such as TTC, Kaihua, and Jiadalong, have risen one after another, and CHERRY's axes have been impacted to a certain extent.

For consumers, more competition means more choice, which is undoubtedly a good thing. In addition to imitating the four classic switch bodies of CHERRY MX red, green and black tea, domestic switches have also made a lot of innovations, such as TTC’s gold powder switch, Jiadalong’s yellow switch, etc., have found their positions in the market segment.

However, this does not mean that the CHERRY axis has fallen from the altar since then. For Chinese people, no matter what they consume, they should pay attention to "authentic". At present, almost all domestic shafts are based on the principle and structure of the shaft body established by CHERRY. Compared with the use of CHERRY for decades, the domestic shaft body that has just started also means that the quality control stability is uneven, whether it is the rate of good products or Compared with CHERRY, which has been cultivating mechanical keyboards for decades, there is still a long way to go in terms of service life. Too many models and titles will make consumers at a loss, lose themselves in the good and bad products, and it is even more difficult to buy quality-guaranteed shafts that they like.

For many players, CHERRY's four classic switches are still the first choice for mechanical keyboards. In addition to continuing to give full play to the advantages of the classic shaft, CHERRY has not failed in its credit book. It still maintains persistent innovation in the research and development of the shaft:

In 2016, CHERRY developed a silver switch that focuses on e-sports.

In 2018, CHERRY developed a low shaft (LP) with film and mechanical feel.

In 2021, the Ultra Low Shaft (ULP) technology will be developed.

In recent years, CHERRY has cooperated with high-end gaming notebook manufacturers (such as Alienware), so that users can also have the touch of a mechanical keyboard on their notebooks.

The so-called "has been imitated and never surpassed", in the rapidly changing digital electronics field, it is unimaginable for a product to sell well for more than 30 years, but we take it for granted with CHERRY.

Although people like the new and dislike the old, only their faith cannot be let down. While trying out the freshness of new products, people also need to feel the original charm of mechanical keyboards. The feedback of hand feel and reliable lifespan are the biggest advantages of CHERRY. , which is also one of the reasons why CHERRY axis has been firmly occupying the high-end market and becoming the industry benchmark.

Next year will be CHERRY's 70th birthday. I hope CHERRY can still live up to its original intentions and keep players' faith longer