Cherry MX2A Red RGB Switches

I knew going in that the Ducky ProjectD Outlaw 65 headed my way was a keyboard kit and users are expected to supply their own switches and keycaps. Ducky had mentioned they would send along both of those to assist with this article and I expected to see Cherry switches given the close association the two brands have. I was not expecting to see the brand new Cherry MX2A switches which were announced after this kit was and have yet to see implementation in Cherry's own keyboards as of the date I write this article. The switches are out for sale though and Ducky sent over a sample kit of the MX2A Red RGB switches—enough to build the keyboard and then some.


Externally there isn't much to say about the new MX2A Red RGB switch since it looks almost exactly like the older MX Red RGB. This is the most popular mechanical switch in use today given its ease of use for people who just want a linear switch and the multiple layers of marketing trying to make this a gaming switch has also helped with its popularity. There's the expected red cross-point stem which gives the switch its name and this RGB version has a translucent top housing and a more opaque bottom housing. The only difference from before is the branding has been flipped upside down so using the switch with more common north-facing LED PCBs will have the Cherry logo the right way up now—funny given the keyboard kit being used goes for a south-facing configuration. The LED diffuser also feels different but Cherry has been making silent revisions for its switches over the years so it's not easy to say whether this is new to the MX2A switches. Internally we do see multiple changes beginning with a new switch dome on the bottom housing that the spring sits on. This is now lubed, as is the spring at the bottom, and shaped to fit the new barrel-style spring which is narrower at the ends than in the middle to prevent buckling. The stem on the switch as well as guidelines in the top housing are improved for a smoother, more consistent guide with minimized switch wobble when in use. Cherry is also now rating the switches for a 100 M keystroke lifetime to try and beat the others at their own game. This version uses 3 pins at the bottom although I understand there are 5-pin versions also available. The workings of the switch itself hasn't changed with the extension on the stem pushing the gold-plated copper sections together in the bottom housing to complete the circuit and actuate the switch.


The switch pad used in the ProjectD Outlaw 65 kit leaves no doubt as to the south-facing LED configuration of the hot-swap sockets and you can now start to insert the switches by carefully pushing them straight down without bending the metal pins. Do so until they click in place into the hot swap sockets and you will know when you hit the end. Do this for all 67 switches and you are done with this section. Ducky also provides only one slot per switch, unlike the Wind Sin65 we saw before, to further reduce ambiguity.