Cherry MX Clear

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Cherry MX Clear
Cherry MX clear.jpg
Manufacturer Cherry
Family Cherry MX
Product code MX1A-C1xx
Introduced 1988 or earlier
Switch type Tactile
Sense method Metal leaf
Tactile force 65 cN
Actuation force 55 cN
Peak force ca. 95 cN
Mx clear illustration.gif

The Cherry MX Clear switch is a medium stiff, tactile, non-clicky mechanical keyboard switch in the Cherry MX family.

The slider is not actually clear but colourless (in effect, translucent white). The word Clear is Cherry's own designation to distinguish it from the older Cherry MX White which is a clicky switch. Older types of the "white" also have translucent white sliders and are therefore visually indistinguishable from clears.

The Cherry MX Tactile Grey switch is used for space bars in keyboards with Cherry MX Clear switches. It has a similarly-shaped stem but a stiffer spring.

History

MX Clear is reported to have first appeared in 1989;[Citation needed] however, it was included in a March 1988 numbering system datasheet for MX switches so it is assumed to have been in production in 1988 or earlier.

An official Ergo Clear switch with a lighter spring was announced in late 2022, after many years of mods and counterparts from other manufacturers.

In June 2024, Cherry announced a Silent Clear.


Key feel

Force/Travel diagram (CN / mm) comparing Cherry MX Clear to Cherry MX Brown. Each graph is the slider colour. Shadowed lines are the up-strokes

Similar to the Cherry MX Brown, it has a tactile bump before the activation point. The tactile bump is more pronounced than a Cherry MX Brown but not as sharp as most rubber domes and Topre switches. It is longer and peaks higher, at around 65 cN.

There is a dip at the tactile point (65 cN), below which resistance increases sharply up to around 95 cN at the bottom. Typists who are not used to the switch may feel this tiring. However, proponents of the switch claim that the high resistance cushions the stroke helping you to avoid bottoming out, and that would be beneficial to the fingers in the long term.

Because of the size of the tactile bump, it has the most friction of all Cherry MX switches.

As of 2012, these switches are available directly from the manufacturer and some suppliers.

Modifications

The Cherry MX Clear has one of the stiffest springs of all Cherry MX switch variants. Some people dislike the stiffness but appreciate the large tactile bump and have therefore replaced the springs with lighter springs.

Within the keyboard community these modifications are called:

Keyboards

Gallery

See also