Editing Cherry MX (section)

==History==
{{see also|Cherry catalogues}}

Designed by [[Cherry]], they were introduced on 7 November 1983<ref name="DT-launch" /> and were initially available only in a [[:Category:Linear switches|linear]] (smooth), light-resistance version.{{citation needed}} An entire family of Cherry MX variants was subsequently developed with combinations of these characteristics:

*Light to heavy [[force]]
*With or without tactile feedback (a "bump" the typist can feel on actuation)
*With or without auditory feedback (clicky/non-clicky)

These variants are generally referred to by stem colour. Cherry officially refers to most switch types by article number, but their newest switch types are indeed referred to by community-style monikers on their website.

The exact history of the product line is not yet clear. In July 1985, the series officially comprised MX Black, MX Linear Grey (for space bars in MX Black keyboards), MX White, and MX Click Grey (for space bars in MX White keyboards). MX Lock appears to have already existed at this point (found in a Xerox keyboard made by Hirose Cherry), but it was not included in the 1985 German MX datasheet.

The part numbers were divided into linear and tactile, with the model character being numeric for linear switches (MX1A-'''1'''1__ and MX1A-'''2'''1__) and alphabetic for tactile switches (MX1A-'''A'''1__ and MX1A-'''B'''1__). MX Lock was identified as "3", but MX Red was strangely identified as "L" (with "H", "I", "J" and "K" currently unaccounted for), with the much later MX Nature White getting "4" following on from MX Lock.

The patent, filed in 1983, describes the hysteresis mechanism, but says nothing about audible feedback. It would appear that the click sound was originally suppressed with grease; MX Blue was a later addition to the series after MX Clear, and it was permitted to emit a click sound.

The 1985 MX datasheet lists a rated lifetime of 20 million keystrokes for both linear and tactile types. The 1994 MX brochure lists the lifetimes as 500 k (MX Lock), 20 M ("soft" and "click" types, where "soft" may refer to MX Clear), and 50 M for "linear" and "ergonomic" types (where "ergonomic" is MX Brown). From 2017, the whole series got rated for 50 M keystrokes, with MX Lock having gone end of life.

From November 1st, 2019 all variants are supposed to be manufactured with a different leaf spring and contacts, supposed to lead to a bounce time of less than 1 ms. In 2020, linear MX variants and MX Brown got modified stems (and possibly housing), with a new rating of 100 M keystrokes. <ref name="cherrymxblog200323">Cherry MX Blog—[https://www.cherrymx.de/en/blog/100-mio.html 100 MIO]. Dated 2020-03-23. Retrieved 2020-07-08</ref>

The "MX2A" revision was announced in Aug 2023 for MX Black, Brown, Red, Blue, Speed Silver and Silent Red. <ref name="cherrymx2ablog">Cherry MX Blog—[https://www.cherrymx.de/en/blog/cherry-mx2a-the-ultimate-in-mechanical-switch-design.html CHERRY MX2A:Exceeding expectations - The Ultimate in Mechanical Switch Design]. Attributed to Holger Dassler. Dated 2023-08-24. Retrieved 2023-08-25</ref>
These have a new barrel-shaped spring with [[lubrication]] which supposedly "mirrors the performance of the Krytox GPL 205 Grade 0").<ref name="cherrymx2a">CherryMX web site—[https://www.cherrymx.de/en/mx2a.html CHERRY MX2A: Welcome to the New Era]. No dating. Retrieved 2023-08-24</ref>
The label on the top housing of the RGB variants is now rotated 180°<ref name="theremingoatmx2a">Theremingoat.com—[https://www.theremingoat.com/blog/cherry-mx2a-rgb-black-switch-review Cherry MX2A RGB Black Switch Review]. Dated 2023-08-27. Retrieved 2023-08-27</ref> whereas it is not on the non-RGB variants.<ref name="arsmx2a">Ars Technica—[https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/08/hands-on-with-cherry-mx2a-switches-a-lot-less-wobble-a-little-more-confusion/ Hands-on with Cherry MX2A switches: A lot less wobble, a little more confusion]. Dated 2023-08-26. Retrieved 2023-08-26</ref>
It is unclear whether or when the MX2A will replace the previous MX1A/MX3A switches.