Cherry MX Red vs Cherry MX Speed Silver
The Cherry MX Red and the Cherry MX Speed Silver are often cross-shopped. The main differences: travel is 4 mm on the Cherry MX Red and 3.4 mm on the Cherry MX Speed Silver; stock they sound different: neutral, slightly scratchy versus bright, shallow; the Cherry MX Red costs less per switch ($0.35 versus $0.40).
- Cheaper per switchCherry MX Red$0.35 versus $0.40
Choose the Cherry MX Red if
- you want a switch popular for gaming.
- you want a switch popular for prebuilts.
- you want to spend less per switch.
Choose the Cherry MX Speed Silver if
- you want a switch popular for competitive gaming.
- you want a switch popular for fast actuation.
Cherry MX Red vs Cherry MX Speed Silver, spec by spec
| Cherry MX Red | Cherry MX Speed Silver | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Linear | Linear |
| Compatibility | Standard MX sockets | Standard MX sockets |
| Actuation force | 45g | 45g |
| Bottom-out force | n/a | n/a |
| Pre-travel | 2 mm | 1.2 mm |
| Total travel | 4 mm | 3.4 mm |
| Stem | POM | POM |
| Top housing | nylon | nylon |
| Bottom housing | nylon | nylon |
| Spring | single-stage | single-stage |
| Factory lube | none | none |
| Pins | 5-pin | 5-pin |
| Price / switch | $0.35 (stronger spec) | $0.40 |
| Sound profile | neutral, slightly scratchy | bright, shallow |
| Released | 2008 | 2016 |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ; a check marks the objectively stronger spec (price, battery, modability). Feel and preference rows never get a check. Fields marked n/a are unpublished by the maker; we list only verifiable numbers.
Where they sit among all 227 switches we track
22% of the 198 switches tracked here actuate lighter than the Cherry MX Red; 22% of the 198 switches tracked here actuate lighter than the Cherry MX Speed Silver.
57% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the Cherry MX Red; 13% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the Cherry MX Speed Silver.
30% of the 193 switches tracked here cost less per switch than the Cherry MX Red; 48% of the 193 switches tracked here cost less per switch than the Cherry MX Speed Silver.
Where to buy the Cherry MX Red
Where to buy the Cherry MX Speed Silver
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