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Guru3D Rig of the Month - December 2019
Cherry releases value segment mechanical Switch called Viola
High-precision mechanical key switch for premium value. Thanks to a simple design, a unique switching characteristic, and a new contact system, VIOLA replaces entry-level technologies such as rubber domes and hybrid solutions.
It thus represents a significantly higher quality alternative when it comes to reliability, typing feel and durability. Other key features include industry-standard key cap mounting, RGB support and hot-swap functionality.
With VIOLA, CHERRY presents the first fully mechanical key switch for keyboards in the value sector, offering price-sensitive customers a complete mechanical solution. The switch has been developed from scratch and is characterised by its unique technical properties: the patented, self-cleaning V-Shape contact system* establishes an efficient connection between two pads on the circuit board. Due to its minimalist, solderless design, the switch offers hot-swap functionality and can be easily replaced or removed from the keyboard. The V-Shape contact system also features a distinctive switching characteristic: a two-stage, linear actuation that's been defined as "CrossLinear" by CHERRY. An actuation force of 45 cN is required for the pretravel of two millimetres. After that, the actuation force ramps up to 75 cN at the end of the travel distance (four millimetres). The resulting characteristic curve enables CHERRY VIOLA to offer ergonomic overtravel and fast reset. Also, CHERRY specially designed the shifting characteristics to meet the requirements of the target consumers.
The main housing of CHERRY VIOLA consists of a high-precision CAD part made of plastic polymer. With a tolerance of less than 0.01 millimetre and a total of eight guide rails on the inside, this ensures wobble-free and scratch-free operation. The outer part of the housing serves as a mounting bracket for the mechanical keyboard. The new CHERRY VIOLA switch for value keyboards uses an industrial standard stem for worldwide compatibility with commonly used key caps with cross receptacle.
CHERRY VIOLA is optimised for use with monochrome or RGB-capable SMD LEDs. The compact light-emitting diodes can be mounted directly on the circuit board of the keyboard for cost-efficient, fully automated production. In addition, CHERRY has designed the upper part of the VIOLA housing to be transparent and to guarantee uniform illumination of the entire key cap, resulting in a bright display of all 16.8 million colours of the RGB spectrum.
Silva
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#5749562 Posted on: 01/10/2020 07:06 PM
As long as they're silent, I wouldn't mind spending a bit more for a reliable, comfortable keyboard. At the moment I have Asus Cerberus and I like it, I wouldn't be willing to spend more on a keyboard. Plus, I hate the sound and feel of mechanic keyboards.
As long as they're silent, I wouldn't mind spending a bit more for a reliable, comfortable keyboard. At the moment I have Asus Cerberus and I like it, I wouldn't be willing to spend more on a keyboard. Plus, I hate the sound and feel of mechanic keyboards.
Denial
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Posts: 12471
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#5749578 Posted on: 01/10/2020 07:58 PM
Ban.
Jokes aside, I use a cherry blue leopold keyboard from like 2012 at work and annoy the shit out of everyone. I could see myself buying a cheaper, silent variant. I've had good experiences with cherry so maybe ill look into this
I hate the feel of mechanic keyboards.
Ban.
Jokes aside, I use a cherry blue leopold keyboard from like 2012 at work and annoy the shit out of everyone. I could see myself buying a cheaper, silent variant. I've had good experiences with cherry so maybe ill look into this
The Goose
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#5749586 Posted on: 01/10/2020 08:54 PM
I bought a k70 lux rgb with mx reds a few weeks ago after using a MS sidewinder x6 for 16 years, my number 4 key had been temperamental for a long time so i retired her to the scrap heap, the k70 is my first mech keyboard and my first impression when trying the keys was not good, the initial down stroke wasn't too bad but the keys were very noisy when released, so i did a bit of research and got myself a few o rings from a local hardware store....not cheap by any means but they actually dampened the key release noise, now i paid over £4 for 10 and given that i needed 120 to do the whole keyboard i took to ebay and found a pack of 120 o rings for this sort of thing and i paid £2.25 for the 120 and they do help a lot, well worth the money and 20 minutes or so to remove each key to fit the o ring, now i have reasonably quiet mx reds.
I bought a k70 lux rgb with mx reds a few weeks ago after using a MS sidewinder x6 for 16 years, my number 4 key had been temperamental for a long time so i retired her to the scrap heap, the k70 is my first mech keyboard and my first impression when trying the keys was not good, the initial down stroke wasn't too bad but the keys were very noisy when released, so i did a bit of research and got myself a few o rings from a local hardware store....not cheap by any means but they actually dampened the key release noise, now i paid over £4 for 10 and given that i needed 120 to do the whole keyboard i took to ebay and found a pack of 120 o rings for this sort of thing and i paid £2.25 for the 120 and they do help a lot, well worth the money and 20 minutes or so to remove each key to fit the o ring, now i have reasonably quiet mx reds.
Fox2232
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Joined: 2012-07-20
#5749633 Posted on: 01/10/2020 11:17 PM
I can be persuaded to buy 2nd mechanical keyboard for daily use. Even as costly as one I have now. But that next one has to have low total travel (around 2mm max). And actuation point at 1/2 of max travel. (And I would prefer it to be w/o numpad.)
My current keyboard has very fast actuation due to short actuation distance. But bottoming out means longer distance till switch releases contact.
It took some time before I got used to it as my previous mechanical behaved quite differently. And I see a lot of space for improvement as result.
I can be persuaded to buy 2nd mechanical keyboard for daily use. Even as costly as one I have now. But that next one has to have low total travel (around 2mm max). And actuation point at 1/2 of max travel. (And I would prefer it to be w/o numpad.)
My current keyboard has very fast actuation due to short actuation distance. But bottoming out means longer distance till switch releases contact.
It took some time before I got used to it as my previous mechanical behaved quite differently. And I see a lot of space for improvement as result.
fry178
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Posts: 1317
Joined: 2012-04-30
#5749635 Posted on: 01/10/2020 11:37 PM
@Silva
Lol.
Mechanical doesn't automatically mean it makes noise and/or that it will feel differently.
You can get silent switches and add some o rings to prevent bottoming out (no noise), then its just a matter of matching how much force you want on the switch.
@Silva
Lol.
Mechanical doesn't automatically mean it makes noise and/or that it will feel differently.
You can get silent switches and add some o rings to prevent bottoming out (no noise), then its just a matter of matching how much force you want on the switch.
rl66
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Posts: 2243
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#5749664 Posted on: 01/11/2020 01:36 AM
Totaly agree, if you chose silent switch and know how to type, you do less noise than a student on a 1st price keyboard with rubber contact... and you will have less pain in hand after a long session.
Also you can ger silicon ring for mecanical switch (btw it is only 1 by key or it mean that you have chosen the wrong switch).
And it's up to you if you prefer rubber over switch (no it's not about what you think... i have seen your smile...)
Totaly agree, if you chose silent switch and know how to type, you do less noise than a student on a 1st price keyboard with rubber contact... and you will have less pain in hand after a long session.
Also you can ger silicon ring for mecanical switch (btw it is only 1 by key or it mean that you have chosen the wrong switch).
And it's up to you if you prefer rubber over switch (no it's not about what you think... i have seen your smile...)
Silva
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#5750219 Posted on: 01/13/2020 12:54 PM
@fry178 I know there are various types of switches, with different characteristics: blue, green, red, brown, etc. But even the "silent" ones make more noise compared to my Asus Cerberus (I have tried, they all sound metallic).
Plus, by the time you finish the hard process of modding said keyboard, how much would you have spent: +100€? I just bought RX580 for 158€, do you think I'm going to spend that on a keyboard? Mine was already expensive as is.
@fry178 I know there are various types of switches, with different characteristics: blue, green, red, brown, etc. But even the "silent" ones make more noise compared to my Asus Cerberus (I have tried, they all sound metallic).
Plus, by the time you finish the hard process of modding said keyboard, how much would you have spent: +100€? I just bought RX580 for 158€, do you think I'm going to spend that on a keyboard? Mine was already expensive as is.
fry178
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Posts: 1317
Joined: 2012-04-30
#5750340 Posted on: 01/13/2020 06:18 PM
i can get a red/brown based KB for +50$, the o-rings cost between 5-15$, and it takes the time to pull the cap off and add one ring to it and put it back on.
I had multiple different ones in the past 2y (because the rig owners wanted something for FPS gaming), and i used them at least after i finished building/upgrading the pc
just to make sure it worked properly etc, and even the sub 50$ "no-name" units only made sound when the caps bottomed out.
so not sure what boards you've used.
but the fact that you compare it to your gpu (what has that to do with an input device) and its price (again, what for) tells me enough.
do you expect me to by the most expensive one, just because i have an 800$ gpu?
then what about someone that only has on board (lets say office pc), should they limit the cost to some cheap sub 10$ no name plastic KB from the discounter around the corner?
lmao
i can get a red/brown based KB for +50$, the o-rings cost between 5-15$, and it takes the time to pull the cap off and add one ring to it and put it back on.
I had multiple different ones in the past 2y (because the rig owners wanted something for FPS gaming), and i used them at least after i finished building/upgrading the pc
just to make sure it worked properly etc, and even the sub 50$ "no-name" units only made sound when the caps bottomed out.
so not sure what boards you've used.
but the fact that you compare it to your gpu (what has that to do with an input device) and its price (again, what for) tells me enough.
do you expect me to by the most expensive one, just because i have an 800$ gpu?
then what about someone that only has on board (lets say office pc), should they limit the cost to some cheap sub 10$ no name plastic KB from the discounter around the corner?
lmao
Silva
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#5750628 Posted on: 01/14/2020 04:13 PM
@fry178 I haven't used any boards, I just tested those at display on major stores from known brands like Razor, SteelSeries and others. They're all +100€ here, unless an unknown brand for 80/90€.
I think my current keyboard is comfortable and silent enough for my needs, why spend 3 to 4 times more? It's just a keyboard, it will eventually fill with junk and cleaning is a pain, rather buy something new 5 years from now.
Eventually they die too, my last keyboard went to my mom because hers had died. Recently the one I gave her died too but I preferred to spend 15€ on a Microsoft one to give her. She's happy.
@fry178 I haven't used any boards, I just tested those at display on major stores from known brands like Razor, SteelSeries and others. They're all +100€ here, unless an unknown brand for 80/90€.
I think my current keyboard is comfortable and silent enough for my needs, why spend 3 to 4 times more? It's just a keyboard, it will eventually fill with junk and cleaning is a pain, rather buy something new 5 years from now.
Eventually they die too, my last keyboard went to my mom because hers had died. Recently the one I gave her died too but I preferred to spend 15€ on a Microsoft one to give her. She's happy.
fry178
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Posts: 1317
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#5750670 Posted on: 01/14/2020 06:07 PM
oh sure, not wasting triple digits on one, but especially with the raised keycaps, i dont have to worry about dust/dirt etc to even get inside.
and after having bought a few of those no-name clones, virtually all were better than what you would get in same price range coming with membranes.
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B06XR5MWGM/?coliid=IAR8WUXBGVNX2&colid=2DSDNRT3KLLAR&psc=1&ref-=lv-ov-lig-dp-it
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0170WGDZQ/ref=ppx-yo-dt-b-search-asin-title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B071KCKX1Q/ref=ppx-yo-dt-b-search-asin-title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P9767JQ/ref=ppx-yo-dt-b-search-asin-title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
oh sure, not wasting triple digits on one, but especially with the raised keycaps, i dont have to worry about dust/dirt etc to even get inside.
and after having bought a few of those no-name clones, virtually all were better than what you would get in same price range coming with membranes.
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B06XR5MWGM/?coliid=IAR8WUXBGVNX2&colid=2DSDNRT3KLLAR&psc=1&ref-=lv-ov-lig-dp-it
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0170WGDZQ/ref=ppx-yo-dt-b-search-asin-title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B071KCKX1Q/ref=ppx-yo-dt-b-search-asin-title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P9767JQ/ref=ppx-yo-dt-b-search-asin-title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Depending on how much clickety-clack these switches make, could it mean the return of mechanical keyboards in the workplace?