Cherry’s premium low-profile mechanical keyboard is a joy to type on — but its price tag feels very hard to stomach

The best mechanical keyboards can elevate your typing experience and enhance your productivity, and the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless is one such deck. This low-profile keyboard is a joy to type on all day long, thanks to its highly responsive low-profile switches and adjustable height. It’s built extremely well, and it features an LCD screen for on-the-fly customization. It’s decent for gaming too, packing an 8,000Hz wired polling rate.

But is it worth the premium price tag? The MX 10.1 Wireless costs nearly $250, and that price is difficult to stomach given its drawbacks — the Windows-only companion software and non-hot-swappable switches. In a crowded market where its competitors offer better value for money, the MX 10.1 Wireless struggles to find its place.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless review.

Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless review: Specs

Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A full-sized mechanical keyboard with low-profile switches
• Who is it for? Anyone who wants a comfortable keyboard for all-day typing and casual gaming
• How much does it cost? The Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless is available for $249 / £179
• What do we like? The premium construction, low-profile design, typing experience, gaming performance, long battery life, and LCD screen for quick customization
• What don’t we like? The Windows-only companion software, premium price tag, and non-hot-swappable switches

Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless review: The ups

From its premium construction and comfortable low-profile design, to its typing experience and gaming performance, the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless is a competent mechanical keyboard.

Premium construction

If it’s a well-built mechanical keyboard you’re after, look no further than the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless. Featuring a robust aluminum top plate and a plastic chassis, the MX 10.1 Wireless feels like it will stand the test of time. There’s no flex in the body when you twist it by holding its sides, and the keys don’t dip into the PCB either — something I’ve seen on full-plastic keyboards, like the Epomaker Cypher96 ($89) and the McHose x Unbox Therapy UT98 ($139), before.

Adding to the MX 10.1 Wireless’ sturdy build are its double-shot PBT keycaps which are more durable than ABS keycaps as they can withstand a fair bit of wear and tear. The PBT keycaps with their matte finish feel soft to the touch and add to the wonderful typing experience (more on that soon).

Despite using some degree of metal in its construction, the MX 10.1 Wireless retains a slim and sleek profile. This is a full-sized 100% layout keyboard, measuring 16.81 x 5.27 x 1.06 inches and weighing 2.43lbs, but it doesn’t feel too heavy to pack away in your bag and carry on your commute. In fact, it’s a little lighter than other full-sized keyboards I’ve tested, such as the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max (2.86lbs, $229) and the Keychron Q6 (5.13lbs, $195) — although the latter utilizes a full-metal case which contributes to its large stature.

The MX 10.1 Wireless is a good-looking keyboard too, thanks to its per-key RGB lighting and built-in LCD screen (more on that in a second). It hasn’t given me much to complain about in the build and design departments.

Comfortable low-profile design

The Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless is a low-profile keyboard. Low-profile decks are generally more comfortable to type on than standard-profile ones as you don’t have to lift your wrists as high to type, and your hands fall in a way that’s similar to their natural resting position.

Low-profile keyboards also use low-profile switches. The MX 10.1 Wireless is fitted with Cherry MX Low Profile 2.0 red (linear) mechanical switches and Cherry notes that these are approximately 35% shorter than its standard switches. They’re easier and quicker to activate because they’re slimmer and require a moderate 45g of force to activate — the same weighting as the low-profile switches used by the Chilkey ND75 LP ($99). These are a little lighter than the 50g reds in the Keychron K11 Max ($94), and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed typing on them.

The MX 10.1 Wireless’ height and typing angles can be adjusted extensively too, thanks to the foldable bracket that can be pulled out to nearly 180°. Overall, the MX 10.1 Wireless is a comfortable low-profile keyboard, and I didn’t feel any discomfort after a full day of typing — I even wrote this review on it!

Excellent for typing

Given its 100% full-sized layout, the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless is an outstanding keyboard for productivity. You get a full numberpad, page navigation keys, and a full Function row. I love the low-profile design and switches, as I mentioned before, and both contribute to a smooth typing experience. The low-profile red switches also have a total travel distance of 3.2mm which means that even at its full depth, you don’t have to press the switches too much for your commands to register, which helps you type faster.

I took a typing test at 10fastfingers.com as soon as I took the MX 10.1 Wireless out of its box. As you can see from the table above, I got my most accurate results on the Cherry, especially compared to other keyboards I’ve tested recently.

Good gaming performance

In addition to the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless being lovely for typing, it’s good for gaming too. The MX 10.1 Wireless features 8,000Hz wired and 4,000Hz wireless (2.4GHz) polling rates which means you won’t face any latency issues or input lag. It’s important to note that 8KHz and 4KHz polling rates are a drag on system resources, and for 99% of gamers (excluding competitive esports players), 1KHz polling is more than enough — how many of us can really tell the difference between an input reported at 1,000th of a second and one at 8,000th of a second?

I guess if you want to show off that your keyboard packs blistering 8,000Hz polling, you’ll love the MX 10.1 Wireless — but for most people, 8KHz polling feels like a gimmick, and yes, 1,000Hz polling is more than plenty. In my testing, I didn’t notice any latency issues while playing Cyberpunk 2077 and Counter-Strike 2. The low-profile red linear switches were highly responsive too. These switches have a pre-travel distance of 1.2mm which means that you don’t need to press them all the way down for them to activate, and they ensured that my fingers and hands didn’t feel fatigued after extended use.

The MX 10.1 Wireless also features N-key rollover which enables multiple inputs to be registered at the same time. With N-key rollover, you can execute two commands simultaneously, so you can duck and draw your last used weapon at the same time in games like Counter-Strike 2. This gives you a competitive advantage in first-person shooters, RPGs and racing games too.

Mechanical keyboards are decent for gaming but I’d recommend Hall Effect decks for serious gamers, such as the Keychron Q6 HE 8K ($239) and the Lemokey L5 HE ($220) as you can adjust each switch’s sensitivity for ultra-responsive gameplay.

LCD screen for quick customization

I won’t lie, I love a keyboard with a built-in LCD screen. I know it can feel like a gimmick, but I actually find it useful, especially if you can customize the keyboard’s settings on the fly and without having to dive into companion software. I adore the screens on the Epomaker RT100 ($115) and the Hexgears Immersion A3 TKL ($129), and now on the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless.

The LCD screen is located in the top-right corner, next to a rotary knob, and it’s bright and detailed. I’ve found it easy to read in the dark as well as well-lit rooms. The screen, along with the knob, lets you adjust the keyboard’s RGB lighting effects and brightness, swap between custom profiles, and change the track playing.

However, I feel like Cherry missed a beat here by not letting users change the polling rate, which would have been handy for macOS users as there’s no companion software on MacBooks — but I’ll get into that later.

Long battery life

The Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless has one of the best battery lives out there, especially compared to other low-profile keyboards I’ve tested. Cherry says that on a single charge, the MX 10.1 Wireless can last up to 900 hours over Bluetooth — but this drops significantly to just 50 hours over 2.4GHz. The battery life will also depend on whether the RGB is turned on at all times and the polling rate.

900 hours of battery life is incredible. It’s a lot more than what you get with the Keychron K17 Max ($94) which is rated for 100 hours with the backlight off, or the Razer Pro Type Ultra ($159) which can last up to 214 hours over a Bluetooth connection.

Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless review: The downs

The Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless is an expensive keyboard and at this price, I’m disappointed by its Windows-only companion software and non-hot-swappable switches.

Windows-only companion software

The Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless is a versatile keyboard as it can be connected up to three devices simultaneously, thanks to Bluetooth, 2.4GHz and wired connectivity. It’s excellent for users of both Windows and macOS as you can swap between layouts with the flick of a switch. But what’s surprising is that even though it works like a charm on macOS, its companion software isn’t available on MacBooks and other Macs (and it doesn’t come with macOS-specific keycaps either).

Windows-only companion software is a major drawback for such an expensive keyboard, and this means that macOS users will need to rely on the LCD screen for customization. As I mentioned earlier, the LCD screen is great, but it falls short when it comes to in-depth adjustments. For instance, you can’t adjust the polling rate and you can’t assign different settings to the three custom profiles either. Since you can’t adjust the polling rate, you’re stuck with 8,000Hz by default, and as I explained earlier, it’s a drain on system resources.

If you want a low-profile mechanical keyboard that can be customized on macOS, the Keychron K13 Max ($94) or the Keychron K17 Max are excellent alternatives — and they’re much cheaper than the MX 10.1 Wireless too.

Not hot-swappable

I’ve reviewed many, many keyboards in my time as a reviews writer, and I’m always taken aback when a keyboard that costs a premium isn’t hot-swappable. I’ve seen it with the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max, the Razer Pro Type Ultra, and now with the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless. The MX 10.1 Wireless comes with one set of stock switches only, and those are the Cherry MX Low Profile 2.0 red (linear) mechanical switches. You can’t choose a different type, and you can’t swap them out as and when you please either.

Sure, you can de- and re-solder the switches to the PCB if you so desire, but it’s extremely tricky and something we don’t recommend doing. You’re better off buying a hot-swappable keyboard, in my opinion. Again, I’d recommend the Keychron K13 Max, the Keychron K17 Max or the NuPhy Node100 ($109) over the MX 10.1 Wireless any day.

Expensive

I’ve banged on and on about the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless’ premium price tag for a while now, so how expensive is it, really? Quite a bit. The MX 10.1 Wireless retails for a whopping $249 / £179 at Amazon. That’s a lot of dough for a mechanical keyboard, especially when more advanced Hall Effect keyboards, like the Keychron Q6 HE 8K ($239) and the Lemokey L5 HE ($220), cost either the same or less.

There are many, many budget-friendly options out there, and you don’t necessarily need to spend over $200 to get a powerful gaming and productivity keyboard. Both the Keychron K13 Max and the Keychron K17 Max are fantastic, and so are the Lofree Flow Lite100 ($139) and the NuPhy Node100. You’ll be missing out on 8,000Hz polling with any of the cheaper options, but again, 1,000Hz is all you really need for most games.

Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless review: Verdict

The Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless is a good mechanical keyboard. It’s great for all-day typing and productivity, thanks to its comfy low-profile design and exceptional build quality. It packs 8,000Hz wired and 4,000Hz wireless polling as well as N-key rollover, making it a decent keyboard for gaming too. The LCD screen for on-the-go customization is a nice touch, as is the long battery life.

However, the MX 10.1 Wireless is very expensive, retailing for nearly $250. At that price, I’d expect any keyboard to be near-perfect, which the MX 10.1 Wireless is not. Its Windows-only companion software will leave macOS users feeling shortchanged, and its non-hot-swappable switches reduce its versatility.

If money is no object and you really, really love the look and sound of the MX 10.1 Wireless then sure, by all means, get it. But if you’re strapped for cash or simply want more bang for your buck, you’re spoilt for choice as Keychron, Lofree and NuPhy upstage Cherry’s offering in nearly every way.