Cherry Xtrfy K5V2 review: Underbaked

The Cherry Xtrfy K5V2 is the company’s latest 65% gaming keyboard, but does it stand out in a sea of competitors?

If you’ve ever dove into the mechanical keyboard market, you’ve seen the name Cherry on switches and plenty of other accessories.

Cherry purchased Xtrfy gaming in 2023, which has since begun to branch out into the world of high-performance gaming peripherals. 

I’ve put the Cherry Xtrfy K5V2 to the test for two weeks now, and I was left quite disappointed with the build quality and overall experience. 

Key Specs

• Switch type: Cherry MX2A Red Linear
• Keycaps: ABS
• Connectivity: USB-C
• Form Factor: 65%
• Lighting: Per-key customizable RGB strip LED
• Features: 1000hz polling rate, n-key rollover, PCB-mounted stabilizers
• Price: $139.99

Design

The Cherry Xtrfy K5V2 sports a rather basic, black look in a 65% form factor which feels quite uninspired. There’s little to no branding on the keyboard, with just a logo on the Windows key and a magnetic nameplate above the right arrow key.

Cherry opted to equip the Xtrfy K5V2 with a plastic body, making for a light and compact package. This is one of the first keyboards to feature the Cherry MX2A switches, which are disappointing compared to other popular options.

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This isn’t the first time I’ve used the MX2A switches, and I still feel underwhelmed by them — especially compared to the latest Kailh Box and Gateron magnetic switches. The keyboard is hot-swappable, so you can replace the MX2A switches with any other three-pin option. They’re using ABS keycaps on the keyboard, which showed signs of wear just days after starting to test the keyboard.

The K5V2 has adjustable height courtesy of two flip-out legs on the bottom, but puzzlingly, this doesn’t include adjustable typing angles. Keyboards like the Razer BlackWidow V4 75% have three-angle options, which can be more comfortable while gaming. Cherry also put rubber ends on the feet, making them hard to extend from the base.

Cherry could have improved the keyboard by using a different adjustable leg design and double-shot PBT keycaps. With better keycaps, the board would have much better acoustics, feel, and overall look after prolonged use.

Software & Features

Cherry opted to go without software for the K5V2, putting all the controls under the function layers, which can be a hassle to deal with in practice. For example, if you changed the keycaps, you’d lose out on the legend for the functions that reside on the FN layer. 

This wouldn’t be a problem if they had used PBT keycaps, as those don’t get shiny and wear down nearly as fast as the ABS material used on this board. 

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The shortcuts are easy to understand thanks to a guide included in the box, but they’re not easy to remember due to the sheer number of them. I would have preferred having access to web-based software, or even just basic QMK/VIA support to make it easier to change settings on the device, rather than wrestling with arcane key combinations. 

Gaming Performance

Cherry Xtrfy advertises “super-scan technology for instant response” on their website, but in testing, the K5V2’s performance was no different than any other non-rapid trigger keyboard.

Without hall effect switches and rapid trigger support like the Boog75 and Akko MOD007 PC, the Cherry Xtrfy K5V2 keyboard has nothing to make it stand out as a solid gaming keyboard outside of branding.

I tested the keyboard with Warzone and Counter-Strike 2, but it would be just fine in slower-paced games like Palworld or Ark: Survival Ascended. While this functions well, there are not many real “gaming” features here to talk about, which is a missed opportunity on Cherry’s part.

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Typing experience

The typing experience on the Cherry Xtrfy K5V2 leaves much to be desired, although it’s not the worst keyboard I’ve ever used. These ABS keycaps give off a cheap, clacky sound, but Cherry put multiple layers of sound-dampening foam into the keyboard in an attempt to improve acoustics.

The stabilizers on the larger keys are good across the board, which not every mass-market keyboard manages to do. I wish Cherry had used PBT keycaps on the K5V2, as it would have made the experience of using the board so much better.

Should you buy it?

Due to its lackluster build quality and absence of features alongside confusing on-device controls, I can’t recommend the Cherry Xtrfy K5V2 if you’re looking for a gaming keyboard.

With the growth in popularity that hall effect switches have had over the last few years, there’s no reason for anyone to go without them when options like the Akko MOD007 PC, Wooting 60HE, and more exist.

Verdict: 3/5

Although it’s a functional keyboard at its core, Cherry Xtrfy dropped the ball with low build quality and a lack of features and performance on the K5V2. It’s outpaced by its competitors in every single way.

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