At first, we would like to thank CHERRY XTRFY for offering a sample of their MX-LP 2.1 COMPACT WIRELESS WHITE Gaming Keyboard for testing and reviewing.

 

 

About CHERRY XTRFY:

“Following the successful acquisition of Xtrfy by CHERRY, the two renowned brands have joined forces to create CHERRY XTRFY – an innovative powerhouse in the gaming peripherals industry, set to be the new home for all future gaming peripherals, encompassing both existing and upcoming offerings from CHERRY and Xtrfy.

 

CHERRY and Xtrfy proudly unveil their new name, logo, and visual identity, signaling a fresh era in cutting-edge gaming gear and a unified portfolio of gaming peripherals.

 

“The merger of Xtrfy by CHERRY is a prime example of how diversification is crucial in esports. Both companies bring different strengths, networks, and product expertise, which complement each other perfectly. With the fusion of German engineering and Swedish design, this partnership is a match made in heaven, united by a shared love of gaming. As we move forward, we are excited to introduce our new gaming peripherals brand, which is driven by our vision for the future of esports. This vision encompasses diversity and inclusion, as we aim to promote a welcoming and inclusive community where everyone can participate and thrive”, says René Schulz, Vice President Business Unit Peripherals at CHERRY.

 

The revamped identity reflects the brand’s commitment to quality, performance, and the pursuit of next-generation esports equipment.

 

“We’re passionate about esports and after years of collaborating with professional players, we’re putting our hearts into growing our presence in competitive gaming. Ramping up our efforts in esports, we’re committed to creating new products that help gamers win. Our dedication is symbolized by the Winner symbol – X – and verbalized through the CHERRY XTRFY tagline: In it to win it”, says Joakim Jansson, Managing Director and Co-founder of Xtrfy.

 

The new brand and gaming peripherals will be housed under cherryxtrfy.com, and more news will be unveiled at CHERRY XTRFY’s event in Cologne, Germany on April 26th.”

Product Features:

 

UNCOMPROMISINGLY FAST

Using CHERRY Advanced Wireless Technology, the MX-LP 2.1 can be connected in 2.4 GHz-mode with latencies of less than 1 ms for the best gaming performance, or via Bluetooth 5.2 on three channels for fast switching with various devices and should the integrated 650 mAh battery ever run low, the keyboard can be connected via USB-C and be used while charging thanks to the intelligent battery technology.

 

CHERRY MX LOW PROFILE RGB SPEED SWITCHES

CHERRY MX Low Profile technology gives you uncompromising speed, with quick key recognition and a shorter bounce time for higher switching frequencies. The Gold Crosspoint precision switches developed and made in Germany are at the heart of your keyboard. The switches help ensure a lifetime of up to 100 million strokes without loss of input quality.

 

A COLORFUL TRENDSETTER

The abrasion-resistant keycaps of the MX-LP 2.1 feature a fresh color scheme that varies depending on the base color of the keyboard. An additional eye-catcher are the lighting effects that the keyboard's impressive RGB lighting can display in more than 16 million colors, thanks to predefined profiles. Creative users can also create their own color effects and store them directly on the keyboard's integrated memory. The CHERRY button gives you quick access to the CHERRY Utility software for easy customization of all keyboard settings.

 

 

Product Specifications:

 

Model name: MX-LP 2.1 Compact Wireless

Available layouts: UK, German, French

Illumination: Customizable RGB

Keys: 69 (UK, German and French)

Key switches: CHERRY MX Low profile Speed Silver

Keycap material: ABS

N-Key Rollover: Full

Anti-Ghosting: Yes

Special keys/shortcuts: Browser, CHERRY Key, Calculator, FN, Last track, Next track, Play/Pause, Unmute/Mute, Volume up, Volume down

Connection: 2.4 Ghz, Bluetooth or USB

Cable length: 1.8 m

Weight: 762 g

Size: 350 x 220 x 35mm

Warranty EU/US/ASIA: 2 years

 

It’s time to check out another interesting, multi-interface and compact keyboard from CHERRY XTRFY, the MX-LP 2.1 COMPACT Wireless, which comes in two different color schemes. The product does incorporate mechanical MX Low Profile RGB Speed switches which do have a 45 cN operating force, just 1mm pre-travel and a total of 3.2mm total travel, while emitting very little noise during operation. The switches are rated more than 100 million actuations in order to accommodate both heavy typists and gamers with ease.

 

The product is shipped inside a very compact cardboard enclosure, showing a photo of the MX-LP 2.1 in operation on the top cover:

 

 

 

The two seals of the box do include information on the used switches, but also regarding the keyboard layout:

 

 

 

On the box side, we will note information such as the production date, the serial numbers, supported standards and more!

 

 

 

Nearby, we will spot a small product description in both English and French:

 

 

 

CHERRY XTRFY did not omit to also include a side photo:

 

 

 

The bottom area of the box does include the main product features in multiple languages, but also the list of box contents:

 

 

 

After unsealing the box and lifting the top cover, we will note that the documentation is placed right on the top area, while the main product is wrapped in a semi-transparent paper sporting the CHERRY logo:

 

 

 

The manual does include all needed operation information, including interface switching:

 

 

 

 

Besides the keyboard, we will also receive the wireless dongle and the USB cable:

 

 

 

The USB cable is USB-C on the keyboard side and USB-A on the computer side; the connectors do have a minimalistic look, without additional inscriptions:

 

 

 

The supplied USB dongle does come in a red color (specific to the brand) and is quite small as well:

 

 

 

 

The 65% form factor of the keyboard is quite compact, but this also means that several functions have been moved to the remaining keys, such as the multimedia ones, the interface select keys, the RGB mode keys and so on; MX-LP 2.1 does also come with a catchy color scheme, featuring keycaps in red, blue and also white:

 

 

 

A closer look does reveal the shorter, low-profile ABS keycaps and the additional functions these do come with:

 

 

 

 

The Insert key does also house the CHERRY key function:

 

 

 

With the TAB key we can turn on/off the RGB backlighting, while the Q, W, E keys do allow switching between three different BT profiles:

 

 

 

The Y, U, I, O, P keys carry extra functions as well:

 

 

 

A closer look at the Delete key does allow Mute function:

 

 

 

Page Up key can also act as Volume Up:

 

 

 

We can switch between USB, BT and WiFi interfaces by using the dedicated key functions:

 

 

 

Extra functions are also found on the left side of the Enter right Shift keys:

 

 

 

While Page Down can be used for Volume Down, the directional keys do allow adjusting the RGB LED brightness but also can set the RGB effect speed:

 

 

 

Thanks to the low height of the keyboard, a pleasant typing experience is assured, even without using a wrist rest!

 

 

 

On the side of the keyboard, we can note that the chassis is angled towards the front, while the white chassis does include small red flakes with its design:

 

 

 

In the frontal area of the keyboard does accommodate some extra interfaces:

 

 

 

The USB-C port is placed right in the middle:

 

 

 

The On-Off switch does allow the user to conserve battery life when the keyboard is not used for a long time:

 

 

 

On the bottom area of the keyboard we will note the all-white chassis with the red flakes mentioned before; the central red sticker comes with extra information on the product:

 

 

 

The rubber feet can be switched over for adjusting the keyboard at a different angle:

 

 

 

CHERRY XTRFY is also mentioning that this particular keyboard model is not equipped with fast charging capabilities; the integrated 650 mAh battery can allow the MX-LP 2.1 function for more than 20 hours while keeping the RGB at maximum brightness, which is decent for two or even three work days:

 

 

 

Let’s connect the keyboard to our test system and check out the dedicated software!

 

 

 

When operating the MX-LP 2.1 does deliver a subtle RGB effect, without hurting the eyes when there is no lighting provided in the room:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The dedicated software interface has detected the MX-LP 2.1 right away; we do have two tabs available for customization, which are Lighting and User Keys. As we can see from the Wave preset of the RGB setup, each selected profile does come with different configuration options:

 

 

 

Depending on the selected effect, we can choose the colors as well:

 

 

 

Here is the list of the remaining effects:

 

Breathing

Curve

Radiation

Single Key

Custom

 

Spectrum

9

Rolling

Scan

Ripples

Static

 

The Software does also allow to select from different Polling Rate values, Brightness level, does facilitate dongle pairing but also allows working with Power Management timers:

 

 

 

 

The next main tab does allow key programming:

 

 

 

We can assign macros as well:

 

 

 

Text sequences do follow:

 

 

 

Finally, we can set multimedia functions to the selected keys:

 

 

 

The Setting section of the software does allow the user to check out the CHERRY website, adjust the interface language, check out the currently installed firmware version, select the keyboard layout, check out the user manual or find some more info on the installed software:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A lot of gamers are still using TKL keyboards but some are already transitioning to the 65% form factor due to maximum efficiency of used space (all estate is actually used while TKL still has some gaps between the top row and the rest of the keys but also on the right side). The directional keys are still dedicated, allowing for easy usage in case of office use and CHERRY XTRFY has made available plenty of other functions such as multimedia and input selection, by just using Fn.

 

The CHERRY Low Profile Speed switches are really responsive, while the position of the fingers is more natural on this particular format due to the low height. Besides these advantages, the switches have a high durability of more than 100 million actuations, a very good aspect for professional gamers. Talking about pro gaming, the keyboard is quite light at just about 762g, not being an obstacle when traveling to different contests, while the removable cable can be deposited separately.

 

The MX-LP 2.1 is accompanied by a more advanced software for configuration purposes, allowing not only key re-programming but full-on RGB profiles which are nice and fluent.

 

The only two improvement points CHERRY XTRFY could work on would be a better battery life with RGB turned on, but also the inclusion of PBT keycaps could have been a nice overall improvement.

 

The MX-LP 2.1 keyboard can be found online for about 142 Euros.

CHERRY MX-LP 2.1 COMPACT WIRELESS WHITE Gaming Keyboard is Recommended for:

 

 

We would like to thank again to CHERRY XTRFY for making this review possible!