Cherry MX Blue
Cherry MX Blue review: the original loud clicky switch at 50g with a click-jacket and 2.2mm pre-travel. Great typing feedback, terrible for offices.
How it feels
How it sounds
clackyCompared to
Community comparison picks for Cherry MX Blue.
The Box White's click bar is crisper and more consistent with less wobble; the MX Blue is the nostalgic original.
The Brown is a quiet tactile with a subtle bump; the Blue adds the loud click for people who want maximum audible feedback.
Full review
Quick Summary
The Cherry MX Blue is the switch that defined “clicky.” At 50g actuation it pairs a sharp tactile bump with a loud, unmistakable click delivered by its click-jacket mechanism, landing over a longish 2.2mm pre-travel. It is satisfying to type on and loud enough to irritate everyone within earshot. A genuine classic with one very clear use case (typing alone, loudly) and one very clear no-go: any shared space.
Specs and Feel
The click-jacket is what makes the Blue a Blue. Instead of a smooth tactile event, the stem rides a two-piece slider that snaps free partway down, producing a distinct two-stage feel: build-up resistance, then a snappy click-and-release as the bump and audible click fire together. Pre-travel is a longer-than-average 2.2mm over the full 4.0mm of travel, with a 60g bottom-out, so the keystroke feels deliberate rather than quick. The POM stem in nylon housings gives it the familiar Cherry character, but stock Blues are not especially smooth. Owners frequently note a touch of scratch on the downstroke and a bit more housing wobble than a modern switch, and the lighter clicky spring can ping if you listen for it. None of that is the point: the appeal is the crisp, confidence-inspiring click and the strong feedback that makes every keypress impossible to miss. Reviewers who love them tend to be long-time typists who simply prefer the loud, tactile-and-audible confirmation to anything quieter.
Tuning
Leave them stock. The click depends entirely on the click-jacket, and lubing the stem deadens the click and can make actuation feel inconsistent, the one mod that genuinely ruins the switch. If the scratch bothers you, a careful pass of lube on the spring alone can quiet ping without touching the click mechanism, but most builders run Blues exactly as they come. If you want a smoother, crisper, more consistent click, you are better off starting from a modern click-bar switch than trying to refine a click-jacket.
Verdict
Pick the Cherry MX Blue if you want the original loud clicky experience and you type somewhere no one can hear you. It remains the nostalgic benchmark for the category, and for solo setups it works well. For shared offices, calls, or open mics, choose a tactile like the Cherry MX Brown or a quiet linear instead. And if it is specifically a crisp, modern click you are after, the Kailh Box White’s click-bar is sharper and more consistent, with less wobble. The MX Blue is the switch that started the category.
Frequently asked
Are Cherry MX Blues good for typing?
Many typists love them. The click-jacket gives a crisp tactile-and-audible bump at 50g actuation, which makes key presses very satisfying and easy to confirm. The downside is noise. They are too loud for shared offices or open mics.
Should I lube Cherry MX Blues?
No. The click mechanism relies on the click-jacket; lubing it deadens the click and can make actuation inconsistent. Clicky switches are generally left stock.
Cherry MX Blue vs Kailh Box White?
Both are clicky, but the Box White uses a click bar for a crisper, more consistent click and adds dustproofing and lower wobble. Many consider the Box White the better modern clicky.
Compare Cherry MX Blue against another switch
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