Cherry KW 9200 Mini
Summary
Solid construction, multi-device connectivity and a good typing experience sit at the core of the Cherry KW 9200 Mini’s Windows-centric design. Backlighting and Mac support would make for a more universally appealing keyboard.
Cherry KW 9200 Mini Review
The PC market offers no lack of keyboards. Fully sized keyboards, foldable keyboards, compact keyboards, ten-key-less keyboards, ergonomic keyboards, keyboards of recycled materials, and tiny keyboards that fit in a pocket…you name it, the market makes it.
Keyboard manufacturers, then, need to develop features that differentiate their portfolios. With the Cherry KW 9200 Mini, the Cherry brings multi-device connectivity, sturdy design, and mobility to their Windows keyboard. Unfortunately, a lack of backlighting and awkwardness with Macs makes it a well-lit room, mostly Windows-targeted offering.
Explore a 3-D Model of the Cherry KW 9200 below.
What we like
Pros
- Well-manufactured
- Good typing experience
- Multiple ways to connect
- AES-128-bit encryption
- Rechargeable lithium battery
- Magnetic storage for 2.5Ghz transceiver
- Extendable feet
- Portable: Includes neoprene travel sleeve
Cherry clearly knows how to make a keyboard. A metal frame infuses the keyboard with strength.
The 92 scissor keys produce a pleasant typing experience, quiet and unobtrusive. Certainly not a disturbing clatter in a quiet space like a library or an airplane row.
The best feature of the Cherry KW 9200 comes from its multi-device connectivity managed through function keys dedicated to connectivity. The magnetic micro-transceiver delivers the first act. Then, there are two Bluetooth® 5.0 channels. The final function key switches from wireless to wired. This is a keyboard that wants to live in a multi-device environment. As an analyst, it connects to several different devices during the day.
Those worried about losing a dongle may find that this keyboard provides an answer: a magnetic hideaway on the keyboard that keeps the dongle close when not in use. Some mice store their dongles in hidden compartments, but this is the first keyboard I have seen with an exposed (thus easily accessible dongle) that uses magnets to keep it in tow.
Cherry recognizes the security issues associated with intercepting and decrypting wireless keyboard connections, so they included AES-128-bit encryption to thwart would-be attackers.
In its basic configuration, adhesive feet keep the keyboard from scooting around. To enhance the typing angle, feet pop down from the bottom of the keyboard.
Weighing in at less than a pound and only 5.1 x 11.8 x 0.6 inches, the KW 9200 mini ships with a neoprene sleeve to make it a great travel buddy.
The Cherry KW 9200 Mini features plastic-free packaging. The neoprene travel sleeve is also made of recycled materials. The company has been awarded a Blauer Engel certificate for sustainability.
What could be improved
Cons
- Limited key-remapping
- No backlighting
- Function key is hard to see, especially in low light (red type on black)
- No software for Mac
There are a few things you can’t ding a company for when writing a review, like not supporting a Mac when reviewing a Windows keyboard. That said, most keyboards find a way to accommodate people who work in a multi-device environment, especially with mobile keyboards.
The KW 9200’s mobile credentials should include consideration for iPads, which would mean the ability to remap keys at a minimum. Clear instructions on swapping keys would provide even better support.
While the lack of macOS and iPadOS support may irritate a minority of potential buyers, the lack of backlighting affects anyone who buys the KW 9200. The KW 9200 works most effectively in a lighted work area. The keys are dark, rimmed nicely in red, but the materials absorb rather than reflect light. In a dark room, the combination makes keys difficult to see. Backlighting would make the keys more readable.
There are probably several reasons this keyboard does not include backlighting, from battery performance to the weight and complexity of extra circuitry on a keyboard with a minimalist design. Those who need backlighting simply need to look elsewhere.
Regardless of backlighting, the function key (FN) needs a bit of a tweak to make it more visually obvious. Red lettering on a black key does not pop. Again, backlighting would solve this, but without backlighting, I would suggest a different, complementary color, perhaps neon green or just white. The FN is the only key with this issue, so if hunting in the dark for the FN key, just hit the key that looks blank.
Software exists for Windows, but it doesn’t do much except remap a few specialized keys. It does not solve the Apple configuration issues the way Drop’s software allows owners to essentially transform a mechanical keyboard into a comfortably Mac keyboard. My preference is that any keyboard should include software for reconfiguration that is OS-independent or that versions exist for each potential OS (including Chrome).
Although Microsoft Windows-based computers dominate the market, more open software and an easy movement of keys can turn a rigid keyboard design into a functional, cross-platform experience.
Cherry KW 9200 Mini: The bottom line
I have been using the Cherry KW 9200 Mini for several weeks. It works well as a multi-connected Windows compact keyboard. And that’s its intended purpose. With excellent build quality and very good key travel across the Cherry scissor switches, the typing experience is a good one. Backlighting would make it better.
The KW 9200 works less well as a Mac keyboard, primarily because Cherry doesn’t allow for Control, Alt or Windows key remapping.
Cherry provided the Cherry KW 9200 Mini for review. Images courtesy of Cherry unless otherwise noted.
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