Cherry is especially known as the manufacturer of many prestigious keyboard switches, the small switches that sit behind every key in your favorite input device. They are less known for manufacturing their own peripherals, and therefore the Cherry KC 4500 Ergo is particularly interesting.
This full-size keyboard is, as you can see above, ergonomically designed for convenience. The keyboard is 18.70 x 8.53 x 1.39 centimeters and is not illuminated.
The chiclet keys have a similar key spacing as MacBook keys and are fairly quiet. The depth is satisfying, but the whole thing has a slightly mushy feel, which you would want if you tried to reduce the tension on your hands. While it’s not my favorite style, it’s definitely comfortable and very quiet.
The key switches are rubber dome, which means that they are not traditionally mechanical. This style is very similar to the switches in most laptops keyboards, which should make the transition from a MacBook pretty smooth.
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Now for the bad news. The keyboard has no N key scrolled, which means you can only hold a few keys at a time. In most mechanical keyboards, you can easily hold down all four of the top rows, say “qwer” and then tap “ty” and get “qwerty” at the same time. In my tests, this keyboard supported up to four keys simultaneously, and not very well. Do not expect to play hardcore or hit your fingers on a heavy tap, it will go well with you.
While this model is not for everyone, it is definitely worth a look compared to similar offerings like Microsoft’s $ 39 model and Logitech’s K350 Wireless Wave keyboard which clocks in at a more expensive $ 59.
The 4500 Ergo is definitely built for convenience. If you’ve been banging around with a mechanical keyboard for a long time, this $ 45 keyboard is like giving your carpal tunnel a spa day. The built-in wrist support is soft and comfortable, the design is excellent and the switches, although not the workhorses we are used to from Cherry, are better than most laptop keyboards. If you consider it a way to take a break from standard keyboards, the 4500 Ergo is just fine.