Cherry
Cherry MX 3.0S
Bottom line: The Cherry MX 3.0S ($99.99 on Amazon as of 2026-10-07): Genuine Cherry MX Red linear switches rated for 100M+ actuations per key; main trade-off: linear, clickless MX Reds lack the tactile bump some typists prefer.
As an Amazon Associate, SpecPicks earns from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure →
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-07. Price and availability subject to change.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ Genuine Cherry MX Red linear switches rated for 100M+ actuations per key
- ✓ Screw-free extruded aluminum housing for a rigid, clean frame
- ✓ Full N-key rollover and anti-ghosting register every simultaneous press
- ✓ RGB with 16M+ colors and effects programmable in CHERRY UTILITY
- ✓ Detachable USB cable plus WIN key lock for uninterrupted game sessions
Cons
- ✗ Linear, clickless MX Reds lack the tactile bump some typists prefer
- ✗ Micro-USB port on the keyboard instead of the now-common USB-C
- ✗ Wired only, with no Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless option
- ✗ Custom lighting requires installing the CHERRY UTILITY software
SpecPicks Verdict
SpecPicks scored Cherry MX 3.0S using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to published specs and reviews across the gaming peripherals category. Cherry's gaming peripherals lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.
Common buyer scenarios for gaming peripherals of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the retailer's listing before purchase. Prices and stock are set by the retailer and may have moved since this page was last updated.
Key Features
- High-performance gaming keyboard with mechanical keys: Elegant extruded aluminum housing meets intelligent, technical design (completely screw-free!)
- High-quality mechanical CHERRY MX RED switches: Smooth and direct typing feel with linear switching characteristics (without click) and more than 100 million actuations per key
- Vibrant RGB backlighting with over 16 million colors: Numerous integrated color schemes and lighting effects (individually programmable with the CHERRY UTILITY software)
- Useful gaming features: Full N-key rollover (all keys are read simultaneously), anti-ghosting (no wrong entries) + WIN key lock for game mode
- Practical: Secure, detachable USB-A to micro-USB cable and 4 round rubber feet on the underside of the keyboard – so nothing slips, even during hectic gaming sessions
Full Specifications
| Brand | Cherry |
|---|---|
| Color | White w/MX Red |
| Style | Contemporary |
| Theme | gaming |
| Generation | 3 |
| Model Name | MX Board 3.0S |
| Style Name | Contemporary |
| Unit Count | 1.0 Count |
| Switch Type | Linear |
| Connectivity | USB |
| Model Number | G80-3874HYAUS-0 |
| Power Source | USB |
| Series Number | 3 |
| Built-In Media | USB Cable |
| Number of Keys | 104 |
| Button Quantity | 104 |
| Connection Type | Wired |
| Keyboard Layout | QWERTY |
| Special Feature | Backlit |
| Antenna Location | Gaming, Office |
| Full listing title | Cherry MX 3.0S, Wired Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, Robust Aluminum Housing, RGB-Lighting, Full Key Rollover, Anti Ghosting, MX RED Switches, White |
Ready to buy?
Cherry MX 3.0S, Wired Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, Robust Aluminum Housing, RGB-Lighting, Full Key Rollover, Anti Ghosting, MX RED Switches, White is listed on Amazon. Price, availability, shipping and returns are set by Amazon and its sellers — check the listing for current terms. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-07. Price and availability subject to change.
Related Gaming Peripherals
More guides & deep dives from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all articles & guides →- Best Retro Handhelds in 2026 — From $35 to $500
- Best 1440p Gaming GPUs in 2026
- The Complete Voodoo5 5500 AGP Driver Guide (2026 Edition)
- RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT — Which to Buy in 2026
- Emulation Hardware in 2026: FPGA, Software, and Cart-Reader Ecosystems
- How to Build a Windows 98 Retro PC in 2026
- Best Budget Gaming PC Build 2026 — ~$1,000 ($800 on Sale)
More reviews from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all reviews →- Best AIO Liquid Cooler for Ryzen X3D & High-End Intel (2026)
- Best 4K Gaming Monitors Under $500 in 2026
- How to Archive Your Old IDE and CompactFlash Retro PC Drives in 2026
- Best Controller for PC Retro Gaming (2026)
- Ryzen 7 5800X3D vs 5800X for 1080p Competitive Gaming: Which Wins?
- On-Device AI Keyboards: Can an RTX 3060 12GB Train the Model?
- All-AMD Gaming PC Build for 2026: Our Top 5 Ryzen + Radeon Configurations
- Pentium III Coppermine vs Tualatin: Which 2001 LAN Build CPU Aged Better
- Best SATA SSD for a Retro Windows 98 Build: BX500 vs 870 EVO
- 7800X3D vs 5700X3D: Is the AM5 Upgrade Worth It?
- Samsung Odyssey 4K vs KOORUI QD-Mini LED: Best 4K Gaming Monitor?
- Best Steam Deck Dock for 4K Desktop Gaming in 2026: JSAUX Docking Station Tested Against the Use Case
- Best Budget Streaming Starter Kit for Twitch & YouTube in 2026
- Build a Self-Updating 24/7 FM Radio Station on a Raspberry Pi Zero W
- Best AM4 Upgrade Parts Under $100 Each in 2026
- KOORUI 27" 4K vs Samsung Odyssey 4K: Best 27-Inch Panel for PC and Console
- Irtysh 32-Core CPU: Is the 30+ FPS Witcher 3 Claim Real?
- Save $550 on iBuyPower RTX 5070 + 7800X3D 4K Gaming PC
- Running Local LLMs on a Raspberry Pi 4 8GB: tok/s, Quantization, and What Actually Works
- Can a 12GB RTX 3060 Run a 70B LLM? The Offload Reality Check
- Best Budget GPU for Local LLM Inference in 2026
- Linux Driver Will Expose Voltage Inputs on Raspberry Pi SBCs
- USB-to-IDE Adapter vs CF-to-IDE for Imaging Retro PC Drives
- Ryzen 7 5800X + RTX 5060 Combo Drops to $439 With Free Cooler
Earliest SpecPicks reviews
Browse full archive →- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 8B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 14B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 70B (2026)
- Best GPU for DeepSeek-R1 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 405B (2026)
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 14B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 70B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run DeepSeek-R1 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090