Technologies

The Cherry MX 3.0s Keyboard Looks Like a Great Gaming Keyboard, but It Needs Some Work

You can’t beat the typing experience on Cherry switches, but the MX 3.0S doesn’t offer much else.

As a writer and gamer, there’s nothing quite like the feel of a great mechanical keyboard. There’s just something so satisfying about the «thwok» of each keypress as I take to the battlefield or craft my next story. Surprisingly, though, it can be challenging to find a keyboard that’s fantastic at being both a gaming keyboard and a daily-use keyboard — at least at an affordable price.

You might recognize the name Cherry as the maker of the eponymous switches that have dominated the mechanical keyboard world for nearly 70 years. Not long ago, it started making its own keyboards and recently launched the Cherry MX 3.0S gaming mechanical keyboard. It’s a fairly affordable entry point into the world of wireless gaming mechanical keyboards, but I’m not sure if it serves as the best dedicated gaming keyboard.

What I like about the Cherry MX 3.0S mechanical keyboard

Cherry was one of the first, and has certainly been the best-known, maker of mechanical keyboard switches for decades. And for good reason — its switches are clicky, tactile and robust. Many keyboard enthusiasts still prefer them over the myriad of other brands that have popped up over the years.

As a keyboard tester, I’ve used many other switches, and for a while, I’ve been using the fantastic OnePlus-branded keyboard. Coming back to the Cherry switches on the MX 3.0S felt oh so sweet. It was like coming home. I forgot what I was missing until I used them again. The MX Red switches on my MX 3.0S sample are linear — so not quite as clicky as the Brown switches, which are also available — but still provide quite a bit of tactility. This is perfect for gaming, as you can get more granular feedback with each keypress.

Design

At first glance, the MX3.0S doesn’t stand out too much. Looking at it a bit closer shows off a somewhat unusual design. The bottom aluminum casing sort of wraps around the center of the keyboard from back to front, with the edges folded over to hold it up. You don’t really notice unless you hold the keyboard up to look at it, but it’s better than just flat sides.

The metal casing gives it a good heft, but the sides, and I assume the single gasket as well, are plastic. I’m assuming a single gasket because you can hear the springs ever so slightly as you type, as well as the hollowness of the board. It’s not too distracting, but you can hear it if you’re listening. The per-key RGB is nice, and there are several different available patterns. It gets bright enough that you can see all the icons on the keys, even the lower ones, so that’s helpful. Even with that level of brightness, battery life on the MX 3.0S is quite impressive. Starting from a full charge, I’ve been using it exclusively for several weeks now with the LEDs fully on and I still have 30% left in the tank.

There are both wired and wireless versions of the MX 3.0S. The wireless version gives all the connectivity you’d expect. You can pair up to three devices via Bluetooth. A 2.4GHz wireless dongle is included as well. The dongle doesn’t hide away in the board like some others, which I find helpful for not losing them, but at least Cherry made it red, so it’s easy to spot.

Read more: Use Windows 11 Like a Pro With These 73 Keyboard Shortcuts

What could be better about the Cherry MX 3.0S mechanical keyboard

I think the biggest disappointment of the MX 3.0S is that aside from the switches — which you can easily get and install on a whole range of keyboards — there isn’t really much to differentiate it from other gaming keyboards. It doesn’t have anything that adds to your gaming experience. You can program macros for the keys, but you can do that on nearly every gaming keyboard and unlike many of those, there aren’t any extra programmable keys.

The MX 3.0S does support full n-key rollover so you don’t lose an input by pressing two keys at the same time, and it supports anti-ghosting, but again, those are par for the course with most modern gaming keyboards.

Read more: This Retro Gaming Keyboard Hits All the Right Nostalgia Vibes… and It’s a Great Keyboard

Lag

I ran into a few bugs when using the MX 3.0S wirelessly. For starters, the dongle would lag quite a bit when connected via a docking station. Yes, it could have been my docking station, but no other keyboard I’ve used has had that issue, so I’m willing to bet it’s the keyboard.

Also, when using Bluetooth, there were a few times it would randomly reconnect itself, or even disconnect from my computer entirely. There were also a few ghost presses and some sticky keys when using Bluetooth. Again, not entirely saying it was the keyboard’s fault, but these are not issues I’ve come across on nearly every other keyboard I’ve used.

Software leaves a lot to be desired

When I first started writing this review, Cherry’s Utility software was pretty rough. The UI was outdated and the functionality was quite limited. You can adjust the lighting and add macros, but that’s about it. It’s pretty basic. You can create up to nine profiles which is nice, but again, the customization is limited. Plus, it only detects the keyboard when physically connected, not over Bluetooth or the dongle. That means every time you want to change a setting, you have to either manually do it through several key presses, or dig out a cable. Neither of which is ideal.

To Cherry’s credit, literally the day I finished this review, the software got a huge facelift. It looks much better than it did, but it didn’t add any functionality, which is a bummer. The keyboard does support a dedicated key for launching the software, but since it doesn’t work unless it’s plugged in, and the software doesn’t do a whole lot, it feels like a waste of a key.

Price

Cherry priced this a tad too high for what you get. The full retail price is $160. However, at the time of writing, you can grab it for $100 on Amazon for the white model with Red switches. To me, that’s a much better price and probably close to what Cherry should be charging for it. I don’t know if I can recommend it at $160, especially considering the competition.

Should you buy the Cherry MX 3.0S mechanical keyboard?

As with most things, it depends. If you need a reliable mechanical keyboard that gives you the goodness of those Cherry switches, then yes, but only if you can find it on sale. The solid build and excellent typing experience are worth $100. For me, it works great as both a gaming keyboard and a daily-use keyboard. If you want a more dedicated gaming keyboard that gives you more gaming-specific features and customization, however, you’ll need to look somewhere else.

Technologies

Review: The Switch 2 Pro Controller

Technologies

The Switch 2 Pro Controller Makes a Comfortable Upgrade, but Still Falls a Bit Short

The new controller feels a little more pro than its predecessor.

The Switch 2 Pro Controller is a standalone controller that pairs with the new Switch 2 and provides a more comfortable gaming experience than the standard Joy-Cons. While it might look similar to the old model, the second-gen controller has a number of new features to help it earn that «Pro» title.

The 2 Pro retails for $85 — a pretty significant jump over the original’s $70. The good news is that, if you want to save some money, the Switch 1 Pro Controllers do work on the Switch 2. Since it’s detached, it’s really more useful when playing docked, connected to a TV. I really like the look and feel of it, but it’s definitely an expensive, unnecessary accessory.

Both Pro controllers feel pretty similar, which is good since I always felt the original was very comfortable. They’re the same size and shape, and the button layout is mostly the same, but the original has a subtle texture to its grip while the 2’s is smooth. I actually find the new controller a bit more comfortable than the first.

Just like the new Joy-Cons, there is a GameChat button near the bottom, a shortcut to screen-sharing gameplay and forming parties with your friends to video or voice chat together. Keep in mind that you can just pop back out to the Switch main menu and open GameChat manually without needing to hit the button.

Another new feature are back buttons on the underside of the handles, GL and GR. Back buttons — programmable buttons that you can assign to act like other inputs — are pretty standard on pro-style controllers but were absent on the first Switch Pro. For example, in shooters, players will often bind duck or jump so they can perform those actions without taking their thumb off the right stick.

Mapping these buttons is super easy through the Switch 2’s settings menu or by holding down the Home button and changing them there. These button maps are also saved on a per-game basis, which is great, allowing you to specify which actions you want available on different games instead of needing to adjust back and forth when you swap games.

The downside is that there are only two buttons, one on each side, like PlayStation’s DualSense Edge pro controller. I would have liked more options, like the Xbox Elite controller’s four programmable buttons. Both those controllers also allow you to swap the buttons’ shapes. Nintendo doesn’t.

Another upgrade on the Switch 2 Pro Controller is a headphone jack on the bottom, which is useful if you’re trying to play games quietly.

Battery life remains the same as the first Pro Controller: Around 40 hours on a single charge, which is definitely on the higher side for controller batteries. In comparison, the DualSense Edge lasts only 5 to 6 hours. The new Pro Controller also charges faster. Nintendo says it takes about 3.5 hours for a full charge, whereas the original Pro Controller takes six hours.

The large face buttons and analog sticks feel the same, which is good since the original didn’t need improvement. The D-pad, though, feels like it has more freedom of movement and accuracy. This makes hitting diagonal inputs easier to pull off, like in Street Fighter when a special move requires a quarter circle. I found it simply better for adjusting character movement in a 2D platformer, like Super Mario Wonder.

One of my major complaints is that it still lacks analog triggers. This feature has been on Xbox and PlayStation controllers for years and allows games to sense when you partially press a trigger. It’s important in racing games, for example, where pressing the trigger determines how much you’ll accelerate. But nope, that’s not a thing for the Switch 2 Pro Controller.

Curiously, the new Pro Controller can’t wirelessly connect it to a PC. Steam doesn’t yet recognize it, though it took a while before the original was directly supported as well. While it’s missing some key pro features compared to Xbox and PlayStation’s offerings, those controllers also retail for around $200, so the price difference makes sense.

The Switch 2 Pro Controller is best for someone who primarily games with the console connected to a TV. It’s an overall improvement on the first one and brings Nintendo closer to what we expect from a pro-style design, but it becomes a harder sell if you already have the original Pro Controller. Many of the new features — back buttons, a headphone jack, quick access to gamechat — are pretty easy to live without, in my opinion.

Technologies

This $1,299 Robot Dog Plays Soccer, Dances and Can ‘Evolve’ With AI

The Sirius robot dog goes on preorder Thursday, integrating with OpenAI to develop its «soul.»

After an initial appearance at CES 2025, the Hengbot $1,299 Sirius robot dog is going on preorder Thursday, highlighting an agile body that’s able to play soccer while also integrating with OpenAI to develop its own personality.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

While robot dogs have been around for decades with brands like Sony’s Aibo, Hengbot’s Sirius robot is putting a particular emphasis on how quickly it can move. The company has been showing this off in videos that demonstrate it dancing to piano music or shaking hands next to an actual dog. The Sirius robot has a total of 14 axis across its legs and head along with proprietary joints named Neurocore that let it move more naturally.

Hengbot says it’s also customizable using a «game-like» editor, featuring the ability to customize the robot’s personality to be more like specific dogs such as a Corgi, set up different facial reactions to appear on its head or upload voice packs to customize what the robot sounds like.

However Hengbot does note that, because this is a robot after all, the Sirius robot dog is meant primarily for flat indoor surfaces and isn’t meant to be played with outside. So while dancing and soccer games (which can be played with an included controller) are fine, the Sirius robot is unlikely to be running up and down the stairs of a house. The robot’s battery will also let it run for 40 to 60 minutes when moving or one to two hours when standing still and Hengbot says it takes about an hour to recharge. Other specs on Sirius include an 8-megapixel camera used for vision, two USB-C ports used for development and accessories

Using a network connection, the Sirius robot develops it’s personality with an integration with large language models like OpenAI, which it also uses to process voice commands. This can include asking it to dance, sit or to act like other animals like a cat. Hengbot says the dog itself does not collect data but also advises that the Sirius is designed more for adults who would like to use some of the more creative features that the dog is capable of.

And that distinction is important, as AI is still prone to hallucinations and other mistakes. For instance, last year my colleague Bridget Carey tested a ChatGPT-enabled teddy bear named Poe made by the Los Angeles-based toy maker Skyrocket. The bear created stories using prompts within the app but at launch its vocabulary was rather verbose for young audiences. While Hengbot’s Sirius robot will primarily be dancing, barking and moving about, Hengbot does say that the Sirius robot is eventually intended to integrate with a wider creative platform meant for hosting and sharing different projects.

The Sirius robot is available to preorder on Hengbot’s website and it’s expected to be available this fall.