Products
Cherry MX Red
Razer Yellow Gen 3
Tested using Methodology v1.0.1
Updated Sep 29, 2025 05:47 PM
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Amazon.com
Tested using Methodology v1.0.1
Updated Sep 29, 2025 05:48 PM
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BestBuy.com
Feel
Linear
Peak Tactile Force
N/A
Actuation Distance (Pre-Travel)
2.3 mm
Feel
Linear
Peak Tactile Force
N/A
Actuation Distance (Pre-Travel)
1.1 mm
Our Verdict
Cherry MX Red
Razer Yellow Gen 3
Cherry MX Red and Razer Yellow Gen 3 are linear switches with smooth actuation throughout the entire keystroke. The Razer switches are a bit more smoother-feeling out of the box, and have a slightly more lightweight actuation feel. Most notably, the Razer switches have significantly shorter pre-travel and total travel distances, providing better latency performance and making them best-suited for playing fast-paced games.
Variants
- MX Red (10 Pcs)
- MX Red (120 Pcs)
- MX Red (65 Pcs)
- MX Red (90 Pcs)
- Yellow Gen 3 (36 Pcs)
Check Price
10 Pcs
MX Red
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Amazon.com
36 Pcs
Yellow Gen 3
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BestBuy.com
120 Pcs
MX Red
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Amazon.com
36 Pcs
Yellow Gen 3
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Amazon.com
65 Pcs
MX Red
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Amazon.com
36 Pcs
Yellow Gen 3
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Walmart.com
90 Pcs
MX Red
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Amazon.com
36 Pcs
Yellow Gen 3
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Design
Compatibility
9.0
8.1
Housing Picture
Cherry MX PCB Pinout
Yes
Yes
Pin Count
3
3
Keycap Mount
MX Style
MX Style with Perimeter
Illumination
5.0
9.5
Upper Housing Color
Black
Clear
Upper Housing Finish
Opaque
Clear
Performance
Keystrokes
Actuation Graph
Feel
Linear
Linear
Initial Force
37gf
35gf
Peak Tactile Force
N/A
N/A
Actuation Force
50gf
42gf
Bottom-Out Force
63gf
57gf
Actuation Distance (Pre-Travel)
2.3 mm
1.1 mm
Bottom-Out Distance
4.0 mm
3.3 mm
Factory Smoothness
7.2
7.7
Smoothness Sample
Keystroke Data Used For Smoothness
Scratchy Factor
16.4
15.3
Mid Actuation Peak Noise
-63.8 dB
-68.3 dB
Mid Actuation Peak Frequency
1,027 Hz
1,029 Hz
Latency
7.2
8.1
Raw Data
Press Average
2.0 ms
1.3 ms
Press Std Dev
±0.35 ms
±0.23 ms
Release Average
6.3 ms
6.5 ms
Release Std Dev
±0.68 ms
±0.32 ms
Check Price
10 Pcs
MX Red
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Amazon.com
36 Pcs
Yellow Gen 3
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BestBuy.com
120 Pcs
MX Red
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
36 Pcs
Yellow Gen 3
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
65 Pcs
MX Red
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Amazon.com
36 Pcs
Yellow Gen 3
SEE PRICE
Walmart.com
90 Pcs
MX Red
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
36 Pcs
Yellow Gen 3
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B&H
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Cherry MX Red
Razer Yellow Gen 3
Comments
Cherry MX Red vs Razer Yellow Gen 3: Main Discussion
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