One of the original keyboard and key switch manufacturers, Cherry, revamped an old legend—all the way from the 1980s. Evil Dead and Top Gun are not the only worlds trying to revitalize themselves in the past year; Cherry brought out the big guns by modernizing their most iconic, historic keyboard. The Cherry MX G80-3000N RGB keyboard made a solid attempt to keep the barebones the same but with more present-day additional features.
The inception of the first Cherry MX G80-3000 keyboard was back in 1988—beginning the series of grey PCB-mounted full-size Cherry MX keyboards. It has gone through many edits and improvements throughout time, like the change from its classic double shot thick ABS keycaps to its thick PBT keycaps that were produced from 1990 to 1992. To this day, the G80-3000 is one of the oldest keyboard series still in production—and what better way to honour it!
“The Cherry MX G80-3000N RGB keyboard made a solid attempt to keep the barebones the same but with more present-day additional features.”
This fun classic has kept its corded origins (no Bluetooth or wireless connections here!), just with a 2020s refinement. The key change for this version can be defined by three letters: RGB. Most modern keyboards are known for their colourful options, allowing users to colour-code their boards to their liking—whether they are designed for Corsair, ASUS or Logitech.
As with most modern RGB keyboards, there are over 16 million colours that provide various animated and static lighting options. All of these combinations can be imagined on the Cherry Utility app. I experimented a lot with the customization choices and really enjoyed the Rolling animation pre-set—one of the best and smoothest transitory RGB lighting cycles I have ever seen on a keyboard before.
The only thing that bothered me about the RGB was how the keys with secondary functions and larger keycaps were not fully lit up as their primary functions or at the center of the key. With the title of the keyboard having RGB in the title, I would have liked to see that little extra effort.
As for the keyboard body, it has also been upgraded a bit—going for a slimmer, more space-saving design despite being a full-size 100% keyboard and not a TKL. And boy oh boy, it surprisingly saves so much space…a little too much space, as my work desk looked emptier than usual, but I should not be complaining. The reason I can now see the rest of the wood top of my desk is because this keyboard does not come with any of those modern nobs, rollers and buttons—not straying far from the OG version of the G80-3000N.
While each keycap is much brighter than its posh gray from the past, the ergonomic shape and feel remained the same. The exact measurements were 17.2 inches (43.7 cm) x 5.1 inches (13.5 cm) x 1.42 inches (3.6 cm). The weight of the keyboard was fairly light, too, just under two pounds at 1.81 lbs—enough to not slip around and light enough to pick up when needed.
Some other modern improvements included anti-ghosting to prevent ghosting when pressing multiple keys. The Full-N-Key rollover also allows the user to press multiple keys as I need at once. I realized this combination worked when I was typing or gaming—fewer typos in my work and fewer misclicks in-game are always a plus! Each key was tested to have a 1 ms response time, allowing for the lowest latency possible.
The spacing of each ABS keycap was perfect as they are also equipped with abrasion-resistant material—they do not jiggle as much as some other keys I have touched. Also, there was no haptic feedback in every keystroke, getting that perfect balance of low travel and not feeling like you are typing against glass. I would have loved to have felt what they could have done with PBT keycaps.
The Cherry MX Red Silent switches also play a significant role in this satisfying experience because each snap of a key felt fluid and comfortable without making the typical loud clicks from most standard mechanical keyboards. It was like a weird mashup between a squishy membrane keyboard and a mechanical keyboard, but all the greatest hits from both.
The G80-3000N RGB keyboard uses Cherry MX Gold Crosspoint precision switches, more specifically, the Silent Red switches. Even though I do not work in a bustling office with others, it is nice to keep a quiet environment at home with others who may not be typing or gaming away at three in the morning.
I played a wide variety of games on the Cherry G80-3000N RGB keyboard: Dead By Daylight, Phasmophobia, Apex Legends, League of Legends and Company of Heroes 3. Whether it was running away from killers and ghosts or diving head first into battle on Summoner’s Rift, this was an accurate keyboard that made each keystroke feel smooth, highly responsive and purposeful.
The Cherry G80-3000N RGB keyboard is an all-around trendsetting jack-of-all-trades in a wired keyboard sense, which makes sense why it has been designed and performed successfully for decades. I believe this may be the perfect keyboard for anyone looking to invest in a reliable device for any use. Casual typists, gamers and programmers should find something special with this one—I know I have.
It put a smile on my face to see an ancient relic prove that you do not need to fix what is not broken—and a strong foundation should not be trifled with. At the low cost of $89.99, this is a great entry-level or collector’s keyboard that anyone can appreciate these days—just as much as it was most commonly used with various PC setups back in a simpler time.
