Keyboard Bliss: Rosewill 9100BR Hits The Mark

The Rosewill 9100BR doesn't offer all the features of Gigabyte's Aivia Osmium, despite retailing for roughly the same price. There's a set of USB 2.0 ports (no USB 3.0 on this model) and some additional key functions via a FN key. The FN key combo works, but it's not as handy as dedicated media keys. There's a button for a dedicated right-click option, but no Windows lock key. There's also no audio jacks.


But the typing? The typing is phenomenal. Cherry Browns are designed to offer performance halfway between a gaming switch (smooth, linear) and a typing switch (stiffer, tactile, possibly clicky if that's your thing). There's a slight tactile bump to let you know you've depressed the switch and a soft report when the actuation completes. The keys are also backlit, which is another plus.


In a lot of ways, this keyboard is the opposite of the Aivia Osmium I reviewed recently (which, as of this writing, still suffers from double-strike, key bounce problems). The $120 price tag, however, is a bit steep. There are mechanical gaming / multimedia keyboards out there with broader features than the 9100BR, and in the same price range. One potential show-stopper for gamers is the complete lack of macro keys. The 9100BR is programmed with secondary functions via the FN key, but there's no way to remap them or program key sequences.

Like the Cherry MX Browns themselves, this keyboard is a balance between traditional typing and gaming features. If you're a light gamer and heavy typist, you won't miss the macro option. Cherry Reds are supposedly superior for gaming, but I personally prefer the Cherry Browns. While they might take a millisecond longer to push, Cherry Reds are extremely sensitive to a misplaced finger. I often found myself inadvertently hitting "W" or "S" simply from resting my fingers on the keyboard.

That's not a problem that you'll have with Cherry Browns, and they're my new go-to for mechanical recommendations.

 

Cherry Brown MX are great Sturdy design, 2x USB ports Pre-programmed keys increase utilty	Keyboard is fairly pricey No macros or key reprogramming No audio jacks, USB 3.0