Cherry KW 7100 Mini BT for Mac Review
A very respectable, comfortable wireless keyboard that won’t break the bank
Verdict
Entirely uninteresting in its design, the Cherry KW 7100 Mini BT for Mac is still a very respectable, comfortable wireless keyboard that won’t break the bank.
Pros
- Scissor switches have a satisfying bounce
- Metal backplate keeps flex low
- Multi-device support is appreciated
Cons
- Not the cheapest travel keyboard out there
- Doesn’t look particularly premium
Key Features
- CHERRY SX scissor mechanismEmulating laptop keyboards, the switches on the Cherry KW 7100 Mini BT allow for smooth, quiet, tactile typing on any device.
- Plentiful colour optionsAvailable in blue, green, pink, and white, the Cherry KW 7100 Mini BT can suit most stationary work setups and portable workstations.
- Multi-device supportThough build for Mac, the Cherry KW 7100 Mini BT can connect to just about any Bluetooth device and quickly switch between three paired devices.
Introduction
Hoping to rival Logitech’s large Mac range while keeping the smaller rounded edges for that signature Apple look, the Cherry KW 7100 Mini BT has plenty going for it
Tested across the Intel Mac Mini, M1 iPad Pro, and M1 MacBook Air, I will skip right to the chase: it performed admirably, but there are a few areas where this affordable keyboard doesn’t quite hit.
Design
- Single colour offering (white deck with grey keys)
- Retractable legs
- Sturdy deck
The Cherry KW 7100 Mini BT for Mac – to call it by its full name – tries relatively hard to keep pace with Apple’s own Magic Keyboard line, while cutting a few obvious corners to keep costs down.
One such sacrifice (and this may be a preference worth picking it up for) is with the keys. These aren’t ultra low-profile switches like the ones Apple prefers, but more traditional, almost retro-inspired scissor rubber domes.
Though plastic, they have a rubber-like appearance thanks to their light grey colour, simple legend, and high protrusion. They’re soft in both style and feel, but not mushy. They’re surprisingly stable.
The 60% design is bordered by lightly textured white plastic and there’s a vague silver sheen in the right light, which can help it to appear more premium. The plastic is impressively sturdy, holding up to twists and hard presses well on soft, uneven surfaces or even on a lap.
The underside is a more basic white effort with lots of underlining shapes and chamfers. This culminates at the rear with a deep protrusion that hosts both the battery compartment and the two pull-out feet. These maintain angles up to around 110 degrees of smooth pivoting.
On the back right corner, you’ll find a simple power toggle, a connection LED, and a tiny reset button for clearing its connection memory.
Performance
- Strong wireless performance
- Fast switching between devices
- Near-silent operation with abrasion-resistant keycaps
There’s very little to complain about with the Cherry KW 7100 Mini BT. It paired quickly in my tests, reacted in an instant and the battery goes on and on.
Even as someone who has certainly bought into the mechanical switch hype of the past decade, I’m still just as enamoured by a good, classic rubber dome.
The soft, deep pop of the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard is a favourite, and while the Cherry affair isn’t quite the same, its slightly taller keys have a familiar feel that is comfortable and satisfying all day long.
While slightly indented to welcome your fingertips, you never feel stuck in the keys of this one: it doesn’t hold you back by holding you in.
The taller keys are still slim enough to let you naturally glide over as you dance from one key to the next. Errors were few and far between, and getting back up to speed after a misstep was a non-issue.
Though Bluetooth is usually the worst wireless protocol for input devices, it’s still incredibly hard to notice any real input lag when it comes to a keyboard. Gaming won’t be a non-starter with it – especially if you’re playing the sort of content found on Apple Arcade.
I regularly played rounds of Overwatch 2 with it hooked up wirelessly to my Windows machine without issue. I’m no pro, but you get the idea.
Battery and Software
- Great battery life
- Disposable batteries
- No need for software
The Cherry Keys software, used to lightly configure the company’s other peripherals, isn’t particularly useful with this product. There’s no RGB, and it being a predominantly Mac-focused board means there’s little you’re expected to want to tweak anyway.
Likewise, there isn’t even a backlight to enable or disable. That’s great news for battery life on a Bluetooth connection with some AA batteries, but bad news for anyone wanting more than a stock experience.
If you tend to burn the midnight oil, so to speak, you’ll be relying on the ambient light of your screen or a nearby lamp to illuminate the legend. At least it makes the Cherry KW 7100 Mini BT for Mac a doddle to set up.
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
You want a compact keyboard that just works
The Cherry KW 7100 Mini works like a charm. The Bluetooth connection is strong, battery life is long, and setup is a breeze. You can’t fold it up to slip into a pocket, but the included case makes it easy to stow in a bag.
You want something a little more unique or premium
Outside of simply opting for the equally portable, rechargeable Apple Magic Keyboard, grabbing the Logitech MX Keys Mini at a frequent discount can give your on-the-go office space a little more flair.
Final Thoughts
At its recommended price point, the Cherry KW 7100 Mini BT for Mac is a good choice. It does its job perfectly, even if it doesn’t look all that great. At a glance, it has the air of an off-brand Amazon product or a spontaneous purchase from a supermarket’s bargain tech section.
If the Logitech MX Keys Mini is on sale, it’s a better buy for your portable office or check out all the options listed in our best keyboard list.
How we test
We use every keyboard we test for at least a week. During that time, we’ll check it for ease of use, comfort and performance of the switches.
We also check each keyboard’s software to see how easy it is to customise and set up.
Used for over a week across numerous scenarios and workflows.
Compared to various other keyboards in similar and distant price brackets.
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FAQs
Yes, you can use this keyboard just fine on Windows through a Bluetooth connection.
Sony’s very strict list of supported keyboards doesn’t extend to this one. Attempting to connect simply results in an error message.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
