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The Cherry K5 Pro TMR Compact gaming keyboard on a blue background.
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Cherry XTRFY K5 Pro TMR Compact review

It ticks all of the right boxes, but I was left wanting just a little more.

(Image: © Future)

Our Verdict

The 65% layout here is very welcoming to small-handed gamers, but few beyond the competitive crowd will get the most out of this TMR gaming keyboard's rich feature set. Even so, for the price, I wish this wired keyboard was just a bit more head-turning.

For

  • TMR magnetic switches
  • Highly customisable via MagCrate
  • Cheaper than the MX 8.2 Pro

Against

  • Understated look
  • Niche appeal
  • Still kinda pricey

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I'm not one for snap judgments, but when this keyboard first crossed my desk, I couldn't help but wrinkle my nose. My initial ire centred on the plastic construction and the pricing. To be fair to this 65% gaming keyboard, it's a sturdy bit of kit with minimal flex that also offers TMR switches. That magnetic tech's level of precision goes some way to justifying the $185/£140 price tag, but I wasn't sure if it went quite far enough.

To state my own biases, the Cherry XTRFY K5 Pro TMR Compact couldn't be more different from the mechanical keyboard that I actually use every day, the Be Quiet Light Mount. Beginning with the obvious, the K5 Pro TMR is far smaller and far from quiet. The Cherry MK Crystal magnetic switches actuate cleanly and offer plenty of key clack—unfortunately, that comes with a pretty THUNK-y space bar that I do not care for.

Mind you, Cherry isn't calling this 'compact' for nothing. As a 65% design, there's no numpad, dedicated macro keys, or pleasingly tactile media controls to speak of. Credit where credit is due, that allows the layout to feel far from cramped. The direction keys are shuffled inwards towards Enter and Control, with the left arrow key jutting out, but Delete, Page Up, and Page Down are given a few millimetres of breathing room to visually balance the design.

Cherry K5 Pro TMR Compact specs

The Cherry K5 Pro TMR Compact gaming keyboard seen from the back. The Cherry K5 Pro TMR Compact on a black mousepad with the RGB lights on. if (window.sliceHydrationLazy) { } else { console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); }

Optional quirks like this aside, the K5 Pro TMR Compact remains a feature-rich and comfortable keyboard—though the point of price has not once left my mind. At this point in time, $185/£140 feels like a lot for even a gaming keyboard…especially when I can secure a wireless keyboard that looks like a purple cat that is also a macaron for some reason for almost half that price (I've been dreaming about the Yunzii C98 Cake Meow ever since I first saw it, can you tell?).

But before I get too distracted with kitty keebs, let's compare and contrast the Compact to its recently released sibling, the Cherry Xtrfy MX 8.2 Pro TMR TKL. Both boards have TMR sensing with 0.01 mm precision, up to 8,000 Hz polling, and all the gaming-focused features you could want. However, the MX 8.2 Pro TMR TKL is a wireless keyboard with great build quality and 300 hours of battery life that will set you back $250/€230.

The Cherry K5 Pro TMR Compact seen from an angle on a blue background.

(Image credit: Future)

The tenkeyless board may appear the wrong side of gaudy for some, but it's definitely way more visually striking than the K5 Pro TMR Compact's understated black and orange look. Still, if you're only after the gaming features and a wireless board doesn't impress you much, the K5 Pro TMR Compact, for about $70 less, makes way more sense of the two.

Buy if...

✅ You've been waiting for a cheaper TMR gaming keyboard: The Cherry Xtrfy MX 8.2 Pro TMR TKL will have its fans, but the K5 Pro TMR Compact does many of the same things for less.

✅ You have small hands: The layout and spacing of this 65% gaming keyboard may be the gaming goldilocks zone for those with small mitts.

Don't buy if...

❌ You're on a tight budget: Though far cheaper than the Cherry Xtrfy MX 8.2 Pro TMR TKL, the K5 Pro TMR Compact is still kinda pricey considering you can get a Hall effect gaming keyboard for much less.

❌ You're a single-player stan: TMR offers a level of precision and responsiveness that many mere mortals outside of the competitive crowd simply won't appreciate.

But for even less than that, you could instead pick up the Keychron K2 HE, which is a 75% wireless keyboard with similarly responsive magnetic switches and, perhaps most importantly, a head-turning wood finish. I'm being only a little bit silly, but it is one of our top picks for the best gaming keyboards for good reason.

However, if you're on an extremely tight budget, the Gamakay x NaughShark NS68 is our best budget pick at only $40/£31. Before this review, it was my go-to whenever I was in-office at 18WENKU Towers because the typing experience is lovely, and it packs in many of the same gaming features as the Cherry XTRFY K5 Pro TMR Compact. To be clear, the NS68 is rocking Hall effect switches, which are arguably slightly less responsive than the Compact's TMR switches, though very few will feel the difference.

Otherwise, it's really tough to argue with an up to 8,000 Hz polling rate, customisable key actuation, Rapid Trigger, and yes, Snap Tap, all for less than 50 bucks. For that reason, the K5 Pro TMR Compact's $185/£140 price tag continues to be a stumbling block I'm not sure our blossoming relationship can quite overcome. But speaking of blossoming, I spy some foliage with my name on it—here's to one more buttery smooth kneeslide for the road.

Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 wireless keyboard
Best gaming keyboard 2026

1. Best overall:
Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless

2. Best budget:
Gamakay x Naughshark NS68

3. Best mid-range:
Ducky Zero 6108

4. Best rapid trigger:
Wooting 80HE

5. Best wireless rapid trigger:
Keychron K2 HE

6. Best silent:
Be Quiet! Light Mount

7. Best tenkeyless:
Keychron Q3 Max

8. Best low profile:
NuPhy Air60 HE

9. Best ergonomic:
Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB

10. Best membrane:
Roccat Magma


👉Check out our full gaming keyboard guide👈

The Verdict
Cherry XTRFY K5 Pro TMR Compact

The 65% layout here is very welcoming to small-handed gamers, but few beyond the competitive crowd will get the most out of this TMR gaming keyboard's rich feature set. Even so, for the price, I wish this wired keyboard was just a bit more head-turning.

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