G84-4100 Cherry ML Keyboard.

UselessBread · June 27, 2013

This is the G84-4100PTMDE by Cherry corp.

Cherry's article numbers might not be the most intuitive, so here a quick explanation of this keyboards article number:

G84 for the Switches in use: Cherry ML Switches, low profile switches designed for laptop applications.

They are designed to be soldered to a PCB, are rated for 20 Million operations, have a 3mm total travel and require ~44.9907g of force to operate. They have a tactile bump, but don't click. Cherry spec sheet

4100 is the model number, I don't know how this is determined. the G84-4100 is a compact Keyboard, that has all features a full size one offers.

The first letter 'P' stands for the keycaps. In this case pad printed ABS.
Second letter 'T' is the connectivity. Apparently T is for USB only.
Third the 'M'. I assume that on this model it is for windows keys in the layout. with 'M' I have them, I assume N doesn't have them.

'DE' is for the layout - German.

The packaging is rather bare, no bling, just a cardboard box.

Included there is the keyboard, a PS/2 USB adapter piece and the manual.

The Keyboard is a compact keyboard with regular sized keys. The layout is a bit unusual. On the top there is a row of F keys, while F11 and F12 are on the Fn Layer, which also contains the numpad and some stray keys that wouldn't have fit otherwise. The backspace key is a lot smaller than usual, the shift key is despite this being a german keyboard long, and the enter is small. The additional key from the ISO layout is between the Alt and space key. The biggest problem with the layout I have is the backspace, which I have a hard time to hit.

The switches take a lot of getting used to. ML switches are very fragile and have a lot more problems with off-center presses than I am used to with MX switches. I accidentaly opened one of the switches, so here is a pic from a ML switches guts. At the moment I am not really used to typing on the ML switches, but I am guessing that I will get used to this, If I do this more often.

The guts: the spring is supposed to sit in the black circular stem.

Removing keycaps is a bit tough. I tried to fit my keycap puller, but it wouldn't fit between the caps. You might be better off with a wire style keycap puller here. I fingered around a lot and managed to remove some.

I bought this keyboard to be used with my Raspberry Pi, And the good news is, that at least the G84-4100XTMXX works with it. I don't know about the ones that support PS/2.