
When it comes to keyboards, there are a few brands that stand out in particular. These include Cherry, which is considered the forefather of computer keyboards and has been manufacturing them since the 1970s. Cherry also produces parts for keyboards from many other brands. Cherry manufactures keyboards and mice in virtually all price ranges and for a wide variety of applications. In the Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort test, we take a look at a wireless combination of a keyboard and a mouse from the mid-range price category. Is the price right? Who is the set suitable for? We find out in this test.
Specifications
Connection | 2.4 Ghz up to 10 m |
Keyboard keys | CHERRY SX scissor mechanism with ABS caps |
Key layout | Full-size (100%) + function keys |
Key travel | 2.8 mm |
Actuating force | 65 cN |
Function keys | 10 for media and volume control, calculator, mail, browser, activate lock screen |
Illumination | none |
LEDs | Caps lock, scroll, num pad |
Mouse buttons | 6 pieces |
Layout | Ergonomic for right-handers |
Scroll wheel | metal |
Sensor | Adjustable up to 4000 DPI in four steps |
Batteries | AA, cannot be charged internally, 2x in keyboard, 1x in mouse |
Price | € 69.99 * |
Packaging and scope of delivery
- Packaging completely without plastic
- Keyboard layout clearly visible due to flag
- Inconspicuous design and high recyclability
I really like the packaging of the Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort Set in this test. At first glance, the packaging is nothing special, but you can tell that there is a certain weight behind it. The box is secured with a few strips glued over the flaps, one of which has the German flag to visualize the German layout. These are a little difficult to cut to get to the flaps, but with a knife it’s no problem.
The nice thing about the packaging is that there is no plastic at all. The keyboard, mouse and supplied batteries are wrapped in black paper, where most other manufacturers use foil. This not only makes a special impression, but is also better from a recycling point of view.
Only on the underside of the mouse are rather less recyclable protective strips pulled over the sliding surfaces. These should of course also be removed before use and then the batteries inserted.
Many packages in the PC sector invite you to pick them up and collect them. The Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort keyboard and mouse set is not necessarily one of them. But that doesn’t matter much due to its high recyclability.
Design
- Unobtrusive, functional design
- Striking red dongle
In the Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort test, this combination of mouse and keyboard is relatively inconspicuous. Overall, the set makes quite a business impression. The keyboard offers a standard layout with a few visually restrained special keys. The shiny metallic Cherry logo sits at the bottom center. All in all, no surprises here. The underside is medium gray, but apart from a stripe on the back, nothing is visible.
The mouse offers a few more design elements, such as the textured thumb rest surface in a slightly lighter color or the ribbed scroll wheel. Nevertheless, the design is still respectable. Neither looks out of place in an office.
The wireless design in particular ensures that the desk looks tidier than with wired components.
What the Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort Set completely dispenses with is lighting. Operation is therefore more suitable in a well-lit environment than in dim surroundings. This helps to improve battery life and ensures that the cost of the set does not escalate.
The USB receiver is small and strikingly red and is also labeled with Cherry so that it is easy to recognize.
Build quality
- Quite high weight conveys a feeling of value
- Blue Angel” award
- Good slip resistance
First of all, it should be mentioned that the Cherry Stream keyboards carry the “Blue Angel” award. The requirements for such an award are relatively high in terms of materials, durability, recycling, reparability and so on. You can read about this in detail on the Blue Angel website. Of course, the packaging will also play its part here.
Both the keyboard and the mouse make a very solid impression due to their rather heavy weight. Even though you only come into contact with plastic on the keyboard, a metal plate on the inside ensures a high level of stability and torsional rigidity.
The contact surfaces of the keyboard are rubberized – even on the feet. This dampens the transmission of the keystroke and efficiently prevents slipping.
In terms of workmanship, the Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort Set has no shortcomings. Everything appears to be neatly assembled and there are no creaking or squeaking noises during operation, as you would expect from various cheaper computer peripherals.
Batteries
- Three 1.5 V AA batteries supplied
- Operation is also possible with 1.2 V rechargeable batteries
- Automatic standby saves some power; switching off completely with a switch saves even more
As far as the batteries are concerned, standard AA batteries are used. This means you don’t have to worry that a defective integrated rechargeable battery will render the Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort Set useless at some point: you can simply replace the batteries. Non-rechargeable 1.5 V batteries are supplied. It is therefore not surprising that the keyboard itself has no charging function and no (USB) cable connection. When the batteries are empty, they have to be removed and replaced.
However, in terms of practical continuous use, the question arises as to whether operation also works with 1.2 V rechargeable batteries. This test is carried out with the popular eneloop rechargeable batteries, which have a very low self-discharge and are therefore also suitable for continuous operation without having to be constantly charged. In short: yes. After a short test with the supplied batteries, I used the eneloop rechargeable batteries in the Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort Set. I used them for the rest of the test and they worked without any problems. So you can also save costs and protect the environment in this way.
Both the mouse and the keyboard have a switch to deactivate them. There is already a stand-by mode that is quickly activated and quickly deactivated by pressing a button. This already saves a lot of energy and can be seen on the keyboard, for example, when the LEDs (e.g. on the NUM key) switch off. However, deactivating it completely increases the battery life even further. And the set should be switched off especially when using it on the move, i.e. when transporting the combination.
Setup and commissioning
- One USB dongle to connect both parts
- Mouse and keyboard have physical power switches
- Plug & play operation without additional software
The point about the batteries has already been mentioned. These must of course be inserted before use, with two AA batteries in the Cherry Stream keyboard and one in the Stream mouse. The mouse also contains the USB dongle, which can simply be plugged into a free USB-A port on the computer, whereby a USB-2 port is preferable in order to keep the USB-3 ports free for devices with higher performance requirements. This USB dongle serves as a receiver for both devices and thus saves a USB slot compared to separately purchased combinations of mouse and keyboard.
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As far as the angle of the keyboard is concerned, you only have one other angle adjustment through the feet in addition to the flat use. This completely suits my taste and I don’t miss any other angles – but there are only a few adjustment options for individual tastes. Overall, the keyboard’s profile is pleasantly flat. A palm rest is therefore not necessary.
Now make sure that both the keyboard and mouse are switched on and you’re ready to go. No additional software is required: operation is based purely on Plug&Play. Although this means that the special keys are not programmable, there is no software running in the background and there are no compatibility problems. Speaking of…
Compatibility
- Full compatibility with Windows, even older versions than officially supported
- Almost full support in Linux Mint except for some of the function keys
- Function on Macs, but with partially different key assignment
- Mouse works on Android, keyboard very limited
The Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort is operated with the supplied USB dongle via a 2.4 GHz connection. This means that the set cannot be used via Bluetooth.
Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11 are officially supported, which naturally encourages other operating systems to be used in a test. Linux distributions in particular (such as Linux Mint) are becoming more and more widespread, but older Windows versions are occasionally used in specialized environments and Apple’s Mac systems can also be found in many places.
I dug out my old Thinkpad T60 with Windows XP for the test. Conclusion: Unrestricted usability and all special keys work without any problems.
The use on Linux Mint works very well. Both typing and mouse control work without any problems, which means that the main functions are available. The function keys are limited. The media controls (play/pause, fast forward and rewind) did not work and neither did the screen lock, whereas the volume control, starting the calculator and the mail program were problem-free.
Apple Mac: The set works well, but the keyboard shortcuts naturally differ between Windows and Apple systems.
I even connected the keyboard to my Android smartphone. Here too: The mouse works without any problems and on the keyboard even the special keys for volume and the calculator work. The other functions are again limited here, which is not surprising as Android is also based on Linux. When typing, however, the keyboard was perceived as an English keyboard and the settings did not allow any changes to be made here either – so the layout was messed up.
In short: The set can also be used well for other operating systems, but the unrestricted functionality is really only given with Windows.
Use in the office
- Quiet setup ideal for offices with several colleagues
- Secure, fast typing experience
The Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort Set really feels at home here. The keyboard is reasonably quiet; the mouse is extremely quiet. This is particularly good when there are several people in an office or even in an open-plan office. Here it is important to do everything possible to keep the volume down.
The typing feel on the Cherry Stream keyboard is comfortable without requiring too much force, yet the feedback is clear enough that you know the keys are pressed. Overall, the keyboard reminds me quite a bit of the really good old keyboards from Lenovo’s Thinkpad laptops, which were the pinnacle of laptop keyboards. You get the feeling that you can type really fast on this keyboard, as you don’t need much pressure and you press the keys noticeably, but not too far. And yet further than with many other low-profile keyboards. I have to say that I am expressly very satisfied with the typing feel and could make friends with this set in everyday office life.
The Cherry Stream mouse is almost more suitable for office use. It has a decent weight and is therefore comfortable to hold, and the ergonomic design – albeit only for right-handers – is particularly comfortable for medium to large hands. The keystroke is extremely quiet and the scroll wheel is barely audible while still providing good haptic feedback.
Use for gaming
- Not optimized for gaming
- Unlit
- Casual gaming works largely without problems
First things first: The Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort Set is not built for gaming and is therefore not optimized for it, but I have carried out the test. Anyone looking for a relatively quiet set with a pleasant typing feel at home may also want to use it for gaming.
I have to say that the keyboard worked well in gaming. Fast typing, reliable key feedback and a good feel for the keys paid off here and there was also no noticeable latency in my test setup. If you play in dark environments, you may miss a key illumination. So where gaming itself works well, the gaming flair is of course missing and sufficient room lighting should also be provided for the occasional glance at the keyboard.
It was a different story with the mouse. Here it depends very much on the game and personal taste. Lightweight mice are often used in gaming these days and the Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort mouse is relatively heavy. Personally, I like the fuller feel in my hand, but it goes against the gaming trend. What can be an advantage for gaming is the button with which you can select the sensitivity. However, the quiet main keys become a disadvantage when it comes to higher speeds. Where a single press gives good feedback, the rapid hammering of the mouse button feels less responsive.
For example, I played Final Fantasy XVI on test, where you have to press the mouse button as quickly as possible in cutscenes. Here, I had no sense of how many of my button presses were actually registered.
Overall, I have to say that the Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort mouse/keyboard combination performed okay for gaming in the test, but you can tell that it’s not a set for hardcore gamers.
A look at the price
- Fair price
- Mouse and keyboard are also available separately
The price of the set is in the middle range. Of course, it is possible to get a cheaper combination of mouse and keyboard, such as the Speedlink Piavo set, which is significantly less well made, but there is also a lot of room for maneuver at the top, so you can easily pay more for the mouse and keyboard than for the whole set in this test. However, with regard to the test, the features offered and the particularly quiet operation, I have to say that the Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort Set is very fairly priced despite the brand name.
Incidentally, the set is also available in white and the mouse and keyboard are also available separately if required.
Conclusion
In the Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort test, this combination of mouse and keyboard proves to be a very solid set that feels particularly at home in the office environment, but is also suitable for private “all-round computers” and for frequent typists.
A high-quality set, awarded the Blue Angel, manufactured by a brand manufacturer, quiet in operation and all this at a mid-range price: the Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort is ideal for professional use in the business environment and also feels at home on home computers. As long as gaming is not the main goal, I can definitely give it my recommendation!
PRO
- Good ergonomics with very good writing feel
- Very quiet operation
- No additional software required
- Full layout with special keys
- Optimized for office use
- Wireless operation with long battery life
CONTRA
- No lighting
- Only moderately suitable for gaming
Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort
Processing
Equipment
Ergonomics
Software
Price-performance ratio
95/100
The Cherry Stream Desktop Comfort keyboard and mouse set offers a very reduced operating noise level and is also ideal for professional use in the office environment thanks to its excellent ergonomics.