Cherry Stream Desktop Recharge review: a no-frills, but very effective wireless keyboard / mouse pack

We can’t say that Cherry has gone overboard when it comes to design: the Stream Desktop Recharge is a paragon of sobriety, so much so that it could appear austere on a desk. The black keyboard is made of slightly grainy plastic, not very aesthetic, but which has the advantage of not retaining fingerprints at all. Note that a white version of the set exists, but it will be necessary to turn to a QWERTY layout of the keys.

Despite this “all plastic” construction, we must admit that the whole is very rigid and no part seems fragile, which is not the case on many competing models.

The keyboard is medium in size (46.2 x 16.2 x 2.3 cm), the absence of palm rests giving it a lot of width, to the detriment of comfort. It is not uncomfortable, however, its retractable feet allow it to be raised at the rear. These feet again seem particularly resistant.

In addition to these, there are 8 non-slip pads under the keyboard and the compartment for the two rechargeable AAA batteries supplied. They are of course replaceable in the event of a problem, which in theory gives the keyboard a very long service life.

The on / off button and the USB-C socket for recharging are located on the front edge, as well as an LED indicating that the charge is in progress when the cable is connected. Note that both the keyboard and the mouse can be used while recharging.

As for the keys, we will not really dwell as the layout is classic. They are surprisingly well anchored on their switches, which is rare enough to be emphasized. We discover some shortcuts above the numeric keypad (open a browser, emails or the calculator, in particular) and 6 multimedia keys at the top of the keyboard. Unfortunately, as with most wireless models, the backlight is missing.

The mouse

In keyboard / mouse packs, it is often the mouse that is neglected in terms of design and functionality. Here, it is not the case and Cherry offers a mouse certainly sober, but adorned with some interesting elements.

It thus has 6 buttons: the 2 main clicks, the wheel button, and 2 buttons on the left under the thumb. An LED on the last button behind the wheel indicates that the mouse is charging. This button allows you to adjust the sensitivity of the sensor (1000, 1600 and 2400 dpi), which is very practical to adjust it to different screen resolutions, or simply to your preferences or current software. Unfortunately, it is not possible to assign another function to the different mouse buttons (or keyboard), Cherry only offers setting software for its models. gaming.

The main left and right buttons are not common: they do not emit a “click” and are therefore perfectly silent. Your office neighbors will thank you for it, but it also comes at the expense of speed of execution. We therefore do not recommend that you use this mouse for gaming – which is not its primary function anyway.

With its dimensions of 11.6 x 6.4 x 3.8 cm, this mouse is also of medium size, which allows the grip of type palm gripeven for large hands. Its weight of 115 g is also average and quite suitable for office automation.

By turning it over, we can see in addition to the sensor an on / off button, the location for the rechargeable AA battery and a magnetic housing for the Cherry USB receiver. This allows you to connect the mouse and keyboard to a computer (PC or Mac).

Please note that this kit is not Bluetooth and the dongle is therefore essential for the wireless connection. Unfortunately, this receiver is associated with its original pack and is therefore irreplaceable in the event of loss!