What does a Topre switch feel like?

[SecrtAgentMan]

I've been looking up videos on topre switches, and I was wondering what it felt like to press it?

Is it similar to a cherry mx switch in any way?

[redpill]

I would describe it as feeling more solid but slightly less crisp in feel and tone.  Cherry switches can sometimes feel a little loose and chattery, whereas the Topres are always very solid feeling.  It also gives a nice rebound under your finger.  The rubber cups provide a soft landing if you bottom out so it can be a more smooth-feeling typing experience.

[SecrtAgentMan]

Thanks ripster and redpill

[Chobopants]

Yeah those are pretty good descriptions. They're a great, but pricy, option for people who aren't pleased by cherries.

[slueth]

Feels like pressing on foam when you press it slowly.  Very addicting.

[SecrtAgentMan]

Is it worth the price?

[redpill]

Is it worth the price?

I think so, but that depends how much of a freak you are and how much money you have to blow on keyboards

[Engine]

I found it worth it and it's my favorite switch but my favorite Cherry switch(brown) is a razer thin second choice, as it's the most similar but in the not so "solid" way, imo.

[ironman31]

what sucks is that Realforce has 4 or so different weightings, all feeling much different. But all 45g and all 55g is the way to go.

[HaveANiceDay]

I don't like the 30g/35g keys of my 86U. The 45g keys are good though.

[redpill]

I haven't felt the 30/35/45g keys, but the all 55g board is great.

[redpill]

It's kinda like sex with your fingers.  Kinda.  If you've had a lot of absinthe.  And a good Motorhead song is playing.

[SirClickAlot]

I can put you on the Topre Keychain sinklist, that way you can try it yourself...... Here

Regards.

[nhwhaup]

I love the light feel of the topres and unlike most of the others I like the variable weighted keyboard due to the lighter weight of the pinky keys.  I wouldn't mind trying a RealForce with all 30 weight keys.  The topres just have an overall buttery feel and the sound is much deeper than the clicking of the cherry switches. My absolute favorite keyboard is my Filco with the red switches. It has a light soft feel but with less noise than any other keyboard. All just super light touch and nothing else. I also like that the Filco is compact to the keys - no extra keyboard area on the top like the RealForce.

[kaiserreich]

It has a Good Feeling of oneness with Cup Rubber

[SecrtAgentMan]

I can put you on the Topre Keychain sinklist, that way you can try it yourself...... Here

Regards.

Sounds awesome, going to send you a PM.

[SecrtAgentMan]

How do you guys feel about using topre switches for gaming?

Also does anyone know if Starcraft 2 uses the F keys? (F1, F2, etc.)

[Chobopants]

How do you guys feel about using topre switches for gaming?

Also does anyone know if Starcraft 2 uses the F keys? (F1, F2, etc.)

Topres are great for gaming. It's just a more solid and crisp rubber dome. SC2 very much uses the F keys.

[SecrtAgentMan]

Topres are great for gaming. It's just a more solid and crisp rubber dome. SC2 very much uses the F keys.

Sounds good.

Guess the HHKB is out of the question then for playing SC2 huh?

[Chobopants]

Sounds good.

Guess the HHKB is out of the question then for playing SC2 huh?

Haha yes, the HHKB is quite bad for gaming. I wouldn't even attempt it.

[guilleguillaume]

mmm I play some games in SC2 time to time and I've never used the F keys. What am I missing?

[ethics-]

F1 to select idle workers. F5 and beyond to save camera locations.

[SecrtAgentMan]

I'd buy that, but I'm sure it wouldn't help much

[nathanscribe]

It's kinda like sex with your fingers.  Kinda.  If you've had a lot of absinthe.  And a good Motorhead song is playing.

 
I heard they feel like a boud of cloobs.

[SecrtAgentMan]

So are the only keyboard with topre switches the HHKB and Realforce?

[SecrtAgentMan]

Passed that list when I was looking at the wiki before :/

[ch_123]

Haha yes, the HHKB is quite bad for gaming. I wouldn't even attempt it.

 
Depends on the game. For same games that make use of numpad keys, having the Fn combinations is great on a compact board.

But when I play Starcraft 2, I always crack out my SSK.

No. There are multiple OEMs.  See the Topre wiki.  But you'll probably never see them in the USA.  You can find them in Akihabara though.

I'm pretty sure they're all rebranded Realforces, albeit some with special features.

[Keylamity]

Sorta feels like pressing an alert nipple of a C-cup on a chilly Canadian evening.

[dvanaria]

The Topre keycaps feel like they're made from heavier material than typical keys, and are more solidly mounted to the key mechanism underneath. Each individual key doesn't "play" as much as a cheap keyboard, they stay pretty much in place when you try to wiggle them lightly. Typing normally, it sounds (and feels) almost like the keys are made of some kind of ceramic material, very solid. But the whole thing is put together so well, it all has a quality feel, keys feel like they register with authority without a loud annoying click. They do make some sound when they bottom out (perhaps that's where the ceramic feel comes from, you get a feeling of the solid nature of the keycap material when the keys bottom out against the keyboard tray).

[sam113101]

Welcome to geekhack*!

[jumpfroggy]

I know this is a ridiculously subjective question - but do the topre's have a "definite" (ie. crisp) feel for a membrane?  I've tried some membranes that are amazingly crisp (some of the older dell quietkeys were), and most membranes that are complete mush.  A crisp membrane feels almost like a scissor-key; it pulls away from you a bit on the bottom half of the stroke.  Is the topre like that?  I have browns now, but I realize that I'd appreciate something with more feedback (the little tactile bump is almost unnoticeable for me).  I know there are the blues, but I think the topre's may be a better choice.

[Brodie337]

Noones said "like a cloud of boobs" and its 36 posts in?

What the hell GeekHack?

What the hell?

[docvic]

I know this is a ridiculously subjective question - but do the topre's have a "definite" (ie. crisp) feel for a membrane?

Hi there! My Realforce just arrived from Laggy-gaga, a 103UBK. First impressions, imo, this is not as crisp feeling as the brown switches by any means. If you're looking for -more- feedback, then the blues would be a more logical choice over the Topres. Of the three switch types I own (brown, blue, Topres), I would say that in terms of feedback, blues>browns>topre. The tactility of the blues is a lot more pronounced than the browns, and there is the added click. That said... I love the feeling of the Realforce, just sublime.

CLOUD OF BOOBS, smooth as a baby's bum, buttery, sex, take your pick.

[SecrtAgentMan]

So I kinda want to get the HHKB Pro 2, and I know the HHKB Pro Type-S is coming soon (any date perchance?)

Any idea when the HHKB Pro 3/successor for the HHKB Pro 2 will be out?

Don't want to jump the gun and get the Pro 2 and get shafted right away.

[reaper]

^ I doubt that the HHKB 3 will be released any time soon and that the red CTRL key might be available again.

[jumpfroggy]

Noones said "like a cloud of boobs" and its 36 posts in?
What the hell GeekHack?
What the hell?

Look at post #27.  It's a puzzle, but if you figure it out then your post becomes meaningless.  Totally, completely, absolutely meaningless.

Hi there! My Realforce just arrived from Laggy-gaga, a 103UBK. First impressions, imo, this is not as crisp feeling as the brown switches by any means. If you're looking for -more- feedback, then the blues would be a more logical choice over the Topres. Of the three switch types I own (brown, blue, Topres), I would say that in terms of feedback, blues>browns>topre. The tactility of the blues is a lot more pronounced than the browns, and there is the added click. That said... I love the feeling of the Realforce, just sublime.
CLOUD OF BOOBS, smooth as a baby's bum, buttery, sex, take your pick.

Hmm.  Weird.  I'd never describe the brown's as crisp.  They're very soft (low force), have a barely detectable tactile bump (barely).  They're still amazing.  But not crisp at all.

I'm actually typing this on my thinkpad's scissor-switch keyboard.  Scissor switches I'd classify as "crisp".  Although now that I think about it, one time I went back to a dell quietkey after using a laptop keyboard for a while, and was surprised how much force it took.  Still crisp, but def. took more effort to press the keys.  The browns take almost too little force, at first.  I've gotten used to them, but I still bottom out too much (esp. when I concentrate).

So maybe a mechanical-ish defined low(er) force membrane switch is what I want.  Or blues.  I'm trying to rationalize/justify a $250 keyboard in my mind.  Now I have to add another $150 for an MX blues keyboard as well.

When is that stinkin' keyboard meetup happening??

[Zhuni]

So I kinda want to get the HHKB Pro 2, and I know the HHKB Pro Type-S is coming soon (any date perchance?)

Any idea when the HHKB Pro 3/successor for the HHKB Pro 2 will be out?

Don't want to jump the gun and get the Pro 2 and get shafted right away.

I wouldnt worry about the HHKB3. They've just announced the silent so it will be at least a year IMO...hell it may never come. And when if does I doubt they'll be much difference. In fact it could be the usual people preferring the older model for some reason. And then if you do want to switch the re-sale of your HHKB pro 2 will be a large chunk of cash towards the new model.

Bottom line. Go buy the HHKB pro and enjoy the balls of it.

Superb keyboard. Was typing loads and playing counter strike on my friends last week and going to be ordering mine one soon. As above the feel is pure buttery sex..

[docvic]

Hmm.  Weird.  I'd never describe the brown's as crisp.  They're very soft (low force), have a barely detectable tactile bump (barely).  They're still amazing.  But not crisp at all.

Haha I do see where you're coming from. At first, I didn't consider the browns crisp at all, especially since I came from blue switches, which are a lot more defined. I'd hesitate to recommend you a Topre keyboard simply because I feel as though it is even less crisp than the browns. I've seen it described as 'like typing on a clay tablet' which should give you some idea. Just based on what you sound like you want, perhaps you don't really need to spend that $250 in a Realforce. I think you'd be a lot happier trying the MX blues first.

[ktkr]

Feels good, man.

[Chobopants]

Cloud of boobs is actually in reference to Red Cherry switches, not Topres.

[candy]

Cherry blues take more force to activate than topre. 55g vs 45/30g. When I first started using the Realforce variable weighted board I got a lot of unintentional key repeats from just resting my left hand on the keyboard while mousing around the screen. So I used a filco with blue cherrys for a couple weeks because I didn't have that issue with it. Then I went back to the topre switches and now that I am used to the lighter touch I like it.

I am seriously considering a leopold with reds or waiting for a chance at another Filco if they make another batch of tenkeyless with reds. Sometimes I want quiet, sometimes I don't. The blues seem heavy to me now going back from the topre. I have small hands, use a tiny mouse, and type lightly, that said my main keyboard for years was a late 80's Space Saving mini M. I have three, and all are malfunctioning now, but they also made my hands ache after hours of typing.

Goodluck picking the right switch for you! I am lucky that I can afford to switch it up sometimes.

[redpill]

^ there are also Topres with uniform 55g.  They are nice.

[Chobopants]

As always when it comes to something so subjective, no amount of words can tell you what it actually feels like. Have to touch it with your fingers.

[Chobopants]

^ there are also Topres with uniform 55g.  They are nice.

Aye, I love my 55g uniform. Super happy with it. MUCH prefer it to the weak little 45g HHKB that my coworker has.

[Zhuni]

As always when it comes to something so subjective, no amount of words can tell you what it actually feels like. Have to touch it with your fingers.

 

That's exactly what I told the cops, but they simply wouldn't listen.

[SecrtAgentMan]

Okay so for those of you who've tried both the HHKBP2 and the Realforce, which is overall better in terms of feel, build quality, the whole kit and caboodle?

Some people argue that the RF has better feeling topre switches than the HHKBP2 ones, is that actually true?

[Chobopants]

Okay so for those of you who've tried both the HHKBP2 and the Realforce, which is overall better in terms of feel, build quality, the whole kit and caboodle?

Some people argue that the RF has better feeling topre switches than the HHKBP2 ones, is that actually true?

They're damn close. Close enough such that you should just buy the one with the key layout that you prefer.

[SecrtAgentMan]

Yeah, I was really wanting the HHKBP2 since it was portable and I liked the layout.

It'd be nice to carry around and won't be as big as a RF.

But since I'm spending $250+ I might as well get the best Topre keyboard I can at that price.

[Zhuni]

I was leaning towards getting a realforce but as I prefer the size of the HHKB I'm going with that. You'll be extremly happy with either so I'd grab the layout and form factor that suits you best

[ktkr]

They're damn close. Close enough such that you should just buy the one with the key layout that you prefer.

Have you tried 45g Realforce switches? They're nothing like the ones in HHKB Professional 2. The switches in HHKB feel much heavier and the resistance is mostly on top. I couldn't mistake HHKB for a Realforce even in my dreams (unfortunately).
 
I dig my HHKB and I'm using it to write this, but it does feel pretty **** compared to my variable Realforce, to be honest.