HHKB Pro 2 or Novatouch TKL?

[quasistellar]

Stock HHKB is better than stock NT
Silenced NT is better than stock HHKB
Silenced NT feels better than silenced HHKB
HHKB layout/keyboard ergonomic/shape is better than NT
NT has more keys (clusters, f-keys...) while HHKB misses a lack of them
I have both, i prefer HHKB overall because i like 60% more than TKL, the HHKB layout looks also better to me but silenced NT is great keyboard aswell (in my opinion as i stated above, NT feels more firmly, sturdier in your hands)
Hard choice imo, both are very good (if it has been silenced)

What about unmodded Novatouch?
Does it really suck that much compared to stock HHKB Pro 2?

Never used an HHKB (yet) but I can tell you the stock Novatouch is just fine in terms of "feel".  That is, if you put ear plugs in and don't hear the noise it makes, it feels great.  It's really let down by rattly stabs and the really harsh clack on the upstroke.

Half an hour's worth of modding takes care of both though.  You still will need better keycaps, though, as the stock ones are just cheapo thin ABS, but that's kinda the whole point of the Novatouch.  You can get a barebones one off Massdrop every once in a while.

[Anole]

If it were me, I would go for the Novatouch TKL, or a Noppo electrocapacitive, which has MX-compatible Topre clones, and is a full 108 key board.

[LiquidEvilGaming]

The Novatouch i see as the entry level foray into the world of Topre,  it will give you the core experience be it with lower build quality than a Realforce would if you are looking for TKL.  It's also noisier than any of the other Topre keyboards unless you are willing to put some serious mod work into it.  I look at Topre boards like this.

HHKB Pro 2 : Ideal Layout portable Topre Board with unique feeling case mounted switches
FC660C: Fairly portable be it much heavier than the HHKB with a more standard layout for those who can't get used to the HHKB and or Prefer plate mounting on Topre.
Realforce: The definitive TKL/Fullsize Topre board with fantastic build quality and has a 55G weight option for those whom want it.

All of the above boards come with stellar keycaps (especially the RF and HHKB)

THe Novatouch brings MX stems to the table but that's about it really.

It has a horrible sound profile
It feels a bit different to type on than the others IMO
Comes with horrible stock caps so you are going to need to spend the difference in cost to get decent caps anyways.  Granted this opens more custom options however.
Has a much more boring standard case design than any of the other Topre Keyboards.


While the modding will fix the horrible sound profile issues i feel like the Novatouch is the HOnda Civic of the Topre world....It will get you where you need to go and allow you to experience driving a car and many people mod them to death but it doesn't match up to the same thing as owning a BMW.   

My two cents

[ajx]

Nah you completely wrong, i had lubbed and silenced NT, it feels equally good as my silenced HHKB
I can tell non silenced and unlubbed Topre keyboards really sucks even your HHKB
NT is the way to go for someone who wants the best of Topre and MX Cherry keycaps compatibility but you have to mod it (imo, any Topre keyboards needs to be silenced)

[LiquidEvilGaming]

Nah you completely wrong, i had lubbed and silenced NT, it feels equally good as my silenced HHKB
I can tell non silenced and unlubbed Topre keyboards really sucks even your HHKB
NT is the way to go for someone who wants the best of Topre and MX Cherry keycaps compatibility but you have to mod it (imo, any Topre keyboards needs to be silenced)

Never personally been a fan of silenced Topre personally it just lacks a soul, it's like taking away the roar of the engine of a Corvette and replacing it with the dull silence of a Toyota Prius.  But to each their own.

[chryos1029]

Nah you completely wrong, i had lubbed and silenced NT, it feels equally good as my silenced HHKB
I can tell non silenced and unlubbed Topre keyboards really sucks even your HHKB
NT is the way to go for someone who wants the best of Topre and MX Cherry keycaps compatibility but you have to mod it (imo, any Topre keyboards needs to be silenced)

But is modding the keyboard hard and troublesome?
I scare it will screw up the keyboard 

[WarCommand]

HHKB.

[ajx]

It takes time to fully silence mod it but its nothing too difficult, trust me, i am a butterfingers but i ve managed to do it
There are some tutorials here (one reallt good from the creator of SpaceFN layout)

[Crossfire]

I've lubed NT, HHKB and RF87...and it's completely different beast. Topre's tend to be rattly and a bit high pitched when pressed...the problem is, that these sounds and feels really take away the thock and the switches kind of dance around in the tubes...it's because of these manufacturing tolerances imho...so adding a thin layer of lube on the sliders really cures these problems...you have nothing to break or screw up...just take your time and patience, trial & error and you'll be on your way to topre nirvana  
A sound check of my lubed RF 87U, on hard floor (mind you, it's even more bassy in RL):

[demik]

seems like you ****ed up your spacebar when putting your keyboard back together

[Crossfire]

Nah, it's just flipped 

[shortround]

The Novatouch just feels cheap to me.  When I tried it, it was loud and rattled.  The HHKB, especially the Type-S, is brat far the superior board.

I felt the same way with mine before putting the supplied o-rings on it and Ducky PBT caps.  The sound and shaky keycaps were much better after the o-rings. 

To the O.P. I own both keyboards and although the Novatouch is good, the HHKB still feels and sounds better if that matters to you.

[quasistellar]

It really comes down to whether you want to mod your board or not.

I love my Novatouch, but if I can get used to the 60% format after my Infinity arrives, I'll buy an HHKB and give it a go.  I use home, end, page up, and page down a ton, so having those under a function layer will take some getting used to.

[shortround]

It really comes down to whether you want to mod your board or not.

I love my Novatouch, but if I can get used to the 60% format after my Infinity arrives, I'll buy an HHKB and give it a go.  I use home, end, page up, and page down a ton, so having those under a function layer will take some getting used to.

It does kind of suck having those useful navigation keys under the function layer.  The good thing is that all the keys you listed are pretty close to the fn key on the hhkb so you can operate them with right hand alone.  For my arrow cluster I found that purple wasd caps work great, of course it bacame wads on my keyboard.  Wait, that sounds kind of gross. 

[calvinhousecat]

Nah you completely wrong, i had lubbed and silenced NT, it feels equally good as my silenced HHKB
I can tell non silenced and unlubbed Topre keyboards really sucks even your HHKB
NT is the way to go for someone who wants the best of Topre and MX Cherry keycaps compatibility but you have to mod it (imo, any Topre keyboards needs to be silenced)

This is a dumb question but when you mean silencing, are you just talking about O-Rings?

And lubing a Novatouch? Where do I lube? I've never lubed any keyboard before

[xtrafrood]

NT won't work with quite a few different artisan keycaps. You would literally have to replace your novatouch sliders if you wanted to install a Bro Cap

[quasistellar]

Nah you completely wrong, i had lubbed and silenced NT, it feels equally good as my silenced HHKB
I can tell non silenced and unlubbed Topre keyboards really sucks even your HHKB
NT is the way to go for someone who wants the best of Topre and MX Cherry keycaps compatibility but you have to mod it (imo, any Topre keyboards needs to be silenced)

This is a dumb question but when you mean silencing, are you just talking about O-Rings?

And lubing a Novatouch? Where do I lube? I've never lubed any keyboard before

They aren't orings. When silencing Topre, you are dampening the upstroke, not the bottoming out. To do this you must put some sort of dampening material on the sliders themselves. Lube can be applied to the slider cylinder as well, but I personally don't think it makes much difference.

 Do a Google search for Hypersphere's rings or ironed landing pads. On a Novatouch the hardest part is getting the case open, but there are tutorials out there.