Reliability of REALFORCE R2 RGB questions

[les_garten]

I want a RGB Topre keyboard.  Was getting ready to buy the REALFORCE R2 RGB Full size KB.  But looking over the Amazon ratings which are horrendous, and reading some Reddit posts, it seems like they are terribly unreliable as far as the LEDs go.  But I can't seem to let that go and wanted to ask here.

I have ageing eyes and have to have RGB.   I am presently using a Corsair K70 RGB full size.  But I would REALLY prefer the Topre switches, but RGB is a necessity.

Anybody have some advice they could lend?

[Leslieann]

If you're having trouble seeing the fonts almost no amount of backlighting is going to help.
You want caps with larger, more legible fonts and with higher contrast. I'm not saying you need big bold blocky letters but a LOT of caps are more concerned with looks than legibility. Once you start looking at them from that perspective you start to see just how many are horrible, horribly designed. Do a search on Amazon for "thick pbt" and just scroll down looking at the small pictures and note how easy some are to read while others may as well not even have legends, even if it's a good picture.

Shining more light into your eyes is rarely the answer.

[les_garten]

If you're having trouble seeing the fonts almost no amount of backlighting is going to help.
You want caps with larger, more legible fonts and with higher contrast. I'm not saying you need big bold blocky letters but a LOT of caps are more concerned with looks than legibility. Once you start looking at them from that perspective you start to see just how many are horrible, horribly designed. Do a search on Amazon for "thick pbt" and just scroll down looking at the small pictures and note how easy some are to read while others may as well not even have legends, even if it's a good picture.

Shining more light into your eyes is rarely the answer.

You're a young person obviously.  Here's the issue:




I'm mid 60's.  I need the light.  Been in IT since 1985.  Things dim as you get older.  I need Flashlights during the day often for detail.

So I need a lit keyboard.  I have the K70 LUX right now and it's fine.  But I really would like Topre keys.  With light that is.  You can look at that graph for mid 60's and see the problem.  Most people have no idea this is going to happen to them.  This is why old people hate to drive at night.  I knew this was coming since my 20's.  I was a Biology Major.

[Riverman]

I've owned a couple of Realforce RGB keyboards and never had an issue with the LEDs.  Keep in mind that most people who post reviews online only do so when they have a problem.  I remember seeing one RGB for sale on eBay with a lighting issue, but only one. I loved mine, except I could never get the stabilizers to stop clicking.  Topre came up with some strange ones just for this keyboard, which was completely unnecessary considering all the off the shelf ones they could have used.  Also keep in mind that the RGB has the worst sound of any Topre keyboard due to that slider and housing material and the ABS keycaps.  It sounds pretty good it you install some Deskeys silencing rings, but with your eyes, that may not be an easy task.

[les_garten]

I've owned a couple of Realforce RGB keyboards and never had an issue with the LEDs.  Keep in mind that most people who post reviews online only do so when they have a problem.  I remember seeing one RGB for sale on eBay with a lighting issue, but only one. I loved mine, except I could never get the stabilizers to stop clicking.  Topre came up with some strange ones just for this keyboard, which was completely unnecessary considering all the off the shelf ones they could have used.  Also keep in mind that the RGB has the worst sound of any Topre keyboard due to that slider and housing material and the ABS keycaps.  It sounds pretty good it you install some Deskeys silencing rings, but with your eyes, that may not be an easy task.

I think the current ones have PBT caps.   I understand the BIAS for bad reviews.  But it seems a bit much with some people having had a few that failed.   When I hear that one person had 3 or 4 that eventually had LED issues I kinda am getting scared off.  I can put the rings on.  I have a dizzying array of headlights and magnification methods!

I would definitely get one if I thought the LEDs were reliable.

[Leslieann]

You're a young person obviously.  Here's the issue:

I work in IT with a lot of elderly.

Shine throughs have horrible fonts and clarity, they also wear poorly, PBT or not.

[Sup]

Well if you want Topre and backlight your options are very limited. I would just buy it since there is warranty on it

[bansheetango]

There's also Niz, EC switches similar to Topre: https://www.nizkeyboard.com/collections/peripherals/products/niz-2019-new-x108-electro-capactive-bluetooth-keyboard-non-rgb?variant=39457723875502

[Darthbaggins]

You're a young person obviously.  Here's the issue:

I work in IT with a lot of elderly.

Shine throughs have horrible fonts and clarity, they also wear poorly, PBT or not.

also they could start to learn where key placement is on the board so to not be reliant on a shining LED coming through the keys.  Sure I like RGB since i can set the board to what color of choice I am feeling, but hate shine-through caps as they are all cheap and bad for the long-run (price doesn't always mean quality, just easier to pick out the suckers in the bunch).

[les_garten]

You're a young person obviously.  Here's the issue:

I work in IT with a lot of elderly.

Shine throughs have horrible fonts and clarity, they also wear poorly, PBT or not.

also they could start to learn where key placement is on the board so to not be reliant on a shining LED coming through the keys.  Sure I like RGB since i can set the board to what color of choice I am feeling, but hate shine-through caps as they are all cheap and bad for the long-run (price doesn't always mean quality, just easier to pick out the suckers in the bunch).

My pronoun is not they ;-)

I ain't learnin' to type at 65...  Fetch ain't gonna happen.

[Tempest790]

I have an R1 and an R2 Realforce RGB. My R1 has one defective LED (the number 6 top row). If my computer is in sleep mode, some of the keys glow a very faint blue. It's weird. My R2 has still been working fine (so far). I really love these keyboards, but Topre must've cut some cost when it came to the LED's. No excuse for that on a $200+ keyboard. I use my R1 at work now and my R2 is at home. Topre seems to be releasing the R3's although not an RGB version yet. No idea what the revisions are for each generation though.

[les_garten]

I have an R1 and an R2 Realforce RGB. My R1 has one defective LED (the number 6 top row). If my computer is in sleep mode, some of the keys glow a very faint blue. It's weird. My R2 has still been working fine (so far). I really love these keyboards, but Topre must've cut some cost when it came to the LED's. No excuse for that on a $200+ keyboard. I use my R1 at work now and my R2 is at home. Topre seems to be releasing the R3's although not an RGB version yet. No idea what the revisions are for each generation though.

I think I've decided to get an updated Corsair.   It seems like a lot of Realforce RGBs have LED issues.  I'll probably get one though, will be hard not to, I really like the Topre switches.