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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: zippox on Thu, 20 September 2018, 09:10:05
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I understand it's all preference. But I am used to using Cherry MX blues and was wondering if I were to switch to a Topre keybord, which gram switch would you guys recommend? I currently use a TKL keyboard, and like it. Any suggestions for which Topre keyboard I should keep an eye on and around how much it might be?
Also note that I really enjoy my PBT keycaps. So preferably a keyboard that comes with PBT from the get-go.
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55g Topre will feel heavier than MX Blues IMO (even though MX Blues require 60g to overcome the bump). It is because the start up is 55g from the start whereas Cherry you have some momentum and the start up is a lower weight..
But I don't think people would be wrong in suggesting 55g either....but I do think they're heavier..probably more work than blacks.
If what you desire is more weight than Blues I'd go 55g...if you're looking for a similar workload for your hands, 45g...
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I agree with Polymer. MX Blues feel very light to my fingers, and I'd say that 45g Topre switches are going to be closer to them in feel than 55g. (45g Topre switches are my favorite switches, BTW, and I type on them every day)
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That's a good description of blues vs topre. Makes me feel like 45g would be more my style.
Would Realforce 87 be a good keyboard for me to consider? Would there be a reason for me to entertain any others?
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Would Realforce 87 be a good keyboard for me to consider?
Yes.
Would there be a reason for me to entertain any others?
Not really.
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That's a good description of blues vs topre. Makes me feel like 45g would be more my style.
Would Realforce 87 be a good keyboard for me to consider? Would there be a reason for me to entertain any others?
55g is pretty heavy...It definitely is more tactile in that it is just a bigger bubble to pop before it bursts...
There are a good number of 55g fans on here but that isn't RF's normal popular weight...You can also see from other Topre like HHKB, 660c, etc, they've all been based off of 45g.
If you think you might want slightly more weight..the HHKB and 660c both feel like they take slightly more force than RFs...but not to the point of 55g.
I don't know if their is a particular reason to choose RF over other Topre keyboard....They're all pretty good.
But in general...TKL = RF. 60% = HHKB... 65% or whatever because you want arrow keys = 660c.
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Seems like the 45g 87u is what would be best for me. When the time comes and I'm ready, I know I can look in the classifieds on GH, but if I were to buy direct, do you suggest mechanicalkeyboard.com? Looks like they currently don't have a non-variable 87u in white.
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Seems like the 45g 87u is what would be best for me. When the time comes and I'm ready, I know I can look in the classifieds on GH, but if I were to buy direct, do you suggest mechanicalkeyboard.com? Looks like they currently don't have a non-variable 87u in white.
45g-uniform 87U is one of my favorite boards. It isn't the most exciting, but for me it's the easiest to live with.
87U 45g is definitely softer than other 45g Topre like the HHKB and FC660C, which pop a bit more. By 'softer' I mean they are effectively a bit less tactile, though the overall weight isn't that different (FC660C is probably the heaviest "45g" Topre).
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55 for m0ar feels
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A quick look at the classifieds shows that 87u uniform really aren't being sold/traded much. Seems like they were more popular a couple years ago?
I'm not ready to buy one just yet, but I also am having a hard time finding 45g uniform for sale new. Are they no longer being made? If so, are they selling 55g because they are more generally loved?
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A quick look at the classifieds shows that 87u uniform really aren't being sold/traded much. Seems like they were more popular a couple years ago?
I'm not ready to buy one just yet, but I also am having a hard time finding 45g uniform for sale new. Are they no longer being made? If so, are they selling 55g because they are more generally loved?
Topre is a weird animal in terms of supply.
FC660Cs have been out of stock in normal sales channels for months. And RF87Us have shifted from a glut of them (when MD was running drops on them every couple of months) to now when inventories seem to have backed off a bit.
mechanicalkeyboards.com have some rf boards coming in between Oct15 - Oct30, but no white RF87U 45g. I'd keep an eye on MD, and maybe check out Amazon or Widebasket on Ebay.
Use the time you are waiting to see if you can find somebody local with a 45g RF87U, and ask them if you can try it out for a few minutes. 45g HHKBs dont feel the same as the RF87U due to plate differences.
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Would I utilize the "Meetups" subforum to find someone with an 87u 45 and 87u 55g so I can try them out?
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55g made my fingers ache after long sessions. Just what I noticed.
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: Ki
Would I utilize the "Meetups" subforum to find someone with an 87u 45 and 87u 55g so I can try them out?
Going to a group meetup might be a good way to either use keyboards that people have brought to the meetup or make connections to people that might let you try their boards. Luckily, RF87Us are fairly common among people who use keyboards, so finding somebody that can let you try one shouldn't be too much of a hassle given enough time.
EDIT: I just found this MN meetup on Reddit. Not sure if it is close, or if you can make it, but thought it might be of interest. https://www.reddit.com/comments/9i4kji
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But how do I tell my wife I'm meeting people at a library to type on keyboards 41 minutes away while she is at home with the two kids? I don't think she could comprehend the geekiness.
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But how do I tell my wife I'm meeting people at a library to type on keyboards 41 minutes away while she is at home with the two kids? I don't think she could comprehend the geekiness.
I can't help you with that, you are on your own. :)
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I can't speak to blues, but when I moved from 45g Cherry brown switches to 45g Topre switches, I found that the Topre felt like a harder keypress because of the way the resistance is all at the top of the stroke with the Topre.
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Yeah when I first switched from MX Brown to Topre 45g, it did felt a little bit heavier than I'm used to but then you quickly adapt to it.
Keep in mind that variable Topre is an entire different story but I much prefer the 45g uniform.
So 55g will definitely be too heavy if you're coming from MX Blue.
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Yeah when I first switched from MX Brown to Topre 45g, it did felt a little bit heavier than I'm used to but then you quickly adapt to it.
Keep in mind that variable Topre is an entire different story but I much prefer the 45g uniform.
I completely agree with all of that. I have uniform 45g Topre boards at home (Realforce RGB) and at work (Type Heaven), and when I pull out one of my MX brown keyboards, they feel very light at first, and I feel like I make more typos, or bottom out hard on them, for a while. I've had a couple of variable weight Topres, and I like the uniform 45g models much more. The lighter keys on the edges of a variable weight Topre feel pretty mushy.
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A quick look at the classifieds shows that 87u uniform really aren't being sold/traded much. Seems like they were more popular a couple years ago?
I'm not ready to buy one just yet, but I also am having a hard time finding 45g uniform for sale new. Are they no longer being made? If so, are they selling 55g because they are more generally loved?
My opinion is that RF keyboards are more likely to be bought and held indefinitely, they are not the sort of keyboards that would be traded much.
They are expensive even for mech boards, the build quality is very high, Topre only comes in a couple of weights versus the dozens of variations in MX-style switches and brands, and they look very conservative. All factors which would discourage frequent buying and selling.
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Prefer 55g.
For TACTILITY!
You can always swap domes if you want something else...