Are Topre really worth it?

[dj christian]

I've read they are better than Cherry switches. Is it really true?

[SpAmRaY]

No it's just a rubber dome conspiracy.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[E3E]

It's a matter of preference in the case of Alps vs Cherry vs Topre vs IBM. They all are above any low standards to the point where it's up to your likes and dislikes, generally speaking. Choose your poison.

[aviking]

First keeb is a R2 Topre 45G silent here
Feels dreamy

[ninjacore]

You should really try both as you will not get a satisfactory answer from someone else (it's completely subjective).

Microcenter (if you have one nearby) should have both available to try out (albeit, they'll be the mass-produced versions of each).  Alternatively, you could just buy one of each from an online vendor, the classies here, or /mechmarket and resell the one you like less.  You shouldn't lose more than $20-30 doing so.

[tp4tissue]

I've read they are better than Cherry switches. Is it really true?

Is McD Crispy Chikam Sandwich better than Chikam nugats ?

It's a matter of preference.


That said, I believe Cherry style switches is the better value proposition, because of the Option for Keycaps, this has always been the case.


Topre's advantage is that it is a very familiar key feel that everyone is used to, because of its similarity to the ubiquitous rubber dome keyboards.

It is a Smoother and more refined rubber-dome feel , that is its appeal.

[bigman7]

Topre is only worth it if you REALLY like it because it's quite expensive. If you get a Topre board and by two weeks you're not in love with it, return it and get your money back (or sell it)

[whalematrontron]

Value is subjective, but it's definitely worth at least trying at a meet-up - they are quite different to mx style switches.

[zslane]

Topre is worth it to me because it is the only switch that provides the kind of quiet tactile feel I like. I have yet to find an MX or MX clone switch that has the same tactile feel or quiet operation as Topre (with silencing rings installed).

[Entropia]

I own two very good boards (Leopold), one with MX Blacks and one with Topres. I enjoy typing with both of them. A good board with good components and build quality really makes a difference. Now, both being very satisfactory experiences, I must say they feel really different. I was very doubtful about spending so much money in a board with Topres, but now I do not regret buying it at all. They feel unique. It's like a combination of smoothness, impact and great sound.

[macclack]

A question like this reminds me of the quote (I can't remember the author):
"For those who like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing they like."

People who gravitate towards Topre LOVE it. I go back and forth in terms of how much I love them. Sometimes I think nothing compares, and other times I get a little bored typing on them.

Topre switches are completely unique—nothing really compares. They're ultra-smooth, tactile and sound fantastic to my ears, but all of mine have silencing rings (e.g. Hyperspheres) and are lubed so they're not stock. No one is going to be able to properly explain the feeling. You need to try it yourself to know if it's your gig.

[Polymer]

The only way to find out is to try it out..I'd recommend at least a month.

For gaming, I prefer MX by a lot..

For general typing I prefer Topre but I'm fine with MX as well.

If I had to only get one, I'd get MX...but I'm very happy I don't have to make that choice.

[mta]

I think they're good, but also very overhyped. Which is not to say they're bad or anything, but when I tried the HHKB for the first time it was sort of anticlimactic. It was just... "Okay, that's cool but... that's it?"

[NimbleTortoise]

You have to really like it if you do get it, as it has several limitations in terms of keycaps, questionable space bar stabilizers, and the price. I think it's just alright personally. It didn't blow my mind.

[Kevadu]

I wish there were better quality Topre keyboards.  With customs you can easily spend $500+ on a keyboard so it's not like Topre are 'expensive' by those standards, but they don't feel like the $200-$300 keyboards that they are.  RealForce boards have creaky plastic cases, non-removable cables, and mediocre stabilizers but at least it has a metal plate.  The HHKB doesn't even have that...

Unfortunately you can't really make a custom Topre keyboard.  Best you can do is transplant the PCB into a custom case.

[fanpeople]

Too many word pictures ITT.


Yes. There is the correct answer.

[Sup]

Nope i had almost every Topre board Hi Pro HHKB Pro 1/2 Realforce 87u 55g 30g 45g etc only board i haven't tried is the leopeold ones. Topre is NOT better then MX,Alps switches its all personal preference. People that claim Topre is the best keyboard build and beats every other MX/Alps or other switches are just trying to justify there high purchase.  )  IMO Alps switches beat Topre by miles.

[_GMK_]

Novatouch sucks. Travel distance seems too long, and they're too heavy for fast typing. I don't know if lighter topre are acceptable.
When you spend too much for something, you are immediately in denial.

[fanpeople]

.... y.....e.....s......

[tp4tissue]

Novatouch sucks. Travel distance seems too long, and they're too heavy for fast typing. I don't know if lighter topre are acceptable.
When you spend too much for something, you are immediately in denial.

Well, for the keeb novice, this is probably true.

But for Keeb-Masters such as many Gekhakrs , if it's Meh , Tp4 will tell it like it is.

[Hypersphere]

Yes, it's subjective. However, for me, Topre is definitely worth it. Over the years, I've tried many types of keyboard switches. These have included cheap contemporary rubber domes, foam & foil, IBM membrane buckling spring (Model M), IBM capacitive buckling spring (Model F), IBM beam spring, various SKCL and SKCM Alps, various vintage and contemporary Cherry mx and clones, and Topre 45g and 55g.

There is something to like about almost any keyboard switch, and I keep quite a variety in my keyboard rotations at home and work. However, the one I keep coming back to as my overall favorite is lubed and silenced 45g Topre (in my HHKB Pro 2 and my RF R2 TKL PPU edition boards).

Conversely, the switch category that consistently ranks last in my personal ratings is Cherry mx and its clones. Nevertheless, I keep some of these in my collection, mainly to showcase some very attractive keycap sets. Among Cherry clones, my favorites are Gateron Yellow and Zilent v1 67g. The Zilents are the closest thing to Topre that I have found in the Cherry mx and clones world.

As always, YMMV.

[romevi]

Yes.

[_PixelNinja]

Topre was designed for critical data entry. As such, being a capacitif switch it is immune to chatter — one could argue in that sense that Topre is 'better' than Cherry MX. Otherwise, for everything else, it is a completely subjective matter.

[absyrd]

HHKB and 55g RF are worth a good test run. HHKB ended the hobby for me in the long run.

[_GMK_]

Did you ever experience key chatter? Did it happen when your keyboard new or was it heavily used?

[Polymer]

Why do people think others like Topre because of the cost?  That's such a laughable thing that's been debunked so many times..

MX ends up being just as expensive if not more so after you've changed out keycaps...Newer Topre keyboards have made the board more accessible and affordable and there are quite a number of expensive MX boards as well...

People end up liking Topre because they like it...it is purely personal preference and has nothing to do with price. 

[NewbieOneKenobi]

Only ever had a Novatouch — killed it with coke spillage and solvent bath. The key feel wasn't bad, I did like it, it was great, but I think I preferred my old Filco blue, so in a sense the NT's death was a relief. I'm pretty sure 'real' Topre like Realforce is going to be even better, so perhaps I might even end liking it better than blues. Currently, I'm intrigue by Razer Ornata Chroma, a similar concept.

[fanpeople]

Yes.

[Sup]

Yes.

yes. farming posts btw don't mind me

[Peripheral Prophet]

I've read they are better than Cherry switches. Is it really true?

Kinda, they are better than most cherry switches, but still dont feel as nice as holy pandas if you want a tactile switch.  Topre will just feel mushy by comparison..  I feel like mx blacks are the best linear switches of all time, and I prefer the holy pandas over ergo clears.  I have no experience with any other tactile switches but I do want to give novelkeys kailh box switches a go..

[frydaja]

The thing I heavily dislike about Topre is that I have to pay 250 dollars (assuming I'd buy a 104-key board) for a keyboard and another 100 or even more to make it perfect. I mean, for 250+ bucks I'd expect the keyboard to be perfect out of the box. I wouldn't mind much the (probably) mediocre tactility (after all, my CM Lite L is one of the less tactile rubber domes but it's still one of my favorite keyboards to date), but having to silence the keyboard and buy a spacebar that won't wear off in a month.. that's a no.
PBT keycaps are great, but my Compaq RT101 has all-PBT, even the spacebar. IDK how much it costed in 1995, but I bought it used for.. 20 dollars?

[subcat]

people always forget that topre keyboards are intended for the japanese domestic market, and thus most prices in the west are inflated because of logistics and other import-related fees

brand new realforces/hhkbs are available starting at ~$170-175 - obviously that still isn't 'affordable' by comparison to most low-mid range options but it seems like people base their pricing off of what smartimports charges and pretend that that's the rrp topre themselves set or something.

it's incredibly easy to get used topre for very cheap in japan too, think perfectly clean 87us around the $110 mark and older standard jis stuff for even less

also if you're wearing out your abs spacebars in a month i would suggest taking a shower

[fanpeople]

Yes.

yes. farming posts btw don't mind me

Yeah mate just getting my post count up so i can use the market place.

[SpAmRaY]

Yes.

yes. farming posts btw don't mind me

Yeah mate just getting my post count up so i can use the market place.

So long as you're buying topre it's all good.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[fanpeople]

Yes.

yes. farming posts btw don't mind me

Yeah mate just getting my post count up so i can use the market place.

So long as you're buying topre it's all good.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Of course, cup rubber is my finger brother.

[whalematrontron]

Nope i had almost every Topre board Hi Pro HHKB Pro 1/2 Realforce 87u 55g 30g 45g etc only board i haven't tried is the leopeold ones. Topre is NOT better then MX,Alps switches its all personal preference. People that claim Topre is the best keyboard build and beats every other MX/Alps or other switches are just trying to justify there high purchase.  )  IMO Alps switches beat Topre by miles.

tbh i think the same goes for a lot of people who invest tonnes into alps switches trying to find that perfect NOS switch

[mkkeyboardvigilante]

Didn't think much of them when I got my first one a few months back and after having quality control issues with my Topre clone board from Niz (the spacebar came off after just a few weeks, and the replacement Amazon sent me was so scratchy and hardly usable at all to me).

It was an HHKB, but it was back when I didn't know anything about lubing. It was a bit hard on the fingers at first, but my hands adjusted, and I grew to love the board so much. Now I have a third Topre board on the way. Can't imagine typing on much else now. Got a bunch of other keyboards in my closet I hardly use anymore because of Topre.

[frydaja]

people always forget that topre keyboards are intended for the japanese domestic market, and thus most prices in the west are inflated because of logistics and other import-related fees
brand new realforces/hhkbs are available starting at ~$170-175 - obviously that still isn't 'affordable' by comparison to most low-mid range options but it seems like people base their pricing off of what smartimports charges and pretend that that's the rrp topre themselves set or something.

it's incredibly easy to get used topre for very cheap in japan too, think perfectly clean 87us around the $110 mark and older standard jis stuff for even less

That justifies the price, but not the value. For me, I just can't justify paying even 110$ if the only thing I'll gain from it is partway actuation, a USB plug and Windows keys.

[dustinhxc]

Yes, Realforce is the dream.  Good feeling with oneness of cup rubber.

[subcat]

people always forget that topre keyboards are intended for the japanese domestic market, and thus most prices in the west are inflated because of logistics and other import-related fees
brand new realforces/hhkbs are available starting at ~$170-175 - obviously that still isn't 'affordable' by comparison to most low-mid range options but it seems like people base their pricing off of what smartimports charges and pretend that that's the rrp topre themselves set or something.

it's incredibly easy to get used topre for very cheap in japan too, think perfectly clean 87us around the $110 mark and older standard jis stuff for even less

That justifies the price, but not the value. For me, I just can't justify paying even 110$ if the only thing I'll gain from it is partway actuation, a USB plug and Windows keys.

if this is in comparison to older dome with slider boards, you also get far better build quality, great keycaps, better options for customisability, a layout that isn't fullsize etc.
but i understand where you're coming from, i know some people are perfectly happy with old scorpius stuff, btc dome w/ slider and so on, but i'd rather pay the extra for the objectively better quality stuff (keycaps, build, switch potential, customisability)

[Sup]

Nope i had almost every Topre board Hi Pro HHKB Pro 1/2 Realforce 87u 55g 30g 45g etc only board i haven't tried is the leopeold ones. Topre is NOT better then MX,Alps switches its all personal preference. People that claim Topre is the best keyboard build and beats every other MX/Alps or other switches are just trying to justify there high purchase.  )  IMO Alps switches beat Topre by miles.

tbh i think the same goes for a lot of people who invest tonnes into alps switches trying to find that perfect NOS switch

True.

[_PixelNinja]

also if you're wearing out your abs spacebars in a month i would suggest taking a shower

Keycap wear is a function of frequency of use and one's body chemistry (acid mantle). Showering will do very little in that regard.

[Hypersphere]

Topre was designed for critical data entry. As such, being a capacitif switch it is immune to chatter — one could argue in that sense that Topre is 'better' than Cherry MX. Otherwise, for everything else, it is a completely subjective matter.

Yes, I agree about Topre and immunity to chatter. I've never experienced chatter with my RF or HHKB. For that matter, I've never experienced chatter with any of my Cherry mx or clone boards. However, I've seen plenty of chatter with various Alps-switch boards. Alps switches are particularly prone to chatter arising from dirty and/or worn switches. Even so, I prefer typing on Alps than on any Cherry mx or clone switch. My overall favorites are Topre and IBM Model F.

[Polymer]

The thing I heavily dislike about Topre is that I have to pay 250 dollars (assuming I'd buy a 104-key board) for a keyboard and another 100 or even more to make it perfect. I mean, for 250+ bucks I'd expect the keyboard to be perfect out of the box. I wouldn't mind much the (probably) mediocre tactility (after all, my CM Lite L is one of the less tactile rubber domes but it's still one of my favorite keyboards to date), but having to silence the keyboard and buy a spacebar that won't wear off in a month.. that's a no.
PBT keycaps are great, but my Compaq RT101 has all-PBT, even the spacebar. IDK how much it costed in 1995, but I bought it used for.. 20 dollars?

Why do you have to do that?  Just buying a silenced one if that's what you want.  Have you actually used a non silenced Topre?  There is a difference but normal Topre is perfectly acceptable in an office environment.  What also doesn't make sense is MX is incredibly loud and you will need to go through the same thing. 

PBT spacebars for Topre are cheap as well...and that's only if you care about the shine...lots of people don't...

And so to get what you want out of MX?  What are you spending?  And if you're comparing it to Compaq..lets be honest, if we want to compare any high end keyboard to any low end keyboard, of course the low end is going to have more value...for 10 dollars you can get a very functional keyboard...What we pay in general for high end keyboards most people would think is a complete waste of money...SO the question is what does that extra quality mean to you and how much are you willing to pay. 

But sounds like to me you haven't tried it or owned it...as the boards don't have mediocre tactility unless you're looking at 30g. 

[frydaja]

if this is in comparison to older dome with slider boards, you also get far better build quality, great keycaps, better options for customisability, a layout that isn't fullsize etc.
but i understand where you're coming from, i know some people are perfectly happy with old scorpius stuff, btc dome w/ slider and so on, but i'd rather pay the extra for the objectively better quality stuff (keycaps, build, switch potential, customisability)

My Compaq already has better-than-average build quality (1.2kg weight, membrane screwed to a thick metal plate, entire keyboard is put together with screws) and PBT keycaps (even the spacebar).

Why do you have to do that?  Just buying a silenced one if that's what you want.  Have you actually used a non silenced Topre?  There is a difference but normal Topre is perfectly acceptable in an office environment.  What also doesn't make sense is MX is incredibly loud and you will need to go through the same thing. 

PBT spacebars for Topre are cheap as well...and that's only if you care about the shine...lots of people don't...

And so to get what you want out of MX?  What are you spending?  And if you're comparing it to Compaq..lets be honest, if we want to compare any high end keyboard to any low end keyboard, of course the low end is going to have more value...for 10 dollars you can get a very functional keyboard...What we pay in general for high end keyboards most people would think is a complete waste of money...SO the question is what does that extra quality mean to you and how much are you willing to pay. 

But sounds like to me you haven't tried it or owned it...as the boards don't have mediocre tactility unless you're looking at 30g.

I never compared Topre to MX. I compared Topre to other rubber dome keyboards I have. And I think those keyboards are similar to Topre, and yet I paid a fraction of the RF104's price.

[Polymer]

I never compared Topre to MX. I compared Topre to other rubber dome keyboards I have. And I think those keyboards are similar to Topre, and yet I paid a fraction of the RF104's price.

Have you tried a Topre for more than a few minutes?  They're not the same...

[_GMK_]

The thing I heavily dislike about Topre is that I have to pay 250 dollars (assuming I'd buy a 104-key board) for a keyboard and another 100 or even more to make it perfect. I mean, for 250+ bucks I'd expect the keyboard to be perfect out of the box. I wouldn't mind much the (probably) mediocre tactility (after all, my CM Lite L is one of the less tactile rubber domes but it's still one of my favorite keyboards to date), but having to silence the keyboard and buy a spacebar that won't wear off in a month.. that's a no.
PBT keycaps are great, but my Compaq RT101 has all-PBT, even the spacebar. IDK how much it costed in 1995, but I bought it used for.. 20 dollars?

Why do you have to do that?  Just buying a silenced one if that's what you want.  Have you actually used a non silenced Topre?  There is a difference but normal Topre is perfectly acceptable in an office environment.  What also doesn't make sense is MX is incredibly loud and you will need to go through the same thing. 

PBT spacebars for Topre are cheap as well...and that's only if you care about the shine...lots of people don't...

And so to get what you want out of MX?  What are you spending?  And if you're comparing it to Compaq..lets be honest, if we want to compare any high end keyboard to any low end keyboard, of course the low end is going to have more value...for 10 dollars you can get a very functional keyboard...What we pay in general for high end keyboards most people would think is a complete waste of money...SO the question is what does that extra quality mean to you and how much are you willing to pay. 

But sounds like to me you haven't tried it or owned it...as the boards don't have mediocre tactility unless you're looking at 30g.

Normal topre is too loud to my ears. It is way louder than mx.

[Polymer]

Normal topre is too loud to my ears. It is way louder than mx.

Not according to db meters...

MX is incredibly loud unless you have a way to silence them..or have silent MX...

[_GMK_]

Normal topre is too loud to my ears. It is way louder than mx.

Not according to db meters...

MX is incredibly loud unless you have a way to silence them..or have silent MX...

o-rings work well, and yes, topre is too loud.

[Polymer]

Normal topre is too loud to my ears. It is way louder than mx.

Not according to db meters...

MX is incredibly loud unless you have a way to silence them..or have silent MX...

o-rings work well, and yes, topre is too loud.

O-rings work..and reduce travel...but that's not any different to modding your topre if that's what you're after.

And factually, according to the DB readings..mx is louder..

[_GMK_]

That's no different to modding..... Do you have any idea how long does it take to mod a novatouch? Hours. An the outcome is not always perfect.

I've got a novatouch and the unsilenced one is way louder than mx with orings. It was unbearable. The silenced novatouch is probably quieter, but is unusable, because it sucks.

[fanpeople]

OMG YES.

[Polymer]

That's no different to modding..... Do you have any idea how long does it take to mod a novatouch? Hours. An the outcome is not always perfect.

I've got a novatouch and the unsilenced one is way louder than mx with orings. It was unbearable. The silenced novatouch is probably quieter, but is unusable, because it sucks.

Ah..I see where the confusion lies..

Novatouch is different...all of the novatouch type keyboards (Topre RGB) sound terrible and seem to be a lot louder...I haven't taken a DB to one but I can imagine that sounds worse.

Stock Topre...so in this case something like a Realforce or HHKB or even Leopold...sound different. 

Modding Topre is not hard...it is putting a thin ring around the slider...what have been the downsides?  Or buy a silenced one...

But honestly, you're comparing a board that doesn't sound anything like a normal Topre...

[rowdy]

Whether they are better is, as noted 50 or 60 times above, subjective.

They are nice switches and certainly worth trying.

[ArchDill]

55g Topre is GOAT

[dj christian]

people always forget that topre keyboards are intended for the japanese domestic market, and thus most prices in the west are inflated because of logistics and other import-related fees

brand new realforces/hhkbs are available starting at ~$170-175 - obviously that still isn't 'affordable' by comparison to most low-mid range options but it seems like people base their pricing off of what smartimports charges and pretend that that's the rrp topre themselves set or something.

it's incredibly easy to get used topre for very cheap in japan too, think perfectly clean 87us around the $110 mark and older standard jis stuff for even less

also if you're wearing out your abs spacebars in a month i would suggest taking a shower

That's a shame! Why doesn't Topre do as Cherry make them worldwide avaliable? Thank you all for all the answers. Funny thing this only makes this decision to get a Topre keyboard even harder.

[_GMK_]

  Get a cheap and nice plum keyboard. That's a topre too.
There's absolutely no patent anymore on that technology.

In my experience, topre and novatouch are overrated.

[subcat]

people always forget that topre keyboards are intended for the japanese domestic market, and thus most prices in the west are inflated because of logistics and other import-related fees

brand new realforces/hhkbs are available starting at ~$170-175 - obviously that still isn't 'affordable' by comparison to most low-mid range options but it seems like people base their pricing off of what smartimports charges and pretend that that's the rrp topre themselves set or something.

it's incredibly easy to get used topre for very cheap in japan too, think perfectly clean 87us around the $110 mark and older standard jis stuff for even less

also if you're wearing out your abs spacebars in a month i would suggest taking a shower

That's a shame! Why doesn't Topre do as Cherry make them worldwide avaliable? Thank you all for all the answers. Funny thing this only makes this decision to get a Topre keyboard even harder.

i think they're working on it actually - fujitsu is handling distribution for them in the us as of recently, and they established themselves in china too with the release of the pfu r2. whether they'll continue the process officially in europe remains to be seen, but for now i believe there are a couple of third party options. obviously prices are notably higher in all of these places though.

[_GMK_]

people always forget that topre keyboards are intended for the japanese domestic market, and thus most prices in the west are inflated because of logistics and other import-related fees

brand new realforces/hhkbs are available starting at ~$170-175 - obviously that still isn't 'affordable' by comparison to most low-mid range options but it seems like people base their pricing off of what smartimports charges and pretend that that's the rrp topre themselves set or something.

it's incredibly easy to get used topre for very cheap in japan too, think perfectly clean 87us around the $110 mark and older standard jis stuff for even less

also if you're wearing out your abs spacebars in a month i would suggest taking a shower

That's a shame! Why doesn't Topre do as Cherry make them worldwide avaliable? Thank you all for all the answers. Funny thing this only makes this decision to get a Topre keyboard even harder.

i think they're working on it actually - fujitsu is handling distribution for them in the us as of recently, and they established themselves in china too with the release of the pfu r2. whether they'll continue the process officially in europe remains to be seen, but for now i believe there are a couple of third party options. obviously prices are notably higher in all of these places though.

Anyone can copy topre because there's no patent on that.
It isn't available somewhere else or sold by other brands because no one cares about that inferior technology.

[subcat]

people always forget that topre keyboards are intended for the japanese domestic market, and thus most prices in the west are inflated because of logistics and other import-related fees

brand new realforces/hhkbs are available starting at ~$170-175 - obviously that still isn't 'affordable' by comparison to most low-mid range options but it seems like people base their pricing off of what smartimports charges and pretend that that's the rrp topre themselves set or something.

it's incredibly easy to get used topre for very cheap in japan too, think perfectly clean 87us around the $110 mark and older standard jis stuff for even less

also if you're wearing out your abs spacebars in a month i would suggest taking a shower

That's a shame! Why doesn't Topre do as Cherry make them worldwide avaliable? Thank you all for all the answers. Funny thing this only makes this decision to get a Topre keyboard even harder.

i think they're working on it actually - fujitsu is handling distribution for them in the us as of recently, and they established themselves in china too with the release of the pfu r2. whether they'll continue the process officially in europe remains to be seen, but for now i believe there are a couple of third party options. obviously prices are notably higher in all of these places though.

Anyone can copy topre because there's no patent on that.
It isn't available somewhere else or sold by other brands because no one cares about that inferior technology.

uhhhh okay? i mean they wouldn't have made the move to american and chinese distribution centres if no one cared about them
also, topre keyboards are some of the most reliable period, especially when it comes to chatter and dirt resistance. their lifespan is also super long because of their contactless nature, so they're far from inferior, even if you haven't made it clear what they're inferior to??? clones??
there are plenty of clones out there that can emulate the topre experience, but none of them match the quality of a realforce, fcxx0c, etc. so people are gonna continue to buy the genuine article.

[_GMK_]

people always forget that topre keyboards are intended for the japanese domestic market, and thus most prices in the west are inflated because of logistics and other import-related fees

brand new realforces/hhkbs are available starting at ~$170-175 - obviously that still isn't 'affordable' by comparison to most low-mid range options but it seems like people base their pricing off of what smartimports charges and pretend that that's the rrp topre themselves set or something.

it's incredibly easy to get used topre for very cheap in japan too, think perfectly clean 87us around the $110 mark and older standard jis stuff for even less

also if you're wearing out your abs spacebars in a month i would suggest taking a shower

That's a shame! Why doesn't Topre do as Cherry make them worldwide avaliable? Thank you all for all the answers. Funny thing this only makes this decision to get a Topre keyboard even harder.

i think they're working on it actually - fujitsu is handling distribution for them in the us as of recently, and they established themselves in china too with the release of the pfu r2. whether they'll continue the process officially in europe remains to be seen, but for now i believe there are a couple of third party options. obviously prices are notably higher in all of these places though.

Anyone can copy topre because there's no patent on that.
It isn't available somewhere else or sold by other brands because no one cares about that inferior technology.

uhhhh okay? i mean they wouldn't have made the move to american and chinese distribution centres if no one cared about them
also, topre keyboards are some of the most reliable period, especially when it comes to chatter and dirt resistance. their lifespan is also super long because of their contactless nature, so they're far from inferior, even if you haven't made it clear what they're inferior to??? clones??
there are plenty of clones out there that can emulate the topre experience, but none of them match the quality of a realforce, fcxx0c, etc. so people are gonna continue to buy the genuine article.

Mmm super long lifespan what? Do you think that lasts more a spring or a rubber membrane? What's the most common failing point of a 40 years old model f or of a beamspring? And beside the obvious answer, topre simply sucks.

[subcat]

people always forget that topre keyboards are intended for the japanese domestic market, and thus most prices in the west are inflated because of logistics and other import-related fees

brand new realforces/hhkbs are available starting at ~$170-175 - obviously that still isn't 'affordable' by comparison to most low-mid range options but it seems like people base their pricing off of what smartimports charges and pretend that that's the rrp topre themselves set or something.

it's incredibly easy to get used topre for very cheap in japan too, think perfectly clean 87us around the $110 mark and older standard jis stuff for even less

also if you're wearing out your abs spacebars in a month i would suggest taking a shower

That's a shame! Why doesn't Topre do as Cherry make them worldwide avaliable? Thank you all for all the answers. Funny thing this only makes this decision to get a Topre keyboard even harder.

i think they're working on it actually - fujitsu is handling distribution for them in the us as of recently, and they established themselves in china too with the release of the pfu r2. whether they'll continue the process officially in europe remains to be seen, but for now i believe there are a couple of third party options. obviously prices are notably higher in all of these places though.

Anyone can copy topre because there's no patent on that.
It isn't available somewhere else or sold by other brands because no one cares about that inferior technology.

uhhhh okay? i mean they wouldn't have made the move to american and chinese distribution centres if no one cared about them
also, topre keyboards are some of the most reliable period, especially when it comes to chatter and dirt resistance. their lifespan is also super long because of their contactless nature, so they're far from inferior, even if you haven't made it clear what they're inferior to??? clones??
there are plenty of clones out there that can emulate the topre experience, but none of them match the quality of a realforce, fcxx0c, etc. so people are gonna continue to buy the genuine article.

Mmm super long lifespan what? Do you think that lasts more a spring or a rubber membrane? What's the most common failing point of a 40 years old model f or of a beamspring? And beside the obvious answer, topre simply sucks.

not sure if you're trolling at this point, but yes they absolutely last longer than a standard membrane keyboard... they're rated at 50m+ actuations

when you have to draw on two of the most revered and over-engineered keyboards/switches in history to prove your point you're only complimenting topre and doing me a favour (thanks), but honestly i would say topre is more reliable than at least beamspring, whose switches have an insane amount of moving parts - if you want to carry out a comprehensive restoration you often need to disassemble each and every one of them in order to do so. the mounts for the caps break, the contamination shield breaks up and gets inside them, they get overcome with rust etc...

topre is a modern switch that's still in production and available to this day though, so spouting the virtues of industrial keyboards that cost at least a dozen times as much back in the day makes about as much sense as your irrational hate for it

[romevi]

No.

Because once you use them you'll realize how pointless everything else is and not be tempted to spend $1ks on muh MX kustoms.

[_GMK_]

No.

Because once you use them you'll realize how pointless everything else is and not be tempted to spend $1ks on muh MX kustoms.

LOL what?

[_GMK_]

people always forget that topre keyboards are intended for the japanese domestic market, and thus most prices in the west are inflated because of logistics and other import-related fees

brand new realforces/hhkbs are available starting at ~$170-175 - obviously that still isn't 'affordable' by comparison to most low-mid range options but it seems like people base their pricing off of what smartimports charges and pretend that that's the rrp topre themselves set or something.

it's incredibly easy to get used topre for very cheap in japan too, think perfectly clean 87us around the $110 mark and older standard jis stuff for even less

also if you're wearing out your abs spacebars in a month i would suggest taking a shower

That's a shame! Why doesn't Topre do as Cherry make them worldwide avaliable? Thank you all for all the answers. Funny thing this only makes this decision to get a Topre keyboard even harder.

i think they're working on it actually - fujitsu is handling distribution for them in the us as of recently, and they established themselves in china too with the release of the pfu r2. whether they'll continue the process officially in europe remains to be seen, but for now i believe there are a couple of third party options. obviously prices are notably higher in all of these places though.

Anyone can copy topre because there's no patent on that.
It isn't available somewhere else or sold by other brands because no one cares about that inferior technology.

uhhhh okay? i mean they wouldn't have made the move to american and chinese distribution centres if no one cared about them
also, topre keyboards are some of the most reliable period, especially when it comes to chatter and dirt resistance. their lifespan is also super long because of their contactless nature, so they're far from inferior, even if you haven't made it clear what they're inferior to??? clones??
there are plenty of clones out there that can emulate the topre experience, but none of them match the quality of a realforce, fcxx0c, etc. so people are gonna continue to buy the genuine article.

Mmm super long lifespan what? Do you think that lasts more a spring or a rubber membrane? What's the most common failing point of a 40 years old model f or of a beamspring? And beside the obvious answer, topre simply sucks.

not sure if you're trolling at this point, but yes they absolutely last longer than a standard membrane keyboard... they're rated at 50m+ actuations

when you have to draw on two of the most revered and over-engineered keyboards/switches in history to prove your point you're only complimenting topre and doing me a favour (thanks), but honestly i would say topre is more reliable than at least beamspring, whose switches have an insane amount of moving parts - if you want to carry out a comprehensive restoration you often need to disassemble each and every one of them in order to do so. the mounts for the caps break, the contamination shield breaks up and gets inside them, they get overcome with rust etc...

topre is a modern switch that's still in production and available to this day though, so spouting the virtues of industrial keyboards that cost at least a dozen times as much back in the day makes about as much sense as your irrational hate for it

I can't reply to such a big number of idiotic ramblings. What do you think that lasts longer, a rubber membrane or the spring of a cherry switch?

[absyrd]

I had all my tax paperwork under my HHKB for months. Did taxes, and now I want paper back under it. Oneness with cup rubber and plastic on top of envelopes.

[rowdy]

people always forget that topre keyboards are intended for the japanese domestic market, and thus most prices in the west are inflated because of logistics and other import-related fees

brand new realforces/hhkbs are available starting at ~$170-175 - obviously that still isn't 'affordable' by comparison to most low-mid range options but it seems like people base their pricing off of what smartimports charges and pretend that that's the rrp topre themselves set or something.

it's incredibly easy to get used topre for very cheap in japan too, think perfectly clean 87us around the $110 mark and older standard jis stuff for even less

also if you're wearing out your abs spacebars in a month i would suggest taking a shower

In that case why do they make JP layout and US ANSI layout?

Surely if it was for the domestic market only, they would stick to just the JP layout?

[subcat]

people always forget that topre keyboards are intended for the japanese domestic market, and thus most prices in the west are inflated because of logistics and other import-related fees

brand new realforces/hhkbs are available starting at ~$170-175 - obviously that still isn't 'affordable' by comparison to most low-mid range options but it seems like people base their pricing off of what smartimports charges and pretend that that's the rrp topre themselves set or something.

it's incredibly easy to get used topre for very cheap in japan too, think perfectly clean 87us around the $110 mark and older standard jis stuff for even less

also if you're wearing out your abs spacebars in a month i would suggest taking a shower

That's a shame! Why doesn't Topre do as Cherry make them worldwide avaliable? Thank you all for all the answers. Funny thing this only makes this decision to get a Topre keyboard even harder.

i think they're working on it actually - fujitsu is handling distribution for them in the us as of recently, and they established themselves in china too with the release of the pfu r2. whether they'll continue the process officially in europe remains to be seen, but for now i believe there are a couple of third party options. obviously prices are notably higher in all of these places though.

Anyone can copy topre because there's no patent on that.
It isn't available somewhere else or sold by other brands because no one cares about that inferior technology.

uhhhh okay? i mean they wouldn't have made the move to american and chinese distribution centres if no one cared about them
also, topre keyboards are some of the most reliable period, especially when it comes to chatter and dirt resistance. their lifespan is also super long because of their contactless nature, so they're far from inferior, even if you haven't made it clear what they're inferior to??? clones??
there are plenty of clones out there that can emulate the topre experience, but none of them match the quality of a realforce, fcxx0c, etc. so people are gonna continue to buy the genuine article.

Mmm super long lifespan what? Do you think that lasts more a spring or a rubber membrane? What's the most common failing point of a 40 years old model f or of a beamspring? And beside the obvious answer, topre simply sucks.

not sure if you're trolling at this point, but yes they absolutely last longer than a standard membrane keyboard... they're rated at 50m+ actuations

when you have to draw on two of the most revered and over-engineered keyboards/switches in history to prove your point you're only complimenting topre and doing me a favour (thanks), but honestly i would say topre is more reliable than at least beamspring, whose switches have an insane amount of moving parts - if you want to carry out a comprehensive restoration you often need to disassemble each and every one of them in order to do so. the mounts for the caps break, the contamination shield breaks up and gets inside them, they get overcome with rust etc...

topre is a modern switch that's still in production and available to this day though, so spouting the virtues of industrial keyboards that cost at least a dozen times as much back in the day makes about as much sense as your irrational hate for it

I can't reply to such a big number of idiotic ramblings. What do you think that lasts longer, a rubber membrane or the spring of a cherry switch?

you can’t reply because you have no actual arguments, you sit there and type one sentence in response to my actual points after all your comparisons fall flat. the fact that you’re calling topre a ‘rubber membrane’ only further proves that you have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about, the switch doesn’t involve a membrane in any way.

and yes, topre and cherry are pretty much the same in terms of reliability. i’ve already explained why, but it’s pretty clear you’re way too devoted to riding the topre hate train without even knowing why. keep it up champ, maybe you’ll find happiness someday.

@rowdy - ansi is actually quite popular in japan, due in no small part to the astronomical success of the hhkb - a good example is the recent announcement of realforce for mac on the realforce twitter page, there are quite a few japanese people requesting a US layout version in the comments. obviously you’re right though, the ansi stuff has the added bonus of international appeal too.

[vegs]

No.

Because once you use them you'll realize how pointless everything else is and not be tempted to spend $1ks on muh MX kustoms.

LOL what?

he's right

[fanpeople]

This thread is getting spicy.... got a couple of spicy bois getting all sexy over MX v Topre.








Come on guys, keebs are for dweebs.

[subcat]

eh no one really said anything about mx until the last minute
of course having a good old meme on topre is a tradition as old as time itself, and that's all fine, but when people start spreading misinformation because their blood genuinely boils over the thought of people enjoying a switch with some rubber in it, i think things could use a little heat

[fanpeople]

eh no one really said anything about mx until the last minute
of course having a good old meme on topre is a tradition as old as time itself, and that's all fine, but when people start spreading misinformation because their blood genuinely boils over the thought of people enjoying a switch with some rubber in it, i think things could use a little heat

[ Specified attachment is not available ]

[_GMK_]

people always forget that topre keyboards are intended for the japanese domestic market, and thus most prices in the west are inflated because of logistics and other import-related fees

brand new realforces/hhkbs are available starting at ~$170-175 - obviously that still isn't 'affordable' by comparison to most low-mid range options but it seems like people base their pricing off of what smartimports charges and pretend that that's the rrp topre themselves set or something.

it's incredibly easy to get used topre for very cheap in japan too, think perfectly clean 87us around the $110 mark and older standard jis stuff for even less

also if you're wearing out your abs spacebars in a month i would suggest taking a shower

That's a shame! Why doesn't Topre do as Cherry make them worldwide avaliable? Thank you all for all the answers. Funny thing this only makes this decision to get a Topre keyboard even harder.

i think they're working on it actually - fujitsu is handling distribution for them in the us as of recently, and they established themselves in china too with the release of the pfu r2. whether they'll continue the process officially in europe remains to be seen, but for now i believe there are a couple of third party options. obviously prices are notably higher in all of these places though.

Anyone can copy topre because there's no patent on that.
It isn't available somewhere else or sold by other brands because no one cares about that inferior technology.

uhhhh okay? i mean they wouldn't have made the move to american and chinese distribution centres if no one cared about them
also, topre keyboards are some of the most reliable period, especially when it comes to chatter and dirt resistance. their lifespan is also super long because of their contactless nature, so they're far from inferior, even if you haven't made it clear what they're inferior to??? clones??
there are plenty of clones out there that can emulate the topre experience, but none of them match the quality of a realforce, fcxx0c, etc. so people are gonna continue to buy the genuine article.

Mmm super long lifespan what? Do you think that lasts more a spring or a rubber membrane? What's the most common failing point of a 40 years old model f or of a beamspring? And beside the obvious answer, topre simply sucks.

not sure if you're trolling at this point, but yes they absolutely last longer than a standard membrane keyboard... they're rated at 50m+ actuations

when you have to draw on two of the most revered and over-engineered keyboards/switches in history to prove your point you're only complimenting topre and doing me a favour (thanks), but honestly i would say topre is more reliable than at least beamspring, whose switches have an insane amount of moving parts - if you want to carry out a comprehensive restoration you often need to disassemble each and every one of them in order to do so. the mounts for the caps break, the contamination shield breaks up and gets inside them, they get overcome with rust etc...

topre is a modern switch that's still in production and available to this day though, so spouting the virtues of industrial keyboards that cost at least a dozen times as much back in the day makes about as much sense as your irrational hate for it

I can't reply to such a big number of idiotic ramblings. What do you think that lasts longer, a rubber membrane or the spring of a cherry switch?

you can’t reply because you have no actual arguments, you sit there and type one sentence in response to my actual points after all your comparisons fall flat. the fact that you’re calling topre a ‘rubber membrane’ only further proves that you have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about, the switch doesn’t involve a membrane in any way.

and yes, topre and cherry are pretty much the same in terms of reliability. i’ve already explained why, but it’s pretty clear you’re way too devoted to riding the topre hate train without even knowing why. keep it up champ, maybe you’ll find happiness someday.

@rowdy - ansi is actually quite popular in japan, due in no small part to the astronomical success of the hhkb - a good example is the recent announcement of realforce for mac on the realforce twitter page, there are quite a few japanese people requesting a US layout version in the comments. obviously you’re right though, the ansi stuff has the added bonus of international appeal too.

I'm not replying because you write too much. I ask it again, do you think that lasts longer a cherry mx switch made of durable plastic and a spring, or the rubbery and superflexible parts of a topre?

I don't hate topre. I don't hate you. You're just objects.

[subcat]

people always forget that topre keyboards are intended for the japanese domestic market, and thus most prices in the west are inflated because of logistics and other import-related fees

brand new realforces/hhkbs are available starting at ~$170-175 - obviously that still isn't 'affordable' by comparison to most low-mid range options but it seems like people base their pricing off of what smartimports charges and pretend that that's the rrp topre themselves set or something.

it's incredibly easy to get used topre for very cheap in japan too, think perfectly clean 87us around the $110 mark and older standard jis stuff for even less

also if you're wearing out your abs spacebars in a month i would suggest taking a shower

That's a shame! Why doesn't Topre do as Cherry make them worldwide avaliable? Thank you all for all the answers. Funny thing this only makes this decision to get a Topre keyboard even harder.

i think they're working on it actually - fujitsu is handling distribution for them in the us as of recently, and they established themselves in china too with the release of the pfu r2. whether they'll continue the process officially in europe remains to be seen, but for now i believe there are a couple of third party options. obviously prices are notably higher in all of these places though.

Anyone can copy topre because there's no patent on that.
It isn't available somewhere else or sold by other brands because no one cares about that inferior technology.

uhhhh okay? i mean they wouldn't have made the move to american and chinese distribution centres if no one cared about them
also, topre keyboards are some of the most reliable period, especially when it comes to chatter and dirt resistance. their lifespan is also super long because of their contactless nature, so they're far from inferior, even if you haven't made it clear what they're inferior to??? clones??
there are plenty of clones out there that can emulate the topre experience, but none of them match the quality of a realforce, fcxx0c, etc. so people are gonna continue to buy the genuine article.

Mmm super long lifespan what? Do you think that lasts more a spring or a rubber membrane? What's the most common failing point of a 40 years old model f or of a beamspring? And beside the obvious answer, topre simply sucks.

not sure if you're trolling at this point, but yes they absolutely last longer than a standard membrane keyboard... they're rated at 50m+ actuations

when you have to draw on two of the most revered and over-engineered keyboards/switches in history to prove your point you're only complimenting topre and doing me a favour (thanks), but honestly i would say topre is more reliable than at least beamspring, whose switches have an insane amount of moving parts - if you want to carry out a comprehensive restoration you often need to disassemble each and every one of them in order to do so. the mounts for the caps break, the contamination shield breaks up and gets inside them, they get overcome with rust etc...

topre is a modern switch that's still in production and available to this day though, so spouting the virtues of industrial keyboards that cost at least a dozen times as much back in the day makes about as much sense as your irrational hate for it

I can't reply to such a big number of idiotic ramblings. What do you think that lasts longer, a rubber membrane or the spring of a cherry switch?

you can’t reply because you have no actual arguments, you sit there and type one sentence in response to my actual points after all your comparisons fall flat. the fact that you’re calling topre a ‘rubber membrane’ only further proves that you have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about, the switch doesn’t involve a membrane in any way.

and yes, topre and cherry are pretty much the same in terms of reliability. i’ve already explained why, but it’s pretty clear you’re way too devoted to riding the topre hate train without even knowing why. keep it up champ, maybe you’ll find happiness someday.

@rowdy - ansi is actually quite popular in japan, due in no small part to the astronomical success of the hhkb - a good example is the recent announcement of realforce for mac on the realforce twitter page, there are quite a few japanese people requesting a US layout version in the comments. obviously you’re right though, the ansi stuff has the added bonus of international appeal too.

I'm not replying because you write too much. I ask it again, do you think that lasts longer a cherry mx switch made of durable plastic and a spring, or the rubbery and superflexible parts of a topre?

I don't hate topre. I don't hate you. You're just objects.

i'm sorry 3-4 lines is too much for you. the topre switch is also made of 'durable plastic and a spring' coincidentally, and just because they use rubber doesn't automatically make them worse. i already said it, but the contactless nature of the switch gives it an edge. topre (50m+ actuations) is actually rated higher than cherry mx (20-50m depending on the switch). so yes, they do, and i can speak from firsthand experience having owned multiple topre keyboards from the 80s, which all feel and work fine (and of course the same can be said for most mx of the same era).

[_GMK_]

You're not normal. You act like you actually work at topre.
You forgot about rubber. Rubber. Rubber.

[subcat]

who says i don't? i already informed the yakuza about your disloyalty, they'll be at your door shortly to teach you primary school-level reading comprehension

[Aerizu]

me wants to try topre uwu

[_GMK_]

You actually believe in what you've just said. And you believe that rubber is more durable than plastic too....

[_GMK_]

me wants to try topre uwu

Get a novatouch, but be prepared for a complicated modding that will take 2-3 hours to make it silent.
And be prepared to be deluded after that.

[fanpeople]

people always forget that topre keyboards are intended for the japanese domestic market, and thus most prices in the west are inflated because of logistics and other import-related fees

brand new realforces/hhkbs are available starting at ~$170-175 - obviously that still isn't 'affordable' by comparison to most low-mid range options but it seems like people base their pricing off of what smartimports charges and pretend that that's the rrp topre themselves set or something.

it's incredibly easy to get used topre for very cheap in japan too, think perfectly clean 87us around the $110 mark and older standard jis stuff for even less

also if you're wearing out your abs spacebars in a month i would suggest taking a shower

That's a shame! Why doesn't Topre do as Cherry make them worldwide avaliable? Thank you all for all the answers. Funny thing this only makes this decision to get a Topre keyboard even harder.

i think they're working on it actually - fujitsu is handling distribution for them in the us as of recently, and they established themselves in china too with the release of the pfu r2. whether they'll continue the process officially in europe remains to be seen, but for now i believe there are a couple of third party options. obviously prices are notably higher in all of these places though.

Anyone can copy topre because there's no patent on that.
It isn't available somewhere else or sold by other brands because no one cares about that inferior technology.

uhhhh okay? i mean they wouldn't have made the move to american and chinese distribution centres if no one cared about them
also, topre keyboards are some of the most reliable period, especially when it comes to chatter and dirt resistance. their lifespan is also super long because of their contactless nature, so they're far from inferior, even if you haven't made it clear what they're inferior to??? clones??
there are plenty of clones out there that can emulate the topre experience, but none of them match the quality of a realforce, fcxx0c, etc. so people are gonna continue to buy the genuine article.

Mmm super long lifespan what? Do you think that lasts more a spring or a rubber membrane? What's the most common failing point of a 40 years old model f or of a beamspring? And beside the obvious answer, topre simply sucks.

not sure if you're trolling at this point, but yes they absolutely last longer than a standard membrane keyboard... they're rated at 50m+ actuations

when you have to draw on two of the most revered and over-engineered keyboards/switches in history to prove your point you're only complimenting topre and doing me a favour (thanks), but honestly i would say topre is more reliable than at least beamspring, whose switches have an insane amount of moving parts - if you want to carry out a comprehensive restoration you often need to disassemble each and every one of them in order to do so. the mounts for the caps break, the contamination shield breaks up and gets inside them, they get overcome with rust etc...

topre is a modern switch that's still in production and available to this day though, so spouting the virtues of industrial keyboards that cost at least a dozen times as much back in the day makes about as much sense as your irrational hate for it

I can't reply to such a big number of idiotic ramblings. What do you think that lasts longer, a rubber membrane or the spring of a cherry switch?

you can’t reply because you have no actual arguments, you sit there and type one sentence in response to my actual points after all your comparisons fall flat. the fact that you’re calling topre a ‘rubber membrane’ only further proves that you have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about, the switch doesn’t involve a membrane in any way.

and yes, topre and cherry are pretty much the same in terms of reliability. i’ve already explained why, but it’s pretty clear you’re way too devoted to riding the topre hate train without even knowing why. keep it up champ, maybe you’ll find happiness someday.

@rowdy - ansi is actually quite popular in japan, due in no small part to the astronomical success of the hhkb - a good example is the recent announcement of realforce for mac on the realforce twitter page, there are quite a few japanese people requesting a US layout version in the comments. obviously you’re right though, the ansi stuff has the added bonus of international appeal too.

I'm not replying because you write too much. I ask it again, do you think that lasts longer a cherry mx switch made of durable plastic and a spring, or the rubbery and superflexible parts of a topre?

I don't hate topre. I don't hate you. You're just objects.

people always forget that topre keyboards are intended for the japanese domestic market, and thus most prices in the west are inflated because of logistics and other import-related fees

brand new realforces/hhkbs are available starting at ~$170-175 - obviously that still isn't 'affordable' by comparison to most low-mid range options but it seems like people base their pricing off of what smartimports charges and pretend that that's the rrp topre themselves set or something.

it's incredibly easy to get used topre for very cheap in japan too, think perfectly clean 87us around the $110 mark and older standard jis stuff for even less

also if you're wearing out your abs spacebars in a month i would suggest taking a shower

That's a shame! Why doesn't Topre do as Cherry make them worldwide avaliable? Thank you all for all the answers. Funny thing this only makes this decision to get a Topre keyboard even harder.

i think they're working on it actually - fujitsu is handling distribution for them in the us as of recently, and they established themselves in china too with the release of the pfu r2. whether they'll continue the process officially in europe remains to be seen, but for now i believe there are a couple of third party options. obviously prices are notably higher in all of these places though.

Anyone can copy topre because there's no patent on that.
It isn't available somewhere else or sold by other brands because no one cares about that inferior technology.

uhhhh okay? i mean they wouldn't have made the move to american and chinese distribution centres if no one cared about them
also, topre keyboards are some of the most reliable period, especially when it comes to chatter and dirt resistance. their lifespan is also super long because of their contactless nature, so they're far from inferior, even if you haven't made it clear what they're inferior to??? clones??
there are plenty of clones out there that can emulate the topre experience, but none of them match the quality of a realforce, fcxx0c, etc. so people are gonna continue to buy the genuine article.

Mmm super long lifespan what? Do you think that lasts more a spring or a rubber membrane? What's the most common failing point of a 40 years old model f or of a beamspring? And beside the obvious answer, topre simply sucks.

not sure if you're trolling at this point, but yes they absolutely last longer than a standard membrane keyboard... they're rated at 50m+ actuations

when you have to draw on two of the most revered and over-engineered keyboards/switches in history to prove your point you're only complimenting topre and doing me a favour (thanks), but honestly i would say topre is more reliable than at least beamspring, whose switches have an insane amount of moving parts - if you want to carry out a comprehensive restoration you often need to disassemble each and every one of them in order to do so. the mounts for the caps break, the contamination shield breaks up and gets inside them, they get overcome with rust etc...

topre is a modern switch that's still in production and available to this day though, so spouting the virtues of industrial keyboards that cost at least a dozen times as much back in the day makes about as much sense as your irrational hate for it

I can't reply to such a big number of idiotic ramblings. What do you think that lasts longer, a rubber membrane or the spring of a cherry switch?

you can’t reply because you have no actual arguments, you sit there and type one sentence in response to my actual points after all your comparisons fall flat. the fact that you’re calling topre a ‘rubber membrane’ only further proves that you have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about, the switch doesn’t involve a membrane in any way.

and yes, topre and cherry are pretty much the same in terms of reliability. i’ve already explained why, but it’s pretty clear you’re way too devoted to riding the topre hate train without even knowing why. keep it up champ, maybe you’ll find happiness someday.

@rowdy - ansi is actually quite popular in japan, due in no small part to the astronomical success of the hhkb - a good example is the recent announcement of realforce for mac on the realforce twitter page, there are quite a few japanese people requesting a US layout version in the comments. obviously you’re right though, the ansi stuff has the added bonus of international appeal too.

I'm not replying because you write too much. I ask it again, do you think that lasts longer a cherry mx switch made of durable plastic and a spring, or the rubbery and superflexible parts of a topre?

I don't hate topre. I don't hate you. You're just objects.

i'm sorry 3-4 lines is too much for you. the topre switch is also made of 'durable plastic and a spring' coincidentally, and just because they use rubber doesn't automatically make them worse. i already said it, but the contactless nature of the switch gives it an edge. topre (50m+ actuations) is actually rated higher than cherry mx (20-50m depending on the switch). so yes, they do, and i can speak from firsthand experience having owned multiple topre keyboards from the 80s, which all feel and work fine (and of course the same can be said for most mx of the same era).

[subcat]

You actually believe in what you've just said. And you believe that rubber is more durable than plastic too....

feel free to actually address anything i've said, if you haven't stopped reading this message already because it's too long. i gave you hard numbers and you're still mad
though i suppose if it takes you 2-3 hours to silence a novatouch, things start to make a little more sense now

[Gampela]

I suppose the rubber material will eventually disintegrate / lose its properties. Do we have actual research about this? Topre Realforce / HHKB keyboards are relatively new products (we are talking 2000s) but I guess we have somewhat similar rubber dome mechanic keyboards from older era.

Still, we are talking about decades of hard use without fear of chattering or other mechanical malfunctions. Sounds pretty ****ing fool proof to me. And aftermarket domes are a thing now, mind you.

[subcat]

I suppose the rubber material will eventually disintegrate / lose its properties. Do we have actual research about this? Topre Realforce / HHKB keyboards are relatively new products (we are talking 2000s) but I guess we have somewhat similar rubber dome mechanic keyboards from older era.

Still, we are talking about decades of hard use without fear of chattering or other mechanical malfunctions. Sounds pretty ****ing fool proof to me. And aftermarket domes are a thing now, mind you.

yeah you're right, eventually they definitely will - however, i think it'd take many decades to reach that point. the same switch design has been used since as early as 1985, i've actually transplanted the domes from one of my old victor kb-720s from that year for use in my realforce and had no issues. the board was decently used and dirty too.

[Rico]

I have both a Topre Realforce and a Filco(MX) that I used for 8 years daily, both are working still very well.

I use my Topre 8 hours a day at work and it is working like it was still new ( but damn it is so dirty ).
On the other side I had to replace failed Cherry switches on friends keyboards.
So the argument of Topre switches lasting less that Cherry is not true.

The nice thing about Cherry though is that you can easily buy and replace switch parts, good luck to find spare rubber domes for your Topre (apart BKE).

[Telstar]

So much love/hate for Topre...

[tron]

Personally I use my silent Topre board when I want a quiet switch and need to focus on getting work done. IMO it’s not that inspiring to type on with an overall average key feel and plain aesthetic. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though because certain Alps and IBM switches can be a bit distracting due to the level of noise and fun factor. The “best” switch all comes down to what you personally like using and the intended application.

If you can attend a meetup I recommend trying a few Alps, Cherry and IBM boards before investing in Topre. It always surprises me when I have friends try boards in my collection for the first time. Most of them haven’t been influenced by online reviews so it’s interesting to hear their feedback. Nine out of ten prefer my 65g vintage MX black custom with WOB GMK caps lol. Just goes to show you Cherry can be very good if tuned properly.

[rowdy]

Thorpe is better than Topre.

[yuppie]

I think Topre can be very rewarding when done right. Nothing quite like the feel or sound. Hard to get there though. I trust others more than myself when it comes to tuning Topre. Krelbit hooked me up once and I ended up letting go of the board since it wasn't a great color.

I'd certainly pay someone to do it all again.

[Peripheral Prophet]

I have to update my initial response... After having tons of topre and mx boards.. A custom lubed zealio is a far more rewarding typing experience.. Topre just feels more mushy the more and more you venture out into enthusiast tuned switches.. Want a quiet version of the zealios?  Zilents are your switch.. Ive tuned both and honestly getting the topre sound isnt that hard from an mx style switch if you understand keyboard acoustics and how to tune them.. Ive got a dolch pac that I honestly think is tuned to be more thocky and better sounding than any topre board.. And I used to push topre hard.. I think its a phase everyone goes though.. You dont have to do much to a stock topre to feel like youve hit end game with the sound.. Tactility honestly leaves something to be desired, and the mushiness of the keys isnt fully understood or realized with having experienced a properly tuned tactile switch..  But this is like, just my opinion and stuff.. My btc was 20.00 new on ebay and its a better feeling tactile experience than topre imo...                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

[Gampela]

I have to update my initial response... After having tons of topre and mx boards.. A custom lubed zealio is a far more rewarding typing experience.. Topre just feels more mushy the more and more you venture out into enthusiast tuned switches.. Want a quiet version of the zealios?  Zilents are your switch.. Ive tuned both and honestly getting the topre sound isnt that hard from an mx style switch if you understand keyboard acoustics and how to tune them.. Ive got a dolch pac that I honestly think is tuned to be more thocky and better sounding than any topre board.. And I used to push topre hard.. I think its a phase everyone goes though.. You dont have to do much to a stock topre to feel like youve hit end game with the sound.. Tactility honestly leaves something to be desired, and the mushiness of the keys isnt fully understood or realized with having experienced a properly tuned tactile switch..  But this is like, just my opinion and stuff.. My btc was 20.00 new on ebay and its a better feeling tactile experience than topre imo...                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

I, for one, would be interested hearing this Mx keyboard that is tuned to sound like Topre and how you achieved it.

[Peripheral Prophet]

I have to update my initial response... After having tons of topre and mx boards.. A custom lubed zealio is a far more rewarding typing experience.. Topre just feels more mushy the more and more you venture out into enthusiast tuned switches.. Want a quiet version of the zealios?  Zilents are your switch.. Ive tuned both and honestly getting the topre sound isnt that hard from an mx style switch if you understand keyboard acoustics and how to tune them.. Ive got a dolch pac that I honestly think is tuned to be more thocky and better sounding than any topre board.. And I used to push topre hard.. I think its a phase everyone goes though.. You dont have to do much to a stock topre to feel like youve hit end game with the sound.. Tactility honestly leaves something to be desired, and the mushiness of the keys isnt fully understood or realized with having experienced a properly tuned tactile switch..  But this is like, just my opinion and stuff.. My btc was 20.00 new on ebay and its a better feeling tactile experience than topre imo...                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

I, for one, would be interested hearing this Mx keyboard that is tuned to sound like Topre and how you achieved it.

i posted a video of one of more thockier builds here in the keyboard section, but honestly its all about controlling reverb and what kind of material your keyboard is made of.. Topre switches have a plastic housing with more resonance and lower frequencies, so you tune your mx variants to sound like that.  first off is dampening that loud high pitch alot of mx clear housings make, you can mitigate alot of it with lube, and you can control the reverb by getting rid of any air volume in the keyboard, this gets rid of the reverb chamber alot of boards have..

[Gampela]

i posted a video of one of more thockier builds here in the keyboard section, but honestly its all about controlling reverb and what kind of material your keyboard is made of.. Topre switches have a plastic housing with more resonance and lower frequencies, so you tune your mx variants to sound like that.  first off is dampening that loud high pitch alot of mx clear housings make, you can mitigate alot of it with lube, and you can control the reverb by getting rid of any air volume in the keyboard, this gets rid of the reverb chamber alot of boards have..

This one https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=100272.0?

I have to admit there are similarities. Topre still has a lot more rounded "thock" but I guess that comes hand in hand with the "mushiness".

[Peripheral Prophet]

i posted a video of one of more thockier builds here in the keyboard section, but honestly its all about controlling reverb and what kind of material your keyboard is made of.. Topre switches have a plastic housing with more resonance and lower frequencies, so you tune your mx variants to sound like that.  first off is dampening that loud high pitch alot of mx clear housings make, you can mitigate alot of it with lube, and you can control the reverb by getting rid of any air volume in the keyboard, this gets rid of the reverb chamber alot of boards have..

This one https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=100272.0?

I have to admit there are similarities. Topre still has a lot more rounded "thock" but I guess that comes hand in hand with the "mushiness".

Yeah, i think its to do with the way the rubber dome dampens the sound inside the switch housing, its a pretty unique sound to topre, if youve ever typed on a btc slider over dome those also have integrated housings similar to hhkb, and so the sound is very similar.  That video I posted was recorded with a sennheiser mkh 416 which puts a little emphasis on the higher frequencies, the board sounds much deeper in person.. Its also not as loud as the video would have you think.

[JWahl]

me wants to try topre uwu

Get a novatouch, but be prepared for a complicated modding that will take 2-3 hours to make it silent.
And be prepared to be deluded after that.

I literally just finished doing the KBDFans silence-x rings mod on my Novatouch about an hour ago.  Alphas and small mods sound great now.  Bigger stabilized keys are still obnoxious, even after lubing.  Still too heavy for my taste (didn't expect that to change, of course).

I've been really digging this 35g NIZ atom66 board I've been using as a portable.  It turns out I don't really hate Topre and Topre style switches, I just like really light switches.  I still think the genuine Topre sounds better, though.  The "raindrop" sound on the NIZ board is a little weird. 

That being said, I'm really tempted by this 30g Topre Leopold FC-980C.  Not sure if I want to do the silencing mods all over again, though.  It appears that they make the R2 Realforce in silent 30g.  I'm hoping the Leopold will follow suit in the near future.

[macclack]

No.

Because once you use them you'll realize how pointless everything else is and not be tempted to spend $1ks on muh MX kustoms.

Or spend thousands trying to yield a better experience with MX

[phinix]

I tried so many different switches in past years and I always come back to Topre.
I find MX too wobbly. I don't know why, but Topre are not wobbly as MX are. It drives me crazy when I jump on MX after a while using Topre and find it so wobbly that is anoying.

I wanted to find a match in MX that feels like Topre, but I think there is nothing like Topre, none of MX feels that way.

[nguyenhimself]

me wants to try topre uwu

Get a novatouch, but be prepared for a complicated modding that will take 2-3 hours to make it silent.
And be prepared to be deluded after that.

I literally just finished doing the KBDFans silence-x rings mod on my Novatouch about an hour ago.  Alphas and small mods sound great now.  Bigger stabilized keys are still obnoxious, even after lubing.  Still too heavy for my taste (didn't expect that to change, of course).

The best lifehack I've learned this past year has been this: Big keys (say, bigger than 2.5u) are always annoying to make them feel and sound good.

So... don't buy or build keyboards with big keys! Problem solved. Gordian knot undone.

Enter: The HHKB JP! Topre! Arrow keys! Small spacebars that sound the same as the Shift keys! 2 thumb keys for toggling layers just like an ortho board! All that and with some lubing (no silencing even required), it's the best damn board I've tried so far.

[playtech1]

I have a few Novatouch boards and I almost exclusively use them.  They are just unfussy and pleasant to type on.  Mine are lubed, silenced and in Norbauer cases so far from stock.  Out of the box the Novatouch has some glimmers of promise, but they key rattle on the upstroke is far from great and needs silencing rings to fix.

Nothing wrong with MX of course (or Alps, or Model M, etc.) but for me the silence and tactile rubber feel of Topre works very well and is absolutely worth it.  It might just be an expensive rubber dome keyboard with a twist, but I like it all the same.

I find the key feel changes quite a bit depending on the keycap profile.  Cherry profile works best for me, with the heavier SA keycaps making it a bit mushier than I like.  A stiffer rubber sheet might help with that.

[abram]

I don't know if the "hype" surrounding Topre is worth it or not, but when I was learning more about the mechanical keyboard community I just kept hearing about it over and over, enough to make me want to try it for myself.

I bought a used HHKB and honestly I really do love using it. I would say at the very least it is worth TRYING to see if it is something you like or enjoy using. Everything surrounding this hobby is purely subjective anyways so it really only matters whether it's something you personally are interested in.

[Lyd]

For the low actuation pressure bke's are the most tactile switch I've ever tried.  I still prefer bke heavies though, they're medium heavy but have a very snappy bump.  Once you depress the key a bit it'll just SNAP down and actuate and when you raise your fingers they'll SNAP back up at you almost in a binary fashion.  I love them! For control on where the tactile event occurs though, mx switches are far superior even if they are less tactile.

[supamesican]

Depends, do you want something better than dirty gritty gross feeling brown switches? If so yes if not no

[JWahl]

The best lifehack I've learned this past year has been this: Big keys (say, bigger than 2.5u) are always annoying to make them feel and sound good.

So... don't buy or build keyboards with big keys! Problem solved. Gordian knot undone.

Enter: The HHKB JP! Topre! Arrow keys! Small spacebars that sound the same as the Shift keys! 2 thumb keys for toggling layers just like an ortho board! All that and with some lubing (no silencing even required), it's the best damn board I've tried so far.

Show Image

That might partly explain why I like this compact NIZ board so much.  A lot of people have complained about 4.75u spacebar for obvious keyswapping reasons, but to be honest it's my favorite part of the board.  It makes a big difference in a Mac-based layout, where the command keys are more ergonomically reachable, similar to the Macbook Pro's 5u spacebar.  I've been slowly growing to dislike large spacebars.  The Costar-style stabilizers also work well, although they're a pain when changing stabilized keycaps.

[Polymer]

I agree...I don't know why the spacebar has to be so damn big..it is just a waste.  It doesn't need to be much bigger to support left hand thumb if that's how you type...but it definitely doesn't need to be as big as it is..

Would sound better and be more stable if not for that...and room for other keys as well..Doesn't really apply to Topre though..applies to all keyboards..

[networkdrift]

I don't have any Topre or Topre-like keyboards right now but I personally loved almost every single one I've ever owned.

I've had:
1. Realforce 87U
2. 2 Leopold FC660Cs
3. 2 HHKBs with hipro caps
4. Novatouch
5. A heavily modified BTC5100c that felt a lot like a topre board.

My favorite was my second HHKB though. It had a Hasu, BKE domes, and HiPro at one point. Miss that keyboard every day.

[Entropia]

The first days (or weeks) using my keyboard with Topres I had the feeling that maybe I just wanted to like it as a way to justify my expensive purchase. But now, after some months, I see that the pleasure of typing with this thing is really worth the money. With other switches I've had I feel that I get used to them quickly. I only miss their quality them when I have to type on a nasty Logitech. But with Topre it's different. They feel so good that every time you are in front of your keyboard, you really want to type to experience again how soft and tactile they feel, and that sound! At this moment, 240€ is not a price that I consider expensive at all for this combination: Leopold + Topre.

[Riverman]

That might partly explain why I like this compact NIZ board so much.  A lot of people have complained about 4.75u spacebar for obvious keyswapping reasons, but to be honest it's my favorite part of the board.  It makes a big difference in a Mac-based layout, where the command keys are more ergonomically reachable, similar to the Macbook Pro's 5u spacebar.  I've been slowly growing to dislike large spacebars.  The Costar-style stabilizers also work well, although they're a pain when changing stabilized keycaps.

I saw that Topre sells a couple of Mac keyboards in Japan that look like they're based on the JIS layout with its little space bar.  They should really try to sell those in the US, even with the small space bar.

[JWahl]

I've received and have been using my Leopold FC980C 30g for a few days now and thought I'd follow up with comparisons to my 35g "Nopre" NIZ and 45g Novatouch with silencing mods.   First things first, in the context that I like lighter switches, this is without a doubt the best typing experience I've felt thus far.  Obviously, those who prefer stepping up to 55g aren't going to prefer the 30g, but for me it's about perfect.  The 30g Topre is actually more different from the NIZ switches than I was expecting (in a good way).  I still like the 35g NIZ switches, but they are a bit more noisy (even with their built in silencing) with less defined tactility.  This 30g Topre still has the upstroke clack, but it seems less pronounced than the Novatouch was when stock, given lesser return force.  I definitely plan to eventually do the silencing ring mods again on this board.  This is going to be a keeper for me.  Some people have said 30g feels practically linear but I strongly disagree, having most recently used cherry silent reds in my Leopold FC660M.  For light touch typists like myself, the 30g Topre has quite a nice responsive snap, a little more defined than the NIZ 35g switch.

One of the things that prompted me to try was that I've found my Novatouch to be fatiguing.  The strange thing is I don't remember it being like that when I first bought it.  I've read some threads around here that claim that the Topre switches may become stiffer and heavier over time.  I haven't done any coin weight tests on my Novatouch, but I probably will eventually.  If that is the case, then this 30g Topre should only get better with time.  It is a pretty light, but manageable with my light typing style.  Aging into a little more stiffness wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

Adding to the premium feel is the keycaps.  I was a little weary about them being thinner than usual PBT but it works.  The texture is super-premium and feels unique to me, almost like very finely sanded wood.  Just a slightly dry smoothness.  They really add refinement to the typing experience overall.

Now the relevant question to the thread: Is it worth it compared to MX and knockoff Topre?  Hard to say.  The cheapskate in me says no, but I will also say nothing quite replicates the total experience to competitively drive down the price.  It would be nice to have more up to date features like programmability and usb-c at the price point.  Also I was disappointed that mine has some keycaps that are slightly rotationally crooked (clockwise or counter clockwise) relative to the horizontal plane.  I returned a Massdrop Alt High Profile for the same problem.  With all the positive things I've heard about Topre's QC (Since Topre does the manufacturing to my knowledge), this was disappointing.  However, I'm so enamoured with the typing experience that it doesn't bother me that much overall, and I'm not returning it.  Not to mention, the rest of the build quality is solid and top notch as expected.

If you (whoever is reading that might be on the fence) can afford to at least try a genuine Topre, and you know the typing weight you prefer, it's definitely worth trying.  I want to emphasize weight preference, because I carried a negative bias about my Novatouch for awhile because of the (possibly stiffening) weight of the switches.   If you're on a tighter budget and want to maximize the value of your purchase, go for the NIZ board.  They're still an excellent value and I'll also be keeping my Atom 66 for portable use.  Maybe I can eventually justify an FC660C for portable use.   However, I want to wait and see what this next revision of HHKB is going to be like.  A 30g HHKB might be a dream portable for me.

[mkkeyboardvigilante]

Now I really wanna try out silent Topre 45g switches in a Leopold board, but going to have to wait until I'm not broke and eventually try to get a Topre board where I can replace the domes with my BKEs that I wasn't able to install onto my Niz Plum board successfully. In the meantime, I wanna say that I love it when Topre boards break in naturally.

On Realforce, I've finally had this happen with my variable weight board, and oh my god, it's quieter than ever, and every keystroke feels so nice and smooth now. No scratchiness in sight anymore, and I didn't have even to open up the keyboard to lube it either. I typed over 4000 words on it alone today, and it's been one of the best typing experiences that I've ever had as an experienced touch typist. With my 55g board, I broke that one in quicker for some reason. Lol. I just love stock Topre in Realforce boards, and I can imagine that Leopold boards would be very similar in that regard because those boards also have a metal plate as opposed to plastic.

I just hate having to go through that lengthy process on any of these boards unless I absolutely have to, like on my HHKB which really improved the typing feel and experience there, but that upstroke sound it has is still really loud, so I'm going to see if the silencing rings I ordered from KBDFans are going to help with that.

[jamster]

I've read some threads around here that claim that the Topre switches may become stiffer and heavier over time.

Why do people keep saying this? How many membrane keyboards get 'stiffer over time' and if the answer is zero (as in my experience) then why would hybrid capacitive? The rubber doesn't 'stiffen up' and it's not like the metal coil spring under the rubber membrane stiffens up either.

[JWahl]

I've read some threads around here that claim that the Topre switches may become stiffer and heavier over time.

Why do people keep saying this? How many membrane keyboards get 'stiffer over time' and if the answer is zero (as in my experience) then why would hybrid capacitive? The rubber doesn't 'stiffen up' and it's not like the metal coil spring under the rubber membrane stiffens up either.

Possibly because rubber is known to become hard and brittle given enough time.  However, there are treatments which supposedly restore rubber that has begun to harden (plasticizers in silicone spray).  Not helping the confusion is that that people tend to use the word "rubber" as a blanket statement for many different types of synthetic rubber, rather than natural latex/gum rubber.  The NIZ domes, for instance, use silicone rubber according to their website.  I personally have no idea what type of rubber the Topre domes use, though. (Think how ABS and PBT are both plastics, but have different material properties).

To be fair though, I don't think that the rubber degradation would cause the bottom-out force to increase.  I could see where it might change the stiffness of the initial press.  I've had my Novatouch for at least 4 years now, and used it exclusively for at least 3 years.  It's not implausible that the rubber may be experiencing early signs of degradation.  It might be an interesting experiment to treat the dome sheet with the aforementioned silicone spray to see if pliability improves.  I'm studying electrical engineering and not chemistry, though, so I won't claim to be an expert on polymers by any means.

If there is actually any measurable difference (that's not attributable normal manufacturing variation), it probably wouldn't be very significant, nor uniformly distributed through the key travel.  Also, if someone is used to comfortably typing on heavier switches, a small difference from rubber hardening may be imperceptible to begin with.  Kind of like how some people claim the 30g Topre (or 35g NIZ) to feel linear, yet I find it to have a nicely defined (albeit light) tactility.  To be clear though, I'm not claiming with any certainty that there is any an actual difference in feel between my Novatouch and 4 years ago.  Memory of the senses is notoriously unreliable.  My fingers have also become so "calibrated" to lighter switches now that even the chiclet keys on my Macbook pro (also about 5 years old) feel too stiff.  Too many variables at play to make such claims with certainty.

[Riverman]

This may be assuming too much, but I'd like to think that Topre would use a rubber material that's at least as good as what's used in a mass-market rubber dome keyboard.  Plenty of offices have cheap rubber dome keyboards that have been banged on for 8 hours a day for a decade that still work just fine, with no failure of the rubber domes.  I'd hate to think that something as expensive as a Topre or Novatouch keyboard would be less durable than that.

[JWahl]

Agreed.  When I had my Novatouch opened up to do the silencing mod, everything still looked pristine inside, even after 4 years.  I was actually really impressed in that regard.  It's part of why I didn't hesitate too much about going for the 980C.  I'm confident it will last many years. 

I don't mean to imply that the dome sheet is going to start crumbling after 5 years.  The Novatouch case on the other hand, has taken a beating over the years, with one of the legs broken.  Might be a great candidate for a Norbauer case if I had more disposable income. 

[swedishpiehole]

OP, did you end up trying out a Topre? I was in the same boat as you a month ago, and was curious enough, after assembling a little collection of various MX builds, to try the Topre experience everyone was talking about. So I ordered an HHKB BT from Amazon, full price (ouch), expecting to try it out and send it back thanks to their generous return policy. Long story short, I didn't return it. I fell deeply and madly in love with it. It's true that Topre is not nearly as customizable as MX and in fact aside from the ability to swap out the domes for BKE ones, the Topre ecosystem is pretty boring. But damn, it just feels and sounds so good to type on. I'm still getting used to having to use a modifier for arrow keys, but otherwise I love the layout. In fact, I've now programmed the \ key to be backspace on all my MX keebs because it's so much more ergonomic.

[nelamvr6]

OP, did you end up trying out a Topre? I was in the same boat as you a month ago, and was curious enough, after assembling a little collection of various MX builds, to try the Topre experience everyone was talking about. So I ordered an HHKB BT from Amazon, full price (ouch), expecting to try it out and send it back thanks to their generous return policy. Long story short, I didn't return it. I fell deeply and madly in love with it. It's true that Topre is not nearly as customizable as MX and in fact aside from the ability to swap out the domes for BKE ones, the Topre ecosystem is pretty boring. But damn, it just feels and sounds so good to type on. I'm still getting used to having to use a modifier for arrow keys, but otherwise I love the layout. In fact, I've now programmed the \ key to be backspace on all my MX keebs because it's so much more ergonomic.

See, now you did it. Now you have to try a Realforce and a Leopold. Otherwise you'll never know...

[swedishpiehole]

See, now you did it. Now you have to try a Realforce and a Leopold. Otherwise you'll never know...

No. Stop. Please stop. Really, stop. My wallet is crying.

[Zuology]

Nopre is the real hero. Out of the box silencing rings, mx stems, also can be BKE'd or domeswapped with full sheets from OEM, costar stabilizers, programmable, and RGB options.

Stock Topre is:

• Loud
• Expensive base cost
• Expensive or sh*tty MX stem options (swap from donor Novatouch, or wobbly/tilted aftermarket sliders like JTK
• Aftermarket Hasu daughterboard to add programability
• Topre stabilizers
• Aftermarket painfully tedious process to add silencing rings

[nelamvr6]

See, now you did it. Now you have to try a Realforce and a Leopold. Otherwise you'll never know...

No. Stop. Please stop. Really, stop. My wallet is crying.

Hey, I don't make the rules...

[nelamvr6]

Nopre is the real hero. Out of the box silencing rings, mx stems, also can be BKE'd or domeswapped with full sheets from OEM, costar stabilizers, programmable, and RGB options.

Stock Topre is:

• Loud
• Expensive base cost
• Expensive or sh*tty MX stem options (swap from donor Novatouch, or wobbly/tilted aftermarket sliders like JTK
• Aftermarket Hasu daughterboard to add programability
• Topre stabilizers
• Aftermarket painfully tedious process to add silencing rings

Stock topre loud? I respectfully disagree.

[actualglacier]

Get nopre. Better than genuine topre in many ways in my opinion, and cheaper.

[Riverman]

Who sells these Nopre keyboards?

[SpAmRaY]

Who sells these Nopre keyboards?

Nobody

Badum....tiss.....


I believe they are referring to niz/plum keyboards a.k.a. topre clones. Cheaper not as nice alternatives.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[swedishpiehole]

People generally give positive reviews of the Niz capacitive boards, although it would be going to far to say they are as good as genuine Topre. I have my eyes on the Niz Atom66 because I would like to try a bluetooth board with EC switches that is more customizable than the HHKB. That said, finding keycaps to go with their weirdo layout won't be easy.

[mkkeyboardvigilante]

I noticed something, but I think HHKB right out of the box does have its issues, but once you correct them with silencing rings, apply some lube, and replacing the stock domes on there, it becomes one of the best keyboards one can possibly have if you're into Topre and rubber domes of course. I modded mine with Silence X rings and some BKE Redux Ultra Lights and now it's once again my main driver more than ever. My typing speed has shot up to 101 WPM with 100% accuracy on many of the tests I've taken.

Meanwhile with Realforce, I still like my two boards the way they are and they don't make as much noise stock as the HHKB did.

[Polymer]

I noticed something, but I think HHKB right out of the box does have its issues, but once you correct them with silencing rings, apply some lube, and replacing the stock domes on there, it becomes one of the best keyboards one can possibly have if you're into Topre and rubber domes of course. I modded mine with Silence X rings and some BKE Redux Ultra Lights and now it's once again my main driver more than ever. My typing speed has shot up to 101 WPM with 100% accuracy on many of the tests I've taken.

Meanwhile with Realforce, I still like my two boards the way they are and they don't make as much noise stock as the HHKB did.

Part of the appeal of the HHKB is the noise...but everyone can do what they want...

[Zuology]

Stock topre loud? I respectfully disagree.

I had a Leopold FC980C that was loud and clacky stock. My points were made about the stock out-of-the-box pros and cons.

[Riverman]

Type Heavens are pretty loud stock, too.  I had an un-silenced Realforce 104UB that seemed fairly quiet, though.

[mkkeyboardvigilante]

Type Heavens are pretty loud stock, too.  I had an un-silenced Realforce 104UB that seemed fairly quiet, though.

I have both the variable weight and 55g versions of Realforce, and 55g by far is the quietest for me, but that's probably because I tend to type really lightly on them.

[swedishpiehole]

Part of the appeal of the HHKB is the noise...but everyone can do what they want...

Agreed, but the rattle of the upstroke on an unsilenced HHKB is not a nice sound. When you add rings to silence that, you just hear the soft little pop sounds which are divine.

[nguyenhimself]

I noticed something, but I think HHKB right out of the box does have its issues, but once you correct them with silencing rings, apply some lube, and replacing the stock domes on there, it becomes one of the best keyboards one can possibly have if you're into Topre and rubber domes of course. I modded mine with Silence X rings and some BKE Redux Ultra Lights and now it's once again my main driver more than ever. My typing speed has shot up to 101 WPM with 100% accuracy on many of the tests I've taken.

Meanwhile with Realforce, I still like my two boards the way they are and they don't make as much noise stock as the HHKB did.

Part of the appeal of the HHKB is the noise...but everyone can do what they want...

It’s definitely a personal preference thing.
I lubed my HHKB (JP)’s sliders and then put the kbdfans rings on them.
It became crazy quiet, even more so when I type in my (open) office. So, I disassembled the thing again just to remove the rings.
Turns out, a lubed-but-not-silenced HHKB is perfect for me, feel-wise & sound-wise.

[abrahamstechnology]

I'm never going back to rubber. Even with overtravel I still hate the feel.

[rowdy]

I don't have any Topre or Topre-like keyboards right now but I personally loved almost every single one I've ever owned.

I've had:
1. Realforce 87U
2. 2 Leopold FC660Cs
3. 2 HHKBs with hipro caps
4. Novatouch
5. A heavily modified BTC5100c that felt a lot like a topre board.

My favorite was my second HHKB though. It had a Hasu, BKE domes, and HiPro at one point. Miss that keyboard every day.

If you loved them, why did you rid yourself of them?

[nguyenhimself]

I'm never going back to rubber. Even with overtravel I still hate the feel.

If typing in a keyboard feels good to you, why do you care what it’s made of?

[octovert]

It has been said - it's like typing on a cloud of boobs.

I myself prefer other switches.

[ranker]

You have to try one and determine for yourself.  I predict that you will like them more.  Whenever I do blind taste tests with my friends, they always choose topre over cherry mx browns or reds or blacks.  I personally use cherry browns most of the time for the custom switches and keycaps, which is mostly for fun.  But I think topre switches feel better if you're just comparing side by side.

[Riverman]

I personally use cherry browns most of the time for the custom switches and keycaps, which is mostly for fun.  But I think topre switches feel better if you're just comparing side by side.

I completely agree with this.  Cherry keyboards tend to be so much more interesting looking with custom keycaps, but I enjoy typing on Topre keyboards more.  I tend to type faster on an MX brown keyboard than a Topre, but it's not like my job depends on my typing speed.  For the moment, at least, I have a Topre keyboard at home and a Ducky at work.  When I had a Topre at work, I had more people comment on how nice it was to type on, but no one commented on its looks.

[kzlow]

Well, in my case, there are times i don't absolutely hate my table works only because i was typing on a RF 45g silenced board.

[livewirerc]

55g Topre is GOAT

AGREED! I modded my HHKB BT with sliders and rings from a Type-S, 55gm domes from a busted Realforce 87u, Tribois lube, and it truly is the GREATEST feeling of oneness with cup rubber.

[abrahamstechnology]

Do Topre boards feel anything like Mitsumi hybrid switches or the Keytronic foamers?

[opensecret]

I personally use cherry browns most of the time for the custom switches and keycaps, which is mostly for fun.  But I think topre switches feel better if you're just comparing side by side.

I completely agree with this.  Cherry keyboards tend to be so much more interesting looking with custom keycaps, but I enjoy typing on Topre keyboards more.  I tend to type faster on an MX brown keyboard than a Topre, but it's not like my job depends on my typing speed.  For the moment, at least, I have a Topre keyboard at home and a Ducky at work.  When I had a Topre at work, I had more people comment on how nice it was to type on, but no one commented on its looks.

Which to use?  The o-ringed Cherry brown board with  cool and colorful keycaps?  The silenced unweighted Realforce?  I'm very happy typing on either one.  The Cherry board looks way cooler, but the Realforce is quieter.  Happily, I've got two locations, so I can keep one at each. 

[rowdy]

55g Topre is GOAT

What are you saying - that Topre is goatse keyboard?

[typo]

To the OP: Yes!

[Slavadavadingdong]

I loved Topre, but then I discovered Zealios/Zilents v2 and much prefer the tactility on those. I've since sold all my topre boards. If you can go to a meetup and try a Zealios v2 and compare that with Topre, I would recommend it.

[Polymer]

Part of the appeal of the HHKB is the noise...but everyone can do what they want...

Agreed, but the rattle of the upstroke on an unsilenced HHKB is not a nice sound. When you add rings to silence that, you just hear the soft little pop sounds which are divine.

I actually disagree...I love the sound of the regular HHKB...whereas I think RFs are better silenced...

[Rob27shred]

I loved Topre, but then I discovered Zealios/Zilents v2 and much prefer the tactility on those. I've since sold all my topre boards. If you can go to a meetup and try a Zealios v2 and compare that with Topre, I would recommend it.

I completely agree V2 Zealios/Zilents are some really nice switches, some of my favorite MX switches right now TBH. Although I wouldn't give up Topre to use them. With BKE redux domes around now there is so much you do with the feel of Topre boards.