Author Topic: HHKB Pro 2 v. SMK 85  (Read 19641 times)

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Offline mr_sf_applet

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HHKB Pro 2 v. SMK 85
« Reply #50 on: Mon, 12 November 2007, 14:46:47 »
Quote from: xsphat
Alps still makes the switches, and I understand some keyboards still use them. I would really be sad if they stopped making Alps swtiches for keyboards.

And I have noticed that everything mechanical that's new has the black Cherry MX switches. This is a disturbance in The Force.


Yeah, but I don't know if Alps is making the switches that keyboard makers want them to make. The Matias Tactile Pro 2 doesn't use Alps switches but is based on a type of Alps switch that is apparently no longer available, if I understand correctly.

Offline mr_sf_applet

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HHKB Pro 2 v. SMK 85
« Reply #51 on: Mon, 12 November 2007, 14:49:49 »
Quote from: Whiskey in the Jar-o
BTW, how did you find the G7 page?  It seems impossible to navigate to from their  home page.
I just googled "Steelseries" and "G7," because I had just found out from googling for info on the G6 that the G7 was about to come out. It's the very first listing.

Offline mr_sf_applet

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HHKB Pro 2 v. SMK 85
« Reply #52 on: Mon, 12 November 2007, 14:54:37 »
Quote from: xsphat
Since I'm an office set-up dork, what kind of chair do you have? I have only had hand me down chairs, my current one isn't very comfortable and weighs more than my SUV.
I have an Aeron Chair:
http://geekhack.org/viewtopic.php?p=821&sid=2efffdc751551114c23d6901a30254af#821

For years I had used a folding wood slat chair. Most unergonomic, and very hard on the butt. But it seemed okay because I was ascetic to the point of masochism (except for computer toys), so this year I decided my body deserved to be more kindly treated.

Offline xsphat

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HHKB Pro 2 v. SMK 85
« Reply #53 on: Mon, 12 November 2007, 15:04:48 »
I forgot you were the one with the Avant. I am really interested in your impressions of the SMK 85, whether it has Cherry blues or black Alps.

What is so big about those chairs? I live in a town that has has only a decade since the last tracter-pull was hosted here, and mullets are plentiful, so the most expencive chair they sell here is $300. Are they really $1500, and if so, are they worth it?

Offline mr_sf_applet

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HHKB Pro 2 v. SMK 85
« Reply #54 on: Tue, 13 November 2007, 01:06:38 »
xsphat, guess what! They're white. My SMK85 has *white* Alps sliders. Hahahaha! So I really can't compare my Avant Stellar with the SMK85 as far as key action goes, because they're just about identical, although my impression is that the keystrokes on the Avant Stellar sound a bit more echoey, and slightly louder, than than on the SMK85.

I was expecting either black Alps sliders or High Audible Strongman Mechanical Switches. I was thinking I might get Strongman switches because I was getting an SMK85 in silver with black keys with a USB connector, and both the DSI sales site (http://www.notestation.com) and http://www.ergocanada.com listed silver and black USB SMK85's as having the Strongman switches, although http://www.notestation.com had it as out of stock (transition to Cherry linear?). The web site I ordered it from said it had Alps switches, but I couldn't be sure if that was a mistake.(I ordered it from http://www.ergo-tech.ca for $70 USD plus shipping).

So I can't compare white Alps sliders with black Alps sliders. But xsphat, this means that instead of getting an Avant Prime, you can get a second SMK85, this time with white Alps sliders,as a companion to your all black PS/2 SMK85, and do the comparison yourself.


So let's see, we now know that SMK85's have had black Alps sliders, white Alps sliders, High Audible Strongman Switches (available from http://www.ergocanada.com, and Alps low audible linear sliders, whatever they are (also from http://www.ergocanda.com). And from what I gather here from iMav and xsphat, they're going to have black Cherry MX linear switches (ugh!).


BTW, I think this SMK85 is a really great keyboard: nice layout for a mini, with the clicky, tactile, audible goodness of Alps sliders. I hate the two-tone color scheme (as far as I'm concerned two-tone only looks good on the Honda Element), but you can't have everything. I don't know whether I like it better than the HHKB Pro 2, but hell, it's $200 less, and certainly in the same ballpark as far as quality goes. I don't know whether it's better than the all black SMK85 with black Alps sliders that xsphat has, but still, it's a mighty fine board.

Offline xsphat

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HHKB Pro 2 v. SMK 85
« Reply #55 on: Tue, 13 November 2007, 02:14:38 »
I'm happy for you either way. The SMK 85 is a great keyboard with any of the above listed switches. I was under the impression strong man switches are the loudest Alps switches, but I don't know where I got that from.

I'm thinking about selling my HHKB Pro 2 now. With that money, I could buy a bunch of keyboards with different switches. The HHKB is nice, but it's switches aren't as good as the Alps.

Offline iMav

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HHKB Pro 2 v. SMK 85
« Reply #56 on: Tue, 13 November 2007, 09:11:13 »
Nice score with the white alps sliders.  At least according to the info we've compiled in the wiki, those are the audible click feel switches...clickier than the black tactile feel black ones.

I don't like the key layout of the SMK-85, otherwise I'd definitely own one and try it out for myself.  

Since I've been back, I simply have not been able to pull myself away from my Model M mini.

Offline xsphat

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HHKB Pro 2 v. SMK 85
« Reply #57 on: Tue, 13 November 2007, 11:58:30 »
I think when the HHKB Lite 2 sells, I'm going to order another SNK 85. If the white Alps are better than the black ones, I swap the guts so the better of the two has the black case. I think that black keys on silver bezel looks like poo.

HHKB Pro 2 v. SMK 85
« Reply #58 on: Tue, 13 November 2007, 19:39:39 »
Quote from: xsphat
I'm happy for you either way. The SMK 85 is a great keyboard with any of the above listed switches. I was under the impression strong man switches are the loudest Alps switches, but I don't know where I got that from.

I'm thinking about selling my HHKB Pro 2 now. With that money, I could buy a bunch of keyboards with different switches. The HHKB is nice, but it's switches aren't as good as the Alps.


Sounds like a good idea, considering that it's most likely that alps no longer make keyboard switches. So stock up for a lifetime! BTW, Northgate Omnikey Evolution has white Alps switches. Very clicky. I got one from here:

http://www.c-techsys.com/products.html

It's a real battleship of a keyboard. (personally I don't like it, 'cause I hate the fact that I can't help but bottom out  after the click). Interestingly enough, it has green sliders here: http://tinyurl.com/32ul8p

Offline mr_sf_applet

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HHKB Pro 2 v. SMK 85
« Reply #59 on: Wed, 14 November 2007, 03:31:42 »
Quote from: xsphat
I think that black keys on silver bezel looks like poo.
Yeah, definitely a change for the worse.