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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: BucklingSpring on Fri, 06 June 2014, 20:39:16
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Few months ago I purchased a Realforce High Profile thinking it was a nice oddity for the collection and my 3rd Topre boards.
My first impression was not so great and a bit of a disappointment. Somewhere down in the thread archives I was *****ing about the High Profile.
I'm was not a fan of the 45g and it took me a while to get used to the scooped keys. Oh well, I brought the keyboard at the office and it became my daily driver there.
That's where a twisted love story started. This thing really grew up on me. I was even getting early at work looking forward for more then leaving late cause I couldn't part with it.
Last weekend I thought it was enough. I looked up the Realforce High Profile on NCIX and it was on sale again. Clicked add to cart, pay, done.
Today I just got the second one to glorify my desk at home.
The High Profile needs some time go get used to it but it becomes quite addictive if you have the patience.
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Haha, that's awesome. =)
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I had the opposite impression...absolutely loved the boards when I first got them. After a couple of weeks, I couldn't stand them anymore and had to go back to my cherry boards. Glad you like them though.
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I had the opposite impression...absolutely loved the boards when I first got them. After a couple of weeks, I couldn't stand them anymore and had to go back to my cherry boards. Glad you like them though.
Perfect example of why we shouldn't rely on what other think of some boards to buy them. It's all about personal taste.
If I knew you hated your HP I would of probably made an offer to buy it at a cheaper price ;-)
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High Profile would probably be more popular if it was 55g.
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How is touch typing on the HiPro?
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High Profile would probably be more popular if it was 55g.
Agreed, but the HP doesn't feel like the other 45g. Which is strange.
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How is touch typing on the HiPro?
Works well for me but I'm nowhere close to your whopping 123WPM. I didn't do any comparison testings - I would say equal or better.
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Did you have intimate self gratification me-time in front of it as well to solidify your new bond?
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I'm wishing for those MX mods matt3o was working on so I can put my penumbra set on my realforce... soon.
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How is touch typing on the HiPro?
Works well for me but I'm nowhere close to your whopping 123WPM. I didn't do any comparison testings - I would say equal or better.
Alright, thank you very much for the input, good sir. Looks like I'll be placing an order at NCIX for this keyboard as well - probably the only convenient, uniform weighted Topre keyboard available to Canadians..
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Looks like I'll be placing an order at NCIX for this keyboard as well - probably the only convenient, uniform weighted Topre keyboard available to Canadians..
Worth buying from NCIX because I got three Filco's from them in the past year, very professional and the shipping was reasonable (I live here in Australia).
In fact when it comes to anything Keyboard related I don't mind buying from them exclusively, far better than EK (no-fanboy of Brian) any day of the week :thumb: .
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Looks like I'll be placing an order at NCIX for this keyboard as well - probably the only convenient, uniform weighted Topre keyboard available to Canadians..
Worth buying from NCIX because I got three Filco's from them in the past year, very professional and the shipping was reasonable (I live here in Australia).
In fact when it comes to anything Keyboard related I don't mind buying from them exclusively, far better than EK (no-fanboy of Brian) any day of the week :thumb: .
Well, since NCIX is based in Canada, really it's the only available opportunity for me to get a uniform weighted Topre keyboard without getting heavily taxed by customs from imports.
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^ Only drawback is NCIX's Topre usually cost quite a bit more than EK's prices. But I guess it's like you said you save on customs and shipping and dollar conversion.
It's on sale for $105 off. So tempted to pull the trigger but I told myself to not buy any new keyboard until August (my birthday).
:P
BucklingSpring I have a question for you, have you tried DSA prior to this? Becase when I tried DSA I find I'm constantly hitting edges so I kind of assumed I might not like spherical keycaps. But I guess HiPro is sculpted as oppose to DSA being flat.
Though generally I think I like taller profile (OEM as oppose to Cherry) so I suspect I might not have a hard time getting used to the taller profile.
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Well, since NCIX is based in Canada, really it's the only available opportunity for me to get a uniform weighted Topre keyboard without getting heavily taxed by customs from imports.
Oddly enough for me here in Australia, Canadian Dollar is the same as our useless currency so it's a big win :thumb: .
Plus the shipment costs is a little less than EK's so it's another win, plus not making Brian rich will always be an added bonus on top ;) .
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I prefer not to disclose the answer. I don't want to make either the one at work or the one at the office jealous. ;-)
Did you have intimate self gratification me-time in front of it as well to solidify your new bond?
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@Hide - I didn't try the DSA but the scoop edges were seriously getting on my nerves at the beginning. But once past the "adaptation" it forced me to have a better finger-key alignment and the "discomfort" from the edges went away.
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So what you're telling me is, once your fingering skills gets better the discomfort goes away?
Hmmmm well my birthday is coming up soon and at the moment I'm very tempted to treat myself with a HiPro.
Thanks for the input though it really helps. :D
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lol here's an update from my side of the story.
So HiPro was on sale so I pulled the trigger and got one, it had a lot of mixed feelings though ultimately I couldn't get used to the sculpted angle so I end up returning it after 2 weeks (almost passed the returning period).
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For those that are interested in buying one in the future, I'll let you guys know what I find:
Things I like:
- Switch feel, it feel like it has a bit more travel vertically (even though physically it should be the same) compare to the regular Topre and it feels amazing.
- Tall profile. Which is weird because typically I don't mind scissor switch, but in this case the tall profile made the Topre switch feel even better.
- Some keys have hard bottom out. Typically Topre has a dampened bottom out, but in thise case some of them (I'll explain later) actually have a hard bottom out which make it feel more mechanical.
- Thick PBT keys, I find thick PBT feels too harsh on MX switch. But since Topre are naturally soft so it balance out nicely.
- In short basically the FEEL of keyboard is amazing.
Thing I don't like:
- Overly sculpted keycaps. I find some are too angled and I keep hitting the edge. Also makes gliding from row to row harder.
- Spherical top. This one I kind of don't mind as much as the sculpted angle, but I do wish it was cylindrical.
- Inconsistent keycap angle. Only the 60% zone is sculpted, everything outside (Esc, F1, F2, home, end, arrow keys, number pad... etc) are all flat profiled.
- ABS spacebar. Don't get me wrong, in generally I actually do like ABS. But in this case since all the other keys are thick PBT so in comparison you kind of notice how the spacebar feels more flimsy. Though this is typical coming from Topre.
- A minor thing but I wish they sell the white/grey version here too. Though the grey keycaps look really nice.
- In short the keycap angle is something that I couldn't get used to.
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[attachimg=1]
Image I found online, but it shows the flat vs sculpted keys.
I'll explain a bit in details of things I mentioned earlier. Like I said, this keyboard actually have 2 profiles, flat and sculpted. In the 60% area (alpha zone + modifiers) it's actually sculpted, and overly sculpted. So much I had to put something under my keyboard to create a negative incline to offset the typing angle.
While all the other keycaps are flat profiled. And all the sculpted keys have soft bottom out like how typical Topre switch do, however somehow the flat profiled key have a hard bottom out. I'm assuming the keycap didn't have enough clearance so the keycap housing will hit the switch first, which might be unintentional but actually made the bottom out feel better and more mechanical.
Though I don't know if they made it this way to be consistent with Signature Plastic's SA profile (sculpted + flat profile)? Anyone know?
So ultimately I think if they can manage to make the entire keyboard consistent with the flat profile, it would be amazing. Or even just make the tall version with OEM type keycaps.
Like I said, the switch is amazing, ultimately I couldn't get used the keycaps angle. So if they can make some kind of revision in the future I'll definitely be interested in buying it again.
:thumb:
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Like I said, the switch is amazing, ultimately I couldn't get used the keycaps angle.
I feel a little sorry for influencing your purchase, but I'm glad you managed to return it.
I don't remember how long it took me to get used to the angles but it was more than two weeks. I can afford a keyboard I don't like so I didn't care passing the no return point.
Thanks for sharing your side of the story. :-)
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Like I said, the switch is amazing, ultimately I couldn't get used the keycaps angle.
I feel a little sorry for influencing your purchase, but I'm glad you managed to return it.
I don't remember how long it took me to get used to the angles but it was more than two weeks. I can afford a keyboard I don't like so I didn't care passing the no return point.
Thanks for sharing your side of the story. :-)
Haha no worires, I knew I had to try it myself to find out anyway. Also I do agree it has one of the best typing feel I've tried.
As for why I returned it. I think at the time I was debating between HiPro or 104U, so for now I think I'll give 104U a shot first and maybe I'll come back to the HiPro again in the future.
If only they can just make a version with all flat profile then I'd jump back right into it again. One can only hope. :P
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This looks so bad. I cannot believe they made some keys curved and some keys flat. That is a huge mistake. The keyboard would have been much better if it was all curved keys. What was Realforce thinking when they made such a huge mistake. It is such a huge flaw in the keyboard design. Now the keyboard is unbuyable. And not to mention there is a white version that looks much much better than the grey version.
(http://geekhack.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=59211.0;attach=70031;image)
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High Profile would probably be more popular if it was 55g.
Or if you were able to change the caps.
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I think the numpad and function keys NOT being sculpted is a huge point in favor for it.
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I think the numpad and function keys NOT being sculpted is a huge point in favor for it.
They are sculpted, just to a lesser extend than the rest of the board.
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High Profile would probably be more popular if it was 55g.
Or if you were able to change the caps.
The tricky thing is that because the switch housing are actually taller too, so only tall keycaps will have enough clearance to fit.
So at the current moment, only HiPro keycaps will fit HiPro.
I think the numpad and function keys NOT being sculpted is a huge point in favor for it.
I find in this current situation, the number row (~, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...... etc) actually blocks your from going to the Esc, F1, F2.... etc row since they're so much taller.
So I actually wish they use all the same flat profile for the entire keyboard instead.
They are sculpted, just to a lesser extend than the rest of the board.
They felt pretty flat to me though, I could be wrong.
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I was considering buying this keyboard when it was on sale for $225 CAD. After reading this thread I am so glad I didn't buy this poorly designed mistake of a keyboard. It would have been a huge waste of $200.
Edit: It is on sale again. It happens every week! http://www.ncix.com/detail/topre-yk2100-realforce-capacitive-switches-9a-86202-1009.htm
Check out my signature for other great deals