Whatis better, buckling spring or topre?

[TheQsanity]

I hear many people say buckling springs are the best snd I hear others say topre. Which one is better?

[laffindude]

Personal. Preference.

[Halverson]

Personal. Preference.

Don't even have a topre...yet. But agree with that 100%. I love everything (that I've tried so far)

[cactux]

If you answer this question you will be answer your own one. Which car is the best one ?

[TheQsanity]

Should I restate? Which is your personal preferance, topre or buckling spring?

[longweight]

Pleaaaase! Not this again!

[Halverson]

Pleaaaase! Not this again!

Yes it goes on and on again. Somebody started asking it, not knowing what it was, and they continued asking it forever just because.
It is the question that never endssss....continue to infinite and beyond!

[cactux]

^ while(1)

[YoungMichael88]

Pleaaaase! Not this again!

Yes it goes on and on again. Somebody started asking it, not knowing what it was, and they continued asking it forever just because.
It is the question that never endssss....continue to infinite and beyond!

[Dgsbllx]

Seriously though guys, which is best?

[Parabellum]

[0100010]

BS FTW!
























But, that is based on my biased personal experience, having never owned a Topre board.

[daerid]

Personally, I go with Topre. It's like sex on my fingers.

[Binge]

I type into boobies to relieve stress.  Better than MX reds imo 

[rowdy]

Get both and alternate

[TheQsanity]

Get both and alternate

If I had both that's probaly what I would do. I do that with my current boards. 

[Neo.X]

Buckling spring is the best. No, topre is the best. No blue is the best. Wait, Red it the best.

All these questions and replies do nothing but making people to buy more different kinds of keyboards.
 

[maxlugar]

I hear many people say buckling springs are the best snd I hear others say topre. Which one is better?

OK, here is the definitive ranking:

1. Buckling springs over capacitive contacts keyswitches i.e. IBM Model F 84-key PC AT keyboard - best mechanical action keyboard ever.  Sharp, precise, clicky, and very loud.  None better.

2. Topre hybrid capacitive contact keyswitches - Happy Hacking Professional 2 Type S is the best keyboard in current production.  Not clicky, yet still tactile and a pleasure to type on.

3.  Blue complicated  genuine ALPS or the so called Blue Monterey keyswitches which are basically copies of Blue ALPS - used in Chicony KB-5181 vintage keyboards. Tactile and clicky but not loud.

4.  Cherry MX keyswitches - Blues, Browns, Reds, Blacks, they're all very good.  I prefer the clicky Blues in my Filco keyboards.

5. Buckling springs over membrane keyswitches i.e. IBM Model M 1391401 and the many variants.  Reliable and clicky, but compared with buckling springs over capacitive contact keyswitches, they feel downright dull and uninspired.  However, they are still vastly superior to rubber dome keyswitches.

I highly recommend you buy some of each.

[Burz]

I hear many people say buckling springs are the best snd I hear others say topre. Which one is better?

OK, here is the definitive ranking:

It's very subjective. Except for Topre, I have used all of those switch types at length and would definitely list the blue Alps as number one. I do agree, however, that Cherry belongs at the bottom of the ranking (not counting obscure switches in this); they keep missing the sweet spots in sound or feel or switch dynamics.

Things are also changing... The MX white and Matias switches are relative unknowns but have potential to become popular favorites.

[pitashen]

You will only know which one you like better until you've tried them both.

[0100010]

You will only know which one you like better until you've tried them both.

In true ARFcom, er - uhhhh, Geekhack fashion; get both!

[phetto]

0100010, what are those caps on your avatar? It is a model m right?

[0100010]

Mostly blank black keys, along with some blue/white printed keys from a Unicomp Wildcats board; yes a Model M.  I'm in the process of replacing them with blue blank keys though (the end result will look like the pixel art in my signature, will take a new pic for my avatar also).

[czarek]

Both are awesome, very nice and satisfying to type on and give you high quality feel (both much better than any cherry you can find). But Topre boards are much better made and come in variety of layouts (Full size, Tenkeyless, HHKB). Still Unicomps are well made and much cheaper than Topres. Unfortunately they only come in Full size.
Switch preference is very subjective and personal, still I like BS a tiny bit more than Topre and if I could get HHKB with buckling springs it would be my daily driver. For now it's normal Topre HHKB.

[Lanx]

Get both and alternate

If I had both that's probaly what I would do. I do that with my current boards. 

you should at the very least have a BS board, everyone can use ebay, (almost) everyone can get a paypal account and BS boards range from $1 to hundreds, but i'm pretty confident in saying that if you ebay dive or even just put up some simple email alerts you'll find a decent BS board for around $20 to $50, realistically it would start at $40 to $60.

[sth]

cherry my

[AKIMbO]

Alright I'm settling this....listed in order of awesome to sucks.

1) Capacitive buckling spring
2) Topre
3) Everything else is a pauper's switch.

[TheQsanity]

Alright I'm settling this....listed in order of awesome to sucks.

1) Capacitive buckling spring
2) Topre
3) Everything else is a pauper's switch.

Both are awesome, very nice and satisfying to type on and give you high quality feel (both much better than any cherry you can find). But Topre boards are much better made and come in variety of layouts (Full size, Tenkeyless, HHKB). Still Unicomps are well made and much cheaper than Topres. Unfortunately they only come in Full size.
Switch preference is very subjective and personal, still I like BS a tiny bit more than Topre and if I could get HHKB with buckling springs it would be my daily driver. For now it's normal Topre HHKB.

It's good to hear that this thread has some honest and mature answers and didn't get troll-gang-banged to the ground.

Get both and alternate

If I had both that's probaly what I would do. I do that with my current boards. 

you should at the very least have a BS board, everyone can use ebay, (almost) everyone can get a paypal account and BS boards range from $1 to hundreds, but i'm pretty confident in saying that if you ebay dive or even just put up some simple email alerts you'll find a decent BS board for around $20 to $50, realistically it would start at $40 to $60.

Yup I'm on the lookout for the right BS atm.

[G.C.W.]

This is the best keyboard ever:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/24690177/Bilder/DSC_0483.jpg

The keyfeel of Topre 45g and Model F are awesome as well. I'd say Topre/Buckling Springs are sharing the first place - these switches/keyboards are for real men :F
The rest and the true mechs like Cherry MX are below - these switches/keyboards are more like toys to play with and you have to buy several of them
Havent tried Blue ALPS though.

[TheQsanity]

This is the best keyboard ever:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/24690177/Bilder/DSC_0483.jpg

The keyfeel of Topre 45g and Model F are awesome as well. I'd say Topre/Buckling Springs are sharing the first place - these switches/keyboards are for real men :F
The rest and the true mechs like Cherry MX are below - these switches/keyboards are more like toys to play with and you have to buy several of them
Havent tried Blue ALPS though.

Mmh, Blue Alps. I heard that beats all the rest and is one of the rarest switches.

[jackstar7]

Limited experience, but love Topre.

Remember BS fondly, but prefer quiet.

[oTurtlez]

My opinion? They're two totally different styles. I personally love my topre, but there's always going to be that spot in my heart for BS. If you need a definite answer, Topre > BS. However, if you can score an SSK, which there's 3 or 4 on ebay right now for 175 + shipping, I'd do that in a heartbeat.

[BucklingSpring]

Pleaaaase! Not this again!

LOL

BUCKLINGSPRING ALL THE WAY  (look who's talking)

[maxlugar]

Alright I'm settling this....listed in order of awesome to sucks.

1) Capacitive buckling spring
2) Topre
3) Everything else is a pauper's switch.

Yup - true statement.  During the past three years, I've come to the same conclusion after trying just about every type of keyswitch and countless keyboards, vintage, NOS, and current production.

Ironically, the typing experience from a capacitive buckling spring keyboard is very different than a Topre keyswitch board, but I enjoy both and use both types at the office, at home, and at my small businesses. 

My IBM PC AT 84-key Model F keyboards are nearly 29 years old and I've never had a failure.  The same holds true for my Happy Hacking keyboards which take a beating from weekly travel among other unnatural forms of abuse..

Capacitive keyswitches rule!