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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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.
