Would Topre RealForce keys soften at all in 18 months?

[keyjay]

I bought a Topre Realforce R3 keyboard with 45-gram keys in the spring of 2024. What is the likelihood that the keys have softened up a bit since I got it, or is it just my imagination?

ChatGPT says it's very unlikely they softened BUT that they have an initial break-in period where they're a bit stiffer at first until they break in to their normal resistance. What do you think? I don't need to throw money away but this keyboard was awesome until latley when I started to notice my fingers/hands and the keys. Up until recently I didn't notice anything -- it just didn't distract my attention. I was just loving this keyboard (I've had many years of use with other RealForce keybaords before this one).

Busy working with a lot of responsibility for many people and now getting into more content creation, so it's not a frivolous consideration.

Would a new one of the identical model make a difference for another year or 18 months? (Or maybe I just need to get to sleep earlier so my hands/fingers aren't quite as sore and tired.)

[Rob27shred]

Pretty unlikely, IME EC domes do get ever so slightly softer after they've been broken in with use. However for whatever crazy reason domes get stiffer with age so I'd imagine with both phenomena in play it'll likely come out a wash in 18 months. From the little experience I have with aged/vintage domes they don't get crazy stiffer, the best way I can describe it is they gain what feels to be around 5g to maybe 10g but that might be pushing it & seem to have a more rounded tactile event when the dome collapses. Take what I say with a grain of salt as I've been out of the Topre game for some time & my experience with newer vs older domes is just from trying friends boards at meetups.

[LavenderB]

Yeah, the general consensus is that they get slightly stiffer/more tactile after a few years.

[phinix]

Yeah, they go stiffer with years. Like lets say, 45g may feel like 55g after 5-8 years (wild speculation ).

[HannaLee]

Topre domes don’t usually “soften” in a big way over time, but they do have a short break-in period where they feel slightly smoother and lighter. After that, the force curve stays pretty stable. What you’re noticing may come more from your hands getting tired during heavier workloads rather than the keyboard changing. RealForce boards are consistent, so buying a new one probably won’t feel dramatically different after a few weeks of use. If the keys suddenly feel heavier or more distracting, taking breaks, adjusting typing posture, or resting your hands might help more than replacing the board.