So I just got a board with Topres

[Quarzac]

I gotta say, while it is definitely nicer than your standard rubber dome board, I don't know if I really like it yet. On one hand, it would be completely silent if I didn't bottom out. The switches are also incredibly light. I hardly have to put any pressure on the space bar at all to get it to register, which is kind of cool. I'm going to give it a couple days and see if it beats out my Cherry blues. Also, props to the postal service for delivering in this ridiculous weather that we're having in the Philly area right now.

Also, not really related, but what color would you guys associate with Topre switches? Right now I have it as yellow in my signature, but I don't know if that's the best choice.

[hashbaz]

Yellow works for me, since the switches are as smooth as butter.  I'm a Cherry blue man myself, but was immediately blown away by how nice Topres are to type on when I tried them out (and this was before I was fully aware of the hype surrounding them).  I hope you grow to love your RF.

[Quarzac]

Yellow works for me, since the switches are as smooth as butter.  I'm a Cherry blue man myself, but was immediately blown away by how nice Topres are to type on when I tried them out (and this was before I was fully aware of the hype surrounding them).  I hope you grow to love your RF.

In a way, I kind of don't, just because the dang thing was so expensive. I mean, I got a steal on it, which is basically why I bought it, but it was still pricy by my standards. At the price I got it, I should be able to resell it and make back what I paid with no trouble though.
When you justify yellow like that though, it all makes sense. The main downside to Topres so far for me is the lack of tactile feedback. I feel it even less on them than I do on the browns. It's pretty fun to type on though. I feel like I'm typing faster, even if I'm not for some reason.

[CampinSam]

I've heard lots of people say that the Topre is a bit unsatisfying when you first get it, but within a week or two, your 'breaking in' period is over, and everyone seems to love the **** out of it.

[tsangan]

In a way, I kind of don't, just because the dang thing was so expensive.

You judge how good something by the price? So are you saying if Topre are priced at $50 it would be amazing? Or would that mean its cheap like a membrane keyboard?

Shouldn't the judgement of the keyboard be based on how it feels regardless of the price it took for you to purchase it. I don't know that just doesn't make sense to me

[Zifle]

You judge how good something by the price? So are you saying if Topre are priced at $50 it would be amazing? Or would that mean its cheap like a membrane keyboard?

Shouldn't the judgement of the keyboard be based on how it feels regardless of the price it took for you to purchase it. I don't know that just doesn't make sense to me

I believe he meant it more like "I kind of hope I won't get to like it, because then I can sell it, and spend that money on something else".

[slueth]

I think hes more like, that its? Why is it so expensive and feels that it isn't worth it. I would give it some more time.  It is not like it will lose value if you used it for a week or so.

[Daniel Beaver]

I've heard lots of people say that the Topre is a bit unsatisfying when you first get it, but within a week or two, your 'breaking in' period is over, and everyone seems to love the **** out of it.

That's how I felt about mine. They don't have the ZING of other switches, but they have a way of disappearing from your mind. Which is in some ways exactly what you want in a keyboard.

[flyball]

You judge how good something by the price? So are you saying if Topre are priced at $50 it would be amazing? Or would that mean its cheap like a membrane keyboard?

Shouldn't the judgement of the keyboard be based on how it feels regardless of the price it took for you to purchase it. I don't know that just doesn't make sense to me

i do.

[demik]

I've heard lots of people say that the Topre is a bit unsatisfying when you first get it, but within a week or two, your 'breaking in' period is over, and everyone seems to love the **** out of it.

This is what happened to me. I was let down when I first got it, I guess I was expecting typing nirvana the way some people talked about topres. Was ready to sell it too, but I gave it another chance. While I don't "love the **** out of it" I can see why some people love it. Great keyboard.

[Quarzac]

I believe he meant it more like "I kind of hope I won't get to like it, because then I can sell it, and spend that money on something else".

You hit the nail on the head. Anything over $150 is a major purchase for me, and I usually when I buy something so pricy, I expect to like it. These are by no means bad switches, but they are a little underwhelming.

I think hes more like, that its? Why is it so expensive and feels that it isn't worth it. I would give it some more time.  It is not like it will lose value if you used it for a week or so.

I'm gonna use it for a while longer, see what happens. I have a term paper due at the end of this week, so it'll be getting a workout.

You judge how good something by the price? So are you saying if Topre are priced at $50 it would be amazing? Or would that mean its cheap like a membrane keyboard?

Shouldn't the judgement of the keyboard be based on how it feels regardless of the price it took for you to purchase it. I don't know that just doesn't make sense to me

You misread me. Zifle better explained it. I'm almost hoping I don't like it just so I can put the money back in my bank account and feel like I have a nice little bundle of savings as opposed to just some money sitting around. It seems pretty nice so far though. It's a very streamlined board. I seem to flow from key to key better on it than on many other boards.

[tsangan]

You misread me. Zifle better explained it. I'm almost hoping I don't like it just so I can put the money back in my bank account and feel like I have a nice little bundle of savings as opposed to just some money sitting around. It seems pretty nice so far though. It's a very streamlined board. I seem to flow from key to key better on it than on many other boards.

I get what you mean with that, happens to me too lol

[jnsjr]

OP, I'm glad you are giving it another shot. Topres definitely have a breaking in period. My conversion moment came the day I put them away and started typing on my filco cherry blues. That's when I first felt the general unrefinement and what I could would call the choppiness of cherry switches. I never noticed it until I switched back. Good luck with your Topre.

[Quarzac]

I figure I'll use them for a week or two, see if they grow on me. I felt the choppiness of cherry blues when I first started using them, but grew used to it. I definitely miss the sound, but the Topres are by no means bad. They've grown on me a bit in the last couple hours. My typing speed is not quite as fast as it was back on the blues or my Model M though.

[jpm804]

I think it might be the fact that you got the 55g uniform version (defintely stiffer than the 45g or variable version), I personally like the variable version better but I tend to like lighter switches.

[Quarzac]

I wanted the uniform 55g, no question about that. I don't type in a way that could be interpreted as correct by anyone, so variable force was out of the question. I tend to have a heavier touch, coming to these mechs from a Model M, and when I noticed that browns were WAY too light for me, but browns were pretty much on point, I figured 55g uniform would be a sweet spot for topres.

[arplod]

I've heard lots of people say that the Topre is a bit unsatisfying when you first get it, but within a week or two, your 'breaking in' period is over, and everyone seems to love the **** out of it.

It's probably when the purchase justification kicks in. Isn't it like that for most here, be it Topres or e.g. WASD/Filco's - but obviously a bigger potential deal with the Topres? A couple of hundred bucks seems like a big deal to many.

Personally it's the only 'mechanical' switch type I can stand to use on a daily basis and it's probably because it's not entirely removed from a rubber dome (well, it is one). But the return is a bit slow for my liking - a bit too 'pack-in rubber dome' speed.

[Quarzac]

Another day of use, and it has yet to grow on me any more from yesterday. I find I'm missing the noise of my Cherry blues. Though I must admit these are very nice keycaps.

[HWI]

I wanna get a Realforce 87U 45g uniform weight or a HHKB, but I'm too broke, those are some pricey keyboards.

[Quarzac]

If you want a 55g uniform in the future, I may be willing to budge on mine, so shoot me a PM.

[HWI]

I don't think I'd like 55g weighted Topre based on the fact that I prefer the lighter of the Cherry MX switches(red and brown).

[Quarzac]

I don't think I'd like 55g weighted Topre based on the fact that I prefer the lighter of the Cherry MX switches(red and brown).

I'm beginning to suspect some of these switches' actually weight. The space seems way too light for 55g.

[fossala]

How much are you feeling this swiches being different than rubber domes?

[Quarzac]

They're definitely different. They don't have the weird uneven feel that most rubber domes have. They feel more linear than RDs. There is a little tactility, but it's not very pronounced. They're much, much nicer than rubber domes. They're very smooth. Hashbaz described them as smooth as butter, and that was not far off from the point. I can see why some people like them so much for typing because of that. I don't know about them for me though, as I have grown attached to the heavy tactility of BSs and blues without really realizing it.

[Trueepower]

Yeah, Topre's are definitely smooth rubber domes. They just feel linear compared to regular rubber domes. I personally don't care for the 45g keys, and under. They are way too soft for me, and I gave my first Topre to my wife (which I occasionally still use). I find the 55g to be perfect for me. Comparing a cherry board/buckling spring to a Topre Realforce is not really fair. They both are entirely different. But, even while first trying the variable I could tell that I liked them more than the cherry reds (which I would compare them to). The reds are springy, and the 45g Topre switches are smooth-boobs (which is what I would call them). The 45g and under switches lack the spring to me, while the 55g swiches for Topre have the perfect amount of spring.

Most people prefer lighter keys (at least it seems that way to me) around 45g. I found out that I like something a little more stiff/springy. Which is why I see 45g Topre and under switches to be rather boring (just don't feel quite right) to me compared to the 55g. I still would take an all 45g Topre board over any other switch. The weight below 45g for the Topre just get worse progressively. I don't know how anyone uses those all 30g boards.

So yeah, I would still take a 45g Topre Realforce over any other mech board (excluding the all 55g). But, it is a much closer call compared to a 55g Topre board (cherry reds, and Topre 45g switches are about equal to me, with a slight edge to the 45g Topre). The big reason why I like the Topre switches is the weight being at the top of the switch (as opposed to the bottom), and they just feel better to type on/game on for that reason. The downside of the Topre switches is the lack of custom key cap choices, and the cost of them. I can live without back lighting, but it's nice to have different color key cap choices. That to me is the only downside to Topre switches at the moment. If there were more customization options available (at a reasonable price) then other cherry switches would have even less on Topre switches. As it is now, Topre is still the best despite the higher price tag.

To the OP, I can understand why you don't like Topre switches. They are very linear compared to what you are used to. The force required is much less for these 55g keys compared to your buckling springs. Everyone just has their own preference, and people who like heavier switches seem to be in the minority (as you might be in the minority for not liking Topre switches the best). Good luck!

[Quarzac]

I switched back to my blues today. I have a lot to write in the next couple days, and the Topres weren't doing it for me. I missed the sound of the blues and the nice tactility.

[mehkat1974]

Me too OP. Just this right here "i"s about the 50th letter I have typed on my Realforce 86UB. Just got home to find it waiting patiently for me. Gone from a blue filco > red poker (which I am keeping, I really like it) but the feeling of this Realforce is sweet, the way the keys bounce back up as you lift your fingers. What can I say I'm really digging it. Only problem is I thought I was touch typing, but now I can't really see the letters, turns out I was looking at the keyboard quite a lot.

I loved the blues (first mech board was the blue filco) but I never touched it once after I got the poker and sold it soon afterwards, and just don't think I could ever go back to that clicking.

[hemflit]

Also, not really related, but what color would you guys associate with Topre switches? Right now I have it as yellow in my signature, but I don't know if that's the best choice.

Beige.

[tsangan]

Just got cherry blue board today and man these keys are stiff coming from a topre lol, I do enjoy the sound of it though wonder if red switches would be better for me. Gonna keep typing with his bad boy for the rest of the day and maybe get some gaming in to see how I like it.

Just the complete opposite of you hahaha