What's the differance between a $150 keyboard and a $400 keyboard?

[LollyWater]

How does a keyboard jump up in price so much? What are the things about the higher level keyboards that are so much better than your decent mechanical keyboards?

[noisyturtle]

Because manufacturers know people will pay exorbitant amounts for Topre boards as long as they keep the pricing at a premium for no reason.

[WhiteFireDragon]

Because it's a niche product withing an already niche world of mechanical keyboards.

[GeoTang]

400$ custom cherry mx keyboards usually have some expensive casing, springs and stickers that aren't easily attainable, etc etc. Since they aren't massive projects, the price will be driven up because of the start up fee and the more expensive rates from small orders from pcb/case makers. Then, finally you slap on the shipping from Korea.

[mbc]

250$

[LollyWater]

250$

[TheQsanity]

If only there were people that knew enough and were sly enough to get into the niche and sabotage the pricing by selling for ridiculously low.

[jeroplane]

If only there were people that knew enough and were sly enough to get into the niche and sabotage the pricing by selling for ridiculously low.

And who were willing to lose a lot of potential profit.

[pitashen]

I don't think their (Topre) core source of profit is from the niche of keyboard geeks. Therefore there is no need for them to change the pricing.


If you are talking a $400 cherry mx based keyboards (i.e. korean custom DIY boards), then it would be because of the cost of low volume of production of the parts, especially the casing). 

[wetto]

And you also gotta see that many of these US$ 400 keyboards are just limited editions, stuff that's rare to find or custom keyboards.

Not always will you pay for the quality, but many times just for the exclusivity of having a limited, rare or custom keyboard.

[singaporean123]

One's a toyota, one's a mercedes

[LollyWater]

One's a toyota, one's a mercedes

That's a pretty broad statement to make.

[vun]

One's a toyota, one's a mercedes

That would be the 150 and 250 boards, at 400 you find the Toyboata.

Actually I just wanted an excuse to bring up the Toyboata because it's awesome. And cooler than both a regular Toyota and a Merc.

[longweight]

Because manufacturers know people will pay exorbitant amounts for Topre boards as long as they keep the pricing at a premium for no reason.

If you can't see the reason for the high price then you have no understanding of pricing in a capitalist economy.

[AKIMbO]

One's a toyota, one's a mercedes

This is a fairly apt statement.  Both will get you where you are going...it's just one is built better (usually) and there's also a luxury tax associated with it (higher price with no value added). 

[singaporean123]

One's a toyota, one's a mercedes

This is a fairly apt statement.  Both will get you where you are going...it's just one is built better (usually) and there's also a luxury tax associated with it (higher price with no value added).

and bragging rights/ establishment of status

[singaporean123]

One's a toyota, one's a mercedes

That would be the 150 and 250 boards, at 400 you find the Toyboata.

Actually I just wanted an excuse to bring up the Toyboata because it's awesome. And cooler than both a regular Toyota and a Merc.

ahh top gear.. that's some funky hybrids there mate

[flaming_june]

I don't think their (Topre) core source of profit is from the niche of keyboard geeks. Therefore there is no need for them to change the pricing.


If you are talking a $400 cherry mx based keyboards (i.e. korean custom DIY boards), then it would be because of the cost of low volume of production of the parts, especially the casing). 

Or they're just trying to cheat you outta yoo money;  Case in point, wooden keyboard with mx mechanical switches selling for 1k on ebay from israel. 

[tufty]

A $400 board autocorrects your spelling of 'difference'. A $1000 board mean's you never mix up you're apo'strophes.

[LollyWater]

A $400 board autocorrects your spelling of 'difference'. A $1000 board mean's you never mix up you're apo'strophes.

well man thats just. like you're opinion'

[Skull_Angel]

I think what would be more accurate is the $400 Cherry MX custom boards being more like rare sports cars (bugatti, koenigsegg, lamborghini, ect.). I think they're nice, but would rather take something (much) cheaper and personally customize it.

[ChaoticKinesis]

A $400 board autocorrects your spelling of 'difference'. A $1000 board mean's you never mix up you're apo'strophes.

well man thats just. like you're opinion'

Im' sensing a diffrense of opinion.

[fuzzybaffy]

Because manufacturers know people will pay exorbitant amounts for Topre boards as long as they keep the pricing at a premium for no reason.

Just out of curiosity... have you owned a Topre board before?

[sth]

Kbd mania stuff is expensive because of the case machining and pcb prefab (especially now that they come with smd pre-soldered). Add to the base cost the price of switches, keycaps, stabilizers, lube, stickers etc plus building if you're not handy and $400 becomes comparatively reasonable.

If you don't appreciate the effort, attention to detail and high cost of manufacturing then you probably won't understand the difference. I don't like the fancy sports car comparison; for me a nice custom or a topre is more like a nice tool... If a Filco is Craftsman grade the topre and kr. customs are like Snap On.

[tjcaustin]

That's probably the best comparison you can make.

[Skull_Angel]

I kind of like the car comparisons myself since there's more "core" components to consider going into them (in most cases at least), but to each their own.

[jackstar7]

If you are referring to a Topre, then the difference is I've scratched my itch but good! It'll never itch again!



*sobbing*

[sth]

I kind of like the car comparisons myself since there's more "core" components to consider going into them (in most cases at least), but to each their own.

sure, it's understandable, but to compare what is still essentially a tool to something like a sports car with limited practical value (assuming you don't drive a bugatti every day ) is not as applicable to me i guess. i don't even own a car but i love fancy tools. to me it's more of a means to an end. that's not to say that I use all of my keyboards but the 'bugattis' of my collection are basically my daily drivers because i appreciate the quality. when i think of sports cars i think something that you keep garaged and take out on nice days or to a track to get your money's worth.

[Skull_Angel]

That's something I never understood myself, why buy an expensive sports car if you're not going to thoroughly enjoy it? Would I drive a Bugatti (or any other expensive sports car) to work if I had one and could afford good insurance? Hell yeah! Otherwise I'd sell it and soup up a "beater"; then again keyboards' value ranges aren't really on "that" kind of scale, so I guess it's more understandable to use an expensive custom for daily use in that mind set.

[sth]

usually people that buy sports cars don't just buy one... it's not a goal for middle income people to obtain a sports car, it's a hobby for people with more money than sense, so you'd have a bunch of sports cars in a garage and then a town car or something for your driver to cart you around in

[Skull_Angel]

Well, that's the difference between collecting and having nice things. I know a few nuts that have custom choppers they use for everyday drivers, one of them even drives the sucker in rain; I guess that's similar to having a korean custom and not washing your hands after eating pizza... I didn't say he had any sense 

[davkol]

My neighbor has always had a special edition of some Jeep or Toyota offroad. He used it all the time which was pretty annoying, because the jeep was ****ing loud... maybe the buckling spring of car industry?

[wetto]

My neighbor has always had a special edition of some Jeep or Toyota offroad. He used it all the time which was pretty annoying, because the jeep was ****ing loud... maybe the buckling spring of car industry?

Sounds annoying for others, awesome for whoever is driving it and feels god damn good to use? Sure does seems similar.

[Deicide]

One's a toyota, one's a mercedes

show me the mercedes that will still drive after being in the sea for a day, crashed by building destroying ball, burned, and placed on building 2 be fall with it.
Busted.

[sth]

show me a keyboard that can do any of those things and still work

[Deicide]

I don't think their (Topre) core source of profit is from the niche of keyboard geeks. Therefore there is no need for them to change the pricing.


If you are talking a $400 cherry mx based keyboards (i.e. korean custom DIY boards), then it would be because of the cost of low volume of production of the parts, especially the casing). 

Or they're just trying to cheat you outta yoo money;  Case in point, wooden keyboard with mx mechanical switches selling for 1k on ebay from israel.

wut
Israeli here, link or it dident happen

[davkol]

show me a keyboard that can do any of those things and still work

obvious straw man is obvious

[sth]

welp i guess i lose. 1 point to davkol for superior logic in the face of stupid analogies.