HPE 87

[LollyWater]

Thoughts on the board?

[FoxWolf1]

Isn't that a KBT Oni rather than an HPE 87? I've seen that exact picture used for the Oni, at any rate.

[Vintage]

Yeah, that's the Oni.

The HPE seems to be a decent option for a budget board. Not quite as highly regarded as the CM QFR though.

Good if the QFR is not available at an affordable price in your region or if you prefer Cherry stabilizers.

[LollyWater]

Isn't that a KBT Oni rather than an HPE 87? I've seen that exact picture used for the Oni, at any rate.

So it is. I feel like an idiot.

[TotalChaos]

I am terribly confused.  Is the Oni the same thing as the HPE 87 but just looks a bit different?  (I nothing about either one)

My thoughts on the pic are that I can't see any volume control multimedia key.  So the QFR would still be better.

My other thought is that the font in the pic is much better than the font on the QFR.

My final thought is that I am wondering what kind of printing process was used on the keycaps.  If they used pad printing they won't last 3 weeks because they put the letters right in the middle of key.

The keys look like they are all the correct sizes.  BUT that means nothing!  If you have read the review of Cherry's latest board, or of any Leopold board, some keyboard companies are run by idiots who spend thousands of extra dollars just to make 1 key on the keyboard have an offcenter mount so that you can never replace it.

So while this keyboard looks great on the surface, I sadly won't buy it until it has been reviewed by a person who actually takes all the keys off and looks at them to make sure the company did not play any tricks on us like Cherry and Leopold did.

Someone out there please buy this new HPE keyboard and examine the underside of all keys for us.  Thanx!

[Chau]

Flew to China and picked 1 up so I could post a pic just for u Chaos  Had it for about a month now but can't compare it to other boards as it's my 1st. However, it's bloody solid. Quite weighty and no flex. Don't know what's under the hood except for a red pcb. My only real complaint so far are the el cheapo caps which is not really an issue if u plan on replacing them(as most people do). All the long keys r centre stem.
Would like a set of new caps but they're more expensive than my board. 
If u don't want to spend alot on ur first mech I would recommend it, save the cash for caps. 
Side note: I don't like the logo, maybe a gh sticker to cover it. Volume control is f9-f11.

[xsphat]

I think that logo looks better than CM Storm's.

[tp4tissue]

I think that logo looks better than CM Storm's.

That's cuz you can't read chinese... It's corny as sh1t....

[Chau]

It is not that it is ugly, it draws my eyes. Must have been a magpie in a previous life  I just prefer a logo free top surface.

[xsphat]

That's cuz you can't read chinese... It's corny as sh1t....

Really? What's it say?

[Chau]

Your eyes shine like a cresent moon over tepid water 

[xsphat]

Whatever.

I guess, as long as it doesn't have anything about blowing goats, I'd be ok with it.

[Chau]

Me too.

[TotalChaos]

Chau!  Thank you so much for that pic!  That keyboard looks better than a CM QFR!

1. The font on the HPE is 10x better than the font on the QFR.

2. The HPE added the FN key like they were supposed to.  The QFR hijacked the HELP* key and relabeled it Fn.  Which is ok if the guy who wrote the controller software did his job correctly.  But I calculate an 89% chance that there is a bug in the keyboard controller software due to using the Help key as the Fn key.  But I would have to test one to see if CM did their job correctly or not.

* Some ppl call the "Help" key the "Menu" key.  Call it what you want, it has the same RAWKEY code value.

3. Because HPE added the Fn key, this makes the spacebar smaller on the HPE.  It looks like a 6x spacebar.  Is that correct?  Is a 6x spacebar considered an acceptable standard?

On the one hand I have no problem with a 6x spacebar as long as the mounts are in some kind of proper place as dictated by the keyboard community.

On the other hand, how hard is it to get a 6x spacebar in a GroupBuy complete keycap set?

Or does someone offer separate 6x spacebars in every conceivable color?
If we could buy 6x spacebars in every color then we could always get the correct color to match any GroupBuy complete keycap set.

p.s Hey Chau, what printing method is used for the keycaps?
And where can I buy an HPE 87 or any other HPE keyboard?

**** EDIT ****
My apologies!  I got tricked again.  Sorry.  They did not add the Fn key.

They simply hijacked a different key on this keyboard.  The key they hijacked is a massively important key and I use it all day long so it better still work as originally intended.  It should work perfectly but that does mean that it actually does.  I definitely need to test it and write a review.  One tiny little bug in their controller software and things won't work as they should.

[TotalChaos]

I edited my previous message to state that they did not actually add a key.

[tp4tissue]

That's cuz you can't read chinese... It's corny as sh1t....

Really? What's it say?

Character per character

Wind, power/movement, source, of power

Less retarded, it means, Power source of the Wind, or Power source of the "movement of wind", or Power of moving wind.


The meaning is fine,, but in Chinese, and to any chinese people older than age 5, it sounds RETARDED......  It's equivalent of XFX XXX Black XTX edition.

[laffindude]

[Chau]

Chaos... I have no idea what the printing method is, probably the cheapest. But having said that, my WASD cluster hasnot faded any with constant use. U can get HPE from qtan here if u don't mind the key spacing.

[TDub]

I have had my HPE 87 for around 2 month now I think (as my main keyboard at home) and haven't noticed any wear on the lettering yet, but I already ordered doubleshots to replace them regardless. Otherwise I am pretty happy with it. It doesn't feel as heavy as the Filco I use at work, but overall I am happy with it, especially for the price. Also got mine from qtan, shipped to europe very quickly with DHL.