So, about those 30g Topre boards...

[norbauer]

After much investigation and experimentation, I've learned (somewhat to my surprise) that I prefer light linear touch when typing. MX Red is thus my switch of choice at the moment. However, I have succumbed to the lure of Wallethack, and am also now looking at giving Topres a whirl.

My understanding is that 30g across-the-board switches is what would be ideal for me in the world of Realforce, given the above. Indeed, I keep stumbling across forum posts across GH of people with my same switch-feel criteria singing the praises of the 30g switches. However, I can't seem to find them for sale anywhere. Best I have been able to come up with is a single Taobao listing for $600 or so that may be for a 30g keyboard, but the horrible Google translation makes it hard to tell for certain. EK says a someday/maybe, but certainly none available now.

I'd be looking for a 104-key, US layout, preferably black. Anybody have any suggestions on where to even begin trying to hunt down such a thing? Maybe there are some Japanese equivalents of Taobao I don't know about?

[terran5992]

The 30g topre are not as tactile as the 45g one.

[mauri]

The 30g topre are not as tactile as the 45g one.

That's a good thing, right?

[norbauer]

The 30g topre are not as tactile as the 45g one.

Precisely! That's why I want one.

[Moosecraft]

Afaik the only full 30g boards were the Japanese 10th anniversary edition.

[norbauer]

Afaik the only full 30g boards were the Japanese 10th anniversary edition.

Actually, here is a video of someone claiming to be typing on a 30g that is clearly ANSI:

Still don't know where he found it or how I might go about turning one up...

[Halverson]

Afaik the only full 30g boards were the Japanese 10th anniversary edition.

I've only seen 30g for sale in JIS myself, but not only anniversary models.

[mauri]

Afaik the only full 30g boards were the Japanese 10th anniversary edition.

Actually, here is a video of someone claiming to be typing on a 30g that is clearly ANSI:

Still don't know where he found it or how I might go about turning one up...

I think it's a discontinued model

YG1300     104 Pro     USB     104     ANSI     Yes     Uniform 30g     Sublimation     No     Large     Black     Red     No[10]     2011/12     Not Readily Available

Afaik it was only sold in china, you could maybe find a second hand one tho it's still gonna cost an arm and a leg.

[Moosecraft]

That might be a modded board, I wasn't aware of the 30g ANSI ones though.

[mauri]

That might be a modded board, I wasn't aware of the 30g ANSI ones though.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USED-Topre-Realforce-104pro-30-Gram-104-pro-capacitive-switches-keyboard-/220967057553?pt=AU_Input_Peripherals&hash=item3372a9b891&nma=true&si=1zIlkXfa4QB0%252F8Owt7RipGfuCRM%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.334480176566901.97816.233966789951574&type=1&l=d3b222a7ce

Topre REALFORCE Keyboards REALFORCE Pro has 30g, 45g, Variable weight models. RED WASD keys and Key Puller are included. We do not have 87 model. Sorry !

YG1300     104 Pro     USB     104     ANSI     Yes     Uniform 30g     Sublimation     No     Large     Black     Red     No[10]     2011/12     Not Readily Available

[mapple]

yo where those prices "600$" came out?

http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=topre_keyboards

http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=pfu_keyboards,hhkbpro2

[yasuo]

My friend have(hi pro 30g)
he say:like red but still tactile

haata it seems have one

[norbauer]

I asked the felow who posted that video on YouTube for advice on the above question. Here is what he said.

Yes this line of 104U "Pro" (with a Pro key in place of a RWin key, which enables a Pro-mode which binds RAlt to Ctrl+Alt and RCtrl to Ctrl+Shift and takes LED of the scroll lock to show when it's activated; even though two Win key is of redundant, these function should remain up to the user to do in software) bought in Fall 2011 by another member of Geekhack.org keyboard forum on Tao-Bao with the help of a Chinese member serving as a proxy. It costed him about 400 dollars at the time.

104U's replaced 103U's only as of late though; I jumped on my seat when the Pro line was announced on Topre Facebook back in Summer 2011, because this model was featuring both 104 standard keys (when 103 was the norm) AND 30g weighting (usualy found only on Japanese 108 key layout). I don't think they've made another one like yet, but you could wait for it. Also it might still be actually available on Tao-Bao, though at high a cost. you could try to ask a Chinese member on Geekhack (Imsto and qtan5370 that were active at the time; they did it for me) or use a Tao-Bao agent (there used to be Taobaobee but now I think it's called Taobaospree) to ask the seller on Tao-Bao if there's still stock for the 30 g version of the 104U Pro. The model itself is a Chinese Topre distributor (Everblow) exclusive, just like the 10th anniversary was to Leopold Korean Topre distributor. I don't think it's that much of a limited edition.

Seems to me like taking a $600 risk on getting one via Taobao is the best bet going the the moment. For better or worse.