Realforce vs HHKB pro 2

[terran5992]

Hi guys

So recently i have decided to purchase a hhkb pro 2 , since i have been hearing alot of great reviews and how typing on it changed their lives.
I was lucky enough to find a guy who was willing to sell me his for 300SGD including a set of black on white printed keycaps.

And after tying on it for about 2 days , i  have come to a decision that typing on the HHKB is alot better than on the realforce. However the new layout of the HHKB is gonna take me a while to get used to. I still find myself trying to hit the control key using my pinky finger.

I really like the size of the keyboard and how small of a footprint it has. Looks amazing on my desk. Taking so little space.


~Now to the comparison part


-The keypresses towards the middle of the keyboard starting the f key to the J key have a real unique sound when they spring back up , kinda sound like *CLACK*.
 Some people might not like it as it dosent happen on all keys. The realforce whereas give the same key press sound throughout the keyboard


-The realforce is indeed alot more well built than the hhkb , the of the hhkb squeaks a little when its pressed. Ill be stalking the group buy thread day and night to find a aluminium                    made HHKB case.

-The plate mounted topre switches are a bit stiff compared to the pcb mounted hhkb

- I might make a video comparison between the sounds of the two switches if you guys are intrested


~Some pictures of this beauty


Black on black dyesub keycaps


Naked


Black on white dyesub keycaps ( flipped spacebar for extra comfort)


This is my first review , im sorry if i have missed out some parts. Please tell what what you think about this review by posting below

Cheers~

[rowdy]

Nice review.  It is difficult to describe exactly what it feels like to type on Topre or HHKB.  And you have raised some good points

Typed on my HHKB Pro 2.

[terran5992]

Thank you for your feedback , my good man

[SpAmRaY]

I gotta get some of those white printed caps for my HHKB!

[terran5992]

You should. They legends are so much clearer.

[AKIMbO]

I have to disagree with you. The realforce feels smoother to type on than the hhkb.  However, that makes the realforce a more boring experience imo.

[thebeargentile]

I have to disagree with you. The realforce feels smoother to type on than the hhkb.  However, that makes the realforce a more boring experience imo.

Completely agree with this... just like different brands of MX boards with the same switch can feel completely different, Realforce and HHKB feel similar, but are very different.  I agree that the HHKB just feels more "alive" or "fun" while the Realforce feels extremely tight (as in fantastic build quality) but a bit more subdued.  While I enjoy typing on my Realforce, my HHKB is hands down the favorite board I own. 

[Glenn315]

Which Realforce keyboard are you comparing the HHKB pro 2 to?

[acer589]

But HHKB looks so good.

[AKIMbO]

Which Realforce keyboard are you comparing the HHKB pro 2 to?

87u's....45g uniform, 55g uniform, and variable models.

[demik]

Rf topre > hhkb topre

Hhkb layout > rf layout

End of discussion

[sth]

Rf topre > hhkb topre

Hhkb layout > rf layout

End of discussion

but... you forgot one point

[demik]

User title says it all

[eth0s]

Well, nobody mentioned the HHKB Pro 2 Type-S, with blank white keycaps, which is better than both the RF 87U and the HHKB Pro 2 non-silent.  For all the reasons stated above in the OP review related to sound and feel.

[oscillik]

Well, nobody mentioned the HHKB Pro 2 Type-S, with blank white keycaps, which is better than both the RF 87U and the HHKB Pro 2 non-silent.  For all the reasons stated above in the OP review related to sound and feel.

Well, nobody has mentioned the HHKB Pro HB, with machined aluminium case. I can only imagine that the HHKB Pro HB has the "like a solid" feel of plate mount, along with absolute true oneness of the cup rubber.

[Zeal]

That's a rather large looking spacebar spring
Why did they design the spring to be external?

[rowdy]

That's a rather large looking spacebar spring
Why did they design the spring to be external?

I understand that is an extra spring to give the space bar more resistance.

It can fairly simply be removed if you want the space bar to feel like the other keys.

[sprit]

Hello!  HHKB  - plastic plate, smaller case,   Realforce - metal plate, larger case.
These differences make the results?  Key touch, Resonance character ...

[redskull]

Hello!  HHKB  - plastic plate, smaller case,   Realforce - metal plate, larger case.
These differences make the results?  Key touch, Resonance character ...

i saw a lot of korean builders talk about 'resonance' tuning. what is that?

[SpAmRaY]

Hello!  HHKB  - plastic plate, smaller case,   Realforce - metal plate, larger case.
These differences make the results?  Key touch, Resonance character ...

i saw a lot of korean builders talk about 'resonance' tuning. what is that?

switch stickers?

[demik]

Hello!  HHKB  - plastic plate, smaller case,   Realforce - metal plate, larger case.
These differences make the results?  Key touch, Resonance character ...

i saw a lot of korean builders talk about 'resonance' tuning. what is that?

switch stickers?

I thought that was the rubber mat was for

[SpAmRaY]

Hello!  HHKB  - plastic plate, smaller case,   Realforce - metal plate, larger case.
These differences make the results?  Key touch, Resonance character ...

i saw a lot of korean builders talk about 'resonance' tuning. what is that?

switch stickers?

I thought that was the rubber mat was for

Maybe the combination of the two

[redskull]

Hello!  HHKB  - plastic plate, smaller case,   Realforce - metal plate, larger case.
These differences make the results?  Key touch, Resonance character ...

i saw a lot of korean builders talk about 'resonance' tuning. what is that?

switch stickers?

I thought that was the rubber mat was for

Maybe the combination of the two

i dont know. if according to what i understand from GON's assembly services, resonance is something probably like how much lube you put in the switches. too much lube, too mushy feeling, vice-versa. iinm, he has a different charge for 'resonance' tuning and from my previous GON87, the 37 keys cluster, F rows, arrow clusters, mods all have different typing feeling.