The HHKB Master Race:Should I join it?

[Roibhilin]

I've heard lots of people saying "Get a HHKB and get out while you still can" and I'm wondering if I should sell my Quickfire TK along with some PC parts on eBay, keep my QFR, and then buy the HHKB with the resulting money.

I like the feeling of good rubber dome keyboards like the "Made in Thailand" QuietKeys so if Topres are similar at all I think I'd like them too, will I have any regrets if I get the HHKB?

[Linkbane]

Layout could be an issue, you might not like Topre, etc. Best to try Topre out first. I personally like the FC660C better than the HHKB, as it's much cheaper, also has PBT caps (comes in blank now as well), and has a more functional layout. You may really end up liking the HHKB though, but there are lots of options.

[dustinhxc]

It's all up to you and what you like. I just sold mine after loving it for a few months but finally got fed up w the layout and not having arrows. I love my Leopold fc660c

[rowdy]

I use mine on my Mac where arrow keys are not quite as much of a concern as under Windows.

[Roibhilin]

It's all up to you and what you like. I just sold mine after loving it for a few months but finally got fed up w the layout and not having arrows. I love my Leopold fc660c

Layout could be an issue, you might not like Topre, etc. Best to try Topre out first. I personally like the FC660C better than the HHKB, as it's much cheaper, also has PBT caps (comes in blank now as well), and has a more functional layout. You may really end up liking the HHKB though, but there are lots of options.

Layout could be an issue, you might not like Topre, etc. Best to try Topre out first. I personally like the FC660C better than the HHKB, as it's much cheaper, also has PBT caps (comes in blank now as well), and has a more functional layout. You may really end up liking the HHKB though, but there are lots of options.

Are the non-replacable keycaps on the Leopold an issue?
I want to get the cheaper one too since I'd have money to spare but I read something about the build quality being worse, unless that was coming from a fanboy.

[dustinhxc]

It's all up to you and what you like. I just sold mine after loving it for a few months but finally got fed up w the layout and not having arrows. I love my Leopold fc660c

Layout could be an issue, you might not like Topre, etc. Best to try Topre out first. I personally like the FC660C better than the HHKB, as it's much cheaper, also has PBT caps (comes in blank now as well), and has a more functional layout. You may really end up liking the HHKB though, but there are lots of options.

Layout could be an issue, you might not like Topre, etc. Best to try Topre out first. I personally like the FC660C better than the HHKB, as it's much cheaper, also has PBT caps (comes in blank now as well), and has a more functional layout. You may really end up liking the HHKB though, but there are lots of options.

Are the non-replacable keycaps on the Leopold an issue?
I want to get the cheaper one too since I'd have money to spare but I read something about the build quality being worse, unless that was coming from a fanboy.

I got the blank version since I don't like the Leopold print. Then I swapped the number row and alphas with realforce caps. If you wanted to do that you'd have to either buy a realforce like I did or find the discontinued realforce caps. Or you could just use blanks.

I do like the angle of the HHKB case better but like I like the size of the leos shift and backspace better. I've opened both up and the Leopold has a steel plate which I think is a plus. The HHKB is plastic inside. I couldn't tell a different on the USB ports or pcb. But the springs domes and sliders all were the same.
But because of the plate, the Leo has a slight noise when you type but it is gone if you dental band the sliders also can lube them with krytox for extra smoothness.

[Roibhilin]

BTW, do you guys think that the Leopold will still be in stock by April 16th? I'm getting it a few days before then for my birthday and I'm worried it'll be out of stock 

[dustinhxc]

BTW, do you guys think that the Leopold will still be in stock by April 16th? I'm getting it a few days before then for my birthday and I'm worried it'll be out of stock 

You'd have to email them and see how many they have

[eth0s]

well, I think people are saying get the HHKB before the prices go back up due to the changing currency exchange rate of the Japanese Yen.  I haven't heard anything about PFU not continuing to make the HHKB pro 2.  They have been making it since 2006, and it just gets more popular each year, so I don't see why they would stop making it.

[Roibhilin]

BTW, is the miniUSB cable included with the Leopold? It isn't listed on the product page.

[ComradeSniper]

BTW, is the miniUSB cable included with the Leopold? It isn't listed on the product page.

Mine came with one.

[HoffmanMyster]

I use mine on my Mac where arrow keys are not quite as much of a concern as under Windows.

Can you explain why arrow keys aren't needed as much on a mac?  I've never thought of them as being an OS-specific feature and I'm curious why you say this.

[esoomenona]

I use mine on my Mac where arrow keys are not quite as much of a concern as under Windows.

Can you explain why arrow keys aren't needed as much on a mac?  I've never thought of them as being an OS-specific feature and I'm curious why you say this.

Because people don't use Macs to do any actual work.

[jdcarpe]

I happen to like the HHKB layout. Once you get used to it, its hard to switch back to a "standard" layout again. That's one reason I live keyboards with programmable controllers. I can program Caps Lock to be Control, Fn+Tab to be Caps Lock, and swap the backspace and backslash keys. If I used the tilde key much I might find it annoying to go back and forth with different keyboards, but I don't, so I don't.

[rowdy]

well, I think people are saying get the HHKB before the prices go back up due to the changing currency exchange rate of the Japanese Yen.  I haven't heard anything about PFU not continuing to make the HHKB pro 2.  They have been making it since 2006, and it just gets more popular each year, so I don't see why they would stop making it.

You mean like they won't stop making coloured Topre keycap sets?

I use mine on my Mac where arrow keys are not quite as much of a concern as under Windows.

Can you explain why arrow keys aren't needed as much on a mac?  I've never thought of them as being an OS-specific feature and I'm curious why you say this.

Because you can use control sequences to do many things.  Ctrl-A = beginning of line, ^F = forward, ^B = backwards, ^E = end of line, that kind of thing.

Under Windows ^A is select all, but on Mac select all is Command-A.

Mac is closer to its Unix origins.

[HoffmanMyster]

well, I think people are saying get the HHKB before the prices go back up due to the changing currency exchange rate of the Japanese Yen.  I haven't heard anything about PFU not continuing to make the HHKB pro 2.  They have been making it since 2006, and it just gets more popular each year, so I don't see why they would stop making it.

You mean like they won't stop making coloured Topre keycap sets?

I use mine on my Mac where arrow keys are not quite as much of a concern as under Windows.

Can you explain why arrow keys aren't needed as much on a mac?  I've never thought of them as being an OS-specific feature and I'm curious why you say this.

Because you can use control sequences to do many things.  Ctrl-A = beginning of line, ^F = forward, ^B = backwards, ^E = end of line, that kind of thing.

Under Windows ^A is select all, but on Mac select all is Command-A.

Mac is closer to its Unix origins.

Hmm, interesting.  Well we do have Home and End for beginning and end of line, but F and B seem rather awkward and non-intuitive choices for forward and backward.  But if you find it easy then that's all that matters.    I guess I'd need to try it myself to see.  Sorry for slight off-topic.

[rowdy]

Can you explain why arrow keys aren't needed as much on a mac?  I've never thought of them as being an OS-specific feature and I'm curious why you say this.

Because you can use control sequences to do many things.  Ctrl-A = beginning of line, ^F = forward, ^B = backwards, ^E = end of line, that kind of thing.

Under Windows ^A is select all, but on Mac select all is Command-A.

Mac is closer to its Unix origins.

Hmm, interesting.  Well we do have Home and End for beginning and end of line, but F and B seem rather awkward and non-intuitive choices for forward and backward.  But if you find it easy then that's all that matters.    I guess I'd need to try it myself to see.  Sorry for slight off-topic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_key

[PolaBurrr]

doo eet!

[Roibhilin]

OK guys, you've convinced me to get a FC660C, I'll probably post a review when it comes 

[morpheus]

For me, keyboards are more like a tool. Sure, the aesthetics come into play, but it doesn't matter as much. The fact is, I need to be as productive as possible, and I can't do it without the arrow keys. I need to know that when I'm typing I'm in full control, so I can hum away without even thinking about it.

I too once owned an HHKB, but I just couldn't justify keeping it, especially at its price. The FC660C gives me everything I need and then some, at a lower price point.

[Linkbane]

OK guys, you've convinced me to get a FC660C, I'll probably post a review when it comes 

Great choice. Welcome to the club!

[acsim]

I am a proud owner of both the FC660C and the HHKB. I'd definitely say I am having more fun with the HHKB but the FC660C is no slouch. The reason I use HHKB more often is that somehow the layout allows me to find my way around the keyboard more easily. I don't know why that's the case but from the many posts I've read, tells me that the FC660C is more 'flat' whatever that means. I personally can't tell the difference when comparing them side by side. But I do feel the difference when typing. Other than that the FC660C is a smoking piece of machinery by any standards, whether you're pulling the trigger on any of them, you would have our blessings!

Cheers!

[Roibhilin]

OK guys, you've convinced me to get a FC660C, I'll probably post a review when it comes 

Great choice. Welcome to the club!

I am a proud owner of both the FC660C and the HHKB. I'd definitely say I am having more fun with the HHKB but the FC660C is no slouch. The reason I use HHKB more often is that somehow the layout allows me to find my way around the keyboard more easily. I don't know why that's the case but from the many posts I've read, tells me that the FC660C is more 'flat' whatever that means. I personally can't tell the difference when comparing them side by side. But I do feel the difference when typing. Other than that the FC660C is a smoking piece of machinery by any standards, whether you're pulling the trigger on any of them, you would have our blessings!

Cheers!

I am a proud owner of both the FC660C and the HHKB. I'd definitely say I am having more fun with the HHKB but the FC660C is no slouch. The reason I use HHKB more often is that somehow the layout allows me to find my way around the keyboard more easily. I don't know why that's the case but from the many posts I've read, tells me that the FC660C is more 'flat' whatever that means. I personally can't tell the difference when comparing them side by side. But I do feel the difference when typing. Other than that the FC660C is a smoking piece of machinery by any standards, whether you're pulling the trigger on any of them, you would have our blessings!

Cheers!

Update:

 

[Linkbane]

Update:

Show Image

 :(

https://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=leopold,compact&pid=fc660cnb
Be hardcore, go blank.

[SpAmRaY]

Update:

 

https://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=leopold,compact&pid=fc660cnb
Be hardcore, go blank.

FTFY

[Linkbane]

Update:

 

https://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=leopold,compact&pid=fc660cnb
Be hardcore, go blank.

FTFY

  That's a pretty big reflexive fail right there.

[tns]

I guess HHKB fans prefer it over Leopold because of its cute layout? I might be wrong
And those who prefer Leopold over HHKB is because of more standard layout?

Even thought I don't really know...

Actually I wanted to ask, do we have Leopold switching to HHKB, but why?

[acsim]

I guess HHKB fans prefer it over Leopold because of its cute layout? I might be wrong
And those who prefer Leopold over HHKB is because of more standard layout?

Even thought I don't really know...

Actually I wanted to ask, do we have Leopold switching to HHKB, but why?

The main reason why I chose to use the HHKB as my daily driver is the layout like you mentioned. I mean, that's the main draw of the HHKB. But I also noticed that the HHKB has a lower profile(slimmer, less height), especially on the bottom rows, compared to the FC660C. This is very noticeable for me as I float my wrists while I type and I have to raise my wrists significantly higher when using the FC660C.

So in that sense, typing on the HHKB is also more comfortable for me.   

[Linkbane]

The main reason why I chose to use the HHKB as my daily driver is the layout like you mentioned. I mean, that's the main draw of the HHKB. But I also noticed that the HHKB has a lower profile(slimmer, less height), especially on the bottom rows, compared to the FC660C. This is very noticeable for me as I float my wrists while I type and I have to raise my wrists significantly higher when using the FC660C.

So in that sense, typing on the HHKB is also more comfortable for me.   

You have to raise your wrists on the FC660C? I float and type pretty well, and that's never been a problem for me. Must be body shape, I suppose.
The reason that the HHKB has a lower profile is probably because of the keys it uses. Standard Topre keys for the HHKB/Realforce boards use a more Cherry-like profile, while the Leopold uses something between that and an OEM. I've played with a friend's HHKB once, and it wasn't very different for me, but I can certainly see why people might like the HHKB; the look is lovely. I can't go without arrow/window keys, but it's not made for people like me.

[thesentinel]

Does anyone know if the 660c comes in white? I really like white keyboards and they seem so uncommon. IF they do come in white, where would a man buy them?

[Beca]

Does anyone know if the 660c comes in white? I really like white keyboards and they seem so uncommon. IF they do come in white, where would a man buy them?

I don't believe they produce white FC660Cs. But, they did recently-ish release the white FC660M, so it's possible that they are planning to come out with a white FC660C.

[dustinhxc]

I've only seen the MX version in the white.

Good job welcome! I have the blank model since it's hard to find 1.25 keys

[rowdy]

Does anyone know if the 660c comes in white? I really like white keyboards and they seem so uncommon. IF they do come in white, where would a man buy them?

I've been looking for a white FC660C since the FC660C appeared.  No joy.

[dustinhxc]

I was actually curious if the m and c cases are swappable. The m goes for $100 I'd pay that for a case.

[eth0s]

Does anyone know if the 660c comes in white? I really like white keyboards and they seem so uncommon. IF they do come in white, where would a man buy them?

Well, a man doesn't ask.  A man just does.

But no, Leo does not make the FC660C in white.  At least not yet.

[Smasher816]

I know a lot of topre boards (ex: the HHKB) have the case as part of the keyswitch construction. Since the F660M doesn't use sliders and is just a different design in general I would doubt it would work for a topre board.

But what do I know. I fully expect someone to reply proving me wrong.