Topre Realforce 55G unboxing

[reefchief]

Just got my Topre realforce 55g in the mail and took some photos of its unboxing. Ive been using a mx blue keyboard for a week and its been amazing but this thocking topre is just somehow even more amazing. Everything I like about the mx blues is enhanced, and everything I dislike is gone. I love the "car blinker" feel. Ive also added about 5 WPM to my typing speed already. And the tray looks much more attractive in person then the photos online. Not to mention the black/grey kind of color scheme with black text is awesome.

On to the photos.

[tribade]

Very nice pictures, thanks for posting!  I just recently got mine, too and I'm loving it.  You should write a review of it once you've had a little more time with it!

[Linkbane]

A review would be a lot more useful than some pictures, as this isn't really a new product. 

[Kliee]

Really nice! Great that you like it straight out of the box. Took me some hours to really like mine.

I personnaly don't like the "black on black" prints so much, but it was the only option for full size US qwerty when I bought it .
How would you describe the feel of the 55g? I've been thinking of getting one like that myself (only in black on white).

[reefchief]

My apologies for the pictures 

I wanted to take some decent pictures of the thing because I noticed a distinct lack of them while trying to decide if I really wanted to spend $225 on a keyboard.

I Will definitely write a better review as soon as ive had some time to properly use it and compare it against my other keyboard.

[Linkbane]

My apologies for the pictures 

I wanted to take some decent pictures of the thing because I noticed a distinct lack of them while trying to decide if I really wanted to spend $225 on a keyboard.

I Will definitely write a better review as soon as ive had some time to properly use it and compare it against my other keyboard.

That's a lack?
Here's a thread about it.

[reefchief]

Really nice! Great that you like it straight out of the box. Took me some hours to really like mine.

I personnaly don't like the "black on black" prints so much, but it was the only option for full size US qwerty when I bought it .
How would you describe the feel of the 55g? I've been thinking of getting one like that myself (only in black on white).

I cant compare it to the 45g as ive never used one. But I can compare it to cherry switches. For me personally 45g switches are too light. I bottomed out my cherry mx blues non stop so I knew the 55g was needed. Despite being stiffer then the other topre boards I find it to be less tiring and stiff then the cherry mx blues. Its got a very nice distinct car blinker like "pop" to it that I imagine is heightened by the harder actuation. Its extremely satisfying to type on. I could almost go for a 10g harder switch if it existed. 

[reefchief]

My apologies for the pictures 

I wanted to take some decent pictures of the thing because I noticed a distinct lack of them while trying to decide if I really wanted to spend $225 on a keyboard.

I Will definitely write a better review as soon as ive had some time to properly use it and compare it against my other keyboard.

That's a lack?
Here's a thread about it.

 

I am aware there are pictures, but I found most on google to be of poor quality, the same angle, stock photos etc. All of only the top of the keyboard itself. And the post your topre thread is mostly filled with single pictures of modified topres. If this post is a burden on your forum here I will be glad to remove it. I thought people here liked seeing nice pictures of keyboards?

[epzy]

My apologies for the pictures 

I wanted to take some decent pictures of the thing because I noticed a distinct lack of them while trying to decide if I really wanted to spend $225 on a keyboard.

I Will definitely write a better review as soon as ive had some time to properly use it and compare it against my other keyboard.

That's a lack?
Here's a thread about it.

 

I am aware there are pictures, but I found most on google to be of poor quality, the same angle, stock photos etc. All of only the top of the keyboard itself. And the post your topre thread is mostly filled with single pictures of modified topres. If this post is a burden on your forum here I will be glad to remove it. I thought people here liked seeing nice pictures of keyboards.

Lol, don't remove your pictures/post. They aren't a burden at all.

[Kliee]

I cant compare it to the 45g as ive never used one. But I can compare it to cherry switches. For me personally 45g switches are too light. I bottomed out my cherry mx blues non stop so I knew the 55g was needed. Despite being stiffer then the other topre boards I find it to be less tiring and stiff then the cherry mx blues. Its got a very nice distinct car blinker like "pop" to it that I imagine is heightened by the harder actuation. Its extremely satisfying to type on. I could almost go for a 10g harder switch if it existed.

Coming from Cherry Blues myself at the time I made the switch to Topre, I really liked the light 45g version. But it's true I'd have loved to add some strenght to it. I also heard from many that it was much more satisfying to type on a 55g than on a 45g, so I'd love to try myself .

Sadly, in France, the quality/mechanical keyboard market is not very developed so even very geeky computer stores doesn't have a lot of good keyboards, if any, let alone a Topre. If I wanna try I have to buy... which I think I'll do anyway  .

That said, congrats on your new board!

[kmiller8]

I am aware there are pictures, but I found most on google to be of poor quality, the same angle, stock photos etc. All of only the top of the keyboard itself. And the post your topre thread is mostly filled with single pictures of modified topres. If this post is a burden on your forum here I will be glad to remove it. I thought people here liked seeing nice pictures of keyboards?

Don't pay attention to linkbane.

[aref]

Congratulations on the 87UB. The photos look great; and your posting them
shows how excited you are about your new keyboard. Enjoy your 87UB/55g.

[smknjoe]

Thanks for the pics! If you had not posted them I would have never known that Leopold was making Realforce now. When did that start? The pics on Elitekeyboards still show Topre.

Edit: I was looking at the sticker on the bottom of the keyboard. The rest of the labels say distributed by Leopold. Whew! I was worried there for a minute.

[reefchief]

Thanks guys glad you like the photos. I am excited not only for the realforce but mechanical keyboards in general. Im a software developer who spends sometimes 10-12 hours a day jamming on the keys and I didn't realize what I was missing out on until not too long ago. My blue board was a revelation but somehow the topre switches feel better and type better. 

[Kliee]

I am excited not only for the realforce but mechanical keyboards in general.

That's a good news for your fingers, but a bad news for your wallet! 

[smknjoe]

You definitely need a few good boards then! I'm a network engineer by profession but do some programming as well. Your hands will thank you. You need to try buckling spring next.

I have blues, Topre 45g (HHKB), and BS. I like them all, but the Topre and BS are my two favorites.

[reefchief]

I am excited not only for the realforce but mechanical keyboards in general.

That's a good news for your fingers, but a bad news for your wallet! 

yeah my wallet is already crying. About to order the granite dsa set and make it cry some more.

[Kliee]

You definitely need a few good boards then! I'm a network engineer by profession but do some programming as well. Your hands will thank you. You need to try buckling spring next.

I have blues, Topre 45g (HHKB), and BS. I like them all, but the Topre and BS are my two favorites.

Yes! Definitly buckling springs! I always go back to them also. They're my all time favourite. In my opinion, if you're searching for accuracy in typing, they're really amazing, among the bests!

Although, to be honest, I'd be even more happy if the BS sounded more "dry", with less metalic resonance.

[neunelfer]

My apologies for the pictures 

I wanted to take some decent pictures of the thing because I noticed a distinct lack of them while trying to decide if I really wanted to spend $225 on a keyboard.

I Will definitely write a better review as soon as ive had some time to properly use it and compare it against my other keyboard.

That's a lack?
Here's a thread about it.

 

I am aware there are pictures, but I found most on google to be of poor quality, the same angle, stock photos etc. All of only the top of the keyboard itself. And the post your topre thread is mostly filled with single pictures of modified topres. If this post is a burden on your forum here I will be glad to remove it. I thought people here liked seeing nice pictures of keyboards?

Those are some great photos, I especially like the closeup of the red escape. Ignore Linkbane.

[reefchief]

You definitely need a few good boards then! I'm a network engineer by profession but do some programming as well. Your hands will thank you. You need to try buckling spring next.

I have blues, Topre 45g (HHKB), and BS. I like them all, but the Topre and BS are my two favorites.

Yes! Definitly buckling springs! I always go back to them also. They're my all time favourite. In my opinion, if you're searching for accuracy in typing, they're really amazing, among the bests!

Although, to be honest, I'd be even more happy if the BS sounded more "dry", with less metalic resonance.

my only exposure to mech keyboards before my blue board was buckling springs (I loved the model m's as a kid in the 90's etc and didn't have any idea why), I almost bought a unicomp but really dislike the numpad. I also think I prefer the silent thock of the topre to the click clack of blues or the ping clack of buckling springs most of the time. The blues are fun but the clicking is a bit much.

[reefchief]

My apologies for the pictures 

I wanted to take some decent pictures of the thing because I noticed a distinct lack of them while trying to decide if I really wanted to spend $225 on a keyboard.

I Will definitely write a better review as soon as ive had some time to properly use it and compare it against my other keyboard.

That's a lack?
Here's a thread about it.

 

I am aware there are pictures, but I found most on google to be of poor quality, the same angle, stock photos etc. All of only the top of the keyboard itself. And the post your topre thread is mostly filled with single pictures of modified topres. If this post is a burden on your forum here I will be glad to remove it. I thought people here liked seeing nice pictures of keyboards?

Those are some great photos, I especially like the closeup of the red escape. Ignore Linkbane.

Thanks, I was trying to capture the wonderful texture of the keys and the high quality of the dye sublimation which to me is a big feature of this keyboard. My QFR is a cheap comparison but it feels worlds better. 

[avtar]

Yes! Definitly buckling springs! I always go back to them also. They're my all time favourite. In my opinion, if you're searching for accuracy in typing, they're really amazing, among the bests!

Although, to be honest, I'd be even more happy if the BS sounded more "dry", with less metalic resonance.

I love using a RF 55g but I'm curious about what a Unicomp Spacesaver would feel like. I couldn't get used to the high pitched clicking of my last keyboard with MX blue switches. Are buckling spring switches louder than blues? And are they heavier than Topre 55g?

[Kliee]

Are buckling spring switches louder than blues? And are they heavier than Topre 55g?

Well, it's a yes for both questions!

BS are famous for being really loud. That's what we like about them!

Buckling springs on the IBM model M (it's a little lighter for the Unicomp's M) are around 75/80g if I remember right.
On other boards, as the model F, they can be lighter.

They're more heavy than Mx Blues, that's for sure!

If you ever try one, coming from a light switched board, it'll be a little difficult to adapt at the beginning but well worth the efforts

Then again, some says that 55g on some switches are more tiring than 70g on other switches, so maybe you'll not have problem with that...

[avtar]

Thanks. I think I'll need to try one somehow.

[epzy]

I'm not sure about MX Blues, but MX Greens are louder than BS.

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=56648.msg1280268#msg1280268

[CPTBadAss]

Is that a Kershaw brawler?

[demik]

My apologies for the pictures 

I wanted to take some decent pictures of the thing because I noticed a distinct lack of them while trying to decide if I really wanted to spend $225 on a keyboard.

I Will definitely write a better review as soon as ive had some time to properly use it and compare it against my other keyboard.

That's a lack?
Here's a thread about it.

 

I am aware there are pictures, but I found most on google to be of poor quality, the same angle, stock photos etc. All of only the top of the keyboard itself. And the post your topre thread is mostly filled with single pictures of modified topres. If this post is a burden on your forum here I will be glad to remove it. I thought people here liked seeing nice pictures of keyboards?

Your photos are great.

Mod edit: please refrain from insulting other members on this forum.
demik edit: don't tell me how to live my life anonymous account.

[dustinhxc]

Looks great!

[reefchief]

Is that a Kershaw brawler?

Close    A kershaw blackout. Good eye 

[Lain1911]

Black/White contrast would look good Looks nice now though.

[rowdy]

Very nice photos

But, being photos, wouldn't this be better in the media section?

[Lurch]

Great shots dude.

Unboxing new tings feels so good.

[dante]

I heard rumors that Seasonic was going to distribute a limited number of 55g Type Heaven's but can't get anyone there to confirm/deny it...

[demik]

I heard rumors that Seasonic was going to distribute a limited number of 55g Type Heaven's but can't get anyone there to confirm/deny it...

so ask the person that you heard the rumors from for their source?