Author Topic: HHKB White vs Black Keycap Sound/Feel  (Read 2661 times)

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Offline Altis

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HHKB White vs Black Keycap Sound/Feel
« on: Mon, 05 October 2015, 16:26:21 »
I'm slowly being tempted to pick up a HHKB at some point but I have a question for those with both a black keyset and white keyset: do they sound or feel different?

I ask this because on the Realforce 87U, there is a difference in the way the white and black keycaps feel and sound -- the black ones sound a little more "clicky" whereas the white ones sound more "clacky" and don't feel quite as textured on the tops.

I know this may seem trivial to many, but I'm curious if anyone has noticed a difference, or if you have both, if you can try them side by side and see.

Thanks!
« Last Edit: Mon, 05 October 2015, 17:25:05 by Altis »
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Offline ajx

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Re: HHKB White vs Black Keycap Sounds
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 05 October 2015, 17:07:32 »
I have both, it doesnt seem they feel/sound different but some keys produce a different sound no matter if its black/white
Similar to your clack/click
« Last Edit: Mon, 05 October 2015, 17:09:40 by ajx »

Offline tararais

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Re: HHKB White vs Black Keycap Sound/Feel
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 06 October 2015, 00:24:08 »
Pretty sure it's in the mind or different keys, I've never felt a significant difference between keytypes, even artisans vs. standard.

Offline raymogi

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Re: HHKB White vs Black Keycap Sound/Feel
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 06 October 2015, 00:30:16 »
Maybe the RF that you tried has different weighting on them? 45g vs 55g?

I own 2 RF 55g with different keycaps and they all sounded the same to me.
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Offline rowdy

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Re: HHKB White vs Black Keycap Sound/Feel
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 06 October 2015, 00:47:17 »
From a physical perspective, they are to all intents and purposes identical keyboards.

You'd need to do a blind test - blindfold yourself, get someone to put one in front of you at random and type a bit - see if you can pick which one it is.
"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

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Offline Altis

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Re: HHKB White vs Black Keycap Sound/Feel
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 06 October 2015, 11:03:39 »
From a physical perspective, they are to all intents and purposes identical keyboards.

You'd need to do a blind test - blindfold yourself, get someone to put one in front of you at random and type a bit - see if you can pick which one it is.

They're definitely different on the Realforce.

The light keys are more glossy on the top, while the black keys are more textured. The black keys are also a bit thinner on two sides (left and right) whereas the light keys have equal thickness on all four sides.

They sound and feel different, which is too bad because the black keys sound and feel better but the light ones look nicer to me.
WhiteFox (Gateron Brown) -- Realforce 87U 45g -- Realforce 104UG (Hi Pro 45g) -- Realforce 108US 30g JIS -- HHKB Pro 2 -- IBM Model M ('90) -- IBM Model M SSK ('87) -- NMB RT-101 & RT-8255C+ (Hi-Tek Space Invaders) -- Chicony KB-5181 (Monterey Blue Alps) -- KPT-102 (KPT Alps) -- KUL ES-87 (62/65g Purple Zealios) -- CM QFR (MX Red) -- Apple Aluminum BT -- Realforce 23u Numpad -- Logitech K740 -- QSENN DT-35 -- Zenith Z-150 (Green Alps)

Offline deci

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Re: HHKB White vs Black Keycap Sound/Feel
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 06 October 2015, 11:50:14 »
The type S only comes in white  ;D

Offline Steezus

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Re: HHKB White vs Black Keycap Sound/Feel
« Reply #7 on: Tue, 06 October 2015, 11:59:07 »
Unless the keycaps were different thicknesses or weights then I don't really see how the sound/feel could vary. I'm assuming that HHKB or whoever produces their caps uses the same molds.
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Offline rowdy

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Re: HHKB White vs Black Keycap Sound/Feel
« Reply #8 on: Wed, 07 October 2015, 02:39:24 »
From a physical perspective, they are to all intents and purposes identical keyboards.

You'd need to do a blind test - blindfold yourself, get someone to put one in front of you at random and type a bit - see if you can pick which one it is.

They're definitely different on the Realforce.

The light keys are more glossy on the top, while the black keys are more textured. The black keys are also a bit thinner on two sides (left and right) whereas the light keys have equal thickness on all four sides.

They sound and feel different, which is too bad because the black keys sound and feel better but the light ones look nicer to me.

If you're comparing RealForce to HHKB they would definitely feel different, as the RF is plate mounted and the HHKB is case mounted.
"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

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