PFU vs. RealForce (DISCUSS)

[Fictiouz]

So I finally want to have this discussion:

The build quality is very lackluster in the HHKB, so why the premium price. When compared to a Realforce board would you still choose the HHKB (size/layout aside). What if Realforce made a 60% board with the same build quality of their other boards? Which would you choose then?

I think PFU should be given a little more slack even if the HHKB layout is my favourite layout now.

P.S. Don't even get me started on the HHKB feet.

[dgneo]

So I finally want to have this discussion:

The build quality is very lackluster in the HHKB, so why the premium price. When compared to a Realforce board would you still choose the HHKB (size/layout aside). What if Realforce made a 60% board with the same build quality of their other boards? Which would you choose then?

I think PFU should be given a little more slack even if the HHKB layout is my favourite layout now.

P.S. Don't even get me started on the HHKB feet.

HHKB over RF every day.

[Fictiouz]

So I finally want to have this discussion:

The build quality is very lackluster in the HHKB, so why the premium price. When compared to a Realforce board would you still choose the HHKB (size/layout aside). What if Realforce made a 60% board with the same build quality of their other boards? Which would you choose then?

I think PFU should be given a little more slack even if the HHKB layout is my favourite layout now.

P.S. Don't even get me started on the HHKB feet.

HHKB over RF every day.

Do you think PFU could improve the build quality of the HHKB though?

[dgneo]

So I finally want to have this discussion:

The build quality is very lackluster in the HHKB, so why the premium price. When compared to a Realforce board would you still choose the HHKB (size/layout aside). What if Realforce made a 60% board with the same build quality of their other boards? Which would you choose then?

I think PFU should be given a little more slack even if the HHKB layout is my favourite layout now.

P.S. Don't even get me started on the HHKB feet.

HHKB over RF every day.

Do you think PFU could improve the build quality of the HHKB though?

Currently no. I haven't tried the HHKB BT, which I've heard it slightly better than the regular Pro 2, but I honestly have 0 issues with the build quality, because the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Everything comes together excellently, a perfectly lightweight keyboard that's great for travel and feels amazing to type on.

[Fictiouz]

So I finally want to have this discussion:

The build quality is very lackluster in the HHKB, so why the premium price. When compared to a Realforce board would you still choose the HHKB (size/layout aside). What if Realforce made a 60% board with the same build quality of their other boards? Which would you choose then?

I think PFU should be given a little more slack even if the HHKB layout is my favourite layout now.

P.S. Don't even get me started on the HHKB feet.

HHKB over RF every day.

Do you think PFU could improve the build quality of the HHKB though?

Currently no. I haven't tried the HHKB BT, which I've heard it slightly better than the regular Pro 2, but I honestly have 0 issues with the build quality, because the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Everything comes together excellently, a perfectly lightweight keyboard that's great for travel and feels amazing to type on.

I will agree there, but I developed these convictions after finally typing on a RF board. Maybe I have this idea of a keyboard having to be hefty from typing on Model F's and M's for too long in the past

[Jokrik]

So I finally want to have this discussion:

The build quality is very lackluster in the HHKB, so why the premium price. When compared to a Realforce board would you still choose the HHKB (size/layout aside). What if Realforce made a 60% board with the same build quality of their other boards? Which would you choose then?

I think PFU should be given a little more slack even if the HHKB layout is my favourite layout now.

P.S. Don't even get me started on the HHKB feet.

HHKB over RF every day.

Do you think PFU could improve the build quality of the HHKB though?

This really depends on what you mean by "build quality"
I was hesitant to get a HHKB before due to it being plastic and too light as I am spoiled with aluminium boards

however after I fell in love with the feel of topre on hhkb, compare to RF (more tactile, although I also love my RF 55g). I found that HHKB was made with compact and light as their concept in mind

I travel a lot with my hhkb and I can't think of a better board to travel with

and yes, I find the BT variant is better and more polished in build

[absyrd]

The build quality is very lackluster in the HHKB, so why the premium price. When compared to a Realforce board would you still choose the HHKB (size/layout aside). What if Realforce made a 60% board with the same build quality of their other boards? Which would you choose then?

I like the plastic case mount on the HHKB. I type hard and find it easier on my hands. It just feels right.

[Fictiouz]

This is discussion is making me think twice about selling my HHKB

[nubbinator]

Weight =/= quality.  RF weighs more because of the metal plate, but I honestly don't think the build quality is any better.  I prefer the HHKB because the RF kills my fingers and, IMO, the metal plate makes the switches feel less snappy.

[Fictiouz]

Weight =/= quality.  RF weighs more because of the metal plate, but I honestly don't think the build quality is any better.  I prefer the HHKB because the RF kills my fingers and, IMO, the metal plate makes the switches feel less snappy.

Interesting! I found the metal plate made them snappier. 

[nubbinator]

For me, it feels like it goes snap, mush, painful bottom out on RF.  You couldn't pay me to use a RF board.

[Tactile]

Don't confuse weight with "build quality". I have a 55 gram Realforce, a HHKB, and a HHKB Type S and I've found the "build quality" (what that means to me, at least) to be equal. The plate mount of the Realforce results in a heavier and a good "first impression" keyboard but I don't think the HHKB is any less a quality board and the case mount is an interesting design decision which results in a very distinctive typing feel not to be found on any other Topre board. Manufacturing cost is probably less for the HHKB but that's not the same as build quality or engineering design. There's no point in just making it more expensive to build so it'll be more expensive to sell.

The case, caps, fit & finish of my HHKB boards are equal to the Realforce in every way and maybe slightly better as to the matching fit of the case halves. I've found the magic spot on my Realforce where I can press and make the case creak and I can't do that on my HHKBs, but the Realforce is also a much larger case.

Very tough to choose between them from a strictly quality viewpoint. As luck would have it, though, we don't need to. There are enough significant differences between them in size, layout, etc., that a person can choose based on those factors and know that either is a top quality keyboard.

[Bromono]

I honestly think most of these "aluminum" boards on here are way cheaper feeling then the hhkb.

I can drop my hhkb from a reasonable distance and it should be okay.

Drop one of those aluminum boards and it just decreased in value by $100.

The only aluminum board I have loved was the digilog case for the rf. It truly made the rf feel like it was a premium keyboard.

The 55g realforce is on par with the hhkb for me. Though I really want to try 45g on the realforce one day.

[Hypersphere]

I agree with the previous comments about build quality. The HHKB is built differently from Realforce boards such as the RF87U, but I do not consider the build quality of the HHKB to be inferior to that of the RF. I have owned both boards for some time, but the one I use most often is the HHKB.

Although my RF87U feels more solid than my HHKB, I find typing on the HHKB less fatiguing and more fun. The HHKB is more resilient, and its construction makes the "thock" of its keystrokes more pronounced than on the RF.

Moreover, as others have said, the HHKB represents a beautiful synthesis of components yielding an overall typing experience that is more than the sum of its parts. It has all the ingredients I would want in a keyboard: compact 60% form factor, efficient layout, dye-sub PBT keycaps, excellent switches, and attractive design and styling.

Comparisons between the RF87U and HHKB often invoke a car analogy -- typing on the RF is like driving a luxury sedan, whereas typing on the HHKB is like driving a sports car. This does not mean that the quality differs between the two boards. As for me, after a while, the luxury sedan becomes boring. I prefer the zippy performance of the sports car.

[Fictiouz]

I love hearing everyone's input on the matter. Thanks for all the awesome well thought out responses!