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Why Are Topre Keyboards So Expensive?

switchandclick.com

341–350 of 413 posts

Re: Why Are Topre Keyboards So Expensive?

#341
I had Cherry MX Black Switches and it was nice for gaming and overall coding, but then one day I switched to WASD with Cherry MX Green and I didn't liked that much.

The best mechanical keyboards to me were Brown switches and black ones so far the best ones for coding, gaming and general internet usage.

I always encourage people to try as much until you find the best one.

Re: Why Are Topre Keyboards So Expensive?

#342
post #77

I have the privilege of owning a Happy Hacking 2, it has topre keys. I used it for about a year. And I hated it! It's insanely noisy, to the point of distraction. It's so damn loud. But the dealbreaker for me is how heavy and deep the keys are. It's just too much energy and travel time for efficient typing IMO. After long sessions my fingertips felt sore from the blunt damage of pushing down the keys. But I'll recogn…

I agree so much!! I've tried my best to like mechanical keyboards... but no, I hate them. The noise is distracting, they require too much strength on every key, and they are big and expansive! I thought I might have the wrong keytypes, so I even purchased key testers: the red keys are less noisy, but that doesn't solve the other problems. So I just can't find a reason to like them. My favorite keyboard is the Thinkpa…

The logitech MX series is smaller yet more comfortable

Re: Why Are Topre Keyboards So Expensive?

#343
post #102
post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree so much!! I've tried my best to like mechanical keyboards... but no, I hate them. The noise is distracting, they require too much strength on every key, and they are big and expansive! I thought I might have the wrong keytypes, so I even purchased key testers: the red keys are less noisy, but that doesn't solve the other problems. So I just can't find a reason to like them. My favorite keyboard is the Thinkpa…

Exactly the same sentiment. My yearlong experiment to try to love mechanical keyboards left me with a thousand euro hole in my wallet and physical problems spanning from fingers to upper body musculature. I loved the tactile feel, but hated what they did to my body. I think mechanical keyboards are just too high, with excessive travel. You sort of have to keep your hands floating in the air, which transfers stress to…

I find average mechanical keyboards to be perfect for my typing style. They never cause me hand strain, stress, tension, etc. Membrane keyboards, however - and especially whatever you call the keyboards on Macbooks - feel like I'm trying to finger drum on glass. I end up with tons of hand pain.

However -- the qualifying fact is that I am a pianist, from the age of 5. I believe that a lot of the biomechanics I learned at the piano keyboard transfer to the computer keyboard, whether I want them to or not. I can't help but try to type the way I play piano to some degree -- in large part, this means an elevated wrist, a pretty high finger force and more of a hammer-type finger action rather than a pressing-type acting.

A very important part of any instrument training is learning correct technique, and a large reason for this is the prevention of injury. I've had decades to adopt the correct technique for keeping my wrists elevated and my fingers hanging down without tension. And I'm sure the increased finger strength helps, too.

Re: Why Are Topre Keyboards So Expensive?

#344
post #77

I have the privilege of owning a Happy Hacking 2, it has topre keys. I used it for about a year. And I hated it! It's insanely noisy, to the point of distraction. It's so damn loud. But the dealbreaker for me is how heavy and deep the keys are. It's just too much energy and travel time for efficient typing IMO. After long sessions my fingertips felt sore from the blunt damage of pushing down the keys. But I'll recogn…

I agree so much!! I've tried my best to like mechanical keyboards... but no, I hate them. The noise is distracting, they require too much strength on every key, and they are big and expansive! I thought I might have the wrong keytypes, so I even purchased key testers: the red keys are less noisy, but that doesn't solve the other problems. So I just can't find a reason to like them. My favorite keyboard is the Thinkpa…

Ever tried any linear type switches? Silent silver, silent red, silent black...

I am a guitar and bass player, and I love just having a linear switch that you can either hammer on and bottom out (=loud) or silently hover and move 1mm to activate it inaudibly. All depending on mood.

Re: Why Are Topre Keyboards So Expensive?

#345

I have the privilege of owning a Happy Hacking 2, it has topre keys. I used it for about a year. And I hated it! It's insanely noisy, to the point of distraction. It's so damn loud. But the dealbreaker for me is how heavy and deep the keys are. It's just too much energy and travel time for efficient typing IMO. After long sessions my fingertips felt sore from the blunt damage of pushing down the keys. But I'll recogn…

I worked at a company that gave people generous leeway to purchase computer gear they wanted. We already had good computers and monitors, so fancy mechanical keyboards were the #1 purchase for most people. The mechanical keyboard fans nerded out over different switches and other hardware, spending countless hours doing research and trying out different types of keys. And then slowly nearly everyone went back to regul…

As other posters mentioned, the recent "mechanical keyboard" subculture is all about show and boasting. It's not a surprise it seem to have boomed with gaming rigs and streaming channels.

The keyboard in these circles is all about status, not function. If anything, I would compare it to "dubious" car mods like "cambered wheels".

Due to RSI I tried dozens of keyboards over the years. When I see these new keyboards being sold at these prices, especially the mechanical ones marketed with "improved layouts" and ergonomics, I have to laugh.

There's genuine difference between the various switch types, and I totally believe that for some people the acoustic feedback can be a valid alternative to the haptic one. Physical feedback while typing can really help. However it's clear to me most of these people are not really trying to solve an issue when you see reviews of switching performance after lubing...

Re: Why Are Topre Keyboards So Expensive?

#346
post #335

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve tried a couple of mechanical keyboards at this point and I still don’t understand why people rave about Cherry MX blue switches. I have two of the exact same model of keyboard, one with Cherry MX blue and one with Cherry MX silent red. I much prefer the silent red for pretty much all situations. I suspect I might also like/tolerate the Cherry MX silver switches for their relative silence (still not as silent as…

For me, the Blues just feel perfectly snappy and quick. I really like the Red switches as well and if I was using a keyboard in an office environment, I'd probably go for Reds as the Blues have an audible click. But in the privacy of my home with no one else around, I find the typing experience to just be really fun and snappy on Blue switches. Your fingers can easily race over the keyboard (assuming you're not botto…

Hah, at my last job my colleagues in the software development department were like waging a loudness war. Almost everybody, including myself, brought their own blue switch keyboard to the office. Being an open-floor office with no noise absorbing ceiling, it was funny as hell to take off your headphones and suddenly realize all the clicking and clacking happening around you.

Re: Why Are Topre Keyboards So Expensive?

#347
post #296
post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> One day I got tired and bought a 10 euro keyboard from the grocery shop. Noname, slimline, rubber domes. What a relief that was. Actually, I had the same thing happen to me during my mechanical keyboard experiment when I had to use some old keyboard found in the basement on a raspberrypi. It felt SO GOOD, SO COMFORTABLE, that I said "screw that experiment, I'll accept that I'm an uncultured swine who likes membrane…

» I decided to stop trying to fit my tastes to what's popular Funny enough, for me it was the inexpensive (~ USD 25) no name "blue" switches keyboard that I like best. They are very clickity clackity. However, I work from home now so it works out. It doesn't have a number pad which I thought would be a deal breaker but I don't mind much at all. Even the legendary Thinkpad keyboard is not good enough anymore. In fact,…

> Funny enough, for me it was the inexpensive (~ USD 25) no name "blue" switches keyboard that I like best. They are very clickity clackity. However, I work from home now so it works out.

That sounds exactly like my personal experience. I purchased a cheap Ajazz ak33 for around USD 25 and I loved the feel and response. It's a shame that no one within a 30 feet radius shared my appreciation of it's clickyness, and now it sits on a shelf gathering dust.

Re: Why Are Topre Keyboards So Expensive?

#348

I have the privilege of owning a Happy Hacking 2, it has topre keys. I used it for about a year. And I hated it! It's insanely noisy, to the point of distraction. It's so damn loud. But the dealbreaker for me is how heavy and deep the keys are. It's just too much energy and travel time for efficient typing IMO. After long sessions my fingertips felt sore from the blunt damage of pushing down the keys. But I'll recogn…

I worked at a company that gave people generous leeway to purchase computer gear they wanted. We already had good computers and monitors, so fancy mechanical keyboards were the #1 purchase for most people. The mechanical keyboard fans nerded out over different switches and other hardware, spending countless hours doing research and trying out different types of keys. And then slowly nearly everyone went back to regul…

Layout and ergonomics are much more important than switches, my dream is to have a kinesis advantage with blue switches, but until then I much prefer my advantage over my regular keyboard with blue switches.

Re: Why Are Topre Keyboards So Expensive?

#349
I love mechanical keyboards (mkb) but am not obsessed about them. Given a choice, I prefer an mkb over other keyboards. A keyboard to my mind is a means to an end, but not an end in itself. I do not understand people who hoard mkb's, but that's just me.

In India, the best mkb you can buy is a TVS [1], and I am a happy user for many years now. They don't market to mkb hobbyists (e.g. gamers, mkb collectors), but to heavy-duty users such as bank clerks. This kb is affordable, durable, reliable. What more can I ask?

[1] https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B07B75DVZS

Re: Why Are Topre Keyboards So Expensive?

#350
post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree so much!! I've tried my best to like mechanical keyboards... but no, I hate them. The noise is distracting, they require too much strength on every key, and they are big and expansive! I thought I might have the wrong keytypes, so I even purchased key testers: the red keys are less noisy, but that doesn't solve the other problems. So I just can't find a reason to like them. My favorite keyboard is the Thinkpa…

(why can't they make smaller mice??) People do make smaller mice. But the downside is that they are generally cheapies, and not very robust. I have bought several over the years from supermarkets when I found I'd left my usual mouse behind. When it comes to left-handed mice, it's often easier to obtain a symmetrical mouse, and change its handidness in software. I use my mice so much that I have a problem with wireles…

Not sure what is your ideal small mouse, but there are some good small "gaming" mouses though:

Xtrfy MZ1 Coolermaster MM710 Razer Viper Mini

I'm currently using the first one and it is a great mouse. No special software, no BS, very light, great shape, and a cable you don't even notice that you have. Don't know about the rest, but before this one I had Logitech G Pro wireless, and it was great, but a bit too large.

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