Happy Hacking Pro Hybrid Type-S Keyboard
$337 for this beauty, but why?
HAPPY HACKING Keyboards (HHKBs) are often seen as the holy grail of keyboards for developers, coders, and sys admins, but you'd be right to be hesitant on dropping that kind of cash on what seems like such a basic board. What can possibly make it cost so much?
First and foremost, Topre switches. These are electrocapacitive switches that are a dream to type on. They’re like typing on clouds. If you've never used Topre switches, it's worth trying them just to feel how soft switches should be done. Topre switches are made by a single company in Japan, and the price of them is eyewatering. Topre switches have a conical spring underneath a rubber dome. The plunger compresses the dome and spring until it makes it actuate. This kind of switch eliminates key chatter or double switchpresses, and they are also far more consistent in terms of feel than standard switches. The Topre switches in the HHKB Pro Hybrid Type-S have a switch weight of 45cN with a 3.8mm travel. They are very tactile, and the "Type-S" part of the name signifies that these switches also have a dampener to make them quieter, which if you put it next to the standard HHKB makes a big difference.