PFU HHKB Professional Hybrid PD-KB800B

Great keyboard layout is fast to switch to great for coding and typing smooth but tactile but was used

The layout comes more naturally than you might expect. This is how all keyboards should be formatted, smooth. And switching back and forth from laptop to desktop is as easy at Fn+1 and Fn+0. I'm quite happy with it.

The price is the biggest issue, otherwise wonderful. No RGB or backlighting makes keys difficult to see at nighttime, but otherwise really, really nice keyboard.

I look the look, feel, layout, and sound of this board. That said, even with good lighting, I can barely see the legends on the keycaps.If you can deal with that, this is a great board. If you can't, it's quite frustrating to use.

I've used this keyboard for 3 months so far, and the experience has been fantastic so far.

This keyboard is not going to be for everybody, let me just get that out of the way now. If you are just after the most features, for the smallest amount of money, there are countless other mechanical keyboards on the market that deliver more solid materials (metal/aluminium) with full RGB lighting and not even break 200$.If you are considering this keyboard, then you should already be well down the mechanical keyboard rabbit hole, and do your research to makes sure this is what you want. So what makes this keyboard stand out?1. The Topre Switches: If you have been doing your research on keyboard switches, you will find Topre to be one of the most polarising switch types out there. Some people love them, and refuse to get a keyboard without them, some people really don't feel they justify the cost. It is often described as a hybrid, but that is a bit disingenuous. These are rubber domed switches that are only designed by Fujitsu (hence the increase in price). I love the feeling of the switches, they have the travel distance and responsiveness of a mechanical keyboard, while having more of a "thunk" sound that simply sounds better to me and feels very light to type on. But plenty of people will be buying these or the realforce brand just to experience the Topre switches themselves. Like I said, you should already be far down the key cap rabbit hole and atleast have an MX cherry keyboard to compare it to. If you want to just try out Topre to see if you like the switches, I recommend the Realforce so you can judge the switches separately from the key layout.2. The layout: The unique layout is hyper-optimised for those who have transitioned to an almost completely keyboard-centric workflow, and have a desire to minimise finger fatigue from reaching extremely far for any given key. For example, the extremely common "Alt+F4" hotkey can be pressed on most keyboards using only the left hand, however, your hand needs to stretch extremely far to reach it; by contrast "Alt+F4" requires two hands on the HHKB because your right hand needs to press the function key so you can activate F4 with your left hand, thus requiring more hands, but neither hand needs to stretch particularly far since all of those keys are easily accessible. Another important sign that you would like this keyboard is if you have gotten to the point where you are using many "CNTRL+?" key combinations and have started wondering why such an important key is on the bottom left of the keyboard, straining your pinkie finger with repetitive use. By contrast, the HHKB has opted to move the CNTRL key to where Caps Lock usually is, opting instead to put caps lock being "Fn+Tab". In fact, HHKB goes so far as to eliminate any keys on the bottom left or right because ergonomics experts have said for years that these keys can lead to repetitive strain injury. It's also the reason that I recommend you go with blank keycaps if you are going for the black version because black writing on grey keys are impossible to read, even in the sunlight. But this isn't a problem for me because i'm I've been touch typing for years and haven't looked down at my keys for awhile, if the idea of just having the keyboard layout file on your computer and occasionally checking it to see where the combinations are scares you, this probably isn't the right keyboard for you anyways. If you use keyboard-centric programs like VIM or Emacs, then this will fit better into your workflow than almost any other keyboard. Also, if you are looking at this because you are an ergonomics nerd and need something to reduce strain, be sure to look at split keyboards since you are already looking into ~300$ keyboards and those may scratch that itch better than a 60% like this one.3. The philosophy behind the keyboard: I like the cowboy analogy they use for the keyboard. A cowboy could go through multiple horses in their life, but usually only one saddle. This keyboard is your saddle. This is for people who understand that a computer, in the age of the cloud, is nothing but a unit of computing power. Whereas keyboards are deeply integrated tools that are designed for our human hands. this is why they opt for light plastic instead of a heavy metal, you can carry this keyboard around easily and use it from one computer to the next; you never need to worry about what kind of laptop, desktop, or tablet you are working on again, because they will all just use this keyboard in the end anyways. in addition, the keyboard is small enough (due to the small key layout) that you could carry this keyboard in one hand as you go around in your day and never feel bulky like a full keyboard would. The introduction of Bluetooth in the hybrid model doubles down on this philosophy by giving you a way to quickly swap between devices without worrying about how you want to interact with it, and if the device doesn't support bluetooth, just plug in your USB C chord to the keyboard and you are flying. This is not for the person who has a different keyboard at every single computer, this is for the person who wants a single keyboard for all of your devices and if that isn't what you're looking for, the work to learn it won't feel like enough value.Ultimately, this is a masterful layout and design which has stood the test of time, and has been shown to last decades. This is for those whom working on a keyboard is more than their job, it's their craft, and they want a piece of art that understands the value of true craftsmanship, and is willing to pay extra for something for which every piece has been lovingly created, down to the bamboo wrist rest which creates a minimalist masterpiece that emphasises beauty and good design over comfort and ease.

I gave this keyboard a 2 week chance. Its my first time using Topre.First off, coming from a 65% keyboard I had to spend some time to mindfully use this keyboard to learn the unique layout. Biggest pain points were the new backspace location and the arrow keys but it did not take long before I got used to it. I wouldn't say that this new layout is drastically improving my productivity as some may claim rather it is just a unique thing about this board you'll have to learn.When I first started using this keyboard I thought Topre were... alright. But after spending some time I grew to like the feeling and sound a lot more. I'm coming from 67g Zealios V2 so there is a very noticeable decrease in tactility and weight but after getting used to it I can say that the feeling is very smooth and satisfying.The one negative review I have is the keycap rattle. Apparently there is a slight space where the keycap meets the slider, which causes really loud and rattly upstrokes. Coming from my lubed MX switches this was a major turn off for me. This can be fixed by lubing or buying aftermarket silencing rings but at that point I'll just get a Type-S.Bluetooth connectivity works well and is a major selling point for this board. I can switch between my Mac laptop and Windows PC effortlessly and quickly. I would not recommend using bluetooth for gaming however as there is a very noticeable input lag.In conclusion there's a lot to like about this board but I just cannot stand the way it sounds. It may be a small deal to some so I'd recommend checking out some sound tests before buying. I will be returning this board and exchanging to a Type-S.

There is no justification for this price especially for a keyboard that has fewer keys than most keyboards with triple the price.