FKCaps launches URSA keycaps for topre switches
I'm not sure if anyone else here is into topre switch keyboards, but keycaps for topre are notoriously hard to find. Topre is niche within a niche, so options are limited. But for the last year or so, FKCaps in collaboration with 23_Andreas have been working to launch keycaps in a new profile specifically designed for topre called URSA, compatible with HHKB, Leopold, and Realforce boards. They have now opened for pre-order, scheduled to be delivered in January 2025.
I don't normally go for pre-orders or group buys, but I couldn't say no to this. The URSA profile and the caps themselves look great, and while I do enjoy the OEM keycaps on my HHKB, I also like having other options and trying new things. I've got a black HHKB Pro Hybrid Type-S, and I went with the black caps with legends. The mock-up image looks beautiful. I'm excited.
If you're unfamiliar with the HHKB, or Happy Hacking Keyboard, it's a Unix-style board that has been around for 25 years, designed by a Japanese computer scientist because he wanted a more versatile board for programming and working in the command line on multiple operating systems. What makes the layout special, and why I enjoy it, is because the caps lock key has been replaced by a control key, and delete/backspace has been moved down a row for easier reach and to allow the tilde/backtick key to live on the top right. It's designed so you can easily reach everything from the homerow, and keys like the arrows, home, end, page up, page down are on a secondary layer accessed by the function key. Further, you can change board functionality through DIP switches on the bottom of the board. It's just so fun and pleasant to type on. Build quality is superb and these boards are known to stand the test of time.
So if there are any other topre enthusiasts around here, I urge you to check URSA out. You can read more about the keycaps here.
Your Happy Hacking Keyboard deserves some fresh caps (Verge)
SA profile key caps are so comfortable and wonderfully retro, I always get a set for my keyboards.
I'm not a Topre user, but I'm surprised it's taken this long for people to make SA caps for them. Topre people tend to be quite enthusiastic about them.
Is there same thing about the community that doesn't really care about their key caps compared to the rest of the KB world, or is the pool of Topre users just so small that it's not been economically viable in the past?
I think the userbase of topre is small and making custom keycaps is expensive. The OEM keycaps are very nice on the HHKB, but variety is nice to have as well. HHKB recently released a "sakura" pink OEM keycap set. Supposedly they are going to release more keycaps this year inspired by the seasons. There have been sets on KBDFans in the past, as well. The demand is there, but since that demand is small in the grand scheme of things, I'm sure it's tough to justify the cost of production for unique/custom keycaps.
Topre had Hi-Pro caps which were pretty close to SA (though I liked them even less), these caps are slightly lower profile than SA from the look of it.
What exactly makes Topre so special? The site just says that they feel incredibly different and world class etc, but don't actually say what makes them different.
Either way, it's good that a niche is getting served like that.
I mean, it's subjective. I think what a lot of people like about it is that it just feels less strenuous. Some people say "it's like typing on a cloud." I don't know about that. But it definitely feels like you're doing something, and there's really no fatigue. Sometimes MX switches can leave your fingers feeling a bit tired after typing all day. It's a good mix of mechanical and membrane. Topre switches are where the original "thocciness" idea came from.
That being said, I think the general consensus is that they're better for typists, writers, and programmers. Gamers prefer MX. Further, it's said that when you first go topre, you might feel there's nothing special about them. But if you spend a month or two using them, and then go back to MX, you find yourself missing the ease with which you can type on topre. Personally, I really don't miss my MX board at all. I've considered picking up an HHKB-style board with MX switches, but I don't see the point. My HHKB is just a well-built peripheral. It's my ideal size (60%), the Bluetooth is bullet-proof (really, the ease with which I can switch between devices is something I've never experienced with Bluetooth), it's lightweight while still being very premium, and it's rock solid. Topre supposedly gets even better with age, and people will cherish their decade-old boards and see no reason to upgrade.
Sadly, the only way to know is to try it, and topre boards are pretty expensive. I was lucky enough to get my HHKB new for $250, which is still a lot for a board, but ultimately it's just... great. You can spend thousands trying different MX boards and switches, trying to find perfection. But discovering topre is like skipping all that. A stock HHKB is endgame for a lot of people. You can find lightly-used HHKB/topre-boards, but they generally maintain their value. I think it's something you just have to really commit to for a while to see what the fuss is about.
The recent trend of hot-swappable boards has been a godsend for new and interesting switches, it's no longer just MX and Topre.
There's the clickbar-style Kailh BOX series, which has way more tactility and better sound than any MX brown/blue style, and a bunch of contactless hall-effect switches which are so much smoother than linear MX.
I think if Topre was able to put their switches in discrete modules and make them hot-swap compatible, I think a lot more people would be willing to try them. It's easier to justify €50 for switches that fit your existing keyboard, than €200 for a whole new one
You’re totally right. I’m really interested in Hall effect switches. Once those become more widespread, I can see myself giving them a go.
This is the first time that I’m hearing of the HHKB - it looks really nice! My current daily driver is the System76 Launch - I like it, but I miss having a wireless keyboard. I like the idea of taking my keyboard between my home office and my desk at work. Do you think the HHKB would be a worthwhile upgrade?
I'm a fan of System76. I love Pop!_OS. I've got a System76 Lemur Pro, which I don't think is any good at all. And I've also got an HP Dev One, which was a collaboration System76 did with HP, and it's very nice. That said, I've got no experience with the Launch keyboard. I'm hesitant to say the HHKB is better than the Launch, because topre switches are different than MX. It's a personal thing. But the HHKB is a very premium board, and the main selling point (to me) is the unique layout, which I find to be great for programming and CLI usage. And after spending time with the topre switches, I don't miss my MX board at all.
It's certainly extremely portable and easy to take to and from the office (that's what I do). It does not have RGB. But it's programmable via the DIP switches, and it does have software that allows you to remap some keys (though I haven't because I love the layout). The Bluetooth on the HHKB is awesome, the best Bluetooth peripheral I've ever used. Further, the battery life is superb. HHKB estimates 3+ months on new batteries with the power saving mode engaged. It does use AA batteries, which some might find strange. Why not use an internal battery? Well, the reason is longevity. An internal battery in a keyboard will inevitably lose charge. If it dies completely, you're either trashing the board or opening it up to do some surgery. But with some high-quality rechargeable AAs with the HHKB, you'll be good to go for a very long time. You don't notice the battery bump at all while using it.
My advice would be to read some reviews of the HHKB and watch some YouTube videos. I was going to edit one of my other posts to drop this link, but I'll just do it here... check out this post about topre switches and see if it resonates with you. HHKB users are passionate, and for good reason. Once you start using it and learning it, it just feels like all you need. It's simple. It's minimal. It's high quality. It doesn't need much fussing with. If you value customization, it's not the best. But for everything else, it's top tier.
Oh, also. Don't consider the HHKB Lite. It's a non-topre, membrane switch model they sold for a while. I actually have one, and it was my introduction to the HHKB layout (I got it about 10 years ago). It's a nice backup board, but it's nowhere near as nice as a topre HHKB Pro.
And finally... here's a good review of the HHKB that I think is very fair.
Thank you so much for the detailed response! I'm an electrical engineer that is slowly moving from a controls / modelling background into data science, and it's been nice to slowly make a computer setup that I really enjoy.
I've had the same sort of hit-or-miss experience with System76. I've been lightly disappointed with my Galago Pro laptop, but I've been very happy with the Thelio Mira desktop that I got from them. I'm really happy with Pop!_OS as my daily driver, too. The Launch keyboard has a wonderful quality feel to it, but it's heavy, and they layout isn't really ideal for me. I love that it has two USB-A and two USB-C ports attached to it, but I really miss having a super-clean desk, with the wires coming off of the back. I do feel a little like I should make better use of the split spacebar, but, as I have to swap between two keyboards between work and home, I haven't felt like I can really use a new keyboard layout consistently.
I'm partway through the review video that you linked - Thank you for it! I like the level of detail presented by the reviewer!
I may have to add a new line item to my monthly budget now. :)
With System76 laptops, they're just rebranded Clevo machines, and the quality isn't that great. It's really cool to have Coreboot for BIOS if you value open source firmware, but beyond that I've found the Lemur Pro to just feel cheap. I've also had issues with the second NVME drive; when the laptop goes to sleep, the second NVME only wakes up with a full reboot. Battery life is garbage. But I appreciate System76 trying to bring Linux laptops to market. And for a no-fuss distro, Pop!_OS is awesome.
I've also got a Keychron Q1 Pro, which is a very nice keyboard. Its case is machined aluminum and it's very heavy. It's a 75% board, which can be convenient with the dedicated arrow keys. But I found myself never using the F keys on the top row, and ultimately feeling like I had to stretch to reach a lot of keys. Added to that, I was lugging it to the office daily and while it's not a huge deal, its weight was just impossible to ignore. I can toss the HHKB in my bag and not even think about it. It weighs nothing, but it sits firmly on the desk and never moves thanks to some low-profile rubber feet on the underside. While the HHKB is plastic, it's very high quality and doesn't feel cheap at all.
I think if you can look at the HHKB and you aren't frightened off by the layout or the lack of customization options, it's something you should seriously consider. I'm sure in your research you'll read about the difference between the regular Pro and the Type-S, but just to confirm, the Type-S has silencer rings factory-installed. Some people do this themselves, but it will void your warranty. I don't need everybody around me to know that I'm typing, but also the Type-S isn't silent by any means. If you're taking the board to work, Type-S is probably the way to go. I think the silencer rings also add something to the actuation that some people prefer.
I really hope this is all helpful. I didn't anticipate writing so much, but I am very satisfied with this board and I think more people should give it a shot. I'm honestly considering selling my Keychron and just resolving to be a HHKB user for the long haul. I value type-feeling, comfort, speed, ease-of-use, and convenience for programming and terminal usage. I'm not a customizer or remapper. I don't care about RGB ultimately (it's fun, but just a gimmick really). I think this board hits all my requirements and wishes.
One more thing... if you go with the black board, know that even if you get the model with legends printed on the keys, they are hard to see in low light. So being a touch typist is very helpful to getting off the ground with the HHKB. I am a pretty good typist (100+ WPM), but I'm looking forward to having the URSA keys printed with white legends so it's easier to see when typing things I don't usually type. By the time I get them, though, maybe I won't even need them!
Here's a couple reviews I stumbled on that might help you. The first one, from Gizmodo, has a lot of hate in the comments, but they're worth reading to see how you feel. The second one is very in-depth.
This Is the Perfect Keyboard (Gizmodo)
HHKB Professional Hybrid review (Material Journal)
The HHKB has been around a really long time and they don't really market it anymore these days. All of the Topre made keyboards are high quality, very solid, and should last a long time.
One thing to keep in mind though is that the HHKB is not programmable nor can you (easily) change the switches like you can with an MX based hotswappable board. It might be worth seeing if you can try one out before you shell out the nearly $300 an HHKB costs.
I am not a fan of Topre (though I did rather enjoy my 55g Realforce 87u for its sheer build quality), but I am really glad to see a new group buy for these caps and I hope they do well enough to sustain some interest. Getting custom caps for Topre, buckling spring, or Alps caps has always been very challenging. Even though I'm not a perspective buyer as my only remaining EC dome board uses MX stems, I don't know how I feel about the URSA profile. It's looks too close to the SA or MT3 for my liking. I have tried to enjoy the really high profile caps, and they look great, but I don't think they feel great to type on. I wish they had gone with something more medium height like the newer KAT or ASA profiles (there are way too many of these profiles now).