Keychron alternatives

[namria]

I am looking for some quality alternatives for Keychron keyboards. I had a K3 low profile keyboard, and I was happy with it at first, but a very short battery life really spoiled it for me, since it required charging every 4 days, even with backlight always off. I don't want a keyboard that demands so much attention. And I bought a wireless keyboard specifically to get rid of the cord. There was also a small problem with dark keycaps showing visible grease spots really quickly, that demanded cleaning it every day. Or a few times per day. There aren't many white or bright keyboards available from Keychron.

So I am looking for a Wireless Mechanical keyboard (with normal AA-AAA batteries) that holds charge for a few months and also hopefully has keycaps that don't show grease spots easily. With Brown Switches.

I've also tried Logitech Pop Keys, but it's really LOUD and it doesn't allow using F1-F3 keys as function keys, since they're purposed for device switching. And you can't change it in Logi Options software.

Please, share your knowledge.

 

[xraydoc]

Your stipulation of AA or AAA batteries is really going to limit you here. I can't think of many that meet those requirements.

I do have an HHKB keyboard that I use at work. It uses AA batteries and lasts a pretty significant amount of time, but it's a standard-height 60% HHKB layout (which is amazing, by the way), so I'm not sure it's something you'd want. And they're not cheap, so be warned before you click the link, lol.

HHKB Professional Hybrid Type-S - Silent & Wireless Mechanical Topre 60% Keyboard - HHKB

HHKB Professional HYBRID Type-S 60 keyboards are the ultimate in control and performance with the silent key sound. Discover more about them and learn how to buy.

hhkeyboard.us

Otherwise, you're going to be looking regular rechargeable batteries which aren't going to last months. A couple of weeks realistically depending on use.

 

[namria]

Your stipulation of AA or AAA batteries is really going to limit you here. I can't think of many that meet those requirements.

I do have an HHKB keyboard that I use at work. It uses AA batteries and lasts a pretty significant amount of time, but it's a standard-height 60% HHKB layout (which is amazing, by the way), so I'm not sure it's something you'd want. And they're not cheap, so be warned before you click the link, lol.

HHKB Professional Hybrid Type-S - Silent & Wireless Mechanical Topre 60% Keyboard - HHKB

HHKB Professional HYBRID Type-S 60 keyboards are the ultimate in control and performance with the silent key sound. Discover more about them and learn how to buy.

hhkeyboard.us

Otherwise, you're going to be looking regular rechargeable batteries which aren't going to last months. A couple of weeks realistically depending on use.

I have never seen a keyboard like that, thanks for sharing. Is it worth the price, in your opinion?

 

[xraydoc]

I have never seen a keyboard like that, thanks for sharing. Is it worth the price, in your opinion?

It feels amazing. Soft yet perfectly tactile. Hard to describe. The best parts of rubber dome and mechanical switches put together. The Type-S has silencing rings around the keystem sliders, so it makes a very soft noise, like pushing your finger through fine powder.

If you can make due with the layout, it's great. May not be truly worth $350 since you can find 4kg solid aluminum mechanical masterpiece keyboards for that price (and the HHKB is entirely plastic), but if you can find it on sale someplace, or even a good condition used one, it's really a great keyboard. The silent model (which is what I have) is perfect for office use. Won't offend anyone, no matter how close they're sitting. Far quieter than any crap Dell membrane keyboard included in the boxes of office PCs. But still makes a pleasing sound -- and that's coming from someone who likes clicky mechanical switches (typing with Kaihl Box Navy switches right now, probably the loudest you can get without going to old IBM buckling springs).
I got mine for less than $300 and I think it's worth it. I use it nearly every day at work as a portable keyboard (we have several shared workstations that I rotate through depending on my assignment for the day).

The HHKB layout takes a little time to get used to -- Backspace is in a different location as you can see, as is Control, but everything you need is there and is designed to minimize finger movement if you type a lot. Arrow keys and Home/End/PgUp/PgDn are easy reach of right fingers with the Fn key. Mac support with Opt/Cmd at the flip of a switch. Backspace/Del can be customized (I have mine set so Fn-Backspace is Delete). And Mac volume controls & eject are present as well.

I do have a couple of MX-switch mechanical keyboards with the same HHKB layout as well, so there are others with that layout, so you're not just stuck with one manufacturer (Keychron Q60 and Tofu60 HHKB are my two others that have the same layout).

If it looks interesting to you, give it a try. Buy from Amazon or someplace that has an easy return policy.

I bought the charcoal model and replaced the keycaps with these (FYI, the topre switches of the HHKB don't use standard MX stems): https://www.amazon.com/Domikey-doub...70084&sprefix=domikey+hhkb,aps,74&sr=8-1&th=1

 

[Sully]

I have never seen a keyboard like that, thanks for sharing. Is it worth the price, in your opinion?

I owned a DAS professional with Cherry brown switches and the MXkeys from Logitech. Both were decent.

After a lot of hesitation because of the price, I finally bit the bullet on the HHKB Pro Hybrid Type S in the Snow color. These keyboards are high priced, but they are like nothing I’ve ever used. The numerous reviews on the web give some idea of the feel, but they don’t fully capture it. This HHKB is my ultimate keyboard and I’ve stopped looking.

Just make sure you buy the original HHKB with the Topre switiches. There is also a Studio model that has linear mechanical switches, which are a traditional mechanical switch and will not have the same feel as a Topre switch.

 

[xraydoc]

I owned a DAS professional with Cherry brown switches and the MXkeys from Logitech. Both were decent.

After a lot of hesitation because of the price, I finally bit the bullet on the HHKB Pro Hybrid Type S in the Snow color. These keyboards are high priced, but they are like nothing I’ve ever used. The numerous reviews on the web give some idea of the feel, but they don’t fully capture it. This HHKB is my ultimate keyboard and I’ve stopped looking.

Just make sure you buy the original HHKB with the Topre switiches. There is also a Studio model that has linear mechanical switches, which are a traditional mechanical switch and will not have the same feel as a Topre switch.

It's a little bit of a shame that the HHKB company (PFU Limited/Fujitsu) doesn't make an HHKB layout with an F-row and maybe some traditional nav/arrow keys. It would be the ultimate office keyboard. For my work applications, I make extensive use of F-keys, which on a small layout like this is a minor inconvenience.

But this is what I use as a portable keyboard when I need to use the shared workstations at work:

It's the HHKB in charcoal/black with a set of orange dolch topre keycaps from Domikey (though the other day I replaced the orange spacebar with the alternate included grey one).

 

[Archer13]

Realforce R3 - TKL or full-size, Black or White, Bluetooth, Topre-switches, AA batteries

Products - Master Series - Mac | REALFORCE | Premium Keyboard, PBT, Capacitive Key Switch

www.realforce.co.jp

Products - Master Series - Windows | REALFORCE | Premium Keyboard, PBT, Capacitive Key Switch

www.realforce.co.jp

 

[xraydoc]

Realforce R3 - TKL or full-size, Black or White, Bluetooth, Topre-switches, AA batteries

Products - Master Series - Mac | REALFORCE | Premium Keyboard, PBT, Capacitive Key Switch

www.realforce.co.jp

Products - Master Series - Windows | REALFORCE | Premium Keyboard, PBT, Capacitive Key Switch

www.realforce.co.jp

Oh yes, I'm very aware of these. But those are traditional ANSI layouts. What I really want is an HHKB layout with an F-Row and a Nav row. Right now I have a habit of reaching for the backspace key in the wrong places because I switch back and forth between HHKB and standard ANSI too often (like multiple times per day sometimes).

I have two 65% custom mechanicals with a split Backspace so I've mapped them to have the Backspace, \| and `~ in the same place as an HHKB, which makes life easy and doesn't require mental adjustment to go from work to home machines. But I've never seen a TKL or 75% layout that has a split Backspace option (I'm sure a custom one existed somewhere at some point). I've remapped a couple of my 75% boards to send a backspace instead of a \| and I've added the proper keycap, but gotta admit that two backspace keys one under the other looks odd.

As I wrote far more prose and need the Function keys for my work app controls, the HHKB is doable, but it's not as good as it could with some additional keys. Yeah, HHKB might not be ideal for me since I'm not a coder, but I've really come to like having Control and Backspace/Del right next to my pinkies.

 

[xraydoc]

OK, so since I clearly have a problem with buying keyboards, I received my Nuphy Halo65HE with the Gateron Jade Pro magnetic switches today.

Wow, is this really a nice keyboard. Sounds fantastic. The switches feel really good and I appreciate the shallow 3.3mm bottom-out depth. I'm amazed at how good even inexpensive HE-based keyboards feel and sound. Between this, my HHKB, and the Keychron K2HE Special Edition that I have on my WFH PC, I'm going to have a hard time going back to some of my fairly expensive mechanical keyboards.

This was such a bad hobby to become invested in!

 

[Sully]

OK, so since I clearly have a problem with buying keyboards, I received my Nuphy Halo65HE with the Gateron Jade Pro magnetic switches today.

Wow, is this really a nice keyboard. Sounds fantastic. The switches feel really good and I appreciate the shallow 3.3mm bottom-out depth. I'm amazed at how good even inexpensive HE-based keyboards feel and sound. Between this, my HHKB, and the Keychron K2HE Special Edition that I have on my WFH PC, I'm going to have a hard time going back to some of my fairly expensive mechanical keyboards.

This was such a bad hobby to become invested in!

How does the Nuphy compare with the HHKB?

 

[xraydoc]

How does the Nuphy compare with the HHKB?

So size-wise they're similar (60% vs 65%). Nearly the same depth. The Nuphy being a little wider given the row of navigation keys to the right.

Obviously the layout is slightly different, with the Nuphy being a standard ANSI layout and the HHKB being, well, HHKB.

The switches of course is where the main difference lies. The HHKB uses rubber dome EC Topre switches which have a very unique tactile feel. I've got the Type-S model, so it's extremely quiet. The Type-S model uses silencing rings around the sliders, which has the effect of slightly decreasing keypress depth, which IMHO makes typing a little faster than on switches that have a deeper depth of press.

The Halo65HE uses magnetic Hall effect Jade Pro switches -- they're linear and have adjustable trigger depths and a slightly shorter 3.3mm overall key travel as compared to most magnetic and MX-style switches (at least the Jade Pro switches do; the base Gateron Coral switches have a normal 4mm depth). And they do make a soft, solid "clack" at bottom out which the Topre switches do not, so that's different as well.

I would consider both of them excellent in their own way. There's lots of praise for the Gateron Jade Pro HE switches out there, and of course the Topre switches are legendary.

As long as you can live with the smaller layouts of 60% or 65% keyboards, I'd say you can't really go wrong with either of them. The Halo65HE does have the advantage of navigation and arrow keys, as well as the ability to accomodate virtually any MX-style keycap set if you want to change things up. The HHKB makes less noise (at least the Type-S does), has a more friendly layout with altered delete and control key positioning, especially if you do a lot of continuous typing, and the soft Topre switches may diminish fatigue over long typing sessions, though you lose the dedicated arrow and navigation keys (though they're still present by pressing Fn plus other keys) and lose the MX-keycap compatibility, though there are a few MX modifications you can do if you've got the skills.