Price When Reviewed

329

Best Prices Today: HHKB Studio keyboard

MechanicalKeyboards.com

$329

$345.60

Niche merchandise are tough to overview, particularly for a web site like this one. The core, guiding query of “should you buy this?” immediately comes with numerous qualifiers. And the makers of the Happy Hacking Keyboard aren’t making my job any simpler, as a result of the HHKB Studio is directly each trying to enchantment to the model’s most die-hard followers, and making an attempt to develop into the extra common premium keyboard market. 

The HHKB Studio is a keyboard that embraces and celebrates the distinctive, quirky historical past of the Happy Hacking Design, whereas additionally including among the newest and biggest options of boutique boards. It’s an enigma, and never simply due to its intentional design choices. Some of the board’s selections, like abandoning the much-loved Topre electrostatic capacitive switches, appear to be actively working in opposition to its objectives. 

So, must you purchase the HHKB Studio? If you’re a long-time fan of the HHKB design, the reply is sure…with a few large, inconvenient asterisks on the advice. If you’re not, and never excited about becoming a member of this small however enthusiastic portion of the keyboard group, then the Studio isn’t for you. 

Further studying: See our roundup of the best mechanical keyboards to find out about competing merchandise.

What is a Happy Hacking Keyboard?

Some context is important for those who’re studying the phrases “Happy Hacking” for the primary time. (If you’re a long-time fan, be at liberty to skip to the following part, I received’t blame you.) The Happy Hacking structure is over 25 years old, impressed by the unique Macintosh keyboard structure, and particularly designed to maintain your fingers on the “home row” beloved by typing instructors for nearly all the time you’re utilizing it. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

This means a couple of issues, most clearly chopping off big parts of a full-sized board. No perform row, no 10-key quantity pad, no arrow keys. It doesn’t even have customary OS or Ctrl keys, not less than within the place they often sit, giving the HHKB its distinct notched look. More drastic modifications grow to be obvious as you employ the structure: There’s no Backspace key, with the / key moved up and Delete moved down, and there’s no Caps Lock with the left Control key changing it. The arrow cluster has been moved to the perform layer. 

I’m not right here to evaluate the deserves of the Happy Hacking structure. If you realize it and like it, then you definately’re a part of a small however extremely enthusiastic membership, and extra energy to you. But for those who’re and wish to be taught extra…nicely, then the HHKB Studio isn’t doing you any favors. The packaging doesn’t include any directions or recommendations on adjusting to the structure. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

And maybe most damning of all, the Studio comes with black legends printed on nearly-black keycaps. That contains the sub-legends printed on the entrance aspect of the keys, dealing with the customers. Even with each mild in my workplace blasted to the utmost, I struggled to learn each the usual legends and sub-legends, making the Studio an enormous trouble to regulate to. This stylistic design implies that the HHKB Studio is made by HHKB followers, for HHKB followers…and undoubtedly not for anybody else. 

Getting to the Point(er)

But let’s discover what makes the Studio completely different from a bunch of different HHKB designs, and hopefully price its huge price ticket. First and most clearly, it’s packing a pointing stick, often known as a ThinkPad-style MonitorPoint (or maybe extra incessantly “the little red nub,” although this one’s black). Combined with mouse buttons beneath the house bar and built-in into the case, this makes the HHKB ethos of “never move your hands away” clearer and extra potential than ever. The field comes with a couple of spares for the rubber nub, a pleasant contact.

Michael Crider/Foundry

But that’s removed from the one new characteristic on this flagship keyboard design. In addition to Bluetooth that permits you to hook up with as much as 4 units concurrently, it has a minimum of 4 touch-sensitive strips across the fringe of its case, permitting for simple scrolling, swapping via home windows, adjusting quantity, or much more along side the programming software program.

HHKB’s producer PFU can be embracing among the largest developments in mechanical keyboard design, like built-in foam beneath the keyboard deck. And right here’s the half that is perhaps a dealbreaker for long-time followers of the HHKB household. Under these high-quality PBT keycaps with their eternal dye-sublimated legends, you’ll discover custom-made, semi-silent linear mechanical switches from Kailh. Switches that conform to the Cherry MX customary, and dispose of the Topre electrostatic capacitive switches that HHKB has been utilizing for over 20 years. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

Once once more, some context could also be wanted. Topre’s signature switch design makes use of a big conical spring below a sheet of rubber domes, giving its switches a singular, comfortable, and springy “thock” really feel. But this design is incompatible with the practically common Cherry MX customary, being extra akin to a normal non-mechanical keyboard that makes use of extra high-quality parts. Topre switches can also’t be hot-swapped to vary their really feel or shortly restore a broken key. 

So HHKB has deviated from considered one of its most signature parts within the title of customization. An odd option to my thoughts, even when the {custom} linear switches they’ve chosen are superb. And they’re quiet, extraordinarily steady, and good and comfortable on the underside out, appropriate for a quiet workplace or espresso store. But if you wish to swap out the switches, the keycaps, or each, you may, one thing that hasn’t been easy or simple with any earlier HHKB design. (You’ll must both 3D-print the G, H, and B keys surrounding the pointer, or take a Dremel device to a normal set.)

Michael Crider/Foundry

Having mentioned all that, even the perfect MX-style mechanical swap simply received’t match the distinctive really feel of Topre’s switches. I can’t assist however really feel prefer it’s most likely a bridge too far for a few of HHKB’s most devoted customers. An alternate, Topre-equipped model of the Studio would most likely assist. But alas, that doesn’t appear to be within the playing cards for this primary model of the Studio. 

Using the brand new options

And returning to these touch-sensitive scroll zones…I’m not a fan. Not solely are they lower than intuitive, since they’re not labeled on the keyboard’s plastic case, you may’t discover them simply by contact — they’re solely marked by tiny vertical slits. And since I like to make use of a wrist relaxation, particularly with a keyboard as thick as this one, it makes the underside two zones roughly inaccessible to me. I’d moderately have a bodily dial. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

The large promoting level, that pointing stick and mouse buttons, work fairly nicely. They’re about pretty much as good as the perfect ThinkPad, and that’s excessive reward coming from a fan of IBM’s traditional designs. With minimal follow you may get the pointer across the display screen with shocking precision, together with the middle button for scrolling. 

While this by no means feels as pure or as comfy as a mouse (not less than for me), it undoubtedly hits the mark for conserving your palms on the keyboard always. I’d even put it up in opposition to all however the perfect of laptop computer touchpads. If you’re obsessive about conserving your palms on the keys as typically as potential, for ergonomic or stylistic “happy hacker” causes, this characteristic is a win. 

Flip the thick and heavy Studio over and also you’ll discover a plus and a minus. Plus: keyboard ft with two phases, providing you with three choices for typing angles. Minus: an enormous, old school battery bay, whereby you place 4 (rely ’em, 4) AA batteries. They come within the field, however that’s not the purpose. Making a super-premium, top-of-the-line keyboard within the present market that runs on disposable batteries is an prompt turn-off. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

I spoke with a HHKB consultant about this, and was advised that it is a alternative within the title of utility. You can swap out batteries and have a full cost instantly, and for those who’d moderately not spend pointless cash operating via batteries such as you’re enjoying on the unique Game Boy, you may simply use rechargeables. This additionally means there’s no inner battery to wear down after years of use. But frankly this rings hole to me. There’s nothing stopping HHKB from making this keyboard user-repairable with a normal inner battery, or certainly, promoting replacements themselves. 

In addition to the beforehand talked about choices for hot-swapping the switches and offering your individual MX-compatible keycaps, the Studio comes with its personal software program customization system. While it’s potential to edit the keymap on this view, with as much as three sub-layers and 4 consumer profiles, I doubt this shall be used a lot. HHKB followers are already used to their favourite structure, and might nonetheless regulate issues with the old-school {hardware} dip switches. 

No, the larger deal is adjusting these contact zones alongside the perimeters of the case. By default they’re sure to arrow keys, alt-tab, and mouse wheel, however I rebound the left aspect to quantity controls (which nonetheless doesn’t really feel very pure). If you discover the contact zones extra distracting than useful, it’s also possible to disable some or all of them. 

HHKB

Combined with among the choices within the default layers, like adjusting the pace of the pointer and the sensitivity of the gesture pads and even turning all of them off, it ought to be potential to get your keyboard working exactly as you need it to in only a few minutes. A disgrace that this software program requires a USB connection and doesn’t work over Bluetooth, however that’s a minor gripe. 

Is the HHKB Studio keyboard price it?

HHKB followers are most likely used to paying a premium when getting their keyboards straight from the unique supply. But even for them, the HHKB Studio’s $449 asking price, apparently on sale for $329 on a semi-permanent foundation, will increase some eyebrows. This makes the HHKB Studio one of the costly keyboards accessible from an included firm. 

And frankly, it isn’t price it. While the supplies are glorious and the {custom} switches are a spotlight, there’s a severe lack of the form of extras you’d anticipate to see at this value vary. There’s no wrist relaxation within the field (although once more, making it work with the contact zones can be tough), no rechargeable battery, and the Bluetooth-only wi-fi is nicely behind the usual premium providing of Bluetooth + 2.4GHz wi-fi dongle. I additionally suspect that a big a part of earlier HHKB costs was that semi-proprietary Topre swap design, now swapped out for one thing way more standardized. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

The addition of a pointing stick and mouse buttons is an fascinating and promising evolution of the Happy Hacking model, and I’m certain not less than some customers will welcome the swap to plain MX-style switches. But simply as many die-hards will weep on the lack of the Topre thock, if no more, and should balk on the asking value. Between these downsides and the keyboard’s obvious lack of look after any form of enchantment to new HHKB customers, I feel the viewers for the Studio goes to be very small certainly.

A sliver of customers will completely love the Studio. You know who you’re, and whether or not you’re prepared to abdomen the excessive price ticket. Others are inspired to skip it, and perhaps to attend for a brand new mannequin with the choice for Topre switches and even a extra fashionable battery and wi-fi setup. If you’re within the HHKB structure sans the mouse and touchbar choices, I like to recommend choosing up a used one on eBay (or a “clone” like this one on Drop.com) earlier than committing greater than 300 bucks to the brand new Studio.