Getting a Topre for gaming. Need help choosing.

[Khers]

No, the sound upon actuation is different between Topres and pianos.

[seebart]

I haven't tried topre but I have played a piano. I am told its like piano keys. I know its a bad comparison. .

Depends on the piano I guess.

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[Sankart]

I haven't tried topre but I have played a piano.

It's unbelievable what statements some Topre users are willing to make in order to avoid saying that Topre feels like a freaking rubberdome. Seriously, there's nothing wrong with a good rubberdome, so please just call a spade a spade.

Otherwise I have no idea what you wanted to achieve with this thread.

I REALLY WANT A TOPRE

Then go and buy one? How are we supposed to tell you which layout or weighting you prefer, especially without stating your experiences. Why do you want to get rid of your MX-Brown keyboard? Because some people told you that MX-Browns are bad and Topre is so much better? It's impossible to tell you what you might like without you stating what you dislike about your current stuff.

Which one would you use for gaming.

I think of all the games out there, there is just a single genre, where a certain switch is supperior to others. And those are rhytmn games like OSU!, which need a light switch with fast reset. Other than that it's all personal preference.
Hell I game with MX Whites all the time and would never even touch a MX Red board. Other people won't use anything but MX Reds for gaming (probably cause Corsair or some pro said so). Oh and btw. I play fast paced shooters like Tribes:Ascend and slower stuff like CS:GO. Not a single time did I die due to my keyboard (not even when I was still using my G110, except for that one time it suddenly died on me) and not a single time did I feel fatigue, not even after ~5-6h of nonstop Strike at Karkand in BF2.

[E3E]

When I tried Topre, I did find it to feel like a rubberdome, just a very refined and smooth rubberdome.

[Khers]

Yeah, I quite agree.

Topre switches feel like a rubberdomes, because they are rubberdomes. Quality rubberdomes, but still rubberdomes.

A rubberdome is a rubberdome is a rubberdome.

[Muirium]

Aye. But there's a world of difference between having to bottom out a key just to register it, and Topre's capsense. That mungy landing is what I hate most about regular rubberdomes and got me onto mechs in the first place.

Anyway, Topre (and my just as beloved IBM) is much too sincere and, well, beige for gaming. I hear you gaymerz need rippling blue LEDs and MX or whatever clones Razor is hawking now. Go get!

[Phenix]

rippling blue LED

rippling, color-changing RGB LEDs

[Muirium]

Clearly I'm out of date…

[Phenix]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pd934M95go

Better don't watch too long

[amospalla]

Owning these 3 keyboards, I prefer the Realforce keyboard to the HHKB for its construction, feels better built and sounds also better to me, the HHKB has a toy feeling compared to a Realforce. With this said I use the HHKB just because I don't use the arrows column so I end with my trackball nearer (but I miss the Realforce).

Regarding 45g and 55g, the later has a superb (read: s-u-p-e-r-b) feel, but after some time using it I settled on the 45g version. My fingers get tired after prolonged use of the 55g; also while I am using the 55g version I do realize that I am faster using the 45g model (even after using the 55g for some months, my hands just write faster and without less effort on the 45g model). I am a heavy keyboard user though, if I was the average user I would be using the stiffer version for sure.

There is not a perfect Topre keyboard, owning 3, my perfect one would be a mix. You have to choose.

[sephenix]

I only really use my PC to game, and love my HHKB. The CTRL has not been a problem at all in games like LoL, HL2, Portal 2. I would say that I strongly prefer this CTRL to conventional boards.

The lack of F keys have been a drawback in games like GW2, so much so that I was considering buying an RF.

I have never owned a Cherry board. Previous KB was a Focus with ALPS.

[Muirium]

Feel-wise, I prefer the HHKB over the Realforce (55g 87u in my case). They're both fantastic boards, but the extra give in the HHKB really makes it fly for me.

Ask n people, get >= n opinions!

[Chyros]

I'd strongly advise against a HHKB for gaming. Gaming on a HHKB is like taking a shit in your hands and clapping - messy. The form factor is way too small for a lot of games and the layout is bollocks. When I had one on loan I actually switched to something different after a while because it was just not usable. Not really because of the switches, which are great, but because it was missing too many buttons.

Many gamers seem to prefer tenkeyless layouts which seems much more applicable. Personally I'd go for fullsize, but that's just me.

[photekq]

I absolutely disagree with everything Chyros says

The only slight issue I had with the HHKB for gaming was with DotA, but that was remedied by rebinding pan camera from arrow keys to szxc.

I'm not a fan of my RF 55g (lubed and silenced even!) at all actually. I don't like the feeling. Meanwhile, the HHKB (lubed and silenced too) ranks at #2 right behind the Cherry MX5000.

[Muirium]

The layout is so shit it's perfect!

Of course, I don't game with an HHKB either. Or with anything else for that matter. (I did complete a batshit hard FPS a couple of years ago on an XT though. It's just not something I do at all regularly.)

Needs moar LEDs…

[Sankart]

I'd strongly advise against a HHKB for gaming. Gaming on a HHKB is like taking a shit in your hands and clapping - messy.

That's a weird analogy...
I got to object as well, I'd consider me a quite active and experienced gamer and I really like to use the HHKB Layout on my no HHKB keyboards. Whether 60% is enough really depends on the games you want to play. For most modern games, like MOBAs, most shooters (except for maybe Arma) and RPGs, 60% is more than enough. Truth being told, I'd actually like a smaller keyboard like the Orbweaver for some of them.

That being said I think the OP left that thread a long time ago...

[Chyros]

I'd strongly advise against a HHKB for gaming. Gaming on a HHKB is like taking a shit in your hands and clapping - messy.

That's a weird analogy...

It's based on a British expression ;D .

[seebart]

I absolutely disagree with everything Chyros says

I completely agree with everything Chyros says (in this case).

[TuxKey]

buying one from amazone is a good bet..
Perhaps this can help..Sit back relax and watch
https://youtu.be/-K_yb8UFdN4

[andrewjoy]

You could ( if you dont mind installing dampening rings ) get a novatouch. Then you could install some of the best keycaps ever made.

http://imsto.cn/index.php?route=product ... duct_id=59

[TuxKey]

You could ( if you dont mind installing dampening rings ) get a novatouch. Then you could install some of the best keycaps ever made.

http://imsto.cn/index.php?route=product ... duct_id=59

Nice keycap set mate..That's the only thing i'm missing with my Topre caps.

[kekstee]

I usually crouch on LCtrl and can adjust just fine when I move this crouch/walk one key up, since it's still the first key from the bottom of the board, if that makes sense. There are sim games which profit from having more keys, and some games, like Starcraft benefit from accessible F-keys. Just keep that in mind. The safe all-round choice with enough space for a mouse might be TKL.

[cookie]

I'd strongly advise against a HHKB for gaming. Gaming on a HHKB is like taking a shit in your hands and clapping - messy.

That's a weird analogy...

It's based on a British expression ;D .

And probably very wrong too...


@bobafetish
First, If you game with arrow keys you are generally doing something wrong
Second, it highly depends on the games you are playing, I've heard from StarCraft player that they need dedicated Function Keys. I play a lot CS:GO and League and I never had issues with an HHKB. For the very casual stuff I have a game controller.

Adapting to the HHKB took me quite time, I struggled the most while programming not gaming.

Gaming wen't super easy for me, the return key was the most natural thing to get used to and having ctrl instead of capsloc

[Chyros]

And probably very wrong too...


@bobafetish
First, If you game with arrow keys you are generally doing something wrong
Second, it highly depends on the games you are playing, I've heard from StarCraft player that they need dedicated Function Keys. I play a lot CS:GO and League and I never had issues with an HHKB. For the very casual stuff I have a game controller.

Adapting to the HHKB took me quite time, I struggled the most while programming not gaming.

Gaming wen't super easy for me, the return key was the most natural thing to get used to and having ctrl instead of capsloc

Some games won't even allow you to change the controls. Try playing something like Super Meat Boy on a HHKB, I guarantee you're going to have a great time :p .

[scottc]

The game that literally has an intro video telling you not to use a keyboard and mouse at all?

I play most games on my Alps64 60% and it's usually fine.

[Muirium]

Intro video? If I wanted to watch TV I'd visit an old folks home.

<Return><Return><Return><Return>

[Chyros]

The game that literally has an intro video telling you not to use a keyboard and mouse at all?

Surely you're not going to advocate something as revolting as a controller on a mechanical keyboard forum though? ;D

[Muirium]

Soarer's, TMK, Xhwatsit's?

[scottc]

The game that literally has an intro video telling you not to use a keyboard and mouse at all?

Surely you're not going to advocate something as revolting as a controller on a mechanical keyboard forum though? ;D

I'm advocating the right tool for the job! Which, for a platformer, isn't usually a keyboard... If this were a mechanical pencil enthusiast forum and someone asked how to dig holes in their front garden to plan pots in, I wouldn't doggedly tell them "YES! OF COURSE, USE THE PENCIL YOU PLEBE!" For games like FPSes, keyboard and mice are clearly superior, but for things like Super Meat Boy controllers are more comfortable.

[adhoc]

The only game I've had problems with using a HHKB for was battlefield and that game is garbage anyway and noone should endure it.

However, for some games controller is better, like scottc said. Specifically, something like hack and slash games imo.

And opinion that Topre is the same as membrane is ... well, I'll put it down to being inexperienced or not have used a membrane board in a long, long time.