⌨️ Happy Hacking Keyboard Professional II
I have always had really bad wrist pain which is what brought this keyboard and I together.
I was using a standard keyboard and looking at compacts/new layouts so that my hands wouldn’t have to stretch so much. In my search I found the HHKB and have never looked back.
It is often referred to as “The Best Mechanical Keyboard Ever”, and for good reason. From the layout of the keys, to the patented switches this is the premium minimalist mechanical keyboard.
The Switches
The switches are designed by a company called Topre, a Tokyo based company focused on industrial credit card readers and touch interfaces. The Switches are a patented hybrid between a mechanical spring based switch, a rubber dome switch, and a capacitive sensor which combined, provide tactility, comfort, and excellent durability.
They are incredibly quiet, and because I primarily use it at work, is very important to me. They feel great, giving you the just the right amount of feedback and crunch.
The layout
The old school Unix-style layout, paired with an ultra minimal Japanese design leaves us something truly special. Optimized for keeping your fingers on the home row- the shortcuts and key combinations here are well thought out.
There are a variety of dip switches on the backside of the keyboard that allow you to adjust the layout. These allow for compatibility between Mac, Windows and Linux. This is a super nice feature- and a big selling point for me.
I will warn you however that at first the layout can be difficult to adjust to. A week of feeling not 100% comfortable should be accounted for.
Overall the keyboard has been superb. It feels very solid and is clearly made with quality materials. The switches as I mentioned have incredible actuation and are a dream to type on. The layout has not only made my typing faster but also alleviated wrist pain from stretching for difficult key combos.
You can get it from Amazon for about $210 bucks by clicking below.