I want to build a Tofu60, and I saw the HHKB layout, I wanted to figure out if there is any switch (probably tactile) that is similar to a Topre switch found on HHKB.
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I would say there isn’t really any switch, at least in my experience, that I have found to be close enough to Topre. I have tried plenty of random tactiles and silent tactiles so far and I would say none come close enough to the feel and especially sound of Topre. It is probably just due to the way Topre is constructed materials wise which makes it hard for cherry switches to come close.
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ah, well thats confidence inspiring
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LOL sorry to burst your bubble but yea the closest thing you can probably try to find is some silent tactile out there. That is most likely your best bet.
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As Wooden said, nothing is going to match it.
There are a couple I can think of that are like… referentially similar? I’ve seen them compared to Topre in a distant way, like how Zeal Clickiez are distantly compared to Alps.
There are others, but the two I can remember are TTC Silent Bluish Whites and Kailh Deep Sea Silent Whales (names vary; blue housing with translucent brown stem).
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Honestly while were on the topic I am curious if anyone else has the same feeling/description of Topre as I do. It might not be accurate but every time I want to recall Topre, my brain comes up with the descriptor of “dry suction”. Idk if I am just weird or if others share the same idea.
Yea I have tried TTC Silent Bluish Whites and pretty sure those are definitely one of the closest relatively speaking.
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Ah yes, I love how all silent switches are almost all a dollar each (pain)
Idk if you’re NA based but milktooth has them on sale for about .46 cents each.
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That’s a more manageable price, ill look into it.
4.63 * 7 = 27~$USD
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Of course this is a subjective matter and I can only offer my informed opinion.
First off, I prefer a silenced topre switch.
My favorite topre switch is the 30g dome in the fc990c. I know that sounds light but it’s not the equivalent of a 30g Mx switch. The lightest Mx switch I can stand is about 60g.
What I like the most about the 30g topre dome is that it’s almost linear. Very subtle, light bump near the top.
The main thing I like about topre is the sound and the feeling when you bottom out. I like stock domes better usually because they have a less tactile feel. I’m not much of a fan of replacement domes that are designed to be more tactile. I find them more fatiguing and they slow me down.
For me, there are a few good MX equivalents to topre. But since I value sound and bottom out feel, you’ll notice most are linear.
In terms of favorite to least is:
- Silent Lucy (lubed)
- Silent Cherry stem in Gateron PC housing (lubed)
- Kailh Deep Sea silent linear
- Kailh Midnight linear (lubed). Careful the stems might break caps
- Kailh Midnight tactile. Again, cap breaker
- Tecsee Medium tactile. (This one takes consideration because you can’t use it without the accompanying stabilizers. Also keycap choices are limited bc most collide)
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I would expect that a Topre switch would feel like a membrane keyboard (but actually superior). What I would think is that it has the weird tactile feeling of a membrane but more smooth (since there’s a spring and other things within).
Note: I have never touched a Topre keyboard before.
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probably the closest is a VERY roundabout way to approach things – get a hold of a “cop car keyboard” (TG3 keyboard) – these had a rubber “spill protection layer” (effectively a sheet of rubber domes) over Cherry Black switches – salvage the rubber layer (and the switches) – separate the domes if you need to, refurb (lube, spring swap) the switches and re-assemble into your new board
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I find that the Gazzew Boba U4 (silent tactiles) to be very close in experience with the Topre in my HHKB Pro 2 Type-S. The tactile event between Topre (dome collapsing) and Boba U4 (switch stem’s tactile bump) are definitely different, however the overall experience in typing, sound and feel are rather comparable. With the Boba U4s being quieter with more emphasis on a deeper sound if bottomed out fully
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Yeah, NGL Topre does have a pretty similar feel to the OG high end membrane keyboards. In fact the only thing that really separates it into the “mechanical” realm is how the keypress is sensed & the fact you can actuate a keypress on a Topre keyboard without bottoming out the keypress. With Topre it’s all about those funny conical springs under the domes. They’re actually what allows the PCB to sense the keypresses, they are not needed for the dome to return from collapsing or anything. While a true membrane KB must be bottomed out for a keypress to be registered.
IME the fact that Topre uses housings & sliders for each key also helps with feel & sound a ton. That allows Topre KBs to use a metal plate which helps with sound. Then having the housing & slider for each key also makes for a much tighter “switch” which just feels not only smoother, but much better overall than most modern membrane KBs. Most modern membrane KBs will have the top housing of the KB also serve as the plate, then the keycaps themselves will serve as the slider. Not to mention the tolerances are pretty huge on them as they are intended to be low cost, just functional KBs. So you end up with a very scratchy & bindy keypress on most membrane KBs.
Question, what is the difference between a Boba U4 and the U4T variant? Is one just a silent switch?
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Yes. The U4T is not silent. The “T” stands for “thock”
Also there is the U4Tx which is a strange variant. It’s silent on upstroke and partially silent on downstroke. There are dampeners on the bottom of the stem rails, but if you press hard enough, the long pole stem makes contact and clacks.
I’ve still never found a good silent tactile that fully eliminates noise from the contact leaf. I guess it’s just not possible. It’s a big reason I prefer linear silent switches.
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I saw also that there’s variations of the U4T, like clear top, or a white top.
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Yeah they make clear parts for people who want RGB & opaque parts for people who don’t. If you order Gazzew switch parts the biggest things to watch out for are the top housings & bottom housings. They make regular (tight) tops for the Outemu stem & relaxed tolerance tops made for other manu’s stems. Then the bottom housings have two variants as well. They have one for tactile (U4 whatever stems) stems & one for linear stems. The leaf is much stiffer on the tactile bottoms. As far as the clear & opaque parts go, i believe clear is made with PC & opaque are made with nylon (PA66).
topre main, barely mx-er
do own a TTC BW build – its not at all like topre but its nice in its own right. what makes it not-topre is whatever keycaps you load on top of the dampened/silenced mx switch wont match OEM Topre stem + keycap experience. even ec-mx / topre-mx converted boards fall short of the full oneness with cup rubber. dcs + mx sliders are okay so far but i’d have to do more dome swapping (blergh).
anyway thats enough thoccpilling. cup some rubber!