It’s not typically that one thing as effectively generally known as the Glad Hacking Keyboard will get reworked from the bottom up. And when it does occur, these adjustments often draw criticism from longtime followers. Take a look at Porsche’s swap from air-cooled to water-cooled engines within the 911, or Microsoft’s transition to a extra tablet-like interface for Home windows 8. If individuals are used to one thing, they gained’t respect seeing it change drastically, no matter whether or not these adjustments are finally good or dangerous.
The most recent iteration of the Glad Hacking Keyboard (HHKB) makes massive adjustments to the mannequin’s practically 30-year-old legacy, and it may well simply be seen in the identical gentle. Apart from the format, nearly each side of this keyboard has been altered. Fortunately, fairly just a few of those adjustments do really feel like enhancements.
The HHKB Studio is a hot-swappable 60 p.c mechanical keyboard with Bluetooth connectivity, built-in touchpads, a built-in trackpoint, and a novel programmer-oriented format. The Studio has a PBT plastic case and keycaps, multidevice connectivity, and key map customization by way of the corporate’s proprietary Keymap Software software program. However earlier than we dive into this new iteration, we want to check out the legacy.
Many years-Outdated Legacy
The Glad Hacking Keyboard has been round for many years. It was designed across the thought of a singular, specialised, long-lasting keyboard that may very well be used throughout a number of computer systems and working techniques (again when such an thought was novel and new). It has been recurrently upgraded since to additional refine its distinctive format and multidevice utility.
The primary mannequin of HHKB pioneered its distinctive format, chopping keys from the underside corners, shifting the Backspace/Delete key and including a second key within the prime proper, and buying and selling the Caps Lock key for a Management key, which was simply accessible to the pinky. In following iterations, the keyboard moved from a conventional rubber-dome format to Topre electro-capacitive switches, added USB pass-through, and ultimately launched Bluetooth connectivity. Nonetheless, throughout each technology, the distinctive format has remained a continuing. Whereas the most recent mannequin has stayed true to the format, nearly each different side of the keyboard has been modified.
One of many defining points of the HHKB was the Topre electro-capacitive swap, a mushy tactile swap with a rounded bump created by a rubber dome on prime of a conical metallic spring. The HHKB was one of many solely keyboards obtainable with these switches, which was each a blessing and a burden. They had been uniquely pleasing to kind on, however on the similar time, Topre switches’ rarity and distinctive development made modifications to the switches or keycaps far tougher. As a substitute of with the ability to take away and exchange particular person switches, any modification would contain taking aside your entire keyboard.
Now, the HHKB Studio has adopted the MX-style swap that has turn out to be nearly ubiquitous in trendy mechanical keyboards, bringing it nearer to the world of modular keyboard designs. However as an alternative of sticking with an current mechanical swap, the corporate has designed its personal MX-style swap in collaboration with Kailh, a widely known aftermarket swap producer.
Different noteworthy adjustments embrace the brand new trackpoint within the middle of the keyboard, low-profile mouse buttons beneath the area bar, and touch-sensitive “gesture pads” on the entrance and sides of the keyboard. The HHKB Studio additionally maintains the wi-fi performance of the earlier technology and preserves the intensive use of PBT plastic within the case and keycaps. The Bluetooth performance is enhanced by an LED bar within the top-left of the keyboard, and the quick-adjustment dip switches on the again are actually hidden behind a battery cowl.
Typing Really feel
The HHKB Studio’s swap from Topre to MX-style switches is a controversial change: One may argue it “bought out” by shifting to MX-style switches. Nonetheless, that might be ignoring an vital element. These switches are unbelievable to kind on. They mix the distinctive sound and really feel of Topre tactile switches with the smoothness of a contemporary linear swap, making a silenced linear that produces a mushy, deep, and satisfying bottom-out. I’ve by no means felt one other swap prefer it. And, for followers of Topre switches, I do suppose that is the perfect linear equal doable.
Taking aside the switches, they seem like comprised of an analogous development as Kailh’s clicky switches. Particularly, the design is harking back to Field Navy and Field Jade switches. The one main distinction is that the precise clicking mechanism (a small spring referred to as a “click on bar” that provides a tactile bump and produces a sound when pressed) has been eliminated, and a sound-dampening pad has been added to the underside of the swap housing.