HHKB Studio review: This keyboard is the definition of ‘niche’

Price When Reviewed

329

Best Prices Today: HHKB Studio keyboard

Niche merchandise are tough to overview, particularly for a web site like this one. The core, guiding query of “should you buy this?” all of the sudden 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 without delay each trying to attraction to the model’s most die-hard followers, and attempting to develop into the extra basic 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 a number of the newest and best options of boutique boards. It’s an enigma, and never simply due to its intentional design selections. Some of the board’s decisions, like abandoning the much-loved Topre electrostatic capacitive switches, appear to be actively working in opposition to its targets. 

So, do you have to purchase the HHKB Studio? If you’re a long-time fan of the HHKB design, the reply is sure…with a few huge, inconvenient asterisks on the advice. If you’re not, and never keen on 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 if you happen to’re studying the phrases “Happy Hacking” for the primary time. (If you’re a long-time fan, be happy to skip to the following part, I gained’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 number of issues, most clearly chopping off enormous 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, a minimum of 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 understand it and adore it, then you definately’re a part of a small however extremely enthusiastic membership, and extra energy to you. But if you happen to’re and wish to study extra…properly, 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 consists of the sub-legends printed on the entrance facet of the keys, dealing with the customers. Even with each gentle 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 signifies 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 totally different from a number of different HHKB designs, and hopefully price its huge price ticket. First and most clearly, it’s packing a pointing stick, also called a ThinkPad-style ObservePoint (or maybe extra regularly “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 number of spares for the rubber nub, a pleasant contact.

Michael Crider/Foundry

But that’s removed from the one new function on this flagship keyboard design. In addition to Bluetooth that allows you to connect with as much as 4 gadgets concurrently, it has a minimum of 4 touch-sensitive strips across the fringe of its case, permitting for straightforward scrolling, swapping by means of home windows, adjusting quantity, or much more along side the programming software program.

HHKB’s producer PFU can also be embracing a number of the largest tendencies in mechanical keyboard design, like built-in foam beneath the keyboard deck. And right here’s the half that may be 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 beneath a sheet of rubber domes, giving its switches a novel, comfortable, and springy “thock” really feel. But this design is incompatible with the practically common Cherry MX customary, being extra akin to a typical non-mechanical keyboard that makes use of extra high-quality elements. Topre switches can also’t be hot-swapped to vary their really feel or rapidly restore a broken key. 

So HHKB has deviated from one in every of its most signature elements 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 secure, 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’ll be able to, one thing that hasn’t been easy or simple with any earlier HHKB design. (You’ll have to both 3D-print the G, H, and B keys surrounding the pointer, or take a Dremel software to a typical set.)

Michael Crider/Foundry

Having mentioned all that, even the very best MX-style mechanical swap simply gained’t match the distinctive really feel of Topre’s switches. I can’t assist however really feel prefer it’s in all probability a bridge too far for a few of HHKB’s most devoted customers. An alternate, Topre-equipped model of the Studio would in all probability 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’ll be able to’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 relatively have a bodily dial. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

The huge promoting level, that pointing stick and mouse buttons, work fairly properly. They’re about nearly as good as the very best 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 with shocking precision, together with the middle button for scrolling. 

While this by no means feels as pure or as comfy as a mouse (a minimum of for me), it undoubtedly hits the mark for maintaining your fingers on the keyboard always. I’d even put it up in opposition to all however the very best of laptop computer touchpads. If you’re obsessive about maintaining your fingers on the keys as usually as potential, for ergonomic or stylistic “happy hacker” causes, this function is a win. 

Flip the thick and heavy Studio over and also you’ll discover a plus and a minus. Plus: keyboard toes with two levels, supplying you with three choices for typing angles. Minus: a large, old style battery bay, whereby you place 4 (depend ’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 instructed that it is a selection within the title of utility. You can swap out batteries and have a full cost instantly, and if you happen to’d relatively not spend pointless cash operating by means of batteries such as you’re taking part in on the unique Game Boy, you’ll be able to simply use rechargeables. This additionally means there’s no inside 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 typical inside battery, or certainly, promoting replacements themselves. 

In addition to the beforehand talked about choices for hot-swapping the switches and offering your personal 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 might 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 sides of the case. By default they’re certain to arrow keys, alt-tab, and mouse wheel, however I rebound the left facet 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 a number of the choices within the default layers, like adjusting the velocity of the pointer and the sensitivity of the gesture pads and even turning all of them off, it must be potential to get your keyboard working exactly as you need it to in just some 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 in all probability 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 sort of extras you’d count on to see at this value vary. There’s no wrist relaxation within the field (although once more, making it work with the contact zones could be tough), no rechargeable battery, and the Bluetooth-only wi-fi is properly 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 attention-grabbing and promising evolution of the Happy Hacking model, and I’m certain a minimum of some customers will welcome the swap to straightforward 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 take care of any sort of attraction 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 keen 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 selecting 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.