Keyboard Craving

Since the end of last year, my craving for a keyboard had been growing, and after agonizing over what to do for a long time, I finally made a purchase.

The Trigger

It all started last year when my development environment PC at work was replaced, and the keyboard became a REALFORCE.

The one at work is probably the one below, which can be purchased together with a Mouse Computer PC.

Product : REALFORCE 108UG-HiPro | REALFORCE | The pinnacle of Japanese premium keyboards

I didn’t know much about keyboards and had used them without much preference until then. Before that, I used the Magic Keyboard that came with my iMac.

So, since I was used to thin, space-saving types, I couldn’t get used to it at first.

It felt big, took up space, was heavy, the keys were much deeper than the Magic Keyboard, and it just felt difficult to use.

However, after using it for nearly a year, I suddenly realized how pleasant it was (late, I know).

Then, the desire to change my home keyboard emerged.

At home, wanting something similar to the Magic Keyboard at the time, I was using the Microsoft one below.

Designer Bluetooth Desktop | Microsoft Accessories

Although I liked its appearance, being Bluetooth, there was a delay before typing registered, and the key layout was also a bit awkward for me.

Also, my desk at home is small, so I was dissatisfied that a keyboard with a numeric keypad took up space.

So, I decided to buy a good keyboard for home as well and started considering options.

REALFORCE or HHKB?

First, I considered REALFORCE, which was the trigger.

Wanting to save space, I first narrowed my search to tenkeyless models, but then several other parameters emerged to agonize over, such as “Silent or Normal,” “APC available,” and “Key input weight,” and I worried/agonized for quite a few days.

Also, whether to stick with a JP keyboard as before, or switch to EN. I thought EN looked cooler, but decided on JP because I thought my head would get confused if it wasn’t consistent with work.

Also, sites writing about REALFORCE often mentioned HHKB, so I researched that too. I was ignorant before and didn’t know, but HHKB uses Topre keys, right?

Also, I sometimes saw people at study sessions using small keyboards placed on top of their laptops, and I realized that the ones I saw, thinking “they must have strong preferences,” were likely HHKB.

The major differences between HHKB and REALFORCE are the number of keys and weight. Honestly, I started thinking the HHKB, which eliminates waste to the extreme, was also good, making it even harder to decide what to buy.

I think the decision criteria were probably:

  • Use at home only, no carrying & prioritizing the same environment as work → REALFORCE
  • Carry it for work outside & can manage even if the environment differs from work → HHKB

I summarized it like that, but couldn’t decide.

Unable to Decide, Went to See Them in Person

Lately, I often buy things online, but for this, I thought I really needed to touch the real thing, so I went to a store.

First, I went to Yodobashi, but only one full-size REALFORCE was on display, and no tenkeyless models.

When I asked the staff, they brought out two tenkeyless EN keyboards from the back. Unfortunately, there were no JP tenkeyless models.

However, wanting to try more types, I went straight to Tsukumo.

Thinking they might not have them here either, I got excited when I found a dedicated REALFORCE section!!

I tried the tenkeyless models one by one from the end, and there were many things I wouldn’t have known without actually touching them. Specifically, knowing the following two things was significant:

  • There's really quite a difference in sound volume between the normal and silent models (or rather, the sound quality? is different)
  • Before touching them, I thought the light ALL 30g would be good, but it was too light for me and didn't suit me

I couldn’t find HHKB at Tsukumo, and although I wondered what to do, I feared that touching it would make me hesitate and unable to decide, so I stopped searching further and decided on the REALFORCE R2TLS-JP4-BK right there.

The price was around 25,000 yen including tax.

Previously, it was an amount I would never spend on a keyboard, but I convinced myself with the strange excuse, “It’s cheaper than the HHKB Type-S, so I’m lucky,” and bought it.

Trying It Out

I’m writing this article on the day I bought it, so typing this article is essentially the trial run.

That’s why it ended up longer than expected.

Using it, the “thock thock” feeling when typing is really pleasant. The key layout is the same as the one I use at work, which is convenient, so I’m glad I chose this one.

It’s compact in size, but quite heavy, so carrying it seems tough, but I only take my PC outside about once or twice a month, so it seems acceptable.

I’ll try writing on the blog again after using it for a longer period if my feelings change.