The Boi, The OG Cousin and The Wannabe
Finally completed the family photo! Just picked up my HHKB Professional HYBRID Type-S (Sumi), and I couldn't resist lining it up next to the board that started the itch and the build that tried to mimic the layout along the way.
From top to bottom:
The OG Cousin: HHKB lite v1 - the non-EC ancestor. Definitely not your average membrane board—that snappy dome tactility was the exact gateway drug that made me want to buy the real deal. Yellowing nicely with age, but it paved the way for the obsession.
The Wannabe: DZ60 v2 - Custom MX build running a simulated HHKB layout (split backspace, split right shift, blocker vibe). Served me well as a gateway drug, but custom MX switches just aren't Topre.
The Boi: HHKB Professional HYBRID Type-S - The real end-game. Smooth 45g Topre silence straight out of the box, Bluetooth, and that classic layout in its truest form.
The difference in typing feel between the wannabe MX build and authentic Topre on the Hybrid Type-S is night and day. Safe to say the journey was worth it, but the Type-S isn't leaving my desk anytime soon.
Anyone else transition from custom MX HHKB clones back to authentic Topre? What was your gateway board?