Leopold FC660C first impression part 2

Well, it is a Topre switch based keyboard.  However, it feels just a little different and sounds differently more so from the RealForce keyboards that I have tested and used.  The keys seems to be stiffer than the 45g ones I have used while the sound is higher pitch.  It is definitely has a more of a snap rather than a soft bounce on the upstroke and the noise it makes correspond to that.  Not quite in the Cherry MX blue territory, but certainly higher than that classic thud noise Topre switches tend to make.  So, this one is somewhat of a surprise.  The word on the street is that Leopold has changed the key caps production.  So, some earlier ones didn’t quite sound like the one I got.  So, the reviews may be different depending on the production runs.  Again, this is more or less personal preference.  Some may like the clear crisp snap while other may prefer to the more stately stump or clack from the Realforce.  As with Realforce keyboards, Leopold also implemented the ability to swap control keys with cap keys and a few other alternative meta key arrangements.  One will reconfigure the key caps and set DIP switches on the back of the keyboard for these arrangements.

Overall, it’s an interesting keyboard that is small enough to travel with if one cannot stand the built-in keyboard found on many laptops.  It does features a detachable USB connection cable.  Now, I can see a good use case for such thing.  In any case, this keyboard can simply sit on top of a cardboard and place right over the laptop keyboard if one desires.  My impression is quite positive since I am quite used Topre switches now and don’t think much about it.  However, it is quite expansive and are in the Happy Hacking Keyboard (HHKB) price range.  Eeek!