Topre versus Cherry MX brown switches round 1

vs.

OK, here comes a tough one for me.  I really do enjoy typing on a Cherry MX brown switches board, namely Das Keyboard 4 Professional.  I also got my little hands on a Topre Realforce 104U when it went on a substantial discount.  Now, the question is, which one reign supreme?

Given the for the price of the Topre board is easily twice or 3 times the price of a Cherry MX based board, is the Topre switch worth the price of admission?  I could not honestly sense the supposed tactile bump when I use the Realforce keyboard typing at normal speed.  There appears to be a initial hump, but after getting past the resistance, the key seems to give way and pulls itself in as if it's encouraging my fingers to bottom out.  It's quite different feeling to be honest.  One simply doesn't expect the key resistance to reduce smoothly as one pushes the key further in such fashion.  As one can examine the force-distance curve of the switch, the slope is much more gentle then other type of switches.  There is no abrupt inflection point, hence very little and subtle tactile feel if any.  It's like an assist helping the fingers to push and release the key given its non-linear response.  This probably explains some of its Zen like and unique quality.  However, if one examine a rubber dome force-distance curve, it's very similar to that of a Topre one.  So, those who says Topre is nothing but an expansive rubber dome is not making things up.  It appears that the spring dampens the steep snap of the rubber-dome and smooths it out to prevent it from feeling like the key is collapsing in.  (In a rubber dome, the snap is the collapsing of the dome as it flattens out.)

The Cherry MX brown on the other hand, has a clear tactile response within the force-distance curve, but occurs in a much smaller distance and with a sharper slope.  It also has a bit of that sunken sense as one presses the key, but the resistance quickly returns in a linear fashion.  Basically, the brown switches are really close to a linear spring device except for the little tactile bump in the middle.  The bump is more pronounced than one in the Topre because it is not as smooth and happens more quickly.  Therefore, I can sense the subtle tactile bump and its over rather quickly where as the Topre seems to keep going till I bottom out.

So, it's obvious that Topre is a smoother non-linear device, almost too smooth for some I would venture.  On the other hand, the Cherry MX brown is almost a linear spring switch except for the little bump and dip in the middle, so it's almost like a little scratch as I operate the switch.  It might bother some people and they will likely opt for the red switch for cleaner key stroke resistance, which is a pure spring device.

I am still thinking about this. This is purely a matter of preference and wallet size.  Topre is buttery smooth, no doubt.  Is it worth 3 times the price smooth?  Well, that depends if one is willing to pay for a top shelf experience and how much one prizes the unique type sensation.  If it's up to me, I get one of each.  Hahahaha!