Topre switches, getting to know you, finally…

Ah, I think I am beginning to “get” the switch.  This is after weeks of struggle, encountering a keyboard design that I simply cannot abide.  I fought though the pitfalls and finally discover a combination that seems to work well with me and speaks loudly of the Topre switch greatness.  It’s the 104UG.  I have come to really appreciate its finer quality and have adopted to its exotic keycap design philosophy.  It’s a joy to use and now it sits side by side with the Das Keyboard with Cherry MX brown switches.  It will be tough for me switch back to the MX brown now because I enjoy using this keyboard so much.

I stand by my belief that the Cherry MX family has hit the market just right where it is.  Thus, it is very difficult to overcome for others to muscle in.  Topre, Unicomp and Matias are outsiders looking in.  Now, both Unicomp and Matias have the heritage as an advantage and they use that wisely to promote their switches.  So, if one has certain weakness for ALPS switches or the old-fashioned buckling spring, these are your guys and gals.  Topre went the other way since they don’t have a base to build on.  So, they set out to outdo what’s available in market, a superior rubber-dome and address its weakness: contacts wearing out.  Indeed Topre has succeeded with plenty of room to spare.

However, there’s a reason why rubber dome rules the roost.  It’s cheap and extremely easy to build.  Topre keyboards have the opposite problem.  It’s expansive and tricky to manufacture.  So, despite the technology advancement, Topre will have to sell this as a superior keyboard experience to overcome the price different.  Is it a superior experience? It is.  The question is, how much someone is willing to pay for it?  For some, it’s worth every penny and some, not a single cent.  I am slowly moving toward the worth every penny camp, if I can afford it that is.