The Collection
- HHKB Professional Hybrid (Topre, silenced)
- Leopold FC750R (Cherry MX Brown)
- Keychron K8 Pro (Gateron G Pro Red, wireless)
- NuPhy Air75 v2 (low-profile, wireless)
- Feker IK75 (Gateron Yellow, hot-swap)
- KBD67 Lite R4 (Boba U4T, loud)
- Realforce R2 PFU (Topre, 45g)
The Winner for Daily Use
ThinkPad X1 Carbon that comes with the machine. Not joking.
The travel feel, the key spacing, the 1.5mm travel — it’s the most natural typing experience I’ve ever used. My HHKB sits on a shelf looking good. The ThinkPad is what I actually use.
What I’ve Learned
- Switch preferences change over time — started from blues (loud), now prefer silent tactile (Topre, Boba U4T)
- Wired is better than wireless for typing — latency is real even if you can’t feel it
- Hot-swap is essential — you’ll change switches, plan for it
- Keycaps matter — PBT over ABS, always
The Problem
Every keyboard I’ve bought since the first Cherry MX Blue in 2015 has been an attempt to recreate the first-month magic. It never works. The magic is in the novelty, not the switches.
Thock is a state of mind.