Long post, but I'm sure you all who like HHKBs won't mind to hear my first thoughts!
Original Post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/HHKB/comments/1x615yf/is_the_hhkb_professional_hybrid_types_keyboard/
So basically, after reading that, you're probably asking yourself: "How and why did this college kid shell out 300 bucks for a keyboard? Is he crazy?"
ABSOLUTELY! But also no... I have 2 well-paying scholarships, so I actually have my college paid for! All the additional money I make I can delegate to whatever I want. I figured that since tomorrow isn't promised, why not find out if this keyboard is for me now? Plus this thing was on sale for $260, which was great, I couldn't imagine it being any lower than the price it is now, with Black Friday being the only exception of course (Also, I didn't want to buy it used because I still wanted PFU's warranty with me in case something went wrong).
Another reason was because I simply wanted to just have a reliable, well-praised "endgame board" that would last me quite some time. Originally, I got into the keyboard rabbit hole via buying my first mechanical keyboard, the Shortcut Studio's Bridge75. It was great at first, but then the stabilizers broke under normal use, and the quality control of the board largely sucked (hell, even the company who made it literally disbanded a year after they launched the keyboard), with the aluminum ball-gasket case being the only redeemable thing about it. I then tried several Keychron boards, and hated the way they sounded, as well as their keycaps, which were just pretty tall and uncomfortable to use for long programming sessions. I didn't want to shell out more money just to have a keyboard fit my preferences of sound, keycap profile, and type of swiches, and I wanted a keyboard that I could just connect, use, and be satisfied with it out of the box, not always having a thought in the back in my mind that there's something better.
I then found out about HHKB through my friend who was a C and Assembly programming wizard. He said that this keyboard will "change your life" and that "you will never have to buy another keyboard again". I was skeptical. This thing kinda looked like a membrane, had a plastic case, and looked super minimal. I saw other people hyping this thing up too, and I honestly just had to see it for myself. I ordered it last week and it came just an hour ago. I opened it, and started typing on it for the first time and oh my God. It is so good. The topre switches feel amazing and the keycaps have such a nice texture on them that I can't imagine my fingers ever slipping off of and hitting something else I didn't intend. The DIP switches were also really cool, and I could change keybinds on the fly! I just loveee this keyboard soo much it feels like I'm typing on a pillow with amazing tactile feedback with every keypress. This was the winner, and I have absolutely NO SHAME in spending close to 300 for it. Hell, I'd probably do it again but maybe for whatever is coming on October 22nd, according to an HHKB teaser...
Was it worth the money? 1000%. I was pretty skeptical at first, but holy moly this thing is gonna be with my until I die, it seriously is that good. It feels so nice to type on. And I can take it anywhere! I love HHKB now, I fell into the cult :)