Happy Hacking Keyboard Review
The HHKB was my personal entry into the expensive keyboard world. I first heard about it from some Twitch streamers, and thanks to the long list of positive reviews, I could easily convince myself that it's worth the money. As a programmer, it's a device that I'll earn my living with after all... (I needed some kind of justification for this splurge!)
My impression
Even though it's all plastic, the HHKB doesn't feel cheap at all. The keycaps are made from PBT, which is fancy keyboard-speak for "won't get shiny and worn out like normal keycaps". You can take it apart for modding, but that'll void the warranty sticker behind the battery cover.
The real star of the show are the Topre switches (check out deskthority for the technical details). I got the Type-S version with silenced keys, and while I was a bit underwhelmed at first, they really grew on me. After adding my vibration mat mod, I was completely sold - even months later, I still catch myself thinking "damn, these keys feel nice!" while typing.
The layout is almost but not quite a 60% keyboard (check the wooting guide for the nerdy details). The command key placement is genius, and while the arrow keys take some getting used to since they're on a function layer, it becomes second nature pretty quickly. For anyone who is reling on them heavily, I would recommend a different keyboard though.
The Not-So-Great Parts
As a hobby gamer, I came to quickly realize that the on the HHKB is only really viable when it's wired. I have a wireless mouse and sometimes my phone on the desk, and the connection would randomly drop for a fraction of a second. Not great when you're in the middle of an important fight!
Finding matching keycaps is tough due to the Topre switches, and creating a QWERTZ keyboard is quite difficult. If you do find something, it's going to be pricy.
Also, grab a wrist pad - the keyboard's height makes it pretty much essential for comfort.
Getting Your Hands on One
The HHKB is, even in germany, pretty easy to get - you can find it on Amazon(.de) with over 500 reviews. The Type-S is currently going for about 340€ with a QWERTY layout. If you want German keycaps... STRONGLY reconsider topre switches, and be prepared to invest some time to reachsearch and quite some money for a matching keycap set.
Ultimately, my recommendation is to buy one used. I found mine on eBay - it even came pre-lubricated and - thank god - with german keycaps!
Final Thoughts
As you can probably tell, there's not much to dislike about this keyboard. I definitely recommend it, if only for how amazing the keys feel. Even by now owning it for years and its not my daily driver anymore (spoiler!), I still use it often, and am amazed by the topre feel.
Stay tuned for another very intersting short keyboard opinion review!