{"id":12555,"date":"2024-09-07T19:05:48","date_gmt":"2024-09-07T19:05:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=12555"},"modified":"2024-09-07T19:05:48","modified_gmt":"2024-09-07T19:05:48","slug":"hhkb-studio-review-the-programmers-mechanical-keyboard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=12555","title":{"rendered":"HHKB Studio Review: The Programmer's Mechanical Keyboard"},"content":{"rendered":"


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It\u2019s not often<\/span> that something as well-known as the Happy Hacking Keyboard<\/a> gets reworked from the ground up. And when it does happen, those changes usually draw criticism from long-time fans. Look at Porsche\u2019s switch from air-cooled to water-cooled engines in the 911, or Microsoft\u2019s transition to a more tablet-like interface for Windows 8<\/a>. If people are used to something, they won\u2019t appreciate seeing it change drastically, regardless of whether these changes are ultimately good or bad.<\/p>\n

The latest iteration of the Happy Hacking Keyboard (HHKB) makes large changes to the model\u2019s nearly 30-year-old legacy, and it can easily be seen in the same light. Besides the layout, almost every aspect of this keyboard has been altered. Thankfully, quite a few of these changes do feel like improvements over previous iterations.<\/p>\n

The HHKB Studio is a hot-swappable 60% mechanical keyboard with Bluetooth connectivity, integrated touchpads, a built-in trackpoint, and a unique programmer-oriented layout. The Studio has a PBT plastic case and keycaps, multi-device connectivity, and keymap customization through the company’s proprietary Keymap Tool software<\/a>. But before we dive into this new iteration, we need to take a look at the legacy.<\/p>\n

Decades-Old Legacy<\/h2>\n

The Happy Hacking Keyboard has been around for decades. It was designed around the idea of a singular, specialized, long-lasting keyboard that could be used across multiple computers and operating systems (back when such an idea was novel and new). It has been regularly upgraded since to further refine its unique layout and multi-device utility.<\/p>\n

The first model of HHKB pioneered its unique layout, cutting keys from the bottom corners, moving the backspace\/delete key and adding a second key in the top right, and trading the Caps Lock key for a Control key, which was easily accessible to the pinky. In following iterations, the keyboard moved from a traditional rubber-dome layout to Topre electro-capacitive switches, added USB pass-through, and eventually introduced Bluetooth connectivity. However, across every generation, the unique layout has remained a constant. While the latest model has stayed true to the layout, almost every other aspect of the keyboard has been modified.<\/p>\n

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