The Happy Hacking Keyboard Professional 2 is a keyboard with a reputation, and it lives up to it. The HHKBs originated from a collaboration between PFU and Dr. Eiiti Wada, a Japanese computer scientist who was unhappy with existing solutions. His research led to the current compact layout. As the name hints, it was designed with programmers in mind, particularly emacs and vims users. Buy Happy Hacking Keyboard Professional2 (Compact online at low price in India on Amazon.in. Check out Happy Hacking Keyboard Professional2 (Compact reviews, ratings, features, specifications and browse more Fujitsu products online at best prices on Amazon.in. The Happy Hacking Keyboard is a small computer keyboard produced by PFU Limited of Japan, codeveloped with Japanese computer scientist and pioneer Eiiti Wada. Its reduction of keys from the common 104-key layout down to 60 keys in the professional series is the basis for its smaller size while retaining full key size.
Set this so the keyboard will wake up the computer from sleep. This is where I am with my HHKB Pro 2 at the moment. It’s definitely a work in progress. I’d love to know what you think. If you have any other pro tips for getting the most out of the Happy Hacking Keyboard share ‘em in. By Alisabeth Soto Since the late 1990’s, the Happy Hacking Keyboard (HHKB) has been the ultimate tool and obsession for programmers, developers, and coders around the Happy Hacking Keyboard. Yesterday at 2:06 PM #HHKB Professional Classic gives you the original # HHKB keying experiences. Experience the look and feel on your work desk.
Three months ago I wrote a post on Medium about how I had gotten pretty deep into the world of mechanical keyboards. Over the course of my post, after explaining some of the benefits (as I understood them at the time) and a brief explanation of the key things to look for in a keyboard, I shared that I had ended up purchasing a KUL ES-87 Cherry MX Brown TKL keyboard (Amazon link, where I bought it from, KUL product page).
At the time I liked it and definitely agreed with mechanical keyboard fanatics from Reddit that it indeed offered a better typing experience compared to Apple’s standard scissor switch keyboard (you can read more about this in the Medium post).
However, as I mentioned toward the end of my Medium post, I was already eyeing a new keyboard: a Happy Hacking Professional 2 Type-S, a keyboard made by a Japanese company called PFU Limited (Wikipedia, and an Amazon link though I got mine from Elite Keyboards). My reasoning/excuse for purchasing a $331 keyboard, at the time, was the contention that it would be quiet enough to use in my new, open office. But I also had heard such good things about the HHKB Pro 2’s Topre key switches that I had to try them out.
So I got one.
The HHKB Pro 2 (Type-S)
So the first thing you’ll notice is that it’s pretty small. Physically it’s about the size of a standard Apple keyboard that comes with Mac Books. It’s sometimes loosely referred to as a 60% keyboard.
The purported advantage to this design is that the keyboard takes up less desk space (making it easier to get to your mouse or eat a sandwich on your desk), and that your fingers can theoretically do all they need to do without moving as far. Of course this comes at a bit of a price– obviously we’ve done away with the number pad, but with 60% we also lose the F key row, page up/down, (forward) delete, and, differently from the Apple keyboard, the arrow keys. This had been my biggest hang up about getting an HHKB– to use the arrow keys you have to hold down the FN (function) key on the right, then hit ; / ‘ [ for the directions (you can see these directions printed on the front side of the keys).
But after reading a few Reddit posts about how it wasn’t that difficult to adapt, I figured I could get used to it.
You’ll also notice that the control key has replaced the caps lock key, which I had already done on my KUL. Caps lock is now accessed by pressing Fn + Tab, which works nicely. The backspace key (labeled as “Delete” but is switchable to Backspace via a DIP switch) is right above the Return key, which is also different from an Apple keyboard.
My Impressions of the HHKB Pro 2
Basically I love this thing. It almost instantly made my KUL unusable because the Topre keys felt so much better. A lot of users on the mechanical keyboards subreddit had compared Topre to Cherry MX Browns, which is of course what my KUL has, but others said that was an unfair comparison. I find myself agreeing with the latter: while Browns may be the Cherry MX switch closest to the Topres in feel, they’re actually pretty different. The Topres, which I much prefer in basically every way, feel much more high quality. I know that’s a pretty vague choice for a lead description, but that’s the best I can do. It’s difficult to describe something tactile I guess. The keys don’t rattle or feel cheap. They travel down very smoothly, like the Cherry Reds or Blacks supposedly do.
Also, I think my KUL has what’s referred to as Cherry stabilizers for the longer keys, which aren’t as highly praised as other stabilizers like Costars– users say the Cherry’s feel more “mushy,” and comparing to the HHKB I agree. On the HHKB, whatever it uses to stabilize makes the long keys feel very similar to the normal keys, which I think is best. Yet another difference between the KUL and HHKB out of the box is that the KUL keycaps are made of ABS plastic, while the HHKB is PBT. More on this below.
Oh and another cool thing about the HHKB Pro 2 is that it has two USB 2 hubs on it for, say, your mouse or a USB stick. I don’t think they’re powered though, meaning you can’t charge your iPhone through them. But still, given that my Mac Book Air only has two ports, it’s a nice feature.
One negative I saw read the HHKB is that it is both light-weight and its feet don’t grip very well. I have to agree I was surprised that the rubber feet on the bottom of the HHKB wasn’t very grippy, especially in comparison to the KUL, which feels like a rock when it’s on my desk). But in practice, when I’m typing, the HHKB doesn’t move on my glossy wooden desk surface.
Adjustments I Made to the HHKB Pro 2 And to My Mac
The HHKB is meant to be great right out of the box with very little configuration. Part of what you’re buying is the layout, so it wouldn’t be great if you had to make a bunch of alterations. The only thing I had to do to the keyboards is switch the appropriate DIP switches.
Since I have a Mac I put it in Mac mode (switch 1 off, switch 2 on), then I definitely wanted the Delete key to be Backspace (switch 3 on), and I also put switch 6 on so that a key press could wake up my sleeping Mac.
The next problem had to do with switching between application windows. On OS X by default, Command + ` cycles through the current application’s windows (if it has more than one). I actually use this quite often. The problem one encounters with the HHKB is that the ` key is now in the top right-hand corner of the board, meaning this gesture takes two hands. Luckily in System Preferences you can reassign the key combo for this– I just switched it to Command + Escape. You can do this by going into System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Keyboard and then re-assigning “Move focus to next window” to Command + Escape.
The next thing is even more subtle. Along with Command + `, I also use Command + tab to switch between open applications (for more tips like this, check out a blog post I wrote on more efficient Mac OS usage). When you have this menu open, if you keep holding Command down and hit ` you can cycle backwards, which can be very helpful if you have a lot of applications open and go past the desired one and don’t want to go all the way around the horn. But of course, ` is still in the top-right of the HHKB. And unfortunately you can’t reassign “backwards cycle” to Command + Escape. So I asked Reddit for help and u/SaucePear got right back to me– just learn to use Command + Shift + Tab to cycle backwards. After some practice I got better at this slightly-awkward three-finger move.
Those were the three things I needed to do to get set up with the HHKB on Mac Book Air. This thing is a beast now and it’s definitely improved my typing accuracy and comfort, even over the KUL, no question.
What About the (Lack of) Arrow Keys?
By now I’ve gotten pretty used to using the arrows with the function key. Of course when using Vim I almost never use the arrow keys, so it doesn’t matter much. But I don’t have access to Vim commands everywhere I type, so I do and have gotten used to the function arrows.
I find that I usually use my right ring finger to hold down the function key, then use my right index finger to hit the direction key. It might require slightly less movement if I used my pinky for the function key and my middle finger for the arrow keys, but my pinky isn’t quite that good and even if I used my pinky there, my middle finger can’t hit the arrow keys that well (I think I’m using my right ring finger for the backspace key as well).
A Quick Note on Type-S vs. Normal
So I initially got the Type-S (the S stands for silent) for the office. But I loved using it so much I kept bringing it home at night. A few weeks later I went ahead and bought a normal HHKB 2 (Amazon) for my apartment. You can hear how much quieter the Type-S is in this YouTube video. It’s not a huge difference in volume, but the lower tone helps the Type-S sounds more low-key for an office environment. I’ve been using the Type-S in the office for a month or so and no one has complained so far. Not sure if the normal HHKB would raise any objections though– it does get a bit louder when you really get typing fast.
I find the sound of both of them very pleasant and rhythmic. If I had to describe it it’s like rolling thunder in the distance. Just awesome.
And on Color Choice
I read reviews of the “dark gray” HHKB models that said it was difficult to read the letters on the keycaps due to the lack of contrast, so went with the white color for both of mine. I’d recommend doing that as well even if your a touch typist (I’m not), for things like complex passwords, etc..
An Attempt to Help the KUL Out a Little
Part of the allure of the KUL for me was that its Cherry keyswitches meant I could buy other keycaps and switch the standard ones out for new, better ones. I saw how frequently Reddit users on the subreddit were doing this and I like the idea of being able to customize a bit (unfortunately it’s harder to find Topre keycaps for the HHKB, but I already like the standard ones).
Since the HHKB had PBT caps I figured I should find some PBTs for my KUL. Also, the HHKB keycaps are “Cherry” profile, while the standard KUL keycaps are a higher OEM Profile. From what I understand the Cherry profile is bit smaller on top and lower overall. So I decided to get these Vortex PBT Keycaps from Massdrop, a site that allows buyers to pool requests for less-frequently-produced products (like specialized keycaps). Not only where they PBT, they also have the Cherry key profile.
I received the Vortex keycaps this week from Massdrop, about a month after I signed up (which I knew would be the case going in from the Massdrop site). Here are some before and after photos.
(NOTE: I left the KUL keys on the F row just because I think the side-printed media controls are nice to have there.)
With the new caps the KUL definitely feels better than before. I don’t know how much of a difference the PBT makes over the ABS, but I do think the lower Cherry profile of the keys helps with typing accuracy. But the KUL still has Cherry MX Browns switches, and mostly for this reason I still prefer my HHKB. But it’s good to have a back-up at home, and if I ever, for some reason, need or want to do something that necessitates dedicated arrow keys or function keys I can use it for that.
Conclusions
I’m super happy with my two HHKB Pro-2s (the Type-S and the normal). I got the Vortex keycaps for fun to upgrade the KUL, but in truth I definitely had the feeling the HHKB would be my main keyboard even when the KUL had the Vortex keycaps on. And that’s proven to be true. I have found that typing on the HHKB Pro 2 I make fewer typos and it feels more comfortable than the KUL and definitely more comfortable than the keyboard on my Mac.
I highly recommend this keyboard– you can get one from Elite Keyboards like I did or, apparently now, from Amazon: Type-S or non- Type-S.
Keyboards come in a variety of sizes, and for the most part, many of you would probably be familiar with the full-sized version that comes bundled with most computers, and is what you would typically find in a computer store or online. Then there are also the tenkeyless keyboards that some manufacturers offer that does away with the numpad in favor of a smaller design.
Happy Hacking Keyboard Type S
However if you were to dive deeper into the world of mechanical keyboards, you’ll start realizing that there are actually more sizes available out there than you think and that these keyboards are also offered up in different layouts. The Happy Hacking Keyboard (HHKB) is one of those that not only comes in a smaller size but also in a less conventional layout.
Chances are if you’ve stumbled across this review, you might have heard or read about the HHKB (keyboard and/or layout) and want to learn more about it, and decide if this is the board for you, so read on to find out more.
The HHKB is by no means a new keyboard. The original keyboard was designed by Professor Eiiti Wada back in 1992 who wanted to create a keyboard that would be more efficient at entering commands when using it with a UNIX system. It also saw Wada bring back some elements from the original keyboard layout, which put the Control button in the “original” position which many modern keyboards use for Caps Lock.
With Wada working together with PFU Limited, the first HHKB was released in 1996, with the HHKB Professional 2 (the model currently being reviewed) released in 2006 and continues to be produced even until today.
The HHKB layout isn’t the only non-conventional layout in the keyboard scene today, but it is one of the more popular ones. In fact within the mechanical keyboard community, there are many custom keyboards that have adopted the HHKB layout.
(Top-Bottom): Full-sized keyboard vs HHKB
As you can see in the photo, the HHKB layout is not your typical layout and there are several keys that are “missing” from standard keyboards. This includes a dedicated function row, arrow keys, a numpad, and you’ll also notice that several of the keys have been shifted around. This includes the Control button, the Backspace, and there is also the addition of an “Fn” button next to the right Shift button.
The keyboard itself weighs around 530 grams, making it extremely light and an ideal keyboard to bring with you on the go, thanks largely to its plastic construction. However don’t let the use of plastic fool you because it feels quite sturdy and there is minimal flex. The keyboard also uses PBT for its keycaps and a dye-sub printing process that will ensure that the legends will not fade with use over time.
The use of PBT means that the keycaps feel rougher compared to regular keycaps which can help with grip. It also means that over time the keys will not develop that “shine” that ABS keycaps are known to do. However take note that the frame of the keyboard and spacebar uses ABS. This is because, during the cooling process, PBT has been known to warp when it comes to larger keys, which is why ABS is the more reliable option for keys like the spacebar.
The cable attached to the keyboard is of the mini USB variety and can be removed, making it a breeze to take with you on the go, and replacing the cable in the event you have to. I would have preferred if it used micro USB or even USB-C for futureproofing purposes, but it’s not a big deal. Plus the keyboard hasn’t been updated design wise since 2006, so I can’t really fault them for that.
There are also two USB 2.0 ports on the back, although with a power supply limited to 100mA there is a limit to what you can do with it.
The keyboard also comes with a couple of feet that can be adjusted to three different height levels. There are also two small rubber feet at the bottom of the keyboard which does a somewhat decent job at gripping surfaces, would have been better if they were bigger.
While the term “rubber dome” is almost like a dirty word within the mechanical keyboard community, there is a special place within the heart of many an enthusiast reserved for Topre’s switches.
Happy Hacking Keyboard Layout
Topre’s switch features a conical spring that sits on top of the PCB. It is then encased in a rubber dome that sits beneath a housing. The housing also features a sliding mechanism which is depressed on the rubber dome, with the spring providing additional resistance. In this instance the domes given are of the 45 gram variety which makes them fairly light and easy to press, making it a breeze to type on them. Very little force is required for keystrokes to be registered, but unlike membrane keyboards, there is no mushy feeling and the upstroke of the keys are pretty snappy.
Topre’s switches are probably best known for the “thock” sound with each press, which can be immensely satisfying. This is a tactile switch, although unlike other tactiles, the bump is a lot smoother and almost gives the illusion that these are linear switches. They are also not a clicky switch unlike Cherry’s MX Blues, so if you’re working outside or in a closed office space, you won’t be in any danger of driving the people around you insane.
We won’t say that it is a completely silent keyboard, but it is relatively quieter compared to certain mechanical keyboards. However if you want an event quieter version, there is the HHKB Professional Type S which is identical to the Professional 2, but has some dampeners put inside to help silence it even further. You can check out a sound comparison in the video below.
Now this is where I’m having a hard time deciding whether or not this is a criticism of the HHKB.
With its somewhat unconventional layout, if you’re coming from a standard keyboard, the learning curve can be pretty steep. This is because you will need to get used to Control being where Caps Lock used to be, the Backspace is now smaller and positioned one row lower, and you will need to memorize and juggle the Fn button to access other functions like Home, End, the arrow keys, and so on.
This sounds understandably troublesome and almost unnecessary, but once you get used to it, should you ever find yourself going back to a standard keyboard, you’ll start wishing you could remap the Control button to the Caps Lock position, and how the Backspace button was positioned lower. That being said, over time this should eventually become second nature (disclaimer: I use a HHKB-style keyboard as my daily driver).
However, I can see that this layout might not convenient for everyone. If you’re someone who accesses the function keys frequently or prefers using a numpad to input numbers to a spreadsheet, then maybe the HHKB layout isn’t for you.
When it comes to customization, the HHKB is somewhat limited. On the back of the keyboard, there is a small door that can be removed. This exposes the dip switches which when turned on or off, will affect the keyboard’s layout. PFU has helpfully placed the dip switch combinations and functions on the back of the keyboard for quick and easy reference.
Unfortunately this is pretty much where the customization of the HHKB ends. There is no bundled software for the keyboard which means that remapping your keys are limited to the dip switches. One popular hardware mod for the HHKB is the Hasu controller. Not only does this allow you to reprogram the keys on your keyboard, but it also gives it Bluetooth capabilities. However do take note that this will void your warranty so it’s probably a good idea to wait for the warranty to expire before embarking on this modification.
There are also limitations if you’re looking to customize the keycaps. This is because of the stem that Topre uses, in which the majority of custom keycaps are designed to be used with Cherry stems. Also because the HHKB uses a different layout, it’s not always possible to take keycaps from another Topre keyboard, like the Realforce or Leopold, and transplant them onto the HHKB. We’re not saying that there are no customization options, but they are noticeably less.
So who is the HHKB for? If you’re someone who does a lot of typing, or wants a keyboard that’s small, light, and portable, relatively quiet, and want to free up some desk space, then the HHKB might be the keyboard for you.
If you’re someone who relies heavily on the function keys, numpad, or if you’re a gamer who wants programmable keys and extra macro keys, or if you’re someone who prefers more clicky-style switches, then maybe the HHKB is not for you.
However at $241, the HHKB Professional 2 is by no means cheap and there are plenty of options out there for that price. Some have joking referred to this as the “Topre tax” because in reality, what you are paying for are for the Topre switches which are highly revered by some, but also viewed as overhyped by others.
If you know anyone with a HHKB or if you know about any local mechanical keyboard meetups in your area, it might be worth giving it a try before investing in it. If you think that maybe you’re ready to take the plunge, you will be able to find the HHKB Professional 2 on Amazon.
Happy Hacking Keyboard
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