Happy Hacking Keyboard Professional2 (Black)

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Price: $270.00 $250.00   

Product Feature

• for Professional use Keyboard.
• Ships directly from Japan via Express Mail International

Product Description

Ultra-compact 60-key ANSI Layout Keyboard
60-Key modified US ANSI Layout
45gram sensitivity, 4mm travel Electrostatic Capacitive Key Switches
Dimensions: 294 x 110 x 39.9mm (11.6 x 4.3 x 1.6in)
Detachable USB mini-A interface, 1.8m cable included
Integrated USB 2.0/1.1 Hub (Current supply limited to 100mA)
Keyboard mode selection dip-switch
Weight: 530g (1 lb 3oz)
Made in Japan

Happy Hacking Keyboard Professional2 (Black) Review

Let me start off by describing what the Happy Hacking Keyboard (hhk from now on) is:
The HHK is a small keyboard by any standard, the layout is reminiscent of Sun's System 5 keyboards, where the Control key is located where the Caps Lock usually is. The small form factor is achieved by placing the ESC key is just to the left of the "1" key (as opposed to being to left of the F1 key, sometimes with a gap in between) and the Back Space is just over the enter key (as opposed to being next to the "=" key) also the arrowkeys, pg up/down, insert and delete keys, Prt Sc, Scroll Lock and Break keys are accessed via the Fn key and one of the letter keys on the right side of the keyboard (I,O,P,K.L, etc...). Most of the features of the HHK can be altered via the DIP switches on the back, where you can decide if the Delete key will really be a delete (and delete forward) or a typical backspace. If you can't take the Control key being where it is, or if you use the Caps Lock function regularly you can also change that with the DIP switches. There are many other options you can change, and I'd advise anyone who feels reluctant with the HHK's layout to do a quick google search prior to the purchase and check all the possible combinations of those switches. It has a USB connection (female on the keyboard, so it's detachable) and two usb ports to plug in peripherals.

I own tens of keyboards with varying degrees of collectability and, to be honest, usability. About a year ago I purchased a HHK Lite (similar to the Pro 2 when it comes to layout, although my version had dedicated arrow keys) and I it felt like home in terms of key placement, I'm unix/linux user for the most part and having the control key "right there" and the ESC key just an inch away from my pinky was simply perfect (if you are a vim/emacs user you'll certainly appreciate that). The Lite version however is somewhat sub-par in terms of quality, the Pro 2 is simply in another league and I'll talk about that later in the review. It never stopped me from swapping keyboards every time I had the chance, but I always came back to the HHK Lite. So what can you expect from your first few typing session with a HHK?

As soon as you lay your hands on the keyboard and start typing the first oddity is the backspace key, it's simply not where you'd expect and it takes some time to get used to it being just over the Enter key. Curiously I adjusted very quickly to having the Control key just to the left of my pinky. The lack of cursor keys wasn't a big problem for me, although your milage may of course vary, so do take that into account. the only think I can vouch for regarding the arrow keys is that pressing Fn and then the letter for the correct arrow becomes second nature and to be honest the position of the Fn key guarantees that the "chord" doesn't feel awkward.

Of all the keyboards I own the keycaps on the Pro 2 are simply the best I've ever experienced, it's hard to explain how they have just the right amount of "grain" to make you feel your fingers are holding on to something, but at the same time it doesn't hold them back at all, the plastic feels solid and like something very likely to survive a nuclear holocaust and subsequent fallout, curiously if you pick up the keyboard if feels fairly light though solid in construction. The electronics are as good as they get these days (though some might argue that DIP switches are terribly old fashioned and that with this price tag is certainly could have some internal memory to store settings), the HHK uses Topre switches, the mechanism uses a spring shaped like a cone, according to the makers of the keyboard it allows a better feel and a longer lifespan. BTW, just because it's a mechanical keyboard doesn't mean it's a "clicky" keyboard, it is not, it's not much noisier than your stock keyboard, though if I had to describe the sound it's a bit lower (frequency wise) than one would expect, and it sounds "compressed". This is obviously a very personal opinion, but I like it.
As a quick reference, the Lite version isn't mechanical, the electronics aren't nearly as good and the plastic on the keycaps isn't any better than whatever keyboard came with your desktop computer, for the price the Lite isn't all it's cracked up to be and unless you are hooked on the HHK's layout there are certainly better options out there for about the same buck.

I can't really rave enough about the HHK Pro 2, it's a wonderful keyboard loaded with features and it oozes this feel of being a boutique keyboard.

...but man, that is a steep price tag!

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