HYBRID Type-S Keyboard White PD-KB800WS, Mechanical 60% Compact Keyboard, Portable, Silent Key Switches, Bluetooth and USB-C, Printed Keycap

I spent a lot of time going through reviews, while I already have a few great keyboards the Keychron H2 and Epocmaker, Logitech MX Keys, I needed a solution with no internal batteries, and great low noise feel. Also productivity over gaming performance. Watching review the sound of the HHKB Hybrid Type-S it seemed louder than I would prefer, however I'm happy to say that when its in front of you its much quieter than the reviews suggest, and unlikely to annoy people in a Cafe or your co-workers. The feel of the keys are excellent, these are not clicky but are like the hall effect gaterons but with smother bottom and a pleasant bump to give a positive action. Pairing and switching between multiple devices is very easy. I found it quite easy to adapt to the cursor keys and did not find this as big an issue as I thought I might. Additionally I really like the ability to use this without the cable but have to option to switch to USB very easily. The USB-C is mounted flush with the case so there is no worries about having a cable that wont fit. The only con I can think of is the lack of a backlight, I went for the white printed version for this reason, better legibility in low light. On the subject of value for money, its helpful to think about cost and value as two things and a question only you can really answer. A keyboard is a tool I use professionally for many hours a day, on balance I find this has exceeded my expectations so to me I think this offers good value. Like many tools, If it inspires you "that's great" if it "gets out of your way" that's great too. I find it manages to do both.

I bought this in September 2020; I was on a really horrible project at the time and I needed something to make my life a little less bleak. And, you know, 2020. The keyboard was odd at first (bit of a culture shock really), but the experience got better and better; eventually the arrow keys become second-nature, and you find that entering numbers is no longer a hunt-and-peck affair, rather they become integrated into your muscle-memory. Same with braces and semi-colon. This thing is a programmer's dream. The keyboard is a reasonable weight; it is well-constructed without being tank-like. Designed to survive sitting on a desk which you can't argue against really. There is a case for it should you decide to travel with it. The keys feel responsive with a wonderful 'thock' sound to them, without the shrill click of Cherry MX Blue switches, or the slightly underwhelming, plasticky actuation of the MX Browns. Whilst I cannot comment on the non-silent variant of the keyboard, I would say they're far from silent; they are more noisy than laptop keys for example, though it is a lower 'thock' sound rather than the 'whit' sound of a laptop's keys. The spacebar makes a lot more noise than the other keys, having a lower 'thook' sound rather than 'thock'. The price is high. There's no justification for this imho, other than that this is one of the best keyboards out there. It's like a Tumi backpack, or a Herman Miller Aeron; the price seems outrageous but once you're used to it you want nothing else. Shut up and take my money.

I don't have the technical knowledge or authority to get into the details of why this keyboard is brilliant. I can only say that I have very lethargic and weak fingers that often freeze up when I'm tired or stressed. This has previously had serious consequence on my work - I would not be able to write up enough in time or the lethargy itself will effect the quality of the the written work. It sounds melodramatic but I've put up with this struggle for years. I thought to invest in a good quality ergonomic keyboard for years but did not have the financial means to experiment with various types; membrane or mechanical. So after undergoing extensive research and putting consideration in terms of noise (which I'm sensitive to), typing feel (not exhausting but has enough bounce and key travel for comfortable touch typing for extended periods of time) and layout (I have small hands which get tired on standard keyboards), I've decided on this rather expensive keyboard. And boy, has it been truly worth it. It is the keyboard of dreams. My small hands took to the layout almost immediately, and at first, the hard bottoming-out seemed a minus on my poor fingers until I realised I do not need to bottom out so hard for the key to register. I can now touch upon the keys lightly and yet recieve tactile-enough feedback that feels delightful and assured. I feel like my fingers dance when I type on it; I've been a quick typist but I am even faster now, with little strain. The money spent truly feels like nothing but sound investment due to the effect it has had on lessening the burden of the workload. Aesthetics wise, it also helps that this keyboard blends in so well to any room without looking garish! I love a good looking piece of tech with a hint of nostalgia. I recommend getting an arm rest with it due to the high profile - I've bought a compact foam rest from amazon that did the job. It has increased the quality of my work life and for that I give it 5 stars. I have not tried out any other board and honestly, I don't need to - I wouldn't want to compromise on the perfect unobstrusive sound, the spongy-but-not-mushy typing feel, and the perfect perfect layout. I don't do much other than write text with this keyboard so the lack of immediate arrow keys has been irrelevant. Highly recommend for writers!

The price is pretty steep for a fully plastic pre built, it uses disposable batteries in a pretty ugly external housing instead of a built in rechargeable one and the layout takes some getting used to coming from a UK layout but I full understand the hype now. The switches feel great to type on and once you get used to it, the layout makes complete sense to the point where it just feels natural compared to any other keyboard. The only thing I would change is the location of the arrow keys. Taking the approach of WASD, PL;’ feels way more comfortable and logical to use than [;’/ which is pretty compressed. I’ve yet to get used to it when navigating so much so that I’m considering remapping the keys. Now for the problem, my W key has a metallic springy rattle to it when pressed quickly. The only way I can describe it is if you twang the tab on a can of coke that’s been opened. It’s not really audible when typing normally but it’s very noticeable when you have those 1 key presses that are a quick press. Every other key is prefect but it’s not really what you want on a £250+ keyboard.

Little bit of an adjustment curve to the layout, but once you get used to it, it makes such perfect sense. They switches are quite simply sublime, they make typing a deeply pleasurable experience. It's hard to describe them, but they're buttery smooth while feeling solid and having an amazing tactility to them. Coming from MX Cherry Brown switches on my previous keyboard, going back to that it feels so harsh in comparison. It's expensive, but it's absolutely incredible. The battery compartment isn't something you notice in the slightest, and is actually a very conscious decision I think, extends the life cycle of the keyboard indefinitely and makes it much more versatile than an internal, non removable battery like most bluetooth devices have. I don't know what more to say, other than this thing is a dream and I don't really have any other reference point for it - it's so vastly superior and different (IMO) to any of the cherry switches, the layout is genius once you adjust to it, the build is excellent and the feel of the actual keycaps is wonderful. Believe the hype.

The HHKB Hybrid Type-S makes a couple of notable step forwards and a one step back over the Professional 2. This new model has Bluetooth (capable of pairing with 4 other systems), is programmable/remapable with a tool from PFU, it comes equipped with a USB-C connector. Unfortunately this new functionality does come at the cost of the USB hub, which I found very useful for mouse dongles, 2FA tokens and the like. As compared with the regular Professional 2, The Type-S is notably quieter, the famous “thwock” sound of the regular topre switches has been dampened, this appears to be done either on the slider or on the board itself, the key caps appear the same, no o-rings or dampers installed on them. Build wise; it’s the same solid plastic build as on the earlier models. But with the addition of the battery well, the keyboard is a little bigger. This also lends itself to increasing the weight of the keyboard. Supporting the keyboard are 4 rubber feet, If you had issues with the keyboard skating around your desk this will not be a problem, the rubber feet and the increased weight from the batteries will keep it firmly planted on your desk.

Firstly, the packaging itself was a major letdown. The keyboard arrived in an open plastic box that was not only unsealed but also showed signs of significant wear with scratches and dents. This immediate visual on the state of the box raised serious concerns about the handling and care of the product during shipping. I purchased the Happy Keyboard expecting a brand new, sleek device to boost my productivity and enjoy my typing tasks. Unfortunately, what I received was far from satisfactory and felt more like a second-hand product. The keyboard arrived in an open plastic box that seemed to have been tampered with. The absence of any sealed packaging or proper protection during shipping was immediately concerning. The lack of a sigil on the battery compartment further raised my suspicions about the authenticity and the newness of the product. Upon inspecting the keyboard, it was clear that this was not a fresh-off-the-production-line unit. The keys had visible signs of wear; they were not perfectly polished and even had residual plastic on the edges, suggesting they were either used before or extremely poorly manufactured. This kind of finish is unacceptable for a product marketed as brand new. While the general functionality of the keyboard was acceptable, the space bar had a noticeable rattling sound, which was distracting and detracted from the typing experience. Adding to the frustration, the customer support experience was bewildering. After encountering these issues, I reached out for assistance, only to receive a response in French—despite my message being in English—addressing concerns about entirely different electronics. This lack of appropriate customer service support only exacerbated the overall disappointing experience. Overall, I am extremely dissatisfied with the Happy Keyboard. It did not meet the basic expectation of receiving a new, quality product, and the customer support was practically non-existent. I would caution potential buyers to consider other options unless the company addresses these quality control and customer service issues.

I am a Software Engineer who spends a lot of time writing code and technical documentation. HHKB Professional Hybrid Type-S improved my daily experience of working by the computer immensely! I am happy with the typing experience. Topre switches seem to be perfect for me. There is no rattling sound whatsoever. The process of typing is so much enjoyable now. I even went ahead and wrote this feedback which I typically never do. The build quality is also excellent. The keyboard is not overly heavy and is not excessively light either. It feels like a premium product to me. I love it! Yes, it takes time to get used to the layout, but it's worth it.

I have been using HHKB keyboards for a while now, but now that I’m working from home because of Covid-19, the noise level matters. And this Type-S delivers. Much more quiet than my old Pro BT model. Bluetooth is also much improved (Bluetooth 4.2: battery status, paired to 4 devices). Value for money is “only” 4 because although it is the best keyboard every in my opinion, it is not cheap.

Background: - OS: MacOS (95%), Linux (5%) - Main work: A lot of typing needs. Programming, Scientific writing, Browsing, with 5+ desktop windows. - Other keyboards used: FLICO Majestouch MNILA air 68-keys (Cherry blue switch), VARMILO full-size (Cherry brown) Pros: - Typing: Great touching after getting used to it. Softer response compared to the Cherry blue switch FILCO keyboard, so less “rhythmic” when typing, but top-notch typing experience for sure. - Layout: At first it’s frustrating to use the Fn key combination to replace the arrow keys, but after a few weeks of getting used to that, it’s actually more efficient. I use the Control key a lot, it’s perfect for a Unix user to have the Ctrl key on the CapsLock position. - Noise: One of the major reasons I don’t want to use the FLICO in the office is the noise which is enjoyable for me but could be annoying for my office mates. The HHKB type-S is great, of course, it’s not as quiet as a plastic dome keyboard. - Bluetooth connection: I don’t have any problem with the wireless connection until now, but it could be a problem after the Bluetooth protocol updates in the future, so the alternative cable connection is good to have. My FILCO keyboard from 2016 now has a severe wireless connection problem to MacBook 2017 and later. Cons: - Wakeup: It’s the major complaint from my side. The keyboard cannot connect automatically when I resume work after it got to sleep (turned off), and it doesn’t have a light to show the working status. So I cannot know if the keyboard is still connecting when returning to use it, and then I need to manually turn it on by push the bottom for a few seconds. I mean, it’s pretty annoying when this happens many times every day. I love the design of my FLICO keyboard which wakes up automatically if the power switch is turned on. - Price: Well, it’s probably cons of me… Summary: It’s a good purchase if you have a discount, the typing experience is unique. I am expecting to use it for many years, so it doesn’t seem to be so expensive in a long run. I would recommend it to Mac or Linux users but not for Windows users.

The covered dipswitches on the backside enables the most common key bind setup I like. The CTRL in place of the CAPS LOCK is excellent but takes a couple of hours to get used to. Once it is in muscle memory, it just feels optimal. The backspace bound to the [ |\ ] key is more natural than the usual backspace position on normal keyboards. Bluetooth works smoothly without any connection issues for me, and I am most pleased with that. The lightweight minimalistic layout is excellent for bringing this to school/campus/trips. The key switches are Topre, which gives a most excellent experience when typing. This is my default keyboard when I need to travel and working. The only thing that requires some extra hours getting used to is the arrow keys using the FN modifier, but once I got used to it I found it works well. It is a sacrifice I am willing to make for that extra portability and minimalism. Great keyboard for work and traveling because of the clean comfortable minimalism. I think I have a crush on this keyboard.

J'ai failli renvoyer le clavier : pas de cable en filiaire (incroyable pour le prix), touches manquantes. Mais apres avoir branche mon cable usbc et configurer les connecteurs, c'est une merveille. Attention : - la configuration ne devient active qu'apres avoir debranche rebranche le clavier, il faut le savoir ! - il fonctionne bien sans pile mais il faut votre propre cable ! - Je conseille le mode window pour utiliser les touches speciales autour de l'espace sous win ou linux, et de configurer la touche delete en backspace - Il faut utiliser la touche Fn en bas a droite pour acceder aux fonctions. Il faut changer un peu son habitude, mais c'est une merveille pour voyager avec un support pour le portable, avec un tres bon toucher et plus silencieux que les claviers mecaniques. Au travail je prefere quand meme mon kinesis ergonomique :)

Do you like a thocky, responsive keyboard? Do you also want the keyboard to be silent? Do you program? (especially in Linux) Do you use Vim? Do you want your keyboard to connect to multiple devices and easily switch in between them? If you answered yes to 2 or more questions, just buy this HHKB.