Topre Realforce R2 TKL Dye Sub PBT Keyboard

STOCK: 2 out of 5 After small modification (moving springs around and lubing): 4 out of 5 Variable Switch TL;DR 1.) The keys are too scratchy, doesn't have the Topre experience like HHKB 2.) The 30G switches are way too light, feels really bad 3.) Permanently attached wire instead of detachable 4.) No DIP switches on the back like other Topre keyboards Modification made: Switched the 30G springs on the letters for 45G springs in the function row. Then lubed them with Krytox 205G0. Now has the Topre experience, the keys feel slightly heavier in a good way and 30G springs feel nice. First, I have a HHKB Type S (my favorite), and Leopold FC660C 45G and 45G silent. Stock wise, this is the worst of them all. I've bought this same version in black from another retailer. However, that was 55G and I felt it was too heavy and I returned it. When I saw this one here on sale, I purchased the variable hoping to get a better experience. Unfortunately, this keyboard in stock is really bad. The keys are really scratchy and you don't get the 'typing on clouds' feel you should get with Topre. Also, with variable switch, some of the keys on the outer edges of the alphabet are 30G while the mid keys are 45G. The 30G is way too light. It's very easy to accidently mistype and doesn't feel good at all. However, I did a slight modification. I switched the 30G springs on the edges with the 45G springs in the Function Key row. I also lubed them with Krytox 205G0. Now I didn't lube the springs, just the plastic part between the keycaps and the rubber dome. There is a great tutorial with pictures you can find online. Let me tell you, after doing this, this feels like a totally different keyboard. I wouldn't say it's better than HHKB. HHKB is just GOAT. However, it's now a keyboard worth having. You really get the Topre feeling. It's strange, but I feel like the lubing process made the keys a little heavier--in a good way. The 30G feel a lot closer to 45G and the 45G feel slightly heavier (but no where near 55G). Without this slight modification, I would have not recommended this keyboard. However, with it and the sale price, it's definitely worth it. The other drawback is the permanently attached wire. I don't know why they couldn't give you a detachable one. Also, it doesn't have the DIP switches on the back that Leopold and the HHKB have. I like to have my Caps Lock set as CTRL.

TL;DR: Great keyboard, but I cannot recommend it for use with a KVM switch. This is the most satisfying keyboard I've ever used. Perfect tactility, with a nice sound. The keystrokes aren't silent, but they're not distracting either. It provides a very pleasant typing experience. And I think the 55g switch force is just right: not tiring, but not sensitive to haphazard keypresses (Disclosure: I have freakishly large hands). Unfortunately, the keyboard does not work with my KVM switch. To be precise, my ConnectPro UD-12 KVM does not receive any keystrokes when the Realforce is connected to the KVM's DDM-enabled keyboard port. The Realforce does work when connected to the KVM's generic USB port, but then I can't use the hotkey sequence to change computers, and the computers eventually lose the keyboard connection. This is an absolute deal-breaker for me. So I had to return the Realforce. I really didn't want to return this great keyboard, so I tried for more than 2 weeks to find a solution. The KVM vendor blames the problem on the keyboard's NKRO feature. However, my Hexgears Nova keyboard with NKRO works perfectly with the KVM. I don't even need to disable the Nova's NKRO. But there is no way to disable the Realforce's NKRO, so I can't rule out the possibility that the problem is caused by the Realforce's implementation of NKRO. The support tech at Fujitsu (who represents Topre in the US) claims that there were no previous reports of KVM problems with their keyboards. I don't know what to think about that. The mechanicalkeyboards.com rep told me that none of their keyboards work with KVMs. That's not entirely true, because they sell the Hexgears Nova, which, again, works well with my KVM. If you don't rely on a KVM switch, you just might love the Realforce. But if your workflow requires frequent computer-switching, you've been warned.