If you're serious about having the best feeling under your fingers while typing or gaming, you know that a mechanical keyboard is the only way to go. The best keyboards have hotswap sockets, so you can switch things up according to your preferences from among the dizzying array of options. That's part of the fun of a mechanical keyboard hobby, finding out exactly which features you prefer to achieve the keyboard that works best for you.

But there's one type of mechanical key switch that stands out from the rest for me, and it's one that you might have heard of. That's Topre, which is an electrostatic capacitive non-contact switch that has more in common with Hall effect switches than normal Cherry MX or its clones. I own far too many mechanical keyboards at this stage, but most of them sit unused in their boxes because I keep returning to my trusty HHKB Pro 2 with its Topre switches to do my writing on. If you're looking for the best feeling switch to type on, Topre is the way to go.

4 Topre switches have an unmatched typing feel

Linear pressure but a satisfying tactile pop from the rubber domes

With most mechanical keyboards, you have a choice between linear, clicky, or tactile switches. Linear feels smooth all the way down, while the other two have a bump feeling just before the actuation point, so you can feel it when they're properly pressed. Topre is somewhere between a tactile and a linear, with low actuation force.

Because of the rubber dome construction, the tactile bump is right at the top of the keypress, with a feeling of almost breaking surface tension to start the keystroke. But once that initial push is completed, they feel smooth and light all the way down to the bottom, and then your finger gets "bounced" back up to the rest position by the rubber dome returning to its normal shape. This makes it incredibly comfortable to type on for hours, and that's why it was developed in the first place, to make things easier for typists by both reducing incorrect inputs and guarding against tendonitis or other repetitive strain injuries.

3 The sound (or lack thereof)

No, really, Topre key switches are very quiet

One of the biggest draws to me for Topre switches is the relatively quiet sound of each keystroke. It's also different from any other mechanical switch, with a characteristic "thock" sound that reverberates slightly. That might have more to do with the plastic housing of the HHKB Pro 2 that I use daily, but the general sound is very pleasing overall.

I've used clicky switches, and while they're fun for a while, they annoy everyone around you, and it doesn't take long before you get annoyed as well. Tactile and linear switches have a thinner, tinny type of sound for my ears, and I couldn't enjoy the noise at the speed I type at. That happens no matter how many layers of sound-deadening foam or other materials I put inside my keyboards. Topre is really the only option that is realistic for me during extended typing.

2 Topre key switches are incredibly durable

These switches will last forever

Because of their non-contact design, Topre switches rarely fail, and even when they do, all you need to change is the rubber dome to get them working again. Unlike Cherry style switches, which use metal leaves to complete a circuit to register a keypress, Topre switches use a change in capacitance that's created by the spring flattening out. They're actually much closer to analog optical or Hall effect switches in effect, with the rubber domes being the only part that will wear over time.

Most mechanical keyboard switches are rated for 50 million keypresses, which is a measure of how long the switch will last before it might fail. Modern Topre switches are rated for the same number of presses, but it doesn't mean that they'll automatically fail when it gets to that point. I know this for a fact because I got my HHKB Pro 2 just before I subscribed to Grammarly Premium in 2018, and according to their metrics, I typed 11,520,664 words in that time. With the average word length used in English as 5.1 letters, that's way over 55 million keypresses, and that's not even counting Discord or other social apps that I don't let Grammarly proofread for me. At this rate, it'll outlast me.

1 They're also customizable

Aftermarket accessories can adjust every aspect of the switches

Most mechanical keyboard switches can be modded for different properties, and Topre is no different in this regard. While Topre switches are naturally fairly quiet, one of the most common modifications is to add silencing rings to the slider. This is a thin piece of material that slightly reduces the distance the slider can travel on the return of the stroke, while muting the noise as the slider goes back to its normal position. It's worth mentioning that many HHKB or other Topre keyboards already come silenced from the factory, so this doesn't always need to be done after purchase.

Another popular mod is to swap the rubber domes for those with higher or lower actuation force. Most Topre switches are either 45 or 55g, but you can get replacement domes between 35g and 70g to fit the resistance you prefer. By default, the sliders for Topre have a special stem that only fits specific keycaps. There are replacement sliders that make them Cherry MX compatible for more keycap compatibility, but I haven't done this on my keyboards since I like the feel of the stock PBT keycaps.

And you can also swap the entire housing into an aftermarket one. The only manufacturer that consistently makes Topre-compatible cases is Norbauer, but they're not cheap. I recently picked up a Heavy Grail to transplant my HHKB Pro 3, at an eye-watering $680. That's the cheapest HHKB housing he produces, with a polished stainless steel version for $2,000 and a titanium one for $2,650. Not exactly keyboards for everyone, but I know exactly what I like, and I wanted the HHKB to live in a housing that will last me through my lifetime.

I've used dozens of mechanical switches, and I always go back to Topre

Mechanical keyboards are all about finding your personal preference, so that every keystroke while typing is a joy. For me, that joy comes from the "thock" sound on every stroke of my Topre switches, which keeps both my ears and my fingers happy. While I've got dozens of custom mechanical keyboards with hotswap sockets, I keep going back to my HHKB Pro 2, which has seen so much use that there is a groove worn in the spacebar where my right thumb rests. It might not be the switch type for you, but it definitely is for me, and I can't see that changing anytime soon.