Niz vs Topre at 45g+

[hellothere]

If you've forgotten who's playing -- and I, at least, have -- I have some Anecdotal Information™.

I have two computers, work and home. The work computer has a flimsy wooden keyboard tray and a keyboard-length mouse pad. The home computer has a stronk wood and metal keyboard tray that's twice as thick as the work computer's keyboard tray. I started with the Abko on the stronk tray and the Topre on the flimsy tray. You probably see what this is leading to ...

Probably not . I like the Abko more, no matter which keyboard tray, but the tray selection makes noticeable improvement for the Topre. Stronk is much betterer.

[JCMax]

If you've forgotten who's playing -- and I, at least, have -- I have some Anecdotal Information™.

I have two computers, work and home. The work computer has a flimsy wooden keyboard tray and a keyboard-length mouse pad. The home computer has a stronk wood and metal keyboard tray that's twice as thick as the work computer's keyboard tray. I started with the Abko on the stronk tray and the Topre on the flimsy tray. You probably see what this is leading to ...

Probably not . I like the Abko more, no matter which keyboard tray, but the tray selection makes noticeable improvement for the Topre. Stronk is much betterer.

What was it about the Abko that made you like it more than the Topre board? Would you say the switches felt like other Niz boards such as the Plum or the Epomaker? Or would you say the Abko has something unique abut its construction that puts it above those? I have heard other people sing praise of it.

It comes down to tactility for me. That is why Topre has the edge in my books right now.

[Muirium]

Do not underestimate the Bargain! factor. You subjectively expect more from things you paid more for, and vice versa. Beware the natural human inclination to then grade on a curve. “But of course he deserves an A. He had a cold, poor thing! We can overlook a few unintended mistakes. He could barely write the answers without his nose dripping…”

I find the better the deal I got on something, the better the story in my mind and the keener I am to walk right into that trap. “But yeah, this SSK I got for $25 so of course it’s amazing! And this OG Kishsaver cost me less than ten springs and a couple of Shift keys from Ellipse.” Hmm. Actually, maybe it doesn’t affect a perfect 10.0 keyboard like the Kishsaver so much.

[hellothere]

What was it about the Abko that made you like it more than the Topre board? Would you say the switches felt like other Niz boards such as the Plum or the Epomaker? Or would you say the Abko has something unique abut its construction that puts it above those? I have heard other people sing praise of it.

It comes down to tactility for me. That is why Topre has the edge in my books right now.

I haven't tried any other NiZ keyboards. I got the one I did for two reasons: Chyros did a review on it and said that felt better to him* and sounded nicer and, second because I was able to find one on ebay for around $100. I believe they listed around $175. I couldn't find a Plum for around $100.

I don't think it's construction quality. The Realforce is easily twice as good or more in that department: it feels like what a $275+ keyboard should feel like. The Abko is almost as tactile and feels "smoother." The Realforce has a bit of resistance that's not quite where I want. However, if I didn't bottom out on the switch, which I've done on just about every switch, except the Halo True, and use the higher actuation point that the PFU models have, the Realforce feels very similar to the Abko.

* Not that I necessarily agree with all of Chyros' opinions -- which is completely OK -- but he's tried a lot more keyboards and switches than I have.

[JCMax]

The bargain factor is why I can see some people being biased. It does make me feel like you've done a better job if you produce the same quality or better and at half the price.

I still lean towards Topre being my preference because of the aforementioned tactility I get from it that I don't get from my Niz board. Perhaps one day I may go ahead and get an Abko on ebay to "test" Chyros opinion. Yeah, he gives detailed honest reviews, and I agree with him 95.55% of the time. His reviews have been a great guide when I make my decisions. But their have been times where my personal preferences have diverged.

[Muirium]

He doesn’t like compact layouts. That’s Nuremberg Trials level wrongness of opinion, in my book.

There is also a corollary to the But it Was a Bargain Effect up at the other end of the price curve: the I Blew My Wad on This Effect aka “so it had better be good!” That’s the one we Topre preferentialists tend to get thrown at us. “You only like it because it cost more than a [mundane item costing $100].” It is true that we like it, but now that so many lesser keyboards also cost three figures it does not follow that we suddenly start liking those.