The Ultimate Hacking Keyboard Review: A Truly Unique, Truly Expensive Keyboard for Pros
by E. Fylladitakis on March 12, 2020 10:00 AM ESTConclusion
Unlike the vast majority of mechanical keyboards nowadays, the Ultimate Hacking Keyboard truly is a unique product - a wholly unique design that is being marketed almost exclusively towards IT professionals. The developer of the keyboard designed it to be reliable and easily customizable, without the extraneous bells and whistles that would be unnecessary for a professional.
As a keyboard targeted towards professionals, the UHK is based on a 60% layout in order to maximize productivity and reduce fatigue. However, this is going to actually work only with professionals who use a single keyboard every day and will tailor the UHK to their specific work needs. For everyone else, having to result to multi-key combinations for virtually anything else but basic input will probably have a negative impact.
The customizability of the UHK is its greatest selling point. Its Agent software initially seems simple but can be used to create very complex layouts and layers, making it a true weapon at the hands of an experienced professional. Users can also expand/customize their keyboards with additional modules that are available from the manufacturer for about $60 each, allowing the tailoring of the UHK to their specific needs.
The only real issue with the UHK is its unreasonably high price tag. It is currently retailing at $275 plus shipping, and this is without any of its accessories. The palm rest alone costs an additional $75, which is more than a whole mechanical keyboards using Kailh switches retails for nowadays. And the complete price tag for the UHK system can go higher still, as the future expansion modules will another $60.
Meanwhile, although the pricey keyboard is appropriately extravagant in some ways, it's also not very impressive in others; at it's core you're still looking at a keyboard built using Kailh switches, and lacks even basic backlighting. While we cannot deny the excellent quality and customizability of the UHK, it lacks enough features to fully justify such a price tag.
To summarize, we believe that the market potential of the UHK is significantly limited. It is, at the same time, both the smallest mechanical keyboard and the most expensive mechanical keyboard that we have ever reviewed. But its feature set, while impressive at times, just can't justify such a humongous price tag. The UHK is a product designed strictly for a small percentage of IT professionals and experts – it may be a real toolbox at the hands of an IT expert, but also is an unreasonably expensive choice for practically everyone else.
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hansmuff - Thursday, March 12, 2020 - link
That'd be a RealForce and a Hasu controller -- multi-layer total programmability.commonmind - Sunday, March 15, 2020 - link
Keyboard enthusiasts don't prefer Cherry switches over Kailh. They consider them in the same category, and without modifications they're pretty basic "beginner" switches. Also, most of the highly desirable keycap sets on the market are ABS, not PBT. PBT is great, and means no shine, but PBT is really great for gaming keyboards. I'll keep my ABS keycap sets. Also who wants a backlight? I want sharp, easily readable legends, not backlighting. And who cares where it's made? Some of the best custom keyboards on the market are produced elsewhere; what an arbitrary standard. I'm not a fan of this board for my own reasons, but your reply sounds like it's coming from someone that hasn't spent a lot of time as a mech enthusiast.qit - Saturday, March 21, 2020 - link
A keyboard enthusiast that needs to read the legends on his/her keys?Sounds more like a keyboard collector who doesn't actually use keyboards to me.
khanikun - Sunday, March 29, 2020 - link
Majority of my key caps, the legends have rubbed off. I've since just started replacing keys that I don't use as much with random legends. Things like Portal keys or legend-less translucent caps.I also like rgb backlighting, cause when I swap between different games, the backlighting changes to show the key layout for the game. While it doesn't matter too much for regular use, it could prove beneficial when you're creating different layers on a programmable keyboard.
yasamoka - Saturday, April 11, 2020 - link
For a comment claiming that someone else's comment stems out of ignorance, your comment surely takes the cake for not substantiating even a *single* claim."PBT is great, and means no shine, but PBT is really great for gaming keyboards."
"Some of the best custom keyboards on the market are produced elsewhere; what an arbitrary standard."
"I'm not a fan of this board for my own reasons"
No substance whatsoever.
Henk Poley - Tuesday, March 31, 2020 - link
I am not seeing any ergonomic split keyboards from Realforce. Maybe you are mistaken about what this product is?PeachNCream - Thursday, March 12, 2020 - link
I don't understand what this keyboard is supposed to offer as a benefit for the listed price or who would find it as the best option over the many other keyboards out there in a heavily saturated market. Sometimes uniqueness of design does not actually add value.mode_13h - Friday, March 13, 2020 - link
It seems to be aimed at the image-conscious hacker, who perhaps harbors insecurities about being insufficiently 'L337.khanikun - Sunday, March 29, 2020 - link
Pretty much. Like the Happy Hacking keyboards. Weird layouts, mediocre build, high price. Well, today they are a stupid high price. They were originally just slightly higher price than a normal keyboard. I think they didn't expect a weird layout 60-ish key keyboard would do too well, so they were like $50-60.Today, the quality isn't any different and they aren't mechanical, but command $250+. Slap "hack" in the name somewhere and charge high. Guess that's the name of the game.
heartinpiece - Thursday, March 12, 2020 - link
But I use my right index finger to type 'B'!!!