Korean keyboard brand Leopold had a strong showing at Computex this year with a refreshed lineup of its keyboards for everyone to try. Leopold tends to sell different keyboards in different countries so it's hard to say which ones are brand new for the show, and thus I figured we briefly summarize the brand's offerings. The main takeaway I had is Leopold has decided to go with Cherry MX for all its mechanical keyboards and there will be fewer Topre keyboards going forward. The keyboards will also offer wireless connectivity wherever possible. Some keyboards also stray away from Leopold's classic black and white colors in favor of bolder, multi-tone themes. There are simply too many keyboards to individually list here, especially the absence of clarity on which ones will be sold where, so please take a look at the photos below, including past the break, and reach out to Leopold directly to express your interest if any caught your eye.

Topre, the Japanese company behind the electrostatic capacitive key-switches, released the Realforce GX1 Tenkeyless gaming keyboard under its own Realforce channel brand. The keyboard features Dual-APC (dual actuation point changer) key-switch architecture, which allows end-users to customize the actuation-point of the key switches. There is no binary 1 or 0 actuation of a keyswitch, but rather a degree of actuation (like on the key-switches of electronic pianos or synth-keyboards). The actuation points can be configured between 0.8 mm, 1.5 mm, 2.2 mm, and 3.0 mm. The English-US version of this keyboard features a standard 87-key set, with individual-key RGB lighting, and ABS keycaps. The keyboard measures 38 cm x 9.5 cm x 1.5 cm (WxDxH), weighing 210 g. Available in Japan since Monday, the Topre Realforce GX1 is priced at 33,000 JPY (around $240).

Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc. introduces new Happy Hacking Keyboard (HHKB) models including a Bluetooth enabled model, as well as HHKB branded accessories for avid HHKB fans!

The HHKB was developed by programmers for programmers to provide a smooth and fast keying experience while minimizing hand and finger fatigue. The keyboard only has the most necessary keys resulting in a light, compact and minimalist device. Since its introduction, the HHKB has been used by many customers including programmers and engineers and has sold over 500,000 units worldwide. The core concepts for the HHKB are its intelligent key layout and compact size. While these features have never changed for more than 20 years, keymap customization software and multi-platform support have been introduced to meet the changes in today's technology and work environment.

"I've personally used HHKB for over 20 years for professional and personal use, and I'm very excited to bring the latest generation of this cult classic to the U.S. market." said Yasunari Shimizu, CEO of Fujitsu Computer Products of America.

Leopold is a boutique keyboard manufacturer based out of Korea, and one we have not yet had the pleasure of covering in detail on TechPowerUp. That is about to change, however, as we were invited to meet representatives of the company and go through their products at their Computex booth. I have been familiar with their existing lineup to an extent, noting that they use both Cherry MX and Topre switches in their keyboards designed for the high end market. The FC660 especially is quite popular among keyboard enthusiasts wanting a small form factor keyboard for ergonomics, and Leopold showed off their new version of an electrostatic capacitive switch based on the Topre switch.

The new switch finds its way in the equally new FC660PT keyboard, with the primary design change being the location of the spring relative to the switch housing and rubber dome that gave Topre switches the unique tactile feedback which people either loved or did not. The new design attempts to appease users who long since have wanted compatibility with Cherrry MX stem keycaps, which account for the vast majority of aftermarket keycap sets. The spring is thus right on top, and makes for an interesting two-step feedback mechanism seen in the force-travel diagram below, which may well be just as divisive as the Topre switch itself. Noting that the springs may work loose and possibly be lost, Leopold tells us they plan to also include an extra set of springs with the keyboard as well. The rest of the keyboard is unchanged, and that by itself is a good thing in my books given it is hard to improve on the build quality provided by the thick metal case paired with the 1.5 mm thick PBT keycaps with dye-sub legends. Read past the break for more Leopold offerings at the show floor!

Today, Fujitsu Computer Products of America, the sole authorized seller of REALFORCE in the U.S., announced the new REALFORCE R2 RGB premium gaming keyboard line. The REALFORCE R2 RGB features various customization settings, allowing users to experience a completely immersive gaming experience.

Designed for speed and responsiveness, REALFORCE R2 RGB keyboards feature Topre's best-in-class capacitive key switches which allows for maximum gaming performance. The REALFORCE R2 RGB keyboards feature customizable backlighting with over 16 million color combination options and come in tenkeyless and full-sized models, perfect for any type of gaming environment. The keyboard is also equipped with an ergonomic shaped frame and key settings that reduce hand and finger fatigue. The double shot keycaps improve key texture and makes key legends fade resistant.

Leopold is a brand that not many are familiar with given they stick mostly to the Asian continent, and yet their keyboards are liked enough to warrant distributors and enthusiasts to seek them out around the world. At Computex this year, they continued to show why they merit more popularity by introducing new keycaps using thick PBT plastic and dye-sublimed legends that look better than anything else I have seen before. Indeed, dye-sublimation often results in the dye spreading outwards from the mould and the lettering not looking neat and sharp, and Leopold tells us they have worked hard to solve this issue for good. As a result, they are now offering keyboards in two different keycap sets to begin with- a more traditional beige two-tone, and a gunmetal grey two-tone as seen below. The first keyboard I saw with these new keycaps at their booth was the FC900R PS, a 104-key unit with Cherry MX switches, dip switches on the back for onboard functionality control, a removable mini-USB port and more.