I was quite elated when Cooler Master brought out the Novatouch TKL, having heard great things about Topre switches, but never having had easy accessibility to keyboards with Topre switches. Despite the massive company behind the product, it just was not a success possibly because it may have just been too early for a market that was hungry for RGB backlighting and software features over build quality. The Cherry MX stem sliders on Topre switches were then a sought-after commodity in the keyboard enthusiast world, and seeing the demand for it, we had a few Asian companies decide to make their own electrocapacitive (EC) switches, including NIZ and i-Rocks. The latter seems to have fizzled out in their aim to get this going, with the i-Rocks K70E EOL and no replacements since. Topre, on the other hand, has since secured distribution in North America and Europe, but somehow prices are even higher than before. This is even before we get into the last Realforce keyboard having a disappointing feature set and HHKB continuing to be a niche solution.

So when Epomaker inquired about my interest in the NIZ Plum, I was quite excited. Of course this was just before Varmilo got in touch with their own take on the EC switch, which arguably is a better design allowing for different feedback mechanisms. Still, NIZ was among the first to do their own take on the Topre switch similar to how Kailh and Gateron started making only Cherry MX clones. The relative expense in manufacturing these switches and the smaller market available is a vicious cycle to where there have not been many other contenders. Getting my hands on the NIZ Plum x87 was thus important to figure out whether the Topre clones are any good. The answer is not as simple, however. If you like Topre switches but can't afford a Realforce or HHKB, I suppose this is your only viable option now anyway. But the NIZ keyboards are not even that much less expensive, and in some cases potentially more depending on the model.

For the same feature set, the NIZ option can be found for less more often than not. The problem comes when you look at the other options, such as the Bluetooth and/or RGB models, with the RGB versions especially costing considerably more than the rest. For context, the x87 BLE RGB costs $259 compared to $189 for the BLE models. I am not sure what exactly merits this massive increase for RGB lighting, and perhaps it is an entire PCB redesign, but the bulk cost is already in the case, keycaps, and switches, so it makes little financial sense for the LEDs and controllers to add an extra 67% to the cost over the base model. I will see if I can get my hands on one of these to know for sure, but Epomaker is playing it safe by only offering the base models, which are no doubt going to be the most popular ones anyway.

To be fair, there is a lot to like with the base model, which itself comes with 35 gf or 45 gf switches before the add-on springs, as well as the option with a black case and keycaps for those who prefer a stealthier look. Stealthy is probably the best way to describe the keyboard too, since it looks and feels like any other mechanical keyboard until you type on it. I personally have professed my love for the EC switches, and there is a certain je ne sais quoi here which the Varmilo EC switches miss out on. Perhaps it is a sense of familiarity with all the membrane keyboards used before, but I think it is more to do with the solid, deliberate keystrokes that are still quiet to where you get the joy of typing on this without distracting those around you. The NIZ Plum x87 is an expensive keyboard no doubt, especially for the feature set at each level, but in the absence of the i-Rocks K70E and the real deal being more expensive or simply not available for purchase in many regions, perhaps the NIZ Plum is the way to go. This particular 35 gf version may interest gamers too, and the add-on springs to make it 45 gf-equivalent will help elsewhere.