When comparing Leopold Tenkeyless Tactile Touch vs Topre Realforce 87U EK Edition, the Slant community recommends Topre Realforce 87U EK Edition for most people. In the question“What are the best mechanical keyboards?” Topre Realforce 87U EK Edition is ranked 10th while Leopold Tenkeyless Tactile Touch is ranked 14th. The most important reason people chose Topre Realforce 87U EK Edition is:
The Topre switches used on this keyboard allow for quiet typing.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Cherry stabilizers
The Leopold Tenkeyless Tactile Touch uses Cherry stabilizers on all of its keys.
Pro Grainy keycaps
This Leopold keyboard ships with PBT (short for "polybutylene terephthalate") keycaps which have a grainy texture that some might prefer as it helps prevent fingers from slipping. They are also known to withstand wear well.
Pro High quality components for a low price
The practical design of this keyboard is typical of high-end mechanical keyboards, only differing in the details. The matte black chassis has rounded corners and a simple design. This keyboard uses Cherry MX switches, common among keyboards that cost significantly more than the Leopold.
Pro Removable USB cable
While this might not seem like a big deal, having to replace your beloved keyboard because the cable has been broken through frequent wrapping can be frustrating.
Pro Quiet
The Topre switches used on this keyboard allow for quiet typing.
Pro Great build quality
Probably the most well-built keyboard after the KUL-87
Pro Good feedback
The Topre switches are precision-tuned for each key, giving great feedback.
Pro Compact
Since there is no number pad, this keyboard takes up less space on the desk than typical keyboards.
Cons
Con No backlighting makes night-time use harder
Backlighting is common among high-end keyboards, but the Leopold doesn't have this feature. While most users looking for a mechanical keyboard will be able to type without looking at the keys, sometimes the special characters can still be hit or miss. In the dark, it might take a few tries before getting the intended special character.
Con Easily bends
This keyboard easily suffers from a bit of flexing, something other keyboards in this price range don't suffer from.
Con No extra features (such as macros or USB passthrough)
This is an affordable board, therefore it lacks some of the more premium features found on more expensive boards. It doesn't have any macro capabilities which can be useful for heavy users (macros are recorded key sequences which can be activated with a single button press - these can be used in games to automate some tasks, or in other programs to get repetitive tasks done quicker). There's also no USB passthrough option. Some keyboards let you plug your mouse or a USB key right into the keyboard, which helps keep cables looking tidier, while being more accessible.
Con Characters difficult to read
With black character text printed on black keys, inscriptions can be difficult to read unless in a well lit room.