The “HHKB Professional Elite” is a special model from PFU’s premium keyboard series, the “Happy Hacking Keyboard (HHKB),” limited to 300 units worldwide. It features an aluminum CNC-machined case and costs 330,000 yen including tax. Last time, we opened it to check its appearance and detailed design, but this time we connected it to a PC, typed on it, and checked its typing feel, typing sound, usability, and other aspects.

PRESS RELEASE | [30th Anniversary] Introducing the aluminum CNC-machined-case “HHKB Professional Elite,” limited to 300 units | PFU
https://www.pfu.ricoh.com/news/2026/news261022.html

You can check what the HHKB Professional Elite looks like in the following article.

Unboxing & Exterior Review of the 330,000-yen “HHKB Professional Elite” keyboard, limited to 300 units and featuring a gleaming aluminum CNC-machined body - GIGAZINE


This time, the model we borrowed was the “English layout / black” version. As a 60% keyboard, it does not have a function key row or arrow keys for up, down, left, and right.


Here it is placed side by side with the Logitech MX KEYS mini (below), which the GIGAZINE editorial team normally uses. The HHKB Professional Elite is compact at 294 mm wide × 110 mm deep × 40 mm high, but its measured weight is approximately 970 g, making it too heavy to carry around.


The key pitch was approximately 19 mm as measured.


The key travel was approximately 4 mm.


It uses capacitive contactless (Type-S) key switches, with an actuation force of 45 g.


The keytops share the same specifications as the existing HHKB Professional series.


The HHKB Professional Elite uses a “top-mount system” for its internal structure that supports the keys. This is a method of mounting the key switches on a metal plate made of cold-rolled steel sheet (SPCC) and securing them at the top of the case, with the aim of achieving a stable typing feel by firmly supporting the key switches with the metal plate. When actually typing on it, the touch is soft while still providing the sense of pressing firmly all the way to the bottom, and it feels as though the keys are being pushed straight down along their axes in a stable manner.


The video below shows the HHKB Professional Elite actually being typed on. Since it has a metal case machined from aluminum, I expected it to produce a loud clattering sound, but when I actually typed on it, it produced a somewhat low, muffled “clack-clack” sound and was highly quiet.Because the spacebar is long, the sound is slightly louder depending on where you press it with your finger, but the overall typing sound is calm and steady.

Here is how the “HHKB Professional Elite,” a high-end keyboard with a gleaming, CNC-machined aluminum body, limited to 300 units and priced at 330,000 yen, sounds - YouTube


When the volume of the sound produced while typing on the HHKB Professional Elite was measured with a GainExpress SLM-441 digital sound level meter from about 50 cm away, the result was approximately 45 dB (decibels). This is a level of noise that may be noticeable when using it in a quiet room.


The drawback is its weight. Its CNC-machined aluminum body weighs 970 g, nearly twice the weight of the conventional HHKB Professional series. As a result, carrying it around to stack it on top of a laptop keyboard in the “teacher style” can be quite difficult. Conversely, its 970 g weight makes it stable enough to withstand forceful typing, so rather than carrying it around, you may prefer to leave it set up on a desk.


The HHKB Professional Elite also uses leg pieces secured with hex screws to adjust its tilt. This prevents it from wobbling even when angled, but it can be inconvenient if you want to adjust the angle frequently.


The DIP switches used to switch the keyboard’s modes also cannot be accessed unless you remove the back plate, which is secured with hex screws. This can make things difficult if you want to switch between Mac and Windows, so if you plan to use it regularly, it is best to keep it assigned to a single machine whenever possible.


Having actually used the HHKB Professional Elite, I was impressed by the soft typing feel unique to its electrostatic capacitive, contactless design, as well as the stability provided by its CNC-machined aluminum case. Its typing sound is also subdued, and it is a keyboard that remains comfortable to use for extended typing sessions. At 330,000 yen including tax, the HHKB Professional Elite is extremely expensive as an ordinary keyboard. However, with the premium feel created by CNC machining, the meticulously engineered construction down to the smallest details, and the rarity of a worldwide production run of just 300 units, it is a special keyboard aimed at people who find value in simply owning it.


The “HHKB Professional Elite” is a made-to-order model limited to 300 units worldwide, with 250 units sold in Japan and 50 in China. It costs 330,000 yen including tax and comes in three colors: sumi, white, and snow, each available in engraved and unengraved versions. The layout is English only. In Japan, applications for the advance-purchase right lottery will be accepted from October 22 through 28, 2026, and an advance sale for lottery winners will be held from December 1 through 6. General sales will begin at the PFU Direct main store at 11:00 a.m. on December 7, on a first-come, first-served basis.

The HHKB Professional HYBRID Type-S, which does not have a CNC-machined aluminum body, can currently be purchased on Amazon.co.jp for 33,800 yen including tax as of the time this article was written.

Amazon.co.jp: PFU Keyboard HHKB Professional HYBRID Type-S Unlabeled／Black (English Layout) : Computers & Peripherals