Topre formally announced the REALFORCE RS1 split keyboard. This column organizes the background to differences in new-product launch speed among brands from the perspectives of manufacturing methods and investment decisions.
The column uses the announcement of the REALFORCE RS1 on 24 September 2026 as an opportunity to examine the manufacturing setups and product-development characteristics of different keyboard brands. REALFORCE emphasizes integrated production at its Sagamihara plant and explains the connection between Japanese quality and brand value.
HHKB Professional prioritizes maintaining its basic form over the long term, while materials for the US market indicate that it is designed and manufactured in Japan. HHKB Studio, by contrast, adopts a different structure, and the column points out that it has changed its contract manufacturer for ABLE. ELECOM, as a fabless company, partners with external factories and describes a setup that enables rapid development.
Keychron is described as increasing its speed to market by developing multiple series in parallel and deploying shared assets across them. A key feature is its strategy of producing cases through CNC machining while applying layouts and connection methods by region.
The column points out that differences in manufacturing methods affect not only costs but also risk tolerance. Injection molding entails an upfront investment and makes it easier to reduce unit costs as production volumes increase, whereas CNC machining is better suited to small lots and design changes. Regional cost differences and manufacturing ecosystems also have an impact.
The column concludes that differences in domestic and overseas manufacturing environments and in investment recovery periods are linked to differences in new-product launch speed and market fit among brands.