PFU has announced the HHKB Professional Elite, a limited-edition mechanical-style keyboard celebrating the 30th anniversary of its Happy Hacking Keyboard (HHKB) brand. The new model takes design inspiration from the HHKB Professional HG, released for the brand’s 10th anniversary in 2006, while adding a machined aluminum chassis, Type-S silent electrostatic capacitive switches, and a redesigned internal mounting structure.
Founded in 1996 by University of Tokyo Professor Emeritus Eiichi Wada, HHKB has built its reputation around minimalist keyboard designs. The Professional Elite also revives a name associated with the development codename of the original HHKB Professional, connecting the anniversary model to the brand’s early history.
The keyboard features a unibody aluminum chassis made through precision machining, finished with sandblasting and anodizing. PFU has also redesigned the internal mounting structure and added a replaceable support assembly on the bottom. This system provides four tilt positions, allowing users to adjust the keyboard’s typing angle to suit their preferences.
For typing, the HHKB Professional Elite uses Type-S silent electrostatic capacitive switches. These switches are designed to reduce typing noise while retaining the typing characteristics associated with HHKB’s Professional lineup. The combination of an aluminum body and silent switches gives the anniversary model a different approach from the brand’s more conventional plastic-cased keyboards.
PFU will produce only 300 units worldwide, with 250 allocated to Japan and 50 to China. Each unit has the “HHKB Professional Elite” name and its individual limited-edition number laser-engraved on the bottom.
The HHKB Professional Elite is priced at ¥330,000, including Japanese consumption tax, and ¥300,000 before tax. Based on an approximate exchange rate of ¥156.42 per US dollar, these prices equal around $2,109 and $1,918, respectively. These figures are currency conversions, not official US retail prices. With just 300 units planned, the keyboard is aimed at HHKB collectors and enthusiasts interested in the brand’s 30-year history and premium keyboard hardware.
