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Head to head · Prices checked Nov 11, 2026

HP Class 1800 Southpaw vs HHKB Russ.works Lesley

Get the HP Class 1800 Southpaw for qmk. Get the HHKB Russ.works Lesley for hot-swappable.

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

HP Class 1800 Southpaw

QMK

Rules this board out

  • Switches are soldered. Swapping them means soldering.

Get the

HHKB Russ.works Lesley

Hot-swappable

Build quality in the top 35% of 60% boards at any price.

What actually differs

The differences that matter

Skip the 40-row spec sheet. These are the specs that change how each board feels, sounds, and fits your desk.

HP Class 1800 Southpaw

HHKB Russ.works Lesley

  • Hot-swappable

    No

    Yes

    Switch changes without soldering

  • Ergonomics

    Southpaw

    Split Backspace

  • Mount style

    Top Mount

    Gasket Mount

  • Display

    None

    LED

    A case display rather than a typing feature

  • QMK

    Yes

    No

    The deep option when you want to remap every key

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • HP Class 1800 Southpaw
  • HHKB Russ.works Lesley
Performance
49
47
Build quality
66
71
Productivity
49
61
Customizability
59
63
Portability
41
71

What they share

  • Connection: Wired
  • Case material: Aluminum
See every spec side by side

Full specs

HP Class 1800 Southpaw vs HHKB Russ.works Lesley specs

Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.

9 of 17 specs differ

HP Class 1800 Southpaw

HHKB Russ.works Lesley

Typing & switches

Hot-swappable

No
Yes

Mount style

Top Mount
Gasket Mount

Sound dampening

No
Yes

Layout

Layout size

—
60%

Layout standard

ANSI
—

Ergonomics

Southpaw
Split Backspace

Display

None
LED

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Wired
Wired

Max polling rate

—
1,000 Hz

USB-C

No
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum
Aluminum

Plate material

—
Aluminum, Plastic, Polycarbonate

Weight

4,200 g
—

Typing angle

7°
8°

Backlight

None
None

Firmware & software

QMK

Yes
No

Extras

Released

2025
2026

Where to buy

Compare prices

Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.

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