The Drop ALT keyboard has two USB-C inputs, and you can use either one as a USB passthrough, meaning you can charge your devices at USB 2.0 charging speeds. The Drop ALT is a wired-only keyboard that isn't designed for mobile devices. By clicking the plus sign under the layer sidebar, an entire second keyset is generated and can house whole separate key sets. The Drop CTRL High Profile is a very good keyboard, but its not without its drawbacks. Sometimes it's not possible to choose the best keyboards off the shelf and if that's the case for you, a custom keyboard kit like the Drop CTRL may be just what you require. These include everything from standard keyboard commands, to simple Windows shortcuts, media controls, international symbols, and dedicated functions like Copy and Paste. You can also connect your mouse if it has a USB-C cable ending or if you have an adapter. There is minimal rattle with the stabilizers. The Drop CTRL comes with an array of options for linear, tactile, and clicky switches. A key important detail is that the keyboard is not cheap, you are paying a bit extra for features such as an anodized aluminum frame with hot-swappability. - The Drop CTRL is an expensive keyboard; there's no other way to look at the price. Both boards are available in several switches, and neither has dedicated software; however, you can still set macros on the Ducky by using a combination of hotkeys. Wireless Phones are not eligible for return. It's well-made with an aluminum frame, and the RGB lighting gets very bright and looks great. 2017 - All products come with 60 days of Complimentary Tech Support, For additional coverage and peace of mind, consider our service and replacement plans. The CTRL is Ready for Action The day has finally come. The backlight can also be customized for brightness and speed. You can also customize the RGB lighting through Drop's interface on their website and flash the settings onto your keyboard. Its also fully programmable via QMK, meaning you can assign macros or custom keybindings to every key. The stabilized keys are terrible. I prefer to keep my fingers on the home row, so I map my Caps Lock key to access Layer 1 when held and send Caps Lock when tapped. Our unit is quiet and won't disturb others around you. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, The Drop ALT is bad for a home theater PC setup, but it isn't designed for this use anyway. There is backlighting all through the outer rim as well as under each key. Besides typing experience, we expect our results to be valid for the other variants. The ALT also has lower latency, better RGB color mixing for its backlighting, and it has an additional incline setting. We absolutely love this keyboard and consider it one of the best hot-swappable keyboards currently out there. Measuring at 368mm by 140mm and 44mm thick, it's in line with the competition if not a little on the thick side. GamaKay . There's a USB-C port on both sides of the keyboard, and you can use either one to connect to your computer. How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad, How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill, How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Files, How to Record the Screen on Your Windows PC or Mac, Read Our Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT Gaming Keyboard Review, Read Our SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL Gaming Keyboard Review, Read Our Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB Split Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review, Read Our Razer Pro Type Wireless Mechanical Keyboard Review, Read Our Das Keyboard 4C TKL Mechanical Keyboard Review, Read Our Das Keyboard 4Q Mechanical Keyboard Review, Read Our Happy Hacking Professional Hybrid Wireless Mechanical Keyboard Review, How to Control Multiple Computers With One Keyboard and Mouse, MSI Clutch GM31 Lightweight Wireless Mouse Review. However, it's not user-friendly and isn't considered dedicated software. High profile of keys may lead to fatigue. The Drop CTRL is an awesome mechanical keyboard with a floating keycap design and a sleek aluminum frame. I didnt experience any learning curve or slow down in my typing speed getting started on the CTRL. Its up to you. The Drop ALT keyboard has low latency. Its still possible to use these switches if youre willing to clip off the two additional feet, but the last thing you want to do with a set of expensive aftermarket switches is clip the feet off and make them irrevocably less stable. The shine-through PBT keycaps only enhance the performance. Logitech G Pro X Gaming Keyboard Best mechanical keyboard overall Jump to details $150 Logitech Razer BlackWidow Elite Best mechanical keyboard for gaming Jump to details $238 Amazon Das. In the work-from-home era, you can use it across many workspaces, such as your desk, coffee table, or kitchen table. The all-aluminum chassis screams premium craftmanship, and this makes the CTRL an ideal starting place for those looking to customize their own mechanical keyboard. The all-aluminum chassis feels premium, weighing in at just shy of 2kg. When compared against other premium keyboards, it's not an obscene amount of cash. The current stabilizers included with the Drops keyboards are loose and rattly. Micro Center is happy to honor its customary 30-day return policy for Aerial Drone returns due to product defect or customer dissatisfaction. Thank you for signing up to Windows Central. Anyways, thank you so much for the read, and happy typing! Shop ALT | $139 What is your favorite Drop CTRL hotkey? Click to enlarge. Came packaged carefully and fast. The CTRL just lacks the depth of programmability available on dedicated gaming keyboards from the likes of Razer or Corsair. Drop CTRL Mechanical Keyboard Tenkeyless TKL (87 Key) Gaming Keyboard, Hot-Swap Switches, Programmable Macros, RGB LED Backlighting, USB-C, Doubleshot PBT, Aluminum Frame (Halo Clear, Gray) $ 322.99 (2 Offers) Free Shipping from United States. Sadly, there's no dedicated software, so you can't customize the board as easily. If you want to swap out the switches for something a little more tailored to your preference, this is entirely possible with the Drop CTRL. Featuring a fully aluminum case, PBT keycaps, multiple configuration options, and QMK driven programmability, the Drop CTRL is the custom TKL keyboard for users who dont want to build their own custom keyboard. For help getting set up, or if future issues arise, visit our Knowledge Bar technicians instore or contact our remote Tech Support services. As an entry point to the mechanical keyboard . I prefer the blue and purple lighting with no rim light at a low brightness. Go with RX 6800 XT or wait for 7900 XT price cut? Heres how it works. Its also fully programmable via QMK . There is an occasional $21 discount to be had from Drop, if not more at times, bringing the prices to $179-204. Across nearly a dozen tests with the keyboard, I rounded out at 106 WPM. Unfortunately, it isn't very user-friendly. The keyboard has a dedicated Fn button that accesses the first layer by default when held. Also, you can position its magnetically attachable feet to give a negative incline. We couldn't add you, please check that your email address is correct and try again. The K100 AIR includes RGB backlighting and onboard storage to save profiles for preset macros and lighting effects. It was love at first sight. Whats more, the keyboard comes with your choice of switches, so you can get just the feel you likewhether you prefer something heavy and tactile or lightweight and linear. 2000-2023 Newegg Inc. All rights reserved. The keycaps are shine-through PBT keycaps with a slightly rough feel to them. Free Returns in USA Members who purchase earn 387 Drop Rewards Stop in any of our store locations during regular business hours, and our expert staff will answer your computer questions or help you with things like: If you need help with products purchased from Micro Center, please contact one of our knowledgeable tech support reps using the online chat button below, or visit our Tech Support page for additional options and helpful information. The Drop ENTR is a full TKL with 87 keyseverything youd expect from a full-size keyboard except for the number pad, and it's laid out in the exact the same way. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. If you opt for the build your own option using Drops Mech Keys Builder, the options expand to include a few other options at an added cost, but then youre stuck installing the switches yourself. The mechanical keyboard section used to be lively with multiple other brands, and now it is overwhelmingly Drop-branded keyboards, like the $349 SENSE75. Its always nice to have such a diverse selection of switches, because most product offerings make you pick between one or two switch types. We don't expect our results to be valid for this one. One of its best features is that it is hot-swappable. Since writing this entire article, there has been chatter about 5 times total. While there are a number of function-key shortcuts for media commands, increasing and decreasing LED brightness, and launching basic Windows apps like Calculator, power users may find the lack of customization stifling. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. The Drop is available with a variety of switches, and it's hot-swappable, so you can choose whichever switches you prefer, and typing on it feels better than the NPET because it has stable keys with PBT keycaps. If you're looking for a keyboard with companion software that allows you to program macros to any key, check out the Dream Machines DreamKey. It ticks most of the right boxes, including excellent build quality, a great selection of switches, and USB-C connectivity. The Drop ALT keyboard is wired-only, and you can't use it with wireless devices. Despite feeling slightly long in the tooth, its still a very solid offering that delivers a good typing experience out of the box and manages to look good doing it. Ill attach a link to the fix that I used to configure it so that it would stop chattering. The Drop is a 65% size compact board that has a better build quality, more incline settings for better ergonomics, and significantly better latency. Tom's Hardware is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The Drop CTRL is an expensive keyboard; there's no other way to look at the price. For software, the Drop CTRL supports QMK and the company's own suite that lets you customize every inch of the keyboard. Merchandise must be in new condition, with original carton / UPC, and all packaging / accessories / materials. This is great for games where you may have a specific layout that helps you stay nimble in-game, but is also useful for adding things like LED controls and media keys to the CTRL without losing inputs on the primary layer. Remapping a key is as simple as clicking it and then selecting which function you would rather have there. You can find him on Twitter @Bombur. Menu Search Best Products Best Products. Fn + Q: LED Scrolling Pattern Speed Decrease. You can control the brightness and effects directly with hotkeys, but you need the user manual to learn the full list of hotkeys. The ALT has full RGB lighting, and all of its keys are macro-programmable. There's an RGB strip that goes around the frame, which is a nice touch. The heavy aluminum case and integrated top plate do a good job of deadening out key presses, making them feel solid under the finger. The stock keycaps feel nice to type on. If you dont mind buying and installing your own switches and keycaps, the NovelKeys NK65 is available in aluminum for $185 and the plastic version for only $95. Missing 5, 8, +=, O, {[, }], L, Z, |\\, J, enter key, shift key, 2 control keys, and right arrow key. Update 12/17/2021: We initially listed our Macro Programmable Keys test result to 'All', but this is incorrect. They feel good to type on and lend a nice solidity to the experience, but arent as thick as some of the premium aftermarket sets like the GMK Blue Samurai that was sent with my sample and photographed for this review. This is a wonderful feature that allows you to easily try new switches, which is one of the most fun aspects of the custom keyboard hobby. The pre-travel and total travel distance are in line with Cherry MX's advertised 2mm pre-travel and 4mm travel distance, but these may change per unit due to manufacturing tolerances. It has 36.8 x 14 x 3.6 cm dimensions. date, between 0.55 lb (8.82 oz, 250 g, 0.25 kg) and 55 lb take-off weight are required by Do you have any useful tips for it? However, the Drop ALT is a 65% compact prebuilt board witha USB passthrough. You can find the Drop CTRL on Amazon for a good price. Weve tested out several different switches on this keyboard to give them a go. The incline feet attach to the board magnetically. Drop also sells different keycap sets to give it a unique aesthetic. The ENTR's main appeal is its the build quality; the components, and how theyre put together. A more universal downside is that the largely metal construction can cause reverberation on particularly hard bottom outs or when the switches being used have ping from their internal springs. Initially, it felt like too much pressure for each press. Let other users know below. The Drop ALT and the Drop SHIFT are very similar keyboards. Hold FN + listed keys to activate. The Drop CTRL can be purchased as a pre-assembled kit or as a barebones version that lacks switches and keycaps for a discount. Each side of the keyboard has its own USB-C connector as well. DROP CTRL Mechanical Keyboard Tenkeyless TKL (87 Key) Gaming Keyboard, Hot-Swap Switches, Programmable Macros, RGB LED Backlighting, USB-C, Doubleshot PBT, Aluminum Frame (Barebones, Black) Visit the DROP Store 614 ratings | 39 answered questions $17500 FREE Returns Color: Black Style: Barebones Barebones Cherry MX Blue RGB Cherry MX Brown RGB For users looking for a more compact option, its an effective choice without losing important keys, like the function row. You use the function key and different letters on the keyboard to control the effects, brightness, turn on/off lights/rim light, and speed of pulsing. It also has a USB passthrough feature. The doubleshot PBT keycaps feel great, but the keys wobble just a bit. Because the plate is a continuation of the top case rather than a separate part, there isnt any opportunity for flex, which can make bottom outs feel stiff. The Drop CTRL is available for $270, which may put some potential buyers off. 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