The Drop ALT is a highly-customizable mechanical keyboard. It's available in several mechanical switches and is hot-swappable, so you can easily change the switches without any soldering. Drop also sells different keycap sets to give it a unique aesthetic. It's well-made with an aluminum frame, and the RGB lighting gets very bright and looks great. Its latency is very good, but it may not be low enough for some gamers. Every key is macro-programmable, but there isn't dedicated software and setting macros through the QMK software on the website isn't user-friendly. It has okay ergonomics, but it doesn't come with a wrist rest, meaning some people may feel fatigued after long periods of use.
Our Verdict
The Drop ALT is an excellent gaming keyboard. It's available in a wide variety of switches, so you can get the ones you prefer. It has full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys, and every key is macro-programmable. It has low latency, though some gamers may prefer it lower. Sadly, there's no dedicated software, so you can't customize the board as easily.
- Outstanding RGB lighting.
- Macro-programmable keys.
- Available in a variety of switches.
- No dedicated software.
The Drop ALT is a wired-only keyboard that isn't designed for mobile devices.
The Drop ALT is very good for office use. The Cherry MX Brown switches on our unit provide good tactile feedback and excellent typing quality. It's well-built, and you can change the position of the feet to create a negative incline. Unfortunately, it doesn't come with a wrist rest, and you may feel fatigue typing on it.
- Excellent typing quality.
- Available in a variety of switches.
- All default keys work on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Lack of wrist rest.
- High profile of keys may lead to fatigue.
The Drop ALT is great for programming. It offers excellent typing quality with the Cherry MX Brown switches on our unit, and you can get it with a variety of switches. It has full RGB lighting and every key is macro-programmable, but without dedicated software, it's a bit difficult to set macros. It has two incline settings, but unfortunately, it doesn't come with a wrist rest.
- Outstanding RGB lighting.
- Macro-programmable keys.
- Excellent typing quality.
- All default keys work on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- No dedicated software.
- Lack of wrist rest.
The Drop ALT is bad for a home theater PC setup, but it isn't designed for this use anyway. It's a wired-only board, so you need to plug it in directly to the TV, and it lacks a built-in trackpad. Also, it doesn't have a volume control wheel. On the bright side, it had media hotkeys and RGB lighting to help you see the key legends when in the dark.
- Outstanding RGB lighting.
- No built-in trackpad.
- Wired-only.
Changelog
- Updated Dec 17, 2021: Corrected Macro Programmable Key test result from 'All' to 'No' and added clarification.
- Updated Nov 04, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Apr 01, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Sep 24, 2020: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Drop ALT mechanical keyboard in black with Cherry MX Brown switches. It's also available with Cherry MX Blue, Kaihua Speed Silver, Kaihua Box White, Halo Clear, and Halo True switches. It's sold with a gray frame, and you can purchase just the frame (sold as 'Barebones') and add the switches yourself. Drop sells a variety of keycap style sets, too, so you can get the ones that suit your style the best, but we tested the Slate keycaps from the Skylight Series set. Besides typing experience, we expect our results to be valid for the other variants.
There's also a Drop ALT High Profile mechanical keyboard sold in black or space gray with the same switch options as the Drop ALT we tested. We don't expect our results to be valid for this one.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The Drop ALT is well-built and offers better typing quality than most other mechanical keyboards of its size. However, for its price, it's disappointing that it doesn't come with dedicated software, and there are cheaper options with software, such as the Razer Huntsman Mini.
Also see our recommendations for the best keyboards, the best mechanical keyboards, and the best keyboards for programming.
The Drop ALT and the Razer Huntsman Mini are both compact boards, but the Drop is slightly larger and has dedicated navigation keys, including arrow keys. The Drop has magnetically attachable feet, which you can also position to create a negative incline, and it has a USB passthrough. It's available in a variety of Cherry MX, Kaihua, and Halo switches. On the other hand, the Razer has much lower latency, and it has customization software to set macros, reprogram keys, and create profiles.
The Drop ALT is slightly better than the Ducky One 2 SF. The Drop feels better built, and it's fully compatible with most desktop operating systems. Also, you can position its magnetically attachable feet to give a negative incline. It has a USB passthrough and much lower latency. 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.
The Ducky Mecha Mini V2 is a 60% compact board, while the Drop ALT is a 65% compact model. The Ducky has better typing quality and a Windows Key lock. Like the Drop, it lacks customization software, but you can set macros and create multiple profiles directly from the board. On the other hand, the Drop is has a USB passthrough and much lower latency. Also, it has magnetically attachable feet, which you can position to give a negative incline.
The Obinslab Anne Pro 2 is a 60% wireless gaming keyboard, while the Drop ALT is a compact 65% wired gaming model. You can pair the Obinslab with up to four devices via Bluetooth, but you can also use it wired. Also, its latency is much lower. On the other hand, the Drop has dedicated navigation keys, including arrow keys, and has a USB passthrough. The Drop has magnetically attachable feet, which you can position to give a negative incline.
Test Results
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