The Drop CTRL is a TenKeyLess mechanical keyboard with an aluminum frame, a solid metal baseplate, and PBT doubleshot keycaps. It feels very well-built and is available in a range of switch types. It's also hot-swappable, so you can change out the default switches and replace them with a different set without soldering. The tactile Cherry MX Brown switches on our unit feel light and responsive, and they're quiet enough for office environments. It also has full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys that you can customize with hotkeys on the keyboard. Unfortunately, this keyboard lacks dedicated customization software, so if you want to set macros or reprogram keys, you have to use the QMK firmware on Drop's website and flash the custom settings to the keyboard. Additionally, it has a fixed incline and a high-profile, so typing for long periods may be tiring. Using a wrist rest may help prevent wrist fatigue, but there isn't one included.
Our Verdict
The Drop CTRL is impressive for gaming, but It also has high latency compared to most dedicated gaming keyboards. That said, it feels very well-built, and the Cherry MX Brown switches on our unit feel light and responsive. It's also available in a range of other switches, and it's hot-swappable, so you can install different switches without soldering. Unfortunately, there isn't any dedicated customization software. However, you can create custom button maps and change backlighting options using QMK firmware on Drop's website and flash them to your keyboard.
- Feels very well-built.
- Full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys.
- Hot-swappable.
- High profile with no included wrist rest.
- Lacks dedicated customization software.
The Drop CTRL isn't designed for use with mobile devices or tablets as it's a wired-only keyboard.
The Drop CTRL is good for office use. It's available in a variety of different switches, and it's hot-swappable, so you can install the switches you prefer. We purchased our unit with Cherry MX Brown switches which are light enough not to be tiring and have a satisfying tactile bump. Unfortunately, this keyboard lacks incline options and has a fairly high-profile design. It also doesn't include a wrist rest, so you may experience wrist fatigue when typing for long periods.
- Feels very well-built.
- Nearly all default keys work in Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Hot-swappable.
- High profile with no included wrist rest.
The Drop CTRL is good for programming. The entire keyboard feels well-built with premium materials, and the Cherry MX Brown switches on our unit provide good typing quality. You can also purchase this keyboard with a range of other switches, and it's hot-swappable, so you can use the switches you prefer. It also has full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys. Unfortunately, it doesn't include a wrist rest, and there isn't any dedicated customization software. You can still program macros and change key bindings, but you need to use the QMK firmware on Drop's website.
- Feels very well-built.
- Full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys.
- Nearly all default keys work in Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Hot-swappable.
- High profile with no included wrist rest.
The Drop CTRL is a bad home theater PC keyboard, but it isn't designed for this use. It's wired-only, so you'll need to connect directly to the TV. It also doesn't have a trackpad, so you'll need to use a mouse to navigate on-screen menus.
- Feels very well-built.
- Full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys.
- High profile with no included wrist rest.
- Wired-only.
- Media hotkeys are unlabeled.
- No built-in trackpad.
Changelog
- Updated Jun 21, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.2. This update introduces new Backlight Features and Backlight Clarity test boxes. We've also added a new Switches test box, added additional test comparisons to our Hardware Customizability test box that we introduced with our last Test Bench. For an in-depth look at our changes, you can see our full changelog here.
- Updated Jun 15, 2023: We've added a link to the newly-reviewed Keychron C1 Pro/C2 Pro in the Hardware Customizability section of this review.
- Updated May 31, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.1. This update adds several new tests addressing Hardware Customization, Macro Keys And Programming, and Wireless Mobile Compatibility. We've also added new objective evaluations to the Typing Noise test, and we've simplified several tests and removed several others that were no longer relevant. For an in-depth look at all our changes, you can see our full changelog here.
- Updated Dec 16, 2021: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Drop CTRL mechanical keyboard we tested is the Black color variant, but it's also available in a Space Gray colorway. Our unit has Cherry MX Brown switches, but it's also available with Linear Kaihua Speed Silver switches, tactile Halo Clear or Halo true switches, and clicky Kaihua Box White or Cherry MX Blue switches. The exact switches available may depend on the color you choose. You can see the label for our unit here.
Also, there's a prebuilt higher-profile version with a taller aluminum case that covers the switches and two barebones versions available without switches or keycaps of both the keyboard we tested and the higher-profile version. While the typing quality will differ depending on the switches you choose, most of this review should be valid for the barebones version of this keyboard. That said, we don't expect our results to be as applicable to either the barebones or pre-built high-profile versions.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The Drop CTRL is a TenKeyLess mechanical keyboard made of premium materials. It feels very well made, and you can buy it with a range of linear, tactile, and clicky stock switches. It's also hot-swappable, meaning you can swap out the stock switches for those of your choosing. It's a good choice for office and programming work, but its latency is higher than most dedicated gaming options, so competitive gamers may want something more responsive-feeling. It also lacks customization software, which may be disappointing for some, especially given its premium price point. However, users who want to limit the amount of bloatware on their computers may see the lack of software as a good thing.
For other options, check out our recommendations for the best keyboards, the best mechanical keyboards, and the best keyboards for programming.
The Drop CTRL and the Drop ENTR are similar TenKeyLess Mechanical Keyboards. The CTRL is available for purchase with a wider range of switch types and is hot-swappable. It also has full RGB backlighting, while the ENTR only has white backlighting. On the other hand, the ENTR has one incline setting and marginally lower latency. Neither keyboard has customization software, but you can adjust settings on the CTRL keyboard via the QMK firmware on the Drop website.
The Keychron Q1 and the Drop CTRL are similar TenKeyLess mechanical keyboards. They're both available in a variety of linear, tactile, or clicky switches, but they're also hot-swappable, so you can install the switches you prefer. The Keychron is a slightly smaller 75% size with spaced-out navigation keys. It has marginally lower latency, and all its keys are macro-programmable using the customization software. On the other hand, the Drop is an 80% sized keyboard with higher quality PBT keycaps. It lacks customization software, but you can adjust bindings and set macros using the QMK firmware tool on Drop's website.
The GLORIOUS GMMK PRO is a barebones, compact 75% keyboard, while the Drop CTRL is a prebuilt, hot-swappable, TenKeyLess board. We purchased the GLORIOUS with a set of GLORIOUS Panda switches and GLORIOUS PBT keycaps, but you can separately buy and install any switches or keycaps you like. The GLORIOUS also has much lower latency and customization software, which the Drop keyboard lacks. On the other hand, the Drop we bought has Cherry MX Brown switches and PBT keycaps, but it's also hot-swappable and available in a range of other stock switches. While it doesn't have customization software, you can adjust settings with the QMK firmware tool on the Drop website.
The Vortex Race 3 and the Drop CTRL are similar TenKeyLess keyboards, but the Vortex is a slightly smaller (75%) size, while the Drop is an (80%) keyboard. We tested both keyboards with Cherry MX Brown switches, but both are available in a range of different switch types. The Vortex also has an additional incline setting and lower latency. On the other hand, the Drop is hot-swappable and has full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys, while the Vortex lacks backlighting. Both keyboards lack customization software, but you can program macros directly on the Vortex itself, and for the Drop, you can set macros via the QMK firmware tool on Drop's website.
Test Results
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