Introduction

I still remember when Drop, or rather Massdrop at the time, had just started out and was catering to different lifestyles and hobbies. This was at a time when there wasn't much choice when it came to DIY keyboards, kits, and keycap sets. Drop ended up being a pioneer in this regard considering there are so many other niche-specific outlets today for various product segments. It was natural then that the company went from organizing and hosting group buys, which it still does, to developing products under the brand's own name. It was late 2017 when I had first read about plans for the very first Drop keyboard. It is 2021 now, and the Drop CTRL has been out for a few years and sold over 5500 times, so what better way to introduce the brand to TechPowerUp than with a review of the Drop CTRL? Thanks again to Drop for arranging a review sample!


The Drop CTRL is a tenkeyless (TKL) keyboard that comes in two color options as it pertains to the frame, with the black one shown above to distinguish it from the "Space Gray" sample I have here. There are several switch options, too, including Kailh and Cherry, but also Drop's Halo switches. This may open up a can of worms, however, with the Halo switches being a serious point of contention that led to some terminated partnerships, particularly one that involved Input Club. That's a story for another time, so I won't be considering any of that in the review of the Drop CTRL, which begins with a look at the specifications in the table below.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

I've personally bought a few things from Drop before, but no keyboards or associated accessories. As such, I was not sure what to expect from the product packaging for the Drop CTRL, which turned out to mostly be a bare cardboard box that has the Drop logo on the front and a product sticker on the back. A double flap on the side with a seal over it keeps the contents inside in place during transit, and opening the box, we see the keyboard right away in a cardboard layer.


On top of the keyboard is a quick start guide in English which also acts as a warranty manual. One side talks about the use of the USB port(s) aboard the keyboard, and the other has a list of the extra pre-programmed functions on the CTRL keyboard. There is a reminder to use an optional configurator for further customization, which we will cover in more detail over the course of the review. A pull tab helps lift the keyboard up and out of this layer, which in turn can also be fully removed from the product box to access the bottom layer with shaped cutouts to fit all the provided accessories.


We have the detachable USB Type-C to Type-A cable, which points towards the adoption of Type-C connectivity for the keyboard. Drop also includes a cool aluminium two-in-one keycap puller with a fairly well-machined base that reminds me of some of the pens the website carries. The keycap puller itself is good and uses metal wires, which are my preferred choice for this function, but the second function is not the usual switch remover tool on the other side. We do get that separately, but the base can instead be unscrewed to reveal a Phillips-head screwdriver that can be used for keyboard disassembly itself. The final set of accessories consists of two add-on keyboard feet with CTRL etched into the matching aluminium casing on the contact side.