56

out of

Gaming Keyboards

True Score Methodology v1.0

Drop CTRL Review

November 16, 2023

True Score

73

Mixed Reviews

75

3

Experts

90

624

Consumers

Expert Rankings

(

3

)

Researchers lauded the Drop CTRL and approved it for gaming and office use. They were happy with its USB passthrough tech, per-key RGB backlighting, and compact 65% size. Testers also appreciated its hot-swappable design. However, they criticized the lack of incline settings and mediocre latency.

Search Amazon

We’re reader-supported. $$ from affiliate links finance our mission. Our ‘True Score‘ system independently powers ratings. No sponsored results. Ever. Learn more

Table of Contents

Overview
What Is Not on the Box
Product Comparison
All Stores
Score Card
Expert Score Breakdown
Customer Score Breakdown
Learn More About Gaming Keyboards

Overview

The Drop CTRL is a 2020-model compact mid-range TenKeyLess gaming keyboard that promises a modular design and excellent build quality for gamers. See how it compares with the top-rated keyboards today. This keyboard is compatible with a variety of switches, including the Cherry MX Brown, Kaihl BOX White, and Cherry MX Blue switches. It has textured PBT keycaps, which provide a good typing experience. This keyboard boasts USB passthrough technology and per-key RGB backlighting. Explore the features of the Drop CTRL below and see how it measures up against the best gaming keyboards on the market.

What Is Not on the Box

What the brand doesn’t always tell you…

our Verdict

Top experts were impressed by the Drop CTRL, recommending it for gaming and the office. Reviewers at Windows Central lauded the TKL (80% size) design with PBT keycaps. Check out the Drop ALT review if you prefer a more compact 65% design. Testers at Tom’s Hardware were impressed by the customizable RGB backlight with per-key backlighting, although users need QMK firmware on the Drop website to customize. If you need a model with white backlighting, check out the Drop ENTR review.

Testing revealed that it has USB passthrough and uses Cherry MX Brown switches with 52 gf operating force and 2.0mm pre-travel distance. During testing, it performed quietly, although it has variants with more noisy Kaihl BOX white and Cherry MX Blue switches. Testers were disappointed to learn that it doesn’t have incline settings or wrist rest. Unfortunately, programming keys required a visit to the Drop website during testing. If you want straightforward macro-programmable keys, check out the Corsair K70 RGB TKL review. This model has a so-so 12.7 ms wired latency.

True Score

73

Reasons to Buy

Hot-swappable design
Full compatibility with Windows, Mac, and Linux
Fully customizable RGB backlighting with individually lit keys
USB passthrough
PBT textured keycaps

Reasons to Avoid

Has no wrist wrest or adjustable incline settings
High-profile keys
Lacks dedicated customization software

Specifications

	Battery Life	Wired
	Customizable Lighting	Yes
	Foldable	No
	Form Factor	Tenkeyless
	Key Switch Behavior	Tactile
	Keyboard Technology	Mechanical
	Max Wireless Range	Wired
	Palm Rest	n/a
	Spill Resistant	n/a
	Touchpad	n/a
	Wireless	n/a
	Wireless Connectivity	Wired

All Specs

Get the Winner of the Day Direct to Your Inbox

Product Comparison

	Drop CTRL Review	Drop ALT Review	Keychron Q1 Review	Ducky One 2 SF Review
True Score	73	69	84	69
Ranking	# 56 / 75	# 68 / 75	# 14 / 75	# 65 / 75
Market Context	The Drop CTRL is a 2020-model compact mid-range TenKeyLess gaming keyboard that promises a modular design and excellent build quality for gamers. See how it… The Drop CTRL is a 2020-model compact mid-range TenKeyLess gaming keyboard that promises a modular design and excellent build quality for gamers. See how it compares with the top-rated keyboards today. This keyboard is compatible with a variety of switches, including the Cherry MX Brown, Kaihl BOX White, and Cherry MX Blue switches. It has textured PBT keycaps, which provide a good typing experience. This keyboard boasts USB passthrough technology and per-key RGB backlighting. Explore the features of the Drop CTRL below and see how it measures up against the best gaming keyboards on the market.	The Drop CTRL keyboard is very similar to the Drop ALT, with both boards featuring hot-swappable switches and lacking customization software. However, while the Drop… The Drop CTRL keyboard is very similar to the Drop ALT, with both boards featuring hot-swappable switches and lacking customization software. However, while the Drop CTRL is a TKL (80% size), the Drop ALT is a smaller 65% model. The ALT offers a better 8.1 latency than the 12.7 ms of the Drop CTRL.	Both the Drop CTRL and the Keychron Q1 are TenKeyLess (TKL) with mechanical switches. However, the Keychron is slightly smaller (75% size). All the keys… Both the Drop CTRL and the Keychron Q1 are TenKeyLess (TKL) with mechanical switches. However, the Keychron is slightly smaller (75% size). All the keys of the Keychron Q1 are macro-programmable via software, unlike the Drop CTRL, which requires a visit to the Drop website for macro-programming. The Drop CTRL has higher-quality PBT keycaps, while the Keychron Q1 user ABS keycaps.	While the Ducky One 2 is a full-size keyboard with a number pad, the Drop CTRL is a TKL with no Numpad. The Drop CTRL… While the Ducky One 2 is a full-size keyboard with a number pad, the Drop CTRL is a TKL with no Numpad. The Drop CTRL has full RGB backlighting, unlike the Ducky One 2, which has no backlighting.
Battery Life	Wired	Wired	Wired	Wired
Customizable Lighting	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Foldable	No	No	No	No
Form Factor	Tenkeyless	Compact (65%)	Compact (75%)	Compact (65%)
Key Switch Behavior	Tactile	n/a	Tactile	Different switches available
Keyboard Technology	Mechanical	Mechanical	Mechanical	Mechanical
Dig Deeper		Read review →: Drop ALT Review	Read review →: Keychron Q1 Review	Read review →: Ducky One 2 SF Review

Score Card

E

Expert Score

75

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

90

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

73

Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews

Expert Score Breakdown

Publications with higher Trust Scores are given more weight

A
Trust Score
75
The Drop CTRL is good for office use. It’s available in a variety of different… read more
By:
Kelsey Linhares
D
Trust Score
70
The Drop CTRL is an easy on-ramp to the custom keyboard hobby that delivers a… read more
By:
Rich Edmonds
D
Trust Score
NR
Fully open-source firmware and design language, Very customizable with spare/replacement parts, Available as a kit… read more
By:
VSG
F
Trust Score
80
Build your own killer mechanical keyboard with the Drop CTRL. It’s easily one of the… read more
By:
Christopher Coke