DROP ALT Mechanical Keyboard — 65% (67 Key) Gaming Keyboard, Hot-Swap Switches, Programmable Macros, RGB LED Backlighting, USB-C, Doubleshot PBT, Aluminum Frame (Cherry MX Blue RGB, Gray)

Before I get into this, I have to mention that the first ALT I received had a broken stabilizer. I've seen this mentioned a few times, so it seems like a common problem. I have dampener rings, so I removed all the keycaps and one of the stabilizer stems came off with the spacebar, but I contacted customer service and had a new ALT less than 24 hours later. Anyway, now for the review:I've used quite a few mechanical keyboards, but this is only the second one that I've owned. My first was a Cooler Master MasterKeys Pro S RGB. I love that keyboard. I went with blue switches, and my year with it has convinced me to never use a non-mechanical keyboard ever again. I began looking for a new one. Not that the Cooler Master needs to be replaced (honestly, I have had zero issues with it, and I'm sure I'll have it around for many years), I just wanted a better-looking keyboard.I spent a lot of time researching DIY boards, trying to find something that looked great, had solid construction, and had the potential for customization. I kept coming across this keyboard as a good balance between hobby and consumer. I knew I wanted blue switches again, so the typing experience itself wasn't something I was worried about, as I already know I love these switches.What sold me on this keyboard is the aesthetic, construction, and customization. Low-profile, RGB backlight and border, aluminum (I bought the black) case, hot-swappable switches (if I ever decide I'm being too noisy with the blues), and FULLY programmable via QMK.I've been using this keyboard for less than a full day and it's basically the perfect mechanical keyboard (probably way too early to say this, but I can also edit this review later). I flashed my customizations. LED colors, added a few key changes (like swapping esc with fn+esc, for easier access to ` and ~). I really like the textured keycaps, which I've read that some people consider "cheap feeling". I disagree.A few more things:Anyone hesitating because of the duplicate keystroke issue should stay away from the cheaper switches. This issue is almost certainly caused by the switches, not the board. I haven't read of anyone having this issue with the MX switches. That's what I wanted anyway, so, yeah, it hasn't been an issue for me. I believe the Halo switches are the ones that this is happening with. If you already own this board and you're having this issue, CHANGE YOUR SWITCHES.Anyone worried about any of the scary information online about having to learn to code to use QMK for this board, ignore it. I am a programmer, so I kept seeing those comments in reviews and forums and didn't think anything of it, just figuring I'd have to read some documentation to do what I wanted. Not at all. It's very simple. If you can follow about 4 instructions, you'll be fine. You use the configurator on Drop's website to customize, you download the configuration file, you download the 2 or 3 other files the site tells you to, and then you have to type a command or two in a terminal or CMD, but there is no actual programming required. This might be a small challenge for people that have absolutely NO experience with computers, but I'm confident that basically anyone capable of reading and copying/pasting can figure it out.That's it. If it's not the aesthetic, construction, or customization you're looking for, you probably don't need this keyboard. If you're just looking for a decent mechanical keyboard, you can get some great boards under $100 (or a Cooler Master for a little over $100) with the same switches, and some with RGB. For me, this purchase is more than worth it for what it offers.

I’ve been on an endless quest for that perfect keyboard, and I’d been eyeing these for a while, but It’s not everyday you want to spend $200+ on a keyboard. That said, when they popped up on Amazon for quick delivery I really couldn’t resist.First off, I love the way this keyboard looks and feels. It’s a really nice design, super clean, and it feels so well built. On top of that, there is zero visible branding when it’s on your desk -- it’s all on the back. No giant logo, just a clean simple slab of metal. I absolutely love the aesthetic.There are a few little details I appreciate too. The cable can be used on either side of the keyboard, and you can plug other things in the unused port, which is pretty handy and unexpected. The little magnetic feet are kind of clever, you can swap them around to change the angle of the keyboard. I was sort of worried they’d come out or wobble, but they are surprisingly rock solid. You will want a wrist wrest though!All that said, the rim lighting is a bit much for me, especially at the office, but luckily you can easily turn it off and on with a simple fn+z or fn+x press. I tend to leave it just with the key lighting on.As for the switches, I use this exclusively for typing, so I ended up getting the Halo Clears and I have no regrets. I think if I were using this for gaming I’d probably want the MX Browns. The switches feel great, and while I’ve already swapped out some keycaps for a few fun things, I haven’t tried hot swapping switches yet, but I’m glad it's an option in case I ever change my mind in the future.Anyway, this thing definitely feels like a $200 keyboard and I have zero regrets. If you’re like me and want a buy-it-for-life (or at least until I get the itch again) keyboard, this is definitely an easy recommendation.UPDATE: After using this keyboard for about 3 months, there are a few things I feel I should add. First, I noticed I was getting a lot of double characters while typing. Letters would be registered twice, and it was really irritating. I thought this was just me adjusting to the switches, but it turns out it was an actual issue and was luckily mostly resolved by updating the firmware. Second, you can change the brightness of the LEDs by using FN+S and F+W. Turns out this was in the manual, but was really helpful for keeping the lighting on but at a more reasonable level. Over-all, I'm still happy with the keyboard, but if I were to buy now, I'd probably get it direct from drop.