Drop ALT: One-minute review

Though many mechanical keyboards are meant for gaming, the Drop ALT mechanical keyboard is meant for more professional use. And this is quite an underserved market, as many workers require hardier keyboards that will stand up to the grind of everyday productivity work.

The keyboard comes in two colors, black and space grey, with visually appealing two-toned keys that reflect those same colors. It also features fully programmable RGB lighting, which is not only practical for late-night typing but also enhances the visual appeal of the keyboard.

But the best feature in any mechanical keyboard is the ability to customize both keycaps and switches to best suit your needs. And, in an effort to make at least the latter more accessible to the uninitiated, you can choose from several switches Drop offers, with an easy-to-understand explanation near each choice. Having this level of customization for a non-gaming mechanical keyboard personalizes it in a way that many other keyboards aimed at non-gamers wouldn’t allow.

However, this level of customization and quality comes at a steep price. The cheapest configuration costs $180, and the most expensive is $200. For those who are on a budget, the Drop ALT may not be for you. But if you’re willing to put in a little extra, you’ll get one of the most high-quality, smooth-as-butter typing experiences around.

Drop ALT: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? $180 - $200 / £157.43 - £180.74 (around AU$260 - AU$290)
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Either the Drop official retailer (US) or Amazon (UK)

No matter which switches you outfit your Drop ALT mechanical keyboard with, you’ll find that the price is pretty steep. The range is between $180 - $200 / £157.43 - £180.74 (around AU$260 - AU$290), so if you’re not willing to drop about two hundred for a single keyboard, and a 65% one at that, then you may have to pass this one up.

Availability isn’t bad, with the US having the best of it. You can purchase all the configurations on the official Drop website, and at the time of this writing, there’s even a sale going on. Those in the UK can purchase their keyboards on Amazon at prices adjusted for exchange rate and then readjusted for any import fees. Those fees would be paid by anyone in Australia, since all the keyboards are unavailable on Amazon.

• Value: 4.5 / 5

Drop ALT: Design and features

• High-quality form factor
• Customizable RGB lighting
• Great key and switch key

The Drop ALT's form factor is lightweight but sturdy, feeling every bit of that solid aluminum frame that it’s made of. There are light pipes built into the switches, which enhances the already-extensive RGB backlighting and underlighting. You can fully customize said lighting, and the LEDs are at a frequency of 100 Hz, which means no visible flickering.

The keyboard also features hot-swappable switch sockets, which means no soldering is required when you want to change switches. There are even dual USB Type-C ports, one for connecting to the PC or laptop of your choice and the other for connecting to another device for either charging or transferring data.

Each key feels luxuriously smooth, and our review copy had a nice satisfying clack and tactile feedback with every key press. And despite the keycaps being a bit narrow, it didn’t interfere with typing accuracy, though it still might be an issue for those with especially large or trembling hands. I found myself not particularly missing the num lock pad either.

• Design: 5 / 5

Drop ALT: Performance

• High-quality switches
• Keys completely programmable

The Drop ALT is one of the most high-quality mechanical keyboards I've tested in a long while. As it’s a wired keyboard, the response time is instantaneous with no latency issues. 

Of course, this is a productivity keyboard so that’s not nearly as much of an issue. But one aspect that does carry over well is the life cycle of the keyboard.

Unlike a much cheaper membrane keyboard (aka the keyboard most people use for work or school), mechanical switches are made to take a beating — as in millions of key presses worth of ‘beatings.’ And these switches are particularly great quality, especially the Cherry MX ones, as they’re some of the most reliable on the market. Kaihua and Halo are also quite good, making for slightly cheaper but still good-quality switches. 

All around, this keyboard is an ideal investment for those who tend to be much harsher on their keys. 

The keys themselves are also completely programmable using the QMK firmware, meaning you can program macros and customized key mapping. Though this keyboard isn’t meant specifically for gaming, there are some great options for those who want to use it that way. And thanks to the built-in switch plate and hot-swappable PCB, you can change out some of the innards whenever need be.

• Performance: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Drop ALT mechanical keyboard?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

Drop ALT: Report card

• First reviewed February 2023

How we test

We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.

Read more about how we test

Blaze Entertainment is on a mission to capture the chunky joy of retro gaming, creating consoles that play classic games off plastic cartridges. The Evercade VS lets you replay many old games through your modern TV, slotting games into the console (and no, blowing the cartridge isn’t a requirement), it convincingly upscales its retro game library to 1080p.

With a few hurdles to clear on the initial setup, though, the Evercade VS doesn’t quite hit the ground running as smoothly as the Evercade EXP, Blaze’s handheld retro system. And even when you’ve got the VS ready to go on your TV, the console doesn’t make the best first impression with its substandard controller that’s a far cry from the strong build quality of the system itself.

The Evercade VS’s real strengths lie under the hood. Quite literally. The console can house two Evercade cartridges simultaneously, and the company has used this feature to go the extra mile in a fascinating way. And if you’ve already built up a cartridge collection with the Evercade EXP handheld, fret not. All your cartridges from that work on the VS, too.

Evercade VS: price and availability

You can buy the Evercade VS Starter Pack for $99 / £89 / AU$158. This includes the console, one controller, and an officially licensed cartridge containing eight Technos-developed arcade games.

Though if you want to make the most of the Evercade VS’s two cartridge slots, you may wish to opt for the Premium Pack. It’s a touch more expensive at $129 / £109 / AU$203 but adds in an extra controller and a second cartridge featuring ten Data East arcade titles.

Unfortunately, neither package includes an HDMI cable or USB AC adaptor. If you don’t have spares lying around, you’ll have to factor those components into the overall cost.

Evercade VS: design

• Solidly built console
• RGB light is a lovely flourish
• Included controllers are underwhelming

The Evercade VS’ has a sturdy plastic shell with some lovely aesthetic touches that make it look right at home next to a Famicom or a toploader NES. It looks the part, with some eye-catching modern flairs, including a strip of RGB lighting that divides the space between the four USB controller slots and the cartridge dust cover.

A chunky power button off to the side turns the VS on or off, its power state indicated by the RGB strip. Naturally, you won’t be able to accomplish much with no cartridges inserted into the VS (unlike the Evercade EXP, the VS have a collection of pre-installed games). You’ll find the two cartridge slots hidden beneath the dust cover.

That quality doesn’t extend to the Evercade VS’ controllers. Blaze Entertainment’s created a pad similar to that of the Famicom, with its rectangular design and straightforward button layout. Unfortunately, most elements of the controller have issues. 

The d-pad feels a little too stiff, the face buttons aren’t tactile, and the four shoulder buttons are uncomfortably close together. Its one saving grace is the cable – long enough that you should have no issue playing games sitting on a sofa distant from the TV.

Thankfully, the Evercade VS supports other controllers. I swapped out the VS pad for an Xbox Wireless Controller, and my experience with the console improved dramatically. The console also supports four pads, so if you’ve a collection of USB controllers for other consoles, you can use them without buying a set of Evercade VS gamepads.

• Design score: 3 / 5

Evercade VS: features

• Dual cartridge system is a blessing
• Free monthly game keeps the experience fresh
• Optional scanlines disappoint

There are a lot of devices that let you play emulated games on your TV, but what sets the Evercade VS apart is its dual cartridge slot that allows you to insert two Evercade cartridges simultaneously. Not only does this reduce the number of times you’ll be swapping out cartridges, but it also hides a superb secret.

Inserting specific combinations of cartridges into the Evercade VS will allow you to unlock secret games. That means you’ll have to buy more Evercade cartridges if you want to use the feature, but it is a great reward for building up an Evercade collection. And let’s face it; if you’re planning on buying an Evercade VS, you’d likely want to invest in at least a few more cartridges somewhere down the line.

One great touch I liked about the Evercade VS is the addition of a rotating, free monthly game. Each month, you’ll find a game loaded onto your system from an upcoming Evercade cartridge, similar to the freebies offered via PS Plus. I love the incentive to return to the VS at least once a month; having a new indie game to check out semi-regularly helps keep the experience fresh for longtime owners.

The Evercade VS offers similar emulation options to the handheld Evercade EXP, you can change the game’s resolution (original ratio, a more compact pixel-perfect mode, and an option to fully fit the screen) and togglable scanlines. Though, while I wasn’t a fan of the emulated graphical artifact on the smaller EXP screen, the scanlines are even more of a distraction when blown up to 1080p on your TV.

A much-appreciated feature the VS has is the ability to remap its button layout. While it’s impossible to do this per-game, you can hop into the settings menu to customize your controller layout universally. That’s especially handy if you’ve opted to use an alternate pad to the VS default.

• Features score: 4 / 5

Evercade VS: performance

• Top notch emulation
• Games upscale nicely to 1080p
• Shares long boot sequence with Evercade EXP

As is the case with the Evercade EXP, emulation on the Evercade VS is rock solid. Games both look and play as intended. Testing a wide range of arcade titles, I wasn’t able to identify any notable visual oddities, slow down, or game-breaking glitches. This makes playing arcade games on the VS a faithful experience.

I was initially concerned about the bump-up to 1080p resolution, worried that the increase might make the emulated visuals appear blurry or warped. And while that can occur if you choose to stretch to 16:9, both original ratio and pixel-perfect options still look superb. I’d recommend playing on a 1080p display if possible or sticking to a pixel-perfect aspect ratio if you’re playing on, say, a larger 4K screen.

One setback the VS shares with the EXP, sadly, is its long bootup sequence. Much like the handheld, the VS takes roughly 25-30 seconds to boot to the menu. Blaze Entertainment has been doling updates and tweaks out regularly, so I hope this is something that can be addressed in the console’s future.

• Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Evercade VS?

Buy it if...

You want a console dedicated to retro games
Many of Evercade’s games are difficult to track down without resorting to PC emulation, making the console a great choice for preservation enthusiasts.

You like genuinely useful novelties
Unlocking secret games by slotting in certain pairs of cartridges is a wonderfully innovative way of building your library on Evercade.

You’re after a big screen retro experience
Games on the Evercade VS hold up surprisingly well to 1080p scrutiny, and multiple controller support makes it ideal for social gatherings.

Don't buy it if...

You’d prefer a handheld device
Prefer older games in the palm of your hand? The portable Evercade EXP is the way to go.

You have a tight budget
The Evercade VS isn’t too pricey, but having to buy cartridges separately can quickly add up the cost of the console.

• Nintendo Switch OLED review

Drop + The Lord of the Rings Elvish: One-minute review

To paraphrase Tolkien, mech keebs are found in unlikely places. But, Drop isn’t one of those places. On the contrary, the brand has made quite a name for itself producing and selling enthusiast mechanical keyboards and modding parts (along with audiophile headphones). It’s become one of my go-to websites whenever I’m jonesing for a keyboard fix.

At this point, anything that comes out of Drop is almost a guaranteed ace, including the subject of this review: the Drop + The Lord of the Rings Elvish, one of the five officially licensed LOTR keyboards the brand has on offer. This one’s a stunner too. It’s probably the fairest of all these keebs, with its green and ivory colorway, the beautiful “faithfully-translated” Tengwar legends (I’m no Tengwar script expert so I cannot confirm their accuracy) on its keycaps, and the elegantly-etched trees of Valinor framing its arrow keys.

The Drop + The Lord of the Rings Elvish is also incredibly comfortable to type on, thanks to those Holy Panda X switches that Drop co-designed with Gateron and are one of the brand’s best switches. Drop pairs those with its Phantom stabilizers to round out its satisfying tactile feel. 

So, while it looks every inch a fancy keyboard an Instagram influencer would show off on their posts, it’s also incredibly utilitarian, which makes it one of the best keyboards on the shelves. It’s just the thing to spruce up your office setup and see you through those long days of typing up documents – especially because it’s clicky but not as loud as other clicky keyboards.

Drop + The Lord of the Rings Elvish: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? $199 (about £160.91 / AU$283.44)
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, the UK, and Australia

The Drop + The Lord of the Rings Elvish isn’t cheap. But then again, top-quality mechanical keyboards never are. If you want it, you’ll have to shell out $199 (about £160 / AU$280). You’re not paying for just its performance, after all. At the time of writing, however, Drop has it listed at $169, giving you a $30 discount.

That puts it in the same price range as other enthusiast keyboards like the KiiBOOM Phantom 81 ($159 / £128 / AU$233) and slightly cheaper than premium ones like the Lofree 1% Transparent ($219 / £181 / about AU$320). There are cheaper mech keyboards out there if you’re on a budget. Keychron has a few on offer for under $100 / £100, and they’re pretty fantastic as well. Just bear in mind that Keychron’s offerings are simpler and more restrained, design-wise.

Drop does ship to the UK and Australia so you’ll be able to order this keyboard if you’re in these regions, as long as you’re ok with longer shipping times. Apparently, it could take 2 to 4 weeks from the date of shipping.

• Value: 3.5 / 5

Drop + The Lord of the Rings Elvish: Design

• Robust build and stunning LOTR details
• Comes with a small mod kit
• White backlighting only

The Drop + The Lord of the Rings Elvish’s build quality is undeniably robust, its premium aluminum and plastic case feels like it could withstand a lot of abuse. If you want to, say, stuff it in a suitcase and bring it on a year-long trip around the world or take it with you on your daily commutes, it feels robust enough to survive.

This isn’t a travel-friendly keyboard, however. It’s got a bit of weight to it, and being a TKL one, it isn’t that compact either. It’s really more of a nestled-in-your-home-desk-setup keyboard, especially with the adornment on it.

Drop clearly took the LOTR theme and ran with it. This keyboard is bedecked with Tengwar legends, elegant green and ivory keycaps, Sindarin phrases, and popular LOTR icons like the shards of Narsil, the Ring of Power, and the Eye of Sauron. The brand claims that the Tengwar legends on the keycaps are faithfully translated, but as I’m no Tengwar master and there seem to be different ways to write the English alphabet in Tengwar, I’ll have to take Drop’s word for it.

Don’t worry if you often look at your keycaps to make sure you’re about to press the right one. The keycaps from both kits come with their Latin alpha sublegends and Latin modifier legends as well.

To add even more flair, Drop commissioned artist OSHETART to create a custom artwork depicting the Two Trees of Valinor, which frame the arrow keys on the keyboard. It’s a nice touch, adding a touch of beauty to the keeb and counterbalancing the menacing Eye of Sauron and Ring of Power keycaps.

The Drop + The Lord of the Rings Elvish clearly comes with the Lord of the Rings Elvish Keycap Set, which you can also purchase as an add-on if you want one of the other LOTR keyboards, but you also get some orange keycaps from the Training Elvish Base Kit. That includes the orange spacebar keycap that boasts the One Ring inscription: “One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.” 

You also get a keycap puller so you can easily switch things up. There’s a USB-A to USB-C cable included too, though it’s just a regular cable. If you want a nice coiled one, Drop does have a few on offer, but they’re not LOTR-themed, and will cost you extra.

Sadly, you won’t be able to swap out the switches as they are soldered. RGB fans might also be disappointed to find that there’s only white backlighting here, but honestly, it keeps the whole thing elegant. If you want RGB lighting, there are other options.

• Design: 5 / 5

Drop + The Lord of the Rings Elvish: Performance

• Keys are smaller but are concave
• Holy Panda X switches are satisfying with a small bump
• Clacky sound that’s not too loud

The first thing you’ll likely notice about the Drop + The Lord of the Rings Elvish when you position your fingers on the keys is how small they feel. The keycaps are tapered so they are smaller around the top, which might feel a little weird for those with bigger fingers, but Drop tries to thwart finger slippage by giving the keycaps a deeper dip, which I find does help keep your fingers in place. 

Because they are smaller, however, it takes some getting used to, especially if you’re reaching for the arrow keys. Don’t worry; it didn’t take me long to get used to them, and I imagine most people will feel the same.

Drop fitted the Drop + The Lord of the Rings Elvish with its much-lauded Holy Panda X switches, which it co-designed with Gateron. The company essentially took two switches (the Invyr Panda Linear switch and the Drop Halo switch) and combined their parts for a superior switch with reduced stem wobble and improved consistency. To prevent further wobbling, Drop has also fitted it with its own Phantom Stabilizers.

The result is a smooth and stable tactile switch that’s proven during my testing to be very consistent and very satisfying to type on, with a nice small bump on every keystroke. I’m currently in my linear phase, but I honestly love typing on this keyboard, thanks in large part to its bottom actuation. I also currently prefer the thock sound, but I don’t mind the clacky sound of this keyboard at all, especially because it isn’t too loud.

• Performance: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Drop + The Lord of the Rings Elvish?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

If our Drop + The Lord of the Rings Elvish review has you considering other options, here are two more mechanical keyboards to consider...  

Drop + The Lord of the Rings Elvish: Report card

• First reviewed January 2023

How I tested the Drop + The Lord of the Rings Elvish

To properly test the Drop + The Lord of the Rings Elvish, I used it as my main keyboard every day for two weeks to compose all my work emails as well as write my articles and buying guide updates. While it isn’t marketed as a gaming keyboard, I did use it on a couple of short gaming sessions as well, just to see if it can keep up with more rigorous use.

We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.

Read more about how we test