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Drop ALT Mechanical Keyboard PCBA

overview

details

reviews65

photos38

q&a28

discussions111

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... / ACCESSORIES & COMPONENTS / PCBS / DROP

Drop ALT Mechanical Keyboard PCBA

Name: Drop ALT Mechanical Keyboard PCBA
Brand: Drop
SKU: drop-alt-pcba
Price: 55 USD
Availability: OutOfStock
Rating: 4.169231 (65 reviews)

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Frequently bought together:

Drop Phantom Plate-Mounted Stabilizer Pack

Drop ALT High-Profile Case

Drop ALT Aluminum Case

Product Description

Open up our compact ALT keyboard, and you’ll find its PCBA: the assembled printed control board, and the party responsible for many of the ALT’s crucial functions. It’s among the best in its class—and now, it’s available to buy as a standalone component Read More

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overview

details

reviews65

photos38

q&a28

discussions111

Sort by: Top Conversations

Kevin

5432

Outreach

Nov 11, 2020

Hi everyone, Thanks for reaching out and voicing your concerns about the pricing of the PCBs. The original intent was to make these available at a lower price but upon importing them we learned that PCBs (considered components) have a 25% import tariff on them (that finished goods are not subject to). Bottom line, it's far more expensive for us to produce and import a PCB, Aluminum Case and Stabs separately, than it is for us to import a barebones assembled keyboard (even though they're effectively the same thing). At the end of the day, that isn't your problem, it's ours. We've repriced the PCB to be more in-line with market values and now if you buy a PCB, Case and Stabs the pricing is similar to our barebones offering (slightly higher given the stabs are different and the case colors are customizable and made in much smaller batches). Thanks for your feedback! (For those who placed an order at the original, higher price, a customer service rep will reach out and provide a refund of the price difference.)

Jimjimjimbo

Nov 12, 2020

KevinHey Kevin, I was very critical of the original pricing and despite thinking that it's still a little pricey, I really appreciate Drop listening to its customers. I need to give credit where credit is due. You'll have my order shortly.

573V0

202

Keyboard Club Member

Dec 3, 2020

KevinLooks like ordering these complete and seperating them upon arrival might be the way to go. Thank you for the price drop! Is an upgraded PCB still going to happen you think?

(Edited)

carson-wright

Nov 10, 2020

You guys don't even have to time to route the traces correctly. Truly unbelievable, this is a disgusting looking PCB.

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imperio

Nov 11, 2020

For one, horrible traces like these may result in more resistance, hence might require slightly more power. Someone also mentioned a valid point about the number of vias on the pcb.

•

carson-wright

Nov 12, 2020

Spaghetti traces isn't optimal for minimum number of vias, or minimum track length. In PCB design corners that are sharper than 45 degrees are bad practice. It makes it a nightmare to troubleshoot for those who are inclined to do so and it makes it virtually impossible to fix if there is a bad trace. At the end of the day it none of these are huge issues, to me it primarily shows a lack of care put into the product.

Yesmanjay

Dec 6, 2020

5 pin and south facing PCB please

Columbo

129

Jan 27, 2021

Yesmanjayand PCB mounted stabs plus VIA support.

(Edited)

MericanShitposter

227

Nov 10, 2020

These will definitely sell. $75 is really steep for a PCB that doesn't support a cord longer than 7 ft. Doesn't support VIA and firmware support has been more limited. The NK65 PCBs are $50 and has the support for VIA and so on.

Nov 10, 2020

CTRL/ALT Support Our two most popular keyboards are getting rounded out with some really great customization options. We've recently added low profile and high profile colored cases. Now, you can refresh the look of your favorite keyboard with that perfect color of anodized aluminum. In addition, standalone PCBs for CTRL and ALT are right around the corner. And there's one last thing: our configurator is getting some love with a fully compiled, multi-platform GUI, set to be released before the end of the year.

mrvco

499

Nov 10, 2020

Yep, this PCB makes absolutely no sense at this price. Even with PCB mount switch and VIA support, this price is high unless maybe your standard PCB has failed and is not covered under warranty. Being that Drop 'owns' GH I'm surprised they're not using that community to gather more current product requirements.

(Edited)

Jmg123

Nov 10, 2020

LOL at the use of an autorouter

KevG79

Jul 18, 2021

Every week or so I come on the Drop website and check whether you guys have made a south facing 5 pin compatible Drop Alt PCB. And every week I'm a bit disappointed it still hasn't happened.

voidgoblin

Jan 4, 2023

KevG796 months later still none T.T

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KevG79

Jan 30, 2023

voidgoblinI posted that in 2021 :(

Jimjimjimbo

Nov 10, 2020

This is way too expensive guys. Shame on you for gouging your customers.

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Phlooke

192

Nov 13, 2020

woah there buddy. I'm a long term drop user like yourself and never said you couldn't voice your opinion about things. I was simply clarifying for people who were complaining about the price of this...and that you might as well purchase a barebones ALT for $120 or $100 if you have some rewards saved up , just like you would be better off buying a barebones NK65 for $90 or $95 instead of buying the NK65 PCB by itself for $50. Anyways, I noticed this was only a 5 or 7 day drop...so to me (in my opinion) it seems as though they are just offering people the leftover PCBs from the current versions of the ALT and CNTRL for people to purchase if they have a case or want to build their custom ALT/CNTRL sooner instead of later for maybe a Christmas present and probably so drop can get rid of excess stock to make room for the upcoming and updated PCBs. I don't agree with the price either, but they explained it costs way more to sell an individual PCB than a prebuilt keyboard due to the 25% import tax and you even provided an alternative solution that you compared it to (NK65). just seems like wasted time spent on complaining about a price of a week long item that you probably wont be purchasing anyway. Also I personally have never found or purchased a hotswap PCB from any website that wasn't at least $49 for a 60% or larger out of the 6 different ones I currently own. But your argument about the NK65 having all of these nice features for much cheaper isn't a valid argument since its a prebuilt keyboard. If you check out the price of the NK65 PCB by itself on NK website...it is also $50. In conclusion, (as a "long term customer of drop") I too can have a friendly rant about other peoples rants and inform them that there is a 5-pin PCB that will be coming out soon so the people who really want one of these don't have buyers remorse when they see the new PCBs released a few weeks after they receive this PCB in the mail. Last but not least, this was a great excuse to try out my new gasket mount polycarb case half plate keyboard build with some new switches I've never used before. Thank you for the opportunity for me to type a little more than I normally would as this deep thock sound has made this comment way way too long. No hard feelings fellow keyboard community member, it was nothing personal. Hope you have a wonderful day

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Jimjimjimbo

Nov 13, 2020

PhlookeThanks for the response Phlooke. Probably worth clarifying a few points there: (1) this pcb was originally priced at $75. (2) only after receiving significant negative feedback did Drop respond by reducing the pricing. Kudos to Drop for listening. I made a purchase - so not exactly a waste of time for the consumer or the seller. A good business will encourage feedback rather than shy away from it. (3) They clarified the reason for their pricing after reducing their price. (4) You've added a few new points about the barebones and rewards points. (5) The comparison to the NK65 was a value based comparison rather than a like for like comparison. (6) Have Drop confirmed they are bringing out a new PCB or was there just a suggestions that this may happen? Genuine question. Glad you had the opportunity to use your new keyboard. You're welcome!

Vote

bramsantoso

Nov 11, 2020

even higher end boards typically charge $50 for extra PCBs. Too expensive guys. this should be around $40 mark.

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debo

Nov 12, 2020

And even worse it still doesn’t support five pins switches

AverageDropBoi

Nov 13, 2020

deboand no screw in stabs

sevenseacat

1932

Nov 29, 2021

Are these coming back in stock anytime soon? The PCB in my Alt is dying and I have rewards dollars to spend that are expiring soon :(

ipipe

Nov 12, 2020

If only it was a 5 pin config

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Phlooke

192

May 29, 2021

Unfortunately they mentioned what all changes/upgrades they would have and due to how long both the ALT and CNTRL keyboards have been around and the several different models they had to make sure the upgrades and changes to the PCBs wouldn't make it where they wouldn't be able to fit in all of the new barebone cases they are selling now. Which is why even if they wanted to, it wouldn't be able to have PCB mount stabs (as opposed to the plate mount stabs) otherwise it wouldn't fit into the solid aluminum cases with the built in plates. I'll have to find the exact thread from last year where they said what all it would have upgraded. But at this point spending all this money to make a completely new PCB, they might as well spend a little extra and wait a while longer and just make a V2 or 2nd Gen ALT and CNTRL with dual USB-C port daughter boards to put in the front with a Bluetooth 5.1 LE chip and then just make them gasket mount. They def couldn't add multiple hotswap layouts as the ALT HIGH-PROFILE top peice is thick solid aluminum with no removable plate (as its just one solid peice) so as much as I'd love to have an upgraded PCB for the ALT with all the features like you mentioned similar to like the ikki68 and ikki68aurora PCB 's it would be useless since all the money and new colors of the new high profile and low profile cases they sell wouldn't be able to accommodate it. And changing the power requirements (as much as I'd love two usb-c 3.0 ports instead of 2 usb-c 2.0 ports....it would cause even more chaos than their already is with new people just coming into the mech keyboard hobby and getting mad, overwhelmed and angry if they were trying to upgrade a previously owned Massdrop ALT, or the slightly different and upgraded Drop ALTs PCB and then finding out none of the old cables would work etc etc) Haha I'm totally on the same page as you but they are limited as to what they can change without it more or less being a completely different keyboard. Which then they'd have to make specific new cases for them and give them a new name. And I can just imagine the uproar that would have on someone who just bought one of those special edition bronze or purple MITO high profile ALTs for $400+ and not able to pop in the new PCB. But they did say they were making a GUI peice of software to change the underglow rgb lights and the backlit LEDs as well as much easier and faster key binding and macros without having to compile and flash an entire new QMK firmware file /update for the ALT/CNTRL /1800 layout. This was around the time the pandemic just started so kinda curious on the status of how that's coming along even though people on github have uploaded many cool custom new LED modes and patterns etc.

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