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92% would recommend to a friend 
Drop CTRL V1 High-Profile Mechanical Keyboard
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Drop CTRL V1 High-Profile Mechanical Keyboard
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Product Description
The Drop CTRL High-Profile is just like the original CTRL, but now it comes with a tall CNC-aluminum case that covers the switches. Machined to be 6-degrees, the case is ergonomically crafted for a natural feel—and it’s quite a bit heavier than before Read More
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Customer Reviews
4.4
(352 reviews)
5star(214)
4star(93)
3star(19)
2star(19)
1star(7)
By Feature
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Build Quality
3.7
(3)
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keyboard_arrow_downduncanyoyo1
32
May 26, 2019
No problem!
A lot of the information is in the QMK docs, if you wanted to compile the firmware yourself.
Just wanted to note, you can set it to default to a selected pattern using the configurator, but then you won't be able to change it ( if that matters ).
Changing their order in the firmware will still allow you to change to the other patterns.
Not really an issue if you only use one pattern.
(Edited)
Columbo
129
Jul 10, 2020
duncanyoyo1Yeah, this is what I did a while back to enable eeprom support. It's awesome now.
Kidkid
50
Jul 6, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
Overall, it's a good product.
Good Point
RGB lights has a very good light.
Aluminium housings are weighty and hard.
Bad Point
The stevilizer in this product feels a bit stiff.
QMK setting does not persist when rebooting.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
cAkewOng
19
Jul 2, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
Beautiful keyboard
Very solid structure, no functional issues, but one thing, when I unboxing, the packaging inside was very messy, and the back of the KB has a few SCRATCHES
Recommends this product? Yes
fe2o3y_tech
18
Jun 20, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
A tank.
I kind of like this one more than the original CTRL that I have and use at work. This one I am using at home, and I am very pleased with it. There is slight angle to the keys, without the magnetic feet problem of the original. This is a solid frame, and heavy. I replaced the keycaps with the Tai-Hao black/blue PBT backlit set.
Recommends this product? Yes
MrMe20
4
Apr 10, 2020
fe2o3y_techHey dude how much would it be to buy that set of caps off you? If not, do you know where I could get a similar style keycap(the coulors) that's still good quality and not from wish or similar?
fe2o3y_tech
18
Apr 17, 2020
MrMe20I had bought this set here on Drop about a year ago... I really like this set, so not looking to sell. This set is still available direct from Tai-Hao in Taiwan, and I have seen it on Amazon in the past (both were more $ than here). The blue might be called 'DeepSky' (?), and I haven't really seen anything too close to this color from another manufacturer... Except a really expensive MiTo keycap set came a little close to the blue, but I think the base was dark grey, not black, and the keycaps were not backlit.
Filakt
17
Jan 30, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
Possible electrical issues.
I've been regularly using this keyboard for months now with no major issues, but ever since the end of December, a weird electrical problem has cropped up. Any time I have static charge, and it discharges on the metal frame, the entire keyboard shuts down for about 15 seconds. This seems like a major oversight. I'm not sure if this is just a defect or if these keyboards don't have any insulation whatsoever, but something as simple as a single static charge shouldn't be rendering it inoperable for any amount of time.
I probably didn't notice it in the past because I was living in a much more humid climate. Now that it's drier and static buildup is more common, so is this issue.
(Edited)
karuwannabuystuff
22
Sep 6, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
2 stars might be harsh, but this board is making iPhone prices feel justifiable. I was considering buying Alt HP, but nah, no.
The packaging is terrible, to say the least. you get a cardboard box with all the stuff in it. No case. Funny, keyboards at 1/4 or even lower comes with a hard-case. When you pay $250 you'd at least expect a sleeved cable. Nope, just a regular old plastic cable.
Don't even get me started with the switch pullers. They scratched the board so much, it just looks like a face with uncleaned popped pimples, you can't even lie.
It doesn't even come with dampening foam (despite $250. 200+50).
A few steps for Drop for a Drop CTRL/Alt V3...
- make stabs not scratchy. they're still bad.
- add holy panda as a switch option.
- give us 5 pins, you did it with carina, it's not hard.
- braided-fucking-cables.
- add a case. Even Heavyshell Barix tkl which was a fraction of the price of this board came with a hard case.
- make foams for the boards. Keyboard enthusiast friendly board my ass.
- sell lubes. again, keyboard enthusiast friendly my focken ass.
- Add support for VIA.
(Edited)
baughj
12
Sep 23, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
Ghosting keys after less than two months
This keyboard is ghosting (eg press d get dd) over multiple keys. Massdrop’s response is “oh well here’s a $20 credit” or “full refund”. While I appreciate the refund I waited a very long time to get the original keyboard and it seems silly that there is no way to replace or repair defective ones, especially given the expense.
The keyboard itself is very nice aesthetically. Just wish it wasn’t broken / in need of new switches.
Recommends this product? No
smileybarry
142
Jun 10, 2020
It wouldn't make any difference since double tapping on the CTRL/ALT boards registers as "keydown-keyup-keydown", so the OS just gets two key presses in succession.
I had a similar issue with a first-run CTRL low-profile -- several times unfortunately, twice on Drop Halo switches (RMA'd entire keyboard, happened again months later) and once on Kailh Pro switches -- and switching out the faulty ones eventually (Gateron-made Aliaz) helped. Halo and Pro Purple are both Kailh-made so I guess it's a combination of bad luck and worse QA.
(Edited)
ninjah
18
Jul 13, 2020
baughjisnt this one of the main reasons to get a keyboard with hot swap switches? the double tapping is malfunctioning switches not the keyboard. you can just replace them instead of waiting months for them to fix themselves or buying a new board. every keyboard iv'e owned has had switches double tap at some point. it goes away but now i dont have to deal with it with this kick ass board.
austin.v
6
Aug 14, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
Great, but needs work to bring out its potential
Aesthetically, I think this is one of the best looking TKL boards out there. The overall profile is really sleek and the RGB adds a nice touch. To anyone buying this, you absolutely have to get new stabilizers, I recommend authentic GMK Cherry plate-mount (PCB mount will not work on this board) stabilizers. The stock stabilizers just don't cut it; no amount of modding will save you from rattly stock stabilizers.
If acoustics matter to you, besides the classic lubing of the stabs and switches, you should also fill it with some foam since it has a hollow sound due to the plate being integrated into the top frame of the board. I got some 1/8" thick neoprene foam (https://amzn.to/2HJHo7y) from Amazon and cut it up and applied with some double-sided tape.
I made a few videos documenting my whole process of fully modding the board from replacing/lubing the GMK stabs, adding foam, and lubing/filming the switches. Sound test comparisons included. Check out the playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68EmeHXzcxg&list=PL_LZ3m675wGwLxZNgiwX_0vExUlqDelJn
Youtube videos also include links to all the tools I used to mod my board and where to get different parts, like the stabilizers and lube.
I added some screenshots from my videos below.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
ilusions4
17
Sep 6, 2021
checkVerified Buyer
Key chatter on all 3 Drop boards I've come into contact with
I bought a massdrop ctrl high-profile for a friend's birthday almost a year ago, I bought myself a massdrop alt two years ago, and I bought a massdrop alt for my brother's birthday two years ago. Around the same time after purchase (about half a year after buying each one), random keys started to chatter on each board. By chatter, I mean that when pressing a key once, it activates twice.
My keyboard is a Frankenstein of Kailh Speed Silvers and Tealios, my brother's keyboard has Massdrop V2 Pandas, and my friend's keyboard has Glorious Pandas.
My keyboard started double clicking the "r" and "w" keys, my brother's keyboard started double clicking the "n" key, and my friend's keyboard started clicking a few of the number keys half a year after purchase.
I updated the firmware on each board about a month after they started to chatter and each board appeared to work better afterward.
Though, a month or two after updating the firmware on my board, I noticed that my "r" key started double clicking again; I don't know the status of my brother and friend's keyboards because they don't tell me about that sort of thing unless I really pry into them (as they feel it rude to complain about a gift or something, idk).
Massdrop quality control is known to be a joke, so I'd stay away from this website as a whole. I just come here every couple years to replace my cheap IEMs for $40 USD. Glorious has allegedly stepped up their game with the GMMK PRO (as there were previously issues with the stabs on GMMK TKL boards), so I'd look around over there instead.
**edit**
just get a Keychron Q1 v2.. The Glorious boards have a bunch of their own problems.
(Edited)
TimTamale
7
Sep 16, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
Not Good Long-term.
I've had this board for over a year now and it's gotten worse and worse.
First off, if this is your "introductory board" for the hobby, you're in luck!
Because you're going to have to make a ton of modifications to this board to make it sound decent.
Almost $300 with no dampening at all so it's PING CITY, rattly plate-mount stabs that you're gonna need to learn to lube those, along with the switches if you got tactiles (I don't recommend them on this board).
But the absolute worst part of this keyboard is the fucking double to triple-presses, which DROP boards have been notorious for. At first I thought it was the switches so I tried lubing them and spring swapping, then resorted to swapping them out and it's still double-pressing and now I have a punch of switches that are 3-pin only now.... Nice. Shitty DROP QC.
Recommends this product? No
PutPineappleOnPizza
19
Sep 30, 2020
Ah okay, would be a real bummer if it starts happening, the board is pretty expensive in retrospect so i kinda expected that it will last for a long time. I will Build my own Keyboard next year after getting some soldering equipment but i want to keep this one too.
I agree with the issues of your comment though, the stock experience is pretty bad, a lot of work went into modding and now it's pretty nice.
Did Drop replace your board or offered you any sort of compensation?
TimTamale
7
Sep 30, 2020
PutPineappleOnPizzaNah it's been over a year and I got a RAMA board comin in so I didn't even bother
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I also managed to get custom LED patterns working ( moving ones as well ). It is honestly pretty easy now. Most of the configuration for the patterns is in /tmk_core/arm_atsam/led_matrix_programs.c. The file in my repo has a short comment about what the values mean. ( thanks to another user on Drop, they posted it in the original how to configure your CTRL thread. ) Edit 3: Lots has changed recently with this keyboard. The default keymap on QMK now uses the QMK RGB Matrix, and not the legacy MassDrop one. This change will break the MassDrop Configurator, but the added RGB effects are worth it for me. You will be able to easily get the reactive animations and effects with the new keymap. Hopefully MassDrop will merge the changes from QMK into the massdrop loader so we can have NVM/EEPROM support and have the settings save between boots of the keyboard. All you have to do to get the board to save your settings ( the LED effects ) is build mdloader from my github, and build the firmware from my github. They both have the necessary patches to enable EEPROM. You should only need to clone the repos, and run make. ( if you have your environment set up correctly. ) For the keyboard, "make massdrop/ctrl:default" will build the default keymap. EDIT4:Even more changes! And not good ones.
The recent release of arm-none-eabi-gcc 10 has broken the ability to build the firmware for this board. You will need arm-none-eabi-gcc 9. Sorry about that.
EDIT5: The build issues have been resolved. But there are still issues that are preventing the board working with VIA as well as continuing QMK support. If Drop would merge either PR#16 or PR#49 into mdloader it would be a huge step towards supporting VIA. This would allow Massdrop to essentially ditch their awful configurator and just use VIA. But all of their code has been essentially abandonware after it's released with no updates or any communication at all. And it's likely, that unless this gets fixed ( which it probably wont, because they haven't even added the new keyboards into QMK, or updated their ARM ports at all. ) this board will likely be removed from QMK, essentially making the board useless. Because of this I CANNOT recommend this board to anyone. I have also clipped and lubed the stabilizers, and it made quite a difference. They sound great now. No rattle at all. Would definitely recommend this, at the least, to make the board sound better. There is also the mkultra foam kits, if you want to get rid of any ping from the case. I got the Kailh Box White switches, and so far I like them quite a bit. The click point and key actuation point are very close, it's actually difficult for me to activate the key without it clicking. I enjoy the lack of hysteresis, especially for gaming on this board. My previous board had crappy Outemu blue switches, and these box whites are miles ahead of those. The only complaint I have about the switches is for larger keys without a stab, off-center presses can be a bit tight. This is most likely because of the box stem rubbing against the switch housing, so some light lube would probably help quite a bit with this. I may try some later, but for now it's not really enough to bother me. After breaking the switches in a bit every key is nice and smooth. I might eventually try out some different click bars and springs from SPRiT, but for know the stock Box Whites are good enough. The build quality of the keyboard is outstanding, and this thing is hefty. My only complaints are that the included USB-C cable ( while actually USB 3, Type C ) is not a very nice cable and the included keycaps feel like rough cement. I planned on replacing them anyway, so I don't care about their quality, but others might so I figured I would say something. The keycaps are Oblivion SA. They feel and look great on this board. I feel like any SA profile keycaps would look amazing on this board.