Drop CTRL V1 High-Profile Pulse Barebones Keyboard

When we teamed up with MiTo to launch our CTRL Pulse High-Profile Keyboard over half a decade ago, we captured the hearts of countless enthusiasts across our community. Now, we’re back with this very same board (and colorway) in a barebones version to get your heart racing. It’s the Drop CTRL High-Profile Pulse Barebones Keyboard: the perfect way to give your dream keyboard a pulse. With extra volume and height to cover your switches, the aluminum high-profile case on this electric centerpiece is machined at a 6-degree angle for ergonomic typing with surplus sturdiness. Thanks to the Kaihua hot-swappable switch sockets, you can easily change out your switches whenever you want with no soldering required. And with powerful QMK programmability, you can assign macros or custom keybinds to every key. Connect seamlessly through dual USB-C ports, and customize your RGB look with onboard backlighting and underlighting to create a finished board that’s sure to steal your heart.

The CTRL High-Profile Pulse Barebones Keyboard is optimized to deliver the ideal amount of light through any keycaps you install on top of it. With its onboard RGB LEDs, you’ll also have your choice from millions of different colors for every single key. So if you want the lighting to  cycle through the entire spectrum, you’ve got it; if you prefer a  two-toned look to match your setup, consider it done. There’s also a built-in LED diffuser with light-blocking material to minimize hotspots found in many other keyboards. Worried about flickering? Don’t be. The backlighting displays at a super-high frame rate (100 hertz), so there's no annoying stutters.

With mechanical keyboards, half the fun is in the customization—and it doesn’t have to stop at the hardware. That’s why the CTRL High-Profile features a fully programmable PCB designed for modification. Using the QMK-compatible Drop Keyboard Configurator, you have total control over every key. Plus, the Configurator allows you to program macros and customized keymapping, so you can easily fine-tune your keyboard for gaming, work, or play. Externally, the CTRL High-Profile even features dual USB-C connectors (one on each side), allowing you to use one for dedicated data transfer and device charging while typing.

The CTRL High-Profile is made from a large block of anodized aluminum—available here in our iconic Pulse colorway—which is known for its toughness and ability to hold a  quality surface finish. About twice as heavy as the original CTRL, this is one keyboard that won’t budge, no matter how hard you’re typing. And thanks to the built-in switch plate and hot-swappable PCB, the CTRL High-Profile gives you the freedom to change out switches whenever you like. In fact, the gaps on the sides of the case are specifically designed for the included switch-removal tool. Most importantly: you don’t need to solder each switch. Just pop them in, and they’re ready to go.