Drop CTRL V2 review: sturdy mechanical keyboard is comfortable, understated
As an incurable fan and longtime user of mechanical keyboards, I perked up when I unboxed the new Drop CTRL V2 keyboard. Greeting me was a beautifully simple rectangular frame with tall grey and black PBT keycaps mounted on satisfyingly "thockety" Drop Holy Panda X clear switches from a company that's now Corsair-adjacent (it became part of the Corsair family in 2023), and I couldn't wait to get it connected to see if it rivalled the best mechanical keyboards out there right now.
And after a couple of months with it, using it for daily work on Creative Bloq, creative hobbies and after-hours gaming, I've come away mostly delighted, as you'll see in this Drop CTRL V2 review.
Drop CTRL V2: Key specifications
Drop CTRL V2 review: Design and features
On the outside, the Drop CTRL V2 is remarkably understated. The base is a rectangular slab made mostly of anodised, CNC-machined aluminium (available in either black or grey), and the keys are slightly contrasting grey and black too. There are no flashy knobs or dials, just 87 keys in a traditional tenkeyless formation. It's compatible with both Windows and Mac, but the keys are labelled with Windows users in mind, so learning key placement by memory is needed if you want to use this keyboard with a Mac.
The build quality is incredibly sturdy, thanks in no small part to a magnetic solid-metal plate in the base, a plate that holds a surprise up its sleeve.
When I was setting the keyboard up, I couldn't see any folding legs to raise the backside, but instead, Drop has included removable mini-stands that will latch magnetically to the underside to create that all-important tilt I've come to rely on. It's a cool little design flair that may not be all that great for travelling users, as you'll have to remember to take the stands with you when you pack the keyboard up. On the other hand, the functional upside is that you won't have to worry about the legs breaking in a transit accident.
Speaking of transit, the CTRL V2 is rather heavy. Weighing 1,084 grams, it's actually heavier than one of the laptops I used it with, and that's after Drop have chopped the numpad off. That, and the, erm, innovative leg
The other design flair burst to life once I switched the Drop CTRL V2 on. Vivid RGB lighting is the literal external highlight, and it can be modified in a multitude of ways, using a combination of key commands (the full guide is accessible on Drop's website).
Unlike the more outwardly gaming-focused Corsair keyboards, the Drop brand is aimed more at creatives and office-based pros, a sensation strengthened by the fact that the biggest impressions are found within rather than in its understated exterior.
Apart from internal design aimed at maximising typing comfort (see below), the CTRL V2 is QMK and VIA programmable, and supports up to 8 layers of key-mapping via its Drop Keyboard Configurator. It's a simple, easy-to-navigate piece of software that enables layered programming and mapping of the whole keyboard, so you can switch between, say, a Photoshop-focused profile, a programming profile and your FPS gaming profile with a simple key command.
Drop CTRL V2 review: Typing experience
Typing comfort has been put at the forefront in the CTRL V2's design, with PORON foam padding in the sockets and top case, and PE foam in the switches (and you can choose either linear or tactile ones when ordering your keyboard, my test unit had tactile switches). Drop uses its own 'Drop Phantom' stabilisers to minimise key rattle, and with the foam padding and 3- and 5-pin switch support, the overall typing experience is remarkably fatigue-proof for such a big, clacky keyboard.
Additionally, the typing noise has a noticeable thock to it, but no more than the low-profile Logitech keyboard I've been using alongside this test. There is ample resistance in the tactile switches, but not one that wore me out any more than a much less pleasing-to-write-on membrane keyboard.
Given a choice, I would have included a numpad for a full layout, as it's already a bulky keyboard anyway, and as I work with numbers quite a bit, I find traversing the top number line for data entry more tiresome than using the calculator-style layout of a numpad.
The keys are nicely spaced apart, and I'm getting used to the 'decapitated' Enter key which seems to have become the new norm in the last couple of years. After only a couple of days of adjustment, I didn't notice any more mistyping on this keyboard than some of my past favourites.
One slight drawback is that playback, microphone and audio volume commands require an Fn+F-key combo and those aren't labelled on the keyboard either, which isn't ideal for someone who needs focus music whenever they're not actively dealing with audio (in meetings, testing, watching video or other scenarios).
Drop CTRL V2 review: Price
The Drop CTRL V2 retails for $200 on Drop's official site before discounts. At the time of writing, the CTRL V2 is discounted to $169, with an additional $10 off for first-time customers. That still puts the CTRL V2 in a premium keyboard category, but what you do get is impeccable build quality with unapologetically big and clacky keys that have been fatigue-proofed at a pro level. It's slightly more expensive than the ASUS ROG Strix Scope II RX, which comes with a wrist rest included, but the build quality is more refined here, so that price can be justified.
Should I buy the Drop CTRL V2?
Buy it if:
- You want a high-quality mechanical keyboard with tall keys and an innovative tilt in the form of two tiny magnetic plinths
- You don't mind thocky keys
- You want fuss-free software with the ability to layer multiple different key maps onto your keyboard
Don't buy it if:
- You are working on a Mac and don't want to memorise where Mac-specific keys are
- You can't live without a numpad
- You are just looking for a basic-function keyboard, because you'll find plenty of those at a lower price
