I've been using a Razer Black Widow keyboard for the past nine years. At this point it's like an extension of my hands. But as the rest of my setup has matured, I wanted to replace my gaming keyboard with something more professional. So for Christmas I picked up a Drop CTRL High Profile mechanical keyboard.

The build quality of this keyboard is impressive, it weighs almost five pounds! That's because of the thick aluminum case that fully covers the switches, hence the name high profile. Even though it blocks some of the LED light, I've always preferred the high profile look.

I've never typed on a real mechanical keyboard like this before, and let me say it's eye opening. This keyboard felt like a master's tool rather than a gamer's peripheral. Given its weight, the Drop CTRL feels super solid and doesn't wobble or slide when typing.

I went with Cherry MX Blue switches, as I prefer the tactile and clicky variety. The switches feel a bit heavier and mushier than the Razer Greens I was used to. However, the switches are hot swappable so I can try new a new flavor whenever I please!

The Drop CTRL comes at an angle of six degrees which cannot be adjusted as the case does not have feet. My previous keybaord was steeper at around nine degrees. This has been the biggest learning curve for me, and I think I'll either get a wrist rest or some rubber feet to help position my hands properly.

And I almost forgot to mention, the CTRL is a tenkeyless (TKL) layout, which means there is no number pad. That's one more thing I've been adjusting to, but by no means a deal breaker.

However, this board is gorgeous. It's got an LED strip that wraps the entire case and every key is individually lit. Using the Drop Keyboard Configurator you can program each LED individually, and create different profiles. Beyond changing the lighting, the configurator also gives you control over the entire keymap.

Between the keymap, the lights, the switches, the keycaps, and even the cable, I'm looking forward to making the Drop CTRL feel uniquely mine. The MiTo Pixel keycaps I ordered drop this summer, and maybe one day I'll get one of those slick cables.

You can find this keyboard and all my other gear on the uses page.