Hey BadSeed Tech can you check out the Keychron K6 someday for available and hotswap and also 5 pin native they said 3 pin advertised but found it was 5 pin. Also the GK68XS from Epomaker is coming out please review.
I think you’d like a Tofu 60% or a KBD67 MKII. I personally skipped the Massdrop Alt and went straight for an acrylic Tofu 60% with lubed milky gateron yellows and it’s great. They’re both also hot swap boards. You already own some nice switches to throw in there so give em a try and as always, stay up!
and i also followed your advice/video on adding the cherry stabs and clipping lubing them. I haven't done the bandaid mod, just because i haven't had the time to take my entire board apart and will probably do that when I get some other switches.
Someone suggested that one time in a video (wish I could remember the guy responsible). I thought it was brilliant and couldn't believe I'd never thought of it.
You're the perfect KB reviewer for me, because you're a bit deeper into the mech hobby than I am. I feel like you give very good, honest reviews compared to some of the crazy mech fanbois. Keep the videos coming!
I love the ALT, it will forever hold a place in my heart as the board that got me down this ridiculous rabbit hole that is mech boards. While hotswap is absolutely nice to have especially when starting out, it loses it's value or importance once you are a bit more seasoned and have had the opportunity to try various switches (because you can either solder or by trial and error have found switches you know you like). While hotswap does allow you to try various switches, it does limit you layout wise. Hotswap PCBs will come with a fixed layout and won't allow you to deviate from it. Honestly what I have learned in all of this is that it all comes down to personal preference/taste and budget BUT, knowing how to solder is pretty much the most important part of your keeb exploring process. Love your vids man, ALWAYS enjoy seeing that notification pop up!!
Honestly, how could I forgot to mention that it was THIS very channel that got me into mechs and keebs. I got into watching @Badseed Tech a year or so ago and honestly, it was his video style and manner of engaging and educating the listeners that drew me in. The content was awesome and he really tries to speak to you not AT you, reminding you of how little you know. Kudos brother, the most enjoyable content creator I have come across in a long time.
@@danc8212 Okay, now I found someone I can ask. I am writing a book and I realized that the Logitech cheap keyboard is a trash and irritated me to my extremes. I started reading online, subreddits and found this whole community who thinks keyboards are a thing. I never knew. Well I get it now. The point is I don't wanna get into a rabbithole and I want a stable heavy and good quality solution. Which one should I buy? I am an audiophile, I spend enough money there that I don't wanna put another hole in my pocket. :P Please suggest.
@@sriloy so, i havd some questions. 1. What layout, compact(just the letters, numbers, and controll, shift ect. Not numpad, arow keys, or function keys. 2. 65%(some fucntions and arrow keys, but no numpad. Same as keyboard in video) 3. Tkl(ten keyless just have the numpad chopped off) 4. Full.(self explanitory) A solid tkl is the razer huntesman te. They have the best key stability for non custom keyboards. With super fast razer red linear optical switch. If you want hot swap, or any of the before mentioned configuerations. The glorious pc gaming race keyboard is great. The drop alt is also solid. If you have any more questions, just ask.
@@ferret1252 I have figured I can prolly get rid of the num pad. So 65% makes more sense, Thats why I was researching on ALT. Now, Hot swappable etc I am not sure now. But you guys are ahead of me in race, and these specific interests kinda grow in our mind in a similar way. So you tell me the rest. Please give me a suggestion, I will research on it. I want value on everything usually. :D I can spend money but that has to bring some value. :D
That ALT High Profile is been on my radar as my first "customize" build. I eventually do want to do a full-on build but as you said for the price point the ALT will give me the things I need to get my feet wet while still getting a nice premium product in the end. Can't wait to see your build once it's finished.
I actually just bought the CTRL (low profile) and waiting until they ship in the middle of next month (my first mechanical). This video is pretty reassuring. Especially since I already have been addicted to watching Taekeyboards, Taehatypes, and :3ildcat, learning how to fully mod and lube everything. I'm super excited.
I got a used alt with a broken shift keycap for $100 on ebay. Luckiest buy ever. Modded it with keycaps I like and zilents and loved every second of it because of your videos. Fully agreed that the drop alt is a great "enthusiast starter" board.
@@vincentvnguyen I might add lubed Zilent V2 switches either by desolder and solder OR put Zilent V2 Stems in the Cherry housing using a top switch opener meaning no desolder or solder is needed. Foam or fabric padding, I'll lube the stabs with Krytox or get new genuine Cherry plate mount stabs but the stock version are pretty good anyway. I'll do the arrow key trick that BadSeed has a video on or I'll macro them onto right shift, ctrl, windows key and alt key by moving FN to slot 1 via the dip switch 1 being on. This method is FAR cheaper than doing it on the Drop ALT/CTRL. The Zilent V2's are expensive enough and if done on the Drop keyboards you're looking at $300-350 where as on the Ducky you're looking at $200 at most
So glad you did this Video for the follow up. I just purchased the Drop Alt recently (should receive it tomorrow) and can't wait to mod it for my daily driver. Right now I have the GMMK TKL and have used it for several months. It's nice, but there are a few QoL things that bothers me I hope they will one day address. This helped me reaffirm the price point and the Quality and customization capabilities over getting a DIY that I may not be happy with; so thank you for taking that extra time!
I get the whole go complete custom, but Drop did hit it on the head with the barebones price for the Alt high profile. For what you get, it's really a good deal compared to other options out there. I can say I'm excited for the upcoming Rama board and Keycult - but those are in another level/hemisphere price-wise. I do agree that Drop needs to allow for 5-pin as especially for hotswap it will add stability in the switches since they are not soldered in - which I recommend anyone interested in this hobby to learn soldering and take an old board, snag some switches, and mod that sucker to at least have a victim board to learn on (I did it with my iKBC Poker II and now it has become my favorite board - also started modding in my own LEDs to it as well).
I just got my drop alt barebones kit in from the latest run and it's my first venture into the DIY mech community. I bought the cherry replacement stabs you recommended and I would say it's an absolute must. The stock stabs are still absolute trash and do not seat into the plate very tightly. But with the new stabs clipped and lubed this keyboard is a massive step up from my razer huntsman that I had. Running it with box jades and the GMK RedSuns keycap set. I absolutely love this thing and I can see why it's so popular for people to start out with. This is a dangerous rabbit hole i'm getting myself into haha
Thank You! It is refreshing to see an honest, non-fanboyish, non-gatekeeper and non-snob opinion about keyboards! It kills me to see people being encouraged to overspend on their first keyboards even when they have absolutely no idea what they are doing! I think everybody should start a hobby with baby steps, and all the production boards you mentioned here (if you can even call Drop's and Glorious' boards "production") are all excellent value and perfect starting points for anyone trying to up their game with keyboards! Start with one of these, learn how to mod and improve them and THEN consider going to the crazy expensive and time consuming group buys at a later date... Specially in these tough economic times were diving in right now! Your wallet will thank you!!!
Hello, I woud like to see a comparsion (if any) between the Drop ALT High Profile vs. Low Profile. Is it only sound? structural integrity? personal preference? or what? thank you Brian P.
The coffee mug with brass knuckle handle. Hard as hell. I love it. Also love the post review of the board. Nice to get insight down the line. Have had a honeymoon period with gear and then it fell away.
I too have an alt low profile, and an alt high profile, I swapped the caps to GMK, and I'm running Holy Panda's on the High profile, and Koala 67g's on the low profile, but ya know what? If I want to try different switches next week I can without having to buy/build another board, bought my first alt after watching your original review, never been disappointed, knew what to expect, great content, keep up the good work.
I just ordered mine a few days ago and happened upon this video that UA-cam decided not to show me until now even though I'm subbed with all notifications. Thanks for the reassurance that I made a good purchase lol!
I got my drop in just a few days ago, got the stabs and lube coming in later this week. One of the first thing I did was replace drops proprietary firmware, and I have had absolutely no problems. QMK's Online Configurator has full support and it actually gives you a lot more options as far as rgb modes go. The only thing I lost in the conversion was the ability to have just the switch or side rgb enabled, as the rgb toggle toggles everything.
Ive got the low-pro ALT with GMK Red Samurais and i absolutely love it. Just got my matching coiled cabled in the mail as well. Your reviews are what led me to the purchase. Thank you so much for your input on some of the best peripherals out there!
Typing this out on my Alt right now. Love this thing. To go along with what you said, it's gotten me into the first steps of modding a keyboard. Going to look into building my own as well. Not to get rid of the Alt but for the experience.
I 100% agree with this review. My only regret getting the ALT is not waiting for the high profile version. It has a cleaner look and more sound isolation than the low profile. The high profile for anyone wondering is available on Amazon as of now! I’ll stick with the low profile due to money. I have added a new lubed cherry space bar Stab, and lubed all the existing stabs, as well as added SA grade keycaps. I’ll replace all the stabs and bandaid mod the future... Cons: Cheap stabilizers for the price. The fact you have to continuously reflash the board until you get the LED configuration how want. Acquiring a 1.75 right shift keycap kit can be hard or cost more. The arrow keys fall off occasionally. Pros: Literally everything you could want in a keyboard minus the cons. VERY easy to customize and assemble for an entry level keyboard enthusiast like myself
Yo Brian P! I just ordered the low profile today, using your affiliate link as a thanks for all your help in my deciding on this board. So excited to first, get this baby on my desk and two, start customizing! First order of business is the stabs. Next is lubing the Halo Trues to see how I like them, maybe throwing on some films. Then I'm planning on trying out the Zilents because I love how they sound like gentle rain. Let's go!
Definitely, after I purchase my DROP CTRL, never look back or any other keyboard on the market. Unless, you are ready to get into custom field. The value is everything.
IMO, if you're willing to spend $200, purchasing a Leopold/Varmilo for under $140-$150 (sometimes even $110-$120 with free shipping) is a much better deal. You may not get an aluminium/brass plate, but the aesthetics (clean, lack of logos and unnecessary markings) and build quality is honestly unbeatable for that price point. There are also many "themes" you can choose from so the customization is definitely there.
On Hiatus Yup these days there are more keyboards and opinions on the market. It’s better for consumers. Thanks for sharing your opinion with me. Now I’m more into custom keyboard these days.
@@jacobche For sure, although Leopold and Varmilo have been in the industry for a long while now... I just think a lot of people are too quick to settle on some of these more mainstream western brands, and haven't really scouted enough options. It really sucks when you see someone willing to spend upwards of $100 and settle with a keyboard from Corsair or something. There are so many more options out there. Also, side note, you can get return stock like-new/very good condition boards at MK's website for real cheap. ~$90 for Leopold/Varmilo/Ducky keyboards if anyone is really interested in getting their first entry into the world of mechanical keyboards.
Oh man you got me REALLY hyped when you mentioned that a build video for the KBD75 is coming up..... I LOVE the keyboard content that you pump out in this channel!
I just got a GMMK keyboard myself. As someone who doesn't know what switches I like, has never touched a soldering iron, and has purchased a grand total of 1 mechanical keyboard previously (a Logitech with Romer G switches which are apparently terrible according to everyone in the mechanical keyboard community), a hot swappable entry level keyboard was the perfect option. If I get really into it I can build myself a board with switches I know I'll like.
@@badseedtech For reason my original reply to this didn't post. My main keyboard is the ducky Mecha mini. I wanted a 60% board, but I need an aluminum frame, so this was the perfect pick. I put some custom keycaps, cables and stuff on it, and it is my main.
@@chui3801 Ill consider ducky again when they out that same board into a 65% version and maybe offer better switch options on the silent side of things, clicky keys has no place on a keyboard being used around other ppl (office) or in a shared living space, so again Mecha Mini SF with some shine through PBT and an attempt at included noise dampening and ill be there all day.
6:39 - YES!!. I have a CTRL and have been chasing the ping issue for weeks. Duct tape. Weights. Foam. Nope. No joy. I finally fixed this by cutting out the 'supports' on the light-bar insert that go across the PCB. Now the kb is ping-less. Like typing on a brick, which is weird to say, but awesome. And I just bought an ALT because of this vid, so thanks.
Just want to say I watched your videos on the Drop Alt, and it's inspired me to dive deeper into mechanical keyboards. I can't wait for the day I an Alt of my own. Looking forward to all the modding I'll do with it! Keep up the great work!
Finally getting into this hobby and I genuinely appreciate the value conversation. Yes I know it's silly because reasonable prices left the room at ~$50 mark, but it is always good to have in mind.
Dude, this re-review is completely dope. I JUST bought mine before I found your video, otherwise I would definitely be supporting your channel through your affiliate link. Seriously quality content, my friend. I've subbed at the very least and will be going through your videos. Thank a bunch. 👍
I bought this keyboard because of you back with your first review I’ve now switched key caps twice and change switched 3 times I sti I’ll love this keyboard not a single issue. Changed stabs and bandaid modded from your vids.
I got the CTRL and loved it. Was a couple of months into use and it started to double actuate certain keys with one press.. Seemed like a lot of other people were experiencing the issue as well. Contacted Drop and received a refund super easy. Makes me think that the issue is common, but I would much prefer the customer service side of things be seemless than me having to go through hoops to prove that my board is defective.
Man. Just stumbled across your channel and wow, you blew me away! Your presenting style is clean, concise, informative. And pleasant! Just started dabbling with keyboards, and you've helped me out tons so far! Kudos!
Fully agree on all the points. I have a CTRL for my main board and a GMMK TKL for my second board. Both are great, it the drop is built like a tank and has nice caps. Lighting is better on the GMMK. Ultimately, wouldn’t bother with a board that doesn’t have hot swap.
The IDOBAO ID67 v1 is a 65% w/ hot-swap, PCB mount stabs, VIA & QMK support, etc. And it's only $89 plus a newbie $6 discount for Black Friday! You can add an additional ACRYLIC TRANSPARENT BOTTOM PLATE for $22.99 later but I'm not a bottom feeder.😆
I bought my Massdrop ALT after Brian's original review (THANKS MAN!). I spent many months contemplating what I should (including the Glorious PC keyboard). My FIRST board was the UT47.2. It was a cheap board and really gave me a sense of what I was getting into. I wanted more and ended up getting the Massdrop ALT. Since then I put on lubed Aqua Zilents on them along with WinMix Chalk SA keycaps. I absolutely LOVE my board and agree with all of Brian's comments. My friends have used my keyboard as well and they've fallen in love with it too. I think it's a solid board without breaking the bank and it has enough customizable features to satisfy your needs. I have since gone down the rabbit hole of mechanical keyboards and looking for a new board - NOT because there's anything wrong about the Massdrop ALT, but because I want something more special (Brian speaks of how custom keyboard cases are like a piece of art). If you're looking into a first serious board, you can't go wrong with this one.
I'm a lucky owner of an Drop Alt V2 keyboard. It's my best keyboard in the collection so far, I truly love it. Bought it few weeks ago and still enjoying it so much! Poor people buying mainstream stuff from Logitech, Razer etc.
I've been sorta hoping you'd come back to talk a bit about the Alt after everything you've put it through, and I agree. I'm on the same journey with my Ctrl and guessing only after I go full custom I'll get it (or not). Dope stuff as always B. 🔥
just ordered the drop ctrl! Will arrive in two months and i hope it won't be broken on arrival, can't wait to try out switches and mod it a little with interior dampening and all that sweet stuff!
Very detailed and all around honest review! Giving credit where credit's due. I can't afford the Drop ones in my country but a custom one where it needs different shipments is more than imposibble buy in some countries with tax. Sometimes it's easy to buy a ready to go kit and upgrade it on the way, the keyboard works out of box without anything!
You made this video at a perfect time man. I just ordered a Black HP Alt a few weeks ago and expect it to ship at the end of the month. Bought some OEM Cherry Stabs and all the proper lube to do things right. So glad you showed the updated hardware, as it was something I was feeling a bit iffy about. Makes me feel more secure, even though I bought a barebores and plan on using either Kailh Pro Purp/Browns (lubed ofc) with my new lubed/banded stabs. I'm coming from a One-2 Mini in a KBDFans Al case, with all stock hardware (although I lubed what I could on the stabs). Hype!
very cool you did BOX jades, on the high profile ALT! it's exactly what I bought, just waiting for everything in the mail :) can't wait to have a keyboard like this!!
I just finished my Alt project by installing sorb foam, modding/lubing the stabs, putting a vinyl wrap on the plate, and throwing on Box Navies and I absolutely love how it all turned out. The pinging went away with switching to anything that wasn't Halo Clears, which the pinging was my only gripe with the board 🤘🤘
I LITERALLY was torn between ordering the Drop ALT and Keychron K6 this past week. At $93 shipped with a wireless option and being hot swappable without clipping stems, I decided on the K6 last night. It's incredible you dropped this video today after such a tough decision, lol. I do plan on grabbing a (black) ALT at some point just because that floating keypad with the rgb is ridiculous in B-reel shots, but will definitely be down the line when preordering for two-month later delivery isn't the norm. Thanks for the affirmation though!
Love hearing this update! I picked up the Drop Alt in the last order period, should have it next month, which your original video reassured me of my choice. This now has me more excited to get it.
Just in time! Thanks for the re-review! I’ve been going back and forth and holding off on getting an alt this time. I still hoped that they supported 5 pins.
9:46 Production board with hotswap? Would the upcoming NK65 from Novelkeys count? (Well, the V2 is upcoming, the V1 was a group buy). There's going to be an entry edition (~$100) and the full edition (~$200). NK says this is an item planned to be constantly in stock. Edit: To clarify, the entry edition would be more around $100 + you buy the switches and keycaps separately
If Novelkeys manages keeps it in stock consistently then I would say it's in the same class as the Hi profile with no switches or caps included. If the NK65 stays in stock then it immediately becomes the best option by a massive margin
I think it would. I've been in close contact with them bc I think this is a board thats going to change how we look at full customs. It could be really disruptive as even Drop can't ensure consistent availability on these models even when covid isn't a factor. Definitely going to be alllll over the development of the V2 and hopefully I can get access to one early for a video.
This video is so good, thank you for making this. It highlights all the struggles I've personally had since going down this rabbit hole. I want to point out my personal experience with drop and kbd fans. Drop is consistently shipping things on a delayed schedule due to the pandemic. However they do notify you when a product is delayed most of the time. Other than that they have been great and they have an amazing community. Most issues I've had with products have been solved in discussion threads or reviews. Kbd fans sold me my first board no problem with quick shipping back in March of 2020. But I went to order some keycaps and a switch tester a few days later and they sold out of the product after I placed an order. It was not difficult to get a refund once I let it go but it really turned me off. They are a foreign company shipping from China so don't expect the same level of customer service as you would get with drop. Keep up the great content! Can't wait for that kbd75 build ;)
I have been looking for a review like this on the Drop ALT and this definitely gives me the info I was looking for to make an informed decision as whether or not to purchase it (I've decided to look at other brands). BTW, I just discovered your channel and all I have to say is, "MAN I've been missing out!" Love the presentation. Love the style. And from a design standpoint, you have awesome video thumbnails - consistency is key. Keep up the good work.
7:50 You want to be careful not to apply too much lube to your tactile switches or else you may ruin the feel and turn your switches into silents. If you are using thick lubricant then always start with a very light coating because in the end, “the key with lubing is that less is more.”
I 100% agree with pretty much everything you’ve said. Coming from a K95 Corsair, Anne pro2, to drop alt HP, to now custom keyboards it’s a great keyboard to get into the hobby. A lot of keyboard enthusiasts don’t like the north facing LEDs, like Taeha mentioned when he reviewed it. Stabs would definitely be better if it was screw in vs plate. Also the custom coiled cables I have, also coming from space cables, dim the lights or the RGB completely is off, but that’s due to lack of power. Great video as always man!
I've had my ALT w/ halo clears since Nov 2019 and I still love it with no issues whatsoever. Not gonna lie, the LED strip is what sold me on the keyboard, but I have zero regrets. My only wish is that there was a way to save the brightness levels on the board. Every time I turn my PC on I'm greeted to 100% brightness and have to manually lower the brightness to my liking. It's a small price to pay for a keyboard that is an absolute dream to type on and look at!
I previously said i love your typing, and seeing you type on a high profile Drop Alt with those juicy cream switches just made my next quarantine week. Love it !!!!!
Agreed good sir. I’ve had my drop alt LP for about a year now, and my HP for few months less, and I just bought the pre-order for the black LP. Yeahhh I’m a little nuts, but I love this board, and I have many other boards as well. But I just keep coming back to the alt. Being able to hot swap reliable, and test out so many different switches (and I’m sure NovelKeys loves me for it too lmao) is a godsend. 👍🏽
The KEMOVE Shadow or Snowfox are great options for a 60% production board with hotswap (only 3 pin though). Currently my daily driver. Solid overall package. Definitely need to lube the stabs though. Solid weight for a plastic board. Plate is solid and fairly hefty. Adds decent weight to it. Also having Bluetooth is a solid bonus and works well. Software still in beta for it and is a bit finicky to say the least, but basic on board controls should keep most satisfied. Overall it's easily been my favorite 60% board under $100. I got it with Gat Blacks. Been really happy with it. Would love to see you do a video on it to hear your thoughts. Love the vids man. You, BT, and Frank P are my go to's for a lot of tech videos.
Perfect timing. The only luxuries I'm allowing with stimmy money are 1) a new mouse, & 2) a new keyboard. The switches on my old mouse are toast so I went with the Glorious D (thanks to you). I was literally debating the Ducky One Two SF vs the ALT and looking for old reviews to compare when, lo and behold, BadSeed's like, "oh it's already been broughten!" 👌
I'm grateful for all your Alt videos. Your first video about the Alt helped me to make the decision to purchase and your silencing video really helped me fix my stabilizers. It is great to see your Alts are still running well. Have you had to relube your stabilizers? How often?
As far as budget production boards, I’ve heard the Rakk Lam-Ang Pro is phenomenal... if you’re in the Philippines where it’s sold. Luckily, here in the States we can get an identical barebones kit for $80 from Keebio, shipping from N. Carolina. I just finished a budget custom build with their semi-nameless “Hotswap TKL Bluetooth Keyboard w/RGB”, some Box Whites left over from my CTRL and a set of Drop X Mito Pulse SA stealth caps for a real slick, blacked-out travel board. Excellent experience, though you won’t set any fancy features beyond what’s in the name. Other than the steel plate, it’s all plastic, but pretty solid at that so not gonna knock it. Type-C for wired operation and a passthrough Type-A when you’re doing so. Bluetooth, even though it’s rather dated with 3.0, works great, and it’s been my daily driver via BT when I’m working remote.
It’s definitely no high-end, CNC-milled aluminum masterpiece... but when you need to go somewhere and want a board you won’t kill your wallet if it gets lost or dropped, the Rakk Lam-Ang Pro and its clones are a solid choice.
The value king for hotswappable is the yc66 at 53$ for the case +pcb or 61$ with case+pcb+choice of 70 gateron switch of your choice (black/red/brown/clear/yellow/green/blue). It also look fairly nice with that acrylic case (especially for RGB fans)
I recently bought a brand new (open box) Drop ALT on ebay. It's the low profile, with blue clickly switches. I paid $63 (plus a few bucks sales tax, free shipping). Came with the gray/charcoal key caps in PBT with shine through logos. I can't argue with the price. Yeah, the stabs do rattle a bit and the space bar has some wiggle to it. I may look for better replacement stabs at some point but I'm happy with the switches for now. Not sure which brand they are, but the weight is about right for me, and they have good tactile feedback and sound, almost like my Model M did. I'm no keyboard-file, but if I can type on it without making mistakes, it's good enough! The 65% layout is OK, but I'd have swapped the positions of the DEL and HOME keys (can't do that in QMK and then swap the keycaps since the DEL and HOME keys have different row profiles). I'd also like to use QMK to add the INSERT function to layer 1 on some key, maybe the DEL If I were designing the board, I'd have split the Backspace key into two, with one half being BS and the other having the ` and ~ characters on it, rather than hiding those on layer 1 under the ESC key. Other than that, I like the layout fine. I can think of a use for the second USB C port, get a USB C to USB A adapter and then use that port for a mouse, or a numpad on the right side.
I promise you. When you get a custom board with those lubed creams and better stabs, it'll sound absolutely amazing. I agree with everything you said, but sound is a different beast on a custom board.
Hi, electrical engineer here. We deal with PCBs on a regular basis where I work, although I'm still pretty young and not a lot of experience yet, so take this with a grain of salt. The problem with the Alt's PCB traces is that because they're all over the place, it would be harder to do debugging on the board without looking at the schematic. It just gives the impression that the designer of the PCB just went through it willy-nilly. Also, I don't know if this matters much with a keyboard, but different trace lengths (and shapes, but mostly length matters more) have different inductances which will all affect the signal differently. There are tolerances for this, of course, and this matters less with DC. We test a lot of electronic stuff where I work so we make some effort to make all relevant traces similar in length so the difference in inductances is reduced to tolerance.
Well its actually my FIRST custom so I wouldn't dream of going in unskilled to a Rama or Keycult build. If I mess this one up somehow, its not the end of the world.
Meta Threads hoodie looking slick. Brian's fashion game is the best in the tech YT world. Keep crushing it dude, you're the one of two tech YT'ers I watch.
I can't speak on the plastic GK61 but my first board was a bare bones aluminum GK61. I think i picked it up for roughly $90 on banggood. Put some lubed Creams and a GMK set on it, in all honesty for the price it did blow me away. For reference I also have a low profile ALT with lubed Gateron Yellow Inks in it. Gotta be honest, I do recommend both boards. Good prices and hot swap is king.
Hey Brian, I started in the opposite side of the spectrum. I got the KBD75v2 first, before getting my hands on a Drop CTRL. I ended up using the CTRL for daily and general use, and the KBD75v2 as my display piece. Only using it when I feel like using it. I love both keyboards for sure. I'm waiting on my CTRL High Profile to arrive so I can test that one out.
I really enjoyed the look and feel of my high profile alt. However, many of the keys had ghosting issues and a few of them stopped working completely (my #4 key and the delete key). As you say though Drop is accepting my return which I was surprised to see since they historically don't do that. I'm worried about ordering another due to finding other people with the same issue so it seems to be a gamble.
I've had my CTRL for a bit over half a year now and I've been experiencing issues with it too. The stabilizers are pretty subpar and the keys have an audible metallic 'ding' to them on the upstroke, probably due to the aluminum body frame (non-high profile). Then recently, keychatter started to occur on numerous keys to the point where I couldn't handle it anymore and had to return it for a refund. Quality control does seem like an issue with these keyboards based on what I've read. A bunch of others who have had these for a while have experienced problems over time, which is why I suspect they began accepting returns past the normal deadline. Really hope these issues are fixed for a future version since they look and feel great and the functionality is nice.
Completely agree that at its price and feature set, the ALT is the best 65% keyboard. Anything more expensive to me personally turns a keyboard into a hobby build.
Same. I’ve been waffling on whether to pull the trigger and doing research, but knowing the value stands up a year later with new entries on the market was the deciding factor. I love the aesthetics of Drop’s keyboards and figured even if I never went deeper into the hobby, I’ll have a solid board that I can customize to a degree whenever I want.
I use a GK61 PCB with metal casing and plate, sound dampened, box jades, high quality PBT key caps and cherry stabs clipped and lubed. This board sounds amazing
The first 1000 people who click this link will get 2 free months of Skillshare Premium!! skl.sh/badseedtech
Hey BadSeed Tech can you check out the Keychron K6 someday for available and hotswap and also 5 pin native they said 3 pin advertised but found it was 5 pin. Also the GK68XS from Epomaker is coming out please review.
I'd recommend the gk64 although it does have irregular keycaps
Great video as always and thanks for the 2 month trial, looking forward to it.
I think you’d like a Tofu 60% or a KBD67 MKII. I personally skipped the Massdrop Alt and went straight for an acrylic Tofu 60% with lubed milky gateron yellows and it’s great. They’re both also hot swap boards. You already own some nice switches to throw in there so give em a try and as always, stay up!
and i also followed your advice/video on adding the cherry stabs and clipping lubing them. I haven't done the bandaid mod, just because i haven't had the time to take my entire board apart and will probably do that when I get some other switches.
"Big Volume in xxxx" What a man of the people.
Someone suggested that one time in a video (wish I could remember the guy responsible). I thought it was brilliant and couldn't believe I'd never thought of it.
@@badseedtech ngl I was prepared for big volume but that "pssshh" man that's powerful haha
@@ducttaperulestheworl "ppsssshhhh" so funny after reading your comment lol
I saw the warning and it still startled me
Whenever your say "Ready...Lets Goo!" it hits me every time
I have just said the same thing to my 8yr old who agrees totally.... amazing speaking voice - especially his ‘LET’S GO!”
Gives me a little gasm
very true!
Never gets old
Man you really hit the nail on the head when it comes to info and presentation. Such an underrated channel!!
You're the perfect KB reviewer for me, because you're a bit deeper into the mech hobby than I am. I feel like you give very good, honest reviews compared to some of the crazy mech fanbois. Keep the videos coming!
I love the ALT, it will forever hold a place in my heart as the board that got me down this ridiculous rabbit hole that is mech boards. While hotswap is absolutely nice to have especially when starting out, it loses it's value or importance once you are a bit more seasoned and have had the opportunity to try various switches (because you can either solder or by trial and error have found switches you know you like). While hotswap does allow you to try various switches, it does limit you layout wise. Hotswap PCBs will come with a fixed layout and won't allow you to deviate from it. Honestly what I have learned in all of this is that it all comes down to personal preference/taste and budget BUT, knowing how to solder is pretty much the most important part of your keeb exploring process. Love your vids man, ALWAYS enjoy seeing that notification pop up!!
Honestly, how could I forgot to mention that it was THIS very channel that got me into mechs and keebs. I got into watching @Badseed Tech a year or so ago and honestly, it was his video style and manner of engaging and educating the listeners that drew me in. The content was awesome and he really tries to speak to you not AT you, reminding you of how little you know. Kudos brother, the most enjoyable content creator I have come across in a long time.
@@danc8212 Okay, now I found someone I can ask. I am writing a book and I realized that the Logitech cheap keyboard is a trash and irritated me to my extremes. I started reading online, subreddits and found this whole community who thinks keyboards are a thing. I never knew. Well I get it now. The point is I don't wanna get into a rabbithole and I want a stable heavy and good quality solution. Which one should I buy? I am an audiophile, I spend enough money there that I don't wanna put another hole in my pocket. :P Please suggest.
@@sriloy so, i havd some questions.
1. What layout, compact(just the letters, numbers, and controll, shift ect. Not numpad, arow keys, or function keys.
2. 65%(some fucntions and arrow keys, but no numpad. Same as keyboard in video)
3. Tkl(ten keyless just have the numpad chopped off)
4. Full.(self explanitory)
A solid tkl is the razer huntesman te. They have the best key stability for non custom keyboards. With super fast razer red linear optical switch.
If you want hot swap, or any of the before mentioned configuerations. The glorious pc gaming race keyboard is great.
The drop alt is also solid.
If you have any more questions, just ask.
@@ferret1252 I have figured I can prolly get rid of the num pad. So 65% makes more sense, Thats why I was researching on ALT. Now, Hot swappable etc I am not sure now. But you guys are ahead of me in race, and these specific interests kinda grow in our mind in a similar way. So you tell me the rest. Please give me a suggestion, I will research on it. I want value on everything usually. :D I can spend money but that has to bring some value. :D
Thanks for being nice Satan; I always knew this truth is being hidden from us! ;)
I didn't know about the PCB traces and I've never been more horrified in my life.
😂😂😂 chaos living right under your fingers
It’s not plain green with copper traces like any old motherboard.
it’s okay.
I've had my CTRL for almost a year now and I absolutely love it. Great videos! Thank you for all the work you do.
Again, I LOVE the big volume warning
That ALT High Profile is been on my radar as my first "customize" build. I eventually do want to do a full-on build but as you said for the price point the ALT will give me the things I need to get my feet wet while still getting a nice premium product in the end. Can't wait to see your build once it's finished.
Man you've quickly become my favourite tech UA-camr. Don't ever stop.
I actually just bought the CTRL (low profile) and waiting until they ship in the middle of next month (my first mechanical). This video is pretty reassuring. Especially since I already have been addicted to watching Taekeyboards, Taehatypes, and :3ildcat, learning how to fully mod and lube everything. I'm super excited.
I got a used alt with a broken shift keycap for $100 on ebay. Luckiest buy ever. Modded it with keycaps I like and zilents and loved every second of it because of your videos.
Fully agreed that the drop alt is a great "enthusiast starter" board.
I’ve been trying to build my first board for awhile..nothing’s ever in stock😬
That's why I'm getting the Ducky Mecha Mini and making my own mods to it so it feels "custom"
I feel you man. These smaller keyboard companies need to up production. Nothing is ever in stock anywhere!
you got a better chance at hitting the powerball
look into group buys on geekhack and other websites, thats where the real enthusiasts go.
@@vincentvnguyen I might add lubed Zilent V2 switches either by desolder and solder OR put Zilent V2 Stems in the Cherry housing using a top switch opener meaning no desolder or solder is needed.
Foam or fabric padding, I'll lube the stabs with Krytox or get new genuine Cherry plate mount stabs but the stock version are pretty good anyway.
I'll do the arrow key trick that BadSeed has a video on or I'll macro them onto right shift, ctrl, windows key and alt key by moving FN to slot 1 via the dip switch 1 being on.
This method is FAR cheaper than doing it on the Drop ALT/CTRL. The Zilent V2's are expensive enough and if done on the Drop keyboards you're looking at $300-350 where as on the Ducky you're looking at $200 at most
Yo your channel is criminally underrated. The quality of your video production and variety of things you cover is incredible
I appreciate that!
I know I'm late to this video, but i just ordered my ALT and was almost having some buyers remorse. Glad to here I will not be disappointed!
i dont know if you got yours yet but its amazing!!! youre gonna love it
So glad you did this Video for the follow up. I just purchased the Drop Alt recently (should receive it tomorrow) and can't wait to mod it for my daily driver. Right now I have the GMMK TKL and have used it for several months. It's nice, but there are a few QoL things that bothers me I hope they will one day address. This helped me reaffirm the price point and the Quality and customization capabilities over getting a DIY that I may not be happy with; so thank you for taking that extra time!
I get the whole go complete custom, but Drop did hit it on the head with the barebones price for the Alt high profile. For what you get, it's really a good deal compared to other options out there. I can say I'm excited for the upcoming Rama board and Keycult - but those are in another level/hemisphere price-wise. I do agree that Drop needs to allow for 5-pin as especially for hotswap it will add stability in the switches since they are not soldered in - which I recommend anyone interested in this hobby to learn soldering and take an old board, snag some switches, and mod that sucker to at least have a victim board to learn on (I did it with my iKBC Poker II and now it has become my favorite board - also started modding in my own LEDs to it as well).
I just got my drop alt barebones kit in from the latest run and it's my first venture into the DIY mech community. I bought the cherry replacement stabs you recommended and I would say it's an absolute must. The stock stabs are still absolute trash and do not seat into the plate very tightly. But with the new stabs clipped and lubed this keyboard is a massive step up from my razer huntsman that I had. Running it with box jades and the GMK RedSuns keycap set. I absolutely love this thing and I can see why it's so popular for people to start out with. This is a dangerous rabbit hole i'm getting myself into haha
Thank You! It is refreshing to see an honest, non-fanboyish, non-gatekeeper and non-snob opinion about keyboards! It kills me to see people being encouraged to overspend on their first keyboards even when they have absolutely no idea what they are doing! I think everybody should start a hobby with baby steps, and all the production boards you mentioned here (if you can even call Drop's and Glorious' boards "production") are all excellent value and perfect starting points for anyone trying to up their game with keyboards!
Start with one of these, learn how to mod and improve them and THEN consider going to the crazy expensive and time consuming group buys at a later date... Specially in these tough economic times were diving in right now! Your wallet will thank you!!!
Thanks man! Thats definitely the message I was trying to get across - glad it came through.
Hello, I woud like to see a comparsion (if any) between the Drop ALT High Profile vs. Low Profile. Is it only sound? structural integrity? personal preference? or what? thank you Brian P.
The coffee mug with brass knuckle handle. Hard as hell. I love it. Also love the post review of the board. Nice to get insight down the line. Have had a honeymoon period with gear and then it fell away.
I too have an alt low profile, and an alt high profile, I swapped the caps to GMK, and I'm running Holy Panda's on the High profile, and Koala 67g's on the low profile, but ya know what? If I want to try different switches next week I can without having to buy/build another board, bought my first alt after watching your original review, never been disappointed, knew what to expect, great content, keep up the good work.
I just ordered mine a few days ago and happened upon this video that UA-cam decided not to show me until now even though I'm subbed with all notifications. Thanks for the reassurance that I made a good purchase lol!
I got my drop in just a few days ago, got the stabs and lube coming in later this week. One of the first thing I did was replace drops proprietary firmware, and I have had absolutely no problems. QMK's Online Configurator has full support and it actually gives you a lot more options as far as rgb modes go. The only thing I lost in the conversion was the ability to have just the switch or side rgb enabled, as the rgb toggle toggles everything.
What's the benefit of changing the software?
Ive got the low-pro ALT with GMK Red Samurais and i absolutely love it. Just got my matching coiled cabled in the mail as well. Your reviews are what led me to the purchase. Thank you so much for your input on some of the best peripherals out there!
Typing this out on my Alt right now. Love this thing. To go along with what you said, it's gotten me into the first steps of modding a keyboard. Going to look into building my own as well. Not to get rid of the Alt but for the experience.
I 100% agree with this review. My only regret getting the ALT is not waiting for the high profile version. It has a cleaner look and more sound isolation than the low profile. The high profile for anyone wondering is available on Amazon as of now! I’ll stick with the low profile due to money. I have added a new lubed cherry space bar Stab, and lubed all the existing stabs, as well as added SA grade keycaps. I’ll replace all the stabs and bandaid mod the future... Cons: Cheap stabilizers for the price. The fact you have to continuously reflash the board until you get the LED configuration how want. Acquiring a 1.75 right shift keycap kit can be hard or cost more. The arrow keys fall off occasionally. Pros: Literally everything you could want in a keyboard minus the cons. VERY easy to customize and assemble for an entry level keyboard enthusiast like myself
Yo Brian P!
I just ordered the low profile today, using your affiliate link as a thanks for all your help in my deciding on this board.
So excited to first, get this baby on my desk and two, start customizing!
First order of business is the stabs.
Next is lubing the Halo Trues to see how I like them, maybe throwing on some films.
Then I'm planning on trying out the Zilents because I love how they sound like gentle rain.
Let's go!
Definitely, after I purchase my DROP CTRL, never look back or any other keyboard on the market. Unless, you are ready to get into custom field. The value is everything.
IMO, if you're willing to spend $200, purchasing a Leopold/Varmilo for under $140-$150 (sometimes even $110-$120 with free shipping) is a much better deal. You may not get an aluminium/brass plate, but the aesthetics (clean, lack of logos and unnecessary markings) and build quality is honestly unbeatable for that price point. There are also many "themes" you can choose from so the customization is definitely there.
On Hiatus Yup these days there are more keyboards and opinions on the market. It’s better for consumers. Thanks for sharing your opinion with me. Now I’m more into custom keyboard these days.
@@jacobche For sure, although Leopold and Varmilo have been in the industry for a long while now... I just think a lot of people are too quick to settle on some of these more mainstream western brands, and haven't really scouted enough options. It really sucks when you see someone willing to spend upwards of $100 and settle with a keyboard from Corsair or something. There are so many more options out there.
Also, side note, you can get return stock like-new/very good condition boards at MK's website for real cheap. ~$90 for Leopold/Varmilo/Ducky keyboards if anyone is really interested in getting their first entry into the world of mechanical keyboards.
I absolutely love my Drop Alt High Profile w/ GMK Olive and Blue Zilent V2 (62g). Looking forward to my GMK Apollo set later this year. Great Video!
Thanks man - sounds like an amazing board!
Oh man you got me REALLY hyped when you mentioned that a build video for the KBD75 is coming up..... I LOVE the keyboard content that you pump out in this channel!
Thats man! I have a couple wildcards that I think is going to make it a really sick build.
I just got a GMMK keyboard myself. As someone who doesn't know what switches I like, has never touched a soldering iron, and has purchased a grand total of 1 mechanical keyboard previously (a Logitech with Romer G switches which are apparently terrible according to everyone in the mechanical keyboard community), a hot swappable entry level keyboard was the perfect option. If I get really into it I can build myself a board with switches I know I'll like.
Rama makes some of the best boards with hotswap , the Jules just ended but it’s looking like endgame to me tbh.
I love the alt. Ironically, it's my "alt" keyboard!
Ooooh you have my interest. Whats your main?
@@badseedtech For reason my original reply to this didn't post. My main keyboard is the ducky Mecha mini. I wanted a 60% board, but I need an aluminum frame, so this was the perfect pick. I put some custom keycaps, cables and stuff on it, and it is my main.
@@chui3801 Ill consider ducky again when they out that same board into a 65% version and maybe offer better switch options on the silent side of things, clicky keys has no place on a keyboard being used around other ppl (office) or in a shared living space, so again Mecha Mini SF with some shine through PBT and an attempt at included noise dampening and ill be there all day.
What’s a good TKL for like $150
@@iMANT22 razer huntrsman te tkl, logitech g pro x, and the list goes on and on and on
sry for replying so late lol
6:39 - YES!!. I have a CTRL and have been chasing the ping issue for weeks. Duct tape. Weights. Foam. Nope. No joy. I finally fixed this by cutting out the 'supports' on the light-bar insert that go across the PCB. Now the kb is ping-less. Like typing on a brick, which is weird to say, but awesome. And I just bought an ALT because of this vid, so thanks.
Just want to say I watched your videos on the Drop Alt, and it's inspired me to dive deeper into mechanical keyboards. I can't wait for the day I an Alt of my own. Looking forward to all the modding I'll do with it! Keep up the great work!
Finally getting into this hobby and I genuinely appreciate the value conversation. Yes I know it's silly because reasonable prices left the room at ~$50 mark, but it is always good to have in mind.
Dude, this re-review is completely dope. I JUST bought mine before I found your video, otherwise I would definitely be supporting your channel through your affiliate link.
Seriously quality content, my friend. I've subbed at the very least and will be going through your videos. Thank a bunch. 👍
I bought this keyboard because of you back with your first review I’ve now switched key caps twice and change switched 3 times I sti I’ll love this keyboard not a single issue. Changed stabs and bandaid modded from your vids.
I got the CTRL and loved it. Was a couple of months into use and it started to double actuate certain keys with one press.. Seemed like a lot of other people were experiencing the issue as well. Contacted Drop and received a refund super easy. Makes me think that the issue is common, but I would much prefer the customer service side of things be seemless than me having to go through hoops to prove that my board is defective.
Man. Just stumbled across your channel and wow, you blew me away! Your presenting style is clean, concise, informative. And pleasant! Just started dabbling with keyboards, and you've helped me out tons so far! Kudos!
Fully agree on all the points. I have a CTRL for my main board and a GMMK TKL for my second board. Both are great, it the drop is built like a tank and has nice caps. Lighting is better on the GMMK. Ultimately, wouldn’t bother with a board that doesn’t have hot swap.
Didn't realize how much I hate the word combo," lubed creams," until I heard it in this video. Great video though!
The IDOBAO ID67 v1 is a 65% w/ hot-swap, PCB mount stabs, VIA & QMK support, etc. And it's only $89 plus a newbie $6 discount for Black Friday! You can add an additional ACRYLIC TRANSPARENT BOTTOM PLATE for $22.99 later but I'm not a bottom feeder.😆
I bought my Massdrop ALT after Brian's original review (THANKS MAN!). I spent many months contemplating what I should (including the Glorious PC keyboard). My FIRST board was the UT47.2. It was a cheap board and really gave me a sense of what I was getting into. I wanted more and ended up getting the Massdrop ALT. Since then I put on lubed Aqua Zilents on them along with WinMix Chalk SA keycaps. I absolutely LOVE my board and agree with all of Brian's comments. My friends have used my keyboard as well and they've fallen in love with it too. I think it's a solid board without breaking the bank and it has enough customizable features to satisfy your needs. I have since gone down the rabbit hole of mechanical keyboards and looking for a new board - NOT because there's anything wrong about the Massdrop ALT, but because I want something more special (Brian speaks of how custom keyboard cases are like a piece of art). If you're looking into a first serious board, you can't go wrong with this one.
Just got the Alt for $125 on Drop’s recent sale. Amplifies the value proposition quite a bit. Thanks for the update.
I'm a lucky owner of an Drop Alt V2 keyboard. It's my best keyboard in the collection so far, I truly love it. Bought it few weeks ago and still enjoying it so much!
Poor people buying mainstream stuff from Logitech, Razer etc.
I've been sorta hoping you'd come back to talk a bit about the Alt after everything you've put it through, and I agree. I'm on the same journey with my Ctrl and guessing only after I go full custom I'll get it (or not). Dope stuff as always B. 🔥
just ordered the drop ctrl! Will arrive in two months and i hope it won't be broken on arrival, can't wait to try out switches and mod it a little with interior dampening and all that sweet stuff!
Always look forward to your videos. They are a big reason I find myself loving this hobby.
Very detailed and all around honest review! Giving credit where credit's due. I can't afford the Drop ones in my country but a custom one where it needs different shipments is more than imposibble buy in some countries with tax. Sometimes it's easy to buy a ready to go kit and upgrade it on the way, the keyboard works out of box without anything!
You made this video at a perfect time man. I just ordered a Black HP Alt a few weeks ago and expect it to ship at the end of the month. Bought some OEM Cherry Stabs and all the proper lube to do things right. So glad you showed the updated hardware, as it was something I was feeling a bit iffy about. Makes me feel more secure, even though I bought a barebores and plan on using either Kailh Pro Purp/Browns (lubed ofc) with my new lubed/banded stabs.
I'm coming from a One-2 Mini in a KBDFans Al case, with all stock hardware (although I lubed what I could on the stabs). Hype!
very cool you did BOX jades, on the high profile ALT! it's exactly what I bought, just waiting for everything in the mail :) can't wait to have a keyboard like this!!
I just finished my Alt project by installing sorb foam, modding/lubing the stabs, putting a vinyl wrap on the plate, and throwing on Box Navies and I absolutely love how it all turned out. The pinging went away with switching to anything that wasn't Halo Clears, which the pinging was my only gripe with the board 🤘🤘
what foam did u use? did u make one of the case yourself or are there ones ready to buy?
I LITERALLY was torn between ordering the Drop ALT and Keychron K6 this past week. At $93 shipped with a wireless option and being hot swappable without clipping stems, I decided on the K6 last night. It's incredible you dropped this video today after such a tough decision, lol. I do plan on grabbing a (black) ALT at some point just because that floating keypad with the rgb is ridiculous in B-reel shots, but will definitely be down the line when preordering for two-month later delivery isn't the norm. Thanks for the affirmation though!
Love hearing this update! I picked up the Drop Alt in the last order period, should have it next month, which your original video reassured me of my choice. This now has me more excited to get it.
Glad this vid came out. Im currently waiting for my alt high profile. Should be here by the end of the month.
Just in time! Thanks for the re-review! I’ve been going back and forth and holding off on getting an alt this time. I still hoped that they supported 5 pins.
9:46 Production board with hotswap? Would the upcoming NK65 from Novelkeys count? (Well, the V2 is upcoming, the V1 was a group buy). There's going to be an entry edition (~$100) and the full edition (~$200). NK says this is an item planned to be constantly in stock.
Edit: To clarify, the entry edition would be more around $100 + you buy the switches and keycaps separately
If Novelkeys manages keeps it in stock consistently then I would say it's in the same class as the Hi profile with no switches or caps included. If the NK65 stays in stock then it immediately becomes the best option by a massive margin
I think it would. I've been in close contact with them bc I think this is a board thats going to change how we look at full customs. It could be really disruptive as even Drop can't ensure consistent availability on these models even when covid isn't a factor. Definitely going to be alllll over the development of the V2 and hopefully I can get access to one early for a video.
Those keyboards will always sell out instantly, The numbers of people wanting custom boards will sky rocket when they release haha
All the pcbs, cases, plates, etc. on kbdfans that I'm looking at are perpetually out of stock. The NK65 might be a game changer.
I have the NK65 v1 and its really great. If the V2 stays in stock its going to be the best keyboard option for the price and it's not even close.
This video is so good, thank you for making this. It highlights all the struggles I've personally had since going down this rabbit hole.
I want to point out my personal experience with drop and kbd fans. Drop is consistently shipping things on a delayed schedule due to the pandemic. However they do notify you when a product is delayed most of the time. Other than that they have been great and they have an amazing community. Most issues I've had with products have been solved in discussion threads or reviews.
Kbd fans sold me my first board no problem with quick shipping back in March of 2020. But I went to order some keycaps and a switch tester a few days later and they sold out of the product after I placed an order. It was not difficult to get a refund once I let it go but it really turned me off. They are a foreign company shipping from China so don't expect the same level of customer service as you would get with drop.
Keep up the great content! Can't wait for that kbd75 build ;)
I have been looking for a review like this on the Drop ALT and this definitely gives me the info I was looking for to make an informed decision as whether or not to purchase it (I've decided to look at other brands). BTW, I just discovered your channel and all I have to say is, "MAN I've been missing out!" Love the presentation. Love the style. And from a design standpoint, you have awesome video thumbnails - consistency is key. Keep up the good work.
I ended up going for a huntsman te and man it really is fantastic. Feels good to finally be able to recommend a razer product
7:50 You want to be careful not to apply too much lube to your tactile switches or else you may ruin the feel and turn your switches into silents. If you are using thick lubricant then always start with a very light coating because in the end, “the key with lubing is that less is more.”
I’m curious to know what part of this video you think this very well-known advice applies to?
BadSeed Tech There is a glitch on youtube with the timestamps but it is meant to be addressed to the Novelkey Creams
I 100% agree with pretty much everything you’ve said. Coming from a K95 Corsair, Anne pro2, to drop alt HP, to now custom keyboards it’s a great keyboard to get into the hobby. A lot of keyboard enthusiasts don’t like the north facing LEDs, like Taeha mentioned when he reviewed it. Stabs would definitely be better if it was screw in vs plate. Also the custom coiled cables I have, also coming from space cables, dim the lights or the RGB completely is off, but that’s due to lack of power. Great video as always man!
I've had my ALT w/ halo clears since Nov 2019 and I still love it with no issues whatsoever. Not gonna lie, the LED strip is what sold me on the keyboard, but I have zero regrets. My only wish is that there was a way to save the brightness levels on the board. Every time I turn my PC on I'm greeted to 100% brightness and have to manually lower the brightness to my liking. It's a small price to pay for a keyboard that is an absolute dream to type on and look at!
i just ordered one with halo clears too. are there any switches you can compare them to? i've only used mx browns, mx blues and optical browns
I previously said i love your typing, and seeing you type on a high profile Drop Alt with those juicy cream switches just made my next quarantine week. Love it !!!!!
Agreed good sir. I’ve had my drop alt LP for about a year now, and my HP for few months less, and I just bought the pre-order for the black LP. Yeahhh I’m a little nuts, but I love this board, and I have many other boards as well. But I just keep coming back to the alt. Being able to hot swap reliable, and test out so many different switches (and I’m sure NovelKeys loves me for it too lmao) is a godsend. 👍🏽
The KEMOVE Shadow or Snowfox are great options for a 60% production board with hotswap (only 3 pin though). Currently my daily driver. Solid overall package. Definitely need to lube the stabs though. Solid weight for a plastic board. Plate is solid and fairly hefty. Adds decent weight to it. Also having Bluetooth is a solid bonus and works well. Software still in beta for it and is a bit finicky to say the least, but basic on board controls should keep most satisfied. Overall it's easily been my favorite 60% board under $100. I got it with Gat Blacks. Been really happy with it.
Would love to see you do a video on it to hear your thoughts.
Love the vids man. You, BT, and Frank P are my go to's for a lot of tech videos.
That high profile sounds great. I literally said "oh my god" out loud when those jades hit.
Perfect timing. The only luxuries I'm allowing with stimmy money are 1) a new mouse, & 2) a new keyboard. The switches on my old mouse are toast so I went with the Glorious D (thanks to you). I was literally debating the Ducky One Two SF vs the ALT and looking for old reviews to compare when, lo and behold, BadSeed's like, "oh it's already been broughten!" 👌
Ain’t nothing premium than these super detailed reviews, amazing work brother 👏🏼
I'm grateful for all your Alt videos. Your first video about the Alt helped me to make the decision to purchase and your silencing video really helped me fix my stabilizers. It is great to see your Alts are still running well. Have you had to relube your stabilizers? How often?
Thank you so much for the review, and the skillshare link! I was honestly looking in to both. Happy coincidence!
Picked up one of these new for $100 (+$12 shipping) in box from ebay, honestly pretty pleased with it.
As far as budget production boards, I’ve heard the Rakk Lam-Ang Pro is phenomenal... if you’re in the Philippines where it’s sold. Luckily, here in the States we can get an identical barebones kit for $80 from Keebio, shipping from N. Carolina. I just finished a budget custom build with their semi-nameless “Hotswap TKL Bluetooth Keyboard w/RGB”, some Box Whites left over from my CTRL and a set of Drop X Mito Pulse SA stealth caps for a real slick, blacked-out travel board. Excellent experience, though you won’t set any fancy features beyond what’s in the name. Other than the steel plate, it’s all plastic, but pretty solid at that so not gonna knock it. Type-C for wired operation and a passthrough Type-A when you’re doing so. Bluetooth, even though it’s rather dated with 3.0, works great, and it’s been my daily driver via BT when I’m working remote.
It’s definitely no high-end, CNC-milled aluminum masterpiece... but when you need to go somewhere and want a board you won’t kill your wallet if it gets lost or dropped, the Rakk Lam-Ang Pro and its clones are a solid choice.
The value king for hotswappable is the yc66 at 53$ for the case +pcb or 61$ with case+pcb+choice of 70 gateron switch of your choice (black/red/brown/clear/yellow/green/blue). It also look fairly nice with that acrylic case (especially for RGB fans)
I recently bought a brand new (open box) Drop ALT on ebay. It's the low profile, with blue clickly switches. I paid $63 (plus a few bucks sales tax, free shipping). Came with the gray/charcoal key caps in PBT with shine through logos. I can't argue with the price. Yeah, the stabs do rattle a bit and the space bar has some wiggle to it. I may look for better replacement stabs at some point but I'm happy with the switches for now. Not sure which brand they are, but the weight is about right for me, and they have good tactile feedback and sound, almost like my Model M did. I'm no keyboard-file, but if I can type on it without making mistakes, it's good enough! The 65% layout is OK, but I'd have swapped the positions of the DEL and HOME keys (can't do that in QMK and then swap the keycaps since the DEL and HOME keys have different row profiles). I'd also like to use QMK to add the INSERT function to layer 1 on some key, maybe the DEL If I were designing the board, I'd have split the Backspace key into two, with one half being BS and the other having the ` and ~ characters on it, rather than hiding those on layer 1 under the ESC key. Other than that, I like the layout fine. I can think of a use for the second USB C port, get a USB C to USB A adapter and then use that port for a mouse, or a numpad on the right side.
I promise you. When you get a custom board with those lubed creams and better stabs, it'll sound absolutely amazing. I agree with everything you said, but sound is a different beast on a custom board.
Hi, electrical engineer here. We deal with PCBs on a regular basis where I work, although I'm still pretty young and not a lot of experience yet, so take this with a grain of salt. The problem with the Alt's PCB traces is that because they're all over the place, it would be harder to do debugging on the board without looking at the schematic. It just gives the impression that the designer of the PCB just went through it willy-nilly.
Also, I don't know if this matters much with a keyboard, but different trace lengths (and shapes, but mostly length matters more) have different inductances which will all affect the signal differently. There are tolerances for this, of course, and this matters less with DC. We test a lot of electronic stuff where I work so we make some effort to make all relevant traces similar in length so the difference in inductances is reduced to tolerance.
Was just looking at buying one...this video convinced me. Good stuff btw, subbed for sure
I would LOVE to see some more mid to high end custom keyboard builds reviews from you!!!!
I learned on drop boards. Great place to start. Their hot swap boards are easy to reconfigure and the stabs simple to tune.
I expected a keycult, Rama, kbd67 mkII, or kbd8x for your next custom. But I'm excited to see the kbd75 build none the less. Great video, stay up!
Well its actually my FIRST custom so I wouldn't dream of going in unskilled to a Rama or Keycult build. If I mess this one up somehow, its not the end of the world.
Meta Threads hoodie looking slick. Brian's fashion game is the best in the tech YT world. Keep crushing it dude, you're the one of two tech YT'ers I watch.
I love your videos and reviews! I also can’t wait for my DROP + MITO LASER ALT HIGH-PROFILE KEYBOARD to reach me in the coming few days 😍😍
I love my alt. I am driving an Ergodox infinity and soon a drop plank. For the price the drop options are really a god deal.
Those Box Jades sound amazing. You’ve definitely strengthened my conviction that they are the switch for me. Can’t wait to buy my own. 🤤
I have a HP ALT and I can honestly say that it is worth EVERY penny. I've owned big box boards and this is by far my favorite. Trust this man!
I can't speak on the plastic GK61 but my first board was a bare bones aluminum GK61. I think i picked it up for roughly $90 on banggood. Put some lubed Creams and a GMK set on it, in all honesty for the price it did blow me away. For reference I also have a low profile ALT with lubed Gateron Yellow Inks in it. Gotta be honest, I do recommend both boards. Good prices and hot swap is king.
Hey Brian, I started in the opposite side of the spectrum.
I got the KBD75v2 first, before getting my hands on a Drop CTRL.
I ended up using the CTRL for daily and general use, and the KBD75v2 as my display piece. Only using it when I feel like using it.
I love both keyboards for sure. I'm waiting on my CTRL High Profile to arrive so I can test that one out.
I ordered my drop ctrl high profile and some Cream switches last week. Can’t wait till they come in! 😍
I really enjoyed the look and feel of my high profile alt. However, many of the keys had ghosting issues and a few of them stopped working completely (my #4 key and the delete key). As you say though Drop is accepting my return which I was surprised to see since they historically don't do that. I'm worried about ordering another due to finding other people with the same issue so it seems to be a gamble.
I've had my CTRL for a bit over half a year now and I've been experiencing issues with it too. The stabilizers are pretty subpar and the keys have an audible metallic 'ding' to them on the upstroke, probably due to the aluminum body frame (non-high profile). Then recently, keychatter started to occur on numerous keys to the point where I couldn't handle it anymore and had to return it for a refund.
Quality control does seem like an issue with these keyboards based on what I've read. A bunch of others who have had these for a while have experienced problems over time, which is why I suspect they began accepting returns past the normal deadline. Really hope these issues are fixed for a future version since they look and feel great and the functionality is nice.
You convinced me to buy an ALT, now waiting for it to arrive. Thanks a lot dude
Honestly, can you release an alarm clock sound "Ready? Let's Gooo" cause that's the energy I need in my day
Awesome Video Brian!
I like the alt.. But I absolutely love the CTRL!
Completely agree that at its price and feature set, the ALT is the best 65% keyboard. Anything more expensive to me personally turns a keyboard into a hobby build.
This video explains my entry to keebs. Ordered the HP barebones. Glad to see this 1 year later video agrees with my thought process haha
Same. I’ve been waffling on whether to pull the trigger and doing research, but knowing the value stands up a year later with new entries on the market was the deciding factor.
I love the aesthetics of Drop’s keyboards and figured even if I never went deeper into the hobby, I’ll have a solid board that I can customize to a degree whenever I want.
I use a GK61 PCB with metal casing and plate, sound dampened, box jades, high quality PBT key caps and cherry stabs clipped and lubed. This board sounds amazing
Finally, a review that keeps it real. Thank you! You have my sub :)