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If you’re savvy about mechanical keyboards, you might already be familiar with Drop, the tech startup formerly known as MassDrop. Specializing in both mechanical keyboard parts and enthusiast-level mechanical keyboards (among other consumer tech products), Drop has impressed us before with its budget-friendly Drop ENTR. It now continues the trend of stylish, pre-built mechanical boards with the $150 Drop Expression Keysterine Keyboard.
Positioned as the most accessible option in Drop’s premium Icon collection(Opens in a new window), the Expression features top-shelf parts, gorgeous Keysterine keycaps, and some of the finest key switches on any keyboard. It’s slightly more expensive than one might hope to spend on a feature-light tenkeyless board, but the quality will be worth the price to keyboard connoisseurs.
A Drop-Dead Gorgeous Layout
As a tenkeyless (TKL) keyboard, the Expression Keysterine lacks a dedicated number pad, trimming about 20% of the keyboard’s overall size, to just 87 keys. Typically, users who prefer TKL keyboards enjoy how compact and minimalistic they look, and the Expression Keysterine delivers in spades. The Keysterine keycaps, which come in either Smoke or Clear colors, look gorgeous. Their styling is not as garish (or dare I say, “obnoxious”) as the way caps on some other gaming keyboards appear.
(Credit: Zackery Cuevas)
Measuring 1.19 by 14.06 by 5.09 inches (HWD) and weighing 2 pounds, the Expression Keysterine is exactly the same dimensions as the Drop ENTR—which comes as no surprise since it uses the same chassis. It’s a fine skeleton to share, because in addition to the Black ENTR anodized aluminum case, you’ll also find plate-mounted Cherry-style stabilizers and Holy Panda key switches.
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The switches combine two Drop staples, the Halo Clear and Invyr Panda, into one super switch. The Holy Panda quickly became one of my favorite types of switches, of all those I’ve typed on, providing superb feedback with a satisfying snap in testing. They’re on par with the Razer Huntsman Mini Analog’s Analog Switches.
Flipping the keyboard over reveals the Drop ENTR logo, two slim rubber grips, and two retractable feet that give the keyboard a slight tilt.
(Credit: Zackery Cuevas)
While the build quality is excellent, the keyboard comes with a few omissions. For starters, it is not wireless or Bluetooth-capable—it instead uses a USB Type-A-to-C cord. It’s not a huge loss, but the exclusion is felt, especially if you’re keen to minimize desk clutter. The Keysterine keyboard also makes use of white lighting, which does a good job of backlighting the keyboard even if it somewhat washes out the lettering on the keycaps. The RGB lighting common on gaming keyboards is not found here.
One note: Unlike other Drop keyboards, the keyboard is not “hot-swappable,” which in the keyboard world means you cannot swap out the key switches. But that’s a pretty rare feature to start with. However, it does come with a keycap puller, which should help you with some top-level customization, if you want to swap out the caps.
Customization Options: Just the Basics
With a limited feature set, Drop can afford to ditch customization software, opting instead for a web-based configuration tool(Opens in a new window) to set up key binds and LEDs (where applicable). While the whole process is fairly painless, there’s a bit of a learning curve, more so than with than the customization software you’d find with other gaming keyboards.
(Credit: Zackery Cuevas)
Customizing different profiles for different games is especially cumbersome, although in the keyboard’s defense, it’s not necessarily made with gaming in mind. It is, however, Mac compatible, something Mac users will surely appreciate since many keyboard configuration apps are Windows-only.
(Credit: Zackery Cuevas)
And then there’s the price tag. Given the limited feature set, there are plenty of productivity-focused keyboards with more function for less than $150, like the NZXT Function Mini TKL or the Das Keyboard 4C TKL. You can also spend a few extra dollars on something a little more feature-packed, like the Logitech MX Mechanical Keyboard.
A Finely Crafted Keyboard That’s All About the Feel
The Drop Expression Keysterine Keyboard is a finely crafted keyboard. Drop uses high-quality parts to make a board that is sturdy, compact, and good-looking. But while the Holy Panda key switches are fantastic, the lack of features like wireless functionality, dedicated media keys, or USB passthrough will keep away those looking to spend money on a premium keyboard for productivity, while gamers can find better options elsewhere. And because it’s not hot-swappable, true enthusiasts might be turned away.
So this keyboard occupies a middle ground for enthusiasts curious about mechanical keyboards with perhaps not enough know-how to assemble a board themselves—the equivalent of buying a pre-built PC instead of building your own. The cheaper Drop ENTR might serve as a better entry point, even though it lacks the Holy Panda key switches and some of the Expression Keysterine’s panache. Still, despite its expense, the Drop Expression Keysterine is an excellent tenkeyless board that’ll serve any user well.
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The Drop Expression Keysterine Keyboard comes with a gorgeous compact frame and some of the finest key switches we’ve felt, making it an excellent choice for people who want a refined tenkeyless board with few frills.
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Source link : https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/drop-expression-keysterine-keyboard