Well, we’re into the month of December, and temperatures are beginning to get close to freezing here in old England-land. What I’ve decided to do, in lieu of the cold weather, is take the time indoors to review some more keyboards, although this time with a focus on smaller choices that are rather interesting. Yes, I really am a nerd.
Nonetheless, here are three options and a fun wildcard for you to consider, ranging from a seriously customisable 65 percent choice to a ‘board with my favourite layout and some interesting changes and another 65 percent option which revives an important custom option from a decade ago.
Drop CSTM65 review: An SFF option with a hot-swappable case
Buy:
$99 at Drop (usually $129)
First up is the Drop CSTM65, whose name explains pretty much exactly what this ‘board is all about – a custom 65 percent choice. It offers the benefit of a smaller form factor layout for both providing more desk space and being on trend, while also coming with the fun of a hot-swappable plastic top case. That’s right – the CSTM65’s top housing can be replaced simply by taking the case off by lifting upwards to reveal the metal innards beneath. With my sample, Drop sent the keyboard in black, and provided the Overgrowth decorative case to go with it ($35) which can be swapped on in a matter of seconds. It completely changes the look of the keyboard, and is an ingenious and cost-effective way of giving your setup a new look without dropping a lot more on a new keyboard.