Drop Signature Series Islay Night hands-on: A $349, arrow-free keyboard

Enlarge (credit: Scharon Harding)

Custom-made mechanical keyboards are distinctive. The keycaps are often a selection of different colors, shapes, and heights. The owner swears the mechanical switches are something special, and they're all housed in a nice chassis, topped off with the perfect level of stabilizers, lubrication, and sound dampeners.

Drop, which sells parts to keyboard enthusiasts, knows that not everyone has the time, patience, and skill to create their perfect board. Its line of prebuilt keyboards-from the $500 Paragon Series to the more attainable Expression Series and, in the middle ground, Signature Series-seek to give customers that hand-assembled custom keyboard experience without requiring any DIY know-how.

The Drop Signature Series Islay Night keyboard is arguably the most unique option among the seven added to the series last week because it's a "60 percent keyboard"-no function row, no numpad, and no arrow keys. That makes it a non-starter for many consumers, and the board's $349 price tag will get it kicked off even more buyers' lists. But if you're willing to splurge on a tiny keyboard, the Islay Night is a premium way to take part in hot mechanical keyboard trends like hybrid switches and diffused RGB without having to do any building. And you get to pay subtle tribute to Scotland as well.

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