I’m always skeptical about PC hardware crossovers with popular culture.
And the Drop + Lord of the Rings collaboration certainly has a decent touch of that feeling about it.
The keycaps are also adorned with various bits of LOTR symbology, too.
Also adding LOTR flair is the custom OSHETART artwork illustrating the Eye of Sauron blazing atop Barad-dur.
One part of the Drop + LOTR Black Speech construction that lets the keyboard down is the LED lighting.
In short, it’s just not good enough.
There is a single color, white, and the brightness level of the LEDs isn’t particularly bright.
Even when cranked up to the max, the lighting is barely noticeable.
And really, just white?
Not some color relating to the keyboard?
Orange or red, at least, for Eye of Sauron?
This seems like an opportunity missed for the Drop + LOTR Black Speech keyboard.
It’s hard not to like the feel of these tactile switches.
However, the Holy Panda X switches sometimes feel a little scratchy, despite being pre-lubed.
As mentioned above, the LOTR-designed MT3 keycaps are nicer to jot down on than I thought.
I had reservations about the height of the keycaps and the depth of the large concave design.
Should You Buy the Drop + LOTR Black Speech Mechanical Keyboard?
Now, whether it delivers nearly 200 bucks worth of value is more difficult to answer.
