Drop Mech Keys Meetup Recap - Thanks for Visiting!
As you may have seen, we just hosted our first meetup in quite a while here at Drop HQ (Corsair HQ, but they seem to like us enough :) )! It was a blast to get to meet so many enthusiasts local to the bay area—it had been 10 years since I was last hanging out with keyboard nerds in the bay, at KeyCon 2014. We had a great time hosting everyone at the offices, checking out all the very nice boards y'all brought, and sharing some of our own projects/spaces! I knew it would be fun to host in the Game Room when I first saw it in person, but seeing it come to fruition was still so cool. Alright, I'll stop blabbering on now. xD Picture time! (Oh, real quick - there will be more of these! Stay tuned for more info and to catch the next one!)
May 15, 2024
There is no 1.75 R2 key, and no 1.25 R3 key, so my 40% keyboard can't use these (the 1.75 R2 key is used by Minivan keyboards, and the 1.25 R3 key is used by the majority of 40% keyboard layouts).
Also, my 60% Ortholinear keyboard cannot use these (basically a Planck layout, with F1-F12 keys above, and a Numberpad to the side). The missing R3 Tab key is a minor inconvenience, but the biggest problem is that I have to spend $46 on the normal "Mods" pack just to get the F5-F8 keys.
I totally understand the predicament of having to support a limited number of keyboards, due to having a limited number of molds. However, just 3 points I'd like to try to make:
- You are missing support for nearly every single staggered 40% keyboard layout by omitting about 1-2 keys. - The F5-F8 keys should be included in the Base pack. Not only are there keyboards that use F1-F12 keys, but do not use standard modifiers. Also for aesthetic reasons. Not everyone likes the 2-tone look. - Symbol modifiers would solve alot of other support problems. Some people are totally turned away when they can't find correctly labelled keycaps.
My thinking is that I don't need 2 sets of number keys on such a small keyboard. However, I do have macro to switch the F1-F12 keys to swap them for a traditional number row. I figured I'd do that for gaming.
Also, you mentioned the sculpture of the R0 vs R1, for me I actually prefer that the sculpture is "off". because it makes it harder to accidentally press an F-key. I'm currently using Cherry profile keycaps on this keyboard, and the F-keys are just tall enough to remind me that they are the wrong keys when I reach for a number key.
If I was buying a set like this, I would prefer that the sculpture be correct (if I can be so picky), simply for aesthetic reasons.