Few things are as near and dear to me as Lord of the Rings. I can quote Peter Jackson’s film trilogy almost word-for-word and would have a different name altogether if not for my parents’ love for J. R. R. Tolkien’s books and Samwise Gamgee. With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that Drop keyboards inspired by all the corners of Middle Earth have created a longing in me that only Gollum would understand. If you’re anything like me, let us come together as a fellowship to appreciate this keeb and its caps.
Drop has been putting together Lord of the Rings keyboards for the past several years now, expanding on its original offerings with new designs. In that time, the manufacturer has also put together several artisan keycaps (with holders) and desk mats, adding to the small patch of Middle Earth in your setup. Admittedly, I didn’t realise just how much larger the line-up had become, but seeing the company’s Computex display has certainly has me looking down at my desk, mulling the question: “What about second keyboard?”
While the Lord of the Rings Black Speech keyboard shown above is delightfully dark in its own right, the resin-encased visage of Sauron on the wrist rest greatly elevates the overall presentation. Of course, having the eye(s) of Melkor’s lieutenant gaze up at you from the accompanying desk mat and artisan keycaps further unsettles and immerses you in a dark corner of the land of Mordor where the shadows lie.
If you’re less an orc at heart, Drop has other Lord of the Rings designs that should please man, elf, and dwarf alike. Personally, I’m quite taken with the brand’s Rohan keyboard and would love to pair it with the beautiful Barrowfield desk mat. Still, I hope Gondor and Hobbit inspired options are forthcoming, if only to find that charming Gandalf artisan keycap a fitting home.
Underneath all that Third Age splendour, you’ll find an anodised aluminium ENTR case populated by PBT keycaps pushing down on Holy Panda X switches. Drop also sells colour-matched YC8 connectors, allowing the detachable USB Type-C connector to amp up the aesthetic appeal. These Lord of the Rings keyboards are only available in TKL and 60% sizes, though, which could be a deal breaker if you can’t bear to be without a numpad.
Price may prove another obstacle in picking up these Drop Lord of the Rings keyboards too. For a set of full keycaps and case customisation, we’re talking $199, with artisan keycaps costing a further $65 a pop. While this thankfully doesn’t amount to a dragon’s hoards worth of gold, it is still inarguably expensive. Still, bespoke boards usually carry this kind of cost.
You’ll find the full suite of Lord of the Rings keyboards and more over on the Drop website.
For more Computex discoveries and news, check out our look at the Corsair Custom Lab which promises to deliver pretty peripherals for a price. We’ve also seen the new Corsair Xeneon 34WQHD240-C in the flesh, and even taken it for a spin on the company’s new racing sim rig due later this year.