Nobody does LOTR licensed peripherals better than Drop, and the latest Rohan keyboard is no exception. These beauts are inspired by the kingdom of horsemasters and named after Riddermark’s two biggest cities. They arrive in both green Aldburg or brown Edoras colourways, and are adorned with minute details Tolkien fans will undoubtedly appreciate.
The firm now has several keyboards to rule them all, including Elvish or Dwarvish flavours, plus a Mordor-inspired addition. This time around, it’s a TKL keyboard and gets Rohan-style text and novelties designed by frequent Drop collaborator and designer OSHETART. These include galloping horses, a cavalry helmet, the beacons of Minas Tirith, and iconography reflective of the culture of Rohan. Doesn’t it make you want to charge into battle?
As for the keyboard, it’s effectively a skinned version of Drop’s popular ENTR keyboards and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The case is made of anodized aluminium, giving the board a premium look and feel. It features Holy Panda X Switches and Drop Phantom Stabilizers, for tactile and silent keystrokes. Plus, it features high-quality, dye-sublimated PBT keycaps that should last quite a while, even for those with sweaty palms.
However, there are a few caveats. For one, the PCB is soldered, meaning it’s not hot-swappable and replacing the switches won’t be easy. The backlit tenkeyless board only features white backlighting, which is bit nit-picky, but RGB backlighting has become a staple even on the most budget-friendly boards. Finally, it’s only available in USB-C wired connectivity.
Drop’s Rohan keyboard is now available for pre-order and arrives March 22. Of course, such jaw-dropping designs attract a premium. The Rohan keyboards cost $150, which is 50% more than a regular ENTR. Is it worth it, do you think?
