Pros: Astounding Build Quality, Overall Aesthetic, Great-Stock Settings
Cons: Somewhat premium pricing, Quite Challenging to Modify
Price: US$159.00
Intro
Disclaimer: The KiiBOOM Phantom 81 V2 was provided to us at no charge courtesy of KiiBOOM. However, this was done with the understanding that I was to give my honest thoughts and opinions on the keyboard. The KiiBOOM Phantom 81 V2 is available for purchase here should you find yourself interested in one, or feel free to use your links.
Specs
- 82 Keys Hot-swappable
- Acrylic Case
- South-facing RGB LEDs
- USB-C/Bluetooth 5.0/2.4GHz Wireless
- 4000mAh Battery Capacity
- Plate-mounted stabilizers
- Compatible with both Mac OS and Windows
Unboxing the Phantom 81 V2 was a very thrilling one as it is not every day that you get to see a transparent keyboard. The entire keyboard looked gorgeous out of the box on my desk, the premium finish as well as the weight all contributed to this instant rush of endorphins. The keyboard casing is made up of 2 big acrylic parts bounded together by screws at its sides with a cutout to fit the PCB and backplate. I am already impressed with the product because there is no room for poor QC in its interior, everything has to be neat and precise.
Good things first, the Phantom 81 V2 comes with a nice stock set of switches and stabilizers which are likely factory-lubed but yet the entire typing experience felt so good for something that is coming in stock. The keycaps are felt like they are made of a very acrylic-like plastic which blends in well with the entire ensemble. For the price, you get the form factor of popular layouts with an additional analog rotary wheel as well as a very solid stock build that I don’t see much left for me to modify/upgrade.
Downsides are pretty obvious with the Phantom 81 V2, it will be slightly trickier when looking for replacement switches if you looking to swap around as the entire ensemble’s appeal is that it looks transparent, and having other colored switches may not be the best combo color-wise. On a similar note, if you are looking for additional tape modifications, the see-through acrylic case surely poses an obvious issue aesthetically. Similarly to some other KiiBoom builds, the board does not come with a riser function that allows for height adjustments for a better typing experience.
RGB side of things, there are 2 elements when it comes to lighting controls: the background RGB options as well as the LEDs lining up around the entire chassis which is pretty neat if you enjoy that extra “glamour”.
I would consider the sound profile of the Phantom 81 V2 to be leaning toward clackiness which is likely due to the chassis build being acrylic and plastic keycaps which will not give that deep thock sound that many would advertise as soothing and desirable. For a stock build, it certainly punches well above its price point with very minimal rattling and the use of good stabs and lubing.
Conclusion
I appreciate that KiiBoom made such a keyboard, giving us normal folks an affordable novelty that would never be possible a few years back and many of us would presume it has to be custom-made from the ground up by professional custom builders like some of the wooden builds. The Phantom 81 V2 came hitting the market with a very impressive value proposition on its stock build and profile that also looks like a gem for display. Do check out other KiiBoom stuff too such as the Moonshadow 81 here!