Having spent some time with a variety of PC peripherals over the last year, I was intrigued when KiiBOOM reached out regarding their Phantom81 Lite mechanical keyboard. It feels as though there are far more PC gaming accessory companies than there were even just a couple of years ago, so I truly had no idea what to expect. Now, after a couple of months with the Phantom81 Lite, I have to say that yet another company has impressed me in the space.
Similar to the Epomaker keyboard I reviewed earlier this year, KiiBOOM makes a point of calling out the details that go into their keyboard along with the results. Officially framed as “Featuring a gasket-mounted structure with various damping materials like latex sandwich foam, ixpe switch pad, PET sound dampening film, bottom foam, and bottom silicone, ensures rigidity and flexibility, the Phantom98 Lite gasket keyboard provides a creamy typing foundation for mechanical switch enthusiasts”, it’s clear KiiBOOM is focused on both feel and sound with their mechanical offerings.
Typing on it, clearly the design pays off. As I’ve described previously, mechanical keyboards were known for a “clackety clack” sound for a long time, but similar to other, more modern offerings, the Phantom81 Lite has more of a soft, “thockety thock” sound that I appreciate. While calling it “creamy” feels odd to me, beyond the sound, the device itself simply feels of high-quality.
Lifting it out of the box, the first thing you’d notice is the weight. Said to be about 935 grams, it feels more substantial than any standard keyboard you’re likely used to. The front edge is higher, and so a wrist support is almost a requirement. And, given the weight, it’s certainly something that should be considered if you plan to use this with a lot of travel in mind.
Connectivity and customization options are always a points of focus with modern PC devices, and KiiBOOM understood the assignment. The Phantom81 Lite is very flexible. It connects over 2.4GHz, Bluetooth 5.0, or a USB-C cable, and it can remember up to five devices. For gaming, naturally you’d want the wired or 2.4GHz modes, which poll at 1000Hz with a few milliseconds of latency (with Bluetooth dropping to 125Hz). QMK and VIA support lets you remap keys, record macros, and tune the lighting. Additionally, every switch is hot-swappable, so you can change the look and feel with ease. Particularly with the clear model they sent me, the south-facing RGB is vivid and has plenty of options
I typically play on my PC with my keyboard wired but I also experimented with the Bluetooth and 2.4GHz options on both my desktop PC and my gaming laptop. I had no issues, and what I’ve come to really love about these modern PC accessories is the versatility they provide. Other than that, the Phantom81 Lite feels solid and performed well, though that hardly makes it unique in the gaming space nowadays.
At $105.99 alongside shipping from China and potential import fees, it sits at the high-end for a tri-mode, gasket-style 75% keyboard without necessarily separating itself by any distinguishing feature. That said, typically you can find it for less than that (as of this writing it’s on sale for $84.79) which makes it more reasonable and still a good deal better than your standard keyboard sitting in the $60-$80 range.
With so many competing options on the market nowadays, it’s tough to outright recommend the Phantom81 Lite. Not because it doesn’t perform well with a wealth of options for customization. Rather, because the best option is likely the one that fits your needs and design preferences out of the box. Whether or not KiiBOOM has a model like that for you is the question. What I can say, however, is that the Phantom81 Lite is a solid option with good build quality and a pleasing feel. So if you’re in the market, add KiiBOOM to your list for consideration.
