Fresh off the back of reviewing the KiiBOOM Phantom 98 Lite Keyboard I got straight into another very aesthetically pleasing KiiBOOM product. That product? The KiiBOOM Phantom 81 V4 keyboard! Swapping cutesy pink for a sleek black let’s get into the key(board) points of this review.
Functional Artistry
Those are the words KiiBOOM themselves use to describe this keyboard, and I’ve got to say, aesthetically I agree. This looks like an expensive piece of hardware, and yet the price point is not too high at £150. I’m a huge fan of my KiiBOOM Phantom 81 Lite so let’s see if it’s big brother can live up it’s reputation.
Design
This keyboard is effortlessly cool, at least in this black colourway. The gold accents combined with the gold character semi-transparent keycaps and the KiiBOOM crystal switches, all work together seamlessly to make the Phantom 81 V4 very sleek. Even without any RGB turned on! The gasket mounted structure of the keyboard has internal dampening foams which is a fancy way of saying this keyboard gives a delightful creamy/thocky sound when typing. Which I am a big fan of, as regular readers will know. The keys are cherry profile which is good news for those long typing sessions when reports are due in!
The Phantom 81 V4 and the Phantom 81 Lite are about the same size (32.5cm length and 14.8cm wide) although weight is a completely different ball game. Thanks to it’s premium acrylic case combined with the surround base lighting and metal nameplate on it’s base, the Phantom 81 V4 weighs in at 1.5kg. Which is 565g heavier than the Phantom 81 Lite!
Let’s take a little moment for the RGB. Yes, there are a lot of combinations and in all the rainbow of colours you could ever want. But there is something so much more special than flashy rainbows here. If you select a warm orange colour for your RGB, the keyboard almost transforms. It goes from being a cool sleek black keyboard, to looking almost wooden like. When using it in a dimly lit room, it truly looks as though this a beautifully lit up wooden keyboard. This was undoubtedly one of my favourite things about it.
Features
Let’s start with the layout, because this is one of the first things you’ll notice when using the Phantom 81 V4. This is an 81-key, 75% layout, meaning you’re getting a compact keyboard without losing those important keys. There’s no numpad here but you still get the arrow keys, function row and essential navigation keys. Great news if you’re working with a smaller desk or just prefer a more minimalist setup. There’s also a metal rotary knob tucked away in the top-right corner, which gives you easy one-finger control.
The Phantom 81 V4 has three ways to connect, so you can go wired via USB-C, use the 2.4GHz wireless dongle or connect over Bluetooth 5.0. The 2.4GHz option has a 1000Hz polling rate, so it’s the one to go for if you’re gaming and want that nice, speedy connection. Bluetooth can also pair with up to three devices at once, which is super handy if, like me, you’re constantly swapping between devices. Then there’s the rather chunky 8000mAh battery. With the RGB on, you’ll get around 84 hours of use, while turning it off bumps that up to around 180 hours. That’s a pretty decent amount of battery life and means you won’t constantly be hunting around for that USB-C cable.
Of course, customisation is another big part of any mechanical keyboard and the Phantom 81 V4 gives you plenty of options. Using the KiiBOOM driver, you can remap keys, create macros and customise the RGB lighting. It also features a hot-swappable PCB, meaning you can easily swap switches without any soldering. Whether you prefer linear, tactile or clicky switches, you can experiment until you find the feel that works for you.
Final Thoughts
There isn’t much left to be said that I haven’t already typed. From the design, to the thocky sound. From the features to the sturdy stainless steel base. The KiiBOOM Phantom 81 V4 is exquisite. If you’re after a 75% mechanical keyboard that looks as good as it uses, this is the one for you.
The KiiBOOM Phantom 81 V4 gets a Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Disclaimer: A product was received in order to write this review.
