The KiiBOOM Phantom 98 is an excellent all-around gaming keyboard. Even if you’re not a gamer, the Phantom 98 will look absolutely stunning on your desk.
Look, I know that mechanical keyboards emphasize function over form, but why not try something new? Why not use a keyboard that looks stunning while also allowing you to accomplish everything you need accomplished on your computer?
KiiBOOM’s lineup of keyboards are quite well-designed, each utilizing a unique aesthetic that is sure to turn heads. Unlike the likes of Turtle Beach, RAZER, or Corsair, the prebuilt keyboards from KiiBOOM emphasize a greater variety of switches, keyboard configurations, and hot-swappability that mechanical keyboard fans prefer. Despite not being a gaming-first keyboard manufacturer, their keyboards have been great for most gaming in my own testing.
I’ve spent a bit of time using KiiBOOM’s Phantom 81 (V2 and V3). It’s a marvelously designed keyboard that looks like a crystal-clear piece of technology on my desk. When it’s lit up, the device shines like none other keyboard I’ve tested. The Phantom line of keyboards utilizes a crystal-clear aesthetic thanks to its acrylic case, clear keycaps, and brilliantly bright LEDs in the case (like any other keyboard) as well as along the rim of the case. The Phantom 98 is the largest keyboard in the Phantom lineup, featuring the traditional clear aesthetic, metallic knob, and an expanded 98-key layout for you keyboard fans who want a full number pad on the right of the keyboard.
The Phantom 98 comes in several variants: Clear, Pink, Purple, Blue, and Black. I was sent the Black model, which utilizes a translucent black instead of a matte black one would expect from a typical black color. With the lights on, I can see everything from the individual LEDs underneath each switch, the black PCB underneath the keyboard, along with other internal components found on a mechanical keyboard. Compared to the Clear color I reviewed on the Phantom 81 (which is smaller than this keyboard), the black color offers muted splashes of color. If you owned the original transparent Game Boy Pocket back in the 90s, the Black Phantom 98 will look quite familiar.
I cannot stress this enough: The Phantom 98 is a stunner of a mechanical keyboard. Click here to check out the Phantom 98 on KiiBOOM’s website! (Non-affiliated URL)
Thanks to the acrylic construction, the Phantom 98 feels solidly built. While it’s not as heavy as an aluminum keyboard (like KiiBOOM’s own LOOP75), it’s still a hunk of acrylic that doesn’t budge once it’s placed on one’s desk. Compared to its smaller counterpart, the Phantom 98 is larger, too. Throughout my testing, the Phantom 98 held up impressively well even when I was playing higher-intensity games. When pressing firmly down on the keyboard, there’s the slightest bit of give but not enough to worry about.
Inside of the keyboard is an upgraded PC (Polycarbonate) plate that has been designed to complement the gasket mounting structure. PC plates tend to produce a softer and appealing sound profile than the likes of metal plates. PC tends to also be more flexible, which could be part of the slight give when I press down on the keyboard. I prefer gasket mounting over top, tray, bottom, and sandwich mounting because of its stability and effectiveness in absorbing sounds. I type quickly when playing video games and working, so anything that can absorb sound is valuable in my book.
Keeping up with its crystal clear physique, the Phantom 98 comes with transparent keycaps. The transparent keycaps look excellent on the keyboard and sound great, too. The only issue with them is readability. The Phantom 98’s acrylic black keycaps have yellow legends on them. Some folks who are comfortable typing blindly won’t see this as an issue, but if I’m sitting in the dark I will occasionally make an incorrect input.
Let’s talk about the Phantom 98’s switches. This keyboard has several color variants, and some of those color variants have unique switches. The black, blue, and clear colors come with the KiiBOOM Crystal switch (which is fully transparent, more on this in a moment), the pink comes with the Pink Rose switch, while the purple comes with the Jacaranda switches. I appreciate that all of the switches are linear switches, but I would have preferred a choice in selecting a color and a switch instead of the switches being color-locked to a specific variant.
That said, my model came with the Crystal Switch, which is a decently strong switch with a sensitive degree of pre-travel. The Crystal Switch’s 1.6mm of pre-travel make it an excellent choice for players who don’t want to press all the way down to activate the switch. I personally prefer a 2.0mm, but 1.6mm of pre-travel can be great for FPS titles and other high-intensity games that ask players to make split-second inputs.
I’ve tested the Crystal Switches on the Phantom 81 (V2 and V3) prior to this review period, and they feel and sound great. While they have a small degree of stem wobble, their acoustic profile is a deep and satisfying clack. Thanks to the case’s acrylic construction, using the keyboard can be a loud affair, so don’t plan on taking this into a shared office space. The switches feel smooth and stable, making them a great choice for long gaming sessions or office work.
My only other quibble with the Phantom 98 is that of its metal knob. Compared to other keyboards with knobs, the Phantom 98’s knob feels wobbly, moreso than the switches. When I used it with my Mac and my Windows Desktop, it would increase/decrease the volume in stages of 4 instead of stages of 1. This meant that I had to be careful as to not rotate the knob too far, otherwise my volume would get too loud or low.
To customize the keyboard’s lights and macros, I could use KiiBOOM’s KiiBOOM Driver. It’s the same driver that can be used to customize most of KiiBOOM’s keyboards. It’s straightforward and features a handful of elements like sharing custom light patterns and macros with other KiiBOOM owners. Sadly, there’s no way of customizing the Phantom 98’s side LEDs with the Driver, but you can do just about everything else!
Before I comment on the Phantom 98’s gaming potential, it would be important for me to mention the keyboard’s tri-mode connectivity, battery capacity, and other features that come standard on most prebuilt keyboards these days. This keyboard can be used wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.0, wirelessly via a 2.4GHz dongle, and wired. If using wirelessly, the 8000mAh battery can last several days on a single charge (depending on the light settings and mode).
I tested the Phantom 98 in a variety of games in this review, including but not limited to Star of Providence, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, and Civilization VII. I put this keyboard through its paces across a wide variety of games to assess its potential. That said, the Crystal Switches paired with the full layout of the Phantom 98 made it an excellent choice for most games. On the higher-intensity side of gaming, I felt like the keyboard could easily keep up with my split second inputs in Counter-Strike 2. While the keyboard wasn’t as sensitive as a Hall Effect keyboard, there’s little doubt that most players will excel just fine using this keyboard.
For other games, notably middle- and lower-intensity titles, this keyboard was satisfying to use. The few-and-far-between inputs I was making on Civilization VII and TFT felt satisfying. Playing platformers on this keyboard was just fine, too.
There’s a part of me that wishes that KiiBOOM updates the Phantom 98 to include some of the upgrades of the Phantom 81 V3 – most notably its stability, support columns, elongated footpads, and repositioning the USB port to the middle of the keyboard. The Phantom 98 is stable, sure, but using the 81 V3 next to the 98 feels different in favor of the 81 V3. The 81 V3 has a better grip on my desk and a slightly smoother typing experience.
I digress, I loved typing on the Phantom 98 keyboard. There’s honestly nothing like it.
The KiiBOOM Phantom 98 is an excellent all-around gaming keyboard. Even if you’re not a gamer, the Phantom 98 will look absolutely stunning on your desk.
