Kiboom Moonshadow 81 Mechanical Keyboard Review

MMORPG.com Staff Posted: Aug 6, 2023 1:00 PM ET Category: Hardware Reviews 0

Article by Myles Goldman

Mechanical keyboard kits have blown up in popularity in recent years. So much so that big companies like Asus ROG are releasing their gasket-mount boards, like the Azoth. Today, we’re talking about the KiiBoom Moonshadow 81- a gasket mount 75% kit with a unique disassembly technique called Mortise-Tenon Technology for $200.

If you’re unaware, like I was when I heard about Mortise and Tenon, it’s an assembly method that connects two objects (typically wood). I am not a woodworker, but I have assembled a bed frame before, which utilizes the strategy.

You might ask yourself, “How does this relate to mechanical keyboards?” On the front of the board, two plastic tabs hold the board’s upper and lower case together. This implementation allows for faster disassembly, which is almost mandatory, but I’ll explain later.

The board’s construction is top-tier; the Moonshadow features an aluminum case, polycarbonate switch plate, case foam, and an external brass weight. The weight is only about 1.5 pounds, (.68 kg), but this is a nice feature that is rarely included in mechanical keyboard kits for this price. Another brass piece can be found at the top right of the board. When unscrewed, you are given the option to add another switch. The tabs that hold the board together are plastic. While they’re not the cheapest plastic, I think metal tabs would be a better move.

The Moonshadow 81 is available in four colors: grey, white, purple, and green. I received the latter. I need to give Kiiboom credit here- most boards are only offered in black or white. I’m not sure what paint they used, but the green looks fantastic and is complimented by the copper-colored accents. I only have two complaints about the case’s design; for some reason, Kiiboom put a battery logo, which I assumed meant Bluetooth, but this board does not feature it. Above the weird battery indicator is a caps lock indicator that is off-centered…

The stabilizers included are PCB screw-in, which is appreciated, but they arrived bone-dry. Speaking of PCB, it features south-facing RGB LEDs for better keycap compatibility and QMK/VIA compatibility.

Unfortunately for me, I was unable to get VIA to recognize the Moonshadow. This is a major flaw for the Moonshadow 81 because one of the things that separates an enthusiast-grade mechanical keyboard from a Best Buy board is customization. When I get a new board, the first keys I assign are media keys. My go-to substitute are the PgUp and PgDn keys for volume control. This was impossible to do due to KiiBoom’s lack of attention to detail when designing the PCB. QMK and VIA have a lot of fun features and, sadly, this board struggles to connect.

The most important question is: “How does it feel to type?” Overall, it feels boring. Bottoming out doesn’t feel stiff like a tray mount, but I feel less flex than most gasket mount boards. If I had to compare the typing feel, i’d say it feels like a tray mount with tiny rubber o-rings between the case and PCB.

After taking the board apart, I noticed this board doesn’t follow your standard gasket-mount approach. Usually, you’ll find foam pieces surrounding the switch plate to keep the board intact inside of the case while providing some flex with each keystroke. This is not the case with the KiiBoom Moonshadow 81. Between the switch plate and PCB is a rubber (feels like silicone), which is not unusual. The unusual part is that the rubber wraps around the bottom of the tabs, resulting in a lackluster attempt at re-engineering the gasket-mount method. Under the PCB you’ll find a sheet of foam that feels like poron. Because the board is already dampened well enough, I removed the foam in hopes it would give the PCB more room to dance. However, it did not.

While the feel could be better, the board sounds excellent. After assembling the board with hand-lubed C3 Equalz X TKC Banana Split switches and Drop DCX keycaps, the board featured a slightly poppy sound profile. Still, I wish KiiBoom used some lube on the stabilizers because they arrived bare.

The KiiBoom Moonshadow 81 is a pretty solid barebones kit and its ease of disassembly is neat, but you still need a screwdriver to separate the plate from the PCB. While the Mortise-Tenon “technology” is cool, it’s a bit useless for this hobby. Mechanical keyboard enthusiasts are constantly taking boards apart and finding new ways to modify them. I wish KiiBoom put more thought into the typing experience rather than how the board should disassemble.

Don’t get me wrong, the Moonshadow 81 is still a decent mechanical keyboard kit, but for $200, I’d rather have the Keychron Q1.

The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.