The nice people at KiiBOOM have sent me something pretty exciting. Back in March 2023, I was lucky enough to review the KiiBOOM Phantom 81, which I called “the fanciest, glitziest, most chic, stylish, and high-class-looking keyboard I have ever laid my grubby, biro-ink-stained hands upon”. Now, KiiBOOM have sent me another stunning keyboard, but this one is a bit more understated. That said, the Loop 65 is so brand new that, as I sit typing this review on it, the keyboard is not even officially out yet.
The Loop 65 is a 66 key / 65% keyboard. It has an ANSI layout, and is compatible with Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. It connects wired via USB-C, or wirelessly via 2.4G wireless or Bluetooth. Upto 3 Bluetooth devices can be stored and easily switched between using Fn+Q/W/E.
It also has a polished aluminium Vol knob (push/click to mute/unmute), but it doesn’t have a designated Del key. If you’ve read my reviews previously, you’ll know that that’s one thumbs up from me for the Vol knob, but one thumbs down for the lack of a Del.
The Loop 65 has a very decently sized 4000mAh onboard battery. Fn lights up red if the battery needs charging, and you’re looking at 100ish hours of continuous use with the backlights on once fully charged.
The Loop 65 comes in a choice of Rose Gold / Pink or Black / Grey colourways. I got the Black / Grey, which is simple but very, very stylish looking. The PBT gradient keycaps have bold white characters and look and feel great.
Because the Loop 65 isn’t even officially out yet, I don’t know what the full range of switch options will be for buyers. My board came loaded with KiiBOOM’s own Matcha Latte linears though. These feel lovely, but I would have liked to try the board with something a bit louder/heavier in order to really put the gasket mounting and five layers of padding the Loop 65 boasts to the test.
The Loop 65 ‘s switches are hot-swappable, meaning that they can be easily swapped out with no need for soldering or unnecessary messing about. I’ve stopped short of rummaging around to see if I have 66 switches going spare anywhere though.
The Loop 65 has a solid aluminium backplate, two aluminium side panels, and two contrasting colour aluminium front panels which fit together in a very aesthetically pleasing way.
The Loop 65 weighs just a little over 1.4 kg on my kitchen scales, so it’s a heavy-duty board despite its compact size. Not really surprising considering that there’s little to no plastic here: this is aluminium all the way. Four little rounded silicone feet give the board an extra bit of non-slip stability, but being able to adjust the typing angle with some flip-down feet would have been a nice little extra touch for me.
The Loop 65 has south-facing RGB LED backlights, with all the usual wonderful presets. Now, here’s where I’d usually be telling you that there are lots of extra customisation options (including Macros) available via KiiBOOM’s own software, but that is not the case here.
Unlock the full potential of your KiiBOOM Loop65 with QMK and VIA firmware, which offer an unmatched level of customization. KiiBOOM Loop 65 supports the open-source community, and have updated the code of Loop 65 on the GitHub. Thanks to the open-source codes and the compatibility of QMK/VIA, you can create complex macros, shortcuts, and lighting effects tailored to your workflow or gaming needs.
QMK (Quantum Mechanical Keyboard) is an open source community centered around developing computer input devices. The community encompasses all sorts of input devices, such as keyboards, mice, and MIDI devices.
VIA is an app which works with QMK. The Loop 65 is configurable using VIA, but the cool thing is that you can use a version of the app online without downloading anything. That is, so long as you open VIA in Chrome, Edge, or Opera (other browsers will be supported in the future).
Keeb.io has an excellent guide to the uses and purposes of both QMK and VIA
Beyond all the technical stuff, the Loop 65 is fundamentally a very, very nice and well-put-together keyboard. In many ways it’s like a super deluxe version of the EK68, which is already one of my favourite boards. The Loop 65 is a serious piece of kit, and its weight means that it’s probably going to be more of a stay-at-the-office keyboard, rather than a take-anywhere one, but that’s fine. Barring a couple of little details (the lack of a Del key and the lack of flip-out feet to adjust the typing angle) it’s hard to find fault with the Loop 65. It feels like a keyboard that a lot of writers and programmers will – and should – be very keen to get their hands on when it’s released.
