The KBD67 Lite is an excellent entry-level build kit offering incredible value at $109
The KBD67 Lite Round 2 group buy ran from 10 March to 10 April on KBDfans. My package arrived on 16 July so the waiting time was around three months. Even though I paid an arm and a leg for shipping and import fees (welp!), the price of $109 is very reasonable and this is one of the most compelling options in the entry-level market. This board makes use of the popular gasket-mount, featuring an ABS plastic case, polycarbonate plate and hot-swap PCB. The R2 version does not come preassembled, which is preferable for me as I would disassemble it anyways. The build kit ships in a sleek-looking carrying case with all the goodies inside.
Some noteworthy changes from the R1 include a bigger variety of case colours, with the addition of gray & white, transparent tiffany and pink. The R2 features a wired and bluetooth dual-mode version, and there are a few differences between the two PCBs, most notably the bluetooth version does not have RGB. Instead of a CNC’ed PC plate, the R2 comes with an injection molding plate, and the Cherry screw-in stabs have been replaced by the KBDfans screw-ins.
I will initially use my Gateron Black Ink v2s on this board. These are lubed with Krytox 205g2 and spring-swapped. I do have some exciting switches on the way, namely the Durock Lavenders and Alpaca Linears, so I’ll definitely be trying those in the coming weeks. The Akko Silent keycap set should complement the white case nicely, and we’re going for an elegant and understated look.
I was torn between the white and transparent case options, but eventually decided on white. This is a two-piece ABS case that is held together with 8 screws from the bottom. The case is really easy on the eye with rounded corners and thin bezels. It features a blocker in the bottom-right corner with some KBDfans branding on the underside. I’m very impressed with the build quality and aesthetics of the case.
The gaskets are actually built into the silicone sheet, so you don’t have to stick any material on the case. There are also 8 silicone bumpers that need to be inserted in the top piece of the case.
This is the KBD67 MKII v3 PCB, featuring per-key RGB and Kailh hot-swap sockets, so you have compatibility with any MX style switch. The PCB has a south-facing configuration with support for 5-pin switches.
Assembly is very straightforward. We start by installing the KBDfans screw-in stabs. There is some sound-dampening material that you can optionally use, or you can apply your own band-aid or Holee mod. It isn’t necessary to clip these stabs as the stems have a flat surface. I lubed the housing and applied dielectric grease to the wires. Then we prepare our assembly, which consists of the PCB, mute silicone and polycarbonate plate, held together by nine screws from the bottom of the PCB. Once finished, we can disassemble the case to insert our assembly. Don’t forget the silicone bumpers!
I was really pleased with the end result and for $109 this is incredible value. The Akko Silent keycap set creates a beautiful understated aesthetic. On top of the attractive exterior, this keyboard sounds amazingly thocky and bassy. The typing actually feels quite firm for a gasket-mount, but the polycarbonate plate is really soft and forgiving. I got terrific results with my Black Inks and NK Creams, and was especially impressed by the sound profile of the Creams on the PC plate. The KBDfans stabilisers were actually decent, and with some tuning they were rattle-free. Definitely a step up from the GMMK Pro’s GOAT stabs. I had Durock v2 as a backup option, but won’t be needing those.
The KBD67 MKII V3 PCB has QMK and VIA support. You simply follow the flashing manual to get VIA up and running. I went for my usual keymap, replacing Caps Lock with Delete. Then I like to have a dedicated Home and End key, as well as volume controls. The default keymap doesn’t have an MO key, so you’ll have to assign MO1 on Layer 0. This acts as your Fn key. The default Layer 1 has the F-row, RGB controls, Nav cluster and Media functions. All I added here was a Play/Pause mapping, as that was missing for some reason.
In summary, the KBD67 Lite is an excellent entry-level build kit offering incredible value at $109. It makes a really strong case among competitors like the NK65 and GMMK Pro. I might even jump on the R3 GB to grab that transparent case!
headtr1p 