CannonKeys is no stranger to peculiar mechanical keyboards, like the cutesy bento-themed Minimi40 we covered previously, and one of the company’s upcoming releases stays true to that enthusiast nature. The Bullet Train is another small form factor keyboard, this time opting for a low-profile design and what has become known as the V4N4G0N layout—effectively a 40% layout with half a num row, 1-6, along the top left edge of the keyboard. The Bullet Train is designed to be a compact portable keyboard in a 40% form factor with enthusiast touches and a layout that works for gaming, hence the odd combination of a low-profile design with a num row and an aluminium case. The default plate will be FR4, allegedly for wireless signal integrity, but there will be optional aluminium and PC plates when extras become available.
The Bullet Train will support both wired and wireless connectivity, although the wireless protocol has not yet been confirmed. Given CannonKeys’s affinity for ZMK firmware, it seems likely that the Bullet Train will be limited to Bluetooth for wireless. A wired-only version will also be available with QMK firmware, and both versions will support hot-swap switches and compatibility with Gateron KS-33 (low-profile V2) switches. One of the more interesting aspects of the keyboard is its 0° typing angle, but the split space bar with a 1.25 u middle key is also an unorthodox choice, although almost a necessity for a 40% layout. It will be available in black, dark green, lilac, pink, and silver color options, all off which will be anodized finishes. The Bullet Train will launch as a group buy on February 5, with a starting price of $170 for the wired hot-swap version and $200 for the wireless keyboard. The keyboard will be sold as a DIY kit, meaning users will have to supply both the keycaps and switches, although CannonKeys often offers discounted bundle deals on compatible keycaps and switches when launching keyboards.