CannonKeys is a mainstay in the custom mechanical keyboard community. It’s a one-stop shop for everything you need to complete your keyboard build, including in-stock keycaps, switches, accessories, and even complete keyboard kits. It recently launched its latest in-stock kit, the Brutal V2 1800, a compact full-size layout keyboard that’s perfect for both work and gaming. Especially if you need a lot of keys.
CannonKeys was kind enough to send over two kits (the second on loan), as well as switches and keycaps, to give us the full build experience. It also provided a selection of plates, gaskets, and other accessories to really dig into how much of a transformer the Brutal V2 1800 actually is. At $400, it doesn’t come cheap, but the designers at CannonKeys have delivered what may just be the best 1800 layout keyboard kit available today. And thanks to all of those options, you can tailor both its sound and feel to your personal preference. If you’re looking to get into the custom keyboard hobby and want to get everything you’ll need all in one go, this is an excellent choice.
Specifications
- Current Price: $390 (CannonKeys)
- Layout: 1800 (96%, Compact Full-size)
- Case Colors: Black, Grey, Navy, Purple, Green
- Mounting style: Single-sided gasket mount
- Case features: Internal screws, internal weights
- Case material: High-grade aluminum, CNC
- Case finish/color: Anodized case, two-tone color with silver bottom
- Weight material: Zinc, cast
- Low front profile: 17mm (0.67in) height
- Dimensions: 390 x 137 x 32mm (12.7 x 4.5 x 1.3in)
- Unbuilt Weight: Aprx 1.74kg
- Typing angle: 6.5°
- USB: Type-C, via Unified Daughterboard
- PCBs: Solder and hotswap options available
- Plates: Standard aluminum plate, additional plate material options available
- What's in the Box:
- Keyboard case: Brutal V2 1800 in aluminum (CNC), three internal zinc weights (cast)
- Keyboard color: Two-tone with silver bottom
- Plate: Aluminum
- PCB: Brutal V2 1800 hotswap PCB or Solder PCB, Unified Daughterboard and JST cable included
- Gaskets: Poron gaskets
- Plate foam: 1 Poron sheet (3mm thickness)
- Case foam: 2 Poron sheets (1.5mm thickness)
- Custom carrying case: CannonKeys carrying case with custom cut hard foam.
- Hardware: 2 Torx keys, bumpons (replacements can be purchased here).
CannonKeys Brutal V2 1800 - What Is It?
CannonKeys has a mission: offer everything new keyboard builders will need to join the hobby in-stock and ready to ship. That’s the ethos behind its Brutalist line of keyboards and the wider storefront, lowering the barrier to entry and removing the guesswork from your first build. At the same time, just because you may be building your first keyboard, that doesn’t mean you should have to cut corners. The Brutalist keyboards and in-stock keycaps tend to be a bit more expensive than the starter sets you’ll find elsewhere. But they’re high quality, built well, and if you believe in an end-game, could be the first and last mechanical keyboard you’ll ever need to buy.
The Brutalist V2 1800 is the second in the company’s Brutal V2 line-up. The first, the Brutal V2 65%, kicked off this new line of keyboards and a new generation of in-stock DIY kits. Designed by Ai03, the designer of the popular Polaris and Vega custom mechanical keyboards, they’re inspired by CannonKeys’ original Brutalist line-up, but are engineered to deliver modernized and improved typing experiences and enhanced acoustics.
The Brutal V2 1800 takes what Ai03 started with the Brutal 65% and applies it to the larger 1800 layout. Like most premium custom mechanical keyboards, it uses a full CNC-milled aluminum case that comes together in two halves. It uses a bottom-sided gasket mount structure for clean, isolated keystroke sounds but the uniformity of a top-mount design. There are no visible screws, so the aesthetic is uniform and unmarred by fasteners.
From the top, the design appears very simple but there’s something quite elegant about its minimalism. The case is available in five colors — black, grey, navy, purple, and green — and the bottom is silver. The contrast is gorgeous. I was sent the blue version and the combination looks great from the back or sides. Flip it over and there is a simple CannonKeys logo. No flashy weight (there are multiple zinc weights inside the case instead). Some people may find the design too simple but the emphasis on contrast works so well, I don’t miss the extra flourishes found on other kits.
By default, each kit comes with the basics of what you’ll need to get up and running (sans switches, stabilizers, and keycaps, which are typically not included with custom keyboard kits). In the box, you’ll find everything stored within an excellent CannonKeys carry case, complete with custom-cut hard foam and a large polishing cloth to keep the case safe from damage. In the upper pocket is the PCB (hotswap or soldered, depending on what you chose) and daughterboard, an aluminum plate, Poron gaskets, one layer of plate foam (3mm), and two layers of case foam (1.5mm each), as well as all of the hardware and Torx drivers you’ll need for assembly.
If it’s your first kit, you could pick up some switches, stabilizers, and keycaps and call it a day. But where things get really interesting is when you begin to explore the different customization options CannonKeys offers for the kit. The array of accessories is so varied that it’s entirely possible to build multiple versions of the V2 1800 and have each one feel and sound different than the last. As always, the mechanical keyboard hobby is about preference, and the 1800 lets you dial it in.
One of the most important considerations is the plate you’ll be building with. Harder, more rigid plates offer a stiffer typing experience and a higher-pitched typing sound. Softer, flexible plates deepen the sound and add flex to each keystroke which can be further modified by how much case foam you choose to use. You can choose from six different materials: FR4, aluminum, carbon fiber, polycarbonate, POM plastic, and brass. All but the brass can be purchased as a full plate or a half-plate, which removes the plate around the alpha keys for the most flex (though is best-suited for the solder PCB to keep the switches from wobbling).
CannonKeys also offers you options for additional foams, weights, and gaskets. Every kit comes with Poron gaskets, which are soft and cushiony. If you prefer something firmer but more isolating, you can pick up a set of silicone gaskets. Likewise, you can swap the stock zinc weights for silicone weights, which modifies the sound of the keystrokes. You can buy additional plate and case foams, or if you prefer a more marbly sound to your typing, you can pick up a sheet or Poron PCB foam. This acts similarly to the PE foam mod found on heavy-hitters like the OwLab Mr. Suit.
If you don’t know what to buy, it’s best to research the properties of each, but adding in silicone gaskets, weights, and PCB foam doesn’t add too much to the overall cost and is fun to mix and match to find your preference.
The other part of keyboard building, and one of the most impactful to your overall typing experience, is what switches and keycaps you use. For years in this hobby, and even today, you would be forced to buy your kit from one place and all of your switches, keycaps, and accessories from someplace else. Things would arrive at different times. If there was an issue with any one part, your entire build was put on hold.
CannonKeys solves that by making everything available in one location. It offers a wide array of in-stock switches, keycaps, and stabilizers. It also has all of the accessories you might need, from lubricants to switch openers, paint brushes, films, lubing trays, and more.
For this review, I opted for Wuque Studios Aurora Clear (pre-lubed), Durock V2 stabilizers (which I supplied), and NicePBT Type-6 keycaps. For the second build, CannonKeys provided a set of its own CannonCaps IARA keycaps in CXA profile. CXA is wonderful, a blend between SA spherical keycaps and Cherry height, as well as a rounded front Spacebar for more comfortable typing. They have become some of my absolute favorite keycaps since first trying them last year. They also sent along a set of pre-lubed and filmed Tecsee Chocolate Toffee linear switches for a bit of long-pole clack.
CannonKeys Brutal V2 1800 - Assembly
With two kits to build, I wanted to go in two pretty different directions. My personal preference is for a deep sound and soft, flexible typing experience. I also prefer the marbly, creamy sound Poron foams. So, my first configuration used a full POM plate, WS Aurora switches, plate foam, both case foams, and PCB foam. I did use the Zinc weights to keep the sound a bit more lively, as well as the Poron gaskets for additional flex. For this build, I used the NicePBT Type-6 keycaps. Since this was my “usual” preference, I also used Durock V2 stabilizers, which were holee modded and lubed with Krytox 205g0.
For the second build, I went firmly in the “clack” direction. I used the Tecsee Chocolate Toffee switches for their higher-pitched long-pole bottom out, a carbon fiber plate, silicone gaskets, plate foam, and INSERT FOAMS. The CannonCaps IARA keycaps rounded out the build, adding a nice bit of extra pop. I also used Cherry clip-in stabilizers for this build, lubed with Krytox, as CannonKeys sent along a set for me to try.
I also tried some of the half-plate solutions but since I opted for hotswap PCBs with these keyboards, I didn’t stick with them long-term. They felt stable enough but my concern for long-term reliability and, honestly, “doing it wrong” caused me to swap out.
Assembling the Brutal V2 1800 is surprisingly simple. The first thing, as always, is to test the PCB and make sure that all of the switches work as intended. From there, you lay down PCB foam if you’re using it, and install the stabilizers. With that done, you can add the plate foam and plate, then begin pressing switches into place, supporting the hotswap socket from the back. You’ll also need to add the gaskets to the plate at this point.
With the PCB assembly finished, you can begin working with the case. Start by adding the rubber bumpons to the bottom case so it doesn’t scratch your building surface. When the keyboard is built, the Torx screws holding the two halves in place are hidden behind the keycaps. Disassembled, it’s quite easy to access them and unscrew the handful of screws holding it together. With the top half removed, you can install the daughterboard and one, both, or none of the case foam into the bottom.
Then, it’s really as simple as plugging in the daughterboard to the JST port on the bottom of the PCB, setting the assembly into the bottom half of the case, and then re-fastening both halves of the case. Add keycaps, and you’re done!
Mostly. The keyboard supports VIA, so if you want to change any of the default keymaps, you can easily do so right on the new online tool.
The entire build process, not including preparing switches or stabilizers, takes about 40 minutes. It’s fairly simple and straightforward, but if it’s your first keyboard, CannonKeys has provided a detailed build guide to walk you through each step.
CannonKeys Brutal V2 1800 - The Final Product
I have to admit: I didn’t know what to expect before building the keyboard for myself. The sound profile can change so much depending on how you build it, I found that I really liked how some typing tests sounded but wasn’t a fan of others. Now that I’ve tried it for myself, I can say that typing tests can be a bit deceiving with this keyboard. Just know that it’s very versatile and you can really get it to span the gamut in sound.
Having tried multiple configurations, I have to say that I really enjoy the sound and feel it provides. The single-sided gasket structure isolates keystrokes and “cleans up” the sound, bringing out the acoustics of the switches more like a gasket mount. But without a gasket on the top, it takes on a top-mount-like uniformity across the key set. It’s also fairly flexy, noticeably moving even under normal keystrokes with both foams and more so with one or none.
With my usual build preferences (POM plate, WS Aurora switches, foams), the sound profile is reminiscent of other keyboards, like the Wuque Studio Promise87 which I outfitted identically, but has a unique character that makes it stand out in my collection. It has the deep, thocky sound of a foamy keyboard but there’s a bit more liveliness to the sound even when using all of the foams.
A note on foams: if you prefer this thocky sound signature, I recommend using plate foam, PCB foam, and at least one case foam. PCB foam adds a bit of extra pop that I think brings the keyboard to life in this configuration, but isn’t as sharp or pebble-like as on other keyboards I’ve tried. The effect is there but it’s not as dominant as on the Mr. Suit, for example. But, each layer of foam enhances the space bar in particular. With no foam, it can sound a bit thuddy, but plate and case foam lend it the vigor it needs to sound its best.
In its opposite configuration, it’s a clack machine. The higher-pitched typing sounds are no less pleasant, and I think fans of that style will find a lot to like here. What really surprised me though was just how different the two versions wound up being. Sure, the cases are the same, but in sound and feel, it’s a night and day difference. I called it a transformer in the lead-in to this article and stand by it.
The lesson: research your materials well and choose the accessories that are going to match what sound and feel you like best. The Brutal V2 1800 can do it, whether that’s deep, flexy, and thocky or rich, firm, and clacky.
For this review, I recorded typing samples with my preferred configuration (POM plate, Wuque Aurora Clears (Stock), Durock V2 stabilizers) as well as what I tried to aim as its polar opposite: a carbon fiber half plate with Chocolate Toffee Linears (hand lubed courtesy of Mark at Cannon Keys — thank you!), and Cherry Clip-In stabilizers, clipped and lubed with Krytox 205g0.
Have a listen and check out the major flex on the half plate!
With those two configurations, you can hear how different it can sound. There are even greater differences when you opt for tactile switches or firmer plates. It’s really, really versatile, which is exactly what you want to see at this price point. I would suggest that anyone considering a half-plate build also consider a solder PCB. The half plate worked well enough with the hot-swap PCB, but the switches could definitely wobble out of place if pressed at an angle, like when you’re inserting switches. This can also happen in normal use if you’re not careful. It works with hot-swap, which is what matters, but for added stability, soldering is the way to go.
With all of that said, the custom keyboard hobby is incredibly competitive. $400 is a lot of money for a barebones kit, and I’d love to see CannonKeys lower the price to make it accessible to more people. And while the Brutal V2 is very versatile, there are areas where people will subjectively take issue with it: the flex is there but isn’t deep; using the foams can feel necessary if you like the currently in vogue thocky sound signature; PCB foam is a paid extra; from the top down, it really is a simple, rectangular design. But while none of these are wrong, they don’t matter to everyone, so you have to decide what matters to you and if it matches up with the kit’s current asking price.
Final Thoughts
The Brutal V2 1800 really took me by surprise. At $400, my gut reaction was that it was expensive and had something to prove. But, you know what? It does. Properly configured, it offers a typing experience that competes with group buy keyboards you’re forced to buy on faith and then wait months to be delivered. Not here. If you like its minimalist aesthetic and can’t live without a numpad, this is a genuinely great option that offers a ton of versatility and is in stock now. This kind of kit won’t be for everybody, but if you’re looking for a one-stop-shop solution that’s based in the United States, has fast delivery, and can get you everything you need to build a great keyboard with available customer support, CannonKeys and the Brutal V2 1800 are an excellent option.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
