If you’re in the market for a budget-friendly custom mechanical keyboard, this will pique your interest. Enter the Bakeneko60, a new 60% keyboard from CannonKeys, a renowned vendor in the custom keyboard scene. Not only is it relatively affordable, it also has an aluminium case and a gasket mounting system.
That’s right, this $130 custom keyboard – that comes up to about RM535 – the Bakeneko offers an aluminium case and an O-ring gasket mounting system. This is similar to the mounting system of the popular TGR x SINGA Unikorn keyboard, which was designed by a couple of Malaysians.
Like most gasket-mounted keyboard, the Bakeneko has a soft, flexible typing feel with a clean, high-pitched sound profile. You can hear for yourself in the sound test of the keyboard in the video above. Aside from that, the Bakeneko uses Cherry clip-in stabilisers as well, which will be more stable than plate-mounted ones; the latter is more commonly used by affordable keyboards.
It’s worth noting that the Bakeneko’s case is made from aluminium alloy using a casting process, which allows CannonKeys to produce a large number of the keyboards quickly. With this in mind, the vendor is able to sell the Bakeneko as an in stock product instead of a pre-order, which usually takes months (up to a year, even) to be fulfilled.
Four colours of the Bakeneko60: White, Black, Aqua, Navy Blue 
However, the casting process also means that the Bakeneko’s case does not take well to anodisation; a process that gives the keyboard its colour and finish. To solve this, CannonKeys decided to have the case painted instead. It may not look or feel as nice as an anodisation process, but it’s a good budget-friendly option to keep the price of the keyboard low.
Other items that are bundled with the Bakeneko include a CannonKeys-branded foam carrying case, an FR4 plate, a hotswap PCB, Cherry clip-in stabilisers, as well as custom silicone feet. Since this is a keyboard kit, the Bakeneko doesn’t come with switches or keycaps – you will need to purchase these two parts separately to complete the keyboard.
Now, even though $130 may seem like a steep price tag for a keyboard – especially when compared to an off-the-shelf keyboard – the CannonKeys Bakeneko60 really does offer incredibly good value for money. You’d be hard pressed to find a similar custom keyboard with an aluminium case and a gasket mounting system with such a clean sound profile.
If you’re keen to grab the Bakeneko, you can do so on CannonKeys’ storefront come 21 April at 2PM EST; that’s 2AM on 22 April for us here in Malaysia.