Meletrix is back with a new version of its first-ever keyboard, the Zoom65. With a compact, gaming-friendly layout, wireless connectivity, and massively improved acoustics, the Zoom 65 V2 Essential Edition is a big improvement over the original that factors in all of the advancements of Meletrix’s more recent keyboards. Starting at $175, it’s an excellent entry point to the world of custom mechanical keyboards.
Specifications
- Current Price: Starts at $175 (Meletrix)
- Gasket mount design
- 65% Layout
- PCB: 1.2mm, with Ai03 DB
- 6.5° Typing angle
- 20 mm front height
- Finish treatment: electrostatic sprayed, nano coated(GT Silver only)
- Default plate: PC
- Bluetooth PCB polling rate in wired mode: 1000hz
- Bluetooth PCB can be used in wired or wireless mode.
- Weights:
- Essential kit with Alu knob/ weight/Glass Mirror Back Plate: 1.35 kg
- Essential kit with brass knob / PVD SS weight/ Glass Mirror Back Plate: 1.64kg
- Essential kit with Alu knob/ weight/PVD Back Plate: 1.44 kg
- Essential kit with brass knob / PVD SS weight/PVD Back Plate: 1.73 kg
- Internal SS weight: 0.234 kg
- The bottom of all cases is sparkling black, which is covered by the included glass backplate
Meletrix Zoom65 V2 EE - What Is It?
The Zoom65 V2 Essential Edition is the second coming of Meletrix’s debut release, the Zoom65. It’s a compact mechanical keyboard kit, made to balance form with functionality by trimming off keys you may not need and restoring that space to your mouse hand (while also bringing a touch of minimalism to your desk). It features a traditional 65% layout, which means that it has your core keyset, but the function row and numpad have been removed, the former put on a secondary layer. It keeps the arrow keys, a column of customizable navigation and editing buttons, and a volume knob in the upper right.
This new version brings with it a number of big improvements over the original. There are more colors to choose from (fourteen altogether) and every case comes with a unique backplate in either glass or PVD stainless steel, as well as a new carbon fiber option. The backplates also have a centered cutout for an external weight, available in nine different colors with matching knobs. The cases now have a seamless design with no exposed screws and, like last time, are made of full aluminum and are either electrostatic sprayed or nano-coated in the case of the GT Silver colorway.
Customization really is the name of the game. The options we’ve seen on the Zoom TKL and Zoom75 have trickled down here, allowing you really tailor the keyboard to your taste. There’s even a handy configurator on the product page so you can visualize how each of the components will look together. Just remember that you’ll need to bring your own switches and keycaps with this edition.
The upgrades aren’t limited to aesthetics. Internally, Meletrix has incorporated its most recent advancements in sound and feel. Its gaskets now use the sleeves from the TKL and Zoom75, which are easy to apply, reusable, and flexible for soft, isolated typing. There are also now six different plate materials to choose from to dial in the amount of flex and acoustic experience you’re looking for (aluminum, FR4, Brass, POM, Carbon Fiber, and the default choice included with every kit, Polycarbonate).
The PCB is also improved. It now includes a separate USB daughterboard which comes pre-installed in the case. This is good for repairability, but it also allows the PCB to move on its gaskets without torquing the USB port, limiting movement. It also features flex cuts across each alpha row so individual keystrokes have a softness under your fingers. The PCB now supports per-key RGB backlighting as well for some additional customization.
Another improvement comes with the included stabilizers. While many kits don’t provide stabs at all, Meletrix includes a full set of WS Stabs V3, which retail for $19.99 on their own. These stabilizers come lightly pre-lubed and include a TPU sleeve on the end of the wire to prevent rattle. It accomplishes the same thing as the holee mod but saves you roughly 45 minutes by not having to apply this mod yourself. I added a bit more Krytox lube (roughly 10 minutes total) and they’ve been absolutely perfect ever since. These stabilizers are highly recommended!
The kit also comes with a selection of foams to help you tune the sound and feel of the keyboard. In total, you have plate foam, which goes between the plate and PCB, IXPE switch foam, which goes beneath the switches, PCB foam, which adheres to the bottom of the PCB, and a thin strip of case foam, which can be swapped in for the internal weight if you didn’t purchase that with your kit.
The V2 also features Bluetooth wireless connectivity. I don't typically use keyboards like this wirelessly since they live at a single desk, but it connected reliably with my phone, desktop, and laptop, quickly changing between the three with a quick key combination. The kit includes a 2,250mAh battery which Meletrix estimates will last 6-8 weeks with RGB backlighting turned off.
If you're worried about having to use proprietary software, don't be. Unlike most of the competition, such as QwertyKeys, the Zoom65 V2 remains compatible with VIA for easy, instantaneous re-mapping across four layers.
Starting at $175, this is a very high value keyboard kit. It brings the Zoom65 up with the times and puts it on par with the rest of Meletrix’s line-up. The fit and finish were excellent on my sample with no stray marks or blemishes. It was very, very well done — and my sample was specifically from a retail lot, not one defined for press or influencers. Bring your own switches and keycaps, and you’ll have a keyboard that really challenges what constitutes “entry level.” The Zoom65 V2 is excellent.
Meletrix Zoom65 V2 EE - Assembly
Assembling the Zoom65 V2 is straightforward. I didn’t need to consult a build guide to complete the process, though Meletrix has a video walkthrough available for first-time builders. The biggest thing to be aware of when building this case is that, because it uses hidden screws, you should avoid installing switches in the two slots around each to make sure they aren’t in the way when it’s time to screw everything together. Otherwise, the kit includes everything you’ll need, sans keycaps and switches.
The process is very similar to other keyboards that follow this design. After preparing your stabilizers (I would recommend adding a bit more lube for the best sound but you won’t need to do any other mods), you add the PE sheet to the PCB, removing the loose pieces beneath each stab. Then, you screw the stablizers in, feet into the big hole and screw insert into the small hole. Lay the plate foam down if you’re using it and the plate. Then, insert switches.
This process can be a bit challenging due to the flexibility of the plate. It can be helpful to have the included allen key on hand to pull the plate up until it snaps into place around each switch. You don’t have to do this with all of them but some of the switches will push the plate down instead of latching into place. Finally, add the gasket strips to the tabs surrounding the plate.
With that done, you add the bottom PCB foam using the hotswap sockets as a guide for alignment, removing the plastic over the light adhesive to keep it in place. You then need to install the bottom weight. This is very simple. Take apart the two halves of the case. Remove the pre-installed screws from the weight, align it in its slot, and then use those screws to secure it in place. With that done, you can plug in the USB daughterboard and the battery, placing it in its proper slot and being careful to make sure the wires are below the edge of the case, safe from getting pinched. Add the layer of poron case foam or the stainless steel weight if you’re using them.
Now, you set the PCB assembly onto the bottom case. There are matching platforms for the gaskets around the bottom case, so this is hard to do wrong. Put the top half of the case back into place, screw it together, and add the switches you left out around the fastener points. With that done, add keycaps and enjoy!
Meletrix Zoom65 V2 EE - Performance and Typing Demo
Typing on the Zoom65 V2 is a big leap forward from the original Zoom65. That makes a lot of sense as the company has released a number of keyboards since then, each a step forward from the last. Returning to the Zoom65 for a V2 version has allowed the designers to take those lessons and apply them here, bringing the entire Meletrix line-up to the high standard that we found with the Zoom75.
One of the biggest differences is the sound of the keyboard. Using long pole linears and ABS keycaps, the sound is much poppier and clackier. There’s clarity and energy to the acoustics that wasn’t present in the original. With standard switches and PBT keycaps, the sound deepens substantially but doesn’t lose its refinement. The Zoom65 V2 has the best sound profile of any budget to mid-tier kit I’ve used yet, and with the market being so, so competitive, that’s no small feat. Meletrix deserves kudos for just how well done this keyboard is.
The V2 isn’t exceptionally flexy or bouncy, but it does deliver a soft typing experience with some visible give under the fingers when typing normally. It finds a middle ground between stability and flexibility that’s a good fit for newcomers to the hobby.
If you want more flex, removing the PCB foam is an option, though I think the keyboard sounds a bit more full with it. With that in mind, Meletrix has done a very good job of making sure the keyboard won’t sound hollow or resonant even if you go without it. That quality is another major improvement the V2 brings. The original really needed all the foams to sound good. Here, you have the freedom to experiment and find the configuration that works for you.
I also think Meletrix did a great job with the fit and finish of the keyboard. All of the different versions look gorgeous. The mix of glass and PVD backplates with stylish weights in the center looks great, and when you purchase yours, you’re able to buy additional components to change it up and really make it your own. That comes at an extra cost per component, but there are enough options to choose from where you likely won’t need to do that.
In my case, I went with GT Silver and outfitted it with Drop’s DCX Camillo keycap set. DCX is an outstanding new line of Cherry profile keycaps from the company, offering doubleshot ABS construction that’s on par with community-darling-but-year-plus-backordered-and-also-expensive GMK. The Camillo keycaps set uses white, grey, and blue with crisp, clean legends, thick walls, and stellar construction. Compared to the last couple of GMK sets I’ve received, the surface texture is much nicer. And all this for only $99, which is usually less than half the cost of a full GMK set. Add to that that these keycaps are in-stock and don’t have years-long lead times, I opt for DCX over GMK every chance I get. As you can see in the photographs for this build, it came together beautifully, so a big thank you to Drop for sponsoring the keycaps for this build.
Fitting with the entry-level positioning of the Zoom65 V2, I opted for affordable Akko V3 Cream Yellow Pro switches. These switches are exceptionally smooth and, unlike prior versions, come with factory lube on the rails. They sound and feel great and don’t require any lubing by hand. They also have a 3.5mm travel distance, which is good for extra clackiness and for the switches that aren’t north-facing.
Have a look and hear it in action for yourself here:
Though the Zoom65 V2 is exceptional good and an inarguable step forward from the original, there are a couple of things that were problematic for me. The first is that several of the switches are not north facing, including the Spacebar. To accommodate different layout options, this was necessary, but it does mean that the affected switches may have a bit of interference. I encountered this with the Spacebar. Long pole switches and non-Cherry profile keycaps avoid this.
The other issue I encountered had to do with the power draw for the keyboard. When connecting with VIA for remapping, the keyboard rapidly connected and disconnected and ultimately did not work. After some trial and error, I discovered that this was due to my custom coiled cable. The additional length within the coils resulted in the keyboard not getting enough power to stay connected for remapping (it was perfectly fine for normal use and gaming). I would suggest using the included cable to avoid this issue, though it appears that Meletrix also offers several “low power” firmwares that can also be flashed using their downloadable software.
Final Thoughts
These small issues aside, the Zoom65 V2 is an outstanding keyboard. Though the pre-order phase is complete, if this sounds appealing, I would highly recommend following Meletrix’s website and Discord server for updates on when this may come in stock again in the future (the original went through multiple rounds where you could purchase it). The sound, fit, and finish have all been improved and made available with many more customization options. It doesn’t feel like an entry-level DIY kit at all, which is exactly it does feel like such a great value.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes. Some articles may contain affiliate links and purchases made through this will result in a small commission for the site. Commissions are not directed to the author or related to compensation in any way.
