ZOOM DYNA TKL Review

keyboard by: Meletrix 
Photos taken in House by alex

Zoom Dyna TKL Review – A Sort-Of Modular TKL That Aims High?

The Zoom Dyna TKL is Meletrix’s attempt at leveling up. It keeps the accessibility that made their past boards popular but adds a sharper design, modular screen and knob options, and the same flexibility in how you build it. It’s not a total reinvention, but it’s a solid step forward from them.

I’ve spent a decent amount of time with the Dyna TKL now, both in aluminum and polycarbonate versions, and while there’s a lot to like here… it’s definitely not perfect. However, I think this is Meletrix’s best keyboard in a long while. And depending on where you’re at in the hobby, that might not matter much.

Let’s dive right in.

Full Disclosure and Affiliations

This is not a paid article. These boards were sent to me to look at and they let me keep them after the build stream and no mention of a written review was ever discussed. There are some affiliate links. These links give me kickbacks and allow me to continue making content! All thoughts are my own, transparency matters.

Twitch

First Impressions & Opening Up The Box

When you crack open the Zoom Dyna TKL box, you’re greeted with a surprisingly complete package. Inside, you’ll find the keyboard case and internal components already prepped for assembly, a hot-swap PCB with pre-soldered corner LEDs, a set of stabilizers (loose in the box, so be careful when opening), and a variety of mounting styles. This includes O-rings, silica gel dots, elastic bars and screws for the top mount variant. You’ll also get a braided USB-C cable, a magnetic screwdriver set, and, depending on your config, a modular knob or screen that pops in without soldering. It’s clear Meletrix wanted to offer more than just a barebones kit here, as with most of their boards they do deliver on that modular approach. Kudo’s to them.

On top of that, Meletrix offers a pretty decent range of add-ons at checkout: you can upgrade your plate material (carbon fiber, aluminum, POM, PC, FR4), add extra knobs or screens, grab additional mount kits, or pick from over 15 different case colours and finishes, including frosted clear polycarbonate, GT silver, and even bold tones like eggplant or barberos. I love that they are finally giving us a polycarbonate option again, it feels like too long!

Pricing for the Zoom Dyna TKL starts at around $185 USD for the basic aluminum setup and can go up to about $250 USD depending on what extras you choose. If you go for things like the screen, knob, or a polycarbonate case, it’ll cost a bit more, but nothing too crazy. Most of the add-ons are priced pretty fairly. The cork dampening kit is only $5, and the different plate or mounting options are all within reason. For the price, you’re getting a lot of value here. It’s not a budget board, but it’s also not trying to compete with top-tier customs. It sits in that interesting in between spot where you feel like you’re getting something really solid without completely emptying your wallet. But It does have a lot of competition at the moment, I’ll get to one example near the end.

The Visuals

This is where the Zoom Dyna TKL feels like a real step forward for Meletrix!

The overall design feels more mature, timeless and classy. Gone are the overly rounded sides and bubbly corners. Instead, you get a cleaner top frame, a cherry-style front lip (yes!), and more thoughtful accenting. The board still nods to its Zoom TIGA roots, but this just feels… cleaner. It’s like the board is growing up. Overall it’s actually a very good looking board.

The polycarbonate version especially stood out to me. The machining was clean, the LED edge glow looked great, and the whole board just looked sharp on the desk.

And as I already mentioned, there are something like 15+ finishes available. So you have plenty of options to match any setup.

Cut down video from my Twitch stream

Build Experience & Internals

This was actually one of the smoother Zoom builds I’ve done to date. The catch ball system (which lets you open the board without screws) paired with a ribbon cable makes assembly quick but a little awkward, especially if you’re just swapping plates or trying different mounting styles. I am very surprised they didn’t go with a POGO connector here honestly. They do give you a lot of options out of the box: top mount, split O-ring, elastic bar, and silica gel dots, with the added bonus of a cork dampening sheet for an extra $5. That one surprised me, and I actually ended up using it for most of the testing.

The PCB has support for hot-swap, split spacebars, which people are always asking me about. It’s great to finally be able to recommend something here without resorting to weird workarounds for people who want split support.

That said, there were some frustrations, mainly around the top mount. The implementation here feels a little rushed and like an after thought. The board basically becomes incredibly difficult to open due to the catch ball system when you install the plate in top mount. I just don’t recommend it period and seems like a silly addition to the board.

Oh, and if you’re using the polycarbonate version, there were no threaded inserts in the prototypes but Meletrix promised and showed me photos that this will be coming to the production run, as with some other minor tweaks. Oh and that catch ball system was very scary to open with the PC version, it takes some force and I always felt like I may break the case. The aluminum though, I was very confident with.

TL;DR Build Experience:

  • ✅ Catch ball system is easy to use
  • ✅ Tons of mounting options
  • ✅ Hot-swap PCB with great layout support
  • ❌ Top mount install is awkward and frustrating
  • ❌ No threaded inserts on the PC version (to be corrected for production run)
  • ❌ PC version is scary to open with the catch ball system

The Sound & Feel

This board surprised me here, in a really good way!

So first, I tested all three of Meletrix’s new “Big Lucky” switches (linears, tactiles, and clickies) and ended up using the linears for the full build. And then I did a second build with HMX Sonja switches.

So I want to be clear, the board’s sound profile will definitely depend on how you mount it and which plate you choose. I used a carbon fiber plate with the cork sheet, and while the spacebar was incredibly clean, easily one of the best I’ve used on a Zoom board in a hot minute, the alphas leaned a little plasticky. That’s more of a carbon fiber thing paired with those Big Lucky switches that already leaned a bit of the same as well, and not really a fault of the board itself.

When I swapped over to the O-ring mount, the sound definitely tightened up a bit and the feel got noticeably softer. It became my favorite of the mounting styles offered, definitely recommend trying that one first.

Now in the aluminum board, I used the Sonja switches paired with the carbon fiber plate and it was a much more familiar sound. I do love me some clack. It sounded great and I have no complaints! If you do pick one up, experiment! The Zoom Dyna TKL is a good tinkering board.

VIA Support (Or Lack Of)

This needs to be said: VIA is not supported out of the box. You’ll have to download a .json. I mean nothing works out of the box. Vial is supposed to work at a later date, but as of right now it doesn’t. I’m getting tired of this from newer boards, not just from Meletrix. In any price bracket.

If you’re marketing something toward the enthusiast crowd, and clearly you are, then firmware support shouldn’t be this hard. Brands really need to start treating VIA or VIAL support as a launch requirement, not an afterthought.

This is easily one of the most frustrating parts of most keyboard products as of late and I am really hoping these brands get their ducks in a row and either work with VIA or figure out some other way to not need an additional file to edit the layout of the board.

So yes, it technically works, but you’ll need a file.

Final Verdict & Other Thoughts

At its core, the Zoom Dyna TKL is a good board, and at times, a great one. Meletrix nailed a lot of the foundational stuff here: better design language, smoother build flow, modular features that don’t feel gimmicky, and enough mounting styles to keep tinkerers busy. The screen is fun and has a cool typeface pop-up as your type (I think it’s cool) and it’s priced well!

But it also falls short in places that matter, no out of box VIA support and an awkward top mount design that makes it frustrating to open the case.

If you’re already deep into the hobby and you know what you like, I think the polycarbonate version, skipping the top mount, is a fun pick up. For everyone else, I think the board has a lot to offer.

As for the competition, well the DK1-TKL just ran. It and Zoom Dyna TKL land in a similar price range, but they take very different approaches. The DK1 is more a traditional board, just a clean design, solid materials, and a board that focuses on feel and sound. It has a fixed mount system and a full copper or brass bottom that gives it a much heavier, more premium feeling experience. The Zoom Dyna, on the other hand, leans into customization with its modular knob/screen system, multiple mounting styles, and a more find what you like approach. If available I honestly think the DK1 is the move if you wanted something simple and very good looking that leans a bit bassier in sound. If you’re after flexibility and flashy extras, the Dyna’s got more to play with.

Note: One last thing I want to mention, and I think it’s a pretty important one. I’ve gotten a bunch of messages about customer service issues with Meletrix and Wuque in the past. I actually brought it up with them about a month and a half ago and told them straight up that it needed to be better. They said they heard me and were working on it.

Fast forward to a recent stream, the topic came up again, and I asked chat if things had improved. Honestly? I was surprised. A bunch of you DMed me or dropped messages in chat saying support was way better than before. That’s really good to hear, and it makes me happy to know they’re actually listening and making changes.

Until next time. 👋