Wind Sin65: Closer Examination and Assembly

When asked about which kit version I'd like to examine, I took a look at the various options and thought that orange might be a nice change from the norm. This particular version happens to be anodized aluminium given a color closer to burnt orange than a brighter orange, although it does change hue slightly depending on the incident light making it hard to photograph consistently. No matter which version you go with, the kit measures in at 336 x 120 x 33.5 mm and the weight varies since you can have an aluminium kit or a polycarbonate one. The kit ships with just the top and bottom panels assembled although the retail units may have even these separate if the assembly manual is to go by. Note the separated Esc key though; this is a deliberate choice to reduce accidental hitting of Esc on this 65% form factor kit. On the back we see a pre-installed weight which also may ship separately packed in the final version. There is a sine curve in the middle with the product series alongside and I like the ripple-like pattern applied to the weight. There is a built-in 7° elevation integrated on the back given the absence of any keyboard feet and at this stage I decided to separate the two pieces to make the kit assembly much easier. It also gives a closer look at the internals and the flawless finish throughout. Begin by placing the four round rubber pads on the corners at the back as seen above. This will help raise the keyboard off your desk, thus preventing scratches and also adding friction in use.


The wireless kit will have two separate batteries pre-installed in the recesses you see in the bottom case panel. This wired-only version thus comes with two "battery foam" pieces that you need to fit in those spaces so as to keep things as compact as possible. The next step is to install the Type-C daughterboard between the two foam pieces using the provided PCB board and screws. At this point, you can choose to install the provided 1 mm case foam or leave it out depending on how dampened you want the typing sound to be. I am going for a max damping and isolated keyboard here so I have added it along with the 2 mm thick hot-swap foam sheet as well. These have cutouts that go around the hot swap switch sockets snugly and there is now very little room left in the case. Wind Studio had pre-installed four round silicone stands in the corners too but the instructions suggest these may ship separately for you to do so yourself.


Time to assemble the plate/PCB section. Begin with inserting your choice of screw-in stabilizers for L.Shift, Space Bar, R.Shift, and Enter keys. I went with the ones Wind Studio had provided after applying a dab of lube at each end. Make sure you install them correctly—this can be easier if you first place the 0.5 mm IXPE sheet on top of the PCB on the front which will help align where the stabilizers are supposed to go. Screw the stabilizers from the back and then do the same for four brass standoffs—this can be fiddly—as seen above.


Those standoffs help screw the plate in place on the PCB. But here too you have a choice of adding either the 3.5 mm foam sheet, if you are going with the plate, or the thicker 5 mm foam sheet for a plate-less mount. Note that the plate-less mount option is only on the wired, soldered PCB so that is why I don't have the 5 mm foam sheet in the box either. I went with the 3.5 mm foam and the aluminium plate here; the polycarbonate plate can be slightly more flexible and I knew I wanted a gasket mount anyway. Indeed, this is why I then installed the foam gaskets around the PCB on either side. You can also go for a top mount here as Wind Studio provides the hardware to do so as well.


Once you have finalized the exact configuration of the bottom case panel as well as the plate/PCB section, it's time to connect the two and get the keyboard kit ready to go. The internal cable from the Type-C daughterboard goes into the connector on the PCB and is locked in place. Then flip over the plate/PCB section and—if you have gone for the gasket mount—simply orient it to have the gaskets be in the recesses in the bottom case panel before you put the top panel over and screw it all together from the back.