Hall Effect magnetic switches, explained
The fastest-growing category in keyboards since hot-swap: no metal contacts, no debounce — a magnet and a sensor, which is what unlocks adjustable actuation and rapid trigger.
How they work
A conventional mechanical switch actuates when two metal contacts physically touch. A Hall Effect (HE) switch puts a magnet in the stem and a Hall Effect sensor on the PCB: the sensor measures magnetic flux, so the keyboard knows the stem's exact position at all times — analog, not binary.
Consequences:
- Actuation is software. You set the actuation point anywhere in the travel — 0.1 mm for gaming, 2.5 mm+ for typing — per key, in the board's driver or web configurator.
- No debounce. There is no contact to chatter, so input is reported immediately.
- Rapid trigger. The board can reset and re-actuate on movements as small as 0.01–0.1 mm. Lift 0.2 mm and press again → two inputs without full travel. This is the feature that made 60HE-class boards famous in competitive play.
- Per-key analog value. Boards can expose pressure-style input — mod keys, dynamic keyzones, SOCD cleaning (opposite-direction prioritization), racing-style throttle axes.
- No physical wear path. Rated 100M keystrokes because nothing rubs metal on metal in the signal path.
The catch: sockets are not interchangeable
HE switches are not a drop-in standard like MX. A switch works only on a PCB with matching Hall sensors, and vendors' magnetic flux ranges differ. The two families you'll meet:
- Wooting Lekker (L45/L60) — proprietary flux calibration. Fits Wooting 60HE/60HE+/80HE only. Other brands' HE switches won't seat or won't calibrate.
- Gateron-family magnetic (Magnetic White/Jade/Jade Pro) — used by Keychron, Madlions, DrunkDeer-class boards with generic HE hot-swap sockets. Doesn't work in Wooting boards.
Before buying any third-party HE switch, confirm the board's socket on its product page. Full board table lives in the compatibility checker.
Reading HE specs
HE listings replace "actuation force" with spring figures plus a range:
| Spec | Example (Gateron Magnetic Jade) | Meaning |
|---|
| Initial force | 36 ±5 gf | Force at the very top of travel (spring preload). |
| Bottom-out | 50 ±10 gf | Force at full travel. |
| Total travel | 3.5 ±0.1 mm | Full physical travel. |
| Actuation range | 0.1–3.5 mm | Where you may set the trigger point; limited slightly by the board's sensor. |
| RT sensitivity | 0.01 mm | Smallest movement rapid trigger reacts to. |
| Initial/bottom-out flux | 120 GS / 700 GS | Magnetic field at top/bottom — must match the board's sensor calibration. |
Full data on all tracked HE switches: switch database (filter "HE magnetic").
Keycap compatibility caveats
- HE stems are MX-style — normal caps mount — but stem cross tolerances vary by maker. Very thick-walled or tight SA/MT3 skirts can pop off narrow stems; test one cap first.
- Some HE switches use a box/walled stem (e.g. Magnetic Jade Gaming) — extremely tight caps can bind slightly.
- Low-profile HE (e.g. Gateron Low Profile Magnetic Jade) needs LP keycap sets, and only fits LP HE boards.
- No LED slot: shine-through caps still light from under-switch RGB on most HE boards.
Run your exact combo through the checker — it flags these automatically when you select an HE switch.
Buying checklist
- Board first, switch second — the socket decides everything (see checker table).
- Confirm rapid trigger + adjustable actuation in the board's config software, and polling rate (≥1 kHz).
- Check the HE switch's flux spec matches the board generation (vendors publish GS ranges per PCB thickness).
- For competitive titles, check the game's stance on SOCD/rapid trigger before relying on them in ranked play.