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.
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:
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:
Before buying any third-party HE switch, confirm the board's socket on its product page. Full board table lives in the compatibility checker.
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").
Run your exact combo through the checker — it flags these automatically when you select an HE switch.
What this page rests on — and what it deliberately does not claim.
There is no official standard for keycap or switch compatibility. Figures here follow manufacturer datasheets and community measurements (mm, not inches); treat them as a starting point before buying — not a compatibility guarantee.