The next big thing in mechanical keyboards is magnetic switches.
Mechanical keyboards quickly went from a niche product to the mainstream during the pandemic, as everyone looked to upgrade their home desks — and maybe even for a new hobby. Brands like Akko, Drop, Ducky, Epomaker, and Keychron became household names, and today’s enthusiasts can choose from dozens of different layouts and buy parts from even more vendors.
Since then, things have gotten a little stale — even as once-high-end features have moved to budget keyboards. RGB lighting has long since become a standard, as people like Angry Miao and others continue to find new innovative ways to use it. The number of switches available is endless, from the lightest switches for gamers to the heaviest for even the most energetic typist — all in linear, tactile and click variations and an endless amount of colors. A few years ago, a flanged keyboard, which gives you a smoother, more responsive typing feel, was something enthusiasts could only find on high-end boards, but now everyone’s basically doing the same.
In some ways, that’s great: the average build quality of mechanical keyboards on the market has never been higher, and prices have come down. But the whole scene has also become a bit boring. That’s where magnetic switches come in, with their ability to quickly change the trigger point (the point on the button press where the switch registers your fall).
Image Credits: Akko
In a typical mechanical keyboard switch, you physically close an electrical circuit to register a keystroke. When you press down, the two feet on the stem (the moving part that the keyboard cover is attached to) press against two metal sheets that close the circuit.
The shape of this stem and its feet is what actually differentiates a linear switch (think Gateron Red switches on many gaming keyboards) from one that has a more tactile feel (like on a Cherry Brown). The linear switches have smooth stems while there is a bump on the tactile switches that provide that little moment of resistance as you press down. The overall design of the switch’s stem, legs, spring, stem, and overall housing can drastically change the feel and sound of a switch — but also when exactly the keystroke is registered by the keyboard. For a typical Gateron Red, for example, the actual keystroke is recorded after you press down about 2mm, and the total travel distance before the stem hits the bottom of the switch is 4mm.
Mechanical switches are very different. They rely on magnets and springs and are activated by detecting changes in the magnetic field. Popular from Dutch keyboard startup Shavesthese switches are based on Hall effect and have actually been around since the 1960s. They still use the same overall design as mechanical switches, with stems and springs, but since there is no electrical circuit to close, there are no feet on the stem. However, there is a permanent magnet in the stem, and as you press down, the sensor on the keyboard PCB accurately registers the position of the switch. And here comes the most important change: you can change how long you have to press to register the keystroke.
of Akko
When playing games, you might want to register it the moment you start moving your finger 0.1mm, but then when you use the same keyboard to type, you can change it to, say, 2, 5mm to avoid wrong keys. Usually, this is done with a simple key combination on the keyboard itself or in the manufacturer’s software tools. Because these sensors are sensitive to temperature fluctuations, there is also usually an option to calibrate the keyboard.
This also allows for some other clever tricks, because you can not only change the trigger point of the button but also the release point. This isn’t likely to matter much to you as you type, but when you type, this is what allows you to quickly spam a key as needed (and most tools that come with magnetic keyboards also have a quick trigger setting), while this high degree of customization allows you to experiment with your favorite settings without having to physically switch to a different switch.
Image Credits: Akko
If you want to go overboard, you can even create something similar to a macro, assigning multiple actions to the same key, so that a single keypress registers a different action when you press all the way down, when you pull down, and when the switch is pushed keyboard cover again — and maybe another one somewhere in between. I haven’t found a personal use case for it yet, but someone surely will.
The only thing you can’t change, though, is the resistance of the switch. Despite the talk about magnets, this is still operated by the spring inside the switch, after all.
One problem here is that there isn’t quite a standard for these switches yet, so not every switch will work on every keyboard. Depending on the manufacturer, however, you may be able to connect traditional mechanical switches to the PCB as well (though without the customization advantages of magnetic switches, of course).
A trip to Santorini: Akko’s MOD 007B PC
To put all of this to the test, Akko sent me their review unit MOD007B Santorini PC Keyboard – one of the last in the World Tour series and also one of the most restrictive designs in this series. Priced at just under $150 (although you can usually get it for around $110 on Amazon), the MOD007B Flanged PC comes pre-built with Kailh’s Sakura Pink Linear Magnetic Switches. The PCB also accepts 3-pin mechanical switches.
For connectivity, you get the standard Bluetooth and USB-C connections, as well as a 2.4Ghz multi-host option (which requires the included dongle). For wireless functions, the board is powered by a 3600 mAh battery.
Image Credits: Frederic Lardinois/TechCrunch
The 75 percent case isn’t anything too exciting, with its rather plain polycarbonate case, but unlike some high-end keyboards, it lets you adjust the typing angle with the help of the dual-position feet.
Akko used a nice amount of foam inside the case to shape the sound of the board, which is on the thick side. I prefer a slightly more muted sound, but that’s 100% personal preference. Stabilizers are well set, but there is a noticeable case ping. Few small mods should take care of that, but out of the box, this is the most obvious negative of this board, and I’m surprised that after many generations of MOD007 boards, the company hasn’t fixed it. A few minor tweaks should take care of that, but even at this price point, buyers shouldn’t do that.
In terms of software, Akko’s proprietary software tool is capable and quite easy to use. It does what it needs to do and gets out of your way. That’s one thing about the magnetic switch board: they tend to favor proprietary software over open source solutions like VIA.
Image Credits: Akko
However, this board is all about magnetic switches. I enjoyed experimenting with them quite a bit, and even if I didn’t win a chicken dinner in PUBG trying it out, I had a feeling that in the right setting, it allowed me to react a little faster. Your mileage may vary in Valorant and other shooters where quick-fire features may be more important. Either way, though, it’s a fun board to play.
The switch is a Khailh Sakura Pink magnetic switch with 50 gf downward force. This is in line with many standard linear switches, although perhaps a bit on the heavier side.
For everyday typing, it took me a while to find the right setting. I experimented with a few, but in the end, settled on the Akko’s default comfort setting, which sets the actuation and release points at 2mm. The default gaming setting is 0.5mm, which seems more than fast enough.
While not the most premium board on the market, Akko has created a board that, with the right settings and a few minor tweaks, is a joy to type on (if you like linear switches) and a nice gaming platform too. What matters more here, however, is that this board allows gamers and non-gamers alike to dip their toes into the magnetic switch market without a major uptick. Is it the best board out there? Not by a mile — but at this price point, it’s hard to beat.
