What are hall effect keyboard switches? Are they any different from the good old cherry switches and Kailh switches? And if yes, then what are the advantages and disadvantages of using them instead of the more common ones?
These are some of the questions that might occur inside your head if you hear about the hall effect keyboard switches for the first time.
We have different type of key switch technologies and most mechanical keyboards use mechanical key switch technology. There are also newer switch types like optical switches that use light to register keystrokes.
The thing is, hall effect keyboard switches were first introduced in 1968 but due to lack of knowledge, it was thought to be very expensive and difficult to manufacture. Hence, they stopped manufacturing them.
However, later on, many other ways were invented that could create hall effect keyboard switches with lesser resources and were much easier to build. It was then that they picked up their popularity and are still going strong.
Even today, you wouldn’t find them in all the keyboards mainly because of the initially perceived idea that they were costly and difficult to manufacture. In any case, I will be discussing the hall effect keyboard switches in detail so that by the end of this article you will have no confusion whatsoever relating to these particular switches.
What Are Hall Effect Keyboard Switches?
As far as you are concerned, you don’t need to bother with the gory details of what happens in the internal circuits of the keyboard when it uses hall effect switches. That’s something for technicians to understand. As a simple user, all you need to understand is that hall effect switches use electromagnetic effects to run the entire circuit of the keyboard. In fact, every switch has a tiny magnet attached to it, and every time you stroke a key, the magnet produces a faint electromagnetic signal that drives the electrons to pass through the circuit. This is hall effect technology.
If you’re looking for a high-quality keyboard with unbeatable performance, the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with hall effect switches is the way to go. With the world’s fastest mechanical switches and an OLED smart display, this compact keyboard offers a seamless and customizable gaming experience. The hall effect switches provide durability and consistency, making it a worthwhile investment for gamers and typists alike. Plus, with RGB backlit keys, you can customize the lighting to fit your style. Don’t wait any longer, head over to Amazon and get your hands on the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Mechanical Gaming Keyboard today.
Best Hall Effect Keyboards
If you’re looking for a high-quality keyboard with unbeatable performance, the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with hall effect switches is the way to go. With the world’s fastest mechanical switches and an OLED smart display, this compact keyboard offers a seamless and customizable gaming experience. The hall effect switches provide durability and consistency, making it a worthwhile investment for gamers and typists alike. Plus, with RGB backlit keys, you can customize the lighting to fit your style. Don’t wait any longer, head over to Amazon and get your hands on the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Mechanical Gaming Keyboard today.
Benefits Of Using Hall Effect Keyboards Switches:
Hall effect keyboard switches are very different from the regular switches you may be familiar with. There are many benefits to you using your keyboards.
Smoothness:
You will be surprised by how smooth the performance of these keyboards is. This smoothness comes from the fact that there is no friction produced in these kinds of keyboards. It is because no physical connection is required between the switches and the circuit to operate. You will literally feel your fingers slide across the keyboard without causing any kind of muscle strain or fatigue.
Easily Swappable:
They are hot-swappable switches. It means that you can easily pull the defective keys out using a small key puller tool and replace them with new ones. As a result, it will cut down the unnecessary costs of having to buy another keyboard just because a single key is not working. Read our detailed guide on how to replace mechanical keyboard switches.
Independent of Environment:
The best and my favorite part is that these keyboard switches are totally independent of external environmental factors. In simpler terms, the performance of these keyboards is not affected by dust, water, light, or dirt from the outside environment. You can even stick this keyboard inside a freezer for hours but when you finally take it out, it will work as if you never put it inside the freezer in the first place. So, would you be too surprised if I were to tell you that the hall effect keyboard switches are used in all large industries because of their durability and reliability?
Drawbacks Of Using Hall Effect Keyboards Switches:
While there are numerous benefits of using the switches under discussion, there are also a few disadvantages of using them on the flip side.
Cannot Use in High External Magnetic Field:
You can not use the hall effect keyboard switches in areas with high external magnetic fields. It is because the external magnetic field will disrupt the internal magnetic field and hamper the flow of electrons in the circuit.
Produces Noice:
Moreover, these switches produce a lot of noise and no silencers have been made for them as of this date. Besides, it is very hard to find these switches in the open market.
Final Thoughts
So, this was all from my side. I hope you found all this information very useful because I tried my best to explain everything in the easiest terms possible. I purposefully cut out all the technical slew that might have bored you to death. So, I am sure you must be very much clear about the idea of the hall effect and how it is used inside the keyboards to make them perform better. In the end, I would like to tell you that I personally carried out the freezer experiment I mentioned earlier in this article and the keyboards passed it with flying colors. So, rest assured it is a safe investment!
Happy Typing!
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a Hall switch work?
A hall switch works through magnetic fields. Every switch has a small magnet fixed inside it. When the electricity passes through the main circuit, it creates a magnetic flux. So, every time you press a key, the magnetic intensity changes. This change is noted by the circuit and the sensors send the information to the motherboard.
Are Hall Effect keyboard switches better than Cherry switches?
In some ways, Hall Effect switches are way better than cherry switches but there are certain instances, in which a person may wish to just use a cherry switch. For example, Hall Effect switches are hard to find and are highly expensive. Apart from that, their performance depends upon the intensity of the external magnetic fields. Plus, they are very loud. But the performance is super smooth and causes less stress in your hand muscles so that counts for something.
