The next big thing in mechanical keyboards is magnetic switches.
Mechanical keyboards quickly went from niche product to mainstream during the pandemic, as everyone looked to upgrade their home offices — and maybe pick up a new hobby, too. Brands like Akko, Drop, Ducky, Epomaker and Keychron have become household names and today's enthusiasts can choose from dozens of different layouts and purchase parts from even more vendors.
Since then, things have gotten a bit stale — even as high-end features have migrated to budget keyboards. RGB lighting has long been standard, with the likes of Angry Miao and others continuing to find new and innovative ways to use it. The number of keys available is seemingly endless, from the lightest keys for gamers to the heaviest keys for the most active typist – all in linear, tactile and clicky shapes and an endless amount of colours. A few years ago, a gasket-mounted keyboard, which gives a softer and more flexible typing feel, was something enthusiasts could only find on high-end boards, but now everyone is basically doing the same thing.
In some ways, this is great: the average build quality of mechanical keyboards on the market has never been higher, and prices have fallen. But the whole scene got a bit boring. This is where magnetic switches come in, with their ability to quickly change the actuation point (the point during the key press where the key registers a downstroke).
Image credits: Akka
On a standard mechanical keyboard switch, you can actually close an electrical circuit to register a key press. When you press down, the legs on the stem (the moving part to which the keycap is attached) press against two metal leaves that close the circuit.
The shape of this stem and its legs is what actually distinguishes a linear switch (think Gateron Red powers many gaming keyboards) from one that has a more tactile feel (like Cherry Brown). The linear keys have smooth shanks while there is a bump on the tactile keys that provides a slight moment of resistance while pressing down. The overall design of the stem, its legs, the spring, and the shank can radically change the look and sound of a key – but also when a key press is registered by the keyboard. For a standard Gateron Red switch, for example, the actual keystroke after pressing down is recorded as approximately 2mm and the total travel distance before the stem reaches the bottom of the switch is 4mm.
Mechanical switches are very different. They rely on magnets and springs and are activated by sensing changes in the magnetic field. These switches, made famous by Dutch keyboard startup Wooting, are based on Hall's influence and have actually been around since the 1960s. They still use the same general design as mechanical switches, with stems and springs, but since there is no electrical circuit to close them, there are no legs on the stem. However, there is a permanent magnet in the stem, and when you press down, a sensor on the keyboard's PCB precisely registers the key's position. And here comes the most important change: you can change how far you need to press down to register a keystroke.
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When you play, you might want to record the moment you start moving your finger 0.1mm, but then when you use the same keyboard to type, you can change that to 2.5mm, for example, to avoid false keystrokes. This is usually done using a simple key combination on the keyboard itself or in the manufacturer's software tools. Since these sensors are sensitive to temperature changes, there is usually also an option to calibrate the keyboard.
This also allows for some other clever tricks because you can not only change where the press is triggered but also where it is released. This is unlikely to matter much to you while typing, but when gaming, this is what allows you to quickly spam the key as needed (and most of the ones that come with magnetic keyboards also have a fast launch setting), all while having this notch High customization allows you to experiment with your preferred settings without having to actually change to a different key.
Image credits: Akka
If you want to push the limits, you can also create something like a macro by assigning multiple actions to the same key, so that a single keystroke records a different action when you press halfway down, when you reach the bottom, and when the key pushes the keycap back up – and maybe Another cover is somewhere in between. I haven't found a personal use case for this yet, but someone sure will.
The only thing you can't change is the resistance of the switch. Despite all the talk about magnets, this is still handled by the spring inside the switch, after all.
One problem here is that there is still no set standard for these keys, so not every key will work on every keyboard. However, depending on the manufacturer, you may be able to connect traditional mechanical switches to the PCB as well (although without the customization benefits of magnetic switches, of course).
Journey to Santorini: Akko's MOD 007B PC
To test it all out, Akko sent me a review unit of the MOD007B PC Santorini keyboard — one of the newest devices in its World Tour series and also one of the most restrained designs in that series. Priced at just under $150 (although you can usually get it for around $110 on Amazon), the MOD007B gasket-mounted PC comes pre-built with Kailh's Sakura Pink linear magnetic switches. The PCB also accepts 3-pin mechanical switches.
For connectivity, you get standard Bluetooth and USB-C connections, as well as a 2.4GHz multi-host option (which requires the included dongle). For wireless operations, the board is powered by a 3,600 mAh battery.
Image credits: Frederic Lardinois/TechCrunch
The 75 Percent case isn't anything too exciting, with its simple polycarbonate shell, but unlike some high-end keyboards, it allows you to adjust your typing angle with the help of its dual-position feet.
Akko used a good amount of foam inside the case to shape the panel's sound, which is on the noisy side. I prefer a slightly lower sound, but that's 100% personal preference. The stabilizers are fine-tuned, but there is a noticeable amount of case ping. A few small tweaks should take care of this, but out of the box, this is the most glaring downside to this board and I'm surprised that after several generations of MOD007 boards, the company hasn't fixed that. A few small modifications should take care of that, but even at this price point, buyers shouldn't have to.
As for the software, Akko's software tool is efficient and easy enough to use. It does what it's supposed to do and gets out of your way. That's the thing about keyboards with magnetic keyboards: they tend to favor proprietary software over open source solutions like VIA.
Image credits: Akka
This board is all about the magnetic keys. I had a lot of fun trying it out, and even if I didn't win a single chicken dinner in the PUBG game I was going to test, I felt that in the right setting, it allowed me to react a little faster. Your mileage may vary in Valorant and other shooters where quick trigger functionality may be more important. Either way, it's a fun board to play with.
The key is a Khailh Sakura Pink magnetic key with a force of 50 grams from the bottom out. This is in line with many standard linear switches, although perhaps a little on the heavier side.
For daily writing, it took me a while to find the right setting. I tried a few of them, but in the end, I ended up with the Akko's default comfort setting, which sets the trigger and release points at 2mm. The default gaming setting is 0.5mm, which seems more than fast enough.
While it's not the most premium keyboard on the market, Akko has created a board that's fun to type on (if you like linear keys), and with the right settings and a few simple tweaks, it makes a great gaming rig too. But what matters most here is that this board allows gamers and non-gamers alike to dive into the magnetic adapter market without a significant increase. Is it the best board out there? Not by a mile – but at this price point, it's hard to beat.
