Magnetic switches allow for adjustable actuation points because they output a continuously varying analog signal; the controller can read the precise depth of the stem at any position, meaning the actuation point is defined by software. In contrast, mechanical switches output a binary “on” or “off” signal; the actuation point is determined by the physical contact position of the metal leaf spring and is fixed at the factory. This is not merely a difference in “precision,” but a fundamental difference in the nature of the signal itself.
I. Mechanical Switches: Actuation as a Physical Event
The internal structure of a traditional mechanical switch is simple: a stem, a spring, a metal leaf spring, and electrical contacts.
When you press the key, the stem moves downward, causing the metal leaf spring to deform. Once the leaf spring reaches a critical point of deformation, the moving contact physically touches the stationary contact, closing the circuit and sending a “key pressed” signal to the computer. When the key is released, the leaf spring snaps back, the contacts separate, and the circuit opens.
In this process, the actuation point is determined by the physical position of the leaf spring. Actuation occurs exactly where the leaf spring makes contact. It is not an adjustable parameter but an inherent part of the switch’s mechanical structure. For example, the actuation point is fixed at 2.0mm for Cherry Red switches, 1.2mm for Silver switches, and 2.0mm for Brown switches—these values are hard-coded into the geometry of the metal leaf spring during manufacturing.
Users cannot alter this. Unless you replace the switch with one that has a different actuation point, that point remains fixed.
II. Magnetic Switches: Actuation as a Software Determination
Magnetic switches have a completely different structure. They lack metal leaf springs and physical contacts. Instead, a permanent magnet is attached to the bottom of the stem, and a Hall effect sensor is positioned directly beneath it on the PCB.
When you press the key, the magnet moves closer to the sensor, causing a change in the detected magnetic field strength. This change is continuous: the sensor outputs one voltage value when the magnet is 5mm away, another when it is 3mm away, and yet another when it is 1mm away.
The sensor outputs an analog signal rather than a simple “on” or “off” state. The microcontroller continuously reads this voltage value at an extremely high frequency (e.g., 8000Hz) and converts it into the precise position of the stem using a calibration curve. It then compares this calculated position against the user-defined actuation threshold:
“The user has set the actuation point to 1.5mm. If the current stem position is 1.2mm, the threshold hasn’t been reached, so no actuation occurs. If the current stem position is 1.6mm, the threshold is exceeded, and actuation occurs.”
The figure of 1.5mm for the actuation point is a software parameter, not a fixed physical location within the hardware. Users can adjust this value to 0.1mm, 4.0mm, or anything in between via the driver software. Once changed, the microcontroller’s decision-making logic updates accordingly, effectively shifting the actuation point.
The switch mechanism itself remains unchanged.
III. Key Difference: Continuous vs. Discrete Values
Comparing the two reveals the fundamental difference.
Mechanical switches output discrete values—limited to just two states: “0” and “1.” The microcontroller only knows whether the key is pressed or not; it has no awareness of whether the key has traveled 1.5mm or 3.5mm. Actuation occurs at the precise moment the state switches from 0 to 1—a moment dictated by the fixed physical position of the metal contact leaf.
Magnetic switches output continuous values—every position of the stem along its travel path corresponds to a specific voltage value. The microcontroller can detect that the key is currently at 2.3mm or that it is moving from 2.3mm toward 1.8mm. The actuation point is no longer defined by the instant a physical event occurs, but rather by the moment the software determines the positional data has crossed the threshold.
The authority to define the actuation point has shifted from the physical geometry of the contact leaf to the microcontroller’s firmware logic.
This is the fundamental reason why magnetic switches allow for adjustable actuation travel. It is not that magnetic switches possess “higher precision,” but rather that the nature of their signal allows the actuation point to be defined as a variable software parameter. The signal characteristics of mechanical switches dictate that the actuation point is fixed to the physical location where the metal contacts meet—a position that cannot be altered via software.
IV. What else does this difference entail?
Adjustable actuation points are just the beginning. Because magnetic switches output continuous positional data, they unlock capabilities that are fundamentally impossible for mechanical switches to achieve:
Rapid Trigger: Both actuation and reset points are adjustable. Traditional mechanical switches require the contacts to fully separate before re-actuation can occur; in contrast, magnetic switches can be configured to register a reset the moment the finger lifts by as little as 0.1mm, enabling lightning-fast responses for rapid stops and repeated inputs.
DKS (Dynamic Keystroke): A single key can trigger different commands based on the depth of the press. Since the controller precisely tracks the key’s position, users can configure settings such as “shallow press for walking, deep press for running.”
Analog Input: The continuous data from magnetic switches can be mapped to controller joystick axes—a feat impossible with the binary (on/off) signals of mechanical switches.
All these features rest on a single fundamental distinction: magnetic switches output continuous data, whereas mechanical switches output discrete data. Adjustable actuation is simply the most intuitive and user-perceivable manifestation of this underlying difference.
