Gateron Apollo Magnetic

Quick Summary

The Gateron Apollo is a magnetic Hall-effect linear aimed at the analog gaming crowd rather than the traditional mechanical-keyboard hobbyist. It swaps the usual metal contact leaf for a magnet and sensor, which means no bounce, no chatter, and a board that can dial in actuation depth, rapid trigger, and per-key travel. At a light 35g initial force with 3.1mm of travel, it’s a fast, easy linear that earns its keep on a compatible magnetic PCB.

Specs and Feel

This is a clean, light linear with nothing tactile to interrupt the stroke. The POM stem riding in a polycarbonate top and nylon bottom gives a slick downstroke that stays smooth across the full 3.1mm of travel, and the dust-proof stem structure keeps wobble in check for a budget switch. The 35g initial force makes the keypress feel almost effortless, which suits the high-speed actuation games these are built for. Typists who like a firmer push will find it on the light side. The magnetic flux ramps from 120Gs at rest to 570Gs at bottom-out, and the 20mm stainless steel spring gives a consistent, even return without the mushy floor cheaper magnetics can suffer. Scratch is minimal out of the box and the sound stays muted and low-key, befitting a switch designed to disappear under the firmware. No customer reviews have been harvested for this one yet, so this assessment draws on the spec sheet and Gateron’s magnetic lineage rather than owner reports.

Tuning

The real tuning here happens in firmware, not in your lube tray: actuation point, rapid trigger, and travel are all set per board. The mechanical feel is already smooth enough that lube is optional; a light pass of thin lube on the rails sharpens consistency, but films are unnecessary given the snug housing fit. Leave them stock and let the magnetic PCB do the work.

Verdict

If you’re building an analog or Hall-effect board and want a smooth, light, affordable linear, the Apollo is an easy pick. Just confirm your PCB explicitly supports it first. Magnetic switches aren’t cross-compatible by default, and these won’t work in a standard mechanical keyboard. If you want a heavier, more deliberate magnetic feel, the Gateron Aurora Dual Rail is the step up. For anyone outside the magnetic ecosystem, this isn’t the switch to chase. For its intended home, it’s a low-fuss choice.