Gateron Magnetic Jade Emerald
The Gateron Magnetic Jade Emerald is Gateron's first tactile Hall Effect switch: 55g tactile, 3.5mm travel, factory lubed. Needs a magnetic PCB.
How it feels
How it sounds
mutedFull review
Quick Summary
The Gateron Magnetic Jade Emerald is Gateron’s first tactile Hall Effect switch, which is the main point of interest. Where almost every magnetic switch is linear to keep its analog travel clean, the Jade Emerald adds a genuine tactile bump on top of a contactless, sensor-read keystroke. It is a switch for analog-board owners who want tactility without giving up adjustable actuation. Just know going in that it demands a magnetic PCB and will not work in a standard mechanical keyboard.
Specs and Feel
Tactile force lands around 55g, with 3.5mm of total travel, shorter than the MX-standard 4.0mm, which suits the snappier, gaming-leaning boards these switches usually call home. The stem rides on high-temperature neodymium magnets (north pole facing the PCB) and an anti-oxidation alloy leaf spring, with the magnetic flux climbing from roughly 120Gs at the top of travel to about 700Gs at bottom-out.
Because actuation is read by a sensor rather than a physical contact, the keypress is exceptionally smooth and free of the bounce or chatter that can plague metal-leaf tactiles. The factory lube is well applied and the uniquely cylindrical stem keeps wobble in check. The tactile bump itself is clear and rounded, enough to feel deliberate under the finger without fighting fast typing. Sound is on the muted, controlled side rather than clacky.
Tuning
There’s essentially nothing to do here, and that’s by design. The switch arrives factory lubed, and the magnetic construction has no leaf to film and no contact to clean. The real “tuning” happens in your keyboard’s software: dial in the per-key actuation distance and rapid-trigger behavior to taste, since the trigger point is set by travel distance rather than a fixed location.
Verdict
If you own a Hall Effect board and have been frustrated that the magnetic switch market is almost entirely linear, the Magnetic Jade Emerald is an easy pick. It delivers a real tactile bump, smooth contactless travel, and adjustable actuation in one package. As a first-generation tactile magnetic switch it is already well-judged. The only people who should skip it are those without a compatible analog board, because it simply will not function in a normal mechanical keyboard. Buy it for the magnetic platform; pass if you’re on standard MX.
Frequently asked
Will the Magnetic Jade Emerald work in a normal mechanical keyboard?
No. This is a Hall Effect switch that relies on a magnet and a sensor instead of a metal contact, so it only works in a board with magnetic (Hall Effect) sockets. It will not register in a standard mechanical PCB, and because of manufacturing tolerances it may not even play nicely with every magnetic board, so check your keyboard's compatibility list first.
Is this actually a tactile switch?
Yes. Most magnetic switches are linear because they're built around analog travel, so Gateron adding a real tactile bump here is notable. The bump is present and pleasant rather than aggressive, sitting at roughly 55g of tactile force.
Does it need lube or films?
No. It ships factory lubed and the magnetic design has no leaf to film, so there is nothing meaningful to tune. Drop it in and adjust the actuation point in software instead.
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