Strong Tactile Switches have long been the preferred choice for professionals who demand unmistakable feedback with every keystroke. For years, however, procurement managers and keyboard brands faced a frustrating trade-off—you could have the crisp, pronounced bump of a tactile switch, or you could have the durability, speed, and customizability of magnetic Hall Effect technology, but rarely both in the same product.
Legacy magnetic switches have traditionally been confined to linear profiles, leaving an entire segment of the market underserved. GATERON has broken new ground with the Magnetic Jade Emerald, the first-ever magnetic switch designed to provide an authentic strong tactile feel while fully utilizing contactless Hall Effect sensing.
The Industry Gap: Why Magnetic Switches Needed a Tactile Breakthrough
Magnetic switches measure key press depth through Hall Effect sensors instead of traditional metal contact systems, meaning they do not cause wear and tear like traditional mechanical switches and also provide contactless actuation eliminating the debounce and friction of traditional mechanical switches.
Magnetic switches have a number of advantages in speed and longevity, and while they have been most often described with linear feel profiles instead of tactile, they have been used in linear feel profiles. One industry analysis reports, "magnetic effect simulation switches have traditionally been tied to linear, making it difficult to replicate the feel and sound of tactile mechanical switches".
Tactile switches have represented a tradeoff between speed and feel, and have left programmers, data entry specialists, and competitive gamers (who rely on feedback loops for precise input and subsequent actions) without a good solution.
GATERON Magnetic Jade Emerald: The Tactile Magnetic Hybrid
Instead of modifying existing magnetic designs, GATERON's engineering team has designed a new structure from an alloy with antioxidant properties to recreate the tactile feel bump so many typists have loved while retaining all advantages of magnetic switches. The result is a switch that delivers the very best of both worlds.
- True Strong Tactile Feedback: Our unique alloy leaf structure creates pronounced bumps of satisfying tactility that rival top competitors, providing solid feedback that dedicated tactile users expect.
- 150 Million keystroke lifespan: The Magnetic Jade Emerald is rated for 150 million actuations, dwarfing conventional mechanical switches, reducing warranty claims, and prolonging OEM partner product lifecycles.
- Software Actuation Point Control: For the first time users can use software to set actuation points on the Magnetic Jade Emerald switches, something impossible, until now, for tactile switches.
- Contactless Hall Effect Control: The switches have virtually no input delay,and no decision delay, giving you a true competitive edge, even in the lowest cycle switches.
- Construction of Premium Materials: Each switch is made of selected materials for optimum performance and durability: 150°C high-temp neodymium magnetic core, POM stem, PC top housing, 20mm spring, and base of PA66 nylon.
- Misalignment & Dust Protection: The stem's surrounding cylindrical walls help topreventing lateral movements as well as providing a dust barrier for consistent feel in the worst of conditions.
- Factory Pre-lubricated For Out-of-Box Consistency: Factory lubrication removes the need for time-consuming manual lubrication and creates a uniform feel across production runs.
- Optimized Travel and Operating Force: Total travel of 3.5±0.1mm and operating force of 55±10gf ensures switches are quick for gaming but can also be used for typing without fatigue.
- Precisely Tuned Magnetic Flux: The initial and bottom-out magnetic flux values are calibrated at 120 ± 8GS and 700 ± 30GS, respectively, allowing for consistent sensor detection at every point in the full range of motion.
Procurement Pros Take Notice of Strong Tactile Magnetic Switches
For overseas customers looking at component suppliers, the Magnetic Jade Emerald is more than just a novel component. It represents a change in the manufacturing and supply chain reliability for the overseas customers. Established legacy brands are experiencing challenges that are unprecedented. T
he recently released financial report for Cherry, the legendary German switch manufacturer, shows it made a net loss of just over €20.4million in the first nine months of 2025, and its total debt is greater than its equity. Cherry has ceased production in Germany and has moved its manufacturing to China and Slovakia. More importantly, industry analysts say Cherry has been "behind its Far Eastern competitors in Hall effect switches", which has created a gap for GATERON, which has been a magnetic technology early adopter.
Since the beginning of 2019, GATERON has been at the forefront of magnetic switch technology, and the first magnetic switch in the industry, KS-20, was produced by GATERON. It is one of the very few companies in the industry that have been able to achieve a manufacturing number of above 600 million units, a number that equals to the reliability in the field.
GATERON has a fully integrated operation which includes in-house tools, automated assembly, and injection molding which helps to meet the production schedule of its OEM partners in large volume keyboard assembly.
Using Tactile Magnetic Technology to Secure Your Supply Chain
An entire paradigm shift is occurring within the keyboard switch sector. Hall Effect magnetic switches will soon become ubiquitous instead of remaining a marginal novelty. With no alternatives, brands focused on targeting professional typists, data entry workstations, and tactile magnetic gamers, have left the absence of a strong tactile magnetic option glaring.
The Magnetic Jade Emerald by GATERON has entered the space and is providing a solution to the speed requirement of competitive gaming, and the feedback requirement of high-volume typing environments to serve the market.
The value is obvious for OEM and ODM partners. With one switch platform, multiple market segments can be addressed without the added complexity of managing different inventories for magnetic versus tactile products.
There are lower post-sale service costs due to the prolonged 150 million cycle life. Plus, the configurable software set means differentiated product SKUs can be achieved without requiring any hardware changes, which is a procurement consideration that can be vital in bid scenarios.
The Next Generation of Strong Tactile Switches Is Available
For keyboard brands or OEM operations requiring Strong Tactile Switches that offer a blend of old-school feedback and new-school magnet durability, coupled with software customization options, the Magnetic Jade Emerald provides that solution. It is ready for engineering sample requests and bulk orders, which is coupled with complete ODM assistance for the development of custom tactile curve, preferred materials, and packaging instructions.
To request samples from GATERON, discuss custom tactile profiles, or schedule a supply chain consultation, please contact GATERON. With the latest tight engineering and tactile magnet technology, GATERON awaits to improve your keyboard assembly.
