For hardcore gamers like you and I whose main priority is customizing their keyboard for maximum speed and personalization, a magnetic keyboard is a no-brainer since it offers ultra-competitive hall-effect features like Rapid Trigger and Snap Tap thanks to built-in adjustable actuation distance. This can make all the difference when you’re pushing more than 1,000 frames in Valorant.
Subsequently, I’ve reviewed dozens of keyboards and after spending numerous hours on in-house testing, I’ve rounded up the Top 5 Magnetic Keyboards for you. No need to worry, I’ve included a value-for-money option as well as a wireless pick along with a warranty-focused keyboard and a compact-sized keyboard too, so there’s a little something for everyone.
Without any further ado, here’s a brief overview of the keyboards I’ve chosen for you.
Interested in wireless keyboards? Check our tested round-up of the:
Best Magnetic Gaming Keyboards
I stand behind all of these magnetic keyboards with my own experience and reputation:
- Best Overall: Wooting 80HE
- Best Value: Keychron K2 HE
- Best Warranty & Support: Corsair K70 Pro TKL
- Best Looking: Akko MOD007B PC Santorini
- Best Compact: Wooting 60HE+
As I mentioned previously, I, along with my team, have personally tested each and every one of these keyboards. Therefore, we’ve also recorded the sound signature and switch feedback for all the keyboards. Feel free to check out these in-house BTS clips at the end of each keyboard’s write-up.
Wooting 80HE
Best Overall Magnetic Gaming Keyboard
Layout: 80% | Number of Keys: 84 | Keycaps: PBT Doubleshot | Case Material: Polycarbonate ABS or Zinc Alloy | Plate Material: White Polycarbonate | Stabilizers: Screw-in stabilizers | Mounting Structure: Gasket Mount | Battery: N/A | Adjustable Actuation Points: 0.1mm – 4.0mm | Polling Rate: 8000 Hz | Dimensions: 346mm x 142mm | Weight: 790g – 2160g
Pros
- Hot-swappable
- Adjustable height
- Satisfying sound signature
- Fully customizable LED Bar
- Simple, no-nonsense design language
- Vibrant RGB/Lighting effects
- Wootility is the best software
Cons
- No wireless connectivity
- Build quality can be improved
- Slightly expensive
The Wooting 80HE sports an aesthetically understated design that flies under the radar. Right off the bat, I felt soothed by the shine-through PBT Doubleshot keycaps. Moving on, my teardown of the keyboard revealed a gasket-mounted PCB to which Wooting has mated 83 Lekker (L60) V2 switches. The difference was immediately felt as these newer switches have a rather silent and somewhat mushy profile, but that’s because they’re engineered for speed. Thankfully, Wooting did us the courtesy of pre-installing factory-lubed screw-in stabilizers which significantly elevated my typing experience and resulted in minimal rattling.
But the list doesn’t end here. As the switches are magnetic, the 80HE sports dynamic actuation points that can be adjusted between 0.1mm – 4.0mm. Let’s not forget Wootility, i.e., Wooting’s comprehensive software that allows you to refine the per-key RGB, set up macros, activate cutting-edge SOCD features like ‘Snappy Tappy,’ ‘Rappy Snappy,’ ‘Rapid Trigger,’ and there’s just no limit when it comes to personalizing that LED bar.
After putting a few thousand keystrokes on the Wooting’s odometer, here’s what I had to say:
Apart from bleeding-edge performance, the Wooting 80HE builds upon the legacy of its predecessor by improving in all the areas in which the original fell short. The new Lekker V2 switches paired with factory lubed screw-in stabilizers significantly upgrade the stock sound. And the gasket mount allows for a soft and thocky typing experience that only acts as a cherry on top of the world-class gaming keyboard the Wooting 80HE already is.
What Makes It The Best Overall Magnetic Gaming Keyboard?
First off, proprietary features like ‘Dynamic Keystroke’ and ‘Mod Tap’ offer an ultra-competitive edge to you. Secondly, the linear Lekker V2 switches have improved speed and are more silent. Furthermore, the PCB has no flex cuts and is hot-swappable as well, making the Wooting 80HE future-proof. Lastly, Wootility elevates the 80HE’s usage experience with unrivalled customization hidden beneath a few clicks of your mouse.
| Performance: 9.5/10 | Build Quality: 8.75/10 |
| Design: 9/10 | Typing Experience: 9.25/10 |
Keychron K2 HE
Best Value Magnetic Gaming Keyboard
Layout: 75% | Number of Keys: 84 | Keycaps: Cherry Profile Doubleshot/OSA Doubleshot | Case Material: Anodized aluminum | Plate Material: Aluminum | Stabilizers: Screw-in stabilizers | Mounting Structure: Top Mount | Battery: 4000 mAh | Angle: 5° / 9.34° / 12.43° | Adjustable Actuation Points: 0.2mm – 3.8mm | Polling Rate: 1000 Hz/90 Hz | Dimensions: 316.4mm/320.5mm x 126.7mm | Weight: 965g – 980g
Pros
- Bang for the buck
- Solid build quality
- Impressive performance
- Considerable sound dampening
- Wireless connectivity
- Stellar battery life
Cons
- Incompatible with other magnetic switches
- Keychron’s software needs polishing
- Inconveniently placed USB port
Read Our Keychron K2 HE Review
The Keychron K2 HE is the brand’s take on a value-for-money keyboard with hall-effect switches in the form of Gateron’s double-rail Nebula switches that weigh 40g each. Surprisingly, these switches are factory-lubed, which is a rare offering at this price point. To another pleasant surprise, I found during my teardown that Keychron has generously added 4 layers of foam that give the K2 HE a dampened ‘thocky’ sound, which is additionally muted by the stiff aluminum plate and frame. Moreover, the K2 HE is outfitted with screw-in PCB-mounted stabilizers which also come pre-lubed and perform a reasonably good job of minimizing rattle.
Going on, the Nebula switches feature an expansive dynamic actuation range between 0.2mm – 3.8mm for extreme customization. But again, this is a magnetic keyboard, so all the magic takes place via the software. Speaking of which, Keychron is marketing ‘Last Key Prioritization’ and ‘Snap Click’ where the former is exactly what it sounds like while the latter is identical to Razer and Wooting’s implementation. Lastly, you do get per-key RGB in the form of 23 lighting modes, all of which look beautiful thanks to Keychron’s proprietary OSA doubleshot keycaps.
This is how I described the Keychron K2 HE in my hands-on review of the keyboard:
The K2 HE strikes a balance between enthusiast-grade features and a mainstream-friendly approach, all at a reasonable price. Its striking design complements a robust build, creating a versatile keyboard that caters equally to gamers and professionals.
What Makes It The Best Value Magnetic Gaming Keyboard?
At just $130, Keychron offers you an unbeatable value proposition. To begin, the K2 HE boasts Gateron Nebula switches with dynamic actuation adjustment. Keychron uses a 1.6mm PCB with no flex cuts mated to an aluminum plate, which makes the keyboard very durable. Adding on, Keychron assures us that it is working to enable full hot-swappability. Also, the K2 HE has dedicated buttons for turning RGB on/off as well as for taking a screenshot.
| Performance: 9/10 | Build Quality: 9/10 |
| Design: 8.75/10 | Typing Experience: 8.5/10 |
Corsair K70 Pro TKL
Best Warranty & Support Magnetic Gaming Keyboard
Layout: 80% | Number of Keys: 87 | Keycaps: PBT/ABS Doubleshot | Case Material: Plastic | Plate Material: Metal | Stabilizers: Plate-mounted stabilizers | Mounting Structure: Tray Mount | Battery: N/A | Adjustable Actuation Points: 0.1mm – 4.0mm | Polling Rate: 8000 Hz | Dimensions: 366mm x 135mm | Weight: 967g
Pros
- Hot-swappable
- Sturdy build quality
- Outstanding performance
- Magnetic wristrest included
- Best-in-class company support
- Considerable sound dampening
- Dedicated customizable buttons and knob
Cons
- Expensive
- No wireless support
- Stabilizers could use improvement
- Not 100% magnetic
- iCUE needs a revamp
Read Our Corsair K70 Pro TKL Review
Exhibiting an all-black demeanor, the K70 Pro comes armed with a magnetic wrist rest out of the box for improved ergonomics. The keyboard’s top plate is made out of metal whereas the bottom is crafted from plastic, but don’t let that fool you because the K70 Pro TKL feels very durable in the flesh. There’s no creaking or flexing of any kind. Also, there are a pair of flip-out feet on the backside that raise the typing angle to 7 degrees, which nicely complements the included wrist rest.
Under the hood, I tore down the keyboard to find out that Corsair’s gone with a hybrid combination of (soldered) standard mechanical switches for the function row, navigation cluster, and arrow keys while the remaining keys are all hall-effect and hot-swappable as well with Corsair rebranding a set of Gateron Magnetic Jades. Upon taking the K70 Pro for a trial run, I immediately noticed the smoothening effect of the factory-lubed switches. As far as my typing experience is concerned, the sound profile is somewhat muted without much of a ‘thock’ which some might prefer.
After testing and reviewing the Corsair K70 Pro TKL for all its worth, here’s what I had to say:
The Corsair K70 Pro TKL is a great gaming keyboard that excels where it matters for pros. The hall-effect switches provide bleeding-edge performance backed up by robust build quality. While the sound and feel are nothing extraordinary, Corsair’s extensive support somewhat makes up for being priced higher than the competition while lacking wireless support.
What Makes It The Best Warranty & Support Magnetic Gaming Keyboard?
Corsair has leveraged its customer support on top of a hybrid combo of mechanical and magnetic switches to craft the K70, which is made from a mixture of brushed aluminum and textured plastic. The keyboard has typical SOCD features like ‘FlashTap,’ along with Rapid Trigger and Multi-Press. Nonetheless, Corsair bundled a magnetic wrist rest while also dedicating two remappable keys and a reprogrammable volume knob.
| Performance: 9.25/10 | Build Quality: 8.5/10 |
| Design: 8.75/10 | Typing Experience: 8.5/10 |
Akko MOD007B PC Santorini
Best Looking Magnetic Gaming Keyboard
Layout: 75% | Number of Keys: 84 | Keycaps: Cherry Profile PBT Dye-sublimation | Case Material: Polycarbonate | Plate Material: Polycarbonate | Stabilizers: Screw-in stabilizers | Mounting Structure: Gasket Mount | Battery: 3600 mAh | Adjustable Actuation Points: 0.1mm – 4.0mm | Polling Rate: 8000 Hz/1000 Hz/125 Hz | Dimensions: 333mm x 147mm | Weight: 1000g
Pros
- Hot-swappable
- Gorgeous design
- 8K Hz polling rate
- Dedicated volume knob
- Satisfying sound signature
- Choice of Akko/Kalih HE switches
- Options of BT + 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity
Cons
- Keycaps aren’t double-shot
- No dedicated macro buttons
Read Our Akko MOD007B PC Santorini Review
This 75% TKL board is part of the brand’s ‘World Tour’ series where they try to represent a collection of scenic destinations via uniquely painted keycaps, fonts, and color schemes. But don’t be fooled like I was. Underneath the hood, I discovered a gasket mounting mechanism paired with screw-in stabilizers that Akko allows you to combine with one of two switches; either its own ‘Cream Yellow Magnetic’ switch or the ‘Kalih Sakura Pink Magnetic’ switch. It’s essential to note that both these switches are linear, which explains why the Kalih switches in my review unit were a joy to use.
The marketing headlines for this keyboard, you ask? How about an 8K Hz polling rate (when wired)? How about Bluetooth 5.0 and multi-host 2.4 GHz connectivity? A 3600 mAh battery? How about a mod-friendly board with hot-swappable switches? The MOD007B Santorini also throws in per-key RGB. Let’s not forget the star of the show here, i.e., Akko’s SOCD features like Dynamic Keystrokes, Rapid Trigger, Mod Tap, and Toggle Key.
When Abdul Hannan, our peripherals expert, and long-time hardware reviewer, got his hands on the Akko MOD007B PC Santorini, here’s what he said:
The Akko MOD007B-PC Santorini keyboard stands out for its unique design, customizable features, and solid performance. With its polycarbonate construction and hot-swappable Hall Effect magnetic switches, it offers a premium typing experience.
What Makes It The Best Aesthetic Magnetic Gaming Keyboard?
The Santorini represents a mod-friendly board that boasts a choice of two hot-swappable switches from the factory. This breathtaking keyboard has factory-lubed switches and stabilizers, which makes for a very refined and rattle-free typing experience. On top of that, you get to choose between three connectivity methods. There’s also a dedicated volume knob on the top right of the keyboard.
| Performance: 9/10 | Build Quality: 8.5/10 |
| Design: 10/10 | Typing Experience: 9/10 |
Wooting 60HE+
Best Compact Magnetic Gaming Keyboard
Layout: 60% | Number of Keys: 61 | Keycaps: PBT Double-shot | Case Material: ABS Plastic | Plate Material: Steel | Stabilizers: Plate-mounted stabilizers | Mounting Structure: Tray Mount | Battery: N/A | Adjustable Actuation Points: 0.1mm – 4.0mm | Polling Rate: 1000 Hz | Dimensions: 295mm x 105mm | Weight: 605g
Pros
- 4-year warranty
- Ultra-low latency
- Premium packaging
- Multitude of accessories
- Miniature, lightweight design
- Hot-swappable magnetic switches
- Minimalistic design with full RGB control
Cons
- No wireless mode
- No height/angle adjustment
This time, I took their 60% compact keyboard for a run which uses a combination of ABS plastic for the casing and a steel plate to diminish the weight to just 605g. Resultantly, the 60HE+ feels great and durable in the hand, there’s absolutely no flex despite the plastic case. Moving on, Wooting has used factory-lubed Lekker L60 switches from Gateron, although these are slightly older V1 switches. Moreover, the 60HE+ sports pre-lubed plate-mounted stabilizers that give the keyboard a ’thocky’ sound signature.
Additionally, you get PBT double-shot keycaps, which enhance the per-key RGB characteristics which are configurable through Wootility. Moving onwards, Wooting went a step ahead to accessorize the 60HE+. You can separately purchase an aluminum casing, choose from various wrist rests as well as keycaps, and cables, and you can even buy a complete toolbox to lube your keyboard yourself. Considering that the board is hot-swappable, the 60HE+ seems to be a reasonably mod-friendly platform.
After traveling on the go with the Wooting 60HE+ for more than 3 weeks, here’s what our keyboard reviewer, Abdul Hannan had to say:
The Wooting 60HE+ is a 60% gaming keyboard with a compact design, durable build, high-quality PBT keycaps, and fast Gateron Lekker Linear60 switches. It offers customizable actuation points and impressive RGB lighting
What Makes It The Best Compact Magnetic Gaming Keyboard?
Wooting’s combination of ultra-low latency (under 1ms) along with linear, hot-swappable switches from Gateron paired with Wootility make the 60HE+ the best compact hall-effects gaming keyboard thanks to the extensive bundle of SOCD cleaning features on offer like Rapid Trigger and Rappy Snappy. More importantly, the 60HE+ incorporates all of this in a lightweight form factor measuring just 605g.
| Performance: 8.75/10 | Build Quality: 8.75/10 |
| Design: 9/10 | Typing Experience: 8.75/10 |
How We Tested These Keyboards
Just for you, I ran an extensive series of in-house tests and spent several hundred hours reviewing and objectively critiquing these keyboards with a special emphasis on the typing experience. Here are some of the factors I took into consideration while fishing out the best magnetic keyboards for you:
- Switches: There are a ton of different manufacturers out there, but a few like Akko, Cherry MX, and Gateron are usually regarded as the cream of the crop, so it’s important to distinguish between high/low-quality switches as they have profound impact on your keyboard’s sound signature along with its durability and longevity.
- Keystrokes: Every magnetic keyboard has a different actuation range where a higher, more expansive range is considered better as it offers the user more versatility for fine-tuning their keyboards according to their individual preferences. Similarly, every type of magnetic switch has a different weight and key travel which I also factored into the overall typing experience.
- Sound: While hall-effect keyboards aren’t sought for their acoustic profile, every board does differ from the other, so I tried my best to recommend the magnetic keyboards with the best soundstage, relatively speaking.
- Reputation: All the keyboards I’ve recommended are backed up by tried-and-tested manufacturers with long-standing track records, so you can rest assured that no matter which keyboard you choose from my list, it’ll have the support of a renowned brand with a rich history.
FAQs
A magnetic keyboard is based on switches with hall-effect sensors that detect a change in the magnetic field when a key is pressed. The sensors subsequently transmit a signal to register the keystroke.
There’s no difference. A hall-effect keyboard is the same as a magnetic keyboard, it’s just a different way of referring to it.
SOCD stands for ‘Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions’. In simple words, SOCD cleaning is a feature commonly found on controllers that prevents unwanted directional inputs by neutralizing it. A few games have even banned SOCD features because of the unfair advantage they give users over their competitors.
They’re demanded by highly competitive gamers who value every millisecond, which is why they need a linear switch with an emphasis on speed and customization via dynamically adjustable actuation points to make use of SOCD features.
