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Magnetic keyboards used to feel like a side quest in the keyboard world. You either bought one from a tiny boutique brand and hoped the firmware wasn’t held together with duct tape, or you ignored the whole category because it felt too experimental.
Now Razer has stepped in with its first Hall Effect Magnetic Huntsman keyboards, and that changes everything. When a company with global retail presence decides magnetic switches matter, it suddenly becomes a lot easier for regular players to try the tech without worrying about sketchy support or limited availability.
After spending time with both the Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless ($139) and the smaller Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Mini 65% ($119), I came away impressed. These keyboards feel like Razer embracing magnetic switches in a serious way while keeping the familiar Huntsman feel I already know well.
Daniel Rubino
I’ve been part of Windows Central since 2007, having reviewed and covered many keyboards, gaming accessories, laptops, and PCs from all sorts of companies from the perspective of a Windows enthusiast and unabashed PC lover. I also run this site and have seen a lot in nearly 20 years here!
Razer had no input, nor did it see the contents of this review, prior to publication.
Design and build
Both keyboards share the same DNA: aluminum top plate, doubleshot PBT keycaps, and dense internal foam that gives each keystroke a quieter, more muted sound. Razer told me they added extra lubrication and a “very dense layer of foam to absorb high‑pitch pinging noises,” and I can hear the difference. These boards sound cleaner than the Huntsman AK and even the V3 Pro.
The TKL gives you the arrow keys and navigation cluster, which I prefer for writing and general use. The Mini 65% keeps the arrows but trims the rest, which frees up desk space and feels great for shooters.
Razer confirmed both models have full feature parity, so you’re choosing layout, not capability.
Magnetic switches explained
Hall Effect switches use magnets and sensors to track key travel. There’s no physical contact point, which means the keyboard can detect exactly how far a key has moved. That unlocks features that optical or mechanical switches can’t do as well.
Razer calibrates every switch at the factory. They told me:
“Hall Effect boards are prone to interference from environmental factors… metal desks, magnets, metal objects.”
Instead of pretending this isn’t an issue, Razer built a calibration tool directly into Synapse. If your desk or environment causes drift, you can reset the keyboard back to factory accuracy in three guided steps. I didn’t run into interference myself, but I like knowing the fix is built in.
Actuation is fully adjustable from 0.1 mm to 4.0 mm, and you can tune each key individually. I set WASD to 1.2 mm for shooters and left the rest at 2.0 mm for typing. The onboard adjustment tools make this easy.
Razer also claimed:
“We are the most accurate Hall Effect board available to players.”
They admitted true 0.1 mm accuracy is impossible because “pushing two magnets together is damn near impossible,” but their margin of error is small enough that I never noticed inconsistency.
Latency and performance
Razer pairs the switches with true 8000 Hz HyperPolling. They measured the HE Magnetic at 0.6 ms latency, which is only 0.12 ms behind their analog optical switches. That’s impressive for a first‑generation magnetic design and still faster than other Hall Effect keyboards by about eight percent.
I can’t measure latency myself, but the keyboards feel snappy. Movements in Counter‑Strike 2 and Valorant felt crisp, and Rapid Trigger made counter‑strafing easier.
Movement‑focused features
This is where the HE Magnetic line stands out. Razer didn’t just add magnetic sensing. It built a suite of features that take advantage of it.
Rapid Trigger — Keys reset as soon as they start moving upward. This helps you stop moving faster in shooters, which tightens your hitbox and improves accuracy.
Snap Tap — This prevents two directional keys from actuating at the same time. If you press D while holding A, the keyboard prioritizes the latest input. It makes counter‑strafing more reliable.
Snap Flex — You can bind two actions to a single press. For example, pulling a grenade pin and jumping at the same time. It simplifies multi‑key combos.
Dynamic Keystroke — Up to four actions can be assigned to a single key based on press depth and release. This is powerful and a little scary. I’m curious to see what players come up with.
Dual‑Keypress Priority — This keeps diagonal movement stable. If you’re holding W and A, pressing D won’t override the movement until you release A.
Good Molly, that’s a lot of software tech, but while it may not make a difference if you play Brotato (like me; don’t judge, it’s great), for first-person competitive shooters, it all can absolutely improve your performance and enjoyment of the game. There is a bit of a learning curve here, and all of that is optional to use, but while Razer sometimes catches flak for Synapse, I can’t help but feel these are some real value-plays.
Now, some of these are “launch-exclusive” to the HE Magnetic line, for now, but Razer hinted that these features will eventually trickle out to other Huntsman keyboards, likely in the coming months.
TKL vs Mini 65%
I think most people buying keyboards today know Tenkeyless (TKL) versus Mini 65%, but just in case you don’t, here’s the recap, as I’ve used both layouts for years, and the choice is simple.
Choose the TKL if:
- You type a lot
- You want dedicated navigation keys
- You prefer a familiar layout
Choose the Mini 65% if:
- You want more mouse space
- You travel or attend LANs
- You want a compact gaming setup
Both keyboards have identical features. You’re choosing workflow, not capability.
Personally, I go TKL or even Compact / 96% Full‑Size like the 2026 Razer Huntsman Signature Edition ($499), as I like having media keys and arrow keys but detest numberpads.
Mini-65% is adorable and shockingly portable (great!), but you may end up missing some functions if you use it for more than competitive-ish gaming. No arrow keys is a move; let’s just say that.
You can see my recent review of the other Huntsman TKL, aka the Razer Huntsman V3 TKL 8khz ($169), for an optical-switch option.
Either way, it’s great that Razer gives you the choice.
Pricing and competition
The new Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic TKL is $139.99, and the Mini is $119.99. That’s cheaper than Razer’s Pro models and competitive with other magnetic keyboards. Some boutique Hall Effect boards cost more and don’t have Razer’s distribution or warranty support. That alone makes these easier to recommend.
Launch date is today, July 30, so they should be available globally and shipping out to third-party sellers, including Amazon (HE Magnetic TKL; HE Magnetic Mini 65%) and Best Buy.
Typing and sound
Typing feels smooth and consistent. The foam and lubrication help, and the magnetic sensing gives each key a clean, predictable feel. I prefer deeper actuation for writing, and the keyboards handled that well.
Gaming felt great with shallow actuation and Rapid Trigger.
Should you buy the Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic?
You should buy this if …
✅ You play competitive shooters
✅ You want adjustable actuation
✅ You want movement‑priority features
✅ You like what Razer is cookin’
You should not buy this if …
❌ You only need a simple keyboard
❌ You don’t care about magnetic sensing
❌ You prefer optical switches
❌You want wireless options
I give the Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic line a 4.5 out of 5. Razer took magnetic switches and made them accessible, polished, and backed by a major brand. The keyboards feel great, the features matter, and the layouts cover both mainstream and compact preferences.
The Huntsman family may be getting crowded, but these new models earn their place, and we’ll be updating our best gaming keyboards guide shortly.
And as someone who has gone through something like 5 of these Huntsman variations in the past months, all I can say is I don’t think I’ll be jumping to anything else anytime soon. Even as someone who does more gaming on their MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ and Xbox Series X, these Huntsman just feel good to use, whether for typing or gaming.
Razer
Razer Huntsman V3 He Magnetic TKL 8khz
With adjustable actuation from 0.1–4.0 mm, Rapid Trigger, Snap Tap, Snap Flex and Dynamic Keystroke, Razer’s HE Magnetic TKL give players granular control over inputs and movement — and back it with factory calibration, a 100‑million keystroke rating and on-demand recalibration via Synapse.
Razer
Razer Huntsman V3 He Magnetic Mini 65% 8khz
The Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic line pairs Hall Effect magnetic sensing with 8,000 Hz HyperPolling and deep per-key customization to deliver a top-tier competitive keyboard experience. This Mini 65% version pairs down to the most minimal design.
