Ars Technica has published a guide to a new generation of keyboard switches that are described as "mechanical" but do not rely on traditional physical contacts. The piece walks through Hall-effect, TMR, and related sensing technologies, explaining how they register keystrokes through magnetic fields rather than metal-on-metal contact.
For the keyboard business, the significance is that these switches can deliver the familiar typing feel of mechanical boards while opening up capabilities that conventional designs struggle to offer. Because the sensing is electronic, manufacturers can adjust actuation points, reduce wear, and add features aimed at gamers and heavy typists.
At the same time, the Ars Technica guide highlights a naming challenge: if a switch has no mechanical contact, how "mechanical" is it? The article positions these as non-mechanical mechanical switches, a category that is likely to grow as vendors look for ways to differentiate keyboards in a crowded market.