Magnetic keyboards are becoming more and more popular, and with their growing popularity, the number of third-party switch options is also increasing. Yet, almost all of them remain linear. But what if you enjoy the functionality magnetic switches bring, while still missing the feel of tactile switches?
Today, we’re taking a look at a truly special and unique switch that redefines what you can expect from magnetic switches. It’s tactile. It’s whisper-quiet. And it still has a few more surprises up its sleeve. So, let’s dive in…
What Makes the XVX Whisper Switches Special?
Pretty much all magnetic switches share the same basic construction as regular linear MX-style mechanical switches.
You’ve got a top housing and a bottom housing snapped together, a moving stem, a spring, and in the case of mechanical switches, a contact mechanism. Pressing the stem pushes it into the bottom housing, compressing the spring and closing the contacts to register a keypress. Release it, and the spring snaps everything back into place.
Magnetic switches follow a very similar idea, but without physical electrical contacts. Instead of a contact leaf system, the stem has a small magnet inside it. As you press the switch, the stem moves downward, the spring compresses, the magnet gets closer to a sensor, and the change in the magnetic field is picked up electronically. After releasing the switch, the spring pushes the stem back to its original position.
Because the overall structure and travel mechanics are so similar, the overall feel of linear mechanical and magnetic switches can be surprisingly similar.
At the beginning of the review, I mentioned that the XVX Whisper switches are tactile, so you might assume they simply follow the same structure as a typical tactile mechanical switch.
At first glance, the XVX Whisper looks like a typical MX-style switch. But this is exactly where things get interesting, because Whisper switches are built quite differently.
The housing is actually a single-piece design. Instead of a traditional stem with a stem pole, this switch uses a plunger (or slider) with a magnet mounted to its underside. That plunger sits above a rubber dome that contains a conical spring. When you press the switch, the plunger compresses the rubber dome and the conical spring at the same time, bringing the magnet closer to the sensor. After the keypress is registered, the spring and the rubber dome push the plunger back into its original position.
So unlike mechanical and magnetic switches, where most of the work is done by a rigid stem pole and a spring, in the XVX Whisper a large part of the feel and tactility comes directly from the rubber dome itself. It’s what creates that tactile bump during compression and gives the switch its character.
This kind of construction might remind you of electro-capacitive (EC) switches, like Topre, which are well known for their highly refined tactile feel. And this is where the neat part comes in: the XVX Whisper is not only a magnetic switch, it is an electro-capacitive switch too. In other words, it’s a 2-in-1 hybrid switch that works both with Hall Effect/TMR and electro-capacitive boards. It’s also worth pointing out that these are the world’s first hybrid switches of this kind. So what does this mean in practice? That basically means you can get that signature Topre-like feel directly on your magnetic keyboard instead of hunting for rare, expensive, and often customization-limited EC keyboards. That’s the unique charm of the Whisper – it blends the best of both worlds into a single switch.
Compatibility
Magnetic Keyboard Compatibility
XVX Whisper switches use a North Pole Down magnet orientation, and they should work with almost any KS-20-compatible magnetic keyboard, like IQUNIX EV63, Womier SK75 TMR or Wooting keyboards, for example. They are also compatible with both north-facing and south-facing LED layouts, so you don’t really have to worry about LED orientation compatibility when installing them.
The manufacturer recommends installing the switches the number marking on the top housing facing left. It’s a small detail, but definitely worth paying attention to if you want to ensure proper functionality.
Electro-Capacitive Keyboard Compatibility
Things become a bit more interesting when it comes to electro-capacitive keyboards, mainly because there still isn’t a clearly defined standard across EC boards, as the EC ecosystem is still much smaller than those of mechanical or magnetic keyboards.
XVX Whisper switches use the same footprint as standard MX switch, which means they require an MX-style plate with 14 mm × 14 mm plate cutouts. That makes them compatible with certain EC boards that already use MX-style plates.
Some examples include the EC version of the KBDfans Agar, AEBoards Satellite, and AEBoards Constellation. I’ve also seen reports of users successfully using them in some Niz keyboards, since those boards also use 14 mm × 14 mm plate cutouts.
In general, these switches should work with other EC boards as well, although, depending on the board, you may need a custom plate and the ability to calibrate your EC PCB. The good news is that the switches are fully compatible with standard MX keycaps and MX stabilizers, so if you do end up making a custom plate, you can safely use standard MX plate-mounted stabilizers without any alignment issues.
Pricing and Packaging
The XVX Whisper switches arrive in a sturdy cardboard box with a clear plastic tray inside, where each switch sits neatly in its own slot. It’s simple but effective – everything feels organized, and the switches are well protected during shipping.
Each box contains 35 switches. A really nice touch here is that each box also includes two extra springs. These can be installed under larger keys, like the Spacebar or Enter key, to give them a more responsive feel. It’s a small touch, but it shows that the manufacturer thought about the details that matter to enthusiasts.
When it comes to pricing, here’s how it breaks down:
- One box (35 switches) costs $35, which works out to exactly $1 per switch.
- Two boxes (70 switches) are priced at $50, dropping the per‑switch cost to about $0.71.
- Three boxes (105 switches) go for $70, bringing the per‑switch price down even further to roughly $0.67.
If you’re buying just one box – for example, to test them out before committing to a full build – the price per switch is $1, which is on the higher side. But once you move to multiple boxes, the cost drops quickly. Since most people will realistically need at least two boxes, the effective price of about $0.71 per switch falls within the typical range for good-quality switches. And if you go for three boxes, the per‑switch cost dips even further to around $0.67, which is a very competitive price for such a unique switch.
Appearance
These switches come with a circular stem and a small lip around it. An interesting detail is that the housing is shorter compared to the housing of a standard mechanical or magnetic switch – by exactly the height of that lip. This design appears to be intended to prevent interference with keycaps. That lip also serves as a mounting point for one of the included springs.
The housing itself is made of a white semi-transparent plastic, which makes it very RGB-friendly and allows the lighting to shine through nicely. There are also small numbers printed on the housing that help with proper switch orientation during installation (see the Magnetic Keyboard Compatibility section). When I compared several switches from the same box, I realized those numbers aren’t just markers – they’re unique identifiers. Each switch carries its own number, and they increase sequentially, one by one. In other words, every single switch has its own unique ID, which is a pretty unusual and interesting detail.
The switches feature a fully open bottom design, which is a result of their unique construction and compatibility with EC keyboards.
Feel
The key travel on the XVX Whisper is 3.5 mm, which is pretty standard for many magnetic switches, so you won’t run into any compatibility issues. Out of the box, the switches are pre‑lubed and feel very smooth. I didn’t notice any scratchiness at all, which is great. Even though the internal construction is different from traditional mechanical or magnetic switches, stem wobble is kept to a minimum – something that pleasantly surprised me.
Typing on the XVX Whisper feels very different from traditional mechanical tactile switches. The rubber dome inside provides a very unique tactile feedback that is hard to compare to mechanical tactiles. Instead of a short or faint bump, you get a more pronounced and satisfying tactility. It honestly reminds me a lot of the Topre feel – that same distinct, organic rounded bump that makes every keystroke feel deliberate and rewarding.
If you’re someone who enjoys tactile switches but has ever felt like something was missing – like the entire tactile event is compressed into a single point in the key travel or isn’t strong enough – the Whisper will likely hit the sweet spot for you. The rubber dome doesn’t just imitate tactility, like mechanical tactile switches do; it actually creates it. That’s a big difference in how the feedback feels under your fingers.
Another important difference, in my opinion, is that mechanical tactile switches often increase actuation force at the bump to make the tactility more noticeable, but that can get tiring over long sessions. The XVX Whisper, on the other hand, doesn’t require much force to press, yet still delivers very strong and satisfying tactility throughout the keypress.
When it comes to bottoming out, to my surprise, it’s not mushy. There’s still a clear sense of the keystroke, but without that harsh and loud impact you often get with mechanical or magnetic switches. Instead, the bottom‑out feels soft and pleasant, which makes long typing sessions much more comfortable. It’s a nice balance between precision and comfort, and it really adds to the overall typing experience.
There’s also an interesting advantage when it comes to Hall Effect/TMR PCBs and tactile switches. You can adjust the actuation point exactly how you like it – right at the beginning of the tactile bump, somewhere in the middle, or closer to the end. It’s a small detail, but it expands the overall experience compared to mechanical tactile switches, where the actuation point is always predetermined and unchangeable. For example, if you prefer the actuation point to happen right at the beginning of the tactile bump rather than after it, you have to look for mechanical switches specifically designed with that actuation point placement in mind.
Sound
The whole idea behind these switches isn’t about producing sound, but about eliminating it. The name “Whisper” fits them really well, because they’re very quiet in everyday use. There’s no click, no clack, nor any other type of sharp bottom-out sound you’d typically expect from mechanical or magnetic switches. These switches also feature an O-ring in their construction, which helps dampen the upstroke as well, so they stay quiet not only when bottoming out but also on the return. Because of that, they are especially well suited for late-night sessions, shared spaces, or any environment where you don’t want to annoy the people around you.
Final Thoughts
XVX Whisper switches are truly exceptional, and it’s so refreshing to see something genuinely new among magnetic switches. It offers something different that immediately sets it apart the moment you start typing. In many ways, it feels like a modern reinterpretation of the Topre experience, but adapted for the much larger magnetic keyboard ecosystem. That alone makes Whisper switches incredibly interesting, because it massively expands the available options for people who enjoy or want to try EC‑style tactility, especially since the magnetic keyboard market currently offers far more affordable solutions, hot‑swappable models, and a wider variety of layouts compared to the EC keyboard market. At the same time, you still keep all the advantages that HE/TMR keyboards are known for.
As a silent switch, it is remarkably quiet. As a tactile switch, it offers very unique tactile feedback. And as a magnetic switch, it feels even more special, because nearly all magnetic switches on the market are linear, and the XVX Whisper brings a completely different feel into that ecosystem.
I highly recommend giving the XVX Whisper a try. It’s unique, it’s innovative, and it feels shockingly good.
XVX Whisper Switches
Controller and mechanical keyboard enthusiast. Tech reviewer, regularly sharing thoughts about gadgets and computer peripherals.
