Competitive gamers are looking for every advantage they can get, and that drive has produced some of the most amazing gameplay under the sun. There are a number of hardware components that provide reasonable edges when used properly. Hall effect and TMR (tunneling magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance) sensors are two such technologies. Hall effect sensors have found their way into a variety of devices, including keyboards and game controllers, including some of our favorites like the GameSir Super Nova.
Recently, TMR sensors have started to appear in these devices as well. Is it better gaming technology? With so many options vying for your lunch money, it’s worth understanding the differences to decide which one is best suited for life inside your next game controller or keyboard.
How Hall effect joysticks work
GameSir includes Hall effect in most of its controllers.
We’ve previously broken down the difference between Hall effect tech and regular potentiometers on controller joysticks, but here’s a quick explanation of how Hall effect sensors work. The Hall effect joystick moves a magnet over the sensor circuit, and the magnet’s position affects the circuit’s voltage. A sensor in the circuit measures these voltage changes and maps them to the controller. Element14 has a great visual explanation of this effect here.
The advantage this technology has over the potentiometer-based exciter rods that have been used in controllers for decades is that the magnet and sensor do not need to be in physical contact. There is no rubbing action to gradually wear and degrade the sensor. Therefore, in theory, Hall effect joysticks should remain accurate for a long time.
How TMR joysticks work
Although TMR works in a different way, it is the same concept as Hall effect devices. When you move the TMR joystick, it moves the magnet around the sensor. So far, it’s the same, right? Without TMR, this alternating magnetic field is reversed resistance feeling instead of the voltage.
There is a useful demonstration of the sensor in action here. Like Hall effect joysticks, TMR joysticks do not rely on physical contact to register input and therefore will not suffer from the wear and tear that affects potentiometer-based joysticks.
Which is better, Hall effect or TMR?
GameSir G7 Pro Controller.
There is no hard and fast answer to which technology is better. After all, the actual implementation of the technology and the hardware it’s built on can be just as important, if not more. Both technologies can provide accurate sensing, and do not require physical contact with the sensor chip, so both can be used for precise controls that will not experience stick drift. That said, there are some potential benefits to TMR.
According to Coto Technology, which, in fairness, makes TMR sensors, they can be more sensitive, allowing greater precision or the use of smaller magnets. Since the effect of the Hall is subtle, it depends on the extension and ultimately requires more energy. Although power requirements vary from sensor to sensor, GameSir says its TMR joysticks use about one-tenth the power of conventional Hall joysticks. Cherry is another brand that highlights the low power consumption of TMR sensors, albeit in the brand’s keyboard switches.
Greater accuracy is where the TMR joysticks stand out, but that will depend more on the controller itself than the technology. Odd response curves, large dead space (which shouldn’t be needed), or low polling values can prevent the best TMR sensor from beating a comparable Hall effect sensor in a better optimized controller.
The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro uses Hall effect sensors.
Saving energy will probably be a benefit most of us really feel. While it doesn’t matter with wired controllers, energy savings can go a long way with wireless ones. Take the Razer Wolverine V3 Profor example, the Hall effect controller that offers 20 hours of battery life from a 4.5-watt-hour battery supported by a polling rate of 1,000Hz in a wireless connection. Razer also offers the Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC, an almost identical controller and the same battery that powers the TMR sensors. They say the TMR version can go 36 hours on a charge, though that may be before bumping it up to an 8,000Hz polling rate — something Razer may have omitted from the Hall effect model due to power consumption.
The disadvantage of the TMR sensor can be its cost, but it seems that it has nothing if it is included in the whole price of the controller. Both versions of the aforementioned Razer controller are $199. Both 8BitDo and GameSir have managed to stick with reasonably priced controllers such as 8BitDo Ultimate 2GameSir G7 Pro and GameSir Cyclone 2.
So which one is successful?
It appears that TMR joysticks have all the advantages of Hall effect joysticks and then some, delivering better power efficiency which can help in wireless applications. One big downside might be the price, but from what we’ve seen so far, that doesn’t seem to be a big deal. You can find both technologies in controllers that cost less than certain potentiometer models, such as the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller.
Cautions to consider
For all the hype, there is no Hall effect or TMR joysticks complete. One of their key selling points is that they won’t experience stick drift, but there are still joystick features that can wear out. The ring around the joystick can lose its smoothness. The stick material can wear out (ever tried to use a rubber worn out controller? Not fun). The connections that hold the joystick upright and the springs that keep it steady can loosen, degrade and become dusty. All of this can affect the continued use of the joystick, even if the Hall effect or the TMR sensor itself is in perfect working order.
So you might not get stick drift from a bad sensor, but you might get stick drift from a stick that doesn’t return to its original resting position. This is where having a controller that is usable or has interchangeable parts, like the PDP Victrix Pro BFG, can be as important as having a controller with a Hall effect or TMR joysticks.
