How does Rapid Trigger work? Instant repeat presses explained

As Hall effect and analog switches continue to rise, there’s one feature being slapped across every piece of packaging I’ve been seeing for a few months now; rapid trigger. Hailed as the speedster’s secret weapon, this mode essentially makes your repeat presses much faster by eliminating the need for a switch to fully reset before it actuates again.

It’s one of the few additions to the best gaming keyboards that actually does make a noticeable difference in gameplay, so if you’re ready for an upgrade in 2025 and you play faster FPS-style games it’s well worth prioritizing.

To understand how rapid trigger works, we’ll first have to take a look at how we used to do it in the old days. A mechanical switch will either be on or off. I’ve delved deeper into how both mechanical and magnetic switches work in my guide to exactly what a Hall effect keyboard is but, in short, once a mechanical key is pressed a circuit is closed and an input is registered. To repeat that process, you’ll need to fully reset the key to its normal position, slowing down your rate of fire.

While a mechanical switch only has this one point of actuation (the moment a keypress is registered), a Hall effect or analog switch uses magnetic fields or light to be able to sense depth. That means the switch knows how far down it’s being pressed and can actuate at various points along that journey. That’s how you get various features like dual-step actuation and customizable actuation points in some gaming keyboards.

Rapid trigger relies on this technology to essentially ‘reset’ the switch as soon as the key is released even a little bit. We’re talking about a very small amount of time in general here, but it’s still a considerable benefit in-game. Rather than having to wait for the switch to move all the way back above its reset point, a keypress can be repeated near-instantaneously.

rapid trigger on or off, some decks allow for additional customization. The Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid, for example, allows users to select a particular actuation point that they need to move beyond to actuate the key for finer control. Meanwhile, the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 uses a more dynamic setting that automatically adjusts your actuation based on active gameplay.

The feature is reserved for gaming keyboards with either Hall effect or analog switches, and these decks are sitting towards the top end of the price spectrum right now. The cheapest keyboard with rapid trigger I’ve tested is the Endgame Gear KB65HE, with Gateron KS-37B Hall effect switches at $139.99 / £139.99. That’s a fantastic deck, and my favorite 65% model overall - well worth a look if you prefer to keep things compact.

In a time where unnecessary features like super-fast polling rates seem to be dominating marketing materials, I’m glad that switch-specific innovations are starting to steal the limelight once again. Rapid trigger isn’t going to change everyone’s gameplay, but it certainly makes a lot of experiences noticeably snappier and more responsive. If you’re a competitive player with a spam addiction, it could well be leading the charge in your shift away from traditional magnetic switches.

I’m also rounding up all the best wireless gaming keyboards and the best hot-swappable keyboards for more options. If you’re kitting out your whole setup, check out the best gaming mouse models on the market as well.