Hall Effect vs TMR Joysticks: Which Anti Drift Upgrade Should You Get?

Standard controller sticks use potentiometers, tiny resistive tracks that physically wear down. That wear is why almost every controller eventually drifts. Hall effect and TMR sticks both throw the wearing part away and read the stick position with magnets instead, so there is nothing to wear out and nothing to drift.

How they differ

Hall effect sticks measure the magnetic field directly and have been battle tested for years, all the way back to the Dreamcast. TMR, short for tunnelling magnetoresistance, is the newer technology. It reads the same magnetic movement with far greater sensitivity, which translates to finer precision, lower power draw and smoother response near the centre of the stick.

Which should you pick?

• Hall effect is the value pick, proven, drift proof and noticeably smoother than worn stock sticks
• TMR is the performance pick, the most precise stick feel currently available
• Both completely eliminate drift, the difference is feel and budget
• Competitive shooter players tend to notice the TMR difference the most

What we fit in Perth

We install hall effect modules across PS5, PS4, Xbox and Switch controllers, and TMR upgrades for the DualSense. Both are soldered board level jobs, calibrated and tested before handover, and covered by our 30 day warranty. If your controller is drifting now, the upgrade costs only a little more than a standard stick replacement and means you never pay for a drift repair again.

Both upgrades are on our booking page under Controllers. Not sure which suits you? Book either and leave a note, we will talk it through before we start.