Hark Tech
Hall Effect vs TMR vs standard Joy-Con sticks — which should you fit?
There are three kinds of replacement Joy-Con stick on the market: the same carbon-pad design that came with the controller, Hall Effect modules, and the newer TMR sticks. They cost, feel, and last very differently. Here's how to choose.
The Joy-Con drifts. You've decided to replace the stick. Three options confront you at the parts shop or on eBay: a cheap "original" replacement, a Hall Effect module, or the newer TMR type. They're not equivalent. Here's what each one actually is, what it costs, and which makes sense for your situation.
Standard carbon-pad stick (the original)
What it is: the same stick design that came in the Joy-Con. Two carbon-loaded plastic pads slide across a resistive element as you move the stick, producing an analog voltage that the Switch reads as X/Y position.
Cost: £3-8 for a replacement pair.
Drift resistance: none. The carbon pads will wear in exactly the same way the originals did. You're buying time, not a fix. Expect another 6-18 months of clean tracking before drift returns.
Feel: identical to stock. No learning curve.
When to use: if you want the cheapest possible fix and you're comfortable doing the job again in a year. Also the only option if you're fixing a controller for resale and need it indistinguishable from stock.
Hall Effect stick
What it is: uses a small magnet fixed inside the stick shaft and magnetic sensor chips under it. As you move the stick, the magnetic field changes in a predictable way and the sensors read it as position. No physical contact between moving parts inside the sensing mechanism.
Cost: £12-18 for a drop-in Joy-Con-compatible pair. GuliKit is the most established brand.
Drift resistance: effectively permanent. No contact, no wear. The stick should outlast the rest of the controller.
Feel: slightly different — usually described as a firmer return-to-centre action and a slightly "tighter" motion through the middle range. Most people stop noticing after a day. Some competitive FPS players say Hall Effect feels less good for tiny precision adjustments; that's real but subtle.
Power draw: marginally higher than standard — about 5% more on Joy-Con battery. You'd need to really count your hours to notice.
When to use: default choice for a permanent fix. The clear winner for casual and mid-level use.
TMR (Tunnel Magnetoresistance) stick
What it is: newer technology that detects magnetic field direction more precisely than Hall Effect sensors. Still uses a magnet in the stick shaft; just a more sensitive read-out underneath.
Cost: £18-28 for Joy-Con-compatible pairs. Still newer, so fewer brands.
Drift resistance: same as Hall Effect — permanent in practical terms.
Feel: closer to stock than Hall Effect. The slightly different return-to-centre and mid-range feel that Hall Effect has is largely absent from TMR — competitive players often prefer this.
Power draw: slightly lower than Hall Effect. Marginally better battery life than standard carbon-pad sticks.
When to use: if you're a precision player (Splatoon competitive, Smash Bros, FPS ports) and you want the drift fix without any feel change. Worth the extra £5-10 over Hall Effect.
Side-by-side summary
| | Standard | Hall Effect | TMR | |---|---|---|---| | Cost | £3-8 | £12-18 | £18-28 | | Drift resistance | None | Permanent | Permanent | | Feel vs stock | Identical | Slightly firmer | Near-identical | | Battery impact | Baseline | +5% | -2% | | Precision | Baseline | Slight degradation | Slight improvement | | Availability (UK, 2026) | Everywhere | Widely available | Limited but growing | | Right for most people | No | Yes | Yes (if budget allows) |
What we fit
Hark Tech fits Hall Effect as the default when customers ask for a permanent fix, and TMR on request for customers who specifically prioritise precision feel. We don't fit standard carbon-pad replacements because the customer is right back where they started in a year.
Will my warranty be affected?
If your Joy-Con is still under Nintendo's 12-month warranty, don't fit any replacement stick yourself — use Nintendo's free repair service. Once you open the controller, Nintendo's warranty is void. Nintendo's free repair fits another carbon-pad stick anyway, so it'll drift again — but while it's free, take the free option.
Out of warranty, there's nothing to lose. Fit Hall Effect or TMR and enjoy a controller that just works.
When to send it in
If you'd rather someone else do the soldering, our Switch Joy-Con drift repair service fits Hall Effect sticks by default, or TMR on request. £45-65 per controller including parts, 3-5 day turnaround, 90-day warranty. Just post the Joy-Cons in.