Spare magnetic switches in the WIN68 HE box: what the two extras are for

Open the AULA WIN68 HE box and, next to the keyboard and cable, you will find two loose magnetic switches. They are easy to overlook or lose in a drawer, but those WIN68 HE spare switches are a small insurance policy, and on a hot-swappable board they can also help you work out whether a misbehaving key is a switch problem or something else.

Quick Answer

The two spare Gray Wood switches in the AULA WIN68 HE box are there to replace any switch that fails or feels wrong. Because the board is hot-swappable, a switch pulls out and a spare seats in its place without soldering. The box also holds a USB cable, a keycap puller and a WIN68 ribbon. Evetech's price for the board is R449.

📦 What else shares the box

AULA lists the full contents as the keyboard, a USB cable, a keycap puller, two spare magnetic switches and the ribbon. Each item has a job:

• The detachable USB-C cable is how this wired board connects and holds its 8000Hz polling.
• The keycap puller lifts caps off cleanly so you can reach the switch underneath.
• The spares match the Gray Wood magnetic switches fitted at the factory.
• The ribbon is decoration, a small WIN68 flourish for the desk.

🔧 Swapping a switch, in plain steps

Hot-swap means each switch sits in a socket rather than being soldered to the circuit board. The general routine on a magnetic board looks like this:

1. Unplug the cable so nothing is live while you work.
2. Use the keycap puller to lift the cap straight up off the key you want to replace.
3. Grip the switch and ease it out of its socket, keeping it level.
4. Line the spare up the same way round and press it gently home.
5. Refit the keycap, plug back in and test the key.

AULA does not publish its own step-by-step guide on the product page, so if the switch resists, check the manual in the box before applying more force. A switch puller designed for the purpose makes the job easier than fingers alone.

🔍 Using a spare to diagnose a key

Two spares turn guesswork into a simple test. If one key starts registering oddly, double firing, or needing more pressure than its neighbours, swap its switch for a spare. If the problem vanishes, the old switch was at fault. If it stays, the switch was fine and the issue lies elsewhere, perhaps a setting in the driver or the socket itself.

A Gray Wood switch is a Hall Effect part: rather than closing a metal contact, it carries a magnet that the board's sensor tracks as the key moves. That also means the driver's per-key actuation settings are worth checking before blaming hardware, since a key set very shallow will feel twitchy by design. AULA's page does not mention a calibration tool for the WIN68 HE, so if a fresh switch feels different from its neighbours, check the manual for any reset or calibration routine before assuming a fault.

🎯 The keys most likely to need one

If you ever need to use a spare, the keys that work hardest are the likeliest candidates. In games that usually means W, A, S and D, the space bar and whatever sits under your thumb for abilities. For typists it is the common letters and the space bar. Keep the spares somewhere you will find them, as they are the exact match for the rest of the board.

If you later want a different feel altogether, the hot-swap sockets let you explore the wider keyboard switches range, provided you stay with magnetic switches. Evetech backs the WIN68 HE itself with a 2 Years Local Warranty, and the board sits within Evetech's gaming keyboards category.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many spare switches ship with the board?

Two. They are Gray Wood magnetic switches, the same type fitted across the rest of the keyboard.

Do I need a soldering iron to fit a spare?

No. The WIN68 HE is hot-swappable, so switches come out of their sockets and go back in by hand.

What is the keycap puller for?

It lifts keycaps off evenly without scratching the board, which you need to do before reaching a switch.

Can a spare tell me if a switch is faulty?

Yes. Swap the suspect switch for a spare; if the fault disappears, the original switch was the problem.

Will a fresh switch feel identical to the rest?

It should, since the spares are the same Gray Wood type. Individual magnets can read slightly differently, so test the key after fitting it.