What TMR actually is, and why it is different
TMR stands for tunnel magnetoresistance. A TMR stick works out where the stick is by sensing a magnetic field rather than by dragging a wiper across a carbon track. No contact means nothing to wear — and drift is a wear fault, which is why it does not come back.
- Factory sticks read position through a sliding contact; TMR reads it magnetically
- Nothing to wear means nothing to drift
- The travel and the tension are the same, so nothing about how it feels changes much
-
2 business days
Typical turnaround
-
Calibrated
Every stick is centred on the bench
-
3-month warranty
Parts and labour
-
C$60–C$130
Per controller
TMR sticks, priced per controller
Fitted and calibrated prices. The second column exists because the controller only has to be opened once — and the Lite has no second column at all, because it only has one stick.
| Controller | One stick | Both sticks |
|---|---|---|
| Joy-Con The stick lifts out once the shell is open | C$60 | C$110 |
| Switch Lite One built-in stick, soldered to the mainboard | C$90 | Not offered |
| Pro Controller Same stick, more of them to reach | C$70 | C$130 |
The Switch Lite has a single stick and it is soldered to the board rather than plugged into a module, which is why it costs more than a Joy-Con. The blank cell means that combination does not exist, not that we are out of stock.
What the installation involves
Fitting the stick is half the job. The other half is proving the new one reads correctly — a magnetic stick that has not been calibrated drifts exactly like a worn one.
-
Step 1:Record the fault
The existing stick is read and the amount of drift recorded, so there is a number to compare against when the work is finished.
-
Step 2:Remove the old stick
On a Joy-Con the stick is a module and lifts out. On a Switch Lite it is soldered to the mainboard, which is board work — and the reason the Lite costs more.
-
Step 3:Fit and calibrate
The TMR stick is fitted and then calibrated so its resting position reads as zero on both axes. This step is what makes the new stick behave like a centred one.
-
Step 4:Test the full travel
The stick is swept through its whole range and the dead zone checked against the original readings, rather than being declared fixed because the menu cursor stops moving.
These are aftermarket sticks, and that is the point
TMR sticks are not made by Nintendo. That is not a caveat to hide — the whole reason to fit one is that it does not use the design that wears out. But it does mean two things worth knowing before you book: no manufacturer warranty applies to the part, and our own 3-month warranty on the parts and the labour is what covers it.
- Not a Nintendo part, so Nintendo would not cover it
- Covered by our 3-month warranty on the parts and the labour
- Drift caused by wear cannot come back, because there is no contact to wear
TMR questions
What is the difference between TMR and Hall effect?
Both read the stick position magnetically and neither has a contact to wear, so both solve the same problem. TMR is the newer of the two sensors and is what we fit. In practice the differences a player notices are small; the difference you notice is that the drift does not return.
Will a TMR stick drift again?
Not from wear — there is no sliding contact left to wear out, which is the entire reason for fitting one. A magnetic stick can still be damaged by impact or liquid, and it will read badly if it is fitted without being calibrated. That calibration is part of the job.
Does the stick feel different?
The travel, the tension and the size are the same, so games do not need adjusting and your muscle memory carries over. Some players notice a slightly different feel at the very edges of the range. The stick is calibrated to the console so the centre behaves normally.
Why does the Switch Lite cost so much more?
The Lite has one stick and it is soldered to the mainboard rather than being a plug-in module. Removing it and fitting the replacement is board-level work, which is why it costs more than the same job on a Joy-Con even though there is only one of them.
Is it worth it on a controller I could just replace?
If the sticks have already been replaced once, or you play often, yes — a second factory-style repair is where the cheap option stops being cheap. If the controller has never had a drift problem and everything else about it is fine, a standard replacement is cheaper and a perfectly reasonable choice.
Is the installation covered by a warranty?
Yes, three months on the parts and the labour. The sticks themselves are aftermarket rather than Nintendo parts, so the manufacturer would not cover them — our warranty is the one that applies, and it does.
Ask us which stick suits your controller
If you have already replaced a stick and it has worn out again, TMR is the version of the repair that stays fixed. Tell us the model and which stick is drifting, and we will give you the fitted price before you commit.
No Fix, No Fee. Walk in at our Oakville workshop during opening hours, or send it to us.