[Rant] Apple notebooks have awful, cheap keyboards.

[Quillz]

I noted this as a rant. But actually, it's a pointless rant.

Anyway, one thing that annoys me about Apple's notebooks is how cheap and plasticy the keyboard feels. This also extends to their desktop keyboards. The keys are shaped, smooth plastic. Now, I know this really doesn't matter at all in terms of usability, but Apple is all about aesthetics, and thus it seems very "un-Apple" to supply such a crap quality keyboard that almost immediately begins to show ugly signs of wear and tear. Finger oils, uneven "shininess," etc. I know quite a few people get bothered by this and attempt to clean the keys, to no success.

Now, other vendors like HP and Sony have solved this problem by either a) making the keys out of a different material (my Sony Vaio P netbook has aluminum keys) or b) applying a coating on the keys that resist wear and tear (like the HP Mini). Considering how much an Apple notebook costs these days, you think Apple could afford to make the keys a little more resistant than they presently are.

So I guess my point to all is that this while there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the keyboards, I just wish Apple tried to make the keyboard look a little newer for longer.

[jessica.]

Didn't you just say in another thread (http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=7767175&postcount=6) that you were happy with your MB?

[Quillz]

Didn't you just say in another thread (http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=7767175&postcount=6) that you were happy with your MB?
Happy? Yes.

That doesn't mean there aren't little annoyances. Nothing is perfect.

[Ov3rlord Falc0r]

I love the keyboard on the Apple's. They feel MUCH better than any other laptop keyboards that I have used. I do prefer "normal" desktop keyboards with the slightly bigger keys, but those aren't practical in a laptop.

[Quillz]

I agree that they have a nice feel to them.

I just dislike that they show signs of wear and tear so quickly and easily.

[CRAZYBUBBA]

I agree, powerbook keyboard and Thinkpad keyboards are much better for someone like me who spends 90% of there time typing something or another.

[Zazoh]

I love the keyboard on the Apple's. They feel MUCH better than any other laptop keyboards that I have used. I do prefer "normal" desktop keyboards with the slightly bigger keys, but those aren't practical in a laptop.

Agree -- My son and wife have an HP and Dell Laptop, the keys are so mushy. I never used to notice till I got this Mac.

[Quillz]

Agree -- My son and wife have an HP and Dell Laptop, the keys are so mushy. I never used to notice till I got this Mac.
Dell has the same problem: cheap and plasticy. They feel alright to use, but they just get that "shininess" and other types of stains so quickly.

I think Sony makes the best notebook keyboards, at least in terms of quality. The feel is different, but at least they look decent for a little longer.

[rhett7660]

I love my apple keyboard. Love it. To me it is one of the best keyboards I have every used. Sorry to hear that you don't like yours.

[Quillz]

I agree, powerbook keyboard and Thinkpad keyboards are much better for someone like me who spends 90% of there time typing something or another.
Didn't the original TiBook have a bronze keyboard?

That's what I wish Apple would make for their Pro models. Something a little higher quality than cheap plastic.

[Quillz]

I love my apple keyboard. Love it. To me it is one of the best keyboards I have every used. Sorry to hear that you don't like yours.
And to clarify, I don't really dislike it. I just wish the plastic was maybe coated or something (like on the HP Mini) so that it resisted signs of wear a little better than now, where they tend to get shiny and very dirty rather quickly.

It's not an Apple-exclusive problem.

[Quillz]

Woah... I made the thread title way more misleading than I intended to. Didn't mean to imply the keyboard is awful; it's not. It's just not as durable as I wish it was, is what I'm trying to say here.

So, please, don't crucify me. It's just a pointless rant, like I stated.

[Ov3rlord Falc0r]

I agree that they have a nice feel to them.

I just dislike that they show signs of wear and tear so quickly and easily.

I don't think you properly think out your answers before you post. In your OP you stated that the "cheap and plasticy" feel of the keyboard "annoys" you. But just now you said "they have a nice feel to them".:confused:

[Quillz]

I don't think you properly think out your answers before you post. In your OP you stated that the "cheap and plasticy" feel of the keyboard "annoys" you. But just now you said "they have a nice feel to them".:confused:
You're right, I don't. I (as usual) put up a terrible thread title.

My whole point this thread is that while I don't dislike the keyboard per se, I just don't like the cheap plastic that shows wear and tear very quickly. Again, it's not something that affects usability at all, it's just a minor aesthetic thing that could be solved by either coating the plastic with some kind of finish or by using a different material. That's it. The feel of the keys themselves are alright.

I really should try to have more accurate thread titles. Way too accusatory on my part...

[imthekuni]

Out of every computer I have ever owned, the island keys on the Apple notebooks are definitely my favorite. I use an iSkin to keep crap from getting below the keys but nonetheless an awesome design in my eyes.

[HLdan]

I agree that they have a nice feel to them.

I just dislike that they show signs of wear and tear so quickly and easily.

I like the keyboards, they type very well but I have to agree with the OP, they get greasy so easily. My previous Macbook Air became oily after a week of owning it and no amount of alcohol would get rid of the wear on the keys from the oil. It definitely ruins an otherwise beautiful machine. I notice other companies are beginning to apply a coating on the keys to prevent wear and oil. I guess that will be in the next generation Macbooks. :(

[okatidubi]

If you want to compare shininess and oiliness caused by wear and tear, borrow a businessman's MacBook that has black keys and a businessman's ThinkPad.

You'll be surprised how oily the ThinkPad keyboard can get even though it is made out of good quality plastics, or so I've heard.

[dvdhsu]

You CRAZY, man! :p

Seriously though, I love the feel of the keyboard. However, I do agree with you on how the keys should be more durable, and be more capable of standing wear and tear.

[Quillz]

I like the keyboards, they type very well but I have to agree with the OP, they get greasy so easily. My previous Macbook Air became oily after a week of owning it and no amount of alcohol would get rid of the wear on the keys from the oil. It definitely ruins an otherwise beautiful machine. I notice other companies are beginning to apply a coating on the keys to prevent wear and oil. I guess that will be in the next generation Macbooks. :(
Exactly, this is what I'm getting at. I just for some reason didn't seem to be able to get this point across very clearly the first time.

Apple is applying wear-resistant coating to the iPhone 3G-S, it'd be nice if they'd do it on the keyboards, too. Make them look nicer for a little longer.

[Quillz]

You know name calling is against forum rules here. Be cool about that.
It's understandable, since I don't worship Steve Jobs and have the highest praise for all things Apple at all times. I don't really fit in here because I'm not an iSheep all the time.

[kim6ball]

I agree. PC keyboards are much more efficient and easy to type on

[Quillz]

I agree. PC keyboards are much more efficient and easy to type on
Well, I don't really agree with that, since it depends on the quality of the keyboard. Some feel much more cheap than others. My Sony Vaio P has the best notebook keyboard, imo. It's made of aluminum and has some kind of coating on it, so it doesn't show any wear at all.

That on a MacBook would be great, and would really fit in with the rest of the unibody aluminum construction, I think.

But, meh, it's a minor thing. Just annoying.

[Quillz]

dude what are you smoking cuz i want some

the macbook has like the best keyboard ever it's so comfortable and well spaced

every other oem wishes it could have the apple keyboard

you should feel lucky to use such a great notebook, cuz you dont obviously have enough respect
...Alright, whatever you say.

[ELab2]

It seems to be something of a love hate thing. When I first sat down to test out the new MB the first thing I noticed was how great the keyboard, a really different feel that I was used to and I really enjoyed it. My friend who has been using Macs for years hates it.

Perhaps trying out a few different keyboard covers would be beneficial, they give a pretty wide variety of different keyboard feels even though that's sort of contrary to their intended purpose

[Eric S.]

I agree that they have a nice feel to them.

I just dislike that they show signs of wear and tear so quickly and easily.

Really? I've had my unibody MB for six months, I use it all day almost every day, and my keyboard shows no sign of wear or tear.

[conch575]

I think the keypad is really good, better than a lot of other computers I've used in my time. I also got a keyboard protector for mine, it's really nice. It took a little while to get used to though since the keys were spaced a bit far apart and were raised more than in.

It also sounds nice when I type ;)

[Chozo]

I know what you mean but I have a solution for you.

Turn off the MacBook, remove the battery. Grab a facecloth, run it under hot water and ring it out so it's damp (you're going to have to man up and deal with the hot water while you do this). Next, thoroughly wipe the keys and the surrounding area while you're at it. You're done. Wait a couple of minutes for it to dry, put the battery back in and turn it on. I have found you're going to have to do this about once a week to ensure it stays pretty clean.

Oh and wash your hands before using the MacBook. You have no idea how much this really affects how clean your MacBook is.

[mathieuheartmac]

I love my keyboard, but I could also deal without the shiny-ness.
I have only had my macbook for 8 months, and some keys and a spot on the space bar are already starting to shine.

I don't think it is all about how clean the keys are with the black keys, though. I think the matte black keys just show more wear.

But like I said, I LOVE the feel of the keys. They are so easy to type on. I can type much faster on my macbook than I do on my desktop PC at work.

[marold280]

I completely disagree. I have a first gen MacBook from 2006, and the keyboard has not changed one bit. Its just fantastic to type on and I hate typing on pc laptop keyboards.
My mums has got "shiny" keys after a couple of months.

[panzer06]

I agree that they have a nice feel to them.

I just dislike that they show signs of wear and tear so quickly and easily.

I've never noticed any wear. Must have something to do with the fact I never type on the laptop keyboard and always use external keyboards and mice.

I must agree that I preferred the older Bluetooth keyboard.

Cheers,

[nick9191]

Loving the new Apple chicklet keys. Best keyboard I've ever used. Perhaps not as aesthetically pleasing as the classic MacBook Pro, but I'm prepared to sacrifice that for usability.

[hellfire88]

I agree about the "shinyness" on the keys showing up more quickly than other brands. I don't like the "shiny" look so I got a Moshi Clearguard keyboard cover as soon as I got my uMB. Doesn't really affect typing much and my keyboard still looks like new underneath the cover.

[crackbookpro]

Woah... I made the thread title way more misleading than I intended to. Didn't mean to imply the keyboard is awful; it's not. It's just not as durable as I wish it was, is what I'm trying to say here.

So, please, don't crucify me. It's just a pointless rant, like I stated.

I got ya Quillz, I understand the thread. Sometimes, people on here go straight for the drama. I agree with you about the keyboards. I see a big difference in the overall display of keys of an Apple vs the rest. ...some good, some bad :o

Apple has space in between the keys, I get it - this will hopefully reduce some stroke errors. That was smart by Apple, but on the whole - You're right, they are lacking with their keyboards. The durability of them is very subpar, especially the keyboards with white keys. The white keys can look pretty nasty only after a couple months of usage. Maybe that is why they only make black now on MBP's. And another poor piece of equipment is their wireless keyboard. It's pretty small, and has no numerical keypad, which is an option Apple really should be thinking about for a wireless keyboard.

So, I get your concern. And, I do not get what Apple's strategic planning is on this at all. Maybe cost?, which would be disappointing due to the price. I personally like the old MBP keyboards with the so-called windows keyboard(the old alu MBP with the matte LED screen).

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/MacBook_Pro.jpg
[above] I still think this was one of the best Apple products ever! And by far, the best screen Apple has made so far...I hate glossy screens, if ya can tell :D

I think your post is something Apple engineers should be contemplating about for future Macs.

CrackBookPro:cool:

[Yeti60]

Thats quite opposite from my opinion.

I find that this keyboard is pretty much the best one I've ever used. I love the feel of it, I think it looks good (I have the backlit keys), and it sounds good when you type with it.

True, it does show visible signs of use, such as the smudges. However I never look at the keys and the smudges are pretty easy to eliminate.

[Geoff.]

I love my keyboard :eek: Makes typing so nice