new Haswell rMBP loud trackpad click

radiohead14 · Oct 25, 2013

hi all. just picked mine up today, and the first thing i noticed was that the trackpad click is considerably louder than my Air. the rMBP has a trebly click as opposed to the quieter Air, which is more on the bassier side.

not my video, but this is exactly how it sounds:

is this normal with all rMBP's? i know it might be a small thing to some of you, but it's annoying me.

i've also noticed that the keys are a tad bit louder as well.. but this i'll just consider as it not being broken in yet.

xxBURT0Nxx · Oct 25, 2013

yes this is normal, probably why you found a video on youtube showing exactly the same thing.

some people worry too much.

Your computer is covered under applecare, use it and IF it breaks, take it in. No sense in worrying about what kind of a click noise it makes for goodness sake.

theuserjohnny · Oct 25, 2013

My rMBP sounds like the Air from the video, def not as loud as your rMBP. Not sure if that's big of an issue but if it annoys you exchange it?

radiohead14 · Oct 25, 2013

xxBURT0Nxx said:
yes this is normal, probably why you found a video on youtube showing exactly the same thing.

some people worry too much.

Your computer is covered under applecare, use it and IF it breaks, take it in. No sense in worrying about what kind of a click noise it makes for goodness sake.

in person, it's an annoying sound.. you probably aren't experiencing the same issue, so it's easy for you to talk down on me. i've just spent a considerable amount of my hard earned money, and for me to notice this right away was concerning. i'm trying to see if more people are experiencing the same thing, since one video on youtube doesn't reassure me. if a lot of people are experiencing the same thing.. then i will save my trip back to the apple store tonight.

xxBURT0Nxx · Oct 25, 2013

i'm not talking down on you, but come on. Do you get nervous every time you hear the fan come on too? It's a freaking track pad man, it's supposed to click, and like I said, you have a warranty.

I prefer to use the computers that I purchased with my hard earned money rather than worry about some arbitrary unimportant click my trackpad makes. I guess you would rather worry about a trackpad. To each their own.

Fairchild · Oct 25, 2013

trackpad may need to be adjusted, it is too tight, make a genius appointment and they can loosen it off a bit.

radiohead14 · Oct 25, 2013

Fairchild said:
trackpad may need to be adjusted, it is too tight, make a genius appointment and they can loosen it off a bit.

thank you.. finally a helpful input.

Fairchild · Oct 25, 2013

don't get bothered by people who don't understand how trackpads work.

radiohead14 · Oct 25, 2013

Fairchild said:
don't get bothered by people who don't understand how trackpads work.

yea, i know i should've just ignored.. i was just flustered with this trackpad thing, and his attitude just made me annoyed.

burton.. i apologize for calling you that word. i've edited it out.

aiyaaabatt · Oct 25, 2013

if you aren't 100% satisfied, TAKE IT BACK!

$2000+ is too much money to have any sense of buyers remorse other than the fact that you paid way too much for a laptop.

Shmanky · Oct 25, 2013

radiohead14 said:
is this normal with all rMBP's? i know it might be a small thing to some of you, but it's annoying me.

That's how my 2012 15" Retina MacBook Pro trackpad sounds. So you don't want to turn on the settings in System Preferences to "Tap to click" and "Three finger drag" so you never have to actually push the trackpad, just touch lightly with your fingers? You prefer to physically press down on the trackpad? With the settings turned on you don't have to hear any sounds.

radiohead14 · Oct 25, 2013

Shmanky said:
That's how my 2012 15" Retina MacBook Pro trackpad sounds. So you don't want to turn on the settings in System Preferences to "Tap to click" and "Three finger drag" so you never have to actually push the trackpad, just touch lightly with your fingers? You prefer to physically press down on the trackpad? With the settings turned on you don't have to hear any sounds.

the funny thing is.. i've had "tap to click" turned on in my Air that i've had for about 2 years now, but i can't seem to break the habit of physically pressing down on the trackpad. been a Mac user for 8 years now, and my old PC habits keep sneaking their way back in from time to time.

toneLA · Oct 25, 2013

Hey, I get it. We all have our little OCDs. Especially when we're talking about $2K+ on a laptop. I find it perfectly reasonable for someone with a question to ask for advice. That's what this board is all about. Mocking the OP isn't gonna solve anything.

To answer your question : totally normal. I have a 2013 Air, had the early 2013 15-inch rMBP. Just got the new 15-inch yesterday. Both rMBP sound the same. Though, I agree, the clicking sound is different than on the Air.

My understanding is that the area where you click on the Air is more shallow than on the Pro. That's where the edge tapers off, making it a little less sturdy - sounding a little more flimsy.

I actually prefer the sound on the Pro. Feels more sturdy.

Hope this helps! Enjoy your new toy and don't reply to the idiots on this board - some are a bunch of know-it-all and they don't deserve the time you're dedicating to playing their game.

aiyaaabatt · Oct 25, 2013

I still don't understand why majority of people use the actual click button...

Touch to click is just so much better, IMO of course

radiohead14 · Oct 25, 2013

toneLA said:
Hey, I get it. We all have our little OCDs. Especially when we're talking about $2K+ on a laptop. I find it perfectly reasonable for someone with a question to ask for advice. That's what this board is all about. Mocking the OP isn't gonna solve anything.

To answer your question : totally normal. I have a 2013 Air, had the early 2013 15-inch rMBP. Just got the new 15-inch yesterday. Both rMBP sound the same. Though, I agree, the clicking sound is different than on the Air.

My understanding is that the area where you click on the Air is more shallow than on the Pro. That's where the edge tapers off, making it a little less sturdy - sounding a little more flimsy.

I actually prefer the sound on the Pro. Feels more sturdy.

Hope this helps! Enjoy your new toy and don't reply to the idiots on this board - some are a bunch of know-it-all and they don't deserve the time you're dedicating to playing their game.

thanks.

yea that makes sense with the area and spacing differences between the rMBP and Air underneath the trackpad. my last MBP was the 1st gen unibody MBP, so i guess i'm just so used to the Air's characteristics.

on a different note though.. i'm cleaning out data and resetting my old Air before I sell it, and sitting next to the rMBP.. i can't believe how great this new display is. and here i was thinking just the other day how good the Air's display is for a TN panel.

KPOM · Oct 26, 2013

radiohead14 said:
dude.. this is my 4th macbook.. this was the first time i've heard it this loud. like i said.. you're not hearing it in person, so back off. go use your superior macbook

I had a 2012 rMBP and now have a 2013 rMBP. The click sound is different, but not necessarily louder. I think Apple repositioned the battery this year, which may account for the change.

Dyce · Oct 26, 2013

Why not just use a mouse then? Do people prefer the trackpad more over the magic mouse?

radiohead14 · Oct 26, 2013

KPOM said:
I had a 2012 rMBP and now have a 2013 rMBP. The click sound is different, but not necessarily louder. I think Apple repositioned the battery this year, which may account for the change.

yea, saw the ifixit teardown.. could be a possibility.

Dyce said:
Why not just use a mouse then? Do people prefer the trackpad more over the magic mouse?

i use my notebook on the go constantly, so i usually have it on my lap.

BASTI51 · Oct 26, 2013

It is normal - have the same as shown in your video. Had 2012 two rMBP13 but both trackpads sounds different. After open the rMBP I could have fixed that by myself without loosing my warranty. Under the trackpad is a little space why it sounds so "cheap".

But I'm not sure if i fix it this time again.

toneLA · Oct 26, 2013

radiohead14 said:
thanks. yea that makes sense with the area and spacing differences between the rMBP and Air underneath the trackpad. my last MBP was the 1st gen unibody MBP, so i guess i'm just so used to the Air's characteristics.

on a different note though.. i'm cleaning out data and resetting my old Air before I sell it, and sitting next to the rMBP.. i can't believe how great this new display is. and here i was thinking just the other day how good the Air's display is for a TN panel.

I agree. The screen is fabulous. It's hard to look at a regular one after that. People saying Retina doesn't matter to them have no idea of what they're missing or are just lying to themselves ha!

Lunfai · Oct 26, 2013

Mine sounds like the Air in the video.

cro1 · Nov 15, 2013

i have the same problem. Received my new rmbp today and the sound of the trackpad click is annoying loud. Have you solved the problem already?

radiohead14 · Nov 15, 2013

cro1 said:
i have the same problem. Received my new rmbp today and the sound of the trackpad click is annoying loud. Have you solved the problem already?

i've had it exchanged since, but it was due to a bad display.

googlers · Nov 26, 2013

radiohead14 said:
i've had it exchanged since, but it was due to a bad display.

The question is, does the replacement have the same sound from the trackpad click?
My rMBP 15.4" (Oct 2013) is also very loud. I have a MBA 13" (late 2010) and I immediately notice how much louder the rMBP is.

This is a very old link but it seems many people has had the same view as us about the sound:
http://techdebug.com/blog/2008/12/04/fix-for-loud-clicking-macbookpro-trackpad/
(Kind of MacGyver style fix by the way)

radiohead14 · Nov 27, 2013

googlers said:
The question is, does the replacement have the same sound from the trackpad click?
My rMBP 15.4" (Oct 2013) is also very loud. I have a MBA 13" (late 2010) and I immediately notice how much louder the rMBP is.

This is a very old link but it seems many people has had the same view as us about the sound:
http://techdebug.com/blog/2008/12/04/fix-for-loud-clicking-macbookpro-trackpad/
(Kind of MacGyver style fix by the way)

my replacement is considerably less loud. almost the same as my old air with a softer click.

new Haswell rMBP loud trackpad click

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