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16" - Certain keys are much louder than others

A

Arise2B

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 26, 2019
37
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Got my 16". Overall no major issues (except the audio pops).

But just recently noticed that my 'delete', 'tab', and 'enter' keys are much louder. Especially 'delete' when pressed in around 1/3 of top left corner makes a ticking sound similar to the 2015 15" MacBook Pro keyboard. It could be ok if all the keys would tick in the same way, but most of them (even space) are 'muddy' whereas this delete just 'screams' in comparison to the other keys.

Could you please guys check if yours doing the same?
 
Yeah those keys do sound different. I don't know if there's anything specific they did to make it that way or if it's just a function of the keys being physically longer. But it is totally normal.
 
Well, ‘space’ and ‘shifts’ are larger than ‘backspace/delete’, ‘enter’ (in US-keyboard) and ‘tab’ and yet they are as quiet as other keys.

I just need to know if this behavior is widespread or there is a chance to exchange the laptop and get one with quieter/consistent keys.
 
So I went to Apple Store today to check how other 16" MBPs keys sound, and 4 out of 5 laptops presented there had the same loud 'delete' and 'tab' keys as mine, when the buttons are pressed exactly in the same place as mine, whereas 1 out of 5 has the same loud sound but not when pressed at the same spot, but a bit to the right (yet the 'tab' button is louder on that machine as well). So my conclusion that unfortunately this is a "standard", that I have to live with.

Now when I watched some tutorials of disassembling keys in Magic Keyboard (and scissor-keyboard MacBooks), I have noticed that the wider keys (delete, tab etc) have metal rod to stabilize the key. My assumption that the sound comes from the metal rod (and it is proved by the fact that if the 'delete' key pressed at the lower side, it sounds quiet, as the rod in the 'delete' key is located in the higher side).

The question is if disassembling the key and adding a lubricant to the rod would help the situation or I just have to give up and get used to it. :)
 
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I have solved the problem by disassembling the key and wrapping the rod with a small layer of a tape. Now the 'delete' button is as loud as the other keys and I am happy. :) Once the supplementary keys for the 16" can be bought, I will try doing the same with the 'return' and 'tab' keys (to lower the risk of breaking them).

P.S. The rod was located on the lower side for the delete key.
 
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Arise2B said:
So I went to Apple Store today to check how other 16" MBPs keys sound, and 4 out of 5 laptops presented there had the same loud 'delete' and 'tab' keys as mine, when the buttons are pressed exactly in the same place as mine, whereas 1 out of 5 has the same loud sound but not when pressed at the same spot, but a bit to the right (yet the 'tab' button is louder on that machine as well). So my conclusion that unfortunately this is a "standard", that I have to live with.

Now when I watched some tutorials of disassembling keys in Magic Keyboard (and scissor-keyboard MacBooks), I have noticed that the wider keys (delete, tab etc) have metal rod to stabilize the key. My assumption that the sound comes from the metal rod (and it is proved by the fact that if the 'delete' key pressed at the lower side, it sounds quiet, as the rod in the 'delete' key is located in the higher side).

The question is if disassembling the key and adding a lubricant to the rod would help the situation or I just have to give up and get used to it. :)
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my word! I would never disassemble the keys! can't you just live with it?? LOL or return your unit for another??
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Arise2B said:
I have solved the problem by disassembling the key and wrapping the rod with a small layer of a tape. Now the 'delete' button is as loud as the other keys and I am happy. :) Once the supplementary keys for the 16" can be bought, I will try doing the same with the 'return' and 'tab' keys (to lower the risk of breaking them).
Click to expand...
well, congrats, but I'm afraid you just invalidated your Warrenty :/
 
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Yeh mines the same it’s not bad just wondering why they were a little different. It’s fine though.
 
Apple have said this doesn’t sound right and offered to send a replacement machine.
 
Those three keys on mine are a bit louder than the rest. It's a tiny difference overall. I'd never have noticed had I not read this thread. And I mean, really, the difference is tiny.
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rajayoshard said:
When you pay $3000 for a laptop it had better be perfect.
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A friend of a friend of mine said that same thing (relatively speaking) about his $300,000 Ferrari after it had to go back to New York for repairs for the second time, that time because the dashboard had a bigger gap on the left than on the right.

My theory is that with some people, the more money one spends on a thing, the more they look for the tiniest of issues, and manage to keep finding them. I talked to that same guy at a car show about it and asked him why he'd send it away and wait three months for a new dash to be installed when he could just drive it and would never, ever, see it from where he was sitting. He said, "Because I'll know it's there. For that kind of money it has to be perfect."

I asked him how big of a difference it was. "About a sixteenth to an eighth of an inch."

I shook my head, not understanding. Is anything perfect? The prettiest girl in the world won't have the same sized ears. One of her eyes will be less round than the other. She might have an ingrown toenail on her left big toe. Nothing. Nothing Nothing. Is ever perfect. Why look for and find tiny little faults instead of using your gear? It's a waste of time you could use, using the thing.
 
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I have the exact same problem.

Even though the sounds of these certain keys making are not horrible but actually noticeable.

Hence this I added Apple Care+ in case there is any defect of keyboard in the future.
 
Dominus Mortem said:
Those three keys on mine are a bit louder than the rest. It's a tiny difference overall. I'd never have noticed had I not read this thread. And I mean, really, the difference is tiny.
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I shook my head, not understanding. Is anything perfect? The prettiest girl in the world won't have the same sized ears. One of her eyes will be less round than the other. She might have an ingrown toenail on her left big toe. Nothing. Nothing Nothing. Is ever perfect. Why look for and find tiny little faults instead of using your gear? It's a waste of time you could use, using the thing.
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because the computer is a status symbol for them and not something they actually use
 
I typed on a 13" mbp from 2013 the other day. Even on that model, the delete, return, and space bar were all louder than the letter keys. This might be a case of finding problems where you're looking for them.
 
Dominus Mortem said:
Those three keys on mine are a bit louder than the rest. It's a tiny difference overall. I'd never have noticed had I not read this thread. And I mean, really, the difference is tiny.
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A friend of a friend of mine said that same thing (relatively speaking) about his $300,000 Ferrari after it had to go back to New York for repairs for the second time, that time because the dashboard had a bigger gap on the left than on the right.

My theory is that with some people, the more money one spends on a thing, the more they look for the tiniest of issues, and manage to keep finding them. I talked to that same guy at a car show about it and asked him why he'd send it away and wait three months for a new dash to be installed when he could just drive it and would never, ever, see it from where he was sitting. He said, "Because I'll know it's there. For that kind of money it has to be perfect."

I asked him how big of a difference it was. "About a sixteenth to an eighth of an inch."

I shook my head, not understanding. Is anything perfect? The prettiest girl in the world won't have the same sized ears. One of her eyes will be less round than the other. She might have an ingrown toenail on her left big toe. Nothing. Nothing Nothing. Is ever perfect. Why look for and find tiny little faults instead of using your gear? It's a waste of time you could use, using the thing.
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Yes the 12.9" iPad pro that I had was perfect. Along with the two 13.3" 2015 MBPs, and the iphone XS, iphone X and iphone 8 plus and iphone 8 that I have owned in the last year. Yes this is alot of apple tech but I'm developing and typing away on it 8+hrs a day most days of the year. Pro stuff should be designed to hold up to heavy use and luckily apple knows this and builds it so. All except for the 8 and iphone XS have required repairs from apple under warranty. Replacing the upper housing due to delamination which was quite obvious and >$500 each time, replacing the screen on 8 plus $$$, and ipad Pro 12.9" was also $$$ but covered because these defects were caught before applecare was up.

I am ok paying premium $$$ for perfect, but it had better be perfect. Strangely enough the mpb I own now is not making the funny delete key sound. Could also be to the materials of the scissors switch design.
 
Arise2B said:
Got my 16". Overall no major issues (except the audio pops).

But just recently noticed that my 'delete', 'tab', and 'enter' keys are much louder. Especially 'delete' when pressed in around 1/3 of top left corner makes a ticking sound similar to the 2015 15" MacBook Pro keyboard. It could be ok if all the keys would tick in the same way, but most of them (even space) are 'muddy' whereas this delete just 'screams' in comparison to the other keys.

Could you please guys check if yours doing the same?
Click to expand...

Apple isn't manufacturing the keyboard, foxconn or some other company contracted by Apple is making them. But I'm pretty sure we all know this. As much as it may help, Apple isn't on the floor at these manufacturing plants, nor can they tell Foxconn what to do, they submit the order and Foxconn or whomever delivers as per spec. Sure, if the quality is too bad, and too many complaints are observed, maybe... they would switch, but highly unlikely.

Unfortunately, all Laptop vendors have keyboards where by some keys will sound different than others. It's just part of the manufacturing process because there will always be slight variances from one part to another. Sure... the keys should all sound on par with each other, but it's not something I would get upset over. If a key is really loose, or making a sound, then it doesn't hurt to go get it exchanged or repaired, but otherwise, there will always be slight manufacturing variances from one part to the next. Could also be how the final laptop was assembled that's affecting the noise each key makes.

Dell is the worst for this, even on their higher end XPS line. Honestly I wouldn't worry about it, unless a key is really bothering you, then exchange it, but I'd be willing to bet you'd end up with another keyboard where maybe the "c" key now sounds different.
 
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