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2016 MacBook Pro keyboard - how bad is it?

K

kmac007

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 21, 2016
103
16
Hey everyone,

How bad or good is the keyboard on the 2016? I've ready a lot of reviews that say it's loud and difficult to type in.

Lisa from mobile tech reviews says you'll get fatigue from the short key travel after an hour. Can anyone tell me their short term and long term experiences with the new keyboard please.
 
I had used the macbook keyboard before which i did not actually hate however i did not feel it was ideal.

I think the MBP version is better. After about a week of use i didn't even think about it anymore.

If i still have one criticism it is louder than old mbp keyboard.

I would not let it worry you for your intended purchase.
 
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First day I was using it I was feeling some discomfort and pain in my hands, and it was likely due to my muscle memory from my 2012 rMBP. After a few days of using it I grew accustomed to it. I love this keyboard now. Going back and using the the old keyboard on my rMBP once in a while makes me appreciate the new keyboard a lot more - it feels old and clunky in comparison.
 
After using the new keyboard on the MacBook, it's so weird using the old one. Like what others say takes time to get used to it.
 
Loved the feel from the beginning. Did not take much time to get used two. Only two weeks after getting my MBP, I took 3 law school finals on it. Think writing a 15 page paper in 3 hours. No fatigue or issues at all.

It is slightly louder than the older MBP keyboards but this is because of how people (myself included) type. Used to more key travel and pounding on the keys. With the new one you can just lightly tap the keys, which takes some practice, but I think this will be better for my fingers in the long run.
 
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I can actually type really fast on it so I like it. I agree with the others when I use the last generation keyboards they just feel odd, like I really have to press the key to make it work.
 
Great keyboard, took maybe 3 days to get used to it. Can type easily without looking and there's less fatigue than I used to get on the old MBP.

Also like others mentioned, the keyboard is only louder because we're used to pressing keys harder. If you adjust and put less energy into each press, it's much quieter than any other keyboard I've used before.
 
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Bad ??? You get used to it in 2-3 days and when you do it's the best keyboard that has ever been on a Macbook ! I had a Macbook Pro (2006), a Retina Macbook Pro (2012) in the past and I can say that the keyboard on my new 13'' tbMBP is by far my favourite !
 
I really like it. It's still my first week, but I'm coming from an old Dell Windows laptop and I found the transition a lot easier than I thought I would. It's louder, sure, but once you get user to it and don't press as hard as you think you'll need to, there's not much difference.
 
Keyboards are so personal, but for me it has been absolutely great. It's undeniable that more travel would have been nice, but even given that, it's better than any other laptop keyboard i've used.

I type on it several hours per day at work.

I certainly don't find it noisey at all. But I guess it depends on how hard you press?
 
I absolutely hated it for 3-4 days to the point where I considered returning the computer. Then I suddenly loved it. Now I wish my external keyboard was of the same type as well.
 
I like it a lot, personally

punchy and clicky

shames my 12" rMB where I now can understand people's complaints even though I can deal and knew it was polarizing just like this keyboard, since I've spent some time away from the 12" (but still like it!!)

im almost certainly going to add applecare before the end of the first year for peace of mind,
 
Clicky and precise, love it. Coming from the 12" MacBook it's day and night. The 12" MacBook being way less clicky and precise.

Using older keyboards like the 2010 MBP 15" feels weird because the keys feel wobbly. The travel from the older ones is better of course, but that doesn't mean the new keyboard is not nice to use.
 
This is definitely a personal thing, but it seems most people prefer it. It is definitely different and pretty technologically advanced. I don't like laptop keyboards in general because of low travel, but I like this one. The feedback is excellent. There is a very positive click with each press. This is why it feels like a mechanical keyboard to me (my preferred). The travel doesn't really matter because the feedback is there. After you get used to it (couple hours to a couple days), it feels pretty impressive. The old mac keyboards require massive effort in comparison. I was joking that we will all have emaciated fingers after time on this MBP because of how gently you naturally end up typing. The keys are also very solid with no play and no mush. But again, it's personal, and some people can't seem to adjust to this.
 
EvryDayImShufln said:
I absolutely hated it for 3-4 days to the point where I considered returning the computer. Then I suddenly loved it. Now I wish my external keyboard was of the same type as well.
Click to expand...

Ha! I was hoping for the same thing too - an external keyboard version of this great keyboard for my iMac! We can only hope!
 
It's definitely growing on me. I had a 2014 rMBP which I just gave to my wife. Got the 2015 but the keyboard felt mushy in comparison. Reluctantly I got the 2016 nTBP because the keyboard was so different and flat, but it's definitely something I've gotten used to and actually prefer now. But I do have a mechanical keyboard on my desktop, and going back and forth between the two is fairly drastic.
 
Love the keyboard - personally think it's better than the previous one on the rMBP and allows me to type even faster than before. Like that it has more feedback, and like the "clickiness" or tactile feel of this keyboard.
 
Raptura said:
First day I was using it I was feeling some discomfort and pain in my hands, and it was likely due to my muscle memory from my 2012 rMBP. After a few days of using it I grew accustomed to it. I love this keyboard now. Going back and using the the old keyboard on my rMBP once in a while makes me appreciate the new keyboard a lot more - it feels old and clunky in comparison.
Click to expand...
I am glad you finally got your order and that you are liking it. I am already a fast typer but feel I type faster on this new keyboard.
 
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Took about a day to get used to the new keyboard, but after that, I prefer it.

It seems that I can type faster and more accurately than on a iMac keyboard due to the lower height and closer keys.
 
Personally I love it. It's one of my favourite things about the new MBP. I can type super fast on it and with greater accuracy. I love how it feels. I don't really notice the noise -- only when I read about it on here and think, "oh yeah, I guess it is."
 
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