2016 rMB Keyboard Replacement Question

[estabya]

I have a 2016 m5 rMB that I am considering having the keyboard replaced on. I have 3 keys (spacebar, return, right arrow) that occasionally give me problems. I can usually fix the issue for a few weeks by using the canned air method. I am trying to decide if I should send it out now (no Apple store or decent authorized repair center within 3 hours of me) or wait until the problem gets worse.

My question though is this: Will my keyboard be replaced by one with first or second gen butterfly switches? I know that the 2017 topcase with 2nd gen keyboard is compatible with the 2016 MacBooks. I have searched the forums (and internet) and found conflicting information on this.

So if you have gotten the KB replaced on your 2016 rMB, which replacement did you get?

 

[estabya]

Has anyone have any experience with this?

 

[James.K.Polk]

I have a 2016 m5 rMB that I am considering having the keyboard replaced on. I have 3 keys (spacebar, return, right arrow) that occasionally give me problems. I can usually fix the issue for a few weeks by using the canned air method. I am trying to decide if I should send it out now (no Apple store or decent authorized repair center within 3 hours of me) or wait until the problem gets worse.

My question though is this: Will my keyboard be replaced by one with first or second gen butterfly switches? I know that the 2017 topcase with 2nd gen keyboard is compatible with the 2016 MacBooks. I have searched the forums (and internet) and found conflicting information on this.

So if you have gotten the KB replaced on your 2016 rMB, which replacement did you get?

Feel like this has been addressed in other threads... maybe I'm getting old. Fiancee had her 2016 12" keyboard replaced. They came back with the same (2016) keyboard. This was approximately 2 weeks ago. I wouldn't hold your breath for anything else to happen.

 

[estabya]

Feel like this has been addressed in other threads... maybe I'm getting old. Fiancee had her 2016 12" keyboard replaced. They came back with the same (2016) keyboard. This was approximately 2 weeks ago. I wouldn't hold your breath for anything else to happen.

Thanks for the response. I had read a couple stories from users here on the forums that said they received the original style keyboard, but I also read elsewhere about users who supposedly got the butterfly gen 2 topcase/KB from the 2017 machine. I much prefer the feel of the gen 2 keyboard over the one currently on my machine, but I won't hold my breath.

 

[mj_]

The truth is nobody really knows what keyboard you are going to get. Not even Apple.

I've had to send in my 2016 MacBook Pro three times within eight months in 2017.
The first time they replaced my keyboard with another 2016 keyboard.
The second time they "reseated some keys" and "cleaned the keyboard" which as expected didn't do sh...
The third time they replaced my keyboard with a 2017 model.

I sold the PoS immediately after it came back from that third service because I was sick of it and had lost all trust in the machine and its keyboard. Supposedly, Apple is not using the 2016 keyboard on the MacBook Pros anymore but they are still using them on the MacBooks.

That's why nobody really knows what's going to happen. Either way, you will need at least one or two more replacements over the course over the next few years because that Butterfly keyboard is defective by design, even the 2017 model. I would suggest to go ahead and get it replaced now. The worst that will happen is another keyboard that you'll end up getting replaced again sooner (2016 model) rather than later (2017 model).