I can tell you that any MacBook in general has to be extremely babied as they are very fragile devices. Even if you have to type on the poor quality keyboards, you have to press the keys so lightly that you're barely hitting them or the keys can get damaged. Also, always having a mini brush and a micro fibre cloth with me has greatly helped in cutting back on dust. It's the only laptop that I've owned in my life that requires this level of care.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
For those who got Space Black
- Thread starter ProQuiz
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I can tell you that any MacBook in general has to be extremely babied as they are very fragile devices. Even if you have to type on the poor quality keyboards, you have to press the keys so lightly that you're barely hitting them or the keys can get damaged. Also, always having a mini brush and a micro fibre cloth with me has greatly helped in cutting back on dust. It's the only laptop that I've owned in my life that requires this level of care.
Release week space black m4max. still happy, fingerprints not much worse than bare aluminium for me. Yeah you can see some marks that wipe off, but I could see similar on bare aluminium 14" pro I had from 2021 too.
I went with the Space Black this time around in part because Space Gray has been discontinued, and I am not a fan of the silver. I do have a clear hardshell case I keep on the machine, but I've never had issues with either dirt or grit getting between the case and the Mac and damaging the finish. I'm not sure if any changes were made to the Space Black anodization process, but my machine is far less prone to showing fingerprints than the initial Space Black models on display in stores
You're definitely not going to see any wear within months. It took about a year before it started and I don't really baby it at all - constantly plugging things in/out as I tend to work in 3-4 locations throughout the day, so my use for those is at least double the average user.
Also to note, not seeing meaningful palm rest wear, but I typically wipe the machine down once a day. That to me has been my biggest issue in the past as it's so apparent, but the anodization seems to hold up well to that.
If you have the machine 3+ years a bit of wear is probably unavoidable but I don't think it's something that really jumps out.
Last edited:
Staining, as in will come off when removed with alcohol, or something, or permanent?
I do not mind removable marks, it is the ones that are not that kinda bother me. I am going to take a look how SB looks in the Apple store, minus the 1000 fingerprints and bright overhead light to see if I like the color better than silver. I used to love silver but it just seems/feels a little dated to me these days. Definitely have less to worry about, except maybe more reflection on the screen.
Last edited:
The trackpad doesn't bother me but it's the keyboard that's even worse. This is why I will carry a 4lb mechanical keyboard with me that weighs more than the laptop itself.
If I ever have to touch any of the built-in laptop keys then I press the key with my fingernail so that the key doesn't look like it's been car waxed. The less contact the keys have to your skin the better.
Wouldn't the same thing apply to the keyboard on the Silver Mac, too? Are these just oily residue stains, or etched into the keys and the trackpad and palm rest?
Yes because Apple uses the lowest quality plastic for the keyboards. This is why I always advise people to refrain from using the MacBook keyboard if you can avoid it. The only way to prevent shiny as marble keys is to not use it.
You either have the worst luck, or crazily high standards, because that is as opposite from my experience as you can get.
In my experience, if you put in the most basic effort into looking after them, and they last for ages! No need for babying them! Clean them from time to time, and don't drop them on tiles!
Carrying around a 4lb keyboard because you are concerned with the built-in keyboard is ridiculous. I have a solution that allows me to use the keyboard all the time without worrying about the keys at all, and it doesn't require carrying around a 4 lb keyboard either. The best part is that it costs less than $13.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Yea, I always use an external keyboard when working from home. For something this expensive, why the cheap plastic?
Sounds about right to me.....
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
The tolerances are quite tight on these, at least since the butterfly machines, and Apple does not recommend keeping internal protectors on when the machine is closed. Sure in normal use it's probably alright, but there is a chance of damage w/ extra pressure from an overly packed sleeve/bag.
Using a camera cover, palm rest, or keyboard cover on a Mac notebook - Apple Support
If you use a camera cover, palm rest cover, or keyboard cover with your Mac notebook, remove the cover before closing your display to prevent damage to your display.
As far as shiny keycaps, it's pretty much unavoidable on ABS plastics. Apple's not being cheap on purpose, it's just that PBT plastic can not be formed to the thinness required.
Last edited:
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
At some point the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. I use my MacBook keyboards and have for years. Yes they can get shiny. No it doesn’t matter as they stay functional.
I mean it is a computer not a collectors item. You’re going to use it and use causes wear.
The way I like to see it. The wear is me making my mark on the machine just as it makes its mark on me. After a while, we’re both uniquely bonded.
Ah, okay... Well, most of the time, my Macs are docked and using an external keyboard.The tolerances are quite tight on these, at least since the butterfly machines, and Apple does not recommend keeping internal protectors on when the machine is closed. Sure in normal use it's probably alright, but there is a chance of damage w/ extra pressure from an overly packed sleeve/bag.
Using a camera cover, palm rest, or keyboard cover on a Mac notebook - Apple Support
If you use a camera cover, palm rest cover, or keyboard cover with your Mac notebook, remove the cover before closing your display to prevent damage to your display.support.apple.com
As far as shiny keycaps, it's pretty much unavoidable on ABS plastics. Apple's not being cheap on purpose, it's just that PBT plastic can not be formed to the thinness required.
Those keyboard covers do nothing but collect dust and will expose the dust to the laptop keyboard. What would work better is parchment paper that stays dry and instead of having to wipe down the dust on the keyboard cover, you just use a new piece of parchment paper each time. Parchment paper has great grease resistance.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
The tolerances are quite tight on these, at least since the butterfly machines, and Apple does not recommend keeping internal protectors on when the machine is closed. Sure in normal use it's probably alright, but there is a chance of damage w/ extra pressure from an overly packed sleeve/bag.
Using a camera cover, palm rest, or keyboard cover on a Mac notebook - Apple Support
If you use a camera cover, palm rest cover, or keyboard cover with your Mac notebook, remove the cover before closing your display to prevent damage to your display.
As far as shiny keycaps, it's pretty much unavoidable on ABS plastics. Apple's not being cheap on purpose, it's just that PBT plastic can not be formed to the thinness required.
This one is so thin that it doesn't even affect the tolerances or spacing in the least. As far as a "chance of damage" is concerned, the scenarios that would cause such an outcome would happen even without anything between the keys and display.
I just use a transparent keyboard cover.Works very well and helps to keep keyboard from shining keys effect.The tolerances are quite tight on these, at least since the butterfly machines, and Apple does not recommend keeping internal protectors on when the machine is closed. Sure in normal use it's probably alright, but there is a chance of damage w/ extra pressure from an overly packed sleeve/bag.
Using a camera cover, palm rest, or keyboard cover on a Mac notebook - Apple Support
If you use a camera cover, palm rest cover, or keyboard cover with your Mac notebook, remove the cover before closing your display to prevent damage to your display.
As far as shiny keycaps, it's pretty much unavoidable on ABS plastics. Apple's not being cheap on purpose, it's just that PBT plastic can not be formed to the thinness required.
I have now had an M3 MacBook Pro since release day, about 18 months ago, and an M4 MacBook Pro since release day, about 5 months ago. I don't baby them, I wipe them down with a damp microfiber cloth - the M4 once a day end of the day (I use that one a lot), the M3 about once/week (I use it less now.) Both are still perfect - no fingerprints, loss of color, scratches, chips, nothing. Seems to be as durable as when I got silver if you ask me.
I suggest you read the Apple advisory I linked. Anything protective inside the machine is not advisable when it's in a closed state.
They're all incredibly thin, and there have been numerous reported incidents of screen damage from the use case I stated.
You can certainly do what you want, just putting this out there as it's not something that should be recommended without caveats.