How sturdy is touchpad?

[usmaak]

New 16" 2021 MBP here. I've had it for about a week and am trying to get used to how cheap and tinny the keyboard and trackpad sound. Of course I'm coming from an MBP 2015 that was built like a tank.

My question is about how sturdy the trackpad is. I had a friend over the other night and his kid wanted to play a game on my machine. I set it up and let him at it. Then I noticed that he wasn't tapping the trackpad, he was like stabbing it with his finger. That had me really concerned because he wasn't going easy on it.

After he left, I fired it back up to check it. Everything seemed ok. I noticed that when it is pressed even lightly, there is some give at the top of it. I can see it go down a bit. I pressed it harder and noticed that it doesn't go down forever. It stops as if there is something under the trackpad. Once it stops, it doesn't seem to matter how hard I press it (not that I was really trying), it doesn't move any further.

My question is, should I be concerned with how hard it was being pressed? Does it really have a stopping point or is it possible to press it so hard that it will break it?

I won't be letting my friend's child play with it again.

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

The trackpad sound is manufactured. It comes from a speaker under the trackpad that reacts to the pressure you put on the piece of glass. If you turn the computer off, you can't hear the sound. And the trackpad doesn't click or move like they used to either (though you may be able to move the piece of glass very slightly). The feeling of clicking is, again, artificial. It's a vibration motor that activates when you press hard enough.

I don't quite remember when they introduced this style. I think it was right around that time (2015) as I'm pretty sure my Retina MacBook had it, but that may have been slightly before the MBP got it.

 

[hg.wells]

.

 

[Hankster]

The trackpad sound is fake. It's not real. The pad doesn't even click. It's a fake click sound. Was introduced to the Apple line of MacBooks maybe 5-6 years ago.

 

[usmaak]

Right. Tapping on it has a tinny sound regardless of any actual sound. It sound hollow and kind of cheap, IMO. I was just wondering if it is sturdy enough to take the abuse that the kid gave it and my pressing harder on it gave it or if there's a chance that some damage was done.

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

I'd say, unless it starts misbehaving, you'll be fine.

 

[mtoddy]

It's literally just a piece of glass with a vibrator underneath it. The worst you can do to it is shatter/crack the glass, like could happen with an iPhone or iPad.

 

[Nrwrit3r]

Right. Tapping on it has a tinny sound regardless of any actual sound. It sound hollow and kind of cheap, IMO. I was just wondering if it is sturdy enough to take the abuse that the kid gave it and my pressing harder on it gave it or if there's a chance that some damage was done.

When you click the trackpad, is it a high pitched noise? I noticed on one of the macbooks it seems to create a high pitched noise that's not supposed to be there. The other MBP I have doesn't do this (I bought two to compare). I'm hoping it will go away, otherwise I will exchange the computer because it's not normal. This is a separate sound from the other click that is designed to occur.

 

[usmaak]

When you click the trackpad, is it a high pitched noise? I noticed on one of the macbooks it seems to create a high pitched noise that's not supposed to be there. The other MBP I have doesn't do this (I bought two to compare). I'm hoping it will go away, otherwise I will exchange the computer because it's not normal. This is a separate sound from the other click that is designed to occur.

I don't hear anything like that, but my hearing isn't the greatest. My issue is that when I tap on it, it sounds like tapping on a hollow tin can. I suppose I'm just used to the solid tapping noise from my old 2015 MBP. It sounds hollow.

 

[calstanford]

Right. Tapping on it has a tinny sound regardless of any actual sound. It sound hollow and kind of cheap, IMO. I was just wondering if it is sturdy enough to take the abuse that the kid gave it and my pressing harder on it gave it or if there's a chance that some damage was done.

There are no moving parts. You're not actually pressing down on the trackpad.

 

[SidBoggle]

I think you are just better off not letting some little s**t touch your brand new computer.

 

[tmoerel]

It is very solid. It has no moving parts and the top is glass. It will not wear out if you don't scratch it with things harder than glass (which is hard!!).
Just clean it with a damp cloth or some alcohol from time to time and it will last a lifetime.

 

[usmaak]

I think you are just better off not letting some little s**t touch your brand new computer.

Yup. I have regrets.

 

[wilberforce]

nvm

 

[7even]

I’ve dropped stuff on mine with previous MBPs, eg my phone. No issues. You can see whats underneath it here: https://www.ifixit.com/News/54122/macbook-pro-2021-teardown and compare to a teardown of the 2015 model to see if that would explain the differences in feel.

 

[dave72]

I have the Trackpad 2, use in on my desk; use the inbuilt Trackpad when on the go - both are rock solid.

 

[Sowelu]

Not all MacBook trackpads sound the same (nor are they all seated the same), and this is true for the new MacBook Pros (I've played with several in both sizes).

Some trackpads are clickier than others with an annoying click-clack sound, while others have a more satisfying muted thunky click sound. And some are seated a bit lower with a more prominent rim around it, while some sit higher (normal) with a more subtle rim around it. Also, some trackpads will make slight surface noise (slight rattle for lack of a better word) with light tapping while others feel more solid to light touches.

If you get a few MacBooks (from the same generation) in front of you and have (superficial) OCD like me, you will notice differences in the trackpads, keyboards (backlight temperature, backlight bleed, overall feel and feedback), variances in the bottom cover solidness, in the display's contrast, white balance and off viewing angles (some shift pink, some shift blue) and so on.

This will always be the case with mass produced products with parts sourced from multiple suppliers. Even parts sourced from the same supplier will vary slightly from one to the other. Not to mention variances in the way they are actually assembled (which may be why there are variances in the trackpad fit and click sounds, display hinge resistance, and so on).

 

[usmaak]

Not all MacBook trackpads sound the same (nor are they all seated the same), and this is true for the new MacBook Pros (I've played with several in both sizes).

Some trackpads are clickier than others with an annoying click-clack sound, while others have a more satisfying muted thunky click sound. And some are seated a bit lower with a more prominent rim around it, while some sit higher (normal) with a more subtle rim around it. Also, some trackpads will make slight surface noise (slight rattle for lack of a better word) with light tapping while others feel more solid to light touches.

If you get a few MacBooks (from the same generation) in front of you and have (superficial) OCD like me, you will notice differences in the trackpads, keyboards (backlight temperature, backlight bleed, overall feel and feedback), variances in the bottom cover solidness, in the display's contrast, white balance and off viewing angles (some shift pink, some shift blue) and so on.

This will always be the case with mass produced products with parts sourced from multiple suppliers. Even parts sourced from the same supplier will vary slightly from one to the other. Not to mention variances in the way they are actually assembled (which may be why there are variances in the trackpad fit and click sounds, display hinge resistance, and so on).

That variance thing just bugs me because I'm pretty good at seeing the flaws in things like displays and it aggravates me. I'd rate the screen of the MBP 2021 that I have right now as just average. The whites are not even on it and the viewing angle isn't great. It's also a bit yellow/green on lower brightness. If I sit at a normal distance from it, there's a definite shift in the whites toward the edges. I know that the return exchange route is often a dead end because there's no guarantee of not getting a device with the same flaw or something different. It irks me to pay this much money to have to look at a screen with flaws like this but I also know that it's just the nature of the game. I'm just more sensitive to things like this than others are.