I love the keyboard. What's wrong with me?

[navaira]

It took me exactly 30 seconds to fall in love with the rMB keyboard.

I was waiting for Apple to give the 2017 model a speed bump and lower the price yesterday. That went well (not). So I bought a refurb of 2016 m5/512 for 1391 euro (409 below Apple price). Looks new, 6 cycles on battery. And within 30 seconds I adored the keyboard. It's so... gentle to type on.

That doesn't mean I don't make typos, because I don't look at keyboard while typing and obviously everything is different from rMBP. I hate what they did with arrows. But it feels so nice to type on. After those 30 seconds I went back to rMBP because it was displaying exciting messages like "you signed to Messages from another Mac" and it felt difficult to type on, I had to hit the keys so hard. I've been using that machine for 9 months and loving the keyboard.

What's wrong with me? Do I need medication?

(So far all keys work perfectly, assuming I hit the right one, which is not the case 1% of the time or so)

 

[HengenJL]

Nothing is wrong with you. It took me an hour to get used to the keyboard on my 2015 rMB. I've done all of my school work on that laptop for the last 2 years and it works great. 10 page papers are a breeze to type on the rMB. Never understood the hate the keyboard gets!

 

[sunapple]

But don't use the new version 2 on the MacBook Pros because that will make the MacBook keyboard feel flimsy.

 

[Phil22]

Slightly off topic but how do you find out the number of battery cycles?

 

[sunapple]

Slightly off topic but how do you find out the number of battery cycles?

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201585

 

[chriscl]

Slightly off topic but how do you find out the number of battery cycles?

You can also download the "Coconut Battery" app, which will tell you:

http://coconut-flavour.com/coconutbattery/
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It took me exactly 30 seconds to fall in love with the rMB keyboard.

I was waiting for Apple to give the 2017 model a speed bump and lower the price yesterday. That went well (not). So I bought a refurb of 2016 m5/512 for 1391 euro (409 below Apple price). Looks new, 6 cycles on battery. And within 30 seconds I adored the keyboard. It's so... gentle to type on.

That doesn't mean I don't make typos, because I don't look at keyboard while typing and obviously everything is different from rMBP. I hate what they did with arrows. But it feels so nice to type on. After those 30 seconds I went back to rMBP because it was displaying exciting messages like "you signed to Messages from another Mac" and it felt difficult to type on, I had to hit the keys so hard. I've been using that machine for 9 months and loving the keyboard.

What's wrong with me? Do I need medication?

(So far all keys work perfectly, assuming I hit the right one, which is not the case 1% of the time or so)

I am in the same boat, and have the same spec MacBook. I was initially concerned as I'd read so much negative stuff about the keyboard, but I went to the Apple Store to try one and (whisper it quietly) I actually prefer the MacBook keyboard over that of my old MacBook Pro!

 

[fisherking]

took me a couple of days, but now i prefer it, and when i switch back to my 2015 pro... that keyboard feels off...

 

[navaira]

I have to say I tried it at Apple Store and hated it. But I guess there's a difference between standing up leaning over a table and having the thing on your lap.

So far, all keys work perfectly. That doesn't change the fact that a week from now I may be posting in the "keyboard problems" thread, but for now I couldn't be happier rea... well, I would be happier with the normal arrows layout. I keep on thinking Option is arrow left and trying to find the arrow down button next to it.

 

[realpras]

coming from a MacBook Air, I also prefer the keyboard on the 12'' MacBook. It gives me a satisfying clicky feeling that makes me want to type more and more for some reasons. Tried the 2nd gen butterfly on the new MacBook Pro too, I can't say for sure since I don't own and use it on a regular basis, but judging from the brief time I tried it at the store, it definitely gives more feedback but it's a lot more noisy and need more effort to press, so I think the 1st gen wins it.

 

[navaira]

I've spent most of the afternoon yesterday typing on it. I don't make any typos anymore. I seriously suspect Ive tested this keyboard on me while I was abducted by App-liens. I also feel I owe Apple an apology because I posted about how terrible the keyboard is having tried it at Apple Store.

The entire laptop is impossible. When I lift it it's like "this machine can't exist". It's too thin to be a computer. Computers aren't like that. They're thick and heavy. This is some sort of toy and I will wake up in a minute and discover I was pretending to type on a thin sheet of aluminum.

 

[fisherking]

navaira, i looked into this. turns out that what's wrong with you has nothing to do with the macbook keyboard...

 

[KashKave]

Before buying my MacBook I was so afraid that I was going to hate the keyboard, never get used to it and then want to sell/return the computer. Boy was I wrong. The keyboard is cool! I type so freaking fast on it! So, OP there's absolutely nothing wrong with you.

I find the rMBP 2016's keyboard to be quite annoying. It's loud and you have to press down a bit more. Me no likey. With that said, if I was in the market and needed the power of the rMBP I would get it and just deal with it. At the end of the day it's just a keyboard. More than likely you'll get used to it.

 

[boltjames]

I've spent most of the afternoon yesterday typing on it. I don't make any typos anymore. I seriously suspect Ive tested this keyboard on me while I was abducted by App-liens. I also feel I owe Apple an apology because I posted about how terrible the keyboard is having tried it at Apple Store.

The entire laptop is impossible. When I lift it it's like "this machine can't exist". It's too thin to be a computer. Computers aren't like that. They're thick and heavy. This is some sort of toy and I will wake up in a minute and discover I was pretending to type on a thin sheet of aluminum.

Well done.

As Hengen and Fisherking have stated, it takes a few hours of use and it's as if you've been using it for years. See, the keyboard isn't a problem for the MacBook; it's just a touch-typing learning curve, no different than any time someone gets a new computer. Muscle memory doesn't choose which devices it prefers.

The 12" MacBook must be the single most misunderstood product Apple has ever released. And most of it comes from people who spend 10 minutes with it in an Apple Store and make terrible assumptions. Like you said (love your post) because it looks too thin, it must be fragile. Because it's so light, it must be a toy. Because it has no fan, it must be an iPad. Because it has a thin keyboard, must be hard to type on. Because it has low horsepower, it must be too weak to suit my needs. Because it looks like an iPad, it must be a redundant purchase. Because it has one port, it must have compatibility issues.

All of these myths have been busted. It's time for people to show the RMB the respect it deserves. Since they were first invented, the object of a notebook computer has been to be as portable and versatile as possible. Well, Apple did it, they created the perfect notebook. It's time people stop fighting it, learn to embrace it. It's truly magical.

BJ

 

[bigjnyc]

it took me 10 seconds and i loved it on my wife's macbook. i was flying around typing extra fast and it felt sturdier.... Now when I type on my MBP it feels like the keys are flimsy and will break at any time.... I compare it to using a pre-iPhone 7 home button, that mechanical feel just feels flimsy now after getting used to the 7 plus.

 

[BeefCake 15]

I used the Keyboard on someone else's 2016 rMBP and I don't see what all the fuss was about before. It has a learning curve but I like it.