Keyboard and quality issues with the new 16" MBP

[jr69]

(This is a repost from reddit)
I've had this for a few days now (custom, specced) and it's been having some issues.
First of all, everyone seems to be praising the new keyboard, but I've found myself having some keyboard issues, namely some double typing occasionally, and pressing keys but getting a different order. At this point, I even think that the old butterfly keyboard is more reliable. The double typing has occured with almost all the keys, whereas the butterfly keyboard only had the doube typing with the spacebar. I'll give this a few more days, but I highly doubt this would go away on its own.
The other issue is the freezing. It only happened once to me, but it was the first time ever that I've encountered a freeze at all with a macbook. Even the 15" is more reliable, and it never crashed on me.
One good thing I realised was that there is no longer that split moment "cracked screen" effect that would appear momentarily and disappear quickly. Usually this happens a few times a day, but so far I've never noticed it.
Did Apple even do quality control on these new machines? Is this just for the custom built option, or perhaps all of their 16s are flawed?

 

[Falhófnir]

The keyboard is heavily based on the magic keyboard from the iMac which has been in use by the million since being released in 2015, with little complaint. I'd be willing to say it sounds either like an individual defective unit, or a firmware glitch that can be patched. This is as opposed to the actually flaky hardware of the butterfly keyboards, which needed to be physically changed to solve any problems.

As for freezing, it's a new model on pretty new (and rather notoriously buggy) software, give them a few months to iron out bugs and glitches and it will undoubtedly be more stable.

 

[ascender]

I've had this for a few days now (custom, specced) and it's been having some issues.

I've had mine for nearly two weeks and am experiencing none of these problems. That doesn't make my experience any more or less valid than theirs, or representative of everyone's experience, but I'm amazed there's two paragraphs to cover the fact it sounds like he's just got a faulty machine. Which always happens, in every single industry. Its bad luck.

Call Apple and get it swapped. Simple.

 

[Donnation]

Anyone who praises the butterfly keyboard as more reliable than any keyboard EVER manufactured needs to get his head examined.

 

[leman]

I've had this for a few days now (custom, specced) and it's been having some issues.

You should be probably reporting this to Apple and getting a replacement machine.

And no, my 16" does not have any of these issues.

Did Apple even do quality control on these new machines? Is this just for the custom built option, or perhaps all of their 16s are flawed?

Yes, they do. But as with any mass-produced object, some failures will always be able to sneak through QC. That's why you have your 14 day return + warranty.

 

[CarbonCycles]

A single data point does not justify such a strongly written title...it’s also reddit not exactly the most reliable source of info.

 

[ascender]

A single data point does not justify such a strongly written title...it’s also reddit not exactly the most reliable source of info.

Yeah, but that's the internet for you - you only have to look a some of the thread titles and posts on here in the last week to see that there's still a basic misunderstanding of "objective" & "subjective", not to mention a love of being overly dramatic at times 😀

 

[jr69]

A single data point does not justify such a strongly written title...it’s also reddit not exactly the most reliable source of info.

I reposted this as I was the one who posted it on reddit. I was wondering if there were other people with similar issues. I hope that the errors that I see using the keyboard are due to user error (me), and not the (potentially faulty) keyboard itself.

I'll be giving this a few more days to a week to get used to the new keyboard and hopefully see some improvements, otherwise I'll get it returned and hopefully get another one that isn't defective.

 

[AndyMacAndMic]

I hope that the errors that I see using the keyboard are due to user error (me), and not the (potentially faulty) keyboard itself.

What possible user error can cause problems like you have on all the keys of your keyboard? Why wait? If you wait you'll be in constant doubt if it is the machine or you. Just swap the machine instead of doubting yourself and get it over with (and probably get a better sleep as an added bonus ).

 

[jr69]

What possible user error can cause problems like you have? Why wait? Just swap the machine instead of doubting yourself.

Perhaps, but I could avoid going to the Apple store if I may end up getting used to this new keyboard. It still is a little weird for me to use, and the muscle memory is different from the old butterfly keyboard.

 

[AndyMacAndMic]

Perhaps, but I could avoid going to the Apple store if I may end up getting used to this new keyboard. It still is a little weird for me to use, and the muscle memory is different from the old butterfly keyboard.

It is highly improbable that getting a double or more keypress on every key (still after days) is caused by user error. Getting used to it (including your muscle memory) should take maybe a couple of hours, not days. All reviews I have seen and all people I have spoken to or heard about this new keyboard think it is a substantial improvement over the butterfly one and no one experiences problems like you. So, why doubt yourself and think you still have to get used to the new keyboard? Sounds illogical to me.

Why avoid going to the Apple store? Mostly friendly, helpful staff there. It is a little inconvenience compared to the inconvenience you have now.

If you swap the machine, you are sure you have a new keyboard. If that new keyboard still shows the same symptoms, maybe then you can put your energy in doubting yourself .

 

[hajime]

The only issue I have is when waking up from sleep, sometimes the screen is blank.

 

[AustinIllini]

(This is a repost from reddit)
I've had this for a few days now (custom, specced) and it's been having some issues.
First of all, everyone seems to be praising the new keyboard, but I've found myself having some keyboard issues, namely some double typing occasionally, and pressing keys but getting a different order. At this point, I even think that the old butterfly keyboard is more reliable. The double typing has occured with almost all the keys, whereas the butterfly keyboard only had the doube typing with the spacebar. I'll give this a few more days, but I highly doubt this would go away on its own.
The other issue is the freezing. It only happened once to me, but it was the first time ever that I've encountered a freeze at all with a macbook. Even the 15" is more reliable, and it never crashed on me.
One good thing I realised was that there is no longer that split moment "cracked screen" effect that would appear momentarily and disappear quickly. Usually this happens a few times a day, but so far I've never noticed it.
Did Apple even do quality control on these new machines? Is this just for the custom built option, or perhaps all of their 16s are flawed?

Me: looks at title
Me: Looks at "repost from reddit"
Me: See's OP user title

Nothing to see here at this point.

 

[Fravin]

It still is a little weird for me to use, and the muscle memory is different from the old butterfly keyboard.

You could swap it by a 15" model. I have an i9 one. It's lovely machine with Butterfly KB.

If you don't care about the GPU in 16" everything else is similar between these machines. Except, of course, the KB. lol

 

[jr69]

It is highly improbable that getting a double or more keypress on every key (still after days) is caused by user error. Getting used to it (including your muscle memory) should take maybe a couple of hours, not days. All reviews I have seen and all people I have spoken to or heard about this new keyboard think it is a substantial improvement over the butterfly one and no one experiences problems like you. So, why doubt yourself and think you still have to get used to the new keyboard? Sounds illogical to me.

Why avoid going to the Apple store? Mostly friendly, helpful staff there. It is a little inconvenience compared to the inconvenience you have now.

If you swap the machine, you are sure you have a new keyboard. If that new keyboard still shows the same symptoms, maybe then you can put your energy in doubting yourself .

I do appreciate the suggestion, and I also don't want to be self doubting my self either. The overthinking is making me depressed and agonizing me. However, my laziness (to have to commute to the Apple Store) seems more impactful and more of a stronger incentive for me to not book an appointment with the genius bar yet.

You could swap it by a 15" model. I have an i9 one. It's lovely machine with Butterfly KB.

If you don't care about the GPU in 16" everything else is similar between these machines. Except, of course, the KB. lol

I had the 15" prior to this one, but I did have some issues with the keyboard, albeit a few months after using it, and not from day 1 like the 16". I unfortunately need the more powerful specs of the 16".

 

[Arise2B]

The only thing that I don't like with the 16" keyboard is inconsistent keys sound (my 'delete' key sounds much louder/clickier than other keys). Btw, got my wife to check 4 keyboards (2015 15" MBP, 2019 13" MBP, 2011 17" MBP and 2019 16" MBP), she have said that the 16" is the best.

 

[jerryk]

Perhaps, but I could avoid going to the Apple store if I may end up getting used to this new keyboard. It still is a little weird for me to use, and the muscle memory is different from the old butterfly keyboard.

It definitely feels different than the Butterfly keyboard, but then the Butterfly keyboard felt different from the scissors keyboard in the previous MacBook Pros. It takes time to adapt. Give a bit of time and I bet you will come to like the new keyboard.

 

[poorcody]

Me: See's OP user title

If you're wondering what he means by that, the OP seems to have changed his username. It was originally something like "BoycottAppleTim" or some similar sentiment.

 

[Donnation]

OP why even bother with the "This is a repost from Reddit" like there are tons of threads over there with people having the same issue as you.

A proper title would be "I'm having the following issues with my MBP 16", any suggestions?" You take away any and all credibility when you post something like that and then start talking about your issues like they are everyone else's issues to.

Instead of starting multiple discussions about it, just return it and either get a new one or move on to something else.

 

[Eliott69]

You can adjust the time till a character starts repeating during a keypress in system preferences –> keyboard.

 

[Harlowgold1]

Perhaps, it's my typing skills, but this keyboard is so very sensitive. I thought anything would be better than my 2018 MBP. However, if you barely touch a key, it registers it as a keystroke. I have frequent typos and it's easy to double-click on a key. I've had my 16" one week. I hope I get used to this scissor mechanism.

 

[Arise2B]

By the way when I compared the current 16" keyboard to the actual current Magic Keyboard - the keys on the Magic Keyboard pressed better than on the 16". Not only there was a clearer 'click' on all the keys, but also all the keys sounded consistently (and 'delete' was not that disproportionally loud as on the 16"). The 16" is not consistent. All the keys are mushy, whereas delete, return, caps lock and tab are too loud and a bit flimsy. This was not the case on Magic Keyboard. So I do hope there is updated revision later on this.

 

[Harlowgold1]

Arise2B, I AGREE. I would not compare the 16" keyboard to that of the Magic Keyboard! The keys do not sit on the "key mechanism" straight. I can tell by the light that is emitted underneath certain keys. My spacebar leans to the right. Also, the Magic Keyboard has a subtle texture covering each key. My fingers feel slippery on this keyboard. Sadly, this will be returned. I know everyone has there own preferences, but Apple, please get this right!

By the way when I compared the current 16" keyboard to the actual current Magic Keyboard - the keys on the Magic Keyboard pressed better than on the 16". Not only there was a clearer 'click' on all the keys, but also all the keys sounded consistently (and 'delete' was not that disproportionally loud as on the 16"). The 16" is not consistent. All the keys are mushy, whereas delete, return, caps lock and tab are too loud and a bit flimsy. This was not the case on Magic Keyboard. So I do hope there is updated revision later on this.

[automerge]1575300175[/automerge]
Thanks!!!!

You can adjust the time till a character starts repeating during a keypress in system preferences –> keyboard.

 

[Harlowgold1]

I adjusted my "keyboard" settings and it has helped. Still getting a few double letteers <---- Perfect example.