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Keyboard MacBook Pro 2017

P

pb01890

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 1, 2010
6
4
I just received my new MacBook Pro TB 2017 15".
One question as I could not find any similar topic in the forum: when I gently type, the keys in the centre of the keyboard are louder than those at the edges. Is this normal?
Thank you for your feedback.
Cheers,
Patrick
 
I've had the inconsistency problem with more than one of my 2016/2017 keyboards. There are a couple of substantial threads with people who have experienced a number of different problems: high-pitched keys, inconsistency in feel and sound, sticking keys, etc.

In my opinion, the keyboard is a disaster, and I've given up on exchanges, but others will tell you they like them. I just don't think that they are reliable and not what you'd expect on such an expensive machine.
 
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I just had my 2017 13" touchbar MBP delivered today. I've only had it for a few hours but I don't know where all these complaints are coming from. I love the keyboard! I like the feel of it and I certainly don't notice anything out of the ordinary regarding the noise. I am getting a little nervous that something is going to go wrong though with all the bad publicity.

Do we think people are perhaps being a little hyper vigilant? If you're looking for imperfections you're going to find them...
 
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.Logan said:
Do we think people are perhaps being a little hyper vigilant? If you're looking for imperfections you're going to find them...
Click to expand...

I do not consider myself to be overly sensitive to these things, but I found the keyboard to be dreadful.

There are also examples of people who liked the keyboard initially (and even argued with others who complained of issues) but are now suffering some of the issues that they had been skeptical of.

I hope your experience continues to be good. I only know that I and several others have had issues with several exchanges in a row. Statistically, that shouldn't be possible if the issues were uncommon.
 
.Logan said:
I just had my 2017 13" touchbar MBP delivered today. I've only had it for a few hours but I don't know where all these complaints are coming from. I love the keyboard! I like the feel of it and I certainly don't notice anything out of the ordinary regarding the noise. I am getting a little nervous that something is going to go wrong though with all the bad publicity.

Do we think people are perhaps being a little hyper vigilant? If you're looking for imperfections you're going to find them...
Click to expand...


The problem is, forums are a direct method of complaining about a faulty product. Then add in the whiny-ness factor of a few members here, and you'd think their MacBook is made from chopsticks.
 
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TripleMoxy said:
I do not consider myself to be overly sensitive to these things, but I found the keyboard to be dreadful.

There are also examples of people who liked the keyboard initially (and even argued with others who complained of issues) but are now suffering some of the issues that they had been skeptical of.

I hope your experience continues to be good. I only know that I and several others have had issues with several exchanges in a row. Statistically, that shouldn't be possible if the issues were uncommon.
Click to expand...

It's certainly concerning that machines costing upwards of $2000++ (CAD) are having issues with the most basic components. A keyboard shouldn't be something that takes several tries to perfect. I guess I'll just hope I don't run into issues, and count on Apple Care to come through if I do. My Late 2013 model worked great, just thought I'd upgrade to stay current with technology (would be 5 years old soon) worrying I shouldn't have now.

Are people having success with keyboard replacements through Apple Care?
 
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I thought that 2017 keyboards were supposed to have improved. Mine sounds much louder in the middle part, and more silent on the sides. It has no high pitching sounds when pressing the keys... only louder keys in the middle... Is it simply because of the internal acoustics of the frame?
 
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.Logan said:
I just had my 2017 13" touchbar MBP delivered today. I've only had it for a few hours but I don't know where all these complaints are coming from. I love the keyboard! I like the feel of it and I certainly don't notice anything out of the ordinary regarding the noise. I am getting a little nervous that something is going to go wrong though with all the bad publicity.

Do we think people are perhaps being a little hyper vigilant? If you're looking for imperfections you're going to find them...
Click to expand...




This is EXACTLY what I said for the first few months.
No one here defended the new MBP more that I did. I had to eat a LOT of crow, but I was wrong.

I now know for a fact that the keyboards have an issue with dust debris. MANY people are having issues or WILL have them soon.

No less that 5 people at Apple have told me this and even returned their own machines. I ended up buying a top tier iMac and MacBook Air. Apple refunded me in full after the keyboards started to fail on 5 month old machines.

R.
 
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On my 2017 MacBook Pro I have noticed that some keys are quite louder than others, but it doesn't really bug me because Im a heavy typer anyways. But I am worried about dust and other things although Im sure that can be fixed by simply popping a key off although that would be annoying to do.
 
I am not sure the slight sound difference in keys is the issue. I have been through MANY keyboards, including the multiple 2016 13” nTB/TB, 2017 13” TB and 2017 15” TB. By slight sound difference I mean that some keys will have a very soft, almost no ‘sound’ to them.. usually around the perimeter of the keyboard while center keys can have more of a click to them.. NOT the dreaded CLICK/POP issue.

I don’t think this sound variation is THE issue.. but I cannot say that CaptRB is wrong in that they are not the EVENTUAL issue.

The ISSUESfrom my experience, and reading those of others, are:

1. non-responsive keys
2. Clicky/sticky keys
3. Double-entry of letter
4. Random BS behavior of keys (some keys ‘rebound’ sometimes and some don’t.. totally random and PITA.

I am done.. I was going to go back to a 2015 13” but the 2017 MB 12” scores faster than that machine. I tried the 2017 MB 12” and I love looking at it and holding it but my mitts are too big for that little thing. It was zippy and a great machine.. just too small for me.

I have bitten the bullet and gone back to what I NEED.. and needed from the beginning... a 2017 13” nTB MBP. Will I have issues? Maybe. Hell, even likely. WTS, I have to have a computer and I now know (agree with CaptRB) that Apple is ABSOLUTELY aware of the issue and I even have an Apple CR rep I can go to if needed (respect their time).

But I just plan to use it as needed and see what happens. I am not going to take it easy on it... and won’t go easy on Apple if I have the same issues with the keyboard. I have AC+ and with my history if there are issues I will ride them out until Apple gets this $#&@ corrected.

Just using my HP EliteBook at work tells me I don’t want to leave Apple.. the ‘trackpad’ on that HP.. the palm recognition is so horrible I have to disable it or my cursor goes all over the place...not an issue on Macs.

Good luck to everyone.
[doublepost=1505417256][/doublepost]
pb01890 said:
I thought that 2017 keyboards were supposed to have improved. Mine sounds much louder in the middle part, and more silent on the sides. It has no high pitching sounds when pressing the keys... only louder keys in the middle... Is it simply because of the internal acoustics of the frame?
Click to expand...
As a follow-up to my post.. I don’t think this is THE issue.. I think these sounds have more to do wth the thin keys and what is/isn’t under them.
[doublepost=1505418184][/doublepost]This if $%#@ing nuts.. so my brand new 2017 nTB.. that I bought yesterday has a trackpad issue.. I have used the trackpad A LOT.. and never had it rattle when you tap it.
I noticed this yesterday but tried to ignore it and thought I was being overly sensitive.. although it was a sound I had not heard on trackpads, 2015 - 2017 that I have used.

I just went to test this on a co-worker’s 2017n MBP.. when you tap his trackpad there is no rattle. I just went back and had him see if he heard it and he said .. no no no.. that is full rattle.

When I tap..and not tap that hard.. it rattles and it sounds like the rattle goes all the way through the keyboard. When I pressed a little more it sounded like there is sand under the trackpad... it made a sandy crunch.

Truly at a loss.
[doublepost=1505418700][/doublepost]I honestly feel like a chump for giving them more chances... but I need a laptop. I don’t want the Air (screen). Maybe the 2015 13” is in the cards.. this is going back in under an hour.
 
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My answer to all of this was to buy a brand new MacBook Air. It's a i7 with 512 GB drive. And the keyboard is proven (I have a two year old Air as well, which my wife uses).

No retina screen on the Air, but you're really being silly if you say it's a poor screen. It looks very good, just not as nice as the new screens. The Air is also very capable. I was easily able to edit high res photos on it and get my work done in a pinch. The output to my 4K screen looks excellent. From an ergonomic standpoint, the Air is still my favorite in many respects.

No slick keyboard, retina screen or touchbar, but the darn thing WORKS.

On Saturday my new 27" 5K iMac i7 with 580/8gb graphics, SSD and 24 GB RAM should arrive and ease my pain.

1st world problems.


R.
 
CaptRB said:
My answer to all of this was to buy a brand new MacBook Air. It's a i7 with 512 GB drive. And the keyboard is proven (I have a two year old Air as well, which my wife uses).

No retina screen on the Air, but you're really being silly if you say it's a poor screen. It looks very good, just not as nice as the new screens. The Air is also very capable. I was easily able to edit high res photos on it and get my work done in a pinch. The output to my 4K screen looks excellent. From an ergonomic standpoint, the Air is still my favorite in many respects.

No slick keyboard, retina screen or touchbar, but the darn thing WORKS.

On Saturday my new 27" 5K iMac i7 with 580/8gb graphics, SSD and 24 GB RAM should arrive and ease my pain.

1st world problems.


R.
Click to expand...
Reading about this keyboard thing is really starting to unnerve me. Have had zero issues but it’s only 3 months old at this point...

As for the MacBook Air, I have a late 2010 (the first year of the current body design) 13” MBA, and a 2012 11” MBA that are still being used today by my family. Zero issues so far *knocks on wood*.
 
PBG4 Dude said:
Reading about this keyboard thing is really starting to unnerve me. Have had zero issues but it’s only 3 months old at this point...

As for the MacBook Air, I have a late 2010 (the first year of the current body design) 13” MBA, and a 2012 11” MBA that are still being used today by my family. Zero issues so far *knocks on wood*.
Click to expand...


I bought the 15" touchbar in mid February. It was perfect, best laptop ever...and then right in the middle of a movie project the B key started to double type. I tried blowing air, rocking it, and finally brought it to Apple.
The tech knew exactly what was going on and said it had to do with debris getting under the keys. He had already returned his 13" which was the 2017 model.
I took the machine back home because they wanted to ship it out. The next day I called Apple and said "I don't want this mess. Give me my money back so I can buy something that works and will keep working."
I asked for that after another tech explained over the phone that the issue was likely to happened again. They took the machine back and I started all over with the iMac/Air combo and I'm happy.

I do hope they redesign the keyboard because I otherwise loved that machine.


R.
 
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Every 2016/2017 15" MBP (what I need) I have tried has had inconsistent keyboards across multiple Apple Stores, Approved resellers and multiple countries. In my own professional circles the new MBP is now just considered a joke, the increasing rate of keyboard failure simply reinforces...

Apple needs to drop the corporate hubris, redesign the keyboards so they are once again at a very minimum as reliable as the previous generation of MBP's. Personally I don't buy the debris excuse, it's more likely related to a poor design that was not adequately proven. $3K notebook with a $2 keyboard, frankly a disgrace and anyone stuck in this mire has my sympathies, as all Apple will do is the same as they have always done; replace the affected component's with the same poorly designed items.

As above some members really appreciate the design of the new MBP, however it's fundamentally unfit for professional use due to the ridiculous keyboard and rapidly rising poor reliability. Other manufacturers are getting it right offering thin & light portables with adequate key travel with no known reliability issues, the notebook I'm currently typing on is even water resistant. Just what exactly is wrong with Apple these days? or is Apple simply lost as a phone company offering expensive accessories, missing the attention to detail it was once so famed for...

The Air I struggle with the display, it's always been a poor quality panel and remains to be so, Apple should have upgraded the Air to an IPS panel years ago, equally Apple's greed forgoes any such common sense action. 2015 design 15" rMBP is still a solid platform , however I resent paying Apple's asking price of $2K, given the strength of the competition...

Q-6
 
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BTW, I never really understood the "keys sound differently" complains. Yes, they sound differently on my 2016 machine. And they also sound differently on any other keyboard I have ever used? I kind of assumed that this is normal.
 
I spilled a drink shortly after buying my 2014 Macbook Pro, the keys are sticky and suck to type with. I've been using it for 3+ years and no problem, which is not nearly as bad as what people are complaining about. For me, this is a silly issue and you should just wait for apple to improve the keyboard in the next versions if that's really a big deal. Don't blame apple.
 
I want to point out that Apple DID admit to the issues and refund me, which is not part of the warranty envelope. They made an effort to keep me as a customer. While I'm disappointed in the product, I'm still an Apple user.

The people I spoke with made no effort to gloss over the keyboard issues. The only thing they were silent about was what Apple would do for existing customers and whether a real fix could be implemented. One person from their customer relations dept. suggested that they might fix keyboards on machines beyond the normal warranty period.

Redesigning the keyboard is a monstrous financial undertaking and servicing existing machines is already battering profit margins, which will only become worse in the coming months. Those who bought these machines with longevity in mind are likely to be frustrated and some will abandon Apple.

For myself I can only assume that Apple will fix the keyboards on the next generation and then the water will be safe for swimming. But I will wait until at least mid to late 2018 before risking another MBP. NO more being a beta tester.


R
 
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CaptRB said:
I want to point out that Apple DID admit to the issues and refund me, which is not part of the warranty envelope. They made an effort to keep me as a customer. While I'm disappointed in the product, I'm still an Apple user.
R
Click to expand...

So if I walk into an Apple Store they'll refund me? I bought it BTO.
 
UPDATE:
I exchanged the MBP with rattling trackpad. Like I said, I am giving them a chance.. even when my gut tells me not to. I don't want the Air and I don't want to deal with selling it in a year when this issue is resolved.

I agree with Queen6 that this issue will likely occur with or without dust or debris. My initial MBP never left my office and you could eat off it.. squeaky clean. I had 2016 version replacements fail within an hour using the Apple Repair Depot tests.

All I can say at this point is I will see how a week goes with this replacement.. the trackpad isn't rattling so that is a start... oh what fun.
 
To answer the OP, yes both the 2016 and the 2017 keys in the middle sound louder than the outer keys. I had several 2016 15" MBP and both exhibited this. I have the 2017 and its the same although I feel the 2017 is just a tad quieter than the 2016 although both still have this same pattern...inner keys make a louder/hollow sound, outer keys much quieter. It's a design flaw that Apple can't fix until they do full redesign.

I can accept this flaw because everything else about the 2017 keyboard is improved in my opinion. The keys feel much sturdier, I've had no sticky keys or loud popping sound. Both 2016 MBP 15" I had the space bar was so loose and wobbly made the keyboard feel cheap. The space bar on my 2017 is excellent as are the feel of all the other keys.
 
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