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Macbook pro 2016 Keyboard issue
- Thread starter hj576
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Have no idea why Apple went with these silly keyboards on their new machines.
It's not like a lot of people were complaining about the older ones.
To save space?
Oh really, and just how many people were complaining about the MacBook PRO!!! being too thick?
Gimme a break.
The new MBP has been a complete disaster.
Making it thinner makes no sense especially since they're keeping the MacBook Air.
I returned mine because I simply couldn't get used to the new keyboard.
I use my keyboard 6 to 8 hours a day. And this new keyboard is no PRO keyboard.
Calling the machine a pro anything is a misnomer and false advertising.
Come back Steve Jobs.......somehow.
It's not like a lot of people were complaining about the older ones.
To save space?
Oh really, and just how many people were complaining about the MacBook PRO!!! being too thick?
Gimme a break.
The new MBP has been a complete disaster.
Making it thinner makes no sense especially since they're keeping the MacBook Air.
I returned mine because I simply couldn't get used to the new keyboard.
I use my keyboard 6 to 8 hours a day. And this new keyboard is no PRO keyboard.
Calling the machine a pro anything is a misnomer and false advertising.
Come back Steve Jobs.......somehow.
I've had the same issues since buying the new MBP 13 inch last December. First some keys, the most frequently used ones, like return and spacebar, seemed to get "spongy" as others have described on this thread.
Then a few months back, my caps lock key (I remapped the ESC key) lost almost all feedback/responsiveness. I can still hit it and it works, but there is no key travel when I do. I sent it in for repairs about two months back and Apple found signs of water damage on the laptop (which was news to me, but oh well). I opted not to repair, since water damage isn't covered under warranty and it was just one key. But as of this morning, the same thing is happening to my spacebar.
Does it make sense that this would be a result of water damage? And if so, that the problem would continue to spread throughout the keyboard over time?
Then a few months back, my caps lock key (I remapped the ESC key) lost almost all feedback/responsiveness. I can still hit it and it works, but there is no key travel when I do. I sent it in for repairs about two months back and Apple found signs of water damage on the laptop (which was news to me, but oh well). I opted not to repair, since water damage isn't covered under warranty and it was just one key. But as of this morning, the same thing is happening to my spacebar.
Does it make sense that this would be a result of water damage? And if so, that the problem would continue to spread throughout the keyboard over time?
Because no one ever had issues with Steve's controversial decisions.
I have the 2016 15" TB model and after 2 months of use, both B and N keys started having issues. N is mushy and requires some force. B key sometimes types 2 chars at once, sometimes does not work.
Never spilled anything, no crumbs etc. Used a pre 2016 macbook for 3 years without a single issue before this piece of s..
Now, I can't send it to warranty because I don't have a spare laptop. I'd go for a dell if I did not depend on macOS. I'm thinking about purchasing a 2017 model, and send this within the return period of the new one then returnig it.
It seems like 2017 has the exact same keyboard otherwise I'd just upgrade.
Never spilled anything, no crumbs etc. Used a pre 2016 macbook for 3 years without a single issue before this piece of s..
Now, I can't send it to warranty because I don't have a spare laptop. I'd go for a dell if I did not depend on macOS. I'm thinking about purchasing a 2017 model, and send this within the return period of the new one then returnig it.
It seems like 2017 has the exact same keyboard otherwise I'd just upgrade.
Yeah: http://c.ekin.io/2r0j371G0v0x
Also tried an electric compressor but this was more powerful. Still no luck. I also removed one of the key caps, checked inside if there is something stuck or something, blowed air directly to the butterfly mechanism and placed it back on. Exact same issue.
There is something broken with these keyboards. I'm also thinking if I got a new one without any issues, would it cause problems in the long term? I bet most of the good ones out there will start showing some issues because my colleagues had non-defective keyboards on their mbp 2016 models and one of them recently started having issues with stuck keys.
Stop that, I'm already paranoid about mine (that works great currently)!
No idea man, hope you sort your issue out one way or the other.
Whilst I share your concerns and even told my son to get Applecare for his rMB my wifes >20 month old rMB is fine surprisigly considering it looks like she rolls pastry on it and I can here her type a 100 yds away LOL
Maybe we got lucky but I must say her trackpad feels iffy to me
That's my concern. This issue reminds me of the 2011 dGPU failures where it started happening to a minority of people, some people marginalized it or made excuses for apple, yet as time went on we found out that it was if the dGPU would fail but when. I'm worried that the keyboard issue may follow the same trajectory
Exactly my concern too. My gut feeling is that these keyboards are flawed. Even if they are working fine, I have my doubts as to the reliability long term.
We also have 2 rMBs (first gen) without any keyboard issues. I think this started with redesigned keyboards on the 2016 mbp.
My spacekeyworkslikethis.. I have to press really hard to get it to work... It is going in tomorrow...
This is exactly how I feel; Apple "dragged it's feet" as much as it possibly could regarding the 2011 15" MBP dGPU debacle, nor the first "go around" for such matters. Truthfully I am tiring of needing to baby Apple's finest. Directly resulting in loosing a great deal of respect for Apple in my eyes these last few years.
As much as I want a new Mac I am more am more and more conflicted by Apples poor design decisions; needing to blow out the keyboards with compressed air, simply ludicrous. The Keyboard design should place functionality & reliability first, not be a mechanism to help reduce the thickness of the notebook. Nor have I ever observed so many negative posts regarding the MBP and keyboard reliability/issues, previously to the 2016 model few if any that I remember.
Bigger issue is Apple's arrogance, seemingly incapable of accepting any issue exists, let alone blame, in such case we the users are stuck with endless repairs with refurbished components that are still effectively flawed. I feel other companies are now offering a lot more for the money. My 2015 Retina MacBook is coming up for replacement, I've already identified it's replacement, nor will I be visiting the Apple Store, with the impending new system being a better product for my professional needs, in a equally compact form factor.
Apple in 2017 is asking too much, offering too little, and penny pinching at every opportunity. 15" MBP is the last one I will now consider, equally this keyboard and port situation make for a hard choice...
Q-6
I had problems with the K key. Sometimes it didn't register the stroke but now it is ok; try spamming the hell out of it and if that does not work, better send it to the repair shop. My K is OK right now.... Dunno y it had that problem... can't figure out whether it was a sw or a hw related issue....
I agree with everything you say and this above in particular.
It is actually a matter of reliability and could be very bothersome if you can't use the keyboard to enter passwords - for example - to log into your bank, mortgage, credit cards etc etc.
No,,,,,we have to look all cool and do stuff NO ONE ever asked about.
Namely, make the computer thinner....the keyboard travel alone will save us 0.0001 oz so let's go for it.
Never mind that it feels horrible, artificial, sounds like an old diesel truck and is unreliable.
We're saving the weight dang it.....even though no one asked for that.
AND saving the weight on the laptop is completely!! pointless since people are going to have to travel with dongles anyway.
So what's the point in saving the weight and making it thinner if it just causes inconenience.
On top of that Apple is already making TWO laptops targeted for users who want a super light laptop, the Macbook and the Macbook Air.
Now the Pro is in that same category........NUTS I tell ya........nuts!
I'm pretty sure I know what the issue is...
I returned my first one within the first 3 weeks due to the space bar being unable to be tapped on its left side as it would just remain pressed in.
Now on the second one I've found that the V key makes a sticky noise, the pipe/backslash key is much harder to press down. I could deal with these issues but now the command key is far more pressed in on the left side making it hard to use sometimes. The spacebar is also noticeably more pressed in.
I had a theory previously that with the first MBP I had it was due to using it on one knee with with my palms on either side of the trackpad to type...which means there's often pressure on either side of the MBP which could cause it to warp slightly. I was able to bend it back up(thumb on either side on the top of MBP and hand underneath then press down on thumbs) and there'd be a cracking noise as if things were going back into place.
So now this is happening on my replacement MBP I thought I'd do some more testing...bending the MBP slightly (just using average strength) has changed which keys work.Now the pipe key feels fine but the right hand alt key is harder to press down and the command key is a little bit easier to press (though it's still not quite right). Interestingly I also found that if you press down fairly hard on the enter key or the caps lock, you can hear the fans catch on either side.
To me the cause looks to be this...the unibody chassis is too malleable and the components inside are too closely layered together so any slight warping of the chassis (either because of heat or pressure) is causing these issues.
What worries me is that even if I was able to get this fixed and sell it, is the 2017 any different? The keys have been changed slightly but the chassis and density of components has not.
I returned my first one within the first 3 weeks due to the space bar being unable to be tapped on its left side as it would just remain pressed in.
Now on the second one I've found that the V key makes a sticky noise, the pipe/backslash key is much harder to press down. I could deal with these issues but now the command key is far more pressed in on the left side making it hard to use sometimes. The spacebar is also noticeably more pressed in.
I had a theory previously that with the first MBP I had it was due to using it on one knee with with my palms on either side of the trackpad to type...which means there's often pressure on either side of the MBP which could cause it to warp slightly. I was able to bend it back up(thumb on either side on the top of MBP and hand underneath then press down on thumbs) and there'd be a cracking noise as if things were going back into place.
So now this is happening on my replacement MBP I thought I'd do some more testing...bending the MBP slightly (just using average strength) has changed which keys work.Now the pipe key feels fine but the right hand alt key is harder to press down and the command key is a little bit easier to press (though it's still not quite right). Interestingly I also found that if you press down fairly hard on the enter key or the caps lock, you can hear the fans catch on either side.
To me the cause looks to be this...the unibody chassis is too malleable and the components inside are too closely layered together so any slight warping of the chassis (either because of heat or pressure) is causing these issues.
What worries me is that even if I was able to get this fixed and sell it, is the 2017 any different? The keys have been changed slightly but the chassis and density of components has not.
I was saying the same thing to a friend today. I've had so many powerbook/Macbook Pros and this one is utter garbage. From having he keyboard replaced twice to the battery life down to a few hours and told that was considered normal. I'm starting to think Apple is taking us for a ride.
Of course they are.
They're laughing all the way to the bank.
Make a junk product, convince people it's better than the previous tried and tested product, crap keyboard, only usb-c, one of the lamest batteries in the business etc etc etc......
All that and the fanboys eat it up with a spoon just because it comes from Apple.
Common now.......people here would be mocking this laptop if it was a Microsoft Surface and would be talking about how it's impossible to type on the keyboard and 'oh the arrogance of Microsoft to only include a Usb-c on their laptop' and so on.
Yes. Apple is absolutely taking us for a ride.
I'm glad I returned my 2016 MBP before I was stuck with it.
Same problem here on my wife's MBP 13" non-touchbar. Several keys stopped feeling right, especially Q. Also caps lock, F1, spacebar, left arrow key. Took it to Apple Store under 1st year warranty. They fixed most of the keys but the right side of the space bar doesn't feel like the other keys. It doesn't spring back with the same amount of force.
When the lady gave us back the laptop she just said "here you're all set!" and walked away. Didn't ask us if it was okay or if we had any questions. Going to have to go back and complain more. 6 weeks left on warranty. I don't feel like paying $280 for warranty, but the invoice was $475 to fix some keys (covered by warranty). That's completely ridiculous. Worried it's gonna have more problems soon.
When the lady gave us back the laptop she just said "here you're all set!" and walked away. Didn't ask us if it was okay or if we had any questions. Going to have to go back and complain more. 6 weeks left on warranty. I don't feel like paying $280 for warranty, but the invoice was $475 to fix some keys (covered by warranty). That's completely ridiculous. Worried it's gonna have more problems soon.
