MBP Touch bar love/hate?

[jwlbel]

I need to buy a new MBP. I am currently borrowing a M1 13" MBP with the touch bar. So far, I am really liking it. I find it useful with my horrible spelling skills.


I am trying to decide if I want to buy a refurbished touch bar or one of the new non-touch bar to be released hopefully soon. Either way, I am going to wait to see what is announced before I make my purchase. All I am really using my MBP for is for surfing the web. I would be buying a 16gig memory and 1tb storage on either MBP. If the rumors are correct, I have no need for an SD card. When I had a magsafe cord for my older MBP, I hated it. It was always pulling out. So unless they really improve the magsafe, it really drove me nuts, constantly plugging it back in.

I am curious what everyone’s opinions and thoughts are on the touch bar?

Thanks

 

[barbu]

I bought the Touch Bar model a few years ago because I wanted touchID, i found it was worth it for that alone. I found the volume control annoying. Overall it was just ok. It looks so cool though. And it is objectively better than F-keys. The new models with physical esc keys are best.

 

[macman312]

I am one of the few out of my ”nerdy” friends group that likes the Touch Bar. I use it daily. Now there is a physical “ESC” which apple themselves admitted was a mistake the 16” is a lovely computer to use.

I hope they keep it.

 

[nothingtoseehere]

I like to have my fingers resting on the keyboard when thinking. Unwittingly, my fingers move around then, without pressing keys, rather wiping around them. With a Touch Bar, the fingers got in that region and did things.
Theoretically, the idea of Touch Bar isn't that bad. But for me personally, it would make it necessary to change habits that have developed in decades. No way - I returned the TB machine.

 

[Timmy D]

I am 51. I have never truly needed function keys in my work over the decades. The Touch Bar has been very useful for me.

 

[md2433]

We have two MBP's with Touch Bar. LOVE both of them. The 2021 with physical escape key is the best. Both are loved.

 

[UltimateSyn]

I’m kind of middle-ground apathetic on it. I do enjoy some of its functionality, like being able to slide the volume and brightness up and down and get really fine control, but I also miss the tactile sensation of physical function keys. I won’t miss it, but I’m not clamoring for it to leave either.

 

[tompaulman]

I switched from Touch Bar 2016 MBP to older non-Touch Bar MBP earlier this year and I don't miss the touch bar. I'm actually happy I have physical buttons.
The touch ID, on the other hand, is very useful, and I'd love to have a laptop without touch bar but with touch ID.

 

[firelighter487]

i don't own a touch bar Mac, but i have used a friend's M1 MBP for some stuff and i hate it. i can't just press something like F12 by feel, i have to look down at it which is much much slower. i also memorized the place of the media keys etc on my macbook so i can press them by feel. i imagine if i ever bought a touch bar model once i upgrade from what i have now that i'd hate it as i prefer using a keyboard by feel only.

 

[Rob198612]

The Touch Bar is alright I just hate the extra steps needed!

 

[AZhappyjack]

TouchBar is anathema for a touch typist. It's not possible to hit the spot without looking... not a problem with physical keys... IMO, too much hype, not enough substance. #HardPass (I sold my TB MBP and got the M1 Air when they launched, and never looked back.)

 

[bsurb]

Should the touch bars keyboard on the new 13" M1 pro last for many years? Or is that something that loses function over time?

Reason I ask is because I'm debating on pulling the trigger on a barely used 13" pro with 16/1tb for $1600 but the touch bar keyboard has never been appealing to me, hoping they are made to last!

 

[jwlbel]

Should the touch bars keyboard on the new 13" M1 pro last for many years? Or is that something that loses function over time?

Reason I ask is because I'm debating on pulling the trigger on a barely used 13" pro with 16/1tb for $1600 but the touch bar keyboard has never been appealing to me, hoping they are made to last!

It seems to definitely be a love/hate with the touch bar. i ended up getting a 2020 13' MBP to try it out and I found I love it. $1600 seems a little high. I bought a refurbished one directly from Apple for $1609 with the same specs. Of course I bought Apple Care.

Refurbished 13.3 inch MacBook Pro Apple M1 Chip with 8‑Core CPU and 8‑Core GPU Space Gray - Apple

Apple Store Search Results

www.apple.com

 

[tekmoe]

After 2 years with my 2019 16", I could totally live without it and would rather have the dedicated function keys. I find myself accidentally pressing them when reaching for the number keys.

 

[CalMin]

I didn't love it or hate it. It was kind of cool, but I just didn't use it much and I always felt that it was also a half-assed halfway-house to adding touch controls - because Apple still refuses to add touchscreen to the MacBook. It also should have been included in addition to the function keys to give users the best of both worlds.

The real problem I had with it was that I do most my computing docked with an external KB and the laptop out of reach on a riser, so the touchbar never became muscle memory or part of my workflow.

I did miss it the other day when my phone rang and I had to mouse over to the 'accept' dialogue rather than tap the answer button on the Touch Bar - but other than that it's not a big deal not having it.

Bottom-line is that the Touch Bar is fun but kind of pointless. It's also RIP now that the new generation of MacBook Pro's are shipping without it.