New keyboard after repair

[raynold2010]

Hi all,

Testimony from France.

Bought my MBP 15 inch in september 2017 (2,9 i7 16g 512). Immediately, I can hear some sort of annoying sound, like a whine coil. Exchanged it at my Apple store. They get me a new one. No problem.

After some time, got used to the keyboard. But recently, it started to suck big time, letters blocked, repeat. When I cleaned it, the letter "e" got broken. Went on the Internet and discovered the sad story about the infamous keyboard issue, the class actions, Apple refusal to acknowledge. Got real mad – a 3000 euros computer, WTF !!!

Even considered switching back to PC.

Took it to the Apple store. "We know the problem" they just said, no questions asked. They changed the keyboard and battery. For free. In three days.

Just got it today, feels like it's a new generation keyboard (2019), sound is more damped. Feels like a shiny new computer. Really happy about this.

We'll see in two years if I need to change the keyboard again – as you know this keyboard is faulty by nature. This free reparation program thing lasts 4 years.

Maybe they will make an even better keyboard that will fit my machine before 2021. I intend to keep this machine at least 6 years.

Really don't think Lenovo or Dell or HP have the same return policy. Of course, they don't have these keyboard problems. But still.

 

[SantaClawz]

Do you know if the repair program is 4 years from laptops manufacturing date, or 4 years from date of purchase? Hope yours doesn't give you any more problems.

 

[raynold2010]

Do you know if the repair program is 4 years from laptops manufacturing date, or 4 years from date of purchase? Hope yours doesn't give you any more problems.

In Europe, it's the date of purchase. So for me, it's September 2021.

 

[SantaClawz]

In Europe, it's the date of purchase. So for me, it's September 2021.

It's probably the same everywhere else I guess, thanks.

 

[poorcody]

Interesting if they replaced a 2017 with a 2019 keyboard... they weren't even replacing a 2017 with a 2018 when it first came out. I wonder if they will replace all 2016+ ones with 2019 versions now... ?

 

[jerryk]

Really don't think Lenovo or Dell or HP have the same return policy. Of course, they don't have these keyboard problems. But still.

Dell will come to your home or office and fix your computer if you buy their equivalent to AppleCare.

 

[SantaClawz]

What years Macbooks are covered by this replacement?

~~edit
Nevermind, just found out.

 

[jerryk]

Do you know if the repair program is 4 years from laptops manufacturing date, or 4 years from date of purchase? Hope yours doesn't give you any more problems.

Date of purchase

Here are the details.
https://support.apple.com/keyboard-service-program-for-mac-notebooks

 

[SantaClawz]

Thanks jerryk

 

[smirking]

Do you know if the repair program is 4 years from laptops manufacturing date, or 4 years from date of purchase? Hope yours doesn't give you any more problems.

It's from the date of purchase.
[doublepost=1565882006][/doublepost]

Interesting if they replaced a 2017 with a 2019 keyboard... they weren't even replacing a 2017 with a 2018 when it first came out. I wonder if they will replace all 2016+ ones with 2019 versions now... ?

I don't believe the 2019 version fits on the older models.

 

[smirking]

Took it to the Apple store. "We know the problem" they just said, no questions asked. They changed the keyboard and battery. For free. In three days.

Just got it today, feels like it's a new generation keyboard (2019), sound is more damped. Feels like a shiny new computer. Really happy about this.

I took a 2016 MBP in for AppleCare repairs after 2 years. It needed a new battery. They keyboard was also missing a key because I beat the stuffing out of it as an experiment when I realized I'd get a new keyboard with the new battery. I also had some odd discoloration on the screen that I thought was from the coating of the display getting messed up and the ports were loose.

I brought it in for the battery and the screen only. The tech took one look at it, wrote up a note, and I was done in 5 minutes. I was expecting a few more questions.

When it was shipped back to me less than a week later, it had a new topcase, display assembly, logic board, GPU, and TB3 Ports. I didn't ask for the last three and I have no idea what made them decide to do it, but I sure was pleased. The only person who was probably more pleased was the guy who bought it from me and was going to receive it right after it came back from service.

I don't baby any of my gear. They're tools that should be treated with respect, but not pampered. That 2016 had lots of signs of living a very active life. It looked brand new again. The only way I could tell it wasn't a completely different unit was by checking the serial number.

I don't normally believe in extended warranties even when I believe there's a significant chance I'll need it. To me most of those programs are risk-reward games where the reward is not really that impressive. I was pleasantly shocked at just how much they did for my old machine. I'm still not a believer of extended warranties in general, but I've come around on believing that AppleCare for laptops is a good value.

 

[raynold2010]

I can definitely state that my new keyboard is softer to type on than the original one. The guy who gave me my MBP was unable to confirm, since the technician was away at that moment.

Check this out, this is the video I watched and thought, why not Lenovo ?

 

[ApplesandOranges]

I can definitely state that my new keyboard is softer to type on than the original one. The guy who gave me my MBP was unable to confirm, since the technician was away at that moment.

Check this out, this is the video I watched and thought, why not Lenovo ?

Videos like this are just opinions. Some good points are made but the guy on the left seems a little over the top and then breaks out a 2008 mechanical keyboard and is frustrated he can't plug it in. Wonder why he didn't break out an Apple wireless keyboard? Probably because it would have taken away from the drama of the video.

Funny thing is the mechanical keyboard he types on while the other guy is talking is louder to me than the 2016 MBP keyboard that he was complaining about being too loud.

 

[raynold2010]

Videos like this are just opinions. Some good points are made but the guy on the left seems a little over the top and then breaks out a 2008 mechanical keyboard and is frustrated he can't plug it in. Wonder why he didn't break out an Apple wireless keyboard? Probably because it would have taken away from the drama of the video.

Funny thing is the mechanical keyboard he types on while the other guy is talking is louder to me than the 2016 MBP keyboard that he was complaining about being too loud.

Yep, agreed on that. He simply could have used a Blutooth kb. But I guess it's not the main point.

Here's another video, more objective:

IMHO, the main reason Apple adopted this stupid butterfly keyboard was to please Tim Cook, who said as early as 2012 that he gave up physical keyboards altogether.

I bet this guy has not written a single page of text since then. He doesn't understand people who use keyboards for a living: teachers and writers, programmers and journalists... Good thing is this "minority" finally has won this battle: because if people hadn't react the way they did, I am sure Apple would have adopted a virtual keybord, WITH NO TRAVEL AT ALL, on their next generation MBP.

As for me, if they don't improve their kb after this one, and I'll have to come back to the Apple store to repair my new one, my next laptop will definitely be a PC under 1500 euros.

 

[ChrisChaval]

I sure would like to try and type on a glass panel keyboard as I can type quite fast on a virtual iPad keyboard and I can imagine this would be a better experience

I kind of wish Apple had the courage to choose glass panel over the ill-fated butterfly design

If my 3rd gen butterfly keyboard keeps working I am happy, I like typing on it

 

[LogicalApex]

I can definitely state that my new keyboard is softer to type on than the original one. The guy who gave me my MBP was unable to confirm, since the technician was away at that moment.

Check this out, this is the video I watched and thought, why not Lenovo ?

Keyboards are heavily subjective and their video is overly dramatic for the views...

The issue with the butterfly keyboard is reliability concerns which we're all aware of by now. I haven't yet had an issue, but I recognize that some do and if you're in the market you have to balance that risk. I am still convinced the keyboard has worse reliability for hard typists, but that's just my guess.

Comparing a Das to any laptop keyboard isn't a valid comparison. Even Lenovo can't compete with real switches...

Also, keyboard lovers complain about Lenovo keyboards too... When I purchased my T530 years ago the sky was falling because Lenovo ruined the keyboard from the T520... The reality is keyboards are crazy subjective and people hate change.

 

[smirking]

The reality is keyboards are crazy subjective and people hate change.

The thing that really gets me is that there are all these people lauding the previous generation of Apple's laptop keyboards as the best keyboards ever made. I'd like those people to travel back in time and put an ear to the ground when Apple first unveiled the "chiclet" keyboard.

Chiclet as it was originally used, was not meant as a compliment. People got used to it and now it's being hailed as the best keyboard of it's class.

I absolutely hated the butterfly keyboard at first, but I really like it now. I'll be really bummed if Apple goes back to the exact same scissor boards as they had before. I'm hoping that they'll be able to merge the tactility of the butterfly board with a scissor board.

I also don't get what's so special about the Lenovo keyboards. Everytime I find one out on display, I get my hands on it and start tapping away and have yet to be impressed. They feel just like standard scissors with slightly sculpted keycaps to me.

The classic Thinkpads on the other hand from back when IBM made them... now those laptop keyboards were truly exceptional.

 

[jerryk]

Comparing a Das to any laptop keyboard isn't a valid comparison. Even Lenovo can't compete with real switches....

Also, 2 of my DAS keyboards have failed. And at $155 each! We don't use them anymore. We use Code keyboards for developing code.

 

[smirking]

Also, 2 of my DAS keyboards have failed. And at $155 each!

What happened to your Das Keyboards? Switch issues or did it just die?

I'm not actually surprised as lots of mechanical keyboards have issues, but they're usually fixable.

 

[jerryk]

What happened to your Das Keyboards? Switch issues or did it just die?

I'm not actually surprised as lots of mechanical keyboards have issues, but they're usually fixable.

One lost part of the backlight for a section. The other had caps lock failures and certain keys not registering.

DAS support in Austin was not sympathetic in the least.

 

[javisan]

My understanding is that only the 2018 Pro are getting a 2019 replacement keyboard.