New MacBook Pro Keyboard Has All-Black Design, Full-Size Function Keys, and Touch ID Ring

[mystery hill]

My real question is... why did they make the left/right keys half-heigh? It's inconsistent with the desktop keyboards (and my 2019 MBP).

The gap above the arrow keys makes it easier to orientate fingers on the keyboard when touch typing.

The real question is why they made the external Magic Keyboard have the full-height left/right keys. It’s inconsistent with the rest of their laptop keyboards (MacBook Air M1, MacBook Pro M1, MacBook Pro 14 and 16)

Even the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro has the inverted-T arrow keys.

 

[noraa]

While the touchbar was much maligned (for some very legitimate reasons), I still think it had potential. What ultimately killed it was that as versatile as it could be, it wasn’t a true replacement for function keys. As such, it would have been awesome for Apple to have kept the touchbar while also bringing back the fn keys. Looking at the various marketing photos, there would have been more than enough room to add the touchbar above the keyboard.

I wouldn’t be entirely surprised if Apple even considered that, but determined that the cost wasn’t worth it given how most users either hated it or were thoroughly indifferent to it.

 

[scvrx]

Arguably the first Apple MacBook Pro design that actually makes sense since 2013.

The shape, (finally), small bezels, new processors.

Almost lured me back The big thong in the middle of the screen - wait and it is not FaceID? What the F.

Classic Tim Apple move. At this point in time I think Apple hardware department has some hidden goblin who creates this "innovations" just to f with people.

 

[NewYorkRanger]

When I first got my new MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, I thought it was really cool. Within a month, I had reverted the buttons to the classic controls, I got no use out of this.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

• May streamline the manufacturing process: previously Apple would have to tool and manufacture 3 different aluminum top cases to accommodate the ANSI, ISO, and JIS key layouts. Now, possibly, the tooling and manufacture of the top case is identical and only the separate keyboard piece needs to then be installed.

Not so sure about this one. Is it mentioned anywhere that it’s actually a separate part that slots in rather than just colored different? Apple only says that it’s double anodized for color.

 

[JDHiro]

The gap above the arrow keys makes it easier to orientate fingers on the keyboard when touch typing.

The real question is why they made the external Magic Keyboard doesn’t have the half-height left/right keys. It’s inconsistent with the rest of their laptop keyboards (MacBook Air M1, MacBook Pro M1, MacBook Pro 14 and 16)

Even the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro has the inverted-T arrow keys.

Yeah, my M1 Air has the half-height keys, but the new keyboard has full-height.

One of the mysteries of Apple -- why can't they be consistent on the things that seem most obvious to be consistent on.

(I'm imaging there is a Product Manager on the Accessories Team that *hates* the half-height keys that the Laptop Team is doing, and avoided all the keyboard design reviews to ship full-height keys and is reveling in these comments on the MacRumors forums right now. Hi Weirdo Product Manager!)

 

[rukia]

Is the black surface around the keys plastic, glass, metal, or what?

vantablack

 

[Rafterman]

Why is "All-Black Design" significant? Previous model's keyboard was also black.

2020 Macbook Pro 13 keyboard:

View attachment 1870632

2021 Macbook Pro 16 keyboard:

View attachment 1870633

I think it looks ugly, compared to the old Macbooks. The silver/gray key separation of the old Macbooks made the keys stand out. The old Macbooks looked modern. The new keyboards look like something out of a 1970s Wyse data terminal.

 

[Konigi]

Now let's hear about how reliable it is after a couple months, or years. It's all fixed, right?
I'm still having a lot of issues on my 3rd generation butterfly.
And as other people's have said, they keys wear off after a while. It's really ugly.

 

[matrix07]

How can you tell without using it for a while? Keyboards from Apple have had some issues in the past.

I didn't have any issue with my old MBA keyboard from 2011 and I don't have any issue with my new 2020 M1 MBA keyboard so far.

 

[Boris Bronson]

It almost looks like the keyboard is a single unit that drops into the shell from underneath as opposed to just the keys poking up through holes machined in the case. Perhaps this then makes it a little more resistant to dust and such getting in a fouling up the keyboard. Yes, total speculation but was the first thought that came to mind.

It’s a bean counter decision. Cheaper to mill the unibody and cheaper to fit the keyboard, but dressed up as innovation.

 

[matrix07]

Now let's hear about how reliable it is after a couple months, or years. It's all fixed, right?
I'm still having a lot of issues on my 3rd generation butterfly.
And as other people's have said, they keys wear off after a while. It's really ugly.

👆

 

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

how is black keys on black background "Pro"?

Doesn't it make things harder to see???

I'd expect "pro" doesn't really mean looking at the keyboard for that sort of disambiguation. It's very hard to make any sort of usability argument here. Folks can just argue about whether black is dated design language... which seems strange. It's pretty timeless.

 

[Karllake]

Why is "All-Black Design" significant? Previous model's keyboard was also black.

2020 Macbook Pro 13 keyboard:

View attachment 1870632

2021 Macbook Pro 16 keyboard:

View attachment 1870633

I think my concern is a lack of contrast which helps identify the keys, even the space grey has some contrast.

 

[richinaus]

I think my concern is a lack of contrast which helps identify the keys, even the space grey has some contrast.

the whole keyboard in black simply makes no sense, except to try and give differentiation to other brands.

 

[Adamantoise]

I don't mind the all black keyboard at all. I'm sure I'll get used to the notch.

What is baffling to me is the inclusion of an HDMI port; of all the "older" ports to include on the machine, that's the one they went with?

Most people using this as a desktop replacement will have the right USB-C cables. Most people using this on the go, wouldn't be connecting it to anything. If they were gonna bring back a legacy ports, they should have included a Type-A port or two instead.

 

[SciFiBrony]

The only thing I can think of is maybe the black is more "receptive" to the keyboard backlighting, giving each key a glow in low light conditions, and not just glowing letters/symbols. If that's the reason, then it certainly would help with the otherwise wasted backlight underneath the spacebar.

I posted this previously in regards to the black key well but I think it got lost in the shuffle so I'm just putting this here in hopes that it adds to the conversation.

 

[themacobserver]

I feel sorry for everyone stuck w/a TouchBar who did not enjoy the experience.

There really is no need to feel sorry for them. Nobody was forced to buy those machines. In fact, nobody should have bought those machines (with terrible keyboards, no function keys row, no ports except for USB-C, no SD card reader, etc.) Then maybe Apple would have learned their lesson earlier and the pros shouldn't have had to wait this long to get a decent pro machine.

 

[kerr]

Do the new MacBook Pros offer FaceID?

not this year, but it would seem a possibility in the future

 

[LeeTom]

Love everything about this new update. Notch? They've actually ADDED a bit of screen up top to accommodate, so this is a bonus. No Touchbar? Awesome. Black on black keyboard? I rarely look at the keyboard anyhow. T-style arrow keys? I love it. Ports? Perfection. I don't mind that there is no USB-A, and HDMI 2.0 is good enough for me, especially considering there are THREE OTHER PORTS that can do higher res/refresh output on them. I nearly ordered one this morning but figured I'd wait 6 months and get refurbished.
OH - and I love the TiBook / 2008 MBP shape.
Guess I'm just a fanboi shill but I'm stoked!

 

[RigSatMe]

Please bring back the TOUCHBAR!!! New F key are the most ugliest decision ever. This is real past downgrade not future upgrade, period.

 

[buckwheet]

I'd expect "pro" doesn't really mean looking at the keyboard for that sort of disambiguation. It's very hard to make any sort of usability argument here. Folks can just argue about whether black is dated design language... which seems strange. It's pretty timeless.

The implication from the video was that it would enhance the backlighting effect of the keys—i.e., for working in dark environments. It is true that the current version leaks quite a bit of light around the keys. I'm not so sure that's a bad thing, but either way it's my understanding that this is the motivation for the black background.

 

[nameischarles]

Does anyone have a space gray colored macbook from 2016 or so? I read that the silver color may last longer because it is the base metal, while the space gray is an coating on top of it the bare aluminum. Curious how the coating has held up for 5 years.

I keep my macbooks for a LONG time so wanted something durable and ordered silver for this reason. With the ugly black keyboard though I think I would have preferred space gray.

2017 space grey model here and the coating is still in good condition, even the butterfly keyboard I have had no issues and no shine so far but I really like to keep my Mac's clean.

Me too, I'm kinda split about the new keyboard but it's not a deal-breaker.

 

[RigSatMe]

Anodised aluminium is a piece of crap which is going off every time when the surface is touched with the palm.

 

[sudo-sandwich]

That sleep function key brings me back to my old Win98 PC.