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Noisy keyboard

M

marclondon

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 14, 2009
374
94
London
I've at long last bought a new Mac Mini and 13inch MacBook Pro to replace ageing machines. Mini is fine but I'm having difficulty getting on with the MBP owing to the noisy keyboard - it's far more noticeable than the old 2009 MBP and indeed the extended Mac desktop keyboard I have, both of which are really good.

Otherwise the MBP is great - the keyboard is also fine to type on, bar the noise, which would be off-putting in meetings I attend.

I'm in two minds about returning it as not even in first week yet - it's a very expensive machine that I would have to live with for several years.

Any thoughts? Are other latest notebooks just as bad (should I decamp to Windows). Or maybe I should go for an older MBP. Actually Windows is not an option as the idea is to have a backup machine should one fail.
 
Which model did you purchase?

The 2018s are much more tolerable with noise, the 2019s further still. But if you bought a MBP without Touch Bar those still use the second gen keyboard which is very very noisy.

You can try a keyboard cover to dampen the noise a bit. But I hate how those feel personally.
 
GoldfishRT said:
Which model did you purchase?

The 2018s are much more tolerable with noise, the 2019s further still. But if you bought a MBP without Touch Bar those still use the second gen keyboard which is very very noisy.

You can try a keyboard cover to dampen the noise a bit. But I hate how those feel personally.
Click to expand...

Just bought new and shipped last week and is 2019 i5 model with Touchbar. At first I thought there was a sound click on for the keys but no...
 
Apple needs to suck it up and revert to another keyboard design. It sounds like OP is questioning whether he should keep the machine because of the keyboard. I outright refuse to buy it because of the keyboard.
 
Last edited:
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The 2009 keyboard was a bit squishy. The 2012-2015 were a little more clicky. The 2016 and later are more so, especially the original 2016. If you want a quiet damped keyboard MacBook Pros do not have that any more and really have not for a number of years.
 
jerryk said:
The 2009 keyboard was a bit squishy. The 2012-2015 were a little more clicky. The 2016 and later are more so, especially the original 2016. If you want a quiet damped keyboard MacBook Pros do not have that any more and really have not for a number of years.
Click to expand...

We may need to wait for the current management to leave before it can happen again.
 
I returned it. Shame as it's perfect in all other respects but the keyboard is a deal breaker. I can't take it to meetings and type notes with any confidence and I dislike the noise and feel anyway just in my own office. I really didn't think Apple would be fouling up on this in 2019.

In contrast my new i7 Mac Mini is fantastic. I will have to keep the old Mini as a backup machine while I ponder the notebook situation. I do have a 2009 MBP with a nice quiet keyboard but sadly I can't control the fan for long on it now.
 
I'm not so concerned about noise from a desktop keyboard but on a notebook that's used in quiet situations such as libraries, meetings and lectures then it's more of a concern. As Apple sells a lot into the education market, I'm surprised it opted for this design.

I've found a good local (to me in London) source of refurb Macbook Pros and will probably pick up a 2015 model when I need it.

https://www.hoxtonmacs.co.uk
 
I find the keyboard pretty quiet. But, you have to adopt a lighter touch. And I also prefer mechanical keyboards with their more positive key press feedback. But MX brown switches for me. As a result I like the keyboard on my 2018 MBP.
 
marclondon said:
I'm not so concerned about noise from a desktop keyboard but on a notebook that's used in quiet situations such as libraries, meetings and lectures then it's more of a concern. As Apple sells a lot into the education market, I'm surprised it opted for this design.

I've found a good local (to me in London) source of refurb Macbook Pros and will probably pick up a 2015 model when I need it.

https://www.hoxtonmacs.co.uk
Click to expand...

I have a fully-loaded 2015 (2.8, AMD, 1 TB) for sale locally for $1,300. I'm quite tempted. I noticed that some of the online resellers have dropped their prices on 2015s too.
 
pshufd said:
You can't please everyone. Many like noisy keyboards - witness the sales of clicky mechanical keyboards. And lots of people like quiet keyboards. I prefer clicky myself and use Cherry MX Blues.
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more. Also a MX Blue fan myself!

That being said, I think the users who are complaining must be people who "bottom out" and as a result are literally hammering on the keys. When I'm typing on my 2018 MBP it is insane how little noise I hear compared to what people here report. My only guess as to why that is... I don't "bottom out" with every keypress. This is not only faster, but much less strenuous on the fingers so you have far less fatigue.
 
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