Question about the new keyboard

[aevan]

Ok, so I understand that a lot of people dislike the new MacBook Pro (and MacBook) shallow keyboards. Some like them, some are indifferent to them and some hate them. All fine.

What I don't understand is people (both on forums, and certain bloggers) claim how their precision is lower on the new keyboards. Can anyone explain this to me? The keys are large and spaced apart and you can find their borders with touch just the same as on previous keyboards. I can understand that people don't like how they "click" and how little do they move - but even if they didn't move at all, why would precision or typing speed be affected in any way?

So, I'm not asking why you like or dislike the new keyboards, I am specifically interested how anyone's precision drops with the new butterfly models. Does it really?

 

[The Phazer]

In my case, and I suspect other people's, it's because the feedback from depressing the key and hitting the bottom confirms that you have pressed the key correctly and your fingers can now move onto the next key.

As the butterfly mechanism doesn't move far enough to give any meaningful feedback in that regard, you end up missing keys because you didn't quite hit them hard enough, or hitting them in the wrong order.

I've certainly tested mine fairly significantly, using more than one machine and typing analysis software. My accuracy rate falls by about 12 - 15% using the Macbook keyboard. It's really not good at all for accurate typing.

 

[aevan]

In my case, and I suspect other people's, it's because the feedback from depressing the key and hitting the bottom confirms that you have pressed the key correctly and your fingers can now move onto the next key.

As the butterfly mechanism doesn't move fast enough to give any meaningful feedback in that regard, you end up missing keys because you didn't quite hit them hard enough, or hitting them in the wrong order.

I've certainly tested mine fairly significantly, using more than one machine and typing analysis software. My accuracy rate falls by about 12 - 15% using the Macbook keyboard. It's really not good at all for accurate typing.

Thanks for the clarification. I don't think this will be an issue for me, I feel like I'm even typing faster on shallow keyboards. But I understand now how some people find it harder to type.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Typing is itself an unnatural action, so the brain really needs some kind of physical muscular tactile feedback. The problem with this new keyboard is there isn't enough physical feedback so if you are a touch typist who doesn't like to stare at the screen then there's the issue that you won't know if you typed correctly unless you have your eyes fixed on the screen all the time.

That's why iPads are also an issue for touch typists. Nobody wants to stare at a screen all the time if they need to type while also looking at notes, colleagues, and other things off screen.

But maybe Apple doesn't care because they want Siri and Touch Bar to take over lol

 

[aevan]

Typing is itself an unnatural action, so the brain really needs some kind of physical muscular tactile feedback. The problem with this new keyboard is there isn't enough physical feedback so if you are a touch typist who doesn't like to stare at the screen then there's the issue that you won't know if you typed correctly unless you have your eyes fixed on the screen all the time.

That's why iPads are also an issue for touch typists. Nobody wants to stare at a screen all the time if they need to type while also looking at notes, colleagues, and other things off screen.

But maybe Apple doesn't care because they want Siri and Touch Bar to take over lol

I understand this in theory. But not in practice. I find it hard to type without looking at the screen on an iPad (but I can do it, actually, with a few keys missed) - but I tried the MacBook keyboard and found out I type fast and accurate. Same on my iPad Pro Smart Keyboard.

I believe people have issues with it - I'm not trying to be a defensive fanboy here. But I really don't mind and I type quite well on it. Surely I'm not the only one - a few reviewers shared my views (while others found it bad).

In order to type precisely, I need to be able to feel the key I'm pressing. That is all. The small feedback I get from a MacBook keyboard is quite enough, but even if there was none - a typed letter is all the feedback I need. Again, not trying to convince anyone they are wrong - but I do think it's a matter of habit. I know quite a few teens that can type on their touchscreen phones faster than I can type on my Mac - and I type relatively fast.

Then again, I never understood the obsession with mechanical keyboards either - and many people swear by them. Pressing keys so deep almost feels like a chore to me. I'm used to light touch presses while typing.

Either way, thank you both for clarifying things up.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

I understand this in theory. But not in practice. I find it hard to type without looking at the screen on an iPad (but I can do it, actually, with a few keys missed) - but I tried the MacBook keyboard and found out I type fast and accurate. Same on my iPad Pro Smart Keyboard.

I believe people have issues with it - I'm not trying to be a defensive fanboy here. But I really don't mind and I type quite well on it. Surely I'm not the only one - a few reviewers shared my views (while others found it bad).

In order to type precisely, I need to be able to feel the key I'm pressing. That is all. The small feedback I get from a MacBook keyboard is quite enough, but even if there was none - a typed letter is all the feedback I need. Again, not trying to convince anyone they are wrong - but I do think it's a matter of habit. I know quite a few teens that can type on their touchscreen phones faster than I can type on my Mac - and I type relatively fast.

Then again, I never understood the obsession with mechanical keyboards either - and many people swear by them. Pressing keys so deep almost feels like a chore to me. I'm used to light touch presses while typing.

Either way, thank you both for clarifying things up.

I have such a variety. On my PC workstation I have a mechanical Corsair K65. Great for Adobe apps but not so great for writing a long document. On my Mac Pro I have the Magic keyboard which is a great all rounder. On MBP 2014 the keyboard is superb. On my iPad Pro, I'm trying to get used to onscreen typing but it's a pain and auto correct's incorrect guesses are a time waster. Fortunately I can use it with the Magic keyboard.

 

[aevan]

I have such a variety. On my PC workstation I have a mechanical Corsair K65. Great for Adobe apps but not so great for writing a long document. On my Mac Pro I have the Magic keyboard which is a great all rounder. On MBP 2014 the keyboard is superb. On my iPad Pro, I'm trying to get used to onscreen typing but it's a pain and auto correct's incorrect guesses are a time waster. Fortunately I can use it with the Magic keyboard.

Wow, that Corsair looks dangerous I get what you're saying. To me, the Magic Keyboard is better thant the one on my MBP, because the keys are slightly larger and more stabile (and I even prefer the sound it makes while typing) but I guess that's a matter of choice.

While I don't mind all those gaming keyboards and keyboards that look like you can use as blunt weapons, I have a problem with PC keyboards that there aren't many elegant, minimalistic ones. Microsoft makes a few good ones though.

This one is my favorite when it comes to design:

It's called Microsoft Designer Desktop Keyboard and I think it just looks beautiful. Didn't get the chance to try it out.

Getting slightly off topic

 

[Queen6]

Precision remains the same for me on my 2015 rMB, however over time I prefer a keyboard with more travel. My favourite preference right now is my Surface Book, finding it slightly better than my rMBP`s. Teh best keyboard I have used on portable is Lenovo`s ThinkPad X1 Carbon. Keyboards are a very subjective matter, personally I type a fair amount so the keyboard is an important factor to me.

Given the new 2016 MBP`s have a 2nd Gen Butterfly keyboard, they may well be an improvement. My Samsung TabPro S also has a very shallow action keyboard, and prefer that over the 2015 rMB as it`s a little more positive and offers better feedback. One way I would describe is; after a month in the field with only the rMB, a keyboard like my Surface Book feels almost a luxury

Q-6