Teardowns Confirm 2nd-Gen Butterfly Keyboard on New MacBook, New MacBook Pro Designs Largely Unchanged

[MacRumors]

iFixit has posted its teardowns of Apple's new 12-inch MacBook and 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, revealing that apart from the advertised performance boosts the models are largely unchanged from the previous models.

The only really notable change comes in the 12-inch MacBook, which Apple has updated with a second-generation butterfly-mechanism keyboard, as found in the 2016 MacBook Pros, according to iFixit. As some readers will remember, Apple's 12-inch notebook debuted in 2015 with a redesigned keyboard that some users criticized for a lack of travel that they felt made it harder to type on.

Apple used a tweaked version of the same keyboard design in its 2016 MacBook Pros, which most users felt was an improvement with "better give", and the same keyboard now adorns the latest MacBook. According to iFixit:

The keyboard trigger looks like a more classic switch this go-around. The plastic butterfly mechanism appears to have thinned out to accommodate the new switch form factor. The keystroke and travel feel about the same to us, so perhaps the real change is reinforcement for repeated use.

Overall, iFixit gave both of Apple's new notebooks a 1 out of 10 on the repairability scale, owing to their soldered-down RAM, processor, and flash storage, along with glued-down batteries. The scores are in contrast to Apple's new 4K 21.5-inch iMac, which was awarded a surprising 3 out of 10 for repairability, thanks to Apple's use of replaceable memory modules and socketed Kaby Lake CPUs.

The refreshed MacBook and MacBook Pro models feature Intel's seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors, improved Intel and AMD graphics options, with the 12-inch laptop also gaining faster SSD storage. The 12-inch MacBook costs $1,299 for the base model, while the base 13-inch Touch Bar Pro costs $1,799. The 15-inch MacBook Pro pricing begins at $2,399.

Article Link: Teardowns Confirm 2nd-Gen Butterfly Keyboard on New MacBook, New MacBook Pro Designs Largely Unchanged

 

[Sunny1990]

Meh! Largely unchanged laptop for a $2399 price

 

[MrGuder]

This is not good for the keyboard issues, what about the 15" will they do a tear down on that model?

Hopefully they used the tweaked thinned version on the butterfly mechanism on the 15" too.

 

[dan9700]

So this 2017 macbook pro is exactly same as 2016 one dam then problems with sticking is still there

 

[SoN1NjA]

Meh! Largely unchanged laptop for a $2399 price

It just got major updates less than a year ago
damn you guys ask for a lot

 

[sunapple]

Keyboard issues in the 2015 and 2016 MacBook models were so big that I'd say the upgrade to Butterfly 2 is awesome despite the possibility of some problems like sticking still existing. The feel is just so very different, I've used the two gens side by side and it's a big deal.

That said, I've never had sticky not-working keys on my 2015 MBP and even this Butterfly 2 seems to have problems according to some people here on the forums. Usually a vacuum cleaner does the trick, so that's something...

 

[Mick-Mac]

I have a late 2016 15" MacBook Pro and I just hate the keyboard. Aside from the tiny amount of travel, every key depression makes a loud tap noise. Typing an email while in a meeting in a conference room is highly distracting to everybody because of the noise. I would much rather have a laptop that is 1mm thicker and a better feeling, quieter keyboard (and likely also longer battery capacity)

 

[SoN1NjA]

I have a late 2016 15" MacBook Pro and I just hate the keyboard. Aside from the tiny amount of travel, every key depression makes a loud tap noise. Typing an email while in a meeting in a conference room is highly distracting to everybody because of the noise. I would much rather have a laptop that is 1mm thicker and a better feeling, quieter keyboard (and likely also longer battery capacity)

I love the sound of the keys on that thing
although I can see how that could annoy or cause disruption

I sometimes type loud and get looks (not MacBook)

 

[MrGuder]

The 2017 refreshed models are shipping now so we are likely to start hearing from a lot of users how the keyboard compares to the 2016 version. It's possible the updated thinner mechanism they used on the 12" will also be used on the 17" refresh.

 

[SoN1NjA]

The 2017 refreshed models are shipping now so we are likely to start hearing from a lot of users how the keyboard compares to the 2016 version. It's possible the updated thinner mechanism they used on the 12" will also be used on the 17" refresh.

DetroitBORG has a video

 

[jimbobb24]

It's sad the biggest interface items on the Pro kind of suck now. The keyboard is not great and the trackpad apparently is too big and gets in the way. Thinner is an obsession that is hurting lots of products.

 

[reallynotnick]

So nothing about terraced batteries in these new models? What ever happen to that tech?

 

[Mick-Mac]

I love the sound of the keys on that thing

Now that's a response I would *never* have thought possible. I guess the world is a diverse place indeed...

and the trackpad apparently is too big and gets in the way

This I haven't experienced, although because I hate the keyboard so very very much I use an external keyboard which makes using the trackpad (and touchpad) awkward. In theory, the bigger trackpad is a great improvement provided it works well. I routinely got frustrated with the smaller trackpads while dragging items around and running into the trackpad edges.

 

[drinkingtea]

Seven months later and I'm still unable to type on my MacBook's keyboard. Unbelievable. I've already started considering replacing it with a Surface. What is the use of having a laptop if you can't type on it?

 

[2457248]

So nothing about terraced batteries in these new models? What ever happen to that tech?

tapered case -> terraced battery
flat case -> flat battery

why are you so obsessed with commercial names?

 

[Marx55]

Apple should use standard ports and components, not soldered inside. And why is the very same make and model of RAM purchased from Apple Store two to three times more expensive than in retailers like Amazon?

 

[Kajje]

Seven months later and I'm still unable to type on my MacBook's keyboard. Unbelievable. I've already started considering replacing it with a Surface. What is the use of having a laptop if you can't type on it?

I've been using the gen-1 butterfly on the rMB first and the gen-2 now on the rMBP13. I type an awful lot and it grew rather quickly on me. For me, the only bad thing is the sticky keys. Both on gen-1 and gen-2

 

[MrGuder]

I've been using the gen-1 butterfly on the rMB first and the gen-2 now on the rMBP13. I type an awful lot and it grew rather quickly on me. For me, the only bad thing is the sticky keys. Both on gen-1 and gen-2

It's possible the sticky keys has been fixed with the updated model. Here is ifix it wording.

"The plastic butterfly mechanism appears to have thinned out to accommodate the new switch form factor."

 

[Traverse]

I wonder why they don't use this new mechanism (with a deeper press) for the desktop magic keyboard.

 

[haydn!]

It's possible the sticky keys has been fixed with the updated model. Here is ifix it wording.

"The plastic butterfly mechanism appears to have thinned out to accommodate the new switch form factor."

I think that is referring to the MacBook only. The 2016 MacBook Pro already included the butterfly 2 keyboard.

 

[MrGuder]

I wonder why they don't use this new mechanism (with a deeper press) for the desktop magic keyboard.

I would say because there is no room, deeper requires more space.
[doublepost=1497024944][/doublepost]

I think that is referring to the MacBook only. The 2016 MacBook Pro already included the butterfly 2 keyboard.

I thought that too but macrumers also says "Apple used a tweaked version of the same keyboard design in its 2016 MacBook Pros"

So it's possible this tweaked version will also appear on the MBP 2017.

 

[Appleaker]

I don't think this needed to be confirmed as it states on the Apple website that they have 2nd gen. Also reviewers have noticed the difference.

But it would have been interesting to see if it's altered from the MBP.

 

[simonmet]

The 2017 refreshed models are shipping now so we are likely to start hearing from a lot of users how the keyboard compares to the 2016 version. It's possible the updated thinner mechanism they used on the 12" will also be used on the 17" refresh.

There's a 17" refresh?

 

[Appleaker]

I would say because there is no room, deeper requires more space.
[doublepost=1497024944][/doublepost]
I thought that too but macrumers also says "Apple used a tweaked version of the same keyboard design in its 2016 MacBook Pros"

So it's possible this tweaked version will also appear on the MBP 2017.

Yes I also think they said that there was a difference, speculating that it was to improve durability.

 

[DevNull0]

It just got major updates less than a year ago
damn you guys ask for a lot

The update less than a year ago included a defective keyboard design. Asking them to fix that a year later on a new model is asking a lot? It seems less than the bare minimum to me.