The Macbook's keyboard is superb

[sbyom]

Just tried the keyboard of the new Macbook in Berlin's Apple store for 60 minutes including typing tests on some online sites. From some of the threads here I was expecting a hollow and cheap keyboard experience.

But the keyboard feels superb and absolutely great to type on. It feels good from the first keystroke, different but still great. Crisp and precise on every keystroke. I could realize the same typing speed as on my rMBP 15. And it is as comfortable.

No trolling intended, I just think that the keyboard doesn't feel worse, shallow, hollow or cheap. And it's not a deal breaker. Not at all. I can't imagine that people return the Macbook bc of the keyboard.

Going to order it w US layout when back at home. Good that I tried it myself.

 

[Mcdevidr]

It is a great keyboard. I typed a 20 page paper on it last night. Felt great.

 

[TommyBoy5]

I still have issues with it but I think that's due to large hands and having a 2008 MBP for the past 7 years. That thing was a beast and I could almost set my coffee on one side of it and my notepad on the other it was so large!

I find myself missing the keys on the left side of the rMB a lot and although it's getting much better over the past two weeks I've had this computer I still have some time to go before I'd say I'm completely comfortable with it.

The key travel has absolutely nothing to do with it for me. I prefer the rMB shallow key travel over the MBP scissor mechanism. It's just the sheer size of the keyboard that I'm having some trouble with at the moment. Actually, not the keyboard size since it's identical but more the space around the keyboard.

I absolutely love this computer. I took my old 15" MBP upstairs last night since I don't use it anymore and I couldn't believe I lugged that thing around for 7 years!!!!!

 

[elithrar]

I was actually somewhat surprised that the keyboard was such a point of contention in reviews. It took no time at all to adjust and it is—in my experience—Apple's best keyboard right now. To be fair, I do type on a mixture of an Apple wireless keyboard (home) and a couple of terrible Dell keyboards (work), so my adjustment threshold is really low, but still.

The short keystroke combined with the new butterfly mechanism is great. The click is great. The larger keys are noticeable.

If anything, the only niggle is the arrow keys, but the line in-between the up/down keys provides enough guidance to discern left/right.

 

[Cvx5832]

I have been going back and forth between the new keyboard and old one on my 2012 rMBP 13. It does seem faster (and "easier") because of the reduced force and keystroke.

That said I like them both and wouldn't mind using both. If Apple is moving ahead with this keyboard with the rest of the lineup however, I'm good with that too.

What I REALLY enjoy from the new keyboard is the backlight. The lack of light bleed from the side of the keycaps makes it look really sharp. It makes the old one look so crude.

 

[T5BRICK]

It's entirely possible that I didn't give the new keyboard a fair chance, but the time I spent in the Apple Store typing on the new MacBook was not enjoyable. I'll stick with the old style keyboard for now.

 

[deadstockmarket]

I've had my laptop for a few weeks now and I'm still getting accustomed to typing on it. I have a lot more mistakes than on a MacBook Air but I'm still hoping that I will get better adjusted to the machine. It definitely takes a little more getting used to. It's actually longer than I thought it would take.

The new trackpad on the other hand has been flawless. I don't even noticed the difference and it totally feels like the pad is actually pressing down when I click on it.

 

[shenan1982]

I still have issues with it but I think that's due to large hands and having a 2008 MBP for the past 7 years.

This argument baffles me. Larger keys are BETTER for larger hands. It's just that you've gotten used to the smaller keys, and now need to readjust.

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It's entirely possible that I didn't give the new keyboard a fair chance, but the time I spent in the Apple Store typing on the new MacBook was not enjoyable. I'll stick with the old style keyboard for now.

Yeah, grab a CD-ROM and some firewire cables and some zip-disks too. Fight the future!

 

[sbyom]

> Yeah, grab a CD-ROM and some firewire cables and some zip-disks too. Fight the future!

Nice one

 

[TommyBoy5]

This argument baffles me. Larger keys are BETTER for larger hands. It's just that you've gotten used to the smaller keys, and now need to readjust.

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Yeah, grab a CD-ROM and some firewire cables and some zip-disks too. Fight the future!

My large hands do make a difference and not because of the size of the keys. Key size is fine - in fact you are correct that because they're slightly larger on the rMB they are easier to hit - but because my hands are large they block the left side of the keyboard from my view and this causes problems.

At least once in every paragraph I'll type "hsd" instead of "has" or something along those lines.

I should also state that I am NOT a touch typist. I can type 75 wpm but that's because I've been using computers for the past 32 years and the muscle memory and my own typing style have morphed to work for me. I only use three fingers on each hand to type and never use my thumbs for anything. It's weird but it works for me.

 

[Cvx5832]

Zip disks. God I remember those.

 

[TommyBoy5]

Zip disks. God I remember those.

Iomega......

 

[Cvx5832]

My large hands do make a difference and not because of the size of the keys. Key size is fine - in fact you are correct that because they're slightly larger on the rMB they are easier to hit - but because my hands are large they block the left side of the keyboard from my view and this causes problems.

At least once in every paragraph I'll type "hsd" instead of "has" or something along those lines.

I should also state that I am NOT a touch typist. I can type 75 wpm but that's because I've been using computers for the past 32 years and the muscle memory and my own typing style have morphed to work for me. I only use three fingers on each hand to type and never use my thumbs for anything. It's weird but it works for me.

I'm with you. My typing style, while decent with WPM, is far from conventional.

 

[T5BRICK]

Yeah, grab a CD-ROM and some firewire cables and some zip-disks too. Fight the future!

Hey, I'm all for getting rid of useless legacy ports and media, but a thinner keyboard that sacrifices typing feel and speed(for me) just for the sake of making a laptop thinner and lighter isn't worth it for me.

To be honest, I want to like the rMB, it's a gorgeous computer and it performs very well. I just don't think I can get used to the keyboard.

 

[shenan1982]

My large hands do make a difference and not because of the size of the keys. Key size is fine - in fact you are correct that because they're slightly larger on the rMB they are easier to hit - but because my hands are large they block the left side of the keyboard from my view and this causes problems.

At least once in every paragraph I'll type "hsd" instead of "has" or something along those lines.

I should also state that I am NOT a touch typist. I can type 75 wpm but that's because I've been using computers for the past 32 years and the muscle memory and my own typing style have morphed to work for me. I only use three fingers on each hand to type and never use my thumbs for anything. It's weird but it works for me.

That's funny. I'm not a touch typist either, we're in the same boat with the way we type. I watch where my index fingers are and then just go from there, and I type damn fast too.

For me the keyboard is great for big fingers like mine. The only thing I have a hard time with is literally having to cut my nails every other day, because the keys are much more prone to nails getting in the way than my previous air.

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Hey, I'm all for getting rid of useless legacy ports and media, but a thinner keyboard that sacrifices typing feel and speed(for me) just for the sake of making a laptop thinner and lighter isn't worth it for me.

To be honest, I want to like the rMB, it's a gorgeous computer and it performs very well. I just don't think I can get used to the keyboard.

Well not to be rude, but you'd better get used to it. It's highly likely that the keyboard will be the future for iMac, Macbook Pro, Mabook Air, etc... no reason to maintain the old key density. Many people had the same issues going from the original keyboards to the Macbook Pro half-keys, then again to the newest gen chiclet keys... it's the same argument every time, yet people seem to adjust.

 

[sbyom]

I am back to home typing on my rMBP 15 (my hands are medium sized) and I can say that the new Macbook keyboard is def better:

1. MB's single keys are significantly larger which makes hitting them easier

2. MB's entire keyboard area is slightly smaller which decreases finger travel but it's still large enough to not to be too cramped (1 and 2 lead already to such a better layout => bigger keys while having a smaller keyboard area)

3. MB's response after a key is pressed is distinct, clicky and on par with the MBP's

4. MB's keys feel more firm and the sound is more crispy while the MBP's keys rather clatter and wiggle; if you want to feel a shallow, hollow and wiggly feeling go and try Surface Pro 3's latest keyboard (which is not bad and well done but compared to the MB still a night and day difference)

5. not important but still: background light just lights the letters and not shimmer under the edges

At the end it's just that some people have to get used and readjust to a new layout and the reduced key travel. Most should be able to readjust in seconds.

 

[pasadena]

I used it for two weeks, and found that I could type faster on it than on most other keyboards. The big keys and them being so close together are a godsend.

As for travel, I don't miss it. However I still find myself typing a bit too hard. Brain will need some more time before my touch gets lighter. At which point I think I will start typing even faster.

Since I returned the MB and ordered a new one, I'm back to using the MBA, and I was very surprised how much of a difference the smaller keys make.

Waiting for an external KB with the same technology - maybe a tad softer since there wouldn't be any thickness constraint. But butterfly, big keys and almost no gap between them ? PLEASE.

 

[tecnho]

The Macbook's keyboard is superb

Hey, I'm all for getting rid of useless legacy ports and media, but a thinner keyboard that sacrifices typing feel and speed(for me) just for the sake of making a laptop thinner and lighter isn't worth it for me.

The speed issue might be resolved if you did get used to it. I don't think many here are considering the keyboard a sacrifice, only a change in-order to be compatible with the size. For instance, it would be difficult to argue that the butterfly mechanism is solely a "sacrifice", mainly due to the distributed weight that allows for balanced strokes on the entire surface.

 

[T5BRICK]

Well not to be rude, but you'd better get used to it. It's highly likely that the keyboard will be the future for iMac, Macbook Pro, Mabook Air, etc... no reason to maintain the old key density.

Not rude, but you're making quite an assumption. You go ahead and keep assuming things and I'll keep buying computers that I can actually type comfortably on. And this has nothing to do with key density, and everything to do with feel and travel.

Many people had the same issues going from the original keyboards to the Macbook Pro half-keys, then again to the newest gen chiclet keys... it's the same argument every time, yet people seem to adjust.

I actually hated the old PowerBook and original MacBook Pro keyboard, the chicklet style keys are great.

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The speed issue might be resolved if you did get used to it. I don't think many here are considering the keyboard a sacrifice, only a change in-order to be compatible with the size. For instance, it would be difficult to argue that the butterfly mechanism is solely a "sacrifice", mainly due to the distributed weight that allows for balanced strokes on the entire surface.

Well, there are other reasons that I'm not going with the rMB besides they keyboard(lack of ports being another), but as soon as I spent some time typing on it, I knew it wasn't for me.

 

[shenan1982]

Not rude, but you're making quite an assumption. You go ahead and keep assuming things and I'll keep buying computers that I can actually type comfortably on. And this has nothing to do with key density, and everything to do with feel and travel.



I actually hated the old PowerBook and original MacBook Pro keyboard, the chicklet style keys are great.

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Well, there are other reasons that I'm not going with the rMB besides they keyboard(lack of ports being another), but as soon as I spent some time typing on it, I knew it wasn't for me.

Good, less wait for those who want it and haven't gotten it yet.

See you in 5 years typing on the keyboard!

 

[AppleJuiceBox]

i LOVE it. love the way it feels. its only been one day so its really awkward typing on it....but I'm 100% I will get used to it. Its kind of weird when i go to type on my iMac now....really hope they put out the same butterfly keyboard for iMac soon (and a force touch mouse!!!). Although i find it really really loud. I typing this from the library and its loud...my fingers are getting tired just typing this little paragraph since I'm putting o much effort so that I don't type loud and disturb others.

But i love the feel of it. Apple did good on this one...just going to be hard to have the general mac community getting used to it.

also, i hope this is only temporary but the keys are getting dirty really fast..sweatprints...

 

[Geert76]

also, i hope this is only temporary but the keys are getting dirty really fast..sweatprints...

jup! noticed that as well when I was using a demo model for about 20 minutes in my local Apple Store....the keyboard is a huge, I mean really huge, sweatprints attractor

 

[Ulenspiegel]

Just tried the keyboard of the new Macbook in Berlin's Apple store for 60 minutes including typing tests on some online sites. From some of the threads here I was expecting a hollow and cheap keyboard experience.

But the keyboard feels superb and absolutely great to type on. It feels good from the first keystroke, different but still great. Crisp and precise on every keystroke. I could realize the same typing speed as on my rMBP 15. And it is as comfortable.

No trolling intended, I just think that the keyboard doesn't feel worse, shallow, hollow or cheap. And it's not a deal breaker. Not at all. I can't imagine that people return the Macbook bc of the keyboard.

Going to order it w US layout when back at home. Good that I tried it myself.

On 27 April, 2015 Newellj started an interesting thread explaining that one of the reasons he returned his new rMB was the keyboard.

And now we have a newcomer, who became a member on 2 May, 2015 (i.e. today) and started a thread with an intention to prove that "the MacBook's keyboard is superb".

What a coincidence.

 

[mortenandersen]

Two things I definitively don't like...

i LOVE it. love the way it feels. its only been one day so its really awkward typing on it....but I'm 100% I will get used to it. Its kind of weird when i go to type on my iMac now....really hope they put out the same butterfly keyboard for iMac soon (and a force touch mouse!!!). Although i find it really really loud. I typing this from the library and its loud...my fingers are getting tired just typing this little paragraph since I'm putting o much effort so that I don't type loud and disturb others.

But i love the feel of it. Apple did good on this one...just going to be hard to have the general mac community getting used to it.

also, i hope this is only temporary but the keys are getting dirty really fast..sweatprints...

These two "features" of the new rMB keyboard are for me really negative: The loud clicking sound/noise when pressing the keys and the sweatprints on the keys.

I really hope that Apple will make these two things right. Do you think such corrections or refinements will be done with the existing model, or just with a future model?

 

[Dayv]

Zip disks. God I remember those.

I thought they were so great for about a year. I remember installing an internal Zip drive in my old beige tower, a process that actually involved getting my own blood on the motherboard.