I upgraded to a 2017 13" MBP and love the keyboard, they are firm and it's quick to type on once you break it in. Although I may be overly positive of it as I really did not like the old MBP keyboard. I just found the keys on it to have far too much movement and the backlight bleeding was also an issue.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Thoughts on 2017 MBP keyboard
- Thread starter OneSon
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Thanks!
I really thought this had been ironed out around December/January but it seems it still exists. :-(
Although I must say I'd gladly accept the scratch for a perfect keyboard without the sticky buttons which produce typos.
I'm aiming for a complete swap, I don't have time to bring it to the Apple Store, let them try to fix it etc. as this is my daily working machine. I hope they do a swap, at least they did so last year when I exchanged the first two models due to the scratch.
I know what you mean! These people should just buy some ear plugs...
In all seriousness, I "still can't believe" that Apple has taken such a tremendous step backwards: For years they've been successfully making excellent keyboards, and now they release something that's loud, sticky, and prone to malfunctioning.
I know what you mean! These people should just buy some ear plugs...
In all seriousness, I "still can't believe" that Apple has taken such a tremendous step backwards: For years they've been successfully making excellent keyboards, and now they release something that's loud, sticky, and prone to malfunctioning.
Exactly; I need my notebooks to perform as a function of revenue; I fully expect to pay a premium for "premium" not a roll of the dice on nonsense like this.
I am now officially out of Apple professorially thx to Apple's asinine design decisions. I have zero issue with paying $3K upwards for a notebook, equally my expectation is that the notebook's meets and exceeds my expectations, not present obstacles to my workflow...
Q-6
Last edited:
What is that you do to create revenue which is impacted by the new keyboard? I generate revenue from my system, too, as a writer, and this keyboard has only enhanced my experience.
I agree with you about the ports. Playing the adapter game is a PITA. But aside from that, what exactly is it in Apple's design decisions that is asinine?
Yep when Goldilocks worked for apple everything was just right for many now the big bad wolf kicker her in to touch changed the KB, made the TP bigger added a TB and removed some ports
One step forward and two back IMO
It's just odd we are having threads on iffy KB quality/reliability
I just moved from a 2012 retina to a 2017, when I first heard about the thinner keyboards in the new design I thought it would be a hinderance being even lower profile, however I find they provide a very satisfying tactile feedback and it feels like my typing on this new machine is more comfortable and precise than on my old machine.
I'm a consultant engineer in the energy industry, resultantly I require to document much of what I do in detail. IMHO the new MBP keyboard is little more than a design & engineering solution to help make the chassis of the notebook thinner not to enhance the typing experience. Add to the building number of users having issues with the keyboard. Personally I don't need keys sticking/jamming in a field location, nor having to send in the notebook for multiple repairs, as some members of this forum have needed to do.
Previously there was hardly any negative traffic regarding the MBP keyboard, very much the opposite. Indeed the new keyboard is highly polarising, equally Apple set out to make a thinner notebook first and foremost above all else, not a better typing experience. If these short throw keys are so much better, professional typists would have been using them for years, seemingly they don't to my knowledge.
Port situation is just poor for this class of notebook, nor are Apple's adaptors 100% guaranteed to work with external display devices over 2 years with a Retina MacBook has illustrated that one rather convincingly for me. Inconvenience of needing to carry adaptors & dongles is one thing, not working as expected entirely another. I can live with my business traveler (ultraportable) being USB C only, not my primary notebook.
Touch Bar I am open minded to; I don't see it as a better option to a full multitouch & pen display, equally I don't discount what good Dev's can achieve in time.
Nor are such issues confined to Apple, I tried a Samsung TabPro S, again the Keyboard was again form over function, however the dongle situation was more reliable. My new ultraportable (Huawei MateBook X) is also USB C only, however it offers two ports and a dock is included and has a much better keyboard. With my rMB the keys touch the display when closed, naturally with use and travel the KB is slowly but surely etching itself on the display. Once Apple used to be mindful of such small details, today not so much. Personally I believe the likes of Huawei will be exceeding Apple in a few generations, is very clear Huawei put a lot of thought and effort into the MateBook X. Very impressed just marginally bigger than Apple`s rMB, yet 13" display, full i5/i7 Y series CPU that's passively cooled, not perfect mind, equally not that far off, especially give this is Huawei's first ever release of a Clamshell notebook.
End of the day it's simply a difference of opinion, equally one that results in me not purchasing the MBP for the first time since Apple launched the product line. Once the rMB is retired I will be out of Apple professionally, so likely less critical as the one MBP i'll retain will be for occasional home use...
Q-6
Thanks for the in-depth response! Well said.
I agree that much of the design of the new MBPs is due to Apple's desire to make them skinny systems. That's the current design language, and I like the intent. I don't like all the sacrifices, though, the lack of ports being among them. I've worked in many development shops for various servers and client systems. The engineers often came out with features that weren't based on customer requirements at all, and often seemed counter to good design. It wasn't clear where these things came from all the time, but I suspect that a lot of beer went into the design process for them.
I have a Yoga 900, too, which I'm using right now. (Since my new MBP is still backing up after 20 hours, and it's only a third of the way done. But, I digress.) It is a very thin system, similar to if not more so than the new MBP. It has shallow keys, too, much like the ones on my old 2012 rMBP. And they are virtually silent, aside from the space bar. So, I know it's possible to design silent thin keyboards. I guess Apple had other design criteria than Lenovo. Like running Windows 10, which is not goodness in my book. But the Yoga is thin, yet still has 2 USB-A ports, an SD card slot, a headset jack, and a USB-C port. No HDMI port, unfortunately. But, it did have a Skylake processor over a full year ahead of Apple. And the QHD+ display is positively brilliant.
I think I've read about your rMB problem before, with the keys riding on the display when the system is closed. That is a design deficiency, and Apple should fix that for you. I don't know if the current model year MBs have the same problem, but if they do, that would rule them out for me, too.
I used to have a 13-inch rMBP, and that was a really great system. The screen was a little too small for the work I was doing, so I upgraded to a 15-inch, and was happy ever after with that one. The keyboards were both well designed and silent on those systems. Maybe a 13-inch Pro would be a good system for you, except that the port problems on the new ones are even worse than the new 15-inchers. It's not as thin or light as the rMB, but you wouldn't have the key-display problem with them. And they aren't much more expensive, either.
My main thing is that I like MacOS too much to go back to Windows full time. For what I do, and for the tools I need, my Mac is perfect. I used to travel all over the country on a regular basis, and had to lug a ThinkPad with me. (T61, anyone?) THAT was a heavy system, so the new MBPs seem like feathers to me now.
I hate the noise on the new keyboard but I can acclimate just fine to the thin profile and low travel…
I simply can't tolerate a keyboard that is unreliable however...
I simply can't tolerate a keyboard that is unreliable however...
I have both 13" 2016 and 15" 2017 Macbook Pro Retina with touchbar. No much difference. Love this new keyboard - period. The old one is too spongy for me (now).
Keys are much stable and bigger. I find typing more comfortable than on previous gen Apple keyboard. I even prefer it to Apple wireless keyboard (that came with iMacR) which was my favourite so far. I even tend to stick with MacBook now instead of 27" iMac because of that...
I am typing light and quick and noise is not bothering me at all. But maybe I am just concentrating on actual work than observing how loud is the keyboard...
Highly recommend it!
Keys are much stable and bigger. I find typing more comfortable than on previous gen Apple keyboard. I even prefer it to Apple wireless keyboard (that came with iMacR) which was my favourite so far. I even tend to stick with MacBook now instead of 27" iMac because of that...
I am typing light and quick and noise is not bothering me at all. But maybe I am just concentrating on actual work than observing how loud is the keyboard...
Highly recommend it!
I like the new keyboard. It is quite an adjustment at first, but I'm mostly used to it after a week of ownership already.
As I'm OS agnostic, having already replaced the rMB with the new Huawei MateBook X as it ticks all the boxes, I did consider the 13" MBP non Touch Bar, however same questionable keyboard, and as I travel frequently with two notebooks I really want the secondary to be in the ultraportable class, MateBook X allows this with a 13" 3:2 display and I prefer the passive cooling, being one of the major attractions of the rMB. MateBook X offers full-blown i5/i7 U series CPU's versus the rMB's Core M with the performance differential being noticeable.
Still have 15" MBP & rMBP, 13" rMBP & rMB, pretty much retired barring the rMB, once the MateBook X is fully set up, i'll switch that one out.
Q-6
I'm fine with it so far. Given the choice I'd have preferred a slightly thicker device and more travel, a USB-A port, etc but it's far from the "end of the world" thing people are making it out to be IMO. I can seem to type just as fast on it, it just takes a bit of getting used to (oddly enough, coming from an 11" Air, also the comparatively giant keys). Biggest issue is noise, I'd not like to use it in a library or next to a light sleeper. You can type quietly on it but you have to be really slow and gentle. No doubt they'll fix that in a 2018 or 2019 model. It's not an issue that affects me much personally.
From what I've heard it has a fraction more travel than the 2016 version and I think this may be the case as I was less comfortable trying a 2016 demo unit while the 2017 one feels a little shallow but not as "keyboard drawn on a pizza box"-like as that one did. Could just be a psychological thing though.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
From what I've heard it has a fraction more travel than the 2016 version and I think this may be the case as I was less comfortable trying a 2016 demo unit while the 2017 one feels a little shallow but not as "keyboard drawn on a pizza box"-like as that one did. Could just be a psychological thing though.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
I know what you mean! These people should just buy some ear plugs...
In all seriousness, I "still can't believe" that Apple has taken such a tremendous step backwards: For years they've been successfully making excellent keyboards, and now they release something that's loud, sticky, and prone to malfunctioning.
The MacBook Air 13" was a perfect laptop. Perfect keyboard, perfect trackpad, perfect space for palm rests and a perfect wedge shape, that allowed for some ports and the MagSafe connector. It was also a perfect build quality, I have dropped it in the floor 4-5 times, and it is still alive and functioning 100%. This is a MBA from late 2010. All I was hoping was that Apple would upgrade the screen (and keep the internals up to date to a just fairly decent level). Maybe this laptop will just go into history as the best ever, end of story...
I really wish they'd throw us a bone and just put a Retina screen in the existing MBA and keep bumping the internals.
It could be called the MacBook SE.
Many of us who also love the iPhone SE could just become the "Apple SE Customers"
Air was/is one of Apple's very best notebooks, however Apple have clearly forced the up sell by maintaining a very mediocre TN display panel. Had Apple updated the Air with a decent IPS panel, it would have been so much better, equally potentially eating into MBP sales. Sadly Apple now is solely only about Apple, serving itself not the customer...
Q-6
Last edited:
Well said…
I really hate to go down the road of "if Steve was still around…", but it's hard to deny that a lot of this behavior really started once he was no longer healthy enough for much day to day product editing and then finally passed away.
Now here we are over half a decade later and the whole company seems primarily geared around extracting more money and raising ASP's and if they happen to make some great products on the way "fine", but that no longer feels like the primary goal to me.
That said...All of the Tim Cook and ASP and pricing type of stuff aside, the real problem is that they really miss that Chief Product Editor that Steve was.
JOBS is a legend.
[doublepost=1499801785][/doublepost]
X 10000I really wish they'd throw us a bone and just put a Retina screen in the existing MBA and keep bumping the internals.
It could be called the MacBook SE.
Many of us who also love the iPhone SE could just become the "Apple SE Customers"
SE and air and Jobs forever.
Agree; Apple has become both greedy and cheap in more recent years, totally turns me off. Just seems to me Apple is looking to "lock in" and "milk" it's customers to the max these days. Paying $3K plus for an MBP, yet USB C adaptors/dongles & power extensions are all additional purchases. For me it's not the cost, more the principle, it's like Apple is just laughing at us. The box will be an additional cost next...
Same with the Apple Store's they used to be interesting places to visit, pass time and pick up the odd thing. Today they are mostly sterilised empty space. I just avoid as there's far better, interesting tech outlets.
Q-6
Last edited:
I have had new 15" for less than 24 hours. The keyboard is...odd?
I am trying to type lighter to speed it up and make it quieter but it has quite a bit more of a "Thunk" than the well known and certainly more quiet "Clickty-click" of my previous machines.
I hope it can become quieter with a combo of the above...
I am trying to type lighter to speed it up and make it quieter but it has quite a bit more of a "Thunk" than the well known and certainly more quiet "Clickty-click" of my previous machines.
I hope it can become quieter with a combo of the above...