Travel distance on different MacBook keyboards, especially older Airs?

[Saturn007]

I read where the butterfly keyboards have a minuscule .5mm of travel whereas the new 16" MBP has 1 mm.

What was/is the travel distance of the keys on the 2013-2017 MacBook Airs?

(I almost left out the phrase "of the keys"! The travel distance of any MacBook is, naturally, worldwide... although, perhaps more than that. Didn't one even get on the International Space Station? Or, maybe that was "just" an iPad!)

I'm asking about that vintage of Air in particular because I'm familiar with them, but don't know their keys' travel distance. (Some forum and internet searching didn't yield quick info.)

As a footnote: When I first switched from a 2008 MBP, I thought the MBA's keyboard felt like typing on a brick! Which makes me think that the 2008 likely had even more travel distance, and definitely more than the butterfly ones!

 

[z2000]

around 1.5-1.8mm / my keyboard. MBA 2015/17

 

[ayres]

Anecdotally, I typed on the 16 keyboard and 13 mbp side-by-side a few days ago, and yes the 16 has slightly more key travel than the current iteration of the butterfly. But it’s less than the 2015 mba I use.

just my opinion, but I don’t see apple returning to the large key travel of yesteryear.

 

[Saturn007]

Appreciate the input! It's too bad that the key travel is so similar...

Was typing on an old iBook G4 a while ago and loved the action and responsiveness. So much better than my venerable 2013 MBA.

The G4 was also one where if the lettering wore off or there were serious problems with the keys, one could just slide tabs back and remove the entire keyboard. I had mine replaced 3 times by Apple, even out of warranty because the lettering was wearing off. IIRC, I didn't even have to send in the worn keyboards. Pretty sure that was the case as I came across one of the worn ones in the basement the other day.

I'm sure it was a very low-cost fix compared to what happens now!

 

[MultiFinder17]

Appreciate the input! It's too bad that the key travel is so similar...

Was typing on an old iBook G4 a while ago and loved the action and responsiveness. So much better than my venerable 2013 MBA.

The G4 was also one where if the lettering wore off or there were serious problems with the keys, one could just slide tabs back and remove the entire keyboard. I had mine replaced 3 times by Apple, even out of warranty because the lettering was wearing off. IIRC, I didn't even have to send in the worn keyboards. Pretty sure that was the case as I came across one of the worn ones in the basement the other day.

I'm sure it was a very low-cost fix compared to what happens now!

I used a 12" PowerBook G4 all through college, and I still keep it around to do a lot of my personal creative writing on just because I love its keyboard so much!

 

[Saturn007]

I can related well to that, Multifinder!

Like your handle, too! A great tribute to the old days... I also remember my first experience with Switcher. What a trip!