I’m finding the keyboard on my MBP 16 a bit sludgy. I’m wondering if I would have preferred the upgraded butterfly keyboard (so my e and 9 don’t repeat/skip, and a 3 year guarantee) with the escape key and the inverted T cursor keys. Also worried about marks on the screen. Spoiler: it’s going back and I’m getting my 2016 15 repaired.
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.
Who prefers the 16” keyboard?
- Thread starter jacg
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I absolutely prefer the new keyboard. I don’t know if this also happens to other people but I found myself do much typo with the Butterfly keyboard than the scissor keyboard. My thought was confirmed when I compared my typing on two MacBook Pros 2019, MacBook Air 2013, and the Apple Wireless Keyboard. The butterfly was a nightmare.
I returned my 16" since I didn't see a demonstrable difference between it and my 2019 15" 8-Core with my workflow. I honestly prefer my 2019 15" keyboard more as well.
Marks appeared on the screen for all macs, especially if there's some pressure put on the case when in your bag. Solution: put a cloth on the keyboard before closing the lid.
16" keyboad is much nicer than the 15" 2016-2019. Wife has one and it's horrible to type on. The keys are easier to feel the edges.
Still not as nice as the previous keyboards as fitted to the previous retina models.
IMHO
I put off the upgrade until they admitted their pig-headed stupidity. The 16" keyboard is as I would expect. Alas there's plenty of other hygene factors to spoil the 16" party.
16" keyboad is much nicer than the 15" 2016-2019. Wife has one and it's horrible to type on. The keys are easier to feel the edges.
Still not as nice as the previous keyboards as fitted to the previous retina models.
IMHO
I put off the upgrade until they admitted their pig-headed stupidity. The 16" keyboard is as I would expect. Alas there's plenty of other hygene factors to spoil the 16" party.
I prefer the 16 inch keyboard by far, never really had an issue with butterfly besides the reliability issues. But the new keyboard is so much nicer to type on for me.
So far I prefer it by a wide margin. I started putting RadTech cloths on my keyboard last year and it's eliminated annoying keyboard marks on the screen.
Keyboards are a very personal and subjective thing. Between the butterfly and the magic keyboard on the 16" MBP, I prefer the magic keyboard. However, I prefer a thinkpad keyboard to either of them. I find I need more key travel and I need to be able to feel where the edges of the keys are.
I just refunded a 2019 MBP 15 and got the MBP 16.
I had no real issue with the new gen butterfly keyboard but I find myself making far less typing mistakes with the new MBP 16 keyboard and the tactile feedback is MUCH better.
I had no real issue with the new gen butterfly keyboard but I find myself making far less typing mistakes with the new MBP 16 keyboard and the tactile feedback is MUCH better.
I love the butterfly keyboard on my 2018 Air, and there's not a single mark on my screen. Of course, it's not a Pro, so the marks on the screen thing might be something only found on MBP computers.
I am very fond of the butterfly keyboard and I can't stand the external magic keyboard, so I was naturally very worried about the 16" but I have to say... after a week of use, the new keyboard is just so much nicer than anything I've used before. It is just as precise as the butterfly, more comfortable, and a huge upgrade over both the external magic keyboard and the pre-touchbar Mac keyboards.
Even if I preferred the feel of the butterfly (which I don't really, although it is a bit more comfortable for short typing sessions) its sort of irrelevant -- its reliability is simply a no go for anyone who uses their computer in a way that puts their keyboard through the paces. Which (if the product lines were setup correctly) should be anyone buying a machine with "Pro" in the name.
There is a real logic to keeping the low-travel Butterfly mechanism (provided they keep improving in reliability) to Air and below lines (if reintroduced), and keeping higher travel scissor mechanisms for the pro lines (which I suspect will always be more comfortable for lengthy typing sessions). At present the 13" MBP and Air are not really sufficient differentiated to both make sense.
There is a real logic to keeping the low-travel Butterfly mechanism (provided they keep improving in reliability) to Air and below lines (if reintroduced), and keeping higher travel scissor mechanisms for the pro lines (which I suspect will always be more comfortable for lengthy typing sessions). At present the 13" MBP and Air are not really sufficient differentiated to both make sense.
The keyboard is a huge improvement to the one I had on the 13" 2017... No longer need to carry the Magic Keyboard everywhere I go 
The internal one was too loud and was always getting bricked in some letters so I had to carry my magic keyboard everywhere to avoid getting screwed
The internal one was too loud and was always getting bricked in some letters so I had to carry my magic keyboard everywhere to avoid getting screwed
I prefer the butterfly keyboard, a little more responsive, a little less spongy... but I like the rest of the 16", so I'll live with it. The new "Magic" keyboard actually feels worse than the old wireless "Magic" keyboard they sell with the desktops. Might be the new dome switches they used for stability increased the spongy feeling.
I have a 2013 15" . I honestly liked the newer keyboards...the '16-'19 15" better but now after trying the new 16" I definitely like the newest the best. I worked on a 2014 15" all day until this past year. I felt the keys were too small compared to other keyboards I have used. But I am not a great typist anyway.