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Why do people hate the Touch Bar?

antisomnic

antisomnic

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 6, 2012
349
423
Rochester, NY
I'm only just over a week with my first MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar (M1 MacBook Pro 8gb, 512gb SSD.... LOVE IT!) and I'm not getting why people hate it. It seems like a great way to utilize the function space based upon what you're doing. Other than not using it a ton yet, I don't see why people would hate it. Is it a big deal that there aren't physical keys in the function row?
 
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My dad has one 2018. I did not hate it. But they were pretty much useless unless I were doing some Photoshop.
 
I don't mind it too much. I do like having a slider for various functions like display brightness, keyboard backlight brightness, and sound that I can access a bit quicker.

I used to get annoyed at it because Siri was default right next to the touchid/power button and anytime I deleted an app, I'd always trigger Siri. Finally broke down and made some changes to the settings and removed Siri from it. I'm much happier now.

I do get annoyed in some apps when I'm backspacing, the Touch Bar flashes a bit as it updates the predictive text options but all in all, I don't hate it.
 
we just don't need that
i use a MacBook Air and Dell XPS 13" and have no desire or "ya know, a touch bar screen would save Mes sooooo much time and efforts"
 
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I setup Logic Pro to use the function keys for more key commands... kind of in the same way they showed off the Touch Bar. I became pretty used to the function keys, but I thought I could adapt to the Touch Bar. But when I tried to replicate that on the Touch Bar, what was gained in versatility I lost in feedback. And it took me out of using the computer just a little bit. It's a constant switch between modes of working that was off putting. Keyboard and mouse/trackpad you can use without looking at them...

I also accidentally touched it a couple of times pretty annoyingly. And the lack of feedback really makes it hard to use. And I didn't like that it turns off from time to time, the changing look of it started to get visually distracting. It was hard to look at too, because it's far enough away from the screen and in a different plane I needed to refocus on it to find what I needed.... which took my focus off of what I was doing on the laptop screen.

Whenever I tried to get something good out of it, I just focused on clever setups I make it do... finding it a little bit limited... and could never get it into my standard way of working.
 
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OP i dont understand the hate either. I have a 2018 rMBP provided by work and I dont have a probably with not having a physical esc key and I am always in terminal, vim, etc.

I actually like the touch bar more than the F Keys cause I never used F Keys but the touch bar is way more useful since it gives me functions for the current app im in. I noticed myself using the touch bar more than I have ever used F Keys and Ive been using a computer for 18 years now.
 
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antisomnic said:
I'm only just over a week with my first MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar (M1 MacBook Pro 8gb, 512gb SSD.... LOVE IT!) and I'm not getting why people hate it. It seems like a great way to utilize the function space based upon what you're doing. Other than not using it a ton yet, I don't see why people would hate it. Is it a big deal that there aren't physical keys in the function row?
Click to expand...
The bigger issue is... there was nothing wrong with actual function keys... the Touch Bar really gives almost no real advantage to the average user... it is expensive to replace... Uses more power... requires extra programming...
 
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I don't have one now, but my 2017MBP had it. It just slowed me down way too much, I like real function keys that I can use by touch. I had to always look at touch bar.
 
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I don't "hate" it but I would much prefer F keys like I have now.

I wonder if they'll make it an option with newer M Macs?
 
antisomnic said:
I'm only just over a week with my first MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar (M1 MacBook Pro 8gb, 512gb SSD.... LOVE IT!) and I'm not getting why people hate it. It seems like a great way to utilize the function space based upon what you're doing. Other than not using it a ton yet, I don't see why people would hate it. Is it a big deal that there aren't physical keys in the function row?
Click to expand...
Professional users prefer 12 function keys.
Having to take away their eyes from the screen and look down where to press is far from efficient.

If they would have implemented both function keys and a touchbar, or put the touchbar on the non-pro series only, it would have been fine.
 
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antisomnic said:
I'm only just over a week with my first MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar (M1 MacBook Pro 8gb, 512gb SSD.... LOVE IT!) and I'm not getting why people hate it. It seems like a great way to utilize the function space based upon what you're doing. Other than not using it a ton yet, I don't see why people would hate it. Is it a big deal that there aren't physical keys in the function row?
Click to expand...
I just prefer the physical Fn/action keys... the TouchBar always seemed gimmick-y to me... I tried it natively and with BTT... didn't matter, was still awkward to use, and was constantly brushing in triggering some action or another... I DO appreciate the TouchID button and love/use it all the time on my M1 MBA.

BTW, the TouchBar was the deciding factor between the M1 MBP and MBA.
 
i like my Touchbar also, and wouldn't trade it against function keys. They are just so boring most of the time, and i'd probably only use them to adjust screen brightness, and maybe speaker volumes.

But on my Touchbar, i have volume, mute or screen brightness always there. I can touch it, slide it, and that's it. Doesn't work better or worse than function keys, so no pro or con there.
However, i did configure me a Screenshot button there. I used it alot. it's SO convenient. I love it so much, that i'd prefer to remap a function key to a screenshot button, instead doing the 3-button keybind.

In some Apps, the extra functions were usefull. "Run" or "Debug" while learning Python in Pycharm was nice.
Microsoft Word makes very great use of the Touchbar, i used that alot.

It could just be a little more responsible, but then it would also activate more easy when you don't want it...
Also, an in-house possibility to configure the functions per App and per App Window (For example: I want the Video playback progressbar in other browsers as well).

There is just too much unused potential. However, i do not mind it at all. I probably wouldn't pay an extra 100-200 bucks for it, but at the same price, i would take it over the function keys.
If apple throws it away on future Macbooks, i'll get over it. I'd miss it, but not that of a big deal.
 
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Mr Screech said:
Professional users prefer 12 function keys.
Having to take away their eyes from the screen and look down where to press is far from efficient.

If they would have implemented both function keys and a touchbar, or put the touchbar on the non-pro series only, it would have been fine.
Click to expand...
I didn't think about it that way! Good point! I would say even non-professionals wold lose the flow of what they're doing if they have to break their scare with the screen and find what to do.
 
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The details of these arguments have been done to death on this forum. The gist of it is that the Touch Bar would have at least half its hate, had it been an addition instead of a replacement of the function key row. The current implementation gives the Esc key back which reliefs like 1/4th of the headache but still leaves the rest of the tactile key users handicapped in some ways. It was a poorly envisioned design that even Apple felt hopeless to improve upon. There are people literally chose the MacBook Air despite the inferior specs, just because they want the actual full keyboard.
 
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I kinda like it. But when it breaks, it's an expensive repair. The TB on my MBP M1 just failed. Without the warranty, the cost to repair is 649 euro and involved replacement of the TB, the battery and motherboard. Fortunately, I'm under warranty and have Apple Care + for later.
 
Im a Touch Bar fan. Mainly because I can customise it for what I need. But then, my work flow never really relied on the F keys.

I will say though that the idea was great, but developers just haven’t used it well. The potential and the idea for application Specific layouts was great. But it’s just wasted really.
 
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