MacBook Keyboard Issues

The cluster centers on complaints about the feel, reliability, and failures of recent MacBook Pro keyboards, especially the butterfly mechanism, with comparisons to older scissor-switch designs and competitors like ThinkPads.

📉 Falling 0.3x Hardware
6,142
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#1483
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
3
2008
45
2009
50
2010
74
2011
100
2012
164
2013
142
2014
124
2015
170
2016
456
2017
443
2018
953
2019
1,276
2020
517
2021
501
2022
398
2023
319
2024
169
2025
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2026
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Keywords

T470 AFAIK fail.html USB MacBook M1 theoutline.com MacBooks ThinkPad macworld.com keyboard keyboards mbp keys macbook 2015 laptop thinkpad typing apple

Sample Comments

odiroot Mar 15, 2024 View on HN

Sorry but ThinkPad's keyboard is way better. Apple is too stubborn to improve theirs.

aaaaaaaaaaab Feb 3, 2019 View on HN

Suddenly the current MBP keyboard doesn't seem that bad.

Aldo_MX Nov 20, 2016 View on HN

I like most laptop keyboards, just not the one from the recent macbooks, it feels... exaggeratedly flat

jdc0589 Jul 3, 2017 View on HN

the circa 2012 to 2015 keyboards and trackpads on MacBooks were PERFECT. the new keyboards feel like typing on a hard table top

walshemj Sep 28, 2016 View on HN

But mac keyboards are horrid for touch typists

d0100 Feb 27, 2021 View on HN

Try looking for a laptop that doesn't have the terrible chiclet-style keys, it's impossible. Mac included

chmaynard Nov 26, 2016 View on HN

The keyboard on my 2013 MBP had too much play in the keys, and the new keyboard is better in that respect. In general, I'm not fussy about keyboards -- I usually adapt to a new one quickly. I'd recommend that you try out the new keyboard at an Apple Store and decide for yourself.

zepolen Oct 30, 2018 View on HN

You haven't used the new macbook keyboard have you? Stay far far away.

wstrange Apr 25, 2018 View on HN

Can confirm.The keyboard on my touchbar Mac pro has a few sticky keys that make it super annoying to type. The butterfly key design is just not sturdy enough.The laptop is out of warranty, so for now I am using an external keyboard.For a $3K laptop, this is not acceptable.

baby Apr 3, 2019 View on HN

I'm a big typer, have used a long range of mechanical keyboards and can type >100words per minute. I like the new macbook air, new macbook pro and macbook pro 2015 keyboards. It doesn't have much depth but it feels nicer and is more silent. Also, I had the keyboard problem on the new macbook air, I changed it in store and haven't had a problem since.