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rroch

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 15, 2016
10
28
My 2016 15’’ MacBook Pro arrived yesterday (as one of the first). 63 of the 64 keys work fine. But the i-key most of the time types the letter twice. I suggest you test out your keyboard thoroughly. With auto-correct it can be easy to think it works. However, my password contains the letter i, and I quickly became super frustrated not being able to get my password right (come to think about it, maybe that's why they added Touch ID, so you don't need the keyboard for passwords). So take a document, turn off auto-correct, and check all the keys. I found that the failure happens more frequently with a slight delay before releasing the key.
 
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malu05a

macrumors member
Oct 15, 2015
38
74
My 2016 15’’ MacBook Pro arrived yesterday (as one of the first). 63 of the 64 keys work fine. But the i-key most of the time types the letter twice. I suggest you test out your keyboard thoroughly. With auto-correct it can be easy to think it works. However, my password contains the letter i, and I quickly became super frustrated not being able to get my password right (come to think about it, maybe that's why they added Touch ID, so you don't need the keyboard for passwords). So take a document, turn off auto-correct, and check all the keys. I found that the failure happens more frequently with a slight delay before releasing the key.

Bummer =(

Send it back?
 

keviig

macrumors 6502
Jun 7, 2012
498
225
The enter key on my 2016 MBP completely lacked the tactite feel and seemed "sticky". So i ended up returning mine... Now for the long wait before i get a new one!
 

jclardy

macrumors 601
Oct 6, 2008
4,232
4,567
Hmm, I hope they have fixed the issues I had with my 2015 Macbook...the keys could easily get stuck and lose tactility with a tiny piece of dust. Using compressed air around it with the laptop upside down would fix them. I'd rather not have to do this with my new Pro...
 
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rroch

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 15, 2016
10
28
Bummer =(

Send it back?
I brought it in to an Apple Store. They determined it is a hardware problem (I kinda suspected that). So now it is in for repair for a few days. Even though it was a custom configuration (2.6GHz, Radeon Pro 460, 2TB) Apple told me I have the option to return it and get my money back. I'm very tempted to return it, since I'm concerned it is a sign of manufacturing quality problems. Then I would get one early next year instead. Or was it just a random problem that is just as likely to happen next year? Any experience or advice in that regard?
 

magicschoolbus

macrumors 68030
May 27, 2014
2,543
8,204
I brought it in to an Apple Store. They determined it is a hardware problem (I kinda suspected that). So now it is in for repair for a few days. Even though it was a custom configuration (2.6GHz, Radeon Pro 460, 2TB) Apple told me I have the option to return it and get my money back. I'm very tempted to return it, since I'm concerned it is a sign of manufacturing quality problems. Then I would get one early next year instead. Or was it just a random problem that is just as likely to happen next year? Any experience or advice in that regard?
I'd return it.

Never buy a 1st gen product of anything.. car, computer, fridge..

Mass produced prototypes.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
I also vote to return it, over repair.

I think the early MacBooks suffered from early keyboard failures, a bummer to be sure.
 
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arbitrage

macrumors 6502a
Mar 19, 2009
615
214
My rMB has issues with its keys all the time, small amount of dust jam up the key to have almost no travel at all (and there isn't much to begin with)...the spacebar is the worst offender and never feels right. I was really hoping the new MBPs would be better. I will evaluate mine once it arrives...thankfully I can return up till Jan8th because of the holiday return window.
 

karbim

macrumors regular
Oct 11, 2016
117
40
London, UK
That's a bummer but I'd return mine on any defect I'd see. Not going to take any chance. You've paid good money to Apple, so you deserve the good quality they promise to deliver...
 

Craiger

macrumors 6502a
Jul 11, 2007
849
289
I have the same thing with my brand new 15 inch! The u key. Sometimes it doesn't work at all. Other times it types twice.

Guess I'll be returning it. Wanted to take this laptop on a trip next week. :-/
 

lairdhenn

macrumors newbie
Mar 23, 2016
23
20
I bought the 13" MBP without TB and had a very similar issue. The i key made a very distinct pop, different from every other key, it typed fine but it was so annoying having one key pop twice as loud as every other key. I returned it for a new one that worked fine and they even offered to give me a little more than $100 off my purchase.
 

Cougarcat

macrumors 604
Sep 19, 2003
7,766
2,553
The 13" with Touchbar I received today has this issue with the P key. Going to keep it for now, and swap it out for a new one in December when I am nearer to an Apple store.
 

kadamian

macrumors newbie
Nov 16, 2016
5
0
I have the same issue but with the "M" key (non-TB model). It "double types" when I press it with slight delay - the second type occurs when I lift my finger. I've talked to authorised repair centre and they told me that since they won't and can't change only the keyboard they will swap almost everything except the SSD. So I thought that I will come back just a month before my 1 year warranty expires and will get new internals (possibly with latest revisions) INCLUDING completely new battery!
 

Cougarcat

macrumors 604
Sep 19, 2003
7,766
2,553
I have the same issue but with the "M" key (non-TB model). It "double types" when I press it with slight delay - the second type occurs when I lift my finger. I've talked to authorised repair centre and they told me that since the won't and can't change only the keyboard they will swap almost everything except the SSD. So I thought that I will come back just a month before my 1 year warranty expires and will get new internals (possibly with latest revisions) INCLUDING completely new battery!

Yes, but imagine what would happen if this had happened a month later...

Yeah, think I'm definitely springing for Applecare this time...
 

SBruv

macrumors 6502a
Sep 25, 2008
647
321
I have the same issue but with the "M" key (non-TB model). It "double types" when I press it with slight delay - the second type occurs when I lift my finger. I've talked to authorised repair centre and they told me that since they won't and can't change only the keyboard they will swap almost everything except the SSD. So I thought that I will come back just a month before my 1 year warranty expires and will get new internals (possibly with latest revisions) INCLUDING completely new battery!

Or you could just exchange it for a new one, since you're still in the return period, no?
 

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,172
10,181
I'd return it.

Never buy a 1st gen product of anything.. car, computer, fridge..

Mass produced prototypes.

How is it a first-gen computer? Its a new body style but hardly first-gen. By your logic you should never buy an iPhone 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and so on. Only the 'S' variant.
 

kadamian

macrumors newbie
Nov 16, 2016
5
0
Or you could just exchange it for a new one, since you're still in the return period, no?
You will still get, let's call it, rev.A keyboard and everything. Which won't guarantee that it will break in a month or two.
 

magicschoolbus

macrumors 68030
May 27, 2014
2,543
8,204
How is it a first-gen computer? Its a new body style but hardly first-gen. By your logic you should never buy an iPhone 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and so on. Only the 'S' variant.
I do only buy the S variants.

iPhone 4: Antennagate, Recall
iPhone 5: Power Button Recall, Battery Recall
iPhone 6: Touch Disease
iPhone 7: ???
 

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,172
10,181
I do only buy the S variants.

iPhone 4: Antennagate, Recall
iPhone 5: Power Button Recall, Battery Recall
iPhone 6: Touch Disease
iPhone 7: ???

There was no recall for the iPhone 4 'Attennagate' and it did not affect everyone. They gave out a free case. The power button issue existed with iPhone 4/4s as well, but Apple only fixed it for those with an iPhone 5. The touch disease issue is too new to figure out what is going on with that. It could be a bad batch of screens, which comes from a supply and not Apple directly.

I have had more issues with 'S' variants than the non-'S'.

iPhone 3G: 0 Replacements.
iPhone 3GS: 3 Replacements. 1 Defective battery, 1 Defective screen, 1 Defective GPS chipset.
iPhone 4: 0 Replacements.
iPhone 4s: 5 Replacements. 3 Yellow screen, 1 Defective Battery, 1 broken power button.
iPhone 5: 0 Replacements.
iPhone 5s: 1 Replacement. Broken home button.
iPhone 6: 1 Replacement. Broken home button.
iPhone 6s: 4 Replacements: 2 Uneven backlight, 1 defective battery, 1 broken home button.
iPhone 7Plus: 0 Replacements thus far. Have a slightly uneven screen but hardly noticeable unless on a solid white background.

My first MacBook Air was the first-gen 11". Still going strong, no real problems besides age related

To make a blanket statement to never buy first-gen products is a little much. Cars are one thing. That is common, but not phones, computers and other gadgets.
 

rroch

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 15, 2016
10
28
My rMB has issues with its keys all the time, small amount of dust jam up the key to have almost no travel at all (and there isn't much to begin with)...the spacebar is the worst offender and never feels right. I was really hoping the new MBPs would be better. I will evaluate mine once it arrives...thankfully I can return up till Jan8th because of the holiday return window.

Here is how it played out for me. I had purchased online, so actually I had until early January to return for a refund. I gave it to the local Apple Store for repair. 6 days later I got a phone call from a senior engineer in some Apple repair center, explaining that Apple would like to "capture" this device - meaning keep it in order to learn about the causes of the failure and be able to improve the manufacturing process. That is normal procedure after introduction of a new / redesigned product. I did have a choice whether to have it repaired, receive a replacement unit, or just return it for a refund. I decided to return it for a refund, and I will wait a few months before buying a new one. Hopefully, at that time the manufacturing process will in fact have been improved, maybe not just for this issue, but for other potential issues as well - issues that may not show up until after the refund or warranty periods.
 
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