It’s the nature of ABS plastic and virtually all keyboards are made from that material. The material is smooth and shiny, like a Lego block. There more durable plastics but those aren’t as thin as Apple wants.
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Resolved Shiny areas on MacBook Keyboard: Oil or matt surface rubbing away?
- Thread starter samotivad
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It’s the nature of ABS plastic and virtually all keyboards are made from that material. The material is smooth and shiny, like a Lego block. There more durable plastics but those aren’t as thin as Apple wants.
Yeah you're right, the colours aren't helping. I have an old MacBook Pro from 2007 and the grey/silver colour of that worked better. The shape of the keys also helped for the tactile experience, because they have a deeper curve indent and have some grip to them even though the plastic is smooth. These new flatter keys on the MB Pro 2020 don't feel as good when the textured grip wears off.
I wonder about the endurance of the keys on the more recent MacBook Pros. I still use the external wired keyboard that came with my 2010 iMac and the keys are in excellent condition. None of the printed letters and symbols have worn off. Similarly, none of the letters have worn off my 2008 MacBook or my 2009 MacBook Pro. They all do have a slightly shiny look to them, but if you stand back from the keyboard they still look decent after a decade. That shininess is less obvious on the white iMac keyboard though just because of the color.
In contrast, I also have an external keyboard from a 2017 iMac, and several of the letters have already worn off that one. I wonder if that reduced longevity is reflected on the more recent MacBook Pros. (I do have a 2017 12" MacBook which is in good condition, but I use that machine much less than my desktops.)
In contrast, I also have an external keyboard from a 2017 iMac, and several of the letters have already worn off that one. I wonder if that reduced longevity is reflected on the more recent MacBook Pros. (I do have a 2017 12" MacBook which is in good condition, but I use that machine much less than my desktops.)
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Yes the keyboard from my iMac 2011 is still in very good condition too. The texture didn't wear off that nearly as much as the keyboard of this 2020 MacBook Pro, so I wonder if they maybe used a different material or process to make it.
I've had the MacBook Pro for around 8 months I think and the texture already wore off the most commonly pressed keys. I have a feeling the trackpad was starting to get smooth before I put the matt protection on it too. Neither the letters or paint have begun to wear off, but honestly I don't have a lot of confidence in the longevity of this keyboard without a protective cover/sticker.
I just ordered from this site. Pretty great that they can do the same thing with a dual language printed in the corners of the transparent key stickers too. A no brainer for me because I write in two languages regularly. Thanks again!
Transparent Keyboard Stickers (Clear version with no letters)
These blank, transparent keyboard stickers are almost invisible. They'll help to prevent the keys from unwanted damage, so you can enjoy an always good looking keyboard.keyshorts.com
Its expensive for what it is but it can offer some protection for the keyboard without using those silicone covers which I personally hate.
I won't lie though it was a little tricky to apply but once I got it on there it protects the keys.
Well, that's not really true, but it takes a lot more for PBT plastic to shine and even when they do get that annoying shine, it's harder to see. I had a well loved keyboard with PBT caps that looked matte to me until the day I decided to sell it. I took photos and only then realized if you look closely they were definitely polished.
I do so wish that Apple would find a way to do PBT caps one day. PBTs this thin might be too fragile.
Shiny slimy Apple keyboards are just a fact of life unfortunately.
Yeah I really hope they find a way around it. I'm glad there are some companies selling these matt covers but it baffles me that Apple is content to leave their keyboards degrade like that so quickly. For a company that claims to be all about the experience, it's a shame they don't solve this shiny/slimy problem with the keyboards.
There's a reason you rarely see PBT plastic outside of high end enthusiast keyboards. They're more difficult and expensive to make and you can't get the same color fidelity you get with ABS plastics.
A lot of PBT keycaps have a weird faded pastel neon tint to it that just doesn't look very pleasing. The need for thin keycaps that are also translucent is another issue. Thin PBT keycaps might also be too fragile to stand up to this kind of wear and tear.
Here's a pretty good quick comparison of considerations for going between ABS and PBT for keycaps:
ABS vs PBT Keycaps: What’s the Difference? - Switch and Click
ABS and PBT plastic are the two most common plastics used in the manufacturing of keycaps. Both types of plastic have a different feel, sound, and look to them. We’ll
switchandclick.com
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Haha nice story, cool that you genuinely bought that “mental path” that btw helps you justify your frustration, but…
Its not an excuse for Apple,
This is not you but Jesus I hate freaking fanboys. They only foster companies not caring about this. I love Apple, but that beauty in the wear” I’m seeing everywhere is just a kids excuse. Ive seen 2012 and 2016 MBPs recently (serviced them), ALL of them with way better looking keyboards than my 14inch 2 month old mbp that I’ve used 4hrs A WEEK.. and shows those stains in TWO weeks.
It’s essy to defend Apple now, you have no idea how that keyboard will look in two years (I already hate it), specially cause -
- Beauty is subjective so don’t give me that “normal wear besuty” sh..t.. how about I consider beautiful the exact design and look Apple intended and DELIVERED brand new? People are getting those unremivable oil smudges TWO DAYS after unboxed, yeah, check reddit…
This is not normal or acceptable, two weeks, two months, and two years; are all too soon for such nasty stains on a $2.5k product.
Hate to see 10y old macs with better looking keyboards than mine,
My mac is a luxury super computer, it doesn’t need character, and if it did, it could have it without hardware issues that are not “the wearers” fault,
It’s simple: 2.5k? unacceptable
Its not an excuse for Apple,
This is not you but Jesus I hate freaking fanboys. They only foster companies not caring about this. I love Apple, but that beauty in the wear” I’m seeing everywhere is just a kids excuse. Ive seen 2012 and 2016 MBPs recently (serviced them), ALL of them with way better looking keyboards than my 14inch 2 month old mbp that I’ve used 4hrs A WEEK.. and shows those stains in TWO weeks.
It’s essy to defend Apple now, you have no idea how that keyboard will look in two years (I already hate it), specially cause -
- Beauty is subjective so don’t give me that “normal wear besuty” sh..t.. how about I consider beautiful the exact design and look Apple intended and DELIVERED brand new? People are getting those unremivable oil smudges TWO DAYS after unboxed, yeah, check reddit…
This is not normal or acceptable, two weeks, two months, and two years; are all too soon for such nasty stains on a $2.5k product.
Hate to see 10y old macs with better looking keyboards than mine,
My mac is a luxury super computer, it doesn’t need character, and if it did, it could have it without hardware issues that are not “the wearers” fault,
It’s simple: 2.5k? unacceptable
I actually agree with you here. I feel like the wear on the keys shows up within a few weeks. Does it impact the usability of the MBP? Not at all. But I don't necessarily appreciate the keyboard's looks wearing out within a few weeks or months, especially when I baby every other aspect of my device.
I really do feel like Apple has cheapened the coating on the MPB compared to their older models. The older model keyboards still look great after years of use. The new ones get the worn spots on them within the first few months.
