Switching to black trackpad and Keyboard with numpad (Mac Studio black/silver)?

[jtkiley]

Has anyone (especially fellow trackpad users) switched to the keyboard with numpad to get the black/silver color combo?

I want Touch ID, so that narrows the selection down to just the Apple ones (better experience than using the Apple Watch). I'd appreciate the real arrow keys, though I don't need a numpad. My main concern is moving the trackpad so far to the right to accommodate the linger keyboard. I've been simulating that with my existing keyboard/trackpad, and I'm somewhat used to it I think, but it would be interesting to hear from folks who have actually done it and like it (or not).

 

[zedsdead]

That is the main reason I don't, because I have the trackpad exactly where the numpad would be plus the mouse to the right past that. To add the extra size throws the keyboard off center in my setup, and I sadly am too norotic to abide that.

It drives me crazy that they don't offer black compact version.

 

[jdb8167]

Has anyone (especially fellow trackpad users) switched to the keyboard with numpad to get the black/silver color combo?

I want Touch ID, so that narrows the selection down to just the Apple ones (better experience than using the Apple Watch). I'd appreciate the real arrow keys, though I don't need a numpad. My main concern is moving the trackpad so far to the right to accommodate the linger keyboard. I've been simulating that with my existing keyboard/trackpad, and I'm somewhat used to it I think, but it would be interesting to hear from folks who have actually done it and like it (or not).

I did switch to the Touch ID keyboard with the number pad because I wanted the inverted-T cursor keys. I never even thought about how much that moved the trackpad. So I guess it doesn’t bother me.

 

[elemenohme]

My new keyboard with the number pad arrived over a week ago, so I've had some time to acclimate. I'm used to the smaller one from years on the MacBook, so I still stumble over some keys (hadn't realized how much I use the Fn key!).

I really question the mapping of the emoji keyboard to the Fn key - whose brilliant idea was that? Drives me crazy, since I often overreach slightly for the delete key. (EDIT: Turns out there's a pref in the Keyboard settings to configure that key specifically, so I just turned it off.)

I'll likely go back to the one without the number pad since I don't do enough data entry to justify using up that much space on my tiny desk.

 

[MaskedCarrot]

I have both full keypad and the smaller one, and for some reason I can't type correctly with the smaller keyboard, I make a ton of mistakes. But with the full sized keyboard, I type much better. I dunno why that is though.

Also, both of my keyboards are the old wired ones. I never really saw the appeal of a wireless keyboard, being as it just sits on your desk and doesn't move. I guess people just like not having wires showing on their desk, but that doesn't bother me.

 

[jtkiley]

That is the main reason I don't, because I have the trackpad exactly where the numpad would be plus the mouse to the right past that. To add the extra size throws the keyboard off center in my setup, and I sadly am to norotic to abide that.

It drives me crazy that they don't offer black compact version.

Yeah, I measured the distance and have been working on getting used to it. It's a real adjustment, though. I can keep the qwerty keys centered and push the trackpad off to the right, or I'd have no chance of using the longer one. I write a lot (words and code), and I can't have an elbow off of my chair's armrest just to type.

I did switch to the Touch ID keyboard with the number pad because I wanted the inverted-T cursor keys. I never even thought about how much that moved the trackpad. So I guess it doesn’t bother me.

Thanks, this is good to know.

That's part of the motivation for me to lean toward the larger one. A tenkeyless with a full-sized set of arrow keys is probably the perfect keyboard, but I know how good Touch ID is on a Mac from my MBPs, and I don't want to give that up for a third-party keyboard. Really, I like the Apple keyboards for the most part.

My new keyboard with the number pad arrived over a week ago, so I've had some time to acclimate. I'm used to the smaller one from years on the MacBook, so I still stumble over some keys (hadn't realized how much I use the Fn key!).

I really question the mapping of the emoji keyboard to the Fn key - whose brilliant idea was that? Drives me crazy, since I often overreach slightly for the delete key. (EDIT: Turns out there's a pref in the Keyboard settings to configure that key specifically, so I just turned it off.)

I'll likely go back to the one without the number pad since I don't do enough data entry to justify using up that much space on my tiny desk.

They really love that emoji key, on real or virtual keyboards. I can't remember the specific software update (some time back), but there was a time on iPhone/iPad, where I seemingly couldn't miss the emoji key when I didn't want to hit it.

I've also historically turned off Caps Lock and made it do nothing. Probably 99 percent of the times I hit it are an accident.

I have both full keypad and the smaller one, and for some reason I can't type correctly with the smaller keyboard, I make a ton of mistakes. But with the full sized keyboard, I type much better. I dunno why that is though.

Also, both of my keyboards are the old wired ones. I never really saw the appeal of a wireless keyboard, being as it just sits on your desk and doesn't move. I guess people just like not having wires showing on their desk, but that doesn't bother me.

I've been fine with the smaller keyboard for years and years now, but your comment makes me curious about whether the larger one will be better to type on. I guess this is exactly the business case for return policies: it lowers the buyer's perception of the risk of being wrong.

I've been all in on wireless for a long time, so I think it would be hard to change now. I do move my stuff around a bit to make space on my desk, so it's nice to minimize cables for that reason.

 

[jdb8167]

They really love that emoji key, on real or virtual keyboards. I can't remember the specific software update (some time back), but there was a time on iPhone/iPad, where I seemingly couldn't miss the emoji key when I didn't want to hit it.

I've also historically turned off Caps Lock and made it do nothing. Probably 99 percent of the times I hit it are an accident.

That does remind me that the real oddity of the Touch ID keypad keyboard is the emoji key that weirdly doubles as the Fn key. I too hit the emoji key too often on this keyboard for some reason. It isn’t particularly close to anything so I don’t know why—maybe the delete key.

I've been fine with the smaller keyboard for years and years now, but your comment makes me curious about whether the larger one will be better to type on. I guess this is exactly the business case for return policies: it lowers the buyer's perception of the risk of being wrong.

I've been all in on wireless for a long time, so I think it would be hard to change now. I do move my stuff around a bit to make space on my desk, so it's nice to minimize cables for that reason.

My last Apple keyboard was the older ten keyless Apple Wireless Keyboard with AA batteries and the inverted-T cursor keys. The feel on the new keypad/Touch ID version is quite a bit stiffer but I don’t find much difference in speed or accuracy.

You can leave the keyboard plugged in to make it a wired USB keyboard but the battery is decent so I don’t know why you would.

 

[PianoPro]

I need to add another keyboard for my Mac Studio. I'm trying to decide whether to buy the Apple numeric keypad version with or without Touch ID ($50 or $70 difference depending on black vs white).

I've been using a current Apple keyboard (with num keys) without the Touch ID key. So I'm not 100% clear what the Touch ID key can do. Will it do the following?

1. Enter my Apple ID AND its Password with a single touch whenever I'm asked for my Apple ID (which is too often).
2. Enter my logon password whenever I'm asked for it (except the first time I logon each session)
3. Enter a User Name AND Password with a single touch (from Safari passwords file) whenever I'm asked to login to a website.

AND Mac OS knows which of those Name/Password combinations is being asked for and automatically fills in the correct ones when the Touch ID is used?

Is this all correct? If so the Touch ID version seems worth the extra money.

One more question: I like to keep my keyboard plugged in all the time. The Touch ID version has a USB-C connector. Any issue with using a Type A adapter so I don't waste a TB port on my Mac Studio?

 

[jdb8167]

I need to add another keyboard for my Mac Studio. I'm trying to decide whether to buy the Apple numeric keypad version with or without Touch ID ($50 or $70 difference depending on black vs white).

I've been using a current Apple keyboard (with num keys) without the Touch ID key. So I'm not 100% clear what the Touch ID key can do. Will it do the following?

1. Enter my Apple ID AND its Password with a single touch whenever I'm asked for my Apple ID (which is too often).
2. Enter my logon password whenever I'm asked for it (except the first time I logon each session)
3. Enter a User Name AND Password with a single touch (from Safari passwords file) whenever I'm asked to login to a website.

AND Mac OS knows which of those Name/Password combinations is being asked for and automatically fills in the correct ones when the Touch ID is used?

Is this all correct? If so the Touch ID version seems worth the extra money.

One more question: I like to keep my keyboard plugged in all the time. The Touch ID version has a USB-C connector. Any issue with using a Type A adapter so I don't waste a TB port on my Mac Studio?

Yes to your first three questions. It works in most situations though not all. I’ve also got it setup to work with command line sudo commands which as a developer in the terminal a lot is very handy.

The OS guesses usernames and passwords the same way it does without the biometric authentication. It usually works unless there are multiple usernames/passwords for a particular website.

The Touch ID extended keyboard is pretty expensive but I don’t regret buying it. It works very well.

Yes, any lightning cable should work.

 

[PianoPro]

Yes to your first three questions. It works in most situations though not all. I’ve also got it setup to work with command line sudo commands which as a developer in the terminal a lot is very handy.

The OS guesses usernames and passwords the same way it does without the biometric authentication. It usually works unless there are multiple usernames/passwords for a particular website.

The Touch ID extended keyboard is pretty expensive but I don’t regret buying it. It works very well.

Yes, any lightning cable should work.

Thanks for info and confirmation. Seems worth the extra cash then. Now to decide on black vs white. I think there's better contrast with the white keys in low light so maybe go that way. (wish Apple had illumination)

 

[Jrshelby]

I do wish they offered the black and silver option with the smaller keyboard. I guess I’ll live with the number pad with bulk silver just cause it looks better but if they were rto release the smaller one with the blo silver color way I’d buy in a heart beat snd repopulate the number pad to my work windows machine.

 

[jtkiley]

Thanks for info and confirmation. Seems worth the extra cash then. Now to decide on black vs white. I think there's better contrast with the white keys in low light so maybe go that way. (wish Apple had illumination)

I agree that Touch ID is worth it. Having an Apple Watch helps with your item 2, but it's worth having Touch ID for the others. My MBP has it and my iMac doesn't, and I think about it a few times a day.

 

[jtkiley]

I do wish they offered the black and silver option with the smaller keyboard. I guess I’ll live with the number pad with bulk silver just cause it looks better but if they were rto release the smaller one with the blo silver color way I’d buy in a heart beat snd repopulate the number pad to my work windows machine.

I ended up ordering the black/silver versions because my Mac Studio is on its way, so I needed to make a decision. I'd definitely be tempted by a compact version in black, and I'd immediately buy a true tenkeyless version.

I'll report back what I think once I'm all set up, too.

 

[OSB]

I have the prior generation Apple wireless keyboard with number pad, because my work is in finance and that means punching in lots of numbers. The trackpad is father away than I'd like it sometimes, but because the kb & trackpad are both wireless, I just move them around as needed. Most of the time, I'm not doing a lot of concurrent typing and mousing, anyhow; I tend to find I'm either using the kb primarily, the numpad primarily, or the trackpad primarily.

I know a few people in the same situation who have their trackpad on the left side of the keyboard and seeing that was like learning the earth was flat. Total mind****. Never even occurred to me.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Touch ID is SO worth having… my (Intel) MacBook Pro is used with two external displays, and an Apple (non Touch ID, since it won’t work with Intel) keyboard. I literally leave the MacBook Pro screen open, behind my main display where I can reach under just to use Touch ID.

Personally I couldn’t care less about black vs. white, if there’s a price difference I’m getting the cheaper one but yeah, I’d pay for Touch ID in a heartbeat!

 

[ucfgrad93]

I have both full keypad and the smaller one, and for some reason I can't type correctly with the smaller keyboard, I make a ton of mistakes. But with the full sized keyboard, I type much better. I dunno why that is though.

Also, both of my keyboards are the old wired ones. I never really saw the appeal of a wireless keyboard, being as it just sits on your desk and doesn't move. I guess people just like not having wires showing on their desk, but that doesn't bother me.

I prefer the wired keyboard as well. I like the 2 USB ports on the side so I can plug in a flash drive without fishing around on the back.