Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
What is killing the 2016/2017 MBP Keyboards?
- Thread starter Sebastian79
- Start date
-
- Tags
- keyboard
- Sort by reaction score
Perhaps heat, dust and plain usage are all factors. The most threatening would depend on a user's usage habits.
I'm convinced mine is failing from heavy usage. I went 13 months with a perfect keyboard and all of a sudden keys that I use often are starting to double register (''r", "e", spacebar). For context, I'm a JavaScript developer which explains why I deem "r" a heavily used key. Spacebar and "e", well that's obvious.
@kudos212: I suppose I knew how to use the keyboard for over a year but then suddenly forgot how
I'm convinced mine is failing from heavy usage. I went 13 months with a perfect keyboard and all of a sudden keys that I use often are starting to double register (''r", "e", spacebar). For context, I'm a JavaScript developer which explains why I deem "r" a heavily used key. Spacebar and "e", well that's obvious.
@kudos212: I suppose I knew how to use the keyboard for over a year but then suddenly forgot how
Last edited:
I have heard of people having issues with keys on rMBP, but to the number of cases seem to be few. And with the rMBP it is pretty easy to pop the key off and clean underneath it yourself.
Previous thread had 18 out of 48 with problems. That would be significant if was carried over to mass sampling.
I vote for heat since I keep it really clean and the problem reoccurred soon after top case was replaced. I also use the laptop under heavier than most by gaming. "b" key that had issues is not used more than others, much less than AWSD keys that were used a lot.
Last edited:
I have owned a Retina MacBook for well over two years and it's had very little issue with the keyboard. I have tried and have used multiple 2016 15" MPB all the keyboards were inconsistent, especially under heavy load. Anyone with an ounce of common sense can search and see prior to the 2016 MBP Apple had hardly any issue related to keyboards. Today a different story with a significant increase in issue related to the keyboards easily viewable across the numerous forums.
Do you seriously believe Apple is swapping out multitudes of keyboards just to keep people happy? Apple is replacing the keyboards as they are failing Apple's own criteria. Apple rep's have even been quoted by reputable members that the keyboard failure rate is a significant issue with as many as 1 in 5 being returned, nor do they have an axe to grind as they prefer the new design.
If the issue was solely related to the shallow key travel we would have observed far more issues with the Retina MacBook, people either like or dislike, however now significant upsurge in posts related to failure certainly nothing like the MBP.
What is missing is the option for people to vote for a "non issue" to me undoubtedly there is an issue, the bigger question how wide spread...
Q-6
I'm pretty sure the rMBs also have this issue (if it is indeed an issue - I have neither computer so I really don't know): https://9to5mac.com/2017/01/23/12-inch-macbook-stuck-keys/
I don't have hard numbers but I would hazard a guess that there are far more MBP users than 12" rMB users (especially if you look at the subset of users likely to post on MacRumors or other technical leaning sites).
Alt key stopped working just when my computer was about to turn one year old and run out of warranty. After that I accidentally dropped my MBP on a table (the fall was no more than 1ft.) and literally half the keys stopped working.
No. I'm guessing the contracting and expansion from cold/heat causes some parts to fail.
no need to, mine works flawlessly and I do a lot of cpu demanding taks (heat wise)
Just registered to provide my feedback.
I purchased a 15' TouchBar MacBook Pro at launch, my keyboard worked flawlessly until February 27th. Now keys are double clicking, or not registering out of nowhere. Unfortunately, I didn't purchase AppleCare.
Trying to figure out what to do.
I purchased a 15' TouchBar MacBook Pro at launch, my keyboard worked flawlessly until February 27th. Now keys are double clicking, or not registering out of nowhere. Unfortunately, I didn't purchase AppleCare.
Trying to figure out what to do.
Well, I purchased a can of compressed air with no success. Scheduling an Apple store appointment.
As to the cause, I believe the keyboard was not designed for quality.
As to the cause, I believe the keyboard was not designed for quality.
hand wrote:
"Now keys are double clicking, or not registering out of nowhere. Unfortunately, I didn't purchase AppleCare.
Trying to figure out what to do."
Well, the solutions are stark:
1. Repair it
2. Replace it.
Apple will charge $700+ for the repair (top case replacement).
But be aware that the replacement may be as susceptible to failure as was the original part. Maybe you'll get lucky the second time around.
If it was me, I'd throw in a little extra $$ and get a 2015 design MBPro.
Those keyboards seldom break.
By the way, I think we're going to see A LOT more folks with problems such as yours -- broken keyboards, out-of-warranty, and HIGH repair costs...
"Now keys are double clicking, or not registering out of nowhere. Unfortunately, I didn't purchase AppleCare.
Trying to figure out what to do."
Well, the solutions are stark:
1. Repair it
2. Replace it.
Apple will charge $700+ for the repair (top case replacement).
But be aware that the replacement may be as susceptible to failure as was the original part. Maybe you'll get lucky the second time around.
If it was me, I'd throw in a little extra $$ and get a 2015 design MBPro.
Those keyboards seldom break.
By the way, I think we're going to see A LOT more folks with problems such as yours -- broken keyboards, out-of-warranty, and HIGH repair costs...
AppleCare is only a partial solution anyway as it only covers your MacBook for the first three years.
MacBooks may be expensive but at least the residuals are usually decent. If you look at the sold prices on eBay you’ll see that three-year-old plus MacBooks still fetch good money.
My own 2013 13” is probably worth around £600. Whilst I accept that it will break at some point, I would hate to have to sell it for parts just because one of the keys had stopped working and it was uneconomical to repair it. If the screen or the logic board failed, then I could accept it.
I can’t help but think that as this problem becomes more widespread it’s likely that the 2015 MacBooks will have better residuals than the 2016 ones.
If I did have an out of warranty issue with one of these MacBooks then I would complain politely, but persistently about it, and I would certainly use the information that’s available online to argue that this is an inherent problem with the design.
MacBooks may be expensive but at least the residuals are usually decent. If you look at the sold prices on eBay you’ll see that three-year-old plus MacBooks still fetch good money.
My own 2013 13” is probably worth around £600. Whilst I accept that it will break at some point, I would hate to have to sell it for parts just because one of the keys had stopped working and it was uneconomical to repair it. If the screen or the logic board failed, then I could accept it.
I can’t help but think that as this problem becomes more widespread it’s likely that the 2015 MacBooks will have better residuals than the 2016 ones.
If I did have an out of warranty issue with one of these MacBooks then I would complain politely, but persistently about it, and I would certainly use the information that’s available online to argue that this is an inherent problem with the design.
My credit card covers out of warranty repairs up to $500 for 2 years. Maybe Apple will lower the cost of repair to $500?
I wonder if it could be the GPU instead of CPU issue. I have the Radeon 460.
[doublepost=1520014124][/doublepost]
One time my top case replacement was quoted $700, another time it was $300, not sure why there's a discrepancy.
I don’t recall this happening without some extremely bad publicity.
Repairs seem to have become more costly as Apple move to ever more integrated thinner designs and larger sections or device swap-outs have become the norm for their repair process. To be fair, part of this is due to the designs of the hardware themselves and part of it seems to be a solution for providing in house care to an increasing number of customers... but I digress.
The only times I can think of where the price of a repair has “lowered” is from whatever it was to “free” after a large scale public outcry / class action status lawsuit where the work was then done for free. Eg dodgy Nvidia GPUs from a while back, or more recently the iPhone battery CPU throttling thing.
So unless you start reading about masses of people complaining about their keyboards in NYT / WSJ and other mainstream outlets instead of just reddit & macrumours forums... I wouldn’t get my hopes up.
you're over 5 years late. Repairs have always been expensive for anything computer related. Top case has had to be replaced with the retina models since they've existed.
Because when the user types, the fingernails create thin scratches on the key surface?
Until the 2016, the MBP keyboards were one of the best in the market. It is no longer the case thanks to those at Apple who are obsessive with thinness. Go ahead and make future generations so thin that they bend and break easily and everybody returns for a refund.