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The X220/30 is still a very viable Dev machine if you don't mind the screen. As a word of caution, I went down the MBP route myself and was recently caught wit

The X220/30 is still a very viable Dev machine if you don't mind the screen. As a word of caution, I went down the MBP route myself and was recently caught with the dust under the keyboard membrane problem. You probably aren't accurately evaluating how annoying it is to randomly lose your laptop for a few weeks while they repair the keyboard. I certainly was not.

ummonk 8y ago
Compressed air duster didn't fix it?
- NPChar 8y ago
  It is a design issue with the keyboard.
- ReC757 8y ago
  I have a 2016 Macbook Pro 15" that had the keyboard issue. When it occurred, the problem was not as well known about. It did not feel like a problem caused by dust. Perhaps it was due to the small tolerances in the keyboard mechanism. The B key would only work with a very firm press. Because the laptop was fairly new, I assumed the problem was caused by a manufacturing defect with the frame. The problem was typically worse when the laptop was cold vs. hot. If the problem is caused by dust (which I find hard to believe due to my issue after only 4 months of ownership) the problem must only need a small obstruction in the right place to cause a key to fail. When the key failure happens, duster does not seem to help at all. After the replacement, I have had no other failures. It's sad that a wonderful machine can be brought down with this terrible issue. On a side note, I am very happy with the computer overall. The four thunderbolt 3 ports allow me to run my entire setup over one connection. I run an external RX 580 in an Akitio Node Pro to 2 4k monitors. MacOS UI design in my opinion feels clean compared to Windows currently and application support is fantastic compared to ten years ago! Just thought I would offer my insight :)
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
- drawnwren 8y ago
  Unfortunately, the keyboard is built with a single membrane under all of the keys. I think that Apple imagined this meant dust wouldn't be able to get under it. Unfortunately, it just means that you can't spray compressed air under it when dust eventually does.
throwaway413 8y ago
This has happened to me several times now, and not sure if I’m just experiencing something totally different (don’t think so), but I’ve been able to solve this problem 100% of the time by smashing down on the key in question several times in quick succession. This even worked after the first time when I took it into the Apple store and they wanted $400 to replace it.
wink 8y ago
+1 for x230. I can't really comment on how I was handling mine vs what the OP does to their laptops.. but mine held up fine for ~4.5 years in near-daily use (work machine, incl. some personal and travel use) with just a little crack at the side. After 4.5 years I had to replace the screen though. And I'm on the third battery now, so overall "replacement parts" cost was like 80 (screen) + 1x 70 (big battery) + 1x 40 (small battery).

ummonk 8y ago

Compressed air duster didn't fix it?

NPChar 8y ago
It is a design issue with the keyboard.
ReC757 8y ago
I have a 2016 Macbook Pro 15" that had the keyboard issue. When it occurred, the problem was not as well known about. It did not feel like a problem caused by dust. Perhaps it was due to the small tolerances in the keyboard mechanism. The B key would only work with a very firm press. Because the laptop was fairly new, I assumed the problem was caused by a manufacturing defect with the frame. The problem was typically worse when the laptop was cold vs. hot. If the problem is caused by dust (which I find hard to believe due to my issue after only 4 months of ownership) the problem must only need a small obstruction in the right place to cause a key to fail. When the key failure happens, duster does not seem to help at all. After the replacement, I have had no other failures. It's sad that a wonderful machine can be brought down with this terrible issue. On a side note, I am very happy with the computer overall. The four thunderbolt 3 ports allow me to run my entire setup over one connection. I run an external RX 580 in an Akitio Node Pro to 2 4k monitors. MacOS UI design in my opinion feels clean compared to Windows currently and application support is fantastic compared to ten years ago! Just thought I would offer my insight :)
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
drawnwren 8y ago
Unfortunately, the keyboard is built with a single membrane under all of the keys. I think that Apple imagined this meant dust wouldn't be able to get under it. Unfortunately, it just means that you can't spray compressed air under it when dust eventually does.

throwaway413 8y ago

This has happened to me several times now, and not sure if I’m just experiencing something totally different (don’t think so), but I’ve been able to solve this problem 100% of the time by smashing down on the key in question several times in quick succession. This even worked after the first time when I took it into the Apple store and they wanted $400 to replace it.

wink 8y ago

+1 for x230. I can't really comment on how I was handling mine vs what the OP does to their laptops.. but mine held up fine for ~4.5 years in near-daily use (work machine, incl. some personal and travel use) with just a little crack at the side. After 4.5 years I had to replace the screen though. And I'm on the third battery now, so overall "replacement parts" cost was like 80 (screen) + 1x 70 (big battery) + 1x 40 (small battery).