6 ms·

MacBook Pro Keyboard Why Apples Dust Excuse Is Wrong[Teardown and Explanations]

39 points by quakeguy 7y ago

Jyaif 7y ago
Out of curiosity, are there any 2016 mpb owners out there that do not have any issue with their keyboard?
- mtmail 7y ago
  There are, but less vocal https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19740765 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19740765 The company I work with has 8-10 MPB with butterfly keyboards, nobody had an issues yet. OK, one issue with a USB-C port no longer charging.
- giovannibajo1 7y ago
  I've got a 2016 mbp, I got my keyboard serviced twice in the first year because of sticky keys, and then everything went fine and still is (finger crossed...). I must say I actually love the butterfly keyboard, and I wouldn't change it back. Obviously, a working one.
  - james_pm 7y ago
    Same. I have a 2016 and the top case has been replaced twice. The second time I got the newer keyboard with the difference control and option key markings. It's been over a year since that one and everything has been fine. I also really like the keyboard.
- darsnack 7y ago
  I don’t. I have the 2016 15” model, and I’ve never had an issue. Most of the people in my graduate program don’t seem to have issues either. It surprises me how much i hear about this issue, because it directly contradicts my anecdotal evidence.
CountSessine 7y ago
#justchangeitback
rauar 7y ago
Perhaps the point of failure is not located inside the mechanics at all. I could imagine that dust is not necessarily always 100% non-conductive and might have an impact on pcb traces if their routing is very close (sporadic shortening). Another interesting test would be heating up those microchips and see if potentially lose pins might be reflowed by this procedure.
camillomiller 7y ago
MacBook Pro 2018. Issue of repeating keys 2 weeks after I bought it. Then more keys. Now it’s “settled” to O, I and R. Unshaky, a small app that prevents double firing of a key, fixes the issue for all keys, but somehow the O still has issues. I started observing the weirdest phenomena. Such as: amount of failures change based on the material of the surface I’m writing on. Glass is better then wood. Also, the position of my hands while writing has an effect on that too. While writing on my lap, I see less misfires. I went to the Apple Store here in Berlin. They said they would try and repair it under warranty. They have a 7 working days intervention time for this issue. Unbelievable. “Do you know that people actually work with their laptops, right?”. Sad face of the Genius, vague excuses, no actual answer. This is a mess, and a big one. It’s affecting Apple’s most loyal customers. Up to the point that for the first time in 15 years I’m thinking of switching to a Windows laptop, if not for the fact that everything else about this computer is so damn amazing :(
- grawlinson 7y ago
  Shit like this is why I run macOS on my XPS 13. If Apple aren't willing to get their shit together, why should I wait for them?
  - MR4D 7y ago
    I’ve been thinking of doing the same. How was the install on that machine?

39 points by quakeguy 7y ago

Jyaif 7y ago

Out of curiosity, are there any 2016 mpb owners out there that do not have any issue with their keyboard?

mtmail 7y ago
There are, but less vocal https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19740765 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19740765 The company I work with has 8-10 MPB with butterfly keyboards, nobody had an issues yet. OK, one issue with a USB-C port no longer charging.
giovannibajo1 7y ago
I've got a 2016 mbp, I got my keyboard serviced twice in the first year because of sticky keys, and then everything went fine and still is (finger crossed...). I must say I actually love the butterfly keyboard, and I wouldn't change it back. Obviously, a working one.
- james_pm 7y ago
  Same. I have a 2016 and the top case has been replaced twice. The second time I got the newer keyboard with the difference control and option key markings. It's been over a year since that one and everything has been fine. I also really like the keyboard.
darsnack 7y ago
I don’t. I have the 2016 15” model, and I’ve never had an issue. Most of the people in my graduate program don’t seem to have issues either. It surprises me how much i hear about this issue, because it directly contradicts my anecdotal evidence.

CountSessine 7y ago

#justchangeitback

rauar 7y ago

Perhaps the point of failure is not located inside the mechanics at all. I could imagine that dust is not necessarily always 100% non-conductive and might have an impact on pcb traces if their routing is very close (sporadic shortening). Another interesting test would be heating up those microchips and see if potentially lose pins might be reflowed by this procedure.

camillomiller 7y ago

MacBook Pro 2018. Issue of repeating keys 2 weeks after I bought it. Then more keys. Now it’s “settled” to O, I and R. Unshaky, a small app that prevents double firing of a key, fixes the issue for all keys, but somehow the O still has issues. I started observing the weirdest phenomena. Such as: amount of failures change based on the material of the surface I’m writing on. Glass is better then wood. Also, the position of my hands while writing has an effect on that too. While writing on my lap, I see less misfires. I went to the Apple Store here in Berlin. They said they would try and repair it under warranty. They have a 7 working days intervention time for this issue. Unbelievable. “Do you know that people actually work with their laptops, right?”. Sad face of the Genius, vague excuses, no actual answer. This is a mess, and a big one. It’s affecting Apple’s most loyal customers. Up to the point that for the first time in 15 years I’m thinking of switching to a Windows laptop, if not for the fact that everything else about this computer is so damn amazing :(

grawlinson 7y ago
Shit like this is why I run macOS on my XPS 13. If Apple aren't willing to get their shit together, why should I wait for them?
- MR4D 7y ago
  I’ve been thinking of doing the same. How was the install on that machine?