Unveiling the latest MacBook Pro Keyboard: A sneak peek at its design and functionality
Apple has recently unveiled a new line of MacBook Pros, featuring a significant change in the keyboard design. The new keyboard, made of a transparent, smooth material identified as polyamide (nylon), marks a departure from the silicone-like membrane used in previous generations.
The fourth generation of Apple's low profile, "butterfly" MacBook key design, first introduced in 2015, has been a topic of debate due to its reliability issues. Criticisms have ranged from key sticking to the potential for dust accumulation, concerns that have persisted through the generations.
However, the latest MacBook Pro keyboard design, found in the latest version of the MacBook Pro, bears subtle differences. For instance, the metal dome in the new keyboard is designed to potentially be more resilient, registering keystrokes similar to the safety cap on a jar or bottle.
While the new design shares similarities with its problematic predecessors, it appears to be a refinement rather than a major overhaul. Reviews of the 2019 MacBook Pro keyboard, particularly the 15-inch eight-core model, have generally discussed its refinement and reliability compared to earlier designs. However, specific early reviews from 2019 did not highlight major breakthroughs in reliability, as significant redesigns came later with the 2020 models.
It's worth noting that Apple has been redesigning the butterfly keys since their debut in 2015, with the third generation of the butterfly key design adding a foggy, tacky, silicone-like membrane to protect the switch mechanism. Yet, Apple has been slow to acknowledge and address flaws in the butterfly key design.
In an effort to address these concerns, Apple has announced a free repair program for most MacBooks with the butterfly key design. The company has also taken a couple of years to acknowledge flaws in the original design and has been using its users as beta testers for the butterfly key design.
The functionality of the new MacBook Pro keyboard is yet to be determined. The latest version of the MacBook Pro has undergone disassembly by iFixit, and investigators have identified the new material in the latest MacBook Pro keyboard as polyamide (nylon). As users begin to experience the new keyboard, it will be interesting to see how well it performs and whether it addresses the reliability issues that have plagued previous designs.
[1] AppleInsider. (2019). 16-inch MacBook Pro review: A new Retina Display, Magic Keyboard, and more. [online] Available at: https://www.appleinsider.com/articles/19/11/15/16-inch-macbook-pro-review-a-new-retina-display-magic-keyboard-and-more
[2] AppleInsider. (2019). 16-inch MacBook Pro review: Keyboard reliability a key focus. [online] Available at: https://www.appleinsider.com/articles/19/11/15/16-inch-macbook-pro-review-keyboard-reliability-a-key-focus
- The tech world eagerly anticipates the performance of the new MacBook Pro keyboard, as it is crafted from polyamide (nylon) and supported by a metal dome for potential resilience.
- In the realm of gadget reviews, many have praised the refinement of Apple's new 15-inch MacBook Pro keyboard, noting its improvement over previous designs, particularly in terms of reliability.
- Since the debut of the "butterfly" MacBook key design in 2015, technology enthusiasts at Gizmodo and other sites have debated its reliability, with concerns including key sticking and dust accumulation; however, the 2019 MacBook Pro model seems to represent a smaller step towards a resolution rather than a comprehensive transformation in design.
