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The New MacBook Pro Keyboard Resists Dust Much Better Than Previous-Gen, Reports iFixit (9to5mac.com)

iFixit tore apart the new 2018 MacBook Pro keyboard to see how well the silicone membrane works to protect the butterfly mechanism from dust and debris. After showering a 2017 and 2018 MacBook Pro in dust particles, the repair site found the newer generation holds up surprisingly well. 9to5Mac reports: As shown in the photo, the blue paint particles coat the outside of the keycaps and the edges of the membrane, but the silicon covers stop most of the particles from getting into the key mechanism -- which is what causes the sticky key issues on the previous models. However, the silicon covers have to have holes in them to allow the keycap clips to attach. Naturally, dust can and will get through these holes over time. iFixit placed some sand particles into the "danger zones" of the keycaps, and confirmed the keys will break/become-unreliable when that happens, just like the second-generation butterfly keys. The non-cocooned 2017 keyboard was "almost immediately flooded" in the particles, unsurprisingly. Clearly, the 2018 model is greatly improved in regard to reliability, but it remains to be seen just how much better it is in real-world use. Over time, you only need a couple specks of dust to get in the keycaps and the keys will get stuck. It's just the chances of dust getting in are greatly reduced with the 2018 models.

3 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. Sad, yes. Run by nerds, no. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    It's not a site "run by nerds" any longer. The current editors are latte-toting iHipster millennials who barely know what gets them clicks, but haven't a clue what actually matters. Doesn't help that they limit themselves to reading utter tripe, of course.

  2. Re:But... by dj245 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Makes me wonder what the heck Apple is doing with their tens of thousands of engineers and billions of dollars. They put out around 2 new phones a year, although arguably those phones are near or at the cutting edge. Laptops and PCs are refreshed on an industry-slowest timeline and targeting a narrower and narrower market with each revision.

    I guess if you can print money you don't need to design more than 4 products a year. Must be a very nice place to work.

    --
    Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.
  3. Re: But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    No, the vast majority really aren't. They don't have the surge protection you'd expect from most AC adapters.

    It might work OK for an emergency situation, but god help you if you ever hold that thing in the middle of a thunderstorm while it's charging off an adapter with $10 worth of components instead of $50. Your life is *not* worth saving a few bucks for a cheap adapter. Some are good; the vast majority are crap. Tear a few open sometime and look for yourself.