Apple’s Butterfly Keyboards vs. Scissor Switch Keyboards

Since 2012, Apple has developed two kinds of keyboards for its MacBook Pro and MacBook Air machines – one that uses butterfly switches and one that uses scissor switches .
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Many people are mindful of the problems with the butterfly keyboards that resulted in a huge recall program and many defeated customers, but may silent be confused by what precisely a chat up keyboard is, how it ‘s unlike from a scissor switch keyboard, and why Apple elected to ditch the chat up key mechanism to return to the tested and true scissor switch mechanism. This template explains the differences between the two keyboard types.

How a Scissor Switch Keyboard Works

With a scissor switch keyboard, the keys are attached to the keyboard using two credit card pieces that interlock in concert in an ten shape like a couple of scissors, therefore the name .
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The two pieces snap to the keyboard and the key, and when you press down, the two pieces close together like scissors. Scissor switch keys don’t have quite as much travel as some other key types, but there’s more travel than a butterfly keyboard because there’s more space when the scissor mechanism compresses.

How a Butterfly Switch Keyboard Works

The two pieces snap to the keyboard and the key, and when you press down, the two pieces close together like scissors. Scissor trade keys do n’t have quite ampere much travel as some other key types, but there ‘s more travel than a chat up keyboard because there ‘s more space when the scissor mechanism compresses. The scissor switch keyboards have a scissor-like operating mechanism, while the butterfly keyboards use a mechanism that features components that work in concert like the wings on a chat up preferably than overlap .
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The two halves of the butterfly switch attach to a hinge in the middle and when pressed, the two sides compress down in more of a V or U shape.
The two halves of the butterfly switch bind to a hinge in the middle and when pressed, the two sides compress down in more of a V or U shape. butterflykey4
Apple swapped to a butterfly design for a thinner keyboard that allowed for thinner devices, but also advertised the butterfly keys as being more stable because of the way that a butterfly mechanism more evenly distributes applied pressure from a finger press.
Apple swapped to a butterfly design for a slender keyboard that allowed for slender devices, but besides advertised the chat up keys as being more stable because of the way that a butterfly mechanism more evenly distributes enforce pressure from a feel weight-lift. Butterfly keys broadly have less travel than scissor switch keys and there ‘s less squish and less movement, plus there ‘s a more outer space for debris to accumulate, which is what led to Apple ‘s issues.

Butterfly Keyboard Problems

The butterfly keyboard design, where the two halves of each keyboard switch impound to a middle hinge, allow a fortune of distance where debris, debris, and other particulates can accumulate, gunking up the mechanism and preventing it from working by rights .
ifixitbutterflykeyboardteardown Butterfly keyboard, via iFixit

When dust and debris get into the butterfly keyboard mechanism on a Mac, the keys get stuck, start repeating or fail to work entirely, all of which are undesirable outcomes.
When debris and debris get into the butterfly keyboard mechanism on a Mac, the keys get stuck, start repeating or fail to work wholly, all of which are undesirable outcomes. Apple attempted to improve the butterfly keyboard over the course of several years through assorted improvements such as the summation of membranes to block particulates, but no improvement method acting was successful .
indeed many people ended up running into problems with the butterfly keyboard that Apple implemented a recall program.

Mac Notebooks That Had Butterfly Keyboards

The first Mac with a butterfly keyboard was released in 2015, and the last Mac with a butterfly keyboard was released in 2019. A wide list of of Mac models with butterfly keyboards is below, and all of these Macs are eligible for Apple ‘s chat up keyboard rectify broadcast .

  • MacBook (Retina, 12-­inch, Early 2015)
  • MacBook (Retina, 12­-inch, Early 2016)
  • MacBook (Retina, 12-­inch, 2017)
  • ‌MacBook Air‌ (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
  • ‌MacBook Air‌ (Retina, 13-inch, 2019)
  • MacBook Pro (13­-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
  • MacBook Pro (13-­inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
  • MacBook Pro (13-­inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
  • MacBook Pro (13-­inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
  • MacBook Pro (15-­inch, 2016)
  • MacBook Pro (15-­inch, 2017)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
  • MacBook Pro (15-­inch, 2018)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
  • MacBook Pro (15-­inch, 2019)

The compensate broadcast covers Macs for four years after the first retail sale of the machine.

Why Apple Ditched Butterfly Keyboards

There was a huge come of criticism levied at Apple for its decision to continue using the butterfly keyboard for four years after people first started experiencing issues with the plan, and dissatisfaction had ramped up to such a degree that there was no early choice for Apple but to adopt a newly design .
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Apple also had to implement a repair program for the butterfly keyboard that was undoubtedly expensive, another factor necessitating a switch to the more reliable scissor switch mechanism.

The New Scissor Switch Keyboards

Apple besides had to implement a compensate platform for the butterfly keyboard that was undoubtedly expensive, another factor necessitating a switch to the more dependable scissor switch over mechanism. Apple in the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro, the 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro, and the 2020 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ introduced a redesign “ Magic Keyboard ” that uses a scissor throw mechanism rather of a butterfly mechanism .
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New 2019 scissor switch keyboard, via iFixit
Apple says that the new Magic Keyboard features the “best typing experience ever on a Mac notebook” with 1mm of key travel and a stable key feel. According to Apple, the keys were designed with an Apple-crafted rubber dome that stores more potential energy for a more responsive key press.

Guide Feedback

Apple says that the newfangled Magic Keyboard features the “ best typing experience always on a Mac notebook ” with 1mm of key travel and a stable keystone feel. According to Apple, the keys were designed with an Apple-crafted rubberize dome that stores more potential energy for a more responsive key press. Have a interview about Apple ‘s butterfly or scissor throw keyboards, know of something we left out, or want to offer feedback ? Send us an electronic mail here .

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