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My MacBook keyboard is broken and it's insanely expensive to fix

tobiasberg.net

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Re: My MacBook keyboard is broken and it's insanely expensive to fix

#431

Post by Melatonic »

port11 wrote: post #363
Grisu_FTP wrote: post #308

While i think the usecase of a Macbook and a Framework are really different i will always be thankfull to framework for how easy they make it. Broke my keyboard, a few days later i had a new one that didnt even take a minute to swap. Wanted to upgrade my GPU twice, didnt even take 10 minutes. Biggest difficulty was swapping the motherboard, but even that was easy. The ports i need change all the time, and i can just…

A Framework running a sane version of macOS would be peak computing for me. Not that repairability isn’t great, but in 16 years of Apple devices my only needed repair was their atrocious butterfly-style keyboard, and Apple footed the bill thanks to the Class Action Lawsuit. We merely have to wait on Apple to continue debasing its OS, and then many other options will look preferable. Or perhaps Linux on Apple Silicon…

That is sort of what we got when people were making Hackintoshes out of Thinkpads a few years ago. Great keyboards, great repairablity and upgradeability, etc.

Re: My MacBook keyboard is broken and it's insanely expensive to fix

#432

Post by mhjkl »

What exactly broke? I had this problem recently and thought the keyboard was done for, but turns out you can also replace the switches (not keycaps) and that solved the issue in my case. You have to be very careful though since it is very easy to break the switch or key cap if you remove it incorrectly (this happened to me while I was trying to clean the keyboard)

Re: My MacBook keyboard is broken and it's insanely expensive to fix

#433

Post by mhjkl »

brailsafe wrote: post #16
BoredPositron wrote: post #7

What MacBook is it? If you don't have the insane butterfly switches single keys are pretty repairable now.

I think those are just the keycaps, not the switches or the actual board underneath

You can remove and replace the switches too

Re: My MacBook keyboard is broken and it's insanely expensive to fix

#434

Post by tracker1 »

MostlyStable wrote: post #42

>Here’s hoping governments regulate laptop manufacturers to actually make repairable machines in the future. No, this is a bad solution. If you want a repairable machine, buy one. They exist. Others have already mentioned Framework, but there are other options that aren't that far down the spectrum either. One of the things macbook users praise the most is "build quality", which often means the solidity of the device…

+1 here... Lenovo business laptops have a history of being particularly good at being user repairable.

I'm probably going to go with Framework myself whenever I do upgrade. Still using an M1 air, which suites my day to day needs, I don't develop on it, as I can remote to my desktop from anywhere.

Re: My MacBook keyboard is broken and it's insanely expensive to fix

#435

Post by smilliken »

aurareturn wrote: post #185
mattbillenstein wrote: post #9

Framework Laptop + some form of Linux - MacOS keeps getting worse and the hardware exceeding hard and expensive to repair.

FYI, for those who are consider Framework, you are usually getting a laptop that is 2x as expensive as a Macbook but slower, with a worse screen, far worse performance and battery life, and likely not as reliable as a Mac long term. You can basically buy 2 Macbook Airs for the same price as Framework 13 and keep one in the draw if you are ever scared that one breaks. That's how bad of a deal Framework is or how much…

If you're price conscious, buy the self-assembled framework kit. It's fun and takes half an hour to assemble.

I got a framework 16 with a handful of upgrades for $1400. I added 96GB of RAM purchased separately for $300 (before the shortage). I also got a 4TB NVMe for $300. What do those upgrades cost cost in a macbook?

I think most people care more about their OS than their hardware specs, so they defend their purchase like it's part of their identity and it's hard to have a rational discussion.

Edit: If you're talking about the Intel model, I agree with you. The Ryzens are fantastic.

Re: My MacBook keyboard is broken and it's insanely expensive to fix

#436

Post by naikrovek »

raw_anon_1111 wrote: post #369
alsetmusic wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When one party will violate every norm and law to the greatest extent that they can get away with it, it's pretty much impossible to compete with them. I want good things for people. I can't compete with fascists because they will cheat and lie and employ violence. My positive intent is almost impossible to out thwart their dirty deeds if they are willing to break laws / change laws and I won't.

It amazes me that so many people blame the politicians and not the people who elected them.

Well we can’t recall the voters, so there is no point in addressing them. They are a problem because in the US there used to be an FCC rule that said “if you call yourself a news program, you must tell the truth,” and that was overridden by the Supreme Court during Reagan’s term.

Re: My MacBook keyboard is broken and it's insanely expensive to fix

#437

Post by raw_anon_1111 »

naikrovek wrote: post #436
raw_anon_1111 wrote: post #369

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It amazes me that so many people blame the politicians and not the people who elected them.

Well we can’t recall the voters, so there is no point in addressing them. They are a problem because in the US there used to be an FCC rule that said “if you call yourself a news program, you must tell the truth,” and that was overridden by the Supreme Court during Reagan’s term.

No there was never a rule about “telling the truth” the rule was “equal time”. So if one party said “vaccines keep people from dying” and the other party said “vaccines would cause you to grow extra limbs” you had to allow them both on.

Second, it had nothing to do with the Supreme Court. The theory was that the airwaves belong to the public and the FCC has jurisdiction. It never applied to cable channels like FoxNews

Third, the current FCC is going after broadcast networks for not being fair under the rule

Re: My MacBook keyboard is broken and it's insanely expensive to fix

#438

Post by 0xffff2 »

hilliardfarmer wrote: post #339
Gigachad wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Decades of HN users finger wagging and suggesting FOSS hardware has progressed society nowhere. 12 months from EU mandatory replaceable batteries and products across the industry are being redesigned with repairability, usb-c, and user friendly designs. It’s time to accept regulation actually does work when you have a competent government.

People need to stop buying apple products. Anyone dumb enough to have already done so deserves what they get.

What $900 laptop with a similar form factor and build quality to a Macbook Air am I supposed to buy instead? I did quite a bit of research on this a couple of months ago, with a strong preference for a Linux compatible device (I've never been a MacOS user, and I'm done with Windows after 10 dies all the way). After weeks of research, I came to the conclusion that my best bet was to buy a Macbook Air and hope that Asahi support for M4 chips comes sooner rather than later.

Re: My MacBook keyboard is broken and it's insanely expensive to fix

#439

Post by foxyv »

hbn wrote: post #349
Grisu_FTP wrote: post #308

While i think the usecase of a Macbook and a Framework are really different i will always be thankfull to framework for how easy they make it. Broke my keyboard, a few days later i had a new one that didnt even take a minute to swap. Wanted to upgrade my GPU twice, didnt even take 10 minutes. Biggest difficulty was swapping the motherboard, but even that was easy. The ports i need change all the time, and i can just…

I'd be curious to see hardware failure rates of Framework vs MacBooks. Sure you can replace the keyboard on a Framework fairly easily but I'd bet MacBook users run into the need for it less (comparing modern models; we all know the butterfly keyboard era was a dark age for MacBooks)

Consumer reports seems to agree. Although I'll take mostly reliable and repairable over very reliable and not repairable. Stuff happens after all.

Re: My MacBook keyboard is broken and it's insanely expensive to fix

#440

Post by aurareturn »

smilliken wrote: post #435
aurareturn wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FYI, for those who are consider Framework, you are usually getting a laptop that is 2x as expensive as a Macbook but slower, with a worse screen, far worse performance and battery life, and likely not as reliable as a Mac long term. You can basically buy 2 Macbook Airs for the same price as Framework 13 and keep one in the draw if you are ever scared that one breaks. That's how bad of a deal Framework is or how much…

If you're price conscious, buy the self-assembled framework kit. It's fun and takes half an hour to assemble. I got a framework 16 with a handful of upgrades for $1400. I added 96GB of RAM purchased separately for $300 (before the shortage). I also got a 4TB NVMe for $300. What do those upgrades cost cost in a macbook? I think most people care more about their OS than their hardware specs, so they defend their purcha…

In the context of an M5 Max with 96GB of VRAM, it's a bargain compared to the price you'd have to pay for an Nvidia GPU with 96GB of VRAM for AI.

But if you're talking about slow RAM, you're right. Apple doesn't sell slow RAM on their laptops.

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