Difficulty typing accurately and quickly on M1 keyboard

HI HW, I just spend some time trying to see if the problem was because of the larger track pad, and having to hold my hands wider because it's so large, and maybe that's some of it, but on typing The Quick Brown Fox...I had no problems on the M1 or the comparison laptop, but when typing 1234567890 repeatedly, I made no mistakes on the older laptop and could not type it accurately repeatedly on the M1. The keyboard is slightly different--there's almost 1/8" difference measuring between the left outer corner of the 6 key and the right outer corner of the ; key, which I measured since 6 and 7 were the most problematic.

It's possible that since most people don't touch type numbers, and those who do it really a lot use keypads, it hasn't become an issue for everyone? I'm still struggling to find a definitive reason for the difficulty.

HI HW Tech, the problem laptop is the MacBookPro M1. The older models I've never had a problem with are pretty much everything I've ever used going back to the desktop Macintosh. (Dang it, gave away the Lisa.)

I, too, am a touch typist who learned on an IBM Selectric. I am now reading about the complaint re the butterfly keyboards, but I never had a problem with them, either. I'm not especially finicky. But can't seem to hit numbers or shift/tab/caps lock/return on this accurately without looking. It's as if everything is just enough closer together that it's hard to use. Am trying to measure in a way that is meaningful.

Thank you for the suggestion--and for explaining. The tone of your first email made you sound just cranky.

I did in fact spend the afternoon complaining about this to Apple by phone. Is the feedback link different? Does it ever really do anything to let Apple know the concerns? Especially over something this subtle. I really can't see any obvious difference in measurement, though I need to find a better way to measure. The most obvious difference is maybe that it's harder to distinguish one key from another, especially at the periphery. Although I just went to type a " ' " and didn't hit it -- moved my hand to the most recent laptop, no trouble. I think it's just that the edge of the keys is harder to distinguish one from another.

Also, I'm wondering if maybe the angle I have to hold my hands in order to not trigger the track pad on this computer is the problem? The track pad is way larger than all of my previous laptops. Even holding my hands wider, I'm still constantly triggering the pad so that it accidentally starts typing somewhere else in my text. Is there a way to make the active part of the trackpad smaller? That might solve the problem.

Bob, I am restarting a conversation begun by someone else with the same problem, that they and dozens of other people had. The system suggested I restart the conversation rather than replying to that one. I posted because now *I* am having that problem. If that troubles you, you should probably let community board gods know to avoid suggesting it. I would have otherwise replied to that post.

I pointed out that I have been an Apple user for decades, and that I am a fast accurate typist. That pretty much applies to any keyboard I have ever used for those decades going back to many different typewriters. I have never had this problem with any of them. Not any of the many Apple keyboards I've used, PC keyboards, typewriters, etc. Even my spouse's weird ergo keyboard, not a problem (at least with accuracy).

After 30 years of not having this problem, ever, on this same company's tools, and others, why would I know to try before buying another one? I'm not exactly finicky, I've used so many different types of keyboards without this trouble, I couldn't even count them up.

It feels like things are closer together somehow. My spouse complained about having trouble typing accurately, too, but chalked it up to not being an ergo keyboard.

The advice to just get a different tool is fine if I were made of money and could afford to chuck a brand new $4000 tool that I haven't even had the chance to really use much yet. I feel like the standard at Apple should at least be: would Steve Job have a cow over this if it happened to him?

Hi Grant, While it's not necessarily a helpful thing to have to use an external keyboard with a $4000 laptop, I would love to understand more about what each of the factors you mentioned mean, so that I can more accurately define the problem.

That said, I have used more keyboards in my life than I could count, and never had this problem, going back to manual typewriters and early word processors. It helped me pay for my engineering degree. I've never had this problem on any Apple or PC keyboard. It was subtle and I thought it would get better, but it hasn't. I continue to use other very different keyboards on a daily basis. No problems. This is the first one.