I am typing these words on the Magic Keyboard of an M1 MacBook Air. There's decent key travel. None of the keys are sticking. It feels good. But my fingers have not yet forgiven the horror – nay, the pain – of years gone by. I am of course talking about those godawful MacBook Butterfly Keyboards.
For a few years, Apple's MacBook keyboards were extremely prone to failing. A single spec of dust could render a key unusable – and rather than replace a single key, Apple had to replace the entire top shell of the laptop. It was a ridiculous time. I should know – my 12-inch MacBook had the top case replaced three times. And if yours needed repairing, you might just be due some dough from Apple. (Happily, the Butterfly Keyboard is no more – check out today's best MacBook Pro deals for delightful typing experience.)
The butterfly keyboard was... not great (Image credit: Apple)
According to Macworld, a judge has just approved a huge $50m payout for those affected, with customers potentially able to net up to $395 in compensation. To be eligible for the top payout, you need to have had multiple keyboards replaced – otherwise there are payouts of $125 (one replacement) or $50 (just keys replaced).
There's just one kicker – the offending laptops have to have been bought between 2015-2019, in one of the following states: California, New York, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Washington, and Michigan. If this above applies to you, head to the law firms involved for more information: Girard Sharp LLP and Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith LLP.
With the advent of the M1 and M2 chips, Apple's MacBooks are in a great place right now. Check out today's best M2 MacBook Pro deals below if you're after the best MacBook experience available right here and now. Butterfly keyboard (thankfully) not included.
Daniel John is Senior News Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of art, design, branding and lifestyle tech (which often translates to tech made by Apple). He joined in 2020 after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more.
