Is Anyone Going to Miss the Touch Bar?

SaMaster14

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Mar 8, 2012
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I just ordered my 2021 MacBook Pro (16” M1 Pro) and while I rarely, if ever, use the touch bar to its full functionality, I think I might miss it being there.

It’s foolish, but the Touch Bar does add a bit of color to the keyboard and simply makes the laptop look more futuristic.

That being said, I never use it to its full functionality, mainly because I’m not looking down while typing, and anything I can use the Touch Bar for, I can use the trackpad while looking at the screen for just as quickly/efficiently.

Some of the sliders were nice, but the full functionality was lost on me (like when options pop up in apps like Microsoft Word, Music, Photos, etc.).

Thoughts? Should apple have kept the Touch Bar in addition to the full set of function keys? Apple made the function keys full size, couldn’t they have kept them ½ size and kept the Touch Bar above, changing up the functionality and extra options that it provides?

Thoughts?
 

EdwinG

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Mar 10, 2012
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I won’t miss it, because mine has been broken for over a year. It’s just not worth paying 800$+ to have it repaired.
 

ksassy

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I never purchased a MB with Touch Bar due to no function keys hence why I still own my 2017 13” MBP nTB.
 

gnirkatto

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I won't miss it.
Like you said, it gives a kinda futuristic look & feel, but ergonomically the function keys will work better (for me).
I already warmly welcomed the return of the physical esc key on the 2019 16". So easy to hit without having to look, point & shoot.
I think I would like a touchbar-like slider for volume, screen brightness etc., positioned at one side of the keyboard, as addition to the physical function keys. But this would probably not work, as this is where the loudspeakers reside.
 

SaMaster14

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Mar 8, 2012
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I won't miss it.
Like you said, it gives a kinda futuristic look & feel, but ergonomically the function keys will work better (for me).
I already warmly welcomed the return of the physical esc key on the 2019 16". So easy to hit without having to look, point & shoot.
I think I would like a touchbar-like slider for volume, screen brightness etc., positioned at one side of the keyboard, as addition to the physical function keys. But this would probably not work, as this is where the loudspeakers reside.

That definitely makes sense.

I have a feeling that Apple is going to stick with full physical keys on their laptops and keep “touch” to the iPads.

I already use my iPad Pro more than my MacBook Pro, but need my Mac and a non-iOS operating system for work. I do edit videos in my spare time just for fun, but my MBP is mainly for work (I’m am attorney, so literally just word/Adobe Acrobat DC/excel, nothing intensive, but multiple tabs open) and Parallels when I need to tap into Windows and don’t want to use my firm-provided work PC. Parallels can be a bit sluggish on my 2018 MBP intel (i7 2.2Ghz), and hoping that the M1 Pro will fit the bill and make Parallels run a bit smoother without running the fans every time I open it.

I digress, I’ll miss the futuristic look of the Touch Bar, but not any of the functionality!
 

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