MacBook Pro M5 Max User Says Heat Caused Delete Key to Get Stuck, Nearly Leading to a $900 Repair
A MacBook Pro owner with Apple’s M5 Max chip has reported an unusual problem after the laptop’s Delete key became stuck inside the keyboard. The user, known as “rinsewin” on Reddit, believes the issue was caused by the amount of heat produced by the computer. An Apple Store reportedly estimated the repair at $895 if the device had not been covered by its warranty.
The MacBook Pro is only four months old and comes with a high-end configuration, including 128 GB of unified memory and 4 TB of storage. The owner mainly uses it for programming and cross-platform compiling, which keeps the processor under heavy workloads for long periods.
According to the user, the Delete key is located next to the laptop’s hot air exhaust, making it more likely to warp from heat and become trapped inside the chassis. The M5 Max uses two low-profile fans and a single heat pipe for cooling, and previous testing has shown that the chip can go above 100°C within seconds during demanding tasks.
MacBook Pro M5 Max User Says Heat Stuck Delete Key
This is not the first time the problem has happened. The owner said the same key had already failed before, and even after replacing it, it still did not work properly. The laptop has now been sent to Apple’s repair service, with the repair expected to take between one and two weeks.
Other Reddit users suggested different possible causes. One commenter, known as “ImpressiveHair3798,” claimed that some custom M5 Max models may have more quality control issues because they come from factories in China. However, this claim has not been confirmed.
The stuck key is not the only heat-related issue reported with the M5 Max. Another owner previously reported screen discoloration on the MacBook Pro’s mini-LED display, although it was never confirmed whether heat or a manufacturing defect caused it. There have also been reports of the laptop’s PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSD reaching temperatures of around 100°C during heavy artificial intelligence workloads.
Apple has used a similar cooling design in the MacBook Pro for several generations, even as the power of its chips has continued to increase. Reports suggest the company could introduce a vapor chamber cooling system in future M6-powered MacBook Pro models to help reduce these thermal issues.
