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Apple MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard | Original Replacement Part | British ISO Layout | 13-inch Unibody 2009 to 2012
Extends the useful life of ageing office machines for years, saving small firms the price of fresh hardware.
Condition: New
Note: price and availability are subject to change without prior notice
MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard is now in stock at Mascom International for KSh 4,000. It is an original Apple replacement keyboard in the British layout for the 13-inch unibody MacBook Pro. Every MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard arrives brand new and sealed, with the tall Enter key and the £ sign printed on the 3 key. It is built for the 13-inch MacBook Pro made from mid-2009 to mid-2012, and every one of those carries A1278 on its base. Pick one up at Old Mutual Building, First Floor Room 4, Kimathi Street, Nairobi CBD.
Plenty of Kenyan offices still run ex-UK 13-inch MacBook Pro machines bought as imports, and the keyboard often fails long before the rest of the laptop. A dead spacebar or a sticky E can sideline an accountant's Mac right in the middle of KRA filing week. The MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard fixes that for a fraction of what a replacement laptop costs. It suits small accounting firms, law chambers, NGOs and family businesses that want working Macs to last a few more years. With the MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard, staff also keep the British layout they already know.
Where most Nairobi electronics shops offer generic copies of this part, Mascom International stocks the original Apple keyboard, so fit and key feel match the factory unit. Our technicians also fit the MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard in-store, because on the A1278 the keyboard is screwed to the top case behind the logic board. Office managers across Nairobi tell us a keyboard swap bought their MacBooks another long stretch of service. Send a photo of your current keyboard on WhatsApp so we can confirm the layout. Then walk in for fitting, or order with pay-on-arrival delivery.
Common Questions About the MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard
Will the MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard fit my laptop?
It fits the 13-inch unibody MacBook Pro sold from mid-2009 to mid-2012, all stamped Model A1278 on the base. Turn the laptop over and read the small print near the hinge to find the number. Then open the Apple menu, choose About This Mac, and look for the 13-inch label next to a year such as Mid 2010. The late-2008 aluminium MacBook also carries A1278, so send Mascom International a photo before ordering for that older model.
How can I tell if my MacBook Pro has a UK or a US keyboard?
Look at the Enter key first, because that is the quickest giveaway. A UK keyboard has a tall Enter key shaped like an upside-down L that spans two rows. The 3 key shows a £ sign, and the left Shift key is short with an extra key beside it. A US keyboard has a wide, single-row Enter key, a # sign on the 3 key and a long left Shift. Match what you already have, since the aluminium top case is cut for one layout only.
Can I fit the MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard myself?
Fitting is possible at home, but this is technician work rather than a quick swap. On the A1278, the keyboard is held to the top case by more than 60 tiny screws. The logic board, fans and optical drive must come out before the old keyboard can be lifted away. An experienced technician needs around an hour of careful bench work. Mascom International offers in-store fitting at Kimathi Street, so ask on WhatsApp for the current fitting charge and waiting time.
Is a new keyboard better than plugging an external USB keyboard into the office MacBook?
An internal replacement is the better fix for any MacBook Pro that leaves the desk. An external keyboard works on a fixed desk, but it takes up a USB port and space beside the laptop. It also has to travel with the machine to client meetings in Upper Hill or Westlands. The MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard restores the laptop to a single self-contained unit. If the Mac never moves and budget is tight, an external keyboard is a reasonable stopgap.
Who should buy the MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard, and who should skip it?
Buy it if your A1278 still boots, holds a charge and runs your accounting, invoicing or office software well. The keyboard fault is then the only thing standing between you and several more years of use. Skip it if the logic board is failing, the battery is swollen, or you need current macOS releases these Macs no longer receive. In that case a used HP EliteBook or Lenovo ThinkPad from Mascom International is the better spend.
Does the MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard come with backlighting?
Mascom International sells this part as a replacement keyboard and does not advertise it as backlit. On the A1278, the backlight is a thin separate layer that sits underneath the keys. If your current keyboard glows in the dark and you want to keep that feature, raise it on WhatsApp before you order. Our technician will tell you what is possible for your exact unit. Buyers who type mainly in daylight offices rarely notice the difference.
How do I type # and € on the British layout?
On the Apple UK layout, press Option and 3 together to type the # symbol. Option and 2 produces the € sign, which helps staff invoicing European clients. The @ sign sits above the 2 key, unlike many Windows UK keyboards that put it near Enter. Staff moving between an office Mac and a Windows PC adjust within a day or two. The MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard prints the £ sign directly, which saves a shortcut for anyone quoting sterling prices.
Will my files be safe while Mascom International fits the new keyboard?
A keyboard swap does not touch the hard drive or SSD, so your documents, emails and accounting files stay in place. The work happens inside the top case, well away from your storage drive. We still recommend a full backup to an external drive or cloud folder before any repair. That habit protects you from unrelated surprises during any service. You can wait at our Kimathi Street shop or leave the MacBook and collect it once fitting is done.
How do I keep the new keyboard working in a dusty Nairobi office?
Dust and spilled tea cause most keyboard failures we see on older MacBooks in Nairobi offices. Close the lid whenever the Mac is not in use, especially near open windows facing busy CBD streets. Blow out the gaps with compressed air every few weeks. Keep drinks off the desk beside the laptop. If liquid does reach the MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard, shut the laptop down at once and bring it to Kimathi Street before switching it back on.
Technical Specifications
Layout and Key Legends
- British ISO layout with a tall two-row Enter key, matching the key shape your fingers already expect.
- The £ sign is printed on the 3 key, so sterling prices need no keyboard shortcut at all.
- Short left Shift with an extra key beside it, the classic sign of an ISO keyboard.
- The UK layout carries one more key than the US version, giving room for extra symbols.
- Apple places @ above the 2 key, which helps staff who type email addresses all day.
- Option shortcuts produce # and €, covering hashtags, reference numbers and euro invoices without extra software.
Model Compatibility
- Built for the 13-inch unibody MacBook Pro sold from mid-2009 to mid-2012, all labelled A1278.
- Check the model number on the base, printed in small text close to the hinge.
- About This Mac confirms the year, showing the 13-inch label beside a year such as Mid 2011.
- The late-2008 aluminium MacBook also reads A1278, so confirm that model with us before ordering.
- Not for Retina MacBook Pro models, which use a different keyboard and a riveted top case.
- Not for the 15-inch A1286 or 17-inch A1297, which need larger keyboards.
Build and Key Mechanism
- Original Apple part, so key spacing and height match the keyboard your laptop left the factory with.
- Scissor-style keys give the familiar short, stable press that A1278 owners already know well.
- Black keycaps match the original look against the silver aluminium palm rest.
- A single ribbon cable connects the keyboard to the logic board for typing signals.
- Brand new and sealed, so no previous owner's wear, shine or missing keycaps.
Installation Requirements
- The keyboard is held to the top case by more than 60 tiny screws.
- A Phillips PH00 screwdriver, ideally magnetised, is needed to handle those screws without losing any.
- The logic board, fans and optical drive must be removed before the keyboard comes out.
- The power button links to the keyboard by ribbon cable and must be moved across too.
- An experienced technician needs around an hour, which is why Mascom recommends in-store fitting.
- The battery, hard drive and screen stay in place, so your data is not disturbed.
Inclusions and Care
- Supplied as the bare keyboard, ready for a technician to fit into your existing top case.
- Your laptop's original screws are reused, so no extra screw kit is needed for fitting.
- Close the lid when idle to keep dust out of the key gaps between uses.
- Compressed air every few weeks clears grit before it jams a key.
- Shut down immediately after any spill, then bring the MacBook in before powering on.
Running Costs and Office Value
- At KSh 4,000, two more years of use works out to under KSh 6 per day per laptop.
- Five office MacBooks fixed this way cost KSh 20,000 in parts, far below five replacement laptops.
- Staff keep their existing files, apps and settings, so nobody loses a day to setting up a new machine.
- The 6-month warranty period covers roughly 180 days of daily office typing after purchase.
- Original keys resist the early wear that makes cheap copies shine and lose their letters within months.
- A working built-in keyboard frees a USB port that an external keyboard would otherwise occupy permanently.
Package Contents
The MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard ships as the keyboard alone, sealed in protective packaging. Fitting reuses the screws already inside your MacBook Pro, so no separate screw kit is supplied. Tools and the backlight layer are not part of the package. Most buyers book in-store fitting at Kimathi Street, which removes the need to buy precision screwdrivers for a single repair.
Warranty
The MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard carries a 6-month Mascom International warranty on manufacturing defects, such as keys that fail to register. Liquid spills and physical damage are not manufacturing defects and fall outside this cover. Bring your receipt and the laptop to our Nairobi CBD shop for any claim.
Buying the MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard from Mascom International
Mascom International stocks the MacBook Pro A1278 UK Keyboard with black keys at Old Mutual Building, First Floor Room 4, Kimathi Street, Nairobi CBD. Walk in Monday through Saturday between 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM with your MacBook, and our technicians can confirm the fit before you pay.
Three ways to order:
- Call/WhatsApp +254 708 852 521
- Email info@mascomintl.com
- Order through www.mascomintl.com
Pay-on-arrival delivery reaches every Kenyan county. Nairobi and its environs receive the keyboard the same day. Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri and all other major towns receive it within 1 business day. Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, Lamu, Tana River, and Turkana receive delivery within 2-3 business days. You inspect the part and pay only when it arrives.
The keyboard comes with the 6-month Mascom warranty detailed above.
Offices outside Nairobi often have a trusted local technician fit the part after delivery, using the guidance above. Mascom International serves businesses nationwide with original parts, honest compatibility advice and direct after-sales support from our Kimathi Street shop.
Disclaimer: We can not guarantee that the information on this product is 100% correct
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