TapNoiseTapNoise uses motion and lid angle as separate hardware inputs. A Mac can support one feature set without supporting every sensor-based effect in the app.
Motion sensing
Motion data supports knocks, slaps, pressure-related typing behaviour and the lift or tilt part of Guard Mode on compatible MacBooks. It is not a force sensor built into every key.
An external keyboard on another surface does not become pressure-sensitive merely because the laptop has motion hardware. How vibration reaches the Mac matters to those effects.
Lid angle sensing
The hinge sensor reports lid movement for lid sounds and the corresponding Guard Mode trigger. Its expected hardware coverage is not identical to the motion sensor’s list.
The requirements guide describes the current model groups. The app’s own detected availability is the useful final check rather than guessing from a product name alone.
Test without force
Open Settings › MacBook and read the relevant card’s status. Move the lid normally; do not force the hinge or hit the computer harder to make an unsupported feature appear.
The sensor interfaces can be affected by future macOS changes. Ordinary key sounds, Tappy and other supported features can still work when a particular sensor is unavailable. For the hinge specifically, see which Macs have the lid sensor.
Sources: TapNoise hardware requirements, lid sounds, slap settings.