T40 Thai (NMB), T43 Chinese (Chicony) Keyboards follow-up

[davidspalding]

As an addendum to Kenn's great post comparing some of the better and worse keyboards that IBM/Lenovo is slapping on Thinkpads....

I had the opportunity tonight to compare a 2003 T40 NMB keyboard to my 2005 T43 Chicony keyboard. I hadn't understood the "spongy" complaint, as the newer Chicony is more "clicky," loud, and the keys loosy-goosey. I hadn't really been bothered, but had missed keys every 75 words or so. The keys wobble a bit and so I also found my fingers picking up the edge of some keys from time to time.

The following is a subjective impression. YMMVAPW.

One of my test systems at work is a T40 in excellent condition. A few weeks back, I had the opportunity to be typing on my work T41 (with a 2004 Chicony keyboard) on my left, and the T40 (with NMB) on the right. Clear difference, no mistaking it. The NMB keyboard has a softer, quieter feel. The keys require slightly more depression force, and have a very clear "snap" at the bottoming out point, I can tell they are depressed.

Switching back to Chiconys, the keys are looser, seem to pivot a bit more (pitch and roll, if you will), and make audibly more noise. "Snickety-click" is what it sounds like to my ear.

The following is NOT purely subjective.

Kenn mentioned the differences in the mechanism. I don't recall, but if we didn't, it bears noting that the Chicony has sort of left-right scissor action hinges underneath the keys. The NMB doesn't; appears to be a top-bottom single scissor-hinge action, but I'm not taking this one apart to find out. And of course, the unmistakeable blue blisters underneat.

Fed up with the Chicony, I decided to do a swap of the NMB to my work T41, and holding the keyboards next to each other, a very clear difference was visible to the naked eye. Too bad my naked digicam couldn't do pics like Kenn shared with us. The NMB keys are slightly closer to the bottom of the keyboard "pan." Just a wee bit. And more noticeable, each key is very much level with the adjacent keys. On the whole, the tolerance and precision wiith which these keys match each other is impressive.

The Chicony keys, held up close next to the NMBs' for comparison, are all over the place. They are at slightly different heights, the SPACE bar is even tilted slightly, and higher than the adjacent ALT keys.

Holding each keyboard from the right profile (ENTER key side), the same is visible from the BACKSPACE, | key, ENTER, right SHIFT, and FORWARD and > arrow key. The Chicony keys are slightly uneven in height. The NMB keys are practically lined up on an invisible line. Hard to think that this difference, along with a better quality cushioning and action, can't have an effect on the light-touch touch typist's performance.

Some other minor cosmetic differences showed up, too. The bezel around the ACCESS IBM and power buttons is a different texture, of course. But the lower bezel of the NMB, visible between F4/F5, F8/F9 and separating the PAUSE/F12 and INSERT/DELETE keys, has a texture that precisely matches the TP inner case grain. The Chicony has a courser grain that now looks inappropriate -- not obviously so, just in comparison.

I haven't had my hands dancing on an ALPS, but I wonder if they have a dramatic difference from the Chicony; I'll take others' word for it. The differences between the older NMB and more recent Chicony's is audibly and tactilely clear. I sincerely hope the more recent NMB units from China don't suffer quality drops. Seeing how precisely the 2003 NMB keys are lined up, I can now appreciate the quality of production the Thai factory was responsible for.

[crashnburn]

Great review. I have a couple of years warranty left on my work machines. Whats a good way to get IBM/Lenovo to ship me a new NMB with the FRU 39T0519 // posted here.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 58491.html

[davidspalding]

Answer found in the other thread....

[crashnburn]

Thanks. I found the answer. Its been too much TMI since I got my TP