Thinkpads Forum

I got the replacement keyboard today, its an ALPS. It is lots better than the Chicony one. They keystrokes are firm, not clickly, stroke feels the same, and much quieter than the Chicony. More my style.

Strange thing is that i dont think i have to send my old one back. No return instructions, no return label, no anything. So i guess its a merry xmas for me. I will just hang onto it as a cold spare if needed.

The ALPS is the Thai keyboard correct?

How do you identify the keyboard is ALPS or Chicony? Any printing on the backside of keyboard?

darkj2k wrote:How do you identify the keyboard is ALPS or Chicony? Any printing on the backside of keyboard?

It's in tabook.pdf

More info can be found in the FAQ.

Thinkpad wrote:The ALPS is the Thai keyboard correct?

That i dont know, all i know is that it makes a world of difference. I like being able to type without having the plastic clicky noise.

There are subtle visual differences, most noticable is the print on the keys. The chicony was much more "white" lettering, while the ALPS is more muted. ALPS seems to have a greater diamerter of sealer around the text too.

Thinkpad wrote:The ALPS is the Thai keyboard correct?

No, those were the old NMB keyboards...

AFAIK, there are no Thai thinkpad keyboards anymore, NMB now produces all the keyboards in China. Ive used quite a few China NMB keyboards on my T40 and they are excellent. Different feel than the Thai one on my T23 though.

I've bought four T60's so far. Two with Chicony keyboards and two with Alps. My experience is that the Chicony keyboards are quieter than the Alps, but the Alps feels better because they have more tactile feedback.

I have yet to see an NMB keyboard on a T60. I'm starting to thing that they're a myth, like a 14.1" Flexview, even though they're listed on this page: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-62728

RonS - my T60 came with both an NMB keyboard and a 14.1" TMD 200 nit SXGA+ panel (which some thought was a FlexView but isn't).

this NMB feels solid and certainly quiet enough, though the keystrokes seem deeper than my T43's Thai NMB and the keys feel 'stiffer' overall. I plan to try the Chicony and ALPS keyboards since their T4x counterparts seem completely different in most respects, so I will let you know how they compare.

John

AssPenny wrote:

Thinkpad wrote:The ALPS is the Thai keyboard correct?

That i dont know, all i know is that it makes a world of difference. I like being able to type without having the plastic clicky noise.

There are subtle visual differences, most noticable is the print on the keys. The chicony was much more "white" lettering, while the ALPS is more muted. ALPS seems to have a greater diamerter of sealer around the text too.

Does this mean you are, at last, happy with your laptop?

Oh, yes, i was always happy. I am just happier now. Typing late at night was annoying, as it was click click click. Now the alps is so much quieter.

AssPenny wrote:Oh, yes, i was always happy. I am just happier now. Typing late at night was annoying, as it was click click click. Now the alps is so much quieter.

I guess different things bother people. Neaver had a click or fan sound bother me and I use my laptop all the time. Do not know which keyboards I have but it is typically great compared to keyboards I have used on other laptops.

hoya wrote:RonS - my T60 came with both an NMB keyboard and a 14.1" TMD 200 nit SXGA+ panel (which some thought was a FlexView but isn't).

this NMB feels solid and certainly quiet enough, though the keystrokes seem deeper than my T43's Thai NMB and the keys feel 'stiffer' overall. I plan to try the Chicony and ALPS keyboards since their T4x counterparts seem completely different in most respects, so I will let you know how they compare.

John

so is the TMD screen suppose to be the best? I just checked the specs on my 2623-D6U and I have the TMD as well...as well as a ALPS keyboard. The SXGA+ screen is pretty, but nothing that i would be writing to home about.

jaybert wrote:

hoya wrote:RonS - my T60 came with both an NMB keyboard and a 14.1" TMD 200 nit SXGA+ panel (which some thought was a FlexView but isn't).

so is the TMD screen suppose to be the best? .... The SXGA+ screen is pretty, but nothing that i would be writing to home about.

If what Hoya is saying is true and the TMD panel is 200nit, then it is much brighter than the "regular" 150nit panel that Lenovo has specified for 14.1" T60s. I guess the implication is that it is better.

Mine has the Samsung panel and i think its just right. Plenty bright and very crisp, no dead pixels.

I still like the keyboard on my t42 better, but this is now improved. I should of checked which brand it had before i sold it.

astro wrote: If what Hoya is saying is true and the TMD panel is 200nit, then it is much brighter than the "regular" 150nit panel that Lenovo has specified for 14.1" T60s. I guess the implication is that it is better.

astro - yes, my post is true
see this thread for a link to TMD's site and my impression of their panel:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=23684

also, see bart's impression of the TMD v. Hydis panels. he actually found the Hydis (rated at 170 nits) to be brighter:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... hlight=tmd