Thinkpads Forum

it seems like we were having a similar discussion about X2xy keyboards, so I've just been wondering. best-beloved x61t may be needing a new board sometime soon, and I have been trying to conjure part#s.

mostly "flexy" vs "solid" vs "feels right"

39T7234
39T7265
42T3499
42T3531
42T3467
42T3038
42T3070

and then there's the 42T3501/42T3533 -- is the "new big enter key" a real thing, even? it almost seems like a fab-fake...

Not much input on actual keyboards, but if I wanted a new one it'd be one with a backlight. Hmm... I sense a mod in the future...unless such a thing already exists.

R

tarvoke wrote:
and then there's the 42T3501/42T3533 -- is the "new big enter key" a real thing, even? it almost seems like a fab-fake...

Nope, that's a real deal. I'm not quite sure what layout that's supposed to be - US English international maybe - but all European layouts have the large "Enter" key, and you pay for it by having a reduced-size left Shift key...

Go to the X6x Tablet Hardware Maintenance Manual.

On Page 152 you can see the full list of Keyboard FRUs and the layouts.

NMB keyboards are generally regarded better than Chicony, although it may be somewhat subjective. I've only ever had NMB keyboard on these models, so I wouldn't know for sure.

The layout, is a personal preference mostly. I find the ISO (European) layout inherently inferior to the ANSI (US) layout, because the small Left Shift is a complete and total deal breaker to me. However, if you need to type in a European languages that requires the extra keys to get the special characters, you may be stuck with it.

thanks George, definitely good to know. not sure my right-pinky has ever touched a shift key, so prolly wouldn't miss it - but ... having the "wrong" key there ... well, maybe run into trouble.

FFF -- I swear there was a more recent thread about putting thinklights into X series tablets, but...
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=92440

but back-lit kbd sounds even better. hunh, what could be used? sublimation fabric, but you still need a way to illuminate.

thanks dr_st -- I was thinking the best is likely getting my lazy-*** to simply open up and see the FRU on what I currently have -- guessing it's the NMB but whichever one it is, feels great.

You can remove one key cap and look. NMB should have blue pads like here:
http://img02.taobaocdn.com/bao/uploaded ... em_pic.jpg

dr_st wrote: NMB keyboards are generally regarded better than Chicony, although it may be somewhat subjective.

It's entirely subjective A few influential geekhack types declared the NMBs to be the best, and NMB suddenly became very popular.

For the X6x at least, I personally greatly prefer the Chicony. It has more breakover, a simpler mechanism, is easier to assemble/disassemble without damage, has no dead spots at the key corners, the keytops roll less, and it's somewhat noiser (which I like). But that's just my take.

From model to model even one manufacturer's design can vary greatly. As an example, NMB went to the simpler ALPS/Chicony scissors in the 2xx series. Scissors/domes changed with every model, and exact feel changed along with them.

BUT.... Having ripped many many of these keyboards apart, the construction quality is uniformly excellent across all of them. And NOT ONE is actually waterproof in practice. So just keep that in mind