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Is the x201s keyboard worse than x201 due to thinness?

X200/X201/X220 (including equivalent tablet models) and X300/X301 Series
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thinkpad80
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Is the x201s keyboard worse than x201 due to thinness?

#1 Post by thinkpad80 » Sun Apr 04, 2021 5:46 pm

The x201s is obviously thinner than the x201. Did this affect the keyboard feel/travel compared with the x201?

ajkula66
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Re: Is the x201s keyboard worse than x201 due to thinness?

#2 Post by ajkula66 » Sun Apr 04, 2021 5:52 pm

Welcome to the forum!

I doubt that most people would notice the difference between the two machines just by typing on them. The actual keyboard is the same, and a lack of firmness - if experienced - would have more to do with the "swiss cheese" design than anything else.
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Re: Is the x201s keyboard worse than x201 due to thinness?

#3 Post by thinkpad80 » Sun Apr 04, 2021 5:54 pm

ajkula66 wrote:
Sun Apr 04, 2021 5:52 pm
Welcome to the forum!

I doubt that most people would notice the difference between the two machines just by typing on them. The actual keyboard is the same, and a lack of firmness - if experienced - would have more to do with the "swiss cheese" design than anything else.
Hi, thank you for your welcome and thank you for your reply.

I have an x201 and love the keyboard. Much better than the x220 I own. However I might get an x201s and i'm worried the keyboard won't feel as good.

May I ask if you could elaborate? Swiss cheese design?

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Re: Is the x201s keyboard worse than x201 due to thinness?

#4 Post by ajkula66 » Sun Apr 04, 2021 6:17 pm

Take a look at the back of the keyboard. That's what is referred to "swiss cheese" design, first introduced on *00 series and present on all ThinkPads since.

https://www.newegg.com/p/0GA-00HF-09NV7

As I said, I don't believe anyone would notice the difference between X201 and X201s just by typing on them. The keyboard is the same and the systems themselves eerily similar.
...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)

Cheers,

George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)

One FlexView to rule them all: A31p

Abused daily: T520, X200s


PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.

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Re: Is the x201s keyboard worse than x201 due to thinness?

#5 Post by TPFanatic » Sun Apr 04, 2021 8:51 pm

The only physical difference between X201s from X201 base cases is that the fan housing and rubber feet on the back of the laptop no longer stick out, letting the laptop be flatter; however using any of the thicker batteries undoes that thinness. So it's really silly. There is no effect on the keyboard or its travel, as George said it's the same keyboard, and aside from those slight differences with the fan and feet, they're 95% the same laptop physically.

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Re: Is the x201s keyboard worse than x201 due to thinness?

#6 Post by olex126 » Sun Apr 04, 2021 10:01 pm

I have both Thinkpads: an X201 and George's X201s.

In a side-by-side comparison with my eyes closed, I can't detect any difference in the feel of either keyboard.

Hope this helps!

Regards.

Dave
Previous & Collection Thinkpads: 701C A22m A30/A31p T23p x2 T30 T41 X31 various 750's 760's & 390's.

Test Benches: X41T, X60T & X61T's, various T42p-T43p's, x200 x201 x220T x230 T520 W530 T601F LED (X9000/8Gb/250SSD/W7 U)

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Re: Is the x201s keyboard worse than x201 due to thinness?

#7 Post by RealBlackStuff » Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:21 pm

However, there are two KB manufacturers for the X200/X201 series.
In the HMM (manual) partslist there are 2 columns of KB-numbers, left = Chicony, right = NMB (by far the best).
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Is the x201s keyboard worse than x201 due to thinness?

#8 Post by WarMachine » Wed May 12, 2021 11:17 pm

Hello,

I did musical chairs between three keyboards with my two machines (X200 and X201 – which I bought with a new but italian QWERTY keyboard) and I never "saw" a difference really. The only thing which isn't the same is due to the wear of one of the keyboards, so, the oldest one is shiny and if I caress the keys (Thinkpads need love too ! :D), there's a difference as it's smoother. And the mouse buttons are "mushier" with a very tiny creaky sound (that's even laughable :D) if I may say so. But that's all.

A thing I have seen on some machines (the T60 4:3 and the machines which use the same keyboard as the X220): it seems that there is a difference in terms of hardness when we press the keys. And that depends on how the keyboard is fixed on the laptop, or on what is underneath the keyboard itself. I had to disassemble my T60 for whatever reason at some time, and when I reassembled it, I had forgotten a screw. Well, the typing experience was not so good (it's logic). More strange (but that can be explained I think), I have different machines with the same keyboard as the X220 (T400s, T410, T410s, T420 and T420s). Not the same brands too. But whatever keyboard I put one the X220 (the two of them), the response of the keys is always firmer. The same keyboard on one of the other machines will be less firmer. I think it's due to the chassis and due to what components are here. You can have a look at this topic : viewtopic.php?t=77897.

If I had to compare, the X220 is much more firmer than the X200 ou the X201 (but X200 and X201 are already at a good level). Among the "recent" laptops with real 7-rows keyboards (so the ones I listed earlier – I don't have 15" ones yet), the X220 beats them all in in terms of sensations. What a pity the speakers are so sh*tty :evil: . I would use this machine every day on-the-go otherwise – I really must change them, but that's another story ! :D

W.
701Cs| 755Cs| 560| 600E| T23| X20| X24| X31| T30| R30| T41p| T42| T43| X41
T60 14.1"| T60 15.4"| T61 14.1″ WS| R60| X60t| X61s| X61t| X301| T400| T400s| W500| X200| X201| T410| T410s| X220| T420| T420s| W520| T430| X240| T440| T440s| T440p| T450s| X250

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