is it a design flaw for power switch to be part of keyboard?

[thisway]

Hello. I've posted a few times, but long enough ago that I forgot my original username, e-mail, etc., and had to re-register. Anyway...

I've had reason to quite regret that on my T420 Thinkpads (I own two), the power switch is part of the keyboard. This is what happened: on the used T420 I bought onlly a couple months ago, the monitor failed. So since nothing else was obviously wrong with it and my other T420 was working poorly at that point anyway, I took the latter T420 apart and transplanted the fully functioning screen. They're not the same model T420, but I am hopeful that the screen will still work. But I can't test it yet. While reassembling the one that received the good screen, my clumsy fingers snapped the keyboard's ribbon cable. I tried to transplant the "screen donor" T420's keyboard, but the exact same thing happened--my clumsy fingers snapped the ribbon cable. The problem is that at least on the T420, the power switch is part of the keyboard. Thus, I have rendered both laptops useless until the replacement T420 keyboard I ordered gets here next week. (As far as I know, there is no other easy way to turn a T420 on.)

Since I haven't used another Thinkpad model in a few years, I can't remember whether other T series models (such as the T400 I was very familiar with) have the power switch on or off the keyboard. But this is my question: Do you agree with me that attaching the power switch to the keyboard was a terrible idea? If I had been aware of this, I would have stuck with the T400 last time I bought a Thinkpad.

[TPFanatic]

T400 power cable is also in the keyboard.

I've changed keyboards hundreds of times and only broke one cable. Practice, you will get better.

I hate hate hate how the power cable is routed on t470.

[dr_st]

Yes, as TPFanatic mentions - there are ups and downs to both designs.

If you get a docking station, it is possible to turn your laptop on with the power button on the dock.