Thinkpads Forum

I decided to go ahead and order a W520 before they are gone. Like many others, I am not happy at all with the keyboard change, so I thought I should go ahead and get one before it is pulled from the market. I want this one to last for a while, so I got the 2960XM processor, 2000M graphics, and 1920x1080 screen. I haven't bought a new ThinkPad in a few years so I am pretty excited about this one. I hope it lasts long enough until lenovo offers the normal ThinkPad keyboards again. I am still shocked that they did this, and the fact they do not even offer it as an option on at least the W series, and preferable the T series as well.

I hope that they get enough feedback from disappointed customers that they will revert the keyboard to the old one in future models.

remember to email management@lenovo.com to complain

FWIW, I like typing on the new keyboard better (the keys feel a bit more solid). I really hate the page up/down layout positioning. And I wish they separated the function keys into 4 groups..the could have just added raised dots every 4th one too. I really don't know why they couldn't just keep the old layout...

Agreed - I really dislike the page up and page down locations and feel on my brothers E420. Thanks for the email address, typing up the complaint now.

monkeybagel wrote:I decided to go ahead and order a W520 before they are gone. Like many others, I am not happy at all with the keyboard change, so I thought I should go ahead and get one before it is pulled from the market. I want this one to last for a while, so I got the 2960XM processor, 2000M graphics, and 1920x1080 screen. I haven't bought a new ThinkPad in a few years so I am pretty excited about this one. I hope it lasts long enough until lenovo offers the normal ThinkPad keyboards again. I am still shocked that they did this, and the fact they do not even offer it as an option on at least the W series, and preferable the T series as well.

I hope that they get enough feedback from disappointed customers that they will revert the keyboard to the old one in future models.

Congrats on the new W520 - that's a very nice machine! I have one with the 2.5 ghz quad core from work and the 1920x1080 display is quite nice. Enjoy.

kenyee wrote:remember to email management@lenovo.com to complain

FWIW, I like typing on the new keyboard better (the keys feel a bit more solid). I really hate the page up/down layout positioning. And I wish they separated the function keys into 4 groups..the could have just added raised dots every 4th one too. I really don't know why they couldn't just keep the old layout...

I could deal with the island keys more than the new layout. What were they thinking when they put the PrintScreen where the did??? And the fact the F keys are all together...

I don't know where the thought they were going with this...

lenovo were the ones that added the Win key and the context menu key to the ThinkPad. Many disliked it but I do use them - I think many will on Windows 8, but now they did away with the context menu

Do you happen to know what model Intel SSD they install in them?

wolfman wrote: Congrats on the new W520 - that's a very nice machine! I have one with the 2.5 ghz quad core from work and the 1920x1080 display is quite nice. Enjoy.

Thanks - I am looking forward to it. Going to probably do 32GB or RAM since it is so cheap now, and really get the use out of VMware Workstation.

monkeybagel wrote: Do you happen to know what model Intel SSD they install in them?

No clue...bought the cheapest version I could find and stuck a Samsung 830 into it (better than the Intel SSD unless you're using enterprise SLC ones anyways IMHO)...

Yep, definitely agree w/ the stupid key layout now. I never used the Windows/Context keys, but the page up/down keys next to the arrow keys was useful.
However, to be fair, the trackpad now supports multigesture which my T61p's didn't. I find it easier to use the two finger up/down to scroll because it matches my Wacom Intuos5, but holding the page up/down key lets you scroll a *lot* more quickly when you need to...