Thinkpads Forum

I've read many reviews and it seems that the original X1 keyboard is better.
They are similar with two differences: the arrow keys and the fact that the keyboard of the Carbon is not replaceable (because is fused in the chassis).
The Carbon one should be shallower: perhaps because the chassis is thinner, Lenovo had to sacrifice vertical key travel. Anyone have tried both?

Thanks in advance.

mandrakkio wrote:The Carbon one should be shallower: perhaps because the chassis is thinner, Lenovo had to sacrifice vertical key travel. Anyone have tried both?

Both should have the same key travel: 2mm (as compared to other ThinkPads, which offer 2.5 mm.)

And the keyboard is not fused with the chassis. The keyboard and bezel are part of the same FRU, but it is removable, and is replaceable.

The X1 Carbon keys are 30% larger than those on the original ThinkPad X1.
The keyboards are different: just curious to know if the X1 one is better.

Haven't used the keyboard on the original X1, but the keyboard on the T430s is better for typing than the X1 Carbon. Key travel is deeper. But you're comparing two keyboards at the high end of the quality scale. The X1 Carbon is still 1000 times better than most of the junk on sale at Best Buy, including Apple keyboards.

mandrakkio wrote:The X1 Carbon keys are 30% larger than those on the original ThinkPad X1.
The keyboards are different: just curious to know if the X1 one is better.

I know they're different, but I seem to recall that the stroke depth is identical.

ThinkRob wrote:And the keyboard is not fused with the chassis. The keyboard and bezel are part of the same FRU, but it is removable, and is replaceable.

I've looked at the images with more attention.
It seems that the X1 Carbon keyboard is not replaceable. Sure, you can repair it but you can't, for example, change a US layout with a German one (different shape of Enter key, for example).

I guess that the original X1 is like the one of X230: better. The X1 Carbon has less stroke depth due to the slimmer profile of the laptop.

mandrakkio wrote: I've looked at the images with more attention.
It seems that the X1 Carbon keyboard is not replaceable. Sure, you can repair it but you can't, for example, change a US layout with a German one (different shape of Enter key, for example).

You can, but I think you'll have to replace the entire bezel + keyboard assembly.

Of all the Thinkpads I have owned, I can not remember having to "change keyboards" so this would be a non issue for me. The X1 Carbon keyboard is very nice, one of my favorite. It is slightly different but humans can adapt!

Greg Gebhardt wrote:Of all the Thinkpads I have owned, I can not remember having to "change keyboards" so this would be a non issue for me. The X1 Carbon keyboard is very nice, one of my favorite. It is slightly different but humans can adapt!

Sometimes it's cheaper to import a US ThinkPad than to buy one locally.