Keyboards and Screens

[FragrantHead]

Just what is it with the morons at Lenovo? The first generation T-series with IPS screens across the range is coming and what have they done? They've gotten rid of the trackpoint buttons. To be fair, I haven't experienced the new design, but I trust the reviewers at Notebookcheck:

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Len ... 199.0.html

"However, the touchpad does not work as well when it is combined with the trackpoint. Here, working with the upper region of the clickpad takes a lot of time to get used to and cannot keep up with the old standard solution of additional buttons in terms of comfort and reliability."

Keyboards and screens. The first thing I consider when buying a laptop. Keyboards and the trackpoint. The reason I've bought Thinkpads. Now they've finally caught up in the screen department, they've destroyed the trackpoint. Why don't they just stick an Apple logo on it as well. Sigh.

I know these machines aren't even out yet. I know transplanting a Tx20 keyboard into a Tx30 wasn't exactly a go. How about transplanting a Tx30 keyboard into a Tx40 to get the trackpoint buttons back? Has anyone done that, with a T431s maybe?

[Adda]

No surprises there, Lenovo wants us to stop using the trackpoint so they cripple it little by little.

Or maybe they just think stramlining is more important then usability, because NONE of the changes they have made, improve usability, quite the opposite.

I don't think you can swap keyboards, the new touchpad leaves no room for trackpoint buttons, and it probably has different screw locations and all.
Lately Lenovo have changed their designs so much, that parts aren't compatible between models, just like other laptops, seems very unprofessional to me.

[RealBlackStuff]

@FragrantHead:
You should post your (justified) complaint in David Hill's blog, as encouraged by our Admin Jane:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 82#p718982

Admin edit: Removed unnecessary adjective

[Ibthink]

@FragrantHead,
I am using the new design on the T440s right now and I can assure you that the TrackPoint is not dead. The new button design may be a bit akward in the first minutes, but you quickly get used to it. After you are used to it, it works just as well as the old design. Important is to deactived the TouchPad in BIOS, because if the TouchPad is active, the clicks are sometimes not recognized completely right. I think that one of the main problems the reviewer of Notebookcheck had, as they not deactivated the TouchPad.

Lately Lenovo have changed their designs so much, that parts aren't compatible between models, just like other laptops, seems very unprofessional to me.

Many parts are compatible between the new models, but of course not anymore with the old models, as they now have a new chassis architecture.

The models T400s - T430(s) nearly all had the same chassis architecture.

[Summilux]

@FragrantHead,
Important is to deactived the TouchPad in BIOS, because if the TouchPad is active, the clicks are sometimes not recognized completely right. I think that one of the main problems the reviewer of Notebookcheck had, as they not deactivated the TouchPad.

If for proper use of the "new" trackpoint you need to deactivate the touchpad, it means there's a big design flaw.
One more issue the real trackpoints don't have.

[Ibthink]

No, you don´t have to. It works also with active TrackPads, but it is better if the TrackPad is not active.

Most users here shouldn´t care, as they disable the TrackPad as the first thing they do with a new ThinkPad.

I don´t know where the new design is an "unreal" TrackPoint. The TrackPoint is the same, all the functionality is still there.

[Summilux]

No, you don´t have to. It works also with active TrackPads, but it is better if the TrackPad is not active.

If it's better when the trackpad isn't active, instead of not making any difference, that's still a design flaw.

Most users here shouldn´t care, as they disable the TrackPad as the first thing they do with a new ThinkPad.

Oh? If most users don't care about the trackpad, then why did Lenovo feel the need to increase its size and give it priority over the trackpoint?
Why didn't Lenovo increase the size of the trackpoint buttons instead? Why didn't Lenovo continue to offer palmrests without trackpads?

I don´t know where the new design is an "unreal" TrackPoint. The TrackPoint is the same, all the functionality is still there.

The trackpoint isn't the same since (1) buttons as we knew them have disappeared and (2) even though it's supposed to offer the same functionality, it doesn't offer the same user experience.

[AnakiMana]

He wasn't saying that most users won't care about the trackpad. He said "most users here", talking about TrackPoint fans.

It would be interesting to hear some UNBIASED feedback from buyers who are new to the TrackPoint.

One of my first laptops was an Itronix X-C6250 (266mhz, 64mb RAM) and it had ONLY a TrackPoint style device. No touchpad. I learned to be proficient with it and preferred one to be on my subsequently purchased models. But as a computer service tech, I've had to become proficient with trackpads. My TrackPoint usage at this point has diminished to almost nothing, but I still want one and will try to use it.

My only working TrackPoint computer now is an old T41 that I've refurbished a couple n times. I love it for mobile tech support and network troubleshooting, but it's getting too obsolete for the environments I'm going into. I'm looking to buy a new T440s/T440/T440p in early November when they're on the market in the US. Having experienced a lot of client's laptops, I'm sure the ThinkPad model I end up with will be better, if anything. I'm relieved to see the TrackPoint is still around, and look forward to trying out the new TrackPoint buttons built into the pad.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

[Puppy]

The first generation T-series with IPS screens across the range is coming and what have they done?

It is not IPS screen but AHVA made by AUO Optronics. It is far better than any Lenovo TN crap (98:1 contrast ratio) for sure but the real world contrast ratio is rather weak 444:1 only http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Sch ... 313.0.html (the reviewed notebook has the same panel AUO B140HAN01 as T440s). X230 e-IPS panel has contrast ratio over 1000:1

[Ibthink]

Even if the contrast is only 444:1 it does not matter. Read the review:
"The image is rendered extremely vivid and rich...The black value of 0.59 cd/m² also looks better than the bare figures would suggest."

Thats also my impression. I think thats a special aspect of the AHVA technique.

The screen is far better than the eIPS screen used in the X220/X230, because it also has a balanced color reproduction and a wider color gamut. The viewing angles also are better and the screen does not suffer as much from "Baclkight-bleeding" or have the weird issue with the bright-spots.