T400 First Thoughts

[wswartzendruber]

1. Overall build quality exceeds that of the T60.
2. The keyboard BLOWS (flex galore).
3. Putting a T60 keyboard in resolves about 90% of the issues.
4. There's a little play between the palmrest and the left TrackPoint button.

Anybody have any questions?

EDIT: The offset display doesn't bother me AT ALL.

[Dead1nside]

Sheesh it really is the end of an era... Seems like everyone is saying that the keyboard is terrible.

[wswartzendruber]

Sheesh it really is the end of an era... Seems like everyone is saying that the keyboard is terrible.

I think they're testing the waters. They can EASILY start shipping these guys with the old keyboards in them.

[Dead1nside]

I think they're testing the waters. They can EASILY start shipping these guys with the old keyboards in them.

I think there's been enough slating on the enthusiast forums already to warranty returning the keyboards to normal.

I doubt they'll reverse this decision, it's already in production.

[xixiliu]

1. Overall build quality exceeds that of the T60.
2. The keyboard BLOWS (flex galore).
3. Putting a T60 keyboard in resolves about 90% of the issues.
4. There's a little play between the palmrest and the left TrackPoint button.

Anybody have any questions?

EDIT: The offset display doesn't bother me AT ALL.

i am quite satisfied with the keyboard. very nice. you will never be tired of typing on this terrific machine

mine:

ordered 8/9; deliverde 8/27

Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor P8400
14.1 WXGA+ TFT, w/ LED Backlight
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
2 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory
160 GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm
DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim (Serial ATA)
4 cell Li-Ion Battery

[wswartzendruber]

Note from Admin: Removed excessive, nested quoting.

SAY WHAT?! Hey man, do us a favor:

1. Remove the palmrest and keyboard.
2. Photograph the machine from a top-down perspective.*
3. Photograph the bottom side of the keyboard.**

* I want to see if your machine's roll cage is different.
* I want to see if your keyboard's different.

These steps are fairly simple. If you are willing to do this, try to make the photos as high a resolution as possible.

Have you ever typed on a T60 before?

EDIT: Hey guys, is he going to void his warranty if he does this?

[Harryc]

EDIT: Hey guys, is he going to void his warranty if he does this?

Only if he breaks something .

[xixiliu]

are you serious? you cannot stop me feeling the way i am feeling.

i do like my t400. it's the best i've ever had. it's simply perfect.

[kingweb]

I just got my T400, and the keyboard especially on the left side is pathetic. Not just flex, but when you type, you also hear the vibration/rattling of the "moving keyboard".

I am ordering the NMB one now.

One thing I should add, the junkware/bloatware isn't that bad this time. I might not even reformat.

[rxblitzrx]

I just got my T400, and the keyboard especially on the left side is pathetic. Not just flex, but when you type, you also hear the vibration/rattling of the "moving keyboard".

I am ordering the NMB one now.

One thing I should add, the junkware/bloatware isn't that bad this time. I might not even reformat.

Reading quotes like this make me glad I ordered a new NMB 5 minutes after finishing my T400 order online.

[s1148625]

Just got two new T400's... one for me, one for the wife.

Despite Lenovo's claims that the new keyboards perform better than the old ones, (http://lenovoblogs.com/designmatters/?p=228) the flex in the keyboards was IMMEDIATELY noticed, as my previous systems have had excellent keyboards (T42 and T60).

Just received two T60 keyboards, replaced the squishy T400 keyboards, and the typing experience I'm accustomed to has returned.

Other than the crappy keyboards, the T400s are beautiful... best designed Thinkpad to date...

[wswartzendruber]

Just got two new T400's... one for me, one for the wife.

Despite Lenovo's claims that the new keyboards perform better than the old ones, (http://lenovoblogs.com/designmatters/?p=228) the flex in the keyboards was IMMEDIATELY noticed, as my previous systems have had excellent keyboards (T42 and T60).

Just received two T60 keyboards, replaced the squishy T400 keyboards, and the typing experience I'm accustomed to has returned.

Other than the crappy keyboards, the T400s are beautiful... best designed Thinkpad to date...

That's what I'm finding as well. There is a LITTLE flex with the bezel over the optical drive, but I think that's mostly a gap between the plastic and the metal; regardless, my T60 doesn't have that. What this does have, though, is an extremely durable display housing that doesn't budge under pressure.

[dr_st]

Other than the crappy keyboards, the T400s are beautiful... best designed Thinkpad to date...

That's certainly nice to hear (although I personally prefer the look of the T60)

[Puppy]

Other than the crappy keyboards, the T400s are beautiful... best designed Thinkpad to date...

Until (the display) is turned on ...

[emorphien]

Other than the crappy keyboards, the T400s are beautiful... best designed Thinkpad to date...

Until (the display) is turned on ...

Care to elaborate? Everyone seems to be liking the displays.

[kingweb]

I just noticed something else too on my T400. The hidden partition is no longer hidden. Plus there is another system (lenovo) partition there too.

Anybody know anything about this?

[wswartzendruber]

Other than the crappy keyboards, the T400s are beautiful... best designed Thinkpad to date...

Until (the display) is turned on ...

Ooooohhhhh... SOMEBODY didn't get LED.

[JaneL]

Until (the display) is turned on ...

You know, we got the point the first 1000 times you said something like this. It's getting annoying.

[rxblitzrx]

LOL.

Man, waiting for a new laptop is like waiting for 5pm to roll around on Friday.

[milstein]

After reading some entries on Lenovo's blog, I found that there is really a flex area on my 15.1" T60 too:

on the top left hand corner, and the most seriously affected keys are the following 7 keys.
Esc
F1 F2 F3
~`!1 @2

In those flexing moments, the keys as well as that whole part of the keyboard (or including the chassis below the keyboard?) are being pressed down.

I am wondering what is/are the major reason(s) for these kinds of flex. It seems that besides having keyboard itself being firm and sturdy, 1. precise engineering so that there is no space / no extra space beneath the keyboard where it sits and contacts the chassis; 2. the chassis foundation on which the keyboard sits should be supported and constructed so that it is as firm and as solid as possible.

I really hope Lenovo can seriously sort out and address this recent keyboard issue on the new T series. Or else I have no idea where can I go, from my T60 with IPS screen...

[wswartzendruber]

After reading some entries on Lenovo's blog, I found that there is really a flex area on my 15.1" T60 too:

on the top left hand corner, and the most seriously affected keys are the following 7 keys.
Esc
F1 F2 F3
~`!1 @2

In those flexing moments, the keys as well as that whole part of the keyboard (or including the chassis below the keyboard?) are being pressed down.

I am wondering what is/are the major reason(s) for these kinds of flex. It seems that besides having keyboard itself being firm and sturdy, 1. precise engineering so that there is no space / no extra space beneath the keyboard where it sits and contacts the chassis; 2. the chassis foundation on which the keyboard sits should be supported and constructed so that it is as firm and as solid as possible.

I really hope Lenovo can seriously sort out and address this recent keyboard issue on the new T series. Or else I have no idea where can I go, from my T60 with IPS screen...

What you're talking about happens because that portion of the keyboard rests on the bezel. Later T60 models fixed this by adding a chunk of metal onto the fan that makes contact with the keyboard.

[ulrich.von.lich]

A quick question: do the new ThinkPads share the same dock with the T6 series?

The keyboard flex sounds kinda scary but maybe lenovo is just testing the new product as they did make the new TPs compatible with old keyboards. IMO not a big issue as long as they are still supplying them.

On the bright side, the nearly 10 hrs battery life is definitely amazing!

[wswartzendruber]

A quick question: do the new ThinkPads share the same dock with the T6 series?

The keyboard flex sounds kinda scary but maybe lenovo is just testing the new product as they did make the new TPs compatible with old keyboards. IMO not a big issue as long as they are still supplying them.

On the bright side, the nearly 10 hrs battery life is definitely amazing!

AFAIK, the docks are compatible.

[draginol]

I'm really liking my T400 but the one thing I miss from my T62 is the SD card slot in the front.

If I had to do everything over again, I would have gotten the T400 with the smart card reader and express card options but my Verizon wireless card is a PC card and I use it on multiple PCs.

But even the keyboard hasn't bothered me.

My biggest gripe is the not booting up from DVI. That is quite annoying.

[Harryc]

I'm really liking my T400 but the one thing I miss from my T62 is the SD card slot in the front.

Yeah, I know what you mean. The one thing I miss about my T62 is that it only existed in my dreams ...

[wswartzendruber]

I'm really liking my T400 but the one thing I miss from my T62 is the SD card slot in the front.

Yeah, I know what you mean. The one thing I miss about my T62 is that it only existed in my dreams ...

Yeah, I went around telling all my buddies, "Hey man, I'm totally getting a ThinkPad T62 when we get back to the States!"

I was expecting them to make the GM45 chipset the T62 and the Nehalem release the T70.

[draginol]

I'm really liking my T400 but the one thing I miss from my T62 is the SD card slot in the front.

Yeah, I know what you mean. The one thing I miss about my T62 is that it only existed in my dreams ...

T61 I mean. That's what I get for not proof-reading.

Anyway, I do definitely miss the SD card reader in the front. I was hoping that would become a standard feature.

[nickpoore]

[quote="draginol']
T61 I mean. That's what I get for not proof-reading.

Anyway, I do definitely miss the SD card reader in the front. I was hoping that would become a standard feature.[/quote]

Just buy a Delkin SD reader for the Express Card slot.
They're FAST and they work.

[archer6]

Sheesh it really is the end of an era... Seems like everyone is saying that the keyboard is terrible.

"Everybody" is a rather vague statement. As is "end of an era". Easy to say, hard to back up as it's mere speculation and negative condemnation.

Let's work with FACTS:

I have a T400, that like the 30 + ThinkPad T series that I've owned from new over the last decade, has a fantastic keyboard. In addition, I deploy over 300+ ThinkPads in the large scale enterprise I founded and to this day, we've used ThinkPads exclusively as our laptop of choice, for the last decade. That totals well over 1,000 ThinkPads that I have purchased for the company. Their track record has been stellar. Is there a possibility of a few "bad keyboards"? Absolutely, and why might that be? Because Lenovo, like IBM, and every other mass market manufacturer sources parts from a variety of vendors. Thus it is possible to get a bad batch. That's why there is a warranty, and it's one of the best in the business. So I say if you have bad keyboard get it replaced, instead of trash talking the brand over one item. Want to know which vendor built the keyboard in your ThinkPad? No need to take the thing apart, Lenovo has a great web site. You simply enter the type and serial number and it will tell you every part that is in your ThinkPad. No other manufacturer offers such an easy way to find out all about your machine any time you wish.

ThinkPad... count on it.

[Tony Chan]

For archer6/wswartzendruber, or anyone who is using T400 : did you ordered with a 6 cell or the 9 cell? Really tempted to get the 9 cell but am not sure if that will make it "feels" a lot heavier. Also, can I re-use the ultrabay battery or dvd writer from my T60?