

The ThinkPad USB Keyboard features an elegant, ultra slim design with the same low profile keys found on the legendary ThinkPad keyboard. This one-of-a-kind keyboard lets you save valuable desk space and is the perfect complement to your ThinkPad in the office or at home.
Brand | Lenovo |
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Model | ThinkPad |
Keyboard Interface | USB |
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Design Style | Ultimate Compact |
Palm Rest | Yes |
Mechanical Keyboard | No |
Keyboard Color | Black |
Type | Wired |
Operating System Supported | Windows XP & Windows Vista |
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Features | Legendary ThinkPad keyboard look and feel Low profile, ergonomic design Integrated TrackPoint, no external mouse required! Spill resistant design Function (Fn) key provides access to variety of ThinkPad features Red backlit buttons for volume and microphone mute Volume up/down keys |
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Date First Available | November 16, 2009 |
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Pros: Perfect layout for me. Even better layout for me than the real laptop (larger esc key, not above f1).
Cons: They keys are stiffer than the real laptop keyboards. I think my fingers have adjusted over time, but it was a little uncomfortable early on. Was not able to configure the trackpoint to move as fast as I wanted.
Overall Review: The trackpoint drifts, but they always do. Considering the opportunity for some redesign, I would have enjoyed larger arrow keys. Not all apps can be configured to use vim key bindings, so arrows get used.
Pros: Compact in size. Reduce strain by using TrackPoint. No keypad to the right of keyboard so closer reach to the mouse if needed. Less travel to press keys. looks great.
Cons: Not exactly same build as my T61 keyboard, but works just the same there is a slight difference in the "sound" and "feel" I am guessing a difference in the springs and backing of the keyboard since it "quieter." T61 sounds more metallic in nature.
Overall Review: TIP! if using for your desktop make sure your BIOS setting for the NmLk is set to "Off" otherwise every time you log in you may find that you will be typing numbers instead of letters! eg. i=5; o=6, u=4
Pros: Keyboard layout is similar to long-time Thinkpad norm.
Cons: Key response inferior to Thinkpad laptop keyboards. Key response inferior to previous Thinkpad external keyboards.
Overall Review: I have used Thinkpad laptops since 1992 and have used an external Thinkpad keyboard at work for several years. I tend to wear out the external keyboards in two years or less so have had three models prior to this one. Until this keyboard, the externals were superb clones of a Thinkpad laptop keyboard's feel and function. But the model 55Y9003 external Thinkpad keyboard has longer key travel, stiffer keys, noisier keys, and is not as responsive to a reasonably fast succession of key strokes as it should be. I don't have trouble with the extra initial caps that reviews mention, but if I type idential successive characters too quickly, only one appears. I applied the most recent driver from the Lenovo site and it makes no difference. Control Panel settings make no difference. Bottom line: compared with Thinkpad laptop keyboards, this keyboard doesn't measure up. But compared with other keyboards you could hook up to your desktop PC, it's probably better than most.
Pros: Trackpoint in the middle! This is extremely handy for typing. All TrackPoints drift. This one seems to correct quickly.
Cons: This is not the quality you'd expect from a ThinkPad laptop. I have my ThinkPad R61 side by side, and in general, this keyboard's a cheap imitation. The keys don't push back near as much, and slip-click much easier. It's decent, but it's not IBM quality. The TrackPoint, probably my favorite feature, doesn't have the range of the R61's TrackPoint. Full-tilt just doesn't give enough speed, given the same Windows settings on the R61. Fixable though! "THe SHift KEy" tends to stick longer than it should. In fact, all the keys do, it's just the "shift" that causes the most headaches. It's especially noticeable in FPS games though. Lenovo's released a driver, but this only seems to halve the problem instead of eradicating it. My guess is that it's a cheaper microcontroller that can't multiplex the lines fast enough, and needs a firmware-fix, not a Windows-level correction.
Overall Review: <3 ThinkPad keyboards, just wish this one lived up to the name.
Pros: Just like my Thinkpad keyboard. Reduces my carpal tunnel syndrom (or at least I think that it does). You also get an integrated extra mouse through the track point. I am even able to reach the arrows with my right pinky finger which means less movement necessary and less stress on my tendons. Very comfortable. It also allows to have the mouse closer.
Cons: Plastic feels a bit cheap but it's not really a concern. It bends very slightly in the middle if you press hard on it, but it's not really a concern and you don't notice it unless you really press hard (which you sholdn't, bad for the tendons in your hands). On the upside, it's lightweight and compact. You need to disable NumLock after booting (Fn+NumLk).
Overall Review: I just love it. I'm going to order another one for the office. Love the three buttons which only Thinkpad keyboards have.
Pros: AS several others have pointed out, this keyboard is basically a Thinkpad keyboard with a USB interface, and is one of the very few keyboards available with a Trackpoint. I also have a Unicomp keyboard with trackpoint, but it doesn't have a middle mouse button and that makes it much less useful than this one. The Trackpoint on this keyboard works great, and the keyboard itself is small and light--just about the perfect size for a laptop keyboard.
Cons: The random "shift stays on too long" problem is quite annoying when you start running into it. I think it has to do with rollover--if the shift key was depressed when it rolls over to the next key, then shift will be on for that key also even if shift is no longer depressed. I hoped it wouldn't be a problem for me, but indeed it does crop up from time to time.
Overall Review: I wish there was a wireless version of this. I'm tempted to try the ROsewill touchpad one, but I fear I will miss the Trackpoint.
Pros: Exactly like the Thinkpad keyboards I've come to love over the years, great buy if you like them, don't hesitate! Windows 7 recognized it without the drivers. Small footprint, works great in a tight space (why I got it beyond just the desire to hoard computer parts I like).
Cons: The scrolling with the middle button wonks out with some applications. It sends a Ctrl+K and in Firefox 3.6 you have to disable Ctrl+K for search or whatever. I used the Firefox Addon called Keyconfig to get it working properly. Surprisingly my laptops haven't had this issue. In the BIOS on my work machine (Dell T3500) the pointstick doesn't work, although if you can use tab space & enter you should be fine. I wouldn't hold any of these against this KB/Pointstick combo.
Overall Review: I have a T42 Thinkpad, T500 and a X200. This keyboard is exactly the same as the X200/T500 and the same quality as the older IBM T42. There is no flex, no bending or any other issues that others described. Either Lenovo fixed what other people were complaining about or they are just insane. I was worried about buying this due to the negative reviews. I'm sorry it took me this long to actually get one. Shame on me. It seems to ship directly from Lenovo instead of NewEgg, the packaging wasn't the best, but it arrived intact with the kb box a bit smashed but no damage to the goods (Lenovo shipped it in a non padded sleeve).
Pros: The keyboard itself is a real T400 series keyboard. If you are used to this, nothing else is going to suffice.
Cons: The chassis that the keyboard is built into is really really cheaply made. Oh, and the sticky shift is there, though you have to be a really really fast typist for that to be an issue.
Overall Review: To make this feel like a real Thinkpad keyboard, I opened it up and packed the inside with Dynamat, which is dampening goo used by car stereo guys to keep their cars from rattling. This deadened everything, and gave the keyboard a more substantial feel, and if thickly applied gives some more support under the keys. Then, I removed the little rubber feet from the bottom and replaced them with a large rubber mat that covers the whole bottom. This allows the keyboard to be supported over the entire bottom so it does not give so much when you press a key. Doing these two things will make Thinkpad users feel like they are typing on an actual Thinkpad keyboard. It is too bad Lenovo could not be bothered to make this a little more solid.