No More Classic ThinkPad Laptop Keyboards?

On 04/18/2012

An old-school ThinkPad keyboard.

Lenovo has apparently replaced the legendary classic ThinkPad keyboards with the newer AccuType on the next-generation of their business laptops. The AccuType keyboards with ergonomically shaped isle-style keys have been used only on IdeaPad and ThinkPad Edge notebooks, but it has been also spotted on the first known non-Edge ThinkPad models for 2012. We have noticed the AccuType keyboard on the first published image of the ThinkPad L430/L530 last week, but today we saw that the X230 ultraportable also has AccuType. In addition, the T430u ultrabook is also equipped with the isle-style variant.

A Lenovo AccuType keyboard.

Since the past L-series ThinkPad notebooks have almost the same design as the T and W series ThinkPads, there’s a great possibility that the upcoming T430, T530, and W530 will include AccuType as well.

It will be interesting to see how the market will react on the change, since the old-school ThinkPad keyboards have been considered to be the best in the industry for years.

Jeroen Pluimers

Any chance of a picture that hows the arrow keys and the Insert/Delete/Home/End/PgUp/PgDn keys?
- http://laptoping.com/ Danijel
  
  Hi, the largest available image of the keyboard layout on a 2012 ThinkPad is one of the T430u: http://news.lenovo.com/photo_display.cfm?photo_id=5292
  Image of the leaked W530 and X230 are smaller, but the layout appears to be the same like on the T430u.
  W530: http://laptoping.com/lenovos-thinkpad-w530-mobile-workstation-revealed-on-image.html
  X230: http://laptoping.com/lenovo-thinkpad-x230-image-published.html
  
  The difference between keyboards is big, as same as the layout of the Insert/Delete/Home/End/PgUp/PgDn keys. The arrows appear to be on the same place like on the previous generation Thinkpads.
  T520: http://laptoping.com/lenovo-thinkpad-t520.html
http://twitter.com/dumpstertech dumpstertech

I have been a long time lover of Thinkpad Laptops because of their classic and great design. The Keyboard is very much legendary and ideal. After seeing the X230 and the T430U making this change, I am incredibly dissapointed. I should have seen it coming with the inclusion of the Thinkpad Edge. The fusing of the IdeaPad and Thinkpad line which started the chiclet keys in the Thinkpad line.

How long before Track Point is gone off Thinkpad? And we are left with yet another Mac Book clone. I bought Thinkpad because I liked the classic design, and because in my mind it was number 1. I actully didn’t mind spending more for a Thinkpad to get this design. But since it’s dead. Might as well spend less Money on an Acer or Dell.
John Johnston

glad I found this. I was thinking about waiting for the W530, but now I know to get the W520 quick before they are gone.