What's the big deal with backlit keyboards?

Just curious... I've never seen the appeal of them myself and wouldn't pay extra for one. Is it so that you can type visually? The illumination they provide into the room? That they look cool? Are they really useful if you aren't a touch-typer, but not so great if you are?

Enlighten me! I probably won't buy one since I'm happy with my current keyboard, but I'd like to understand why reviews are calling backlighting a "must for any modern laptop".

 

I use mine in a darkened room & it helps me find the top rows of number & function keys. For me it is a must have function on any laptop going forward.

 

I personally prefer the ThinkLight style lighting. It allows you to look at stuff quickly when working in the dark.

For me regular backlighting is pretty useless. I can hit all of the keys from muscle memory anyways. Then again, I haven't had a significant change in keyboard layout in forever and backlighting might help me get used to the new layout when I inevitably have to upgrade (unless Lenovo suddenly switches back to the good old 7row).

 

Not a touch typer and I tend to use my computers in rather low light conditions at times, it is useful to find the keys I don't use often. It is convenient for me, but not a deal breaker.

 

I'd be fine if the keys were reflective under any ambient light. But I do enjoy my backlit keyboard. I'm a touch typist and can type 80-90 WPM, but special keys sometimes it's nice to make sure you're hitting the right ones.

 

nailed it. i mean, i suppose there are times when the room's dark and the backlighting helps to find some of the lesser used keys, but flipping the lid down a little does that just the same.

 

Not on all keyboards. On the Clevo W110ER it's quite annoying. The keys aren't reflective at all and dark, even tilting the lid does little to help. I agree it's not entirely necessary, but I've grown used to it and when I don't have it, is a little uncomfortable for a short while. I wouldn't *not* buy a laptop based off whether it has a backlit keyboard or not, but I'd likely pay a little to upgrade to one.

 

I guess the key-finding makes sense, especially with non-touch-typing and keys in an unusual place. I guess I'd probably like it if I had a Dvorak or British keyboard, too. And I can see how it's cool in a way. I'm not one for the flashy-lights type cool, but if you are, yeah, that fits in pretty well.

JOSEA, do you mean the little light that shines down near the top of the screen in ThinkPads? I always found it a bit underwhelming when I used one. Not a bad idea... just not very bright compared to the screen, for example.

 

For me, it's a feature I'd take for free but would never pay extra for, especially if it compromised key pitch or feel.

As for the ThinkLight (and the Elitebook's equivalent), I think it's not so much brightness as it is directed straight down at the keyboard, whereas the screen's light is not (and the screen would be set pretty dim in a dark environment anyway).

 

Keyboard Quality and Layout trump any extra feature like back lighting for me.

It does look cool, but I don't care that it looks cool. It can come in handy but not handy enough that I would need it.

I know from owning blank keyboards that if you cant see a key you will learn where it is at and not have to see it.

 

Even after re-reading the entire thread, I'm having a hard time understanding why you feel personally offended. From my point of view, the OP asked the question based on a comment that a PC reviewer made - one which he or she did not personally agree with - and wanted to see what others thought. I don't see the harm in that.

 

Alright, keep it civil, I don't think I have to say why some posts were deleted.

Peon pretty much nailed it, the OP asked a question and I don't see anything condescending in it.

 

Like anything else I'd rather it than not at all. Choice is good, and more of something is usually good. So I'd rather have it than not. Users who don't like it can opt to turn it off too.

 

Aesthetics and convenience. Although they give a certain ambiance and are helpful if you're not typing from muscle memory in low-lit environments (already reiterated here), there are also cons that come with having additional electrical components (possibility of backlight not functioning correctly on demand, slightly additional power draw from powering LEDs, possibility for LEDs to fail or dim over use, etc.).

 

I like having the backlit keyboard because i usually use my laptop in a room with low light. I'm a touch typist but it's still nice to get a little light in the darkness. I specifically looked for a laptop with the feature.

 

Now that my primary is an ultrabook and I take it all around different places because it's so mobile, the keyboard lighting very handy.

You can't always control the lighting where you compute, and now you don't need to. And because it's so light sometimes I carry it and one hand and type with the other, so keyboard lighting helps in that situation.

Even the best touch typist doesn't always remember what the symbols are on the shifted number keys, or where the Fn keys are actually placed (in notebooks, the spacing is usually different from model to model).

 

Actually I never used or owned a Thinkpad, I had a series of Dell's and the Asus in my signature is the first with a backlight KB. In addition to being a very poor typist, I really like the look so I would never purchase a notebook without one.