Recent T60 and T61 owners. What keyboard do you have?

I know there are three kinds:

Keyboards:
NMB – 39T0958
Alps - 39T7118
Chicony – 39T7178


Supposedly the NMB is the best, then the Alps, and then the Chicony. Of course, it's a matter of taste.

Anyway, just wondering what Lenovo has been shipping lately and if they use NMB anymore.

 

My FRU number tells me I have the NMB keyboard.

 

lol wow, chicony is the worst? Guess it is matter of taste, because after recently trying out some thinkpads in sams and best buy, I found their keyboards were softer, not as loud and clicky as mine. Assumed mine was the best, but I looked it up and I have chicony. The worst! I guess I like firm depression required; a crisp break to keystrokes. Looking for one w/the same keyboard now lol.

 

NMB is the most desirable usually. It has shorter, firmer, quieter keystrokes.

They still ship NMB keyboards on thinkpads. Empirical evidence seems to be that they put them on the more "loaded" preconfigs, and use the others on the lesser configs.

You can order a specific keyboard separately, but you cannot choose which keyboard when you first order.

 

How do you do that? I couldn't get the part number to come up in the parts search.

 

Actually the noisier sound of chicony have its own advantage, it gives very good tactile feedback that make one's typing faster.

But it will give shame when you typing next to HP.....i mean, it really noisy.

 

Well, maybe its just me, but I actually kind of prefer the keyboard I have on my HP DV9000t. The HP keyboard is actually quieter and has a more mushy feel compared to my Thinkpad keyboard.

Maybe I've just gotten used to the crappy HP keyboards over the years

 

if you posted in the trades section, you could trade your NMB for an ALPS with someone.

by the way how is your transition to sxga+ coming??... i still haven't got used to it on 14"

 

Nay, I think I'll keep my coveted NMB keyboard

The text on the 15" SXGA+ is still kind of on the small side, but I am getting more used to it. I'm sure I'll be over the resolution shock a couple of months from now.

But Photoshop work is pretty amazing with the SXGA+ screen. For people who do a lot of graphics work, I can definitely see why they would want an UXGA screen.

 

if you think sxga+ on 15" is small, my 14" is a bit smaller (also less contrast/brightness).
And it's really small on those 12" x60 tablets.

change the DPI?

Also, try firefox instead of IE... with firefox you can easily increase/decrease text size from page to page with a keyboard shortcut (Ctrl +)... i dont think there's any similar accelerator key available in IE to change text size.

if your text is still too small, I'll incrase my offer for your T60p by $200

 

neither sandra or everest will tell me what keyboard i have, and i can't access lenovo's website to see which kind it came with,
any ideas?

 

Nay, I think it's just about the right size right now

 

First of all, stop calling Lenovo's customer service for every little question you have. It's because of all these phone calls that all of us have to wait a LONG time before we can speak to a customer rep.

Make sure your system is already built, otherwise you wont find your parts information. Then go to your order status page, write down your model number and serial number. On Lenovo's "support and download" page, there is a section for parts look up. Enter your model number and serial number. Copy down your keyboard's FRU number. Then go to IBM's webpage, just do a search for your kebyoard's FRU number.

 

I would strongly recommend higher resolution in Vista. Vista use scalable icons that make the DPI setting result more comfortable with the eyes, no more jagged icons, disproportioned fonts, etc. If anything is look too small in Vista, simply change the default DPI settings.

Aero looks very good in high resolution.

Actually, IE7 have the same shortcut to increase the fonts. But it works a bit different.
It increase the size of the fonts, yes, but it also increase the pictures and the proportion of the page. It is more like zooming. You will loose the ability to wrap the word like in Firefox. Everything looks bigger and stretched so you have to do right and left scrolling. Very annoying when reading a long article.

 

How can you tell which keyboard you're getting ? (is it in the order specs?)

Or can you only tell after it arrives?

It's weird cause like 8 months ago i ordered a t60 and i really didn't like the keyboard it didn't feel as nice as my T23 and T43.

(i returned that laptop because of a crappy axx LCD screen with 0 viewing angle, but it also left me with a bad feeling that they ruined their great reputation for having the best keyboard)

 

Mine is:

42V8195 SBB KEYBOARD US ENGLISH

It is none of the above.

So, who is the maker?

 

I don't think that is an actual part number (FRU number)

 

I got that number from my order page. Where to get the part number?

Thanks.

 

Support and Download page:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=HOME-LENOVO

 

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/s...2Fpartslookup/partsLookup.vm&sitestyle=lenovo


But it didn't find mine... :-\

In the order page i have 42V8195

 

Are you entering your model number and serial number. Disregard that other number. You won't get anywhere with it.

 

Yep model and Serial# (as provided in the order page... it's still in-route)

 

For the T61, there are a couple of new keyboard FRU's. Apparently IBM still hasn't updated their parts info page yet.

 

My T60 (shipped 2 weeks ago) has the NMB keyboard according to the FRU number (42T3143).

Good news, I guess : )

 

In my case:

Machine type/model: 6465-CTO

So the type is 6465 and model is CTO.

On the above Lenovo's support page, there is a dropdown list for model. However, I did not see CTO.

Did I miss something?

Thanks for help!

 

If you get a crappy keyboard ... can you get it replaced under warrenty ? will they replace to the same part# or is it random ?

 

Completely random.

 

You mean I should select a random model number?

 

My recent T60 purchase listed a keyboard part number that was new, so I was unsure as to which keyboard came with my laptop. After using my keyboard it does appear I have the NMB. Sorry but I prefer the noisier, more tactile keyboards, like my Dell Inspirion 5100.

The NMB has a softer, mushier type of feel and less tactile feedback.

p.s. My Keyboard FRU's listed on my parts order are:

42T3241 42T3273 KEYBOARD FRU

 

Sorry I can't help you, MDDZ. I started the thread because I wanted to know about what keyboards are being shipped. I haven't yet ordered my laptop yet so I really don't know how to help you find out. It would be nice if someone could give you a step-by-step on how to find out. HINT HINT

 

Yeah, I take it back MDDZ. The number 42V8195 might be the actual FRU. I just found this: http://www.ip-web.de/ThinkPad/hmm/hmm_T61_61_42x3547.pdf

If you look on page 159 it lists new FRU numbers for the keyboards. Strange thing is... yours isn't listed.

 

OK I found this post by Furrycute in another thread...

"The only way you can be sure of what kind of keyboard you are really getting is to lift up one key, underneath, if the key is resting on a round blueish semitransparent plastic base, then it's an NMB keyboard. If you see white colored diagonal plastic struts, then it's either an ALPS or a Chicony. I seem to remember if the strut is going one way, it's an ALPS, if it's going the other way it's a Chicony, but I don't remember which one is which.

And be careful about peeking under the keys, you can pop them off. Then it's off to the repair depot, because it's really hard to pop them back in again."

So break out a flashlight and see whatcha got!

 

Well it looks like I have the Chicony keyboard after all. Even before I verified it I knew I didn't like it. Oh well I guess it's too late to get the NMB.

 

stallen,

thanks so so much for your help. I notice that this manual is for 14.1'' T61. anyway, I have a Thinkpad, right?

 

Well, a 14.1" T61 is a Thinkpad too. I think they have the same keyboards. It's just strange that your number is unique. Did you try peeking under the keys?

 

Just to further confuse, there have been different NMB keyboards.
They're generally the most coveted though obviously different personal preferences persist.

 

I have a 16" T60 (one in my sig) that has the Chicony keyboard. I love it, even though it is slightly louder than other keyboards I have used. Really solid feeling like I could take out my anger on it

 

Just checked my keyboard according to what furrycute orginally posted for how to visually identify the brand (as my keyboard FRU is one of the newer, unlisted ones) and it's an NMB. The FRU is 42T3143 in case anyone's interested.

I actually prefer the feel of this keyboard anyway, I'm not sure how I would like it if it were louder.

ThinkPad keyboards are like favorite foods in some ways; some people love what others hate.

 

Yeah, yours is one listed on page 159.
http://www.ip-web.de/ThinkPad/hmm/hmm_T61_61_42x3547.pdf

FRU # 42T3143 = NMB
FRU # 42T3273 = Chicony
FRU # 42T3209 = Alps

and here are the original FRU #s:

FRU # 39T0958 = NMB
FRU # 39T7178 = Chicony
FRU # 39T7118 = Alps

 

How do you find your computers serial number through the order status page? Mine just shipped today and all I have is the invoice number at the top and I know it's the 7658 model.

 

It's listed right above the first part number of the order i.e Thinkpad T60 8743CTO (just an example)

 

Isn't that the type? I have the 7658CTO type but I have no serial # on the order page. Don't you need the serial # to look up the parts?

 

stallen, you are awesome!

thanks!!!

 

I checked the order list online and my keyboard is listed as 42V8195. I went to the IBM supports and download page, entered the type(6465), but cannot find the model number anywhere. Any idea what 44k, 45k, 57f, and 57u stand for under the model category?

I do not see a place to enter the serial number.

Edit: Here's the site where you can enter the Model# and Serial number for the FRU:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/s...2Fpartslookup/partsLookup.vm&sitestyle=lenovo

My Keyboard is: 42T3273 (Chicony) [definitely a firmer keyboard with a louder click].

Edit 2: All the Keyboard listings for the T61 and R61 on the IBM site:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/MIGR-67916.html

 

Interesting stuff. Looks like I have an Alps. Feels nice to me and I'll be happy to use it again (when it returns from the shop). I was leery about using a laptop because I hate being cramped but this one seems to work fine. Takes some concentration (I normally use a natural keyboard -- an old one -- really old -- the lettering is gone from half the alphabet keys and sometimes I forget what is what).

 

I've gotten used to a chicony on my current tp, incoming t 61 has an nmb. Gonna miss that snick.

 

Even though the NMB is supposedly the "best" other claim that Alps or Chicony are the best. Regardless, I think all three are probably better than most keyboards on other consumer laptops.

 

easy.


The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen you message to at least 10 characters.

 

FRU # 42T3273 = Chicony

Seems okay to me, I like the tactile response.
Reminds me of the old IBM keyboards, they were the best.

 

My T61 has the alps