sharp m4000 widenote keyboard

In so many ways this notebook seems right for me, but in a few user reviews the keyboard seems to be a major flaw. However, laptop magazine claims, "Sharp managed to cram a full-sized keyboard into the M4000's chassis, and the keys are downright chunky; you'll have no problem typing longer e-mails or other documents." Does anyone have the real skinny on this keyboard?

 

Did you read our review?

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2560

 

yes, I did. Which is why I posted in the first place: the user review(s) contradict Sharps own claim that its keyboard is one of its major assets.

 

Well, I'd take our word over Sharp's marketing team.

 

I had an M4000 for about a week, and sent it back for a refund. I did not like the feel of the keyboard at all, very cheap feeling, a lot of keys felt different than others, and kind of rattled when you typed. The screen was WONDERFUL on this unit, but the whole feel of the notebook was cheap, although it is hard to describe. For example, they say that it is "aluminum", but only the inside keyboard surrounds are aluminum, the entire outer case is silver plastic. Their website also said it was a 5400rpm 80GB hard drive, and it is 4200rpm. They corrected it after I pointed this out to them. Hope this helps.
If you will notice, I used the word "cheap" just as nesbo (the reviewer) did. I couldn't find a better word to describe it.
I found the keyboard and overall case quality to be a real shame, because otherwise I loved the unit, especially the screen. It had the whitest white, great black levels, and some of the purest colors I have seen displayed on a notebook. Yes, there was some glare, but less than a SONY XBrite.
I REALLY, REALLY find 13.3" screens the perfect size for me, and other than the SONY S series, there is not much out there, and I won't go with the SONY.

Andrew

 

I also purchased, and then returned, the M4000 because I could not stand the keyboard. The keyboard felt like it was only supported in a few places; the rest of it suffered from a large amount of flex and much of the right hand side felt "bouncy". And as aamsel noted, the feel of some of the keys was a little inconsistent.

I liked the look and feel of the laptop from the exterior, but I thought the faux brushed metal interior looked and felt tacky, especially compared to the elegance of the brushed metal Apple Powerbooks. The palm rests also flexed, contributing to the cheap feeling aamsel mentioned. I think maybe Sharp tried a little too hard to minimize the weight on the M4000. It just doesn't feel solidly built.

I ended up with a Sony S560 instead, because I like the 13.3" form factor. The Sony can't compete with the Sharp in terms of battery life, weight, thermal management, or even screen quality. But it is well built.

 

Have you found a solution (alternative) to the huge SONY power brick? Even the new SZ series which is lighter appears to use the same brick.

Andrew

 

Unfortunately no, although I really haven't looked very hard yet. The problem is that the newer S models and SZ use 19.5V DC, which is higher than what most of the aftermarket adapters can provide. It has also been difficult to find an adapter for airplane use.

The power brick wouldn't bother me at all if the battery life was up there with the Sharp M4000. But since I only get about 2.5-3 hours with the standard battery or 4-4.5 with the extended battery, I do end up plugging in at a lot of meetings.

 

Heywood, aamsel,

What did you guys get instead of the Sharp? I was thinking about the M4000 too since it seems to have all the qualities that I want, but a crappy keyboard can make or break the deal.

I'll prolly just start another thread for alternate M4000 users.

 

Better yet... what keyboard would you say the M4000 is like? I just ended up testing an Acer Aspire and TM keyboard and the flex is annoying.

 

I currently have a Thinkpad X32, considering a SONY SZ.
As I said, the keyboard was one of the big things that killed the deal on the M4000. It was not a flex issue, it was consistency and feel. I expect a keyboard to be consistent, and for every key to feel the same when it is pressed (other than the space bar.) That is just NOT the case with the M4000. It gave the impression that every key felt different, a real "funky" feeling, very cheap feeling, although it is not a cheap notebook. You really would have to try one to really know what I mean. I am not a fast typist, but it really bothered me. Also, the other negative is that they say it is "aluminum" case. Well, the inside surfaces have some aluminum, but the entire outside case, top and bottom, is silver-grey plastic, and nothing that terrific. I got the feeling that it would scratch up very easily, and that I would not want to see what an M4000 will look like in 2 years.
I hope this helps, that is all I have to say,
Andrew

 

Well, I've been using my MW-70J (Japanese version of the M4000) since November and I've gotten used to they keyboard, but there is a lot of flex. While I'm tempted by some of the new dual core notebooks, I really don't have wanderlust as I did with my Sony U70 or the JVC 741. This is a light and very powerful notebook. I put a 7200rpm drive in and added a gig of memory and couldn't be happier at the moment.

 

I have tried this keyboard too and I did not notice the flex as some others have. Maybe it has to do with the amount of force you type with? I have skinny fingers and a light touch so it did not seem overly "flex" ridden to me. To each of us this would change depending upon said conditions.