Keyboard Quality on P170EM

OK, search is really not being my friend today. I tried searching the owners lounge for the P170EM, but it kept dying on me. I had trouble even previewing this post. Anyway, I have narrowed down my new laptop search to either the Alienware M17x R4 or one of the various incarnations of the P170EM. Started a thread in the “What Laptop Should I Buy?” section and got a comment that the keyboard on the Alienware is better than the Clevo (didn’t say the Clevo was bad, just apparently felt the Alienware was better). Has anyone had the chance to compare the two? Is this a fair criticism? Do you Clevo owners have any major complaints about the keyboard? I type a lot, so this is kind of important to me. I remember back in 2009 I opted not to get the Clevo because I didn’t like the way the numberpad was arranged (that and the XPS M1730 with 9800M GT in SLI was horribly mispriced on Dell’s webpage), but it looks like that is fixed now. I did see a recent review on notebookcheck for the Clevo that said they were “very satisfied with the keyboard”. Ironically, the keyboard was the one thing I didn’t like about my M1730…it just felt mushy to me and I actually preferred the keyboard on my Vostro 1500 (very crisp).

Looking to make the purchase soon, so any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

You mentioned the very crisp feel of the Vostro 1500 keyboard.

Well the P150EM has a crisp keyboard too.

SOURCE: Review Schenker XMG P502 PRO (Clevo P150EM) Notebook - Notebookcheck.net Reviews

Also this review: XOTIC PC - Sager NP9150 (Clevo P150EM) Video Review - YouTube

 

I'm not sure how helpful this is to the OP. He is asking about the P170EM specifically and he even said he read the Notebookcheck review of the P170EM. He is asking for owners to give their opinion...

 

Ups, read the 7 as 5.. thanks for noticing

In that case.

SOURCE: Review Clevo P170EM Notebook - Notebookcheck.net Reviews

And XOTIC PC - Sager NP9170 / Clevo P170EM Video Review - YouTube

lol

 

Aren't the keyboards the same for both models?

I guess I haven't looked close enough to notice and I'm just curious.

 

Theyre the same.

 

I am guessing that is that the 150 and 170 are the same

Regardless, thanks to everyone for the feedback so far. I have read the review over at notebookcheck and have seen parts of the video review, albeit on an iPhone, so I don't know how much I was actually seeing. I will try to watch the whole thing now that I am in front of an actual computer.

 

I touch type. The best way for me to reach the left alt key while my fingers are over the home keys is usually with my left thumb.
The pictures of this Clevo keyboard show the left alt key further left than the 'x' key!
I look for keyboards where the left alt key should overlap the the 'c' key.
The left alt-key is too far left on this Clevo keyboard for me. I've had a keyboard where the left alt-key that wasn't quite that far left and it gave me pain near my base thumb joint after a while, so this would be worse.
I don't understand why such a frequently used key is in a hard-to-reach place.

I wonder if any builders have alternate keyboards that don't have this problem.

 

And don't forget the Windows key moved to the right side of the space bar, which honestly is a big let down for me, as I use the Windows shortcuts all the time. Oh well, at least it wasn't removed.

 

well i always press the alt using my little finger :/ maybe u can try doing that too

lol