As far as typing experience on a notebook PC goes, nothing’s quite like a ThinkPad. The old MacBook Pros (none of the Butterfly switch nonsense) come close, but ultimately, the ThinkPad rules the roost.
There’s this sense of satisfaction when you’re typing on a ThinkPad. The perfectly spaced chiclet keys, the delicious key travel that’s just right, and who can forget the polarising red TrackPoint notched between G, H, B, and N keys?
Available only in black, the keyboard weighs 460g and is tilt-adjustable.
So, what if you have your notebook (or ThinkPad) docked and connected to an external display at home or office? Well, for that folks, at CES 2020, Lenovo has announced the new ThinkPad TrackPoint Keyboard II alongside a bevy of tasty new hardware for work and play.
Honestly, the ThinkPad TrackPoint Keyboard II looks like a keyboard that’s been ripped off a ThinkPad X1 Carbon, but that’s exactly the point. It doesn’t just mimic the signature ThinkPad look, you’ll get the exact same features and the familiar, delicious touch and feel.
It’s wireless by the way, offering 2.4GHz wireless connectivity or Bluetooth 5.0. Pair easily via Microsoft Swift Pair in Windows 10 to keep your desk clutter-free.
In case you were wondering, it’s powered by a rechargeable battery which is claimed to offer up to two months of juice on a single charge. All it takes is a 15-minute charge via USB-C to give you up to a week of use.
The external keyboard can connect up to two devices with support for Windows and Android (what? No Mac?) and includes 6-point entry for the visually impaired. A nano USB-A wireless receiver and USB-C to USB-A charging cable are included in the box.
It’s a shame there isn’t a built-in touchpad/trackpad, but I guess you can pair it with a mouse, or if you’re using it with a touchscreen device, you’re all set. That said, TrackPoint fans will argue: Why would you need those?
I can see this keyboard go well with a ThinkVision M14 display and a Samsung Galaxy Note10 with Samsung DeX, as a lightweight mobile workstation. But, that’s just me.
Pricing and availability
The ThinkPad TrackPoint Keyboard II is expected to be available from May 2020, starting at USD99.99 (~MYR411).
I’m sold, how about you?
Follow more CES 2020 updates at vernonchan.com/tag/ces-2020
