Laptop with decent keyboard, matte screen?

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Justintoxicated

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Just wonder if anyone is still making practical laptops anymore. I want a nice keyboard with real switches, and a matte screen so I can use it anywhere not just where my lighting is perfect.

Does such a thing exist anymore?
 
Justintoxicated said:
Just wonder if anyone is still making practical laptops anymore. I want a nice keyboard with real switches, and a matte screen so I can use it anywhere not just where my lighting is perfect.

Does such a thing exist anymore?
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Can you describe what you mean about real switches?

Also if you want something that is practical, check out any ThinkPad from Lenovo.
 
EspoNation said:
Can you describe what you mean about real switches?

Also if you want something that is practical, check out any ThinkPad from Lenovo.
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mechanical / electrostatic switches, (Non island / chiclet keyboards) the only one that used to make them in the past was lenovo / ibm. Are they still the only company?

Looks like Lenovo switched to these shitty keyboards back in 2012 so anyone else making them?
 
The only laptop I've seen with non-membrane keys in ages is that insane new MSI thing with the mechanical switch keyboard. Maybe I'm mistaken.
 
cortexodus said:
The only laptop I've seen with non-membrane keys in ages is that insane new MSI thing with the mechanical switch keyboard. Maybe I'm mistaken.
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I was going to mention this... But that thing is literally too insane to recommend to people. It has Cherry MX keys btw.
 
cortexodus said:
The only laptop I've seen with non-membrane keys in ages is that insane new MSI thing with the mechanical switch keyboard. Maybe I'm mistaken.
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My last laptop was a lenovo X61S, the keyboard was pretty good (scissor switch). I could not find a replacement laptop for it when it died. Why does everyone like these new terrible keyboards so much? I'm pretty sure it's just a marketing ploy to produce laptops with cheaper horrible keyboards. Or maybe it's to me more hipster apple like I dunno. I do know that I do NOT like them at all.

The MSI thing looks huge, not really looking for a gaming laptop.

I guess no one makes what I am looking for so I will have to settle for nothing. No wonder the laptop market is so poor these days, why lenovo decided to destroy the best thing they had going for them I will never understand.
 
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Justintoxicated said:
My last laptop was a lenovo X61S, the keyboard was pretty good. I could not find a replacement laptop for it when it died. Why does everyone like these new terrible keyboards so much? I'm pretty sure it's just a marketing ploy to produce laptops with cheaper horrible keyboards. Or maybe it's to me more hipster apple like I dunno. I do know that I do NOT like them at all.

A decent membrane keyboard would work I suppose

The MSI thing looks huge, not really looking for a gaming laptop.
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I honestly would say your best bet then would be something close to a think pad. Like an HP pro/elite book, or a lenovo offering. I have found that the nicest keyboards on laptops to type with are something near a professional line where they know someone could be typing all the time.
 
Well I'm a software developer so yes I will be mostly typing and reading, so screen and good keyboard are crucial.
 
I think he is talking about scissor keys basically its a membrane switch but it also has a plastic scissor support or spring under it that often improves the springiness of the feel.

I agree with him tough Chiclet keyboards are crap and apple made this crap popular. Keys were designed to have a shape and feel that made them accurate so it guided your fingers into the middle to keep them aligned as well as having a rounded edge so you could feel without triggering if you were going to hit the adjacent key.
 
The Thinkpad X220 is probably the most recent thing I can think of. It was the last model before they switched to the chiclet keys, and it's got a matte IPS display. It's also light and portable but still has an honest to god ethernet port.

Lucky for you I have one I'm looking to get rid of! I though it died on me and ordered a new machine, but turns out it just needed a reformat. 8GB of RAM, 2.5GHz Core i5, and a 160GB Intel X-25m SSD. $250 and it's yours, shipped! It's also got the upgraded dual-band built-in wifi.
 
the.Doc7or said:
The Thinkpad X220 is probably the most recent thing I can think of. It was the last model before they switched to the chiclet keys, and it's got a matte IPS display. It's also light and portable but still has an honest to god ethernet port.

Lucky for you I have one I'm looking to get rid of! I though it died on me and ordered a new machine, but turns out it just needed a reformat. 8GB of RAM, 2.5GHz Core i5, and a 160GB Intel X-25m SSD. $250 and it's yours, shipped! It's also got the upgraded dual-band built-in wifi.
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Very tempting, that's probably fast enough for my needs with a laptop. What resolution is that screen? Is the dual band wifi AC? Looking up more info but can memory be upgraded, I know lenovo likes to solder memory to their slim laptops.
 
Justintoxicated said:
Very tempting, that's probably fast enough for my needs with a laptop. What resolution is that screen? Is the dual band wifi AC? Looking up more info but can memory be upgraded, I know lenovo likes to solder memory to their slim laptops.
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1366x768 it was the upgrades ips display option that year. There are 2 ram slots, and it has 2x4gb in it now. The wifi us dualband N, ac didn't exist and the time.
 
It actually sounds like a pretty decent machine. I was hoping to start looking at something newer, but really I'm not even sure what exactly I need a laptop for just yet. I keep telling myself for coding, but I never seem to get around to writing anything once I'm home from work.
 
I personally really like the keyboard on my MSI GS60 Ghost. It feels pretty damn good for a laptop keyboard. Keys are nice and solid, feel good when typing. It has a number pad as well which is a big plus for me, I was assuming before I got it that it would not, but clearly that's not the case with a lot of these gaming laptops. Of course the back lighting is really sweet as well, customizable with 4 different profiles and effects.

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I have a fully loaded T420s that I am looking to see if anyone is interested.
 
Best keyboards are on Thinkpads. I'd take a look at the new 3rd gen Thinkpad X1 Carbon with matte screen.
 
I really enjoy my Corsair K65 (RGB) keyboard for sure, but there isn't much of a choice when it comes to on-the-go for keyboards. I find my Macbook's keyboard just fine for when I'm out or on my bed. Would I like mechanical keys on the go? Probably not, the noise would be intolerable for everyone around me, but damn if didn't think it'd be cool. Perhaps some o-rings would fix the noise when out and about.
 
Justintoxicated said:
Where's the ethernet port?! ewwww adapter just to plug into ethernet :(
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Too thin for ethernet port. For that you'll have to go for something like the T series such as T440s or wait for refresh with Broadwell and return of dedicated mouse buttons.
 
BiH115 said:
I really enjoy my Corsair K65 (RGB) keyboard for sure, but there isn't much of a choice when it comes to on-the-go for keyboards. I find my Macbook's keyboard just fine for when I'm out or on my bed. Would I like mechanical keys on the go? Probably not, the noise would be intolerable for everyone around me, but damn if didn't think it'd be cool. Perhaps some o-rings would fix the noise when out and about.
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Noise is not really an issue with the hybrid mechanical switches like the scissor switches lenovo uses, or even O-rings reds browns probably. I would prefer non island style silent topre switches for a laptop but they probably would take up too much space since everything is all about being thinner these days, and lugging around a bunch of adapters for your overly thin laptop :p
 
Ended up getting the.Doc7or 's x220. Just about perfect for my needs. Keyboard is great, screen is ok, nice and bright with one tiny bright spot near the edge. I have missed the trackpoint on IBM/Lenovos, the one for dell just isn't the same.
 
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