Home > Consumer Reviews > IBM 31P9490 Keyboard for Thinkpad (Black)

Like it's big brother, the full sized IBM 31P8950, this travel version sans number pad is a pure delight to work with, and for the same reasons.

Well built and sturdy while also sleek and lightweight, the key action is fast, light, uniform, and comfortable. A fast touch typist dreams of keyboards which don't fight back -- and in this IBM, typing becomes a gentle dance.

The design is both professional and attractive, and spares us the waste of large additional buttons of questionable utility. For those with space saving issues, the USB ports and option to do away with a mouse with TrackPoint and/or the touchpad are each decidedly a plus.

Although this is a full size board for the character keys, the layout and size of the lesser-used keys (insert, delete, home, end, page up/down, cursors, etc) are somewhat offbeat, and will feel small and misplaced to an experienced touch typist. In particular, if you normally use Ctrl key shortcuts by touch, you'll find yourself often hitting either the cursor keys on the right or the function-shift on the left. These issues are simply a matter of acclimation which we probably face with all new keyboards.

A nice touch to the package is a well made, top loading case with a fold-over top, magnetic clasp, and a pull-out strap similar to the ribbon found in the battery compartment of radios for quick removal of tightly places AA cells. The case is not the junk one becomes accustomed to in case-included packages.

This keyboard is perhaps not for everyone. People uncomfortable with a laptop keyboard will be equally ill at ease here. I would strongly encourage anyone considering this purchase to read all the Amazon reviews for the IBM USB Keyboard with UltraNav (31P8950) to gain greater insight into this product -- the two keyboards are virtually identical, except for the omission of a keypad on this, the travel version.

But for a discriminating touch typist who uses only the best, I'm unable to believe you would be disappointed. To my mind, the IBM UltraNavs simply have no equal.

I've been using the keyboard for over two weeks now and I am glad I purchased it. I'm using it primarily as a keyboard for my desktop Mac -- not as a travel keyboard. The pros are:
1. Small footprint -- I have limited desk space, so having a small keyboard was critical.
2. ThinkPad feel -- I use a ThinkPad for work and love the feel of the keyboard. This keyboard has that same feel.
3. A TrackPoint for the desktop -- I love having mouse control without having to take my hands off of home row.

The cons are:
1. No Mac drivers. It works, but you don't get all of the keyboard's functionality when its attached to a Mac.

Overall, it lived up to my expectations for the keyboard and I would buy it again.

I am a fan of keyboards with a short keystroke, and this one fits the bill. I am using it on my desktop, and it's nice to have the same keyboard as my thinkpad. The touchpad and trackpoint work well although I also use a mouse. The only complaint I have is that the USB cable is too short to reach my tower under the desk, so I had to put an extension on it. The keyboard comes with a nice soft case. I just wish I could find something to use it for, because this keyboard never leaves my desk.

I have used this keyboard infrequently for about 3 months. Recently, a problem developed. Every 5 minutes or so, both mouse devices will stop working, and then start again in a few seconds. The key quality is cheap and uneven, as some have mentioned, but not horrible. The trackpoint is prone to drift, and often is unusable due to the drift. Since that was my main reason for buying this keyboard, I am very frustrated. The keyboard is supposed to have a one year warranty, so I thought I'd try to talk to Lenovo/IBM about it.

I first talked to a generic claim handler, who requested that I fax my receipt to them. I did so. I got a call back within a few hours from someone else saying that they did not have a warranty for the item referenced in my receipt. Strangely, the part number advertised on Amazon (which matches the part number on the box) does not match the part number on the keyboard. When I realized this, I called the representative back to tell them the number printed on the keyboard. I left 2 voicemails trying to get in touch with her prior to the 48-hour deadline until she closed the case. She left a voicemail for me about 3 hours prior to that deadline (Sunday), without referencing either of my voicemails. I called that representative back today, and was informed that this product was not covered under any warranty - despite what Lenovo's own product page says. I called the general service center again, and was referred pretty quickly to a local service center. I called the service center. They told me that they were a software provider, and not a hardware provider, so they couldn't help me. I again called the general service center. When I told them my reference number to try to get through the initial information faster, they informed me that my case had been closed due to a lack of response (on my part). I have just completed my 5th conversation with an IBM or Lenovo rep, and my issues are still unresolved.

Anyone who finds this trail as frustrating as I do should avoid this product (and Lenovo/IBM, who are proving to be incredibly inept at customer service) at all costs.

This doesn't feel quite a solid as the genuine article. That said, the ThinkPad keyboards are the best I've used, at least until their spring mechanisms start falling apart. To put that in perspective, I often wear through the black color on the palm rests to the underlying colored plastic; I always wear out the letters on top of the keys. So genuine ThinkPad quality is a pretty high standard.

I'm quite satisfied with this keyboard. I've paired this with the Targus AWE26US laptop stand (Targus AWE26US Ergonomic M-stand for Notebook Computers), which raises the laptop screen to an better height for me. The stand has a hook for storing a keyboard, and since this keyboard has integrated pointing devices, the pair make a nice, neat solution to the problem of the laptop form factor's poor ergonomics.

The layout of this keyboard looks very much like the T4x Thinkpad series; it might even be possible to pop the keyboard unit out of this and pop a surplus "genuine" Thinkpad keyboard into it. I haven't taken this one apart to see because I'm reasonably happy with this unit, but I'll probably look into it.