Did Lenovo send me a different keyboard replacement?

I asked for a replacement keyboard because my keyboard occasionally had stuck keys for some reason.

Immediately I notice that the replacement keyboard is a bit louder. It feels odd though, my old keyboard felt more tactile, at least right now. Or am I just going crazy? Did my old keyboard just become like that after wear and tear, so that it feels softer yet more tactile. Will I get used to this new keyboard?

Do they have two different types of keyboards for the T500?

I haven't tested the keyboard extensively as of yet, but it does seem like I'm not pressing keys when I actually did. I am a touch typist, so it's bothering me a bit.

 

Lenovo has historically used 3 suppliers for its keyboards: NMB, Chicony, and ALPS. They have slightly different feels and noise levels, so you may have gotten a different supplier's keyboard as a replacement.

 

Any of them "better"? Will I get used to my new one or is my old one better?

 

The NMB one is supposed the "best" one out of all three. Even though all three are far superior to most laptop keyboards out there.
You can tell if you have the NMB one by slightly lifting one of the keys, and looking under them. If they have a blueish look underneath the keys, then you have an NMB.
There is a thread about this posted (I believe) in the thinkpad fourms.

Try here :

http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo-ibm/250978-got-nmb-keyboard-my-new-t61p.html

 

This is the thread to ID your keyboard. I seem to have the 'worse' one, but I still like it a lot. It's all relative.

 

AHH, THAT was the thread I was looking for !!
I was looking for like 30 minutes and could not find it lol

Also, my T61 has the NMB keyboard, and I think it's great ! However, the keyboard on my X301 feels even better ! I have no idea which keyboard is in my X301, but it has a much "softer" feel to it, along with a light rubberized coating on the keys, which makes typing on it a dream !

 

Thanks for the link. Apparently I got the NMB as a replacement. I had the ALPS as my old one. I guess I got the better one, but I'll see if I get used to it. I will probably keep it since my old one had problems anyway.

 

It is only better if you like it more...
However all three are much better than any other laptop keyboard I have used recently.