I have a X280 right now, and I like the glass fibre reinforced body with Magnesium alloy base, feels good. I would like to have an option like that one day.
There’s actually a huge thread asking for a trackpoint but the end consensus was that there’s actually not enough room in the Framework to fit the trackpoint, at least for the 13" model.
Regarding the keyboard, I really like the Macbook Pros keyboard (even the old early 2015 and the current M1 Max models), even then I am kinda mixed that I find my current X280 keyboard feels better somehow? I think it is the key travel/tactile feel? The Framework keyboard to me feels more similar to a HP Elitebook 840 G6 to me, it is not amazing but I kinda guess good enough (I was very happy as I was coming from a Toshiba Z930, but that really bad). It feels good enough during use as long I don’t rotate between working on my desktop with a Keychron Q6 and the Framework.
I wonder if there’s a way to fit a X280 or even an old 2015 MBP keyboard to substitute the 13" keyboard though.
@amoun
You’re right. Send over two more frameworks and it’ll be just fine
@Anachron
You have some good points, although anything below 1.5kg is totally fine for me. But being able to reuse or resell older framework parts after upgrading is a really nice plus!
Regarding modding communities, I think the Thinkpad one is very abundant as well (see all the Frankenpads).
@Morpheus636
will get one when it is released. btw I’m seeing already marks from my keyboard on my screen. It is this disease of new Thinkpads, Macbooks and many other.
@Jieren_Zheng
Best chiclet keyboard I used so far is in the Thinkpad T440p (not the standard one). Just outright marvelous.
Best traditional keyboard: I’m kinda torn between the R61, X200/X201 and I even got myself an IBM 600X in 2017 as it was said to have had the best laptop keyboard ever built. But could find anything considerably better then the other good classical Thinkpad keyboards.
@Jieren_Zheng I have a T480s which was my daily driver until I got the Framework, and one of the reasons it was such an easy transition is the 1.5mm travel on both devices. Newer Macs are 1mm…one of the many reasons I will never buy an Apple device. Also Thinkpad keyboards have a curve to the keys that well…no other keyboard beat it.
I think one issue is that the amount of space to fit a longer key travel is rather limited especially you are talking about thin 13" models.
I do really like the curve of the keys too.
Would be nice if we can see some kind compromise on the Framework (a third party keyboard maybe?) for a curved one with maybe a slightly lower key travel to keep the size the same.
Perhaps even crowdfund a Thinkpad like keyboard for Framework 13" models.
I did not had this problem till 2 months ago.
But i got myself a big microfiber cloth and now there are no more marks and I always have something to clean the screen.
If I’m doing a 3d printed case I’ll probably go with either something x220 style or x260, not sure if I actually still prefere the 220 keyboard. The t480s is definitely a step down from the x260 so I’d probably not go newer.
@Chr
Yeah, but that is exactly what I disdain about all this new slick&slender nonsense. “Put a cloth in between” here “put always in a sleeve” there.
I mean when I’m between conference rooms, planes or trains to catch, I need to be able to close my laptop in the last second (after finishing some mail or spreadsheet) - and not need to worry about styling fashion-tech. Sometimes I open and close it like 15 to 20 times a day (I would loose the most critical minutes in which I can’t add value for my clients).
That is the main reason why I might regret having bought the framework - but let’s see.
@Adrian_Joachim
I hear you. A 3d printed case supporting a keyboard with bigger key travel, more contour on the keycaps and retracting it a bit so not to press against screen when closed would be just OMG, shut up and take my money.
Tex is working on a second keyboard that is a similar layout but smaller (called the Shura) and they are working on new double shot keycaps [1][2] - I think this kind of aesthetic is definitely what theyre going for (and I love it too)
Random question to this thread, how does the X280 keyboard compares with the other Thinkpad keyboards here? I haven’t used a Thinkpad before this current model except a T43, but I do feel the X280 is nice to type on.
IMO, meh…the bar for laptop keyboards has been pretty low since about 2012/2013, as they’ve been aiming for slimmer and slimmer design…and so key travel was sacrificed. But it’s decent when compared to other post-2013 laptop keyboards.
I have access to and use pretty much all Thinkpads since X201 till T490 generations daily. The keyboard on the X280 is about the same as all X2xx series from X240 and onwards - 1.8 mm key travel. Personally my favorite ones are from the X230 - 2.5 mm and T460 - 2.1 mm. Anything below 2mm is noticeably worse. From the newer ones I like the one from X1 Carbon Gen 6 the most, it has the same 1.8 mm key travel as the X280 but feels crispier and somewhat deeper but hard to notice if you don’t use them all everyday.
So I guess the X280 keyboard I find nicer over the Framework and an HP Elitebook 840 G6, is still considered the subpar keyboard haha. I remember the T43 one I used was horrible though.
It’s not hard to be better than the one in HP Elitebook 840 G6, it’s one of the worst I have typed one. In my opinion the X280 is about standard for Thinkpad and better than most as feeling but it’s not full width so subpar for Thinkpad line yes.
Wait until you tried a Toshiba Z930 or even a recent Acer Aspire 3 haha.
I wonder if there is enough space to fit something like a Thinkpad X280 type of keyboard in a Framework 13. The traditional one with a longer key travel would be impossible (I don’t even think the 16" model has enough space). Sadly, there’s no space to fit a trackpoint either.
I would love to have the Thinkpad fibreglass/carbon fibre reinforced plastic + magnesium alloy chassis though.
I wonder if we can actually find a way to crowdfund these features for a 3rd party mainboard.
I’d be very interested to have one. (Even if the keyboard you plan to use isn’t my favourite one. But having mousebuttons and a trackpoint would be just awesome.
So far calculations point to an increase for keyboard height from the original 3.8 mm to 6 mm. Any keyboard that fits in it and can connect via USB will work . The keyboard itself is not part of the project and the tricky part is the hinge arm height that has to be adjusted accordingly.
