@@daydodog Do to the RSI in my wrist from typing nearly my whole life If I'm at home, or somewhere with a large surface I'll use my Sharkk vertical ergonomic wireless mouse, otherwise yep it's the track point on my Thinkpad X140e as under Linux Mint 19 Mate the trackpad is a jittery mess.
I don't use a mouse anymore, they are inconvinient. A trackpoint is superior to a trackpad and excellent for fast navigation just put the sensitivity close to max just like for a mouse. They have it at low sensitivity for beginners. If need to do high precision work like drawing or photo editing then I use my cheap, small, portable drawing tablet from XP pen, much better than a mouse at the same price point and more useful. The trackpad I only use for two finger scrolling, since that's all it's good for, so even if I nudge the trackpad it doesn't move the the pointer since I disabled one finger input on it. I mostly scroll with the trackpoint + middle button anyway, but sometimes when I need to scroll fast I use the trackpad with two fingers.
Although the symbol used is for square Nautical micromiles. Not sure which is the correct unit, mind you, just pointing this out in a non-nerdy, matter-of-fact-like, this-is-not-at-all-important tone of of voice.
The PS/2 mouse port isn't a complete pass-through, it feeds into the controller on the keyboard and re-processes it. It only reads 2 buttons, and doesn't support scroll wheels. I use my M13 with a Pi YMouse converter, which allows setting the mouse to be more sensitive. The trackpoint in the M13 is rather slow, so this helps a bit.
I daily drive this in my programming job, chosen specifically for the trackpoint (and nerd cred, if we're honest). Yes it's not the best example of an eraserhead but it's great for programming and spreadsheets because often you just need a small mouse movement or a quick click and it's faster to just whack the trackpoint to select some text or dismiss some dialog. I wouldn't really want to use this without a mouse next to it though. I bought mine a couple years ago and my word are they expensive now! Sadly my legends are beginning to wear off but that's ok, looks more vintage.
I **LOVE** the trackpoint. I have a thinkpad 380Z with one. With tuning and practice. You can start to get very precise and crank the speed up a little eliminating the sluggishness
Finally the review of what I consider one of the sexiest keyboards ever made! And the only I have ever seen that unluckily confirmed what I already suspected: that the keycaps are printed, and that the trackpoint is not up to modern standards. I generally prefer trackpoint over trackpad on notebooks, as you mention it doesn't need resetting position and I find it less in the way compared to trackpads that I keep pressing with my palms (especially bigger ones and when placed in the middle of the palm rest instead of the middle of the axis passing between G and H). I had one in a core 2 duo thinkpad of mid 2000s and I really liked it, but probably it has the advantage of a decade or more of improvement. The lack of the third button for scrolling in my opinion makes it impossible to use nowadays, at least as only mouse input. But damn, a black model M!
I have a distinct memory of a trackpoint being so very, very useful in the one PC I used that had it. That was a long time ago, and I reckon that unless not trying to break your hands from the home row while typing up a big paper or something, that it wouldn't be a big advantage.
I have its modern counterpart (a 2014 Unicomp EnduraPro) and it's my favorite keyboard of the 5 I own. It does feel lighter and crisper than other Model Ms I've tried, and the 2005 Unicomp PC 122 I have, surprisingly enough. Have you tried removing the rubber nub from the trackpoint? I believe Unicomp's mechanism is not the same as the M13, but when I lost the nub on my Unicomp's trackpoint, that ended up giving it a much larger range of motion and it felt way more responsive - of course, the cost of this is that it's way less comfortable to use for a long period of time. But it's fine for the occasional nudge if I don't have a mouse available.
I have been looking for the M13 for a while and could never find one.... And yet you somehow found one that has a working trackpoint and isn't too used...for $100.... I am very salty rn
My m13 (that im typing on now) was made in the USA and the printing on the caps is way nicer then than the one you show. Little to no wear on the white caps and looks to be a better build quality that your example. love your work! Keep it up!
7:24 Seeing the M13 and Unicomp next to each other really emphasizes how much more awesome looking the black case is on the m13. It's darker and has a better texture.
The trackpoint is also a good way to force you to touch type correctly. If you hit G and H with the wrong hand you have to move your fingers over the trackpoint.
If someone made a pcb with a trackpoint in a nav clusterless keyboard I'd sell them probs buy 4 Watching Thomas do his thing is like great asmr with a review of the thing I like
Oh my goodness, I forgot about these!!! Never used one, but remember seeing these in other people's homes in the Y2K era, and being confused about "that red thing" on the keyboard LMAO 😂
My black maxi switch m13 is now 26 years old; no signs of the letters on the keys wearing off yet, and the cable is still intact, too; I can't say why others have cables that fall apart early. As far as a track pad being better than the trackpoint device, it seems it really depends on which you learned to use first. People who had trackpads first will prefer those, and those of us who started off with IBM laptops with the trackpoint will likely prefer that. This keyboard will probably out live me. Sturdy? You betcha. And, I got it for $25 at a computer flea market in 1998. Beat that!
I've got one of these as my Model M, I love trackpoints on IBM thinkpads, but I don't use mine on this board much. Still it's awesome, and a real looker.
Lexmark also made M13 Trackpoint II keyboards, Unicomp was formed by people who used to work for Lexmark who bought the molds and rights to make Model M keyboards, and they even have a modern M13 called the EnduraPro, which is not exactly the same as a vintage M13. Unicomp/Lexmark Model M keyboards are made in Lexington, Kentucky.
I managed to get one of these for free a couple years back. Some crazy person was throwing a load of good PC parts away, and among a modern CPU, mobo and a graphics tablet there was this keyboard. I couldn't believe my luck not in bad condition either.
About the pointstick "clitoris" I'd like to add, used one on an IBM Thinkpad laptop from about 2003 or so. That one was really great to use, but after that one I have not seen any comparable one at all ever.
Every time you diss the TrackPoint I boil inside - so much so that I can't hear what you are saying for the next minute - forcing me to rewind a minute and risk hearing you diss the TrackPoint our lord and savior yet again. May IBM have mercy on your soul.
who does the trackpoint of the Model M13 compare to the trackpoint of traditional thinkpad keyboards? are you not a huge fan of the trackpoint of the thinkpad keyboards too? cheers
Yes. Bought one many years ago for $3 at a thrift store and quite liked it. Fell in love with it's track point to the point when I broke the left button and foolishly got rid of it, I looked and looked for a replacement I could afford. Couldn't find one. Actually, that trackpoint became more important to me than buckling springs so I ended up settling on IBM Space Saver IIs which are RD but have a very similar trackpoint only with 3 buttons. It's RD so not ideal but it feels pretty good for RD. It's loud enough people think it's 'clicky'.
I wish there was a keyboard kit that was just this board, but with an MX compatible pcb. Textured, large bezel black plastic AND Box switches? That’s my perfect keyboard.
The trackpoint could be handy, not as a mouse replacement, but as a secondary device. So if you're typing and make a typo or wanna change something, you can just use the trackpoint to move the cursor rather than taking your right hand off the alphanumeric section and using your mouse or your arrow keys, an argument a lot of 60%ers use for layered nav buttons.
This is by far the best option. The day Lenovo removes the trackpoint from their thinkpads is the day thier thinkpads die. I actually used a trackpoint for gaming for years. It’s honestly not terrible for low precision stuff like minecraft
So, unfortunately, Unicomp no longer sells unprinted black key sets. They ran out of right shift keys so even if you are able to convince them to sell you a set, you'll be missing your right shift keys. And that was a few years ago. By this point they may have run out of some of the other keys as well... You can still buy single black keys if they have them in stock.
Awesome review! @8:50 There seems to be a minor difference in sound compared to the normal Model M´s, maybe because of the keycap material difference. This black one seems slightly more "clacky" to me
you misunderstand the point of a trackpoint. as a mouse replacement for mouse heavy activities, like CAD or gaming, it's a nipple of torment, but it's heavenly handy when editing text for hours. often you can set it up to tap the stick to click, and hold the middle button to scroll. when your wrists are already hurting, it's a blessing. they are pretty cool little deices too.
I've gotten an IBM RT3200 now, it's got a lovely Trackpoint IV with scrolling and lovely feel :) It's been brilliant to have a trackpoint on desktop ... But unfortunately I just can't get over not having a numberpad I've tried for a few months now, but it's such a hassle that I've stopped using it because of it :( I can't find any desktop keyboard with a numpad and has a three button trackpoint ;/
Yikes, that spacebar makes a horrible rattly sound!!! Though I reckon this keyboard is one of the most beautiful, stylish black keyboards I've ever seen. :-)
i want a spacesaving variant of this keyboard without the numblock. it would be the perfect keyboard. with model f typeing feeling and beamspring sound.
I love the trackpoint, using a tiling window manager just means all I need the mouse for is things I can't do with the keyboard. I was looking to get my hands on this for the trackpoint, now I wonder if the point on the modle m is just bad
@@Chyrosran22 If possible, save up for a RollerMouse RED. The learning curve is a little high, but after you get used to it, you can control it by either your thumb(s), or fingers, , either use it one handed or two in certain situations, and you can switch hands on the fly without having to move the entire unit. Also it renders the whole "I need more space for my mouse" argument moot since it will work with any keyboard that isn't some curvy ergo monstrosity of a keyboard. (Edit: Every thing from this point onwards was a unintended rant. View desecration is advised!) Its pretty precise and just like trackballs, it is kind of a, as long as you learn to use it, it will be fine type of deal. There's other RollerMice but the others have various misc. problems that the RED fixed. Yes is expensive as all hell for a "mouse" (imo I prefer the term cursor/pointer - control. Mouse is basically to the cursor-control world as "mechanical" is to keyboards. Its a useless umbrella term that doesn't work very efficiently in practice) I'm not sure if the other RollerMice have this, but for some reason the RollerMouse RED doesn't seem to have perceivable cursor drift. I did not anticipate this and expected it to be god awful for gaming. I play 2-D games so needless to say my assumptions was not the results. Never go full assumption mode. It always leads to some sort of over sight. PS: Regular optical mice to me are the cherry MX of the cursor control world. I don't like them. Mice are needly little buggers and give very little in exchange. "Oh but they can have more buttons". Just save up for a Elecom-Huge at that point! (Huge trackball with a hilariously high button count) Mice are overrated. Their cons are hilariously thrown under the rug hoping nobody notices. While I'm on this tangent I had no intention of getting into, I also hate how mice, to get the most out of them, you need a mouse pad to go with it. Mice are cheap, until you take the mouse pad into account as well. Even with cheap mousepads, the mousepad's cost plus the mouse itself adds up. (In addition to the injuries mice cause. Like low profile keyboards, but amplified 10 times over and concentrated on your entire arm. Mice are an abusing relationship filled to the brim with enabling. Which is how companies like Razer keep getting away with shenanigans) PSS: I only intended on recommended a RollerMouse RED only to rant instead MB. XD PSSS: Forgot to mention that the DPI goes pretty high on the RollerMouse RED should you set it to be so. Also reprogrammable buttons. 6 to be precise. 7 if you count the optional "tap to click" as a "button". My personal set up is to have the center button below the scroll wheel as left-click, and the tap to click to be right-click. That way no matter which hand I switch to, it is more a less the same layout. It even allows for profile layouts for different programs. So if I make a button layout profile for a specific game, when I play that game, it automatically switches my button profile to that specific game profile I made.
TrackPoint - you obviously do not know how to use it. It is incomparably more precise, ergonomic and faster than a trackpad. You can even play games with that, it's that good. Every time I am forced to use a laptop without TrackPoint, it is an exercise in torture and frustration + makes me feel like I'm about to get arthritis in my fingers.
Yeah i was gonna say once you get used to it its nice. I use my thinkpad at work standing up (in a warehouse) and it actually lets me use the laptop one handed, something a trackpad wont let me do. (Try clicking and dragging one handed with a trackpad)
No hate on your typing style. I was more, let's say classically trained, but it just seems these days people just figure out what works for them. That said, I cannot fathom how you interchange your right index finger and right thumb to operate the space bar that way. It seriously boggles the mind!
Can't wait for comparation with old and maybe new Thinkpad keyboard as well. Probably best if you can get X61 like X220 like X230 like Ones since when Thinkpad become fully Lenovo they change layout and force need to press a bit (x61 x220) and then in 2013 with x230 they change type of keyboard
I'm typing this comment on a Lenovo Thinkpad X140e with a trackpoint, and I really like it when I'm traveling, and don't have my ergo vertical mouse with me, and it's way more accurate than the track pad on this laptop, and I really want an IBM Model M13 for my work PC if I can ever find one in good shape for under $100 USD, as it would look great on my desk with everything else being black.
I'd say the K120 is indeed durable and cheap. However, it is also a cheaply built, case-flexes-on-every-touch disappointment when it comes to typing feel.
i would actually love to have one of these, but i already dont have the buck to buy a model m. but it would be very cool to not have to switch to a mouse everytime i have to do something with it and totally lose the home row
God.. I wish I could find this keyboard some day. I already have a TEX Yoda 2 with a trackpoint and it rocks! I'd mainly like to use the black keycaps from the M13 on my Unicomp Mini M. That would be one banger of a keyboard :3
Tex recently released the Shura, it addresses most of the problems I had with the Shinobi, but it has no palm rest and a different layout. Might be a good thing to check out. The trackpoints Tex make are the best and most precise ive ever used once you put it on the max speed. Better than any thinkpad trackpoint ive ever used, and ive found myself using it a lot especially to replace the scroll wheel.
Hey kerel, Are you interested in a "Tulip ATK 0.2.01.01 [Serial No. ATK 01.88.25]" keyboard to try out? I'm in .nl too, so I can just send it to you cheap, and you can send it cheaply back to me when you're done with your review. They came with the Tulip Compact 2 pc's [which I also have]. If anything, I think it would be fun for you to check out something Tulip. :)
If you like either reds or blues, give Bloody's keyboards with LK-Libra Switches a try. No lube needed and they're unreal levels of smooth. People say MX reds are silky smooth, they ain't ready for Bloody's LK-Libra Browns! Now THAT is silky smooth. PS: In case its asked, yes they come in TLK and even left-num-pad-fullsized, and regular full sized. The full sized ones are around $150 (USD) with the TKL generally being cheaper. They are found on Amazon. Cherrys are a nice gate way drug into the keyboard switch world. But once other options are tried out, the "gate way" part starts making a lot more sense. Not to disrespect or anything, but I think people do themselves a disservice going with Cheries. (at least they aren't Razer users. NOW THAT is doing yourself a disservice!) Buckling springs are nice but peoples' preferences have changed over time. Lots of people seem to like the light feel of the most popular Cherries. So if you want something like Cherry, but better, LK-LIbras are the way to go (if you like reds or blues). I blame lack of information and the hive mind for why Cherry MX or Razer are still making tons of money for what are essentially budget mechanical switches. Cherry MX is a good budget mechanical switch, but never forget that it is that. Kind of like how the IBM Model M was a budget keyboard alternative to the Model F yet its the Model M thats remembered for being the king of keyboards. All in all, look at every option available in your respective regions before buying in to hype. These last 5 years are just majority opinions being repeatedly wrong on their assumptions, so needless to say, take whatever anyone says with a grain of salt, including me.
THERAZORKILLE I think it’s decent enough for the typical white-collar worker. It’s cheap (free in most cases), it not too big and it’s easy to type on. I’m not saying it’s high quality though.
As neat as having a pointing device on your keyboard is I think its too bad that this is the only way to get a black model M with black printed keycaps
ahhh, sadly i need to buy one of those active ps2 thingies to get my "red dot" and the buttons below to work. As i only have one port that is occupied by the keyboard itself. Everything else works tough!, super happy with my m13.
So I work for IBM, I know people who refuse to use mice or trackpads, the trackpoint is their only option
I'll use a mouse for my desktop, but on my thinkpad, i don't see a reason to use anything else.
@@daydodog Do to the RSI in my wrist from typing nearly my whole life If I'm at home, or somewhere with a large surface I'll use my Sharkk vertical ergonomic wireless mouse, otherwise yep it's the track point on my Thinkpad X140e as under Linux Mint 19 Mate the trackpad is a jittery mess.
Bryce Snell That's trackball erasure.
Those people are dicks.
I don't use a mouse anymore, they are inconvinient. A trackpoint is superior to a trackpad and excellent for fast navigation just put the sensitivity close to max just like for a mouse. They have it at low sensitivity for beginners. If need to do high precision work like drawing or photo editing then I use my cheap, small, portable drawing tablet from XP pen, much better than a mouse at the same price point and more useful. The trackpad I only use for two finger scrolling, since that's all it's good for, so even if I nudge the trackpad it doesn't move the the pointer since I disabled one finger input on it. I mostly scroll with the trackpoint + middle button anyway, but sometimes when I need to scroll fast I use the trackpad with two fingers.
old keyboards look pretty good in black imo
Oh man. I've got something GREAT-looking coming up sometime in the New Year ;D .
@@Chyrosran22 Ooooo can't wait
“square nautical millimiles” CHYROS IM DYING
Although the symbol used is for square Nautical micromiles. Not sure which is the correct unit, mind you, just pointing this out in a non-nerdy, matter-of-fact-like, this-is-not-at-all-important tone of of voice.
At least you died with a last good video!
THAD IS BACK FROM JAIL!
If that ergo-split keyboard is the holy grail of buckling spring keyboards, I reckon this right here is the excalibur of them.
How dare you dissing our beloved trackpoint è_é
Says nautical millimiles, but wrote nautical micromiles. I am triggered, but I really shouldn't be.
Looks like I misread it off the script xD .
I knew something was wrong..
(mNM)^2 = uNM^2
Every single day I get triggered by the fact that my country still uses the imperial system.
Thank you for always sharing the imperial measurements
The PS/2 mouse port isn't a complete pass-through, it feeds into the controller on the keyboard and re-processes it. It only reads 2 buttons, and doesn't support scroll wheels.
I use my M13 with a Pi YMouse converter, which allows setting the mouse to be more sensitive. The trackpoint in the M13 is rather slow, so this helps a bit.
I will definitely screencap this info, thank you!.
What people could do is get gray caps from Unicomp. The gray and black scheme is elegant in my eyes.
This is true, but Unicomp already do boards with that colour scheme, so it's less "unique", so to speak.
@@Chyrosran22 I guess that makes sense. If they want a unique keyboard like the M13, they want the whole thing, not parts of it
I daily drive this in my programming job, chosen specifically for the trackpoint (and nerd cred, if we're honest). Yes it's not the best example of an eraserhead but it's great for programming and spreadsheets because often you just need a small mouse movement or a quick click and it's faster to just whack the trackpoint to select some text or dismiss some dialog. I wouldn't really want to use this without a mouse next to it though. I bought mine a couple years ago and my word are they expensive now! Sadly my legends are beginning to wear off but that's ok, looks more vintage.
Mad props for high-temp roast of an imperial system. Laughed out loud.
I **LOVE** the trackpoint. I have a thinkpad 380Z with one. With tuning and practice. You can start to get very precise and crank the speed up a little eliminating the sluggishness
Finally the review of what I consider one of the sexiest keyboards ever made! And the only I have ever seen that unluckily confirmed what I already suspected: that the keycaps are printed, and that the trackpoint is not up to modern standards. I generally prefer trackpoint over trackpad on notebooks, as you mention it doesn't need resetting position and I find it less in the way compared to trackpads that I keep pressing with my palms (especially bigger ones and when placed in the middle of the palm rest instead of the middle of the axis passing between G and H). I had one in a core 2 duo thinkpad of mid 2000s and I really liked it, but probably it has the advantage of a decade or more of improvement. The lack of the third button for scrolling in my opinion makes it impossible to use nowadays, at least as only mouse input. But damn, a black model M!
I have a distinct memory of a trackpoint being so very, very useful in the one PC I used that had it. That was a long time ago, and I reckon that unless not trying to break your hands from the home row while typing up a big paper or something, that it wouldn't be a big advantage.
right on the money as usuall Thomas , your presentation makes history lessons in keyboards so interesting an entertaining
Thank you :) .
I have this keyboard! Really exciting to see one of my favourite pieces being reviewed on this channel!
I have its modern counterpart (a 2014 Unicomp EnduraPro) and it's my favorite keyboard of the 5 I own. It does feel lighter and crisper than other Model Ms I've tried, and the 2005 Unicomp PC 122 I have, surprisingly enough.
Have you tried removing the rubber nub from the trackpoint? I believe Unicomp's mechanism is not the same as the M13, but when I lost the nub on my Unicomp's trackpoint, that ended up giving it a much larger range of motion and it felt way more responsive - of course, the cost of this is that it's way less comfortable to use for a long period of time. But it's fine for the occasional nudge if I don't have a mouse available.
It's extremely uncomfortable without the nub xD .
Glad that someone mentioned the EnduraPro
Unicomp could really need more exposure.
"A symphony in ebony" Superbly worded, Sir
Keyboards evolved bakwards after 1990
I own this exact same Model M13 as you do! Even it's not the most classic or collectible one, I still love the color&metal logo&trackpoint the most!
Your reviews of the Model M family keyboards make me wonder more and more why I keep mine on a shelf as a sacred relic...
I do really like the Trackpoints of Thinkpads. Do you know if this one has the same feeling, or is it different?
I have been looking for the M13 for a while and could never find one....
And yet you somehow found one that has a working trackpoint and isn't too used...for $100....
I am very salty rn
My m13 (that im typing on now) was made in the USA and the printing on the caps is way nicer then than the one you show. Little to no wear on the white caps and looks to be a better build quality that your example. love your work! Keep it up!
Hehe, i was very lucky around 2008 and brought my M13 II for just 57USD from Ebay :-D It was completely unused.
7:24 Seeing the M13 and Unicomp next to each other really emphasizes how much more awesome looking the black case is on the m13. It's darker and has a better texture.
The trackpoint is also a good way to force you to touch type correctly. If you hit G and H with the wrong hand you have to move your fingers over the trackpoint.
Does this guy do audiobooks, I feel like if he does asmr or audiobooks he’d be racking up millions of views
No, and on a fairly recent Q&A, he mentioned that he's already quite busy doing this and his job, so he hasn't had much of an opportunity to try.
If someone made a pcb with a trackpoint in a nav clusterless keyboard I'd sell them probs buy 4
Watching Thomas do his thing is like great asmr with a review of the thing I like
Excellent pronunciation of Guadalajara! A lot of English speakers seem to shy away from that back-of-the-throat sound.
Piece of piss for a Dutchman to pronounce ;) .
Oh my goodness, I forgot about these!!! Never used one, but remember seeing these in other people's homes in the Y2K era, and being confused about "that red thing" on the keyboard LMAO 😂
My black maxi switch m13 is now 26 years old; no signs of the letters on the keys wearing off yet, and the cable is still intact, too; I can't say why others have cables that fall apart early. As far as a track pad being better than the trackpoint device, it seems it really depends on which you learned to use first. People who had trackpads first will prefer those, and those of us who started off with IBM laptops with the trackpoint will likely prefer that. This keyboard will probably out live me. Sturdy? You betcha. And, I got it for $25 at a computer flea market in 1998. Beat that!
I've got one of these as my Model M, I love trackpoints on IBM thinkpads, but I don't use mine on this board much. Still it's awesome, and a real looker.
You made me pull my own copy of M13 from the storage :)
Mexican here, never thought any mechanical keyboards were ever manufactured down here, so learning about this was fascinating.
Quite a lot of MKs were produced in Mexico! A lot of manufacturing from the USA was spun off there.
@@Chyrosran22 Were any Cherry MX or Alps keyboards made in Mexico?
@@Beegstation Yes, some AT101's and AEKII's were made in Mexico. A lot more came from IBM and especially Key Tronic, though.
hello and welcome to an LGR keyboard thing, and this thing is the IBM model M13
been waiting for this one
"Square nautical millimiles"
This is definitely my favorite keyboard channel.
Lexmark also made M13 Trackpoint II keyboards, Unicomp was formed by people who used to work for Lexmark who bought the molds and rights to make Model M keyboards, and they even have a modern M13 called the EnduraPro, which is not exactly the same as a vintage M13. Unicomp/Lexmark Model M keyboards are made in Lexington, Kentucky.
Apparently the EnduraPro's form stemmed from a Japanese sized Model M13, but well, in a ANSI layout with english legends. I could be wrong though.
I managed to get one of these for free a couple years back. Some crazy person was throwing a load of good PC parts away, and among a modern CPU, mobo and a graphics tablet there was this keyboard. I couldn't believe my luck not in bad condition either.
About the pointstick "clitoris" I'd like to add, used one on an IBM Thinkpad laptop from about 2003 or so. That one was really great to use, but after that one I have not seen any comparable one at all ever.
Excellent, thanks. I was wondering if I wanted to buy one of these. You have answered my question.
Every time you diss the TrackPoint I boil inside - so much so that I can't hear what you are saying for the next minute - forcing me to rewind a minute and risk hearing you diss the TrackPoint our lord and savior yet again. May IBM have mercy on your soul.
Just found one of these in a dumpster
who does the trackpoint of the Model M13 compare to the trackpoint of traditional thinkpad keyboards? are you not a huge fan of the trackpoint of the thinkpad keyboards too? cheers
You've got it backwards. The trackpoint is by far the most useful of the three.
Have you used an M13, then? If not, it might well be quite different from Trackpoints you're used to.
Yes. Bought one many years ago for $3 at a thrift store and quite liked it. Fell in love with it's track point to the point when I broke the left button and foolishly got rid of it, I looked and looked for a replacement I could afford. Couldn't find one. Actually, that trackpoint became more important to me than buckling springs so I ended up settling on IBM Space Saver IIs which are RD but have a very similar trackpoint only with 3 buttons. It's RD so not ideal but it feels pretty good for RD. It's loud enough people think it's 'clicky'.
@@jasonsdodd Man those trackpoints/pointsticks. Once one gets used to them, if its gone it feels like something is missing on the desk.
@@Spearra Agreed.
This is, effectively, the keyboard from IBM-era Thinkpads as a standalone unit.
I wish there was a keyboard kit that was just this board, but with an MX compatible pcb. Textured, large bezel black plastic AND Box switches? That’s my perfect keyboard.
Have you looked at the shinobi yoda
@@brenster21 Eh, not really my thing. The plastic looks too matte(read: easy to wear), and the shape is unappealing to me.
@@TDownit_Strider fair enough.
The trackpoint could be handy, not as a mouse replacement, but as a secondary device. So if you're typing and make a typo or wanna change something, you can just use the trackpoint to move the cursor rather than taking your right hand off the alphanumeric section and using your mouse or your arrow keys, an argument a lot of 60%ers use for layered nav buttons.
This is by far the best option. The day Lenovo removes the trackpoint from their thinkpads is the day thier thinkpads die. I actually used a trackpoint for gaming for years. It’s honestly not terrible for low precision stuff like minecraft
Good video as always!
anyone who talks trash on the track point just doesn't know how to touch a klit
So, unfortunately, Unicomp no longer sells unprinted black key sets. They ran out of right shift keys so even if you are able to convince them to sell you a set, you'll be missing your right shift keys. And that was a few years ago. By this point they may have run out of some of the other keys as well... You can still buy single black keys if they have them in stock.
Awesome review! @8:50 There seems to be a minor difference in sound compared to the normal Model M´s, maybe because of the keycap material difference. This black one seems slightly more "clacky" to me
I also don't type "correctly" and I had to remove the nub thing from my old Thinkpad laptop because I kept hitting it while typing.
Git gud m8. I learned to love TrackPoint.
>dissing the TrackPoint
Thank you for the nautical millimiles
They are micromiles. It's written in the video but read badly.
i bought one of these for 75 USD this week in good condition
looks gorgeous
TEX Shinobi keyboard.
please where i find these black keys could you tell me the link i can buy thanks!
5:20 I have waited for five mins til he types the keyboard. 5 mins is never been that long to me.
you misunderstand the point of a trackpoint. as a mouse replacement for mouse heavy activities, like CAD or gaming, it's a nipple of torment, but it's heavenly handy when editing text for hours. often you can set it up to tap the stick to click, and hold the middle button to scroll. when your wrists are already hurting, it's a blessing. they are pretty cool little deices too.
YOU FORGOT THE PHOTOS. *sniff* I was looking forward to that...
...oh, so that's how YT does bold. That wasn't supposed to come out like that...
Nice vid mate
My dream keyboard!
2:40 what keyboard is that?
Can you do a top-10 of currently available switches, to get an idea which one of the Cherry clones is decent.
They're all fairly comparable imo. Nothing fundamentally different. A little bit of variety, but almost none.
I've only used trackpoints on thinkpads so I don't know how this one feels ,but man I want one so bad just for that trackpoint !!
Don't, it's ultra shite
It uses IBM's 1st gen trackpoint which is pretty terrible
@@tristan6509 still a trackpoint on a PC , I'd kill for that
My dream is to have a full ps2 keyboard (WITH A NUMBERPAD) that has a trackpoint in it
I've gotten an IBM RT3200 now, it's got a lovely Trackpoint IV with scrolling and lovely feel :)
It's been brilliant to have a trackpoint on desktop ... But unfortunately I just can't get over not having a numberpad
I've tried for a few months now, but it's such a hassle that I've stopped using it because of it :(
I can't find any desktop keyboard with a numpad and has a three button trackpoint ;/
Yikes, that spacebar makes a horrible rattly sound!!!
Though I reckon this keyboard is one of the most beautiful, stylish black keyboards I've ever seen. :-)
i want a spacesaving variant of this keyboard without the numblock. it would be the perfect keyboard. with model f typeing feeling and beamspring sound.
Beige models are cheaper than the black ones? Are you sure? The only time I've seen a beige model under 300 dollars was for a broken one.
They were selling NIB beige ones for $100 quite recently.
@@Chyrosran22 This is certainly news to me.
There's one now on ebay for $75. Says it's working but the cord is frayed.
It's too bad that Unicomp won't make make any laser etched or double shot caps in black. I'd love an all black Model M.
SWAT 4? My man!
I love the trackpoint, using a tiling window manager just means all I need the mouse for is things I can't do with the keyboard. I was looking to get my hands on this for the trackpoint, now I wonder if the point on the modle m is just bad
I'm sure it works for some people. For me it was just too slow xD .
@@Chyrosran22 If possible, save up for a RollerMouse RED. The learning curve is a little high, but after you get used to it, you can control it by either your thumb(s), or fingers, , either use it one handed or two in certain situations, and you can switch hands on the fly without having to move the entire unit. Also it renders the whole "I need more space for my mouse" argument moot since it will work with any keyboard that isn't some curvy ergo monstrosity of a keyboard.
(Edit: Every thing from this point onwards was a unintended rant. View desecration is advised!)
Its pretty precise and just like trackballs, it is kind of a, as long as you learn to use it, it will be fine type of deal. There's other RollerMice but the others have various misc. problems that the RED fixed. Yes is expensive as all hell for a "mouse" (imo I prefer the term cursor/pointer - control. Mouse is basically to the cursor-control world as "mechanical" is to keyboards. Its a useless umbrella term that doesn't work very efficiently in practice)
I'm not sure if the other RollerMice have this, but for some reason the RollerMouse RED doesn't seem to have perceivable cursor drift. I did not anticipate this and expected it to be god awful for gaming. I play 2-D games so needless to say my assumptions was not the results. Never go full assumption mode. It always leads to some sort of over sight.
PS: Regular optical mice to me are the cherry MX of the cursor control world. I don't like them. Mice are needly little buggers and give very little in exchange. "Oh but they can have more buttons". Just save up for a Elecom-Huge at that point! (Huge trackball with a hilariously high button count) Mice are overrated. Their cons are hilariously thrown under the rug hoping nobody notices. While I'm on this tangent I had no intention of getting into, I also hate how mice, to get the most out of them, you need a mouse pad to go with it. Mice are cheap, until you take the mouse pad into account as well. Even with cheap mousepads, the mousepad's cost plus the mouse itself adds up. (In addition to the injuries mice cause. Like low profile keyboards, but amplified 10 times over and concentrated on your entire arm. Mice are an abusing relationship filled to the brim with enabling. Which is how companies like Razer keep getting away with shenanigans)
PSS: I only intended on recommended a RollerMouse RED only to rant instead MB. XD
PSSS: Forgot to mention that the DPI goes pretty high on the RollerMouse RED should you set it to be so. Also reprogrammable buttons. 6 to be precise. 7 if you count the optional "tap to click" as a "button". My personal set up is to have the center button below the scroll wheel as left-click, and the tap to click to be right-click. That way no matter which hand I switch to, it is more a less the same layout. It even allows for profile layouts for different programs. So if I make a button layout profile for a specific game, when I play that game, it automatically switches my button profile to that specific game profile I made.
TrackPoint - you obviously do not know how to use it. It is incomparably more precise, ergonomic and faster than a trackpad. You can even play games with that, it's that good. Every time I am forced to use a laptop without TrackPoint, it is an exercise in torture and frustration + makes me feel like I'm about to get arthritis in my fingers.
Yeah i was gonna say once you get used to it its nice. I use my thinkpad at work standing up (in a warehouse) and it actually lets me use the laptop one handed, something a trackpad wont let me do. (Try clicking and dragging one handed with a trackpad)
Matte Black MKBHD approved!
best looking M IMO
also i disable the track pad on my laptops and just use the track point, so im quite used to them.
No hate on your typing style. I was more, let's say classically trained, but it just seems these days people just figure out what works for them. That said, I cannot fathom how you interchange your right index finger and right thumb to operate the space bar that way. It seriously boggles the mind!
A C T U A L L Y, 49x21cm is 29.945 nautical nano-miles square by my calculations. Please correct this egregious error to avoid confusing people!
I just used an online converter to help me deal with all this medieval bullshit xD .
@@Chyrosran22 Haha, I'm not even sure I'm right at all, I did it by hand with just the Windows calculator and might very well have mucked it up.
omg i want the ssk version of this keyboard with trackpoint
That looks like the model m for a thinkpad
Can't wait for comparation with old and maybe new Thinkpad keyboard as well.
Probably best if you can get
X61 like
X220 like
X230 like
Ones since when Thinkpad become fully Lenovo they change layout and force need to press a bit (x61 x220) and then in 2013 with x230 they change type of keyboard
I'm typing this comment on a Lenovo Thinkpad X140e with a trackpoint, and I really like it when I'm traveling, and don't have my ergo vertical mouse with me, and it's way more accurate than the track pad on this laptop, and I really want an IBM Model M13 for my work PC if I can ever find one in good shape for under $100 USD, as it would look great on my desk with everything else being black.
What a handsome keyboard
ever thought of reviewing a K120 from logitech? I've seen a few people recommend it due to being durable and cheap
I'd say the K120 is indeed durable and cheap. However, it is also a cheaply built, case-flexes-on-every-touch disappointment when it comes to typing feel.
@@LouisCYUL agree lol
i would actually love to have one of these, but i already dont have the buck to buy a model m. but it would be very cool to not have to switch to a mouse everytime i have to do something with it and totally lose the home row
I wish they made the ten keyless model M in a track point.
God.. I wish I could find this keyboard some day. I already have a TEX Yoda 2 with a trackpoint and it rocks! I'd mainly like to use the black keycaps from the M13 on my Unicomp Mini M. That would be one banger of a keyboard :3
Tex recently released the Shura, it addresses most of the problems I had with the Shinobi, but it has no palm rest and a different layout. Might be a good thing to check out.
The trackpoints Tex make are the best and most precise ive ever used once you put it on the max speed. Better than any thinkpad trackpoint ive ever used, and ive found myself using it a lot especially to replace the scroll wheel.
Hey kerel,
Are you interested in a "Tulip ATK 0.2.01.01 [Serial No. ATK 01.88.25]" keyboard to try out? I'm in .nl too, so I can just send it to you cheap, and you can send it cheaply back to me when you're done with your review.
They came with the Tulip Compact 2 pc's [which I also have].
If anything, I think it would be fun for you to check out something Tulip. :)
I wanna try one of these now when he said it blow cherry’s out of the water I’ve only my ever tried cherry’s
If you like either reds or blues, give Bloody's keyboards with LK-Libra Switches a try. No lube needed and they're unreal levels of smooth. People say MX reds are silky smooth, they ain't ready for Bloody's LK-Libra Browns! Now THAT is silky smooth.
PS: In case its asked, yes they come in TLK and even left-num-pad-fullsized, and regular full sized. The full sized ones are around $150 (USD) with the TKL generally being cheaper. They are found on Amazon.
Cherrys are a nice gate way drug into the keyboard switch world. But once other options are tried out, the "gate way" part starts making a lot more sense. Not to disrespect or anything, but I think people do themselves a disservice going with Cheries. (at least they aren't Razer users. NOW THAT is doing yourself a disservice!)
Buckling springs are nice but peoples' preferences have changed over time. Lots of people seem to like the light feel of the most popular Cherries. So if you want something like Cherry, but better, LK-LIbras are the way to go (if you like reds or blues). I blame lack of information and the hive mind for why Cherry MX or Razer are still making tons of money for what are essentially budget mechanical switches. Cherry MX is a good budget mechanical switch, but never forget that it is that. Kind of like how the IBM Model M was a budget keyboard alternative to the Model F yet its the Model M thats remembered for being the king of keyboards.
All in all, look at every option available in your respective regions before buying in to hype. These last 5 years are just majority opinions being repeatedly wrong on their assumptions, so needless to say, take whatever anyone says with a grain of salt, including me.
Spearra thanks dude I’ll try em
Connection Trick:
-Mouse --> USB
-Keyboard --> Purple PS/2
-Trackpoint Control --> Green PS/2
yeah it works lol
Why were you *aiming* at the hostages heads? ;)
I was trying to handcuff them xD .
1:20 Finally telling people to shut up about the L100 because it's still trash even for a rubber dome keyboard.
THERAZORKILLE I think it’s decent enough for the typical white-collar worker. It’s cheap (free in most cases), it not too big and it’s easy to type on. I’m not saying it’s high quality though.
Even the keyboards at my school are better than this pos L100. At least its not as bad as some hideous logitech gaming keyboard ive seen.
Huh, for some reason I thought these have rubberdomes unlike usual Model Ms.
There were rubber dome M's, and there were rubber-dome Space-Saver II keyboards with trackpoints, but normally these are buckling spring.
As neat as having a pointing device on your keyboard is I think its too bad that this is the only way to get a black model M with black printed keycaps
Has anyone ever tried putting a matte clear over the caps to protect them?
Swat 4.
It's such an amazing game! I hope they do it justice and remake or give it a sequel sometime ^^ .
@@Chyrosran22 True. There is currently a game in development called "ready or not": voidinteractive.net/
ahhh, sadly i need to buy one of those active ps2 thingies to get my "red dot" and the buttons below to work.
As i only have one port that is occupied by the keyboard itself.
Everything else works tough!, super happy with my m13.
Still waiting for somebody to make doubleshot caps for the M. But that'll probably never happen, sadly.