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Hardware numberpad on all 17 inch laptops

160 points posted to Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops by phil.christs May 10

On 17 inch laptops there is plenty of space for a full size keyboard with a hardware numberpad to the right of it. All 17 inch laptops should have them. This is one way in which Dell's workstations could be better than the Macbook Pro.

finkisadink
May 10		 (My take... or, to explain my negative vote...)

A 17" notebook is really a portable desktop more than a laptop - if a full size number pad's useful then there's always the ability to plug one in via USB (or a full size external keyboard for that matter).

The other issue is one of geometry: offsetting the QWERTY keyboard to the left or right would mean typing offset slightly to the centre of the screen, which (speaking for myself) I'd find more than a little annoying, particularly if or when using the laptop on a lap or airline food tray or whereever.
phil.christs
May 11		 Fair comment, Fink. I have two reasons why I missed this. I personally work with numbers more than words, and find that a hardware keypad, built into the laptop chassis, so that it doesn't slip around and I can use it on train tray tables, absolutely indispensable. Secondly, desktop keyboards have the keyboard to the left anyway. However I do understand your point that you'd like to be centered over your lappie for touch-typing.

On the other hand if you don't need a full size keyboard with a hardware numberpad, then why not go for a 15 inch model which would fit on planes and trains much more easily? You'd then be centered over your laptop too. 15 inchers are now coming with WUXGA screens (1920x1200, e.g. Thinkpad 61p) too, so the screen issue is dropping in prominence. Certainly the only killer feature for me personally for a 17 inch over a 15 inch laptop is to be able to fit a full size keyboard with a hardware numberpad onto the unit.
gear
May 11		 The difference with a desktop keypad being "offset" is you can move the keyboard on a desk.

The inclusion of a hardwired num pad is a terrible idea --- you can supply a bluetooth keypad for a few dollars which people can place wherever they want either on the right or left side.

The wildly offset 17" laptop keyboards on the HP and Toshiba laptops make them very difficult to use.
elkar
May 12		 This is not something that all users would want, so adding this to ALL 17" laptops wouldn't be such a good idea. The Vostro 1700 already has this feature built-in, So maybe people who want a number pad should look at that line?
 
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