VOGONS

Lenovo Desktop Keyboard Confusion

Topic actions

First post, by gerwin

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Some years ago I was happy to see a quality brand offer a no-nonsense keyboard. With traditional layout and only standard keys. The Lenovo "Preferred pro" USB. (Lenovo sells the "Preferred pro II" currently.)
I bought about 10 over the years, not all from the same source. Some from a well known supplier "informatique" in the Netherlands, which tend to offer the ones I marked 'better quality', some from smaller companies listed in the Dutch tweakers.net pricewatch. No second hand or ebay.

But now I am confused. Quality is all over the place. See attached images.
Nothing matches: Different logo, key prints ink whiteness, key prints font spacing, screw locations, circuit board, rubber dome sheet, key mounting-bushings being square or round...
To make it even more confusing I have a keyboard which is a bit of a hybrid, with features being in between the two pictured models.
(I have one which looks like the better quality one, but has a dead USB interfacing chip, out of the box. Only noticed this when already out of warranty)
At first I had the conclusion that all the ones with the white cursive logo are counterfeit replicas, but when looking online, that would mean most are counterfeit?
I tried the lenovo serial check. But the good one's serial is not recognized already.

Similar topic:
Supposed NIB "OEM" keyboard from Lenovo - how to identify a counterfeit/replica

--> ISA Soundcard Overview // Doom MBF 2.04 // SetMul

Reply 1 of 3, by chinny22

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Looks like "Preferred Pro" is a keyboard series rather then a specific model.
You'll be safer when seaching to confirm it's P/N matches one on your good list

Dell did a similar thing with their Quietkey range
The RT7D5JTW being is quite desirable been considered one of the nicest rubber dome keyboards of all time
Others in the Quietkey range not so much
https://deskthority.net/wiki/Dell_QuietKey

Reply 2 of 3, by gerwin

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
chinny22 wrote on 2022-12-16, 13:18:
Looks like "Preferred Pro" is a keyboard series rather then a specific model. You'll be safer when seaching to confirm it's P/N […]
Show full quote

Looks like "Preferred Pro" is a keyboard series rather then a specific model.
You'll be safer when seaching to confirm it's P/N matches one on your good list

Dell did a similar thing with their Quietkey range
The RT7D5JTW being is quite desirable been considered one of the nicest rubber dome keyboards of all time
Others in the Quietkey range not so much
https://deskthority.net/wiki/Dell_QuietKey

Keyboards are often a series I recon, since they have to be made in different regional variants for one. (I am talking about the usual QWERTY en/US variant here. )
I read in that Dell Quietkey link there: "Made in Thailand before Dell's move to China". So that's the "official chinese replica" as well...
One would expect, when a brand moves a product to a cheaper manufacturer, they send the designs to them. But with these Lenovo keyboards, I am sure one of the models is a reverse-engineered version of the other, like they did not have the design drawings, just a physical example to refer to. That is what it looks like.
I now found for this Lenovo keyboard there is model SK-8825, and the inferior KU-0225. The KU-0225 exists with either the old or the new Lenovo logo. These models are not advertised as such at Lenovo, neither at the common resellers. I am still trying/waiting to get an explanation from Lenovo and the reseller. But Lenovo's service, for a matter like this, is... poor.

--> ISA Soundcard Overview // Doom MBF 2.04 // SetMul

Reply 3 of 3, by gerwin

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

I got some sort of reply. Informing me both my resellers are official Lenovo dealer. So the inferior keyboard model is an official product and a chinese replica all at once. I have given up on getting more explanation from Lenovo on this matter, could not reach anyone knowledgeable. Rather disappointing.

--> ISA Soundcard Overview // Doom MBF 2.04 // SetMul

Go to top of page Go to top of page
Back to Milliways
Close window
Close window