<p>I don’t need a super powerful lap top, I dont play any kind of computer games, I barely watch movies or videos, so if it isn’t sophisticated its ok, or if its too sophisticated its ok too. Just need to know which ones come with a back lit keyboard so I can weigh and pick. thanks</p>
<p>Both. If any aspiring Steven Kings or Ken Follets out there are thinking they’re going to type their next epic novel on a MacBook Pro or Lenovo or any laptop keyboard, they’re grossly mistaken. </p>
<p>Get a good (pref Bluetooth) wireless keyboard and mouse, an external LCD, and type away. Wife’s new HP work laptop has chiclet (MacBook) style keys and I can’t see typing more than a sentence on it.</p>
<p>People buy USB keyboards that are designed like Thinkpad keyboards. Thinkpad keyboards are pretty good. Prettay-prettay-prettay-good. I’ve got a Thinkpad, and I prefer its keyboard over my (admittedly cheap) external Logitech keyboard.</p>
<p>Mac people are crazy about Macbook keyboards, but I think that that may be for religious reasons.</p>
<p>My daughter got a ThinkPad T420 for college, and while the keyboard is very good - for a laptop - I still suffer from laptop-keyboard-syndrome most of the time typing on it. I have no problem with an older, larger Microsoft keyboard at work or with my cheapie Logitech at home :-)</p>
<p>As a parent I also have more practical reasons for requiring an external keyboard… Spills and the like on a $10-20 keyboard are one thing, spills on a $1k Thinkpad quite another. Also overall laptop tear and wear, and ergonomic positioning of the Thinkpad vs a keyboard, especially when using a cooling pad.</p>
<p>Does anyone think a back-lit keyboard might come in handy if someone is trying to use a laptop, say, in bed, when your roommate is trying to sleep?</p>
<p>Two words…touch typing. Those bumps in your F and J keys are there so you don’t need a back-light.</p>
<p>I think every brand nowadays makes a mainstream laptop with backlit keys. If you want to go cheap you can buy a USB powered LED light on a flexible stem.</p>
<p>And usually the light from my laptop’s screen is enough for me to read the keys whenever I need to look down.</p>