Anyone have thoughts on Lenovo removing the trackpoint on it's newest thinkpads?

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marklein@reddit

One has to assume that Lenovo has good data on Trackpoint usage via data collection. If eliminating it causes an acceptable number of lost sales (and seriously, what other brand is selling Trackpoint equiped laptops anyway) then it seems like a no-brainer.

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Accomplished-Cup9887@reddit

One has to assume they don't give a crap that's it's part of the allure for a large number of users.

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ReichMirDieHand@reddit

Once you learn how to use trackpoint you start using it exclusively. I hope they will bring it back, and I will continue using my X1 with trackpoint.

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Accomplished-Cup9887@reddit

This

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MonstersGrin@reddit

I won't miss it, to be honest. I love the keyboard on Thinkpads, but TrackPoint was never something I looked out for. That being said - correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't X9 a completely new model? Maybe they just decided to make this one "stand out" in a pack of Thinkpads, by omitting it, and it doesn't mean that future Thinkpads will also lose it?

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Accomplished-Cup9887@reddit

They keyboards suck now, too

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sweetroll_burglar@reddit (OP)

I wasn't familiar with the x9, so I hope you're right. So maybe this is a nothing burger and I'm outraged for nothing. One can hope! I just walked Lenovo's 2025 CES booth virtually on their website, and the only thinkpad models on display are X9's. *sigh*

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MonstersGrin@reddit

Just checked again - it seems that X9 didn't exist before. Although, it still baffles me - they've created IdeaPad line to be sort of a ThinkPad without a TrackPoint, and now they're watering down the ThinkPad range. What the hell are they thinking?

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Taavi179@reddit

Trackpoint is the main reason i use Thinkpads

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Accomplished-Cup9887@reddit

This. So the bad news is no trackpoint. Is it good news that I will now buy another laptop brand? Not for Lenovo.... If there's no more pointing stick, I see no reason to stick with the brand. SHITTY KEYBOARDS AND NO TRACKPOINT. Later, Felicia.

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kevcruzer@reddit

quite literally

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churning_medic@reddit

I'm already cringing that they changed the color of the P16 to gunmetal... I want black! The touchpad on this thing also sucks... Then again I'm coming from a T510 touchpad... I know the bumps were controversial but I liked them and got used to them. That laptop has 15 years of mileage on it and counting (never know when I'm gonna need a dial-up modem 🤣). All good things must come to an end. Maybe the tariffs will make Lenovo cave 🤣. Meanwhile... Dude, I'm getting a Dell!

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Seranek@reddit

I really like thinkpads and i have one for work and a personal one. The trackpoint could be broken and i wouldn't know. Never used it, I don't care if they remove it as long as they keep the build quality and linux compatibility.

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sweetroll_burglar@reddit (OP)

build quality and linux compatibility is probably the low-key true requirement for myself, but imagine if they removed the trackpad or... the enter key. that's how I feel right now. It's a keystone of my productivity.

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churning_medic@reddit

I miss the blue enter key on my T510... Which still works

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Seranek@reddit

Yes I understand for somebody else this can be rough, especially as there is no alternative notebook that has a trackpad. At least I'm not aware of another manufacturer.

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churning_medic@reddit

Is there a tariff on nipples?

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nazgron@reddit

My work include scrolling through pages, hundreds, while typing, a lot, so yeah no trackpoint no buy.

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Gullible-Block-4509@reddit

I very rarely use my laptop off of the Dock, so i could care less about the keyboard clit.

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TheDongles@reddit

I’m not a fan only because this was how I got employees to let me replace their old unmanaged HP laptops was by talking it up. Like hey this has a new battery, keyboards in better shape, usbc, and also hey you can finally find the clit, can’t miss it. They chuckle, I take their laptop and destroy it before they realize it’s not the fabled clit but a weird mouse alternative.

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Visible_Scar1104@reddit

They must've seen that XKCD comic.

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Humble-Plankton2217@reddit

The Nub. I never used it, but that red bit popped off enough times to be massively annoying.

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Nervous-Equivalent@reddit

I don't use the Trackpoint at all, but I think it's a mistake. Mainly because (at least in my eyes) Lenovo Thinkpad has a great reputation and the trackpoint harkens back to the original.

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Key-Calligrapher-209@reddit

(equips monocle) You mean the Centrally Located Interface Technology? In all seriousness, I never use it. It's pretty rare that I use my Thinkpad not in a dock anyway.

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Nervous-Equivalent@reddit

People keep saying they're on all the Lenovo laptops but I've never been able to find it on mine.

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Key-Calligrapher-209@reddit

Every laptop is a bit different. Have you tried asking the laptop to show you where it is and what it likes? Don't be shy.

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Happlord@reddit

Clit

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Hellse@reddit

Thanks :/

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Common-Application56@reddit

Extra sad face

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BaconNationHQ@reddit

I'm okay with the removal of the keyboard clitoris.

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KaelthasX3@reddit

I couldn't care less. Touchpads today are so much better than they used to be 10-20 years ago, that the track points are are useful as man nipple.

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a60v@reddit

Same. I disable the touchpad and use the pointing stick exclusively. I am also bitter that most other laptop manufacturers got rid of physical touchpad buttons in the last few years. I can (grudgingly) accept using a touchpad, but not without physical buttons.

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m00ph@reddit

100% about physical buttons, not even Apple can't make it work well.

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ITBadBoy@reddit

I am a physical button stan for sure but having used many different iterations of Mac touchpads, the current ones as of M1, M2 macs have incredible haptics that I forget are not physical buttons until I reboot and the click doesn't happen. They also have the bonus that there is nothing to wear out. I am also however the proud owner of too many thinkpads, and my preferred thinkpad X200 has no touchpad altogether.

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sweetroll_burglar@reddit (OP)

the trackpads are disabled on all my thinkpads as well. Can't have that inferior design interrupting me ;)

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random_character-@reddit

Is _thaf_ what that red dot I never touch is for? Ohhhhh.

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eigreb@reddit

Didn't know there were even laptops with Trackpoints in existence. Been using touchpad forcefully since then. But I know how you feel, I really want an old non glossy screen. They were great.

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Fwank49@reddit

Strange more than anything, it's such a strong part of the ThinkPad brand, and the haptic trackpad 'buttons' on the latest models is a great compromise between the feel of physical buttons while not taking up a quarter of the trackpad space for people who don't use the trackpoint. Although as someone who only occasionally uses the trackpoint I wish they would let you automatically enable/disable the buttons if you're touching the trackpoint or not.

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cjchico@reddit

I use the Trackpoint exclusively. Since I learned how to actually use it, it's been so much faster than using the touchpad. Any time I have to work on a machine with a traditional touchpad (even if the touchpad is really nice), I'm just slower. Hopefully this is just a trial run of a different line of ThinkPads, similar to how the Z series was. It would be nice if they kept the Trackpoint on at least one line for us die-hards.

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Haunting-Prior-NaN@reddit

Been using TP since the 90s, but never got quite the hang of the track point, though I sporadically switch between them.

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sweetroll_burglar@reddit (OP)

exclusive trackpoint user here as well. with the trackpoint and my shortcuts, I've never gone back to a mouse, much less a trackpad.

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kremlingrasso@reddit

I learned to use it when my wrist started to hurt in my first job (apparently 8 hours of clicking and then going home and game all night isn't good for you). Since I'm left handed I can use the trackpoint while using my right for a mouse. The trackpoint's biggest advantage over everything else is that your hands are on the keyboard at all times so you can switch between the cursor and typing so much faster. Miss it when it was phased out on our brand.

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elcheapodeluxe@reddit

Among the first things I do is disable the trackpad. I do use a trackball when I'm at my desk, though.

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m00ph@reddit

Touchpads are ok, I miss the clit, touchpads with no buttons are awful, even Apple can't make them not suck. I will wish I had a T60 15.1" with the QXGA (2048x1536) screen. Newer internals would be fine though.

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yspud@reddit

i love the nipple... also love the whole lenovo keyboard feel with the concave keys .. it's the best by far and my favorite laptop to sell clients.. if they remove the nipple id be pretty upset

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Brett707@reddit

We just had to order a thinkcrap for a new guy. I don't understand how anyone likes them. The keyboard are just odd and I think it's great they are giving up the pointer nipple. It had a nice screen that was about all it had going for it.

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Valdaraak@reddit

Thinkpads have some of the better keyboards on a business laptop, and that's on top of them being one of the better business laptops in general. Get out of here with that "thinkcrap" nonsense.

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Brett707@reddit

I have never liked them. The keyboard is an odd size for me I can type just fine on any other laptop. If I try to type on a ThinkPad I just can't the keys are all in the wrong spot for me. I have also had to deal with thinkpads and their oh-so-wonderful docks. Sorry, but their USB C docks are complete utter garbage. I have had more issues with them than Dell and HP combined.

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mcdithers@reddit

Their docks are dogshit…I have 37 TB4 docks sitting in storage and replaced them with Plugables. That being said, their X, P, and T series laptops are superior to every other manufacturer. I’ve worked in Dell and HP shops and their failure rates are several times higher than Lenovo. The Dell and HP shops were casinos with controlled climate and air filtration. My current Lenovo shop is a manufacturing company that’s hard on their equipment, and the laptops spend most of their time on the manufacturing floor. I’ve had one failure in 3+ years with over 100 laptops, and that one failure was a 7 year old laptop. Stay away from the E series, and most of the L series, though.

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Any-Fly5966@reddit

What do you use?

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Brett707@reddit

HP Elitebook and a 16" MacBook pro

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LastTechStanding@reddit

Hah, glad someone else calls it a nipple

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slippery@reddit

Trackpoint was IBMs greatest invention. Even better than Postfix.

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NemoJones@reddit

I’ve never used one for more than a few minutes out of curiosity or hey something’s wrong with my mouse/trackpad but it’s insanely popular and a trademark of the brand. Terrible idea but I suppose they have research to back it up.

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I_NEED_YOUR_MONEY@reddit

A few weird nerds who haven’t bought a new laptop since 1995 are going to be furious.

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12stringPlayer@reddit

Blasphemy.

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everettmarm@reddit

Loved this. Didn’t have to move my fingers from home row keys.

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Fake_Cakeday@reddit

What model is the newest ones? We've got two new models recently and I haven't noticed or checked if they had the red nubs. Either way, no feelings from here. I've only used it when the drivers for the touchpad weren't working after a fresh USB install for testing 🤔

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sweetroll_burglar@reddit (OP)

the latest two x9's apparently: https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/7/24332411/lenovo-thinkpad-x9-trackpoint-specs-price-ces

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Fake_Cakeday@reddit

Huh. Not what I expected. I'd no other lineup using those nibs/nobs/doodads/thingies? (Forgot the word for it)

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pdp10@reddit

That "Microsoft CoPilot" key is straight pandering. I'm not enamoured with Mac nor Chromebook keyboard layouts, but it's become some race to the bottom, choice of least-bad option.

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daqqer2k@reddit

Holy hell... no no no... i even disable touchpad in bios on my thinkpads. That is a bad idea to remove it.

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JoeyJoeC@reddit

I knew one person who used it, and they only used it to prove they could use it. The rest of the time they used the touchpad or a mouse.

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FortLee2000@reddit

Admit 1: I'm not reading everything in this thread. Admit 2: I am an advocate and absolute user of that bloody red nubbin since inception in the 1990s. Admit 3: My client's install a USB mouse on almost every laptop I've ever delivered.

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ITLevel01@reddit

My wife owes a lot to Lenovo

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AppIdentityGuy@reddit

🤣🤣

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bmxfelon420@reddit

Hate it. I use my Thinkpads to tune my car, and touchpads suck while you're driving.

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unixuser011@reddit

The last real ThinkPad was the T480

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jtbis@reddit

The keyboards keep getting worse also. I went from a T490 to a T14 Gen 3 and the new keyboard is no better than HP/Dell. The keys aren’t curved anymore and have very little travel.

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FauxReal@reddit

It is so nice once you get used to it. it's my favorite laptop pointing device.

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planedrop@reddit

I honestly have always felt like the nipple was cool but I never actually liked using it. I personally think it's totally fine to remove it, but that's just me.

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boukej@reddit

Female genital mutilation is terrible!

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IcyUnderstanding8203@reddit

Are they removing the clit before putting the ctrl key in the right place? 🤦‍♂️

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mr_data_lore@reddit

It's not a ThinkPad without the TrackPoint.

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GLotsapot@reddit

You mean that little keyboard clit? I hate that thing

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1d0m1n4t3@reddit

That's because you are licking it instead of flicking it

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GLotsapot@reddit

Gotta lick before you flick... Everyone knows that

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rdesktop7@reddit

The framework laptops are superior in nearly all ways to a lenovo laptop. I still have a Lenovo because I still love those trackpoints. Without them, just give me a framework.

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Ok-Boysenberry2404@reddit

So your saying they still make them now ? I think that’s more shocking than the fact they will stop like every other brand on earth. Thought the mouse clit was over years ago. Lenovo the only brand who still makes these?

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sweetroll_burglar@reddit (OP)

well not everyone is capable of recognizing perfection when they use it. ;)

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Ok-Boysenberry2404@reddit

Whaha buttttttt if it’s so perfect, why did all the brands stopped and now Lenovo too ? 😆 Naw can imagine if you are used to it, it’s a bummer they stop making laptops with it. Hope your current laptop equipped with laptop clit lasts forever. No other brand that makes these ? I thought IBM used to make them. Not sure they still do.

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sweetroll_burglar@reddit (OP)

yeah we have some old dells laying around that have their own version of a trackpoint with a blue tip, but I felt they weren't as good. that said, even some recent Lenovo trackpoints are garbage; I'm looking at you TrackPoint Keyboard II with your horrendous polling rate

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pumpnut@reddit

I think the traditional ThinkPad, with the nipple mouse and blue enter key, originated from IBM and was sold to Lenovo.

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Ok-Boysenberry2404@reddit

So they bought it and now abandon it. Harsh....

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phalangepatella@reddit

The little red nubbin? We called it something other than trackpoint, but it’s probably not appropriate here. Anyways, other than making jokes about it, I don’t think I’ve ever used it. Now I’m going to go try, probably fall in love with it, and then be pissed that it’s going away on new models.

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ISeeDeadPackets@reddit

Just say it ........ clitmouse!

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Valestis@reddit

I always had difficulties finding it on my notebook.

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Godcry55@reddit

Today, I learned that my T490 has a touchscreen. I love Lenovo laptops

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random420x2@reddit

I know this sounds idiotic, but it seems like a bit of my IT pass is being removed. At one point these were absolutely the best pointer device available.

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Money_ConferenceCell@reddit

Are they finally gonna put the FN key in the right place? I know it can be changed in BIOS but still annoying.

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DeadFyre@reddit

Dumb idea, touchpads suck.

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Creative_Onion_1440@reddit

They're removing the trackpoint? I love those!

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Mr_5ive7even@reddit

Y'all don't use an external mouse and it shows. Heathens.

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sambodia85@reddit

My first laptop was a secondhand A22m from eBay I got in 2004. I’ve always likened it to driving a manual car, it’s jerky and clumsy when you first learn, but once you get a good feel for it you’ll outperform an automatic in almost every way. The key thing about them is your hands don’t have to travel between typing and mouse positions, which is greatest when using in weird positions like car or couch. Hopefully they keep them around in the professional devices.

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sirachillies@reddit

Never been a fan of the track point personally. Gets in the way of typing.

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cosmos7@reddit

No trackpoint = not a real Thinkpad

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sys6x@reddit

[https://xkcd.com/243/](https://xkcd.com/243/)

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shamanonymous@reddit

I'm a monster that uses the upper mouse buttons while using the 'clickpad', I've never liked the trackpoint itself, but I'm glad it's there for the extra buttons. But I have a surface at my new place, that I use almost exclusively on-dock, so it's a non-issue nowadays. As long as I have my unlockable scroll wheel, I'm happy.

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ronin_cse@reddit

It's not the first time they have tried this so who knows. In the past people were upset enough that Lenovo added it back so I guess we'll see what happens this time.

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bbx1_@reddit

As a die hard ThinkPad guy, I agree. https://preview.redd.it/4419s7fygmbe1.png?width=2184&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a80a84ad38fa380c3f0c7d5911d2c56545e748b9

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pdp10@reddit

Lenovo trying out those cost reductions like the T440-series without the three discrete pointer buttons. If the userbase pushes back, they'll revert to including the traditional feature.

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karlsmission@reddit

The X9's are not part of their main business lines, and target a very different audience. The X9 reminds me of the X1 carbon. Not a work horse, pointed more at the executive level to look more fancy than functional. I know we've all set up more MacBook pros for C level execs who do nothing more than check email all day, simply because they had to look good in meetings.

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liftoff_oversteer@reddit

I guess nobody uses the clitstick anyway.

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kero_sys@reddit

I wouldn't know where to find it

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liftoff_oversteer@reddit

Who does ...

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elcheapodeluxe@reddit

This honestly has been the only reason I've been sticking with Lenovos. If they do away with them entirely they can kiss my business goodbye.

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TinderSubThrowAway@reddit

I’ll miss it, it’s what I prefer. I prefer it because that’s what came on my very first laptop, a toshiba satellite 220CDS before touch pads were common and every laptop I have owned since has also had one. I think it’s way more efficient if you actually know how yo use it.

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traumalt@reddit

I never learned to use it because in my normal day to day I have to use a variety of different peripherals and the trackpoint is pretty much exclusive to select few models of laptops. It’s proprietary rubbish, up there with apples “magic” mouse in my opinion.

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the_doughboy@reddit

Tobias said it best: [https://imgflip.com/i/hw59w](https://imgflip.com/i/hw59w)

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nmsguru@reddit

Been using Thinkpads since 95’, big fan of the trackpoint. Hope that this is not true, but I believe the Chinese will do anything to save on the hardware manufacturing regardless of any user requirements

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FreeButterscotch6971@reddit

I'm sad to see it go, but I never got used to it myself.

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amcco1@reddit

No nipple? No buy.

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datafox00@reddit

I would miss it, it is my preference when it is available.

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valryuu@reddit

NOOOO Rip the mighty thinkpoint :(

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19610taw3@reddit

Back in the early days of laptops before touchpads were really good - these were great to have! But modern touchpads are so good, I don't even use them when I have them.

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georgecm12@reddit

I can't think of a single person where I work that uses the EraserPoint. Won't miss it in the least.

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MartinDamged@reddit

Whaaaaat? Do you have any link to information about this? Its one of the prime reasons to buy Thinkpads for us!

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ProfessionalBee4758@reddit

https://www.golem.de/news/thinkpad-x9-neues-design-aendert-tastatur-und-streicht-trackpoint-2501-192155.html it is not smart

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ez12a@reddit

had one on a X1 carbon back in 2015. Was okay until it started drifting. On a MBP from work now and largely prefer the trackpad.

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sryan2k1@reddit

We haven't used Lenovo in 15 years, so no thoughts.

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Spartan1997@reddit

I'm not sure whether to downvote you because your comment isn't relevant, or to upvote you for the joke.

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