Lenovo has removed its iconic TrackPoint nub from new ThinkPad laptops | PCWorld
Lenovo has removed its iconic TrackPoint nub from new ThinkPad laptops | PCWorld
The Lenovo ThinkPad X9 Aura Edition being showed off at CES 2025 lacks the iconic TrackPoint nub in a nod to a new, modern design that includes Lenovo AI Now.
removing the nub from ThinkPad is like removing cheese from a cheeseburger.
it'll still be a laptop, but a nubless ThinkPad will always look wrong.
Next thing you know they'll put the Ctrl back in the right place.
It's honestly the only reason I still buy them. If Lenovo removes the nub or Framework adds it, I'm switching to Framework. Give me a 14" T or E series with TrackPoint and I'm happy.
Those who don't use it are only mildly annoyed by it, but those who use it will raise holy hell now that it's gone.
Is it actually usable? I never owned one
Used one for a few years and I loved it:
- it's precise, you can really aim small UI elements
- It is paired with actual buttons, index on the nub and thumb on the buttons, so no weird gestures to right click
- It is very quick to switch from keyboard to mouse, your hands nearly don't move
But, there's no mouse wheel or scroll gesture and maintaining pressure on the nub is maybe more tiring than a trackpad.
I think it works fantastically well. I personally like it much better than a touchpad. It lets me move the pointer without taking my hands away from typing home position.
It's not just for decoration. You can use it as a legitimate pointing device. Nudging it will move the mouse cursor and tapping it with your fingernail is clicking.
It takes some getting used to but you can definitely use it for normal office tasks if you wanted to. That being said, I still personally prefer a mouse. But I have known some people who like using the nipple.
It feels a lot like using a game controller to control your mouse, if you've ever used Joy2Key or similar programs.
Dunno. I have one on my semifake E580 and I just used it to check if it works. It's a bit awkward for me.
Oh yeah.
It isn't a dealbreaker for me, but it really is nice. It takes getting used to, but it cuts down on the need to move to the touchpad or mouse. If you're working in tight quarters, or have mobility issues, or hand issues, it can end up being a major improvement. It's a ymmv thing of course, but I end up using it more than I thought I would when writing.
i don’t care about the nub on mine, but i do care a lot about the left/right click buttons that take up so much of the trackpad area. just gimme a bigass trackpad.
Now put the clit mouse into a framework chassis (the relevant patents are now expired)
Put it on a handheld PC plz
about a million years ago I had an HTC phone that had a trackball mouse thingy. that was cool. i think it was HTC desire, not sure.
Yes, I'd switch if they did.
I prefer it over trackpad, honestly. Just adjust the acceleration.
Edit: looks like they remove it only from Aura line. Please stub your toe somewhere, author.
me on a date
"Can't find the clit-mouse. Damn."
I AM THE CLIT COMMANDER!
Guillotine time
My work laptop is not Lenovo but has a nub. It's works great when I have work gloves on, since the touchpad doesn't respond well with those.
me too my Thinkpad E14 gen 2 is very tough and that trackpoint helps me a lot.
Who has still with nub?
I will not buy a Lenovo without the clitmouse
No more laptop clit
Is nothing sacred anymore‽
This, and why do they take away the 2 buttons below the track pad. PC track pads are barely tolerable as it is.
Fewer parts means cheaper to manufacture.
Don't be fooled; they're only doing it to increase profits because our standards aren't higher.
I actually stopped using mine a long time ago, and every time I get a new laptop, I remove it. Not because I hate it, but because I like it. Even after modifying the acceleration settings to where I like them though, the repeated stress of pushing on the nub eventually start to develop dendonitis in my finger.
After I've trained myself to only use the trackpad I put the nub back on. Partly because it's so iconic it just looks wrong without it, and partly because I want to avoid conversations with guest about my growing clit graveyard (although I guess I could just not leave them in a cup on the coffee table where everyone can see)
I think you're overstimulating. You need to be gentle, which benefits both of you. Try resting it on or near the nub and applying gentle pressure.
my growing clit graveyard
How do you have more than, like, 3? How often do you change laptops?
At least 2...
God is dead
Engage giant-marble-headstone
R I P
Not a Lenovo icon. They bought ThinkPad, nippleclit and all, from IBM.
The new ones were garbage anyways. Mine is stuck at a polling rate of 10hz, and the acceleration is god awful
Oh its one of those Thinkpads that isn't actually a Thinkpad like the Thinkpad Yogas. My ideal Thinkpad would be a proper release of the T480 25th Anniversary Edition with newer components.
Admittedly overdue and also a sign of the end days
It's super handy on my X1c 6thgen when my trackpad randomly freezes about once a month and I need to shut everything down and reboot. Bah.
Open to tips for fixing the trackpad if anyone has that on their radar!
