Because the flat keys offer no tactile feedback and change functions based on what you're doing, we had to look down when hitting them. Overall, we found the Adaptive Row much less useful than traditional function keys. Lenovo's settings software allows you to disable any of these modes or set a different default. The symbols on the Adaptive Row keys are built into their gray LED lights so there's no possibility of adding your own shortcuts. There's also a lay flat mode, which is supposed to appear when you open the lid 180 degrees (it didn't work consistently for us), and provides shortcuts to the voice and gesture control apps. Function mode shows normal function keys F1 to F12. Web conference mode, which displays when you are using Skype or another video calling app, shows microphone and camera controls.

Web browsing mode, which appears when you are using Chrome, IE or another browser, shows forward, back and refresh buttons. Home mode, which shows by default, features standard volume and brightness controls along with shortcuts to the task switching menu, the all apps menu, the snipping tool and the voice and gesture controls.

The Adaptive Row supports four main modes. Alternatively, you can switch modes manually using a button button to the left. Instead of tactile keys, the Adaptive Row has capacitive touch buttons that light up with different symbols depending on what app you're using. A new Adaptive Function Row sits at the top of the keyboard, replacing the standard function row you'll find on the original X1 Carbon and every other laptop made. Click to EnlargeOn the new X1 Carbon, Lenovo has made some radical changes to its traditional ThinkPad keyboard, both in terms of layout and functionality.

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