Laptop keyboards have gone through many changes since the time laptops first started appearing. As new technologies allow for smaller and thinner laptops, laptop keyboards require even more ingenuity by manufacturers to retain the solid feel and typing speed that users require while still retaining the portability and lightweight attributes that most users desire.

Many technologies have been employed in the past for transmitting a key press to the computer, as well as for providing a solid feel for the user. The earliest keyboards used "key switches", which used very large keys and had a heavy feel when typing, as well as producing a clicking sound for each key press. Since laptops could not accommodate such large keys, they employed the use of small plungers, usually made of rubber, for the key action. Most modern laptops use a "scissor-switch" design for each key, which uses two plastic pieces in a scissor formation. When the key is pressed, the plastic pieces slide and coll... more

Prior to replacing your Acer Aspire 4730Z laptop keyboard, make sure to remove the battery and disconnect the ac adapter from your laptop.

The first step to replacing your laptop keyboard is to remove the screws from the back of your Acer Aspire 4730Z. Sometimes your laptop will have a picture of a keyboard next to the screws that need to be removed. Otherwise, see your 4730Z laptop manual for details.

Above your Acer 4730Z laptop keyboard, you have a cover panel. If required, more