This is the barrier for me too. I'm writing this on a 4-year-old Thinkpad. (The "25th anniversary edition", which has my favorite keyboard.) If somebody figures that out, I'm happy to switch, as my feelings on the Thinkpad line are the same as Doctorow's: formerly great, now sadly declining.

I’ve never understood the trackpoint use case, the (admittedly few) computers I’ve had with it, I just felt it a nuisance in the middle of the keyboard.

To the same goes for the trackpad for me. I am always disabling them to avoid accidental contact. I guess this is why we need more customizable devices.