Should I buy a Magic Trackpad?

[MasterHowl]

I have a MacBook Pro, but I mainly use it hooked up to an external monitor, wireless keyboard and logitech mouse.

Now, is it worth buying a Magic Trackpad for Lion, with all the new multi-touch? It's a bit inconvenient having my arm stretched over my desk to my MacBook trackpad!

If I do decide to buy one, do you think they'll bring a new one out with the release of Lion, or is the current version here to stay?

 

[Benz63amg]

I have a MacBook Pro, but I mainly use it hooked up to an external monitor, wireless keyboard and logitech mouse.

Now, is it worth buying a Magic Trackpad for Lion, with all the new multi-touch? It's a bit inconvenient having my arm stretched over my desk to my MacBook trackpad!

If I do decide to buy one, do you think they'll bring a new one out with the release of Lion, or is the current version here to stay?

i have both the magic mouse and trackpad, i cant use only the trackpad, its a cool addition to use the gestures but its not my main pointing device by any means.

 

[kaws]

If you really want to use the gesture controls then it's a great addition to lion.

 

[alust2013]

Might be worth it. It's certainly capable of whatever is in lion. I'm tempted to pick one up, since my mighty mouse died, and I'm not a huge fan of USB mice, since they wake my insomniac of a computer up really easily. Plus I love the trackpad to begin with.

 

[CyBeRino]

If you like using the macbook's trackpad, definitely. It's exactly the same but larger. I don't expect a new one any time soon.

I got a magic trackpad the instant I could both at home and at work and I haven't gone back (apart from using a regular scrollwheel mouse for Quake 3, of course.)

Might be worth it. It's certainly capable of whatever is in lion. I'm tempted to pick one up, since my mighty mouse died, and I'm not a huge fan of USB mice, since they wake my insomniac of a computer up really easily. Plus I love the trackpad to begin with.

Lion probably solves your wake-up problem by requiring a click or keypress.

 

[alust2013]

If you like using the macbook's trackpad, definitely. It's exactly the same but larger. I don't expect a new one any time soon.

I got a magic trackpad the instant I could both at home and at work and I haven't gone back (apart from using a regular scrollwheel mouse for Quake 3, of course.)




Lion probably solves your wake-up problem by requiring a click or keypress.

Excellent. Might be worth it just for that.

 

[MasterHowl]

Thanks for the quick reply everyone!

I think I'll order one tonight Or maybe go into town tomorrow and pick one up...

£60 is a lot of money though! D: Suppose it's what you have to pay for quality equipment that's not going to break after 18 months! It'll be cheaper in the long run.

 

[CyBeRino]

Thanks for the quick reply everyone!

I think I'll order one tonight Or maybe go into town tomorrow and pick one up...

£60 is a lot of money though! D: Suppose it's what you have to pay for quality equipment that's not going to break after 18 months! It'll be cheaper in the long run.

Don't forget to pick up some rechargeable batteries. They run out faster than alkalines of course but end up cheaper pretty quickly anyway. At work I share an apple charger with a co-worker. The track pad needs two batteries and the charger comes with six. So unless we have to change at the exact same moment, we always have a set of charged batteries between us.

Also: while it's a pretty high-quality device, the top layer is made out of glass and it will crack if you drop hard stuff on it. I speak out of experience here. (That said: I replaced it and it's still worth the money.)

 

[MasterHowl]

Also: while it's a pretty high-quality device, the top layer is made out of glass and it will crack if you drop hard stuff on it. I speak out of experience here. (That said: I replaced it and it's still worth the money.)

Yikes! I once dropped something on my MBP trackpad, but thankfully it didn't crack!

 

[axu539]

I just picked up a Magic Trackpad a couple of days ago just for Lion. I still keep both my Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad active, but the Trackpad gets most of my attention. Swiping works on the mouse, but it's just not as comfortable and natural as on the trackpad.

 

[BiggAW]

No. Trackpads are for laptops when you don't have the option of connecting a mouse. Apple peripherals are an utter waste of money, their monitors, mice, keyboards, etc, are just garbage. I've got a Dell Monitor, Microsoft Keyboard, and Logitech Mouse, and for the most part (other than some key mapping issues) it all works fantastically with the Mac.

 

[phpmaven]

Thanks for the quick reply everyone!

I think I'll order one tonight Or maybe go into town tomorrow and pick one up...

£60 is a lot of money though! D: Suppose it's what you have to pay for quality equipment that's not going to break after 18 months! It'll be cheaper in the long run.

£60 is a lot of money? Isn't that about what a semi-decent dinner out for two would cost? Seems ridiculously cheap for what you get.

 

[MasterHowl]

£60 is a lot of money? Isn't that about what a semi-decent dinner out for two would cost?

£60's a lot of money because I'm now jobless, and I'm going to university in September so I'm trying to hang back on the small pot of money I have from my birthday in April!

But yes, I guess you're right. £60 for a quality piece of kit isn't so bad considering it'll last me many many years!

 

[MasterHowl]

Apple peripherals are an utter waste of money, their monitors, mice, keyboards, etc, are just garbage.

I've got an Apple wireless keyboard and it's honestly one of the best things I've ever bought!

It's ultra responsive, amazing battery life, and very aesthetically pleasing, as well as nice to try on.

I spilled a cut of water down it a few weeks ago, and I let it dry out for a few days and it's working as good as new! Just proves Apple products are quality and worth the extra money!

But we're all entitled to our own opinions.

 

[iHateMacs]

I have had mince since they first came out. I was not a lover of the MBP touchpad but the magic pad is great. I used it for 99% of my pointing needs. There are only certain things in photoshop I need a mouse for.

The build quality is great and it's never had a connectivity problems. Because of the glass surface it's easy to keep clean and doesn't show signs of wear (At least mine doesn't)

 

[CyBeRino]

No. Trackpads are for laptops when you don't have the option of connecting a mouse.

Obvious PC user is obvious.

Trackpads on PCs suck. This is a universal truth.

Trackpads on Macs are NOT the same. They're not even in the same ball park.

 

[Soliber]

No. Trackpads are for laptops when you don't have the option of connecting a mouse. Apple peripherals are an utter waste of money, their monitors, mice, keyboards, etc, are just garbage. I've got a Dell Monitor, Microsoft Keyboard, and Logitech Mouse, and for the most part (other than some key mapping issues) it all works fantastically with the Mac.

Frankly, I would never use anything but an Apple keyboard and Magic Mouse with a Mac.
As far as I'm concerned, Magic Mouse + Better touchtool wipes the floor with any 3d party alternative, except for FPS gaming.

 

[MacBookPro13"]

I have a MacBook Pro, but I mainly use it hooked up to an external monitor, wireless keyboard and logitech mouse.

Now, is it worth buying a Magic Trackpad for Lion, with all the new multi-touch? It's a bit inconvenient having my arm stretched over my desk to my MacBook trackpad!

If I do decide to buy one, do you think they'll bring a new one out with the release of Lion, or is the current version here to stay?

Why didn't you just buy an iMac?

 

[MasterHowl]

Why didn't you just buy an iMac?

Believe me, I would if I could afford one :') They're beautiful...

 

[MacBookPro13"]

Believe me, I would if I could afford one :') They're beautiful...

They couldn't have been more expensive than your MacBook Pro or at the time did you not intend on hooking your Pro up to a monitor and using wireless keyboard?

 

[MasterHowl]

They couldn't have been more expensive than your MacBook Pro or at the time did you not intend on hooking your Pro up to a monitor and using wireless keyboard?

Yes you're right, iMacs were cheaper at the time I think, for one with higher specs too!

But I was starting Sixth Form around the time I bought my MBP, so i needed something portable. It was brilliant but I've finished Sixth Form now so I don't take it places much, so it's been hooked up to the monitor for the vast majority of the past four weeks!

 

[BiggAW]

I've got an Apple wireless keyboard and it's honestly one of the best things I've ever bought!

It's ultra responsive, amazing battery life, and very aesthetically pleasing, as well as nice to try on.

I spilled a cut of water down it a few weeks ago, and I let it dry out for a few days and it's working as good as new! Just proves Apple products are quality and worth the extra money!

But we're all entitled to our own opinions.

Those things are crappy and overpriced laptop keyboards. Rip-off.

Obvious PC user is obvious.

Trackpads on PCs suck. This is a universal truth.

Trackpads on Macs are NOT the same. They're not even in the same ball park.

I'm writing this on an early 2011 15" MBP that's in my sig. I know my Mac gear. Yes, the Apple trackpad is the best. So it's 1/4 as good as a mouse instead of 1/8. I'll still be carrying around a $20 wireless laptop mouse I got from Microcenter with the MBP. Not the best mouse, but it does the job.

I simply choose the best products available to me at a price I can afford. Apple makes the best laptops and music players, but sucks at peripherals and phones. So I get those from other manufacturers, and with everything cloud based and USB (for peripherals) these days, they all play pretty well together.

 

[Jaden10]

I have a MacBook Pro with a built in (obviously!) multitouch trackpad and I love it. It feels really natural to use and just makes everything easier. Whenever I go back to any mouse or other trackpad, it feels so awkward and hard to use compared to Apple's. If I were you, I would definitely get a Magic Trackpad! Trust me: It's worth it.

 

[Dale Sorel]

No. Trackpads are for laptops when you don't have the option of connecting a mouse. Apple peripherals are an utter waste of money, their monitors, mice, keyboards, etc, are just garbage. I've got a Dell Monitor, Microsoft Keyboard, and Logitech Mouse, and for the most part (other than some key mapping issues) it all works fantastically with the Mac.

I've got a Logitech Performance Mouse MX and agree wholeheartedly that Apple peripherals are junk. I'm pretty sure that we will be able to access all the swipe stuff through a dock icon. So at this point I don't think I'm in the market for a trackpad.

If you go to the Apple store and look at the iMacs you can see that even Apple doesn't think you need both a Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse as you're given a choice at checkout as to which one you want. Unless you want to spend an extra $69 for both.

 

[torana355]

If you love trackpads then yes, but if you are like me and prefer a mouse and still want to get the most out of Lion get a Magic Mouse and BetterTouchTool. BTT turns the Magic mouse into the best peripheral ive ever owned and using it with Lion is awesome.