why do windows laptops have such terrible trackpads?

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

i've been wondering this for a while. 

 

i use a MacBook as my daily driver, and everytime i use a Windows laptop i'm amazed by how shit the trackpad is. like it's actually crazy, even on "Pro" laptops with Windows Precision drivers it's still so much worse than a MacBook. 

 

why is that? you'd think that pc manufacturers would have figured it out by now... 

[TetraSky]

I'm guessing laptop manufacturer figured it's good enough for what little use it will see. Not to mention how touchscreens basically render trackpads obsolete for most tasks.

What I wonder is how anyone can use any trackpad for an extended period of time without wishing for a mouse.

[SansVarnic]

I never use the trackpad, dont like them. imo they need to stop installing them, also always in the way when I am typing.

I use a bt mouse and de-activate the trackpad.

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

1 minute ago, TetraSky said:

I'm guessing laptop manufacturer figured it's good enough for what little use it will see. 

i use the trackpad on my laptop for like, 10 hours a day... 

 

1 minute ago, TetraSky said:

Not to mention how touchscreens basically render trackpads obsolete for most tasks.

that's not true. a touchscreen on a laptop gets uncomfortable really fast for long periods of time. 

 

2 minutes ago, TetraSky said:

What I wonder is how anyone can use any trackpad for an extended period of time without wishing for a mouse.

have you ever used a MacBook? 

 

1 minute ago, SansVarnic said:

also always in the way when I am typing.

i never have that issue... and i use a 2017 MBP with a huge trackpad on it, but the palm rejection on it is top of the class. 

[SansVarnic]

3 minutes ago, Twilight said:

i never have that issue... and i use a 2017 MBP with a huge trackpad on it, but the palm rejection on it is top of the class. 

I have constant bad luck with that, so irritating. Palm rejection doesn't seem to work for me.

 

I would like laptop manufactures to adopt the Asus Zephyrus and Mothership layouts. I know it wont happen but I can dream.

 

[Arika]

It's a matter of preference.

I love the trackpad on my laptop, but reviews claim that it's mediocre 

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

2 minutes ago, SansVarnic said:

I would like laptop manufactures to adopt the Asus Zephyrus and Mothership layouts. I know it wont happen but I can dream.

that would be an absolute nightmare for me. i hate laptop keyboards that are offset, like laptops with a numpad on it. i so hate that, i get pain in my wrist from that. i need it to be centered... 

 

Just now, Arika S said:

It's a matter of preference.

of course it is. everything is lol. 

[atxcyclist]

Having only owned two laptops, and only of the Windows variety, I have to say that I haven't had any negative dealing with either. Most of the time I use a mouse because I much prefer it, but if I'm in a cramped area or I can get away with a trackpad, I'll use it. My current Dell also has the little "nipple" in the middle of the keyboard, but I never use that.

[SansVarnic]

2 minutes ago, Twilight said:

that would be an absolute nightmare for me. i hate laptop keyboards that are offset, like laptops with a numpad on it. i so hate that, i get pain in my wrist from that. i need it to be centered... 

 

of course it is. everything is lol. 

Not so much off centered (like it centered) but with the keyboard pushed to the edge and the track pad removed from where it is.

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

1 minute ago, CircleTech said:

I'll have to pitch in with sans here and say I don't use my trackpad. 95% of the time I use a Logitech wireless mouse. The only reason I ever use my trackpad is because I know i'll have my laptop out for 2 minutes or I lost my mouse. 

i'll never do that... just because i can operate the trackpad on my laptop while my hands are on the keyboard. like i can use my thumb to move the cursor. it's so fast for many things. 

 

1 minute ago, SansVarnic said:

Not so much off centered (like it centered) but with the keyboard pushed to the edge and the track pad removed from where it is.

you mean the keyboard to the edge of the laptop? like the bottom edge? where does your wrist rest go?

[SansVarnic]

8 minutes ago, Twilight said:

you mean the keyboard to the edge of the laptop? like the bottom edge? where does your wrist rest go?

on the table like it does with my keyboard with my desktop, so much more comfortable. I large hands so my palms rest on the edge of the laptop and is very uncomfortable.

 

 

My hands and keyboard, my palm actually rests on my desk.

[mr moose]

I hate all trackpads,  having said that some are bearable and others are just shit.  If you're buying  a $300 laptop and asking why a $2000 mac has a better trackpad then I don't know what to tell you.

[Aimi]

I didn't know shitty trackpads were exclusive to laptops running Windows

[panzersharkcat]

Similar to a lot of what people here are saying, I find trackpads irritating to use. I keep mine turned off. I stick to using the TrackPoint on my ThinkPad. If I need more precision, I'll use a mouse.

[Lord Vile]

9 hours ago, Aimi said:

I didn't know shitty trackpads were exclusive to laptops running Windows

Well the only other OS’ are Linux (which doesn’t come bundles with its own hardware) and MacOS. And since MacBooks have hit it out if the park for the last decade with trackpads it kinda means yeah, they are exclusive to windows.

 

10 hours ago, mr moose said:

I hate all trackpads,  having said that some are bearable and others are just shit.  If you're buying  a $300 laptop and asking why a $2000 mac has a better trackpad then I don't know what to tell you.

But laptops that cost more than a Mac have terrible trackpads, the air which starts at just over a grand also has a great trackpad you don’t have to go for the weird price point of 2K considering that’s a slightly higher that base MacBook Pro 13” Price...

 

 

11 hours ago, Twilight said:

i've been wondering this for a while. 

 

i use a MacBook as my daily driver, and everytime i use a Windows laptop i'm amazed by how shit the trackpad is. like it's actually crazy, even on "Pro" laptops with Windows Precision drivers it's still so much worse than a MacBook. 

 

why is that? you'd think that pc manufacturers would have figured it out by now... 

Guessing it’s cos they don’t care, most high end laptops sales now are probs gaming for which you’d need a mouse to use the jet engine you’ve just purchased and for the rest I guess they just think it’s ok, Microsoft has tried with precision drivers but no one else has invested in force touch tech and haptics the way Apple has. Always find it weird when I use a W10 laptop and they have a trackpad the size of a stamp. 
 

Weird thing I prefer the 13” MacBook trackpads to my 16”. The click just feels sharper and less hollow

if you get me. 

[mr moose]

3 minutes ago, Lord Vile said:

But laptops that cost more than a Mac have terrible trackpads, the air which starts at just over a grand also has a great trackpad you don’t have to go for the weird price point of 2K considering that’s a slightly higher that base MacBook Pro 13” Price...

 

The cheapest macbook in JB (shop where I live) is $1899. I believe that us an accurate representation of the cost in Australia.  Whilst I am sure there are products that cost more that have subjectively terrible parts, I highly doubt it is a common occurrence.   

[Lord Vile]

1 hour ago, mr moose said:

The cheapest macbook in JB (shop where I live) is $1899. I believe that us an accurate representation of the cost in Australia.  Whilst I am sure there are products that cost more that have subjectively terrible parts, I highly doubt it is a common occurrence.   

That’s A$ then not $

[mr moose]

4 minutes ago, Lord Vile said:

That’s A$ then not $

we call them dollars too and use the same symbol.  Currency has a pretty uniform exchange rate around the globe.  You can convert $300 and $2000 to any currency and the scale between the two should be the same.  Unless there is some weird government tax on apple products that don't apply to the other brands.

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

9 hours ago, mr moose said:

I hate all trackpads,  having said that some are bearable and others are just shit.  If you're buying  a $300 laptop and asking why a $2000 mac has a better trackpad then I don't know what to tell you.

if i compare my 13" MacBook Pro to something like a ZenBook that costs roughly the same, there was a difference but not that big, the trackpad on the ZenBook was horrible in comparison... 

[Lord Vile]

2 hours ago, mr moose said:

we call them dollars too and use the same symbol.  Currency has a pretty uniform exchange rate around the globe.  You can convert $300 and $2000 to any currency and the scale between the two should be the same.  Unless there is some weird government tax on apple products that don't apply to the other brands.

Generally people use $ for US and put a prefix on for anywhere else that's fairly normal... When you say $2000 people think USD not AUD or CAD

[mr moose]

8 hours ago, Lord Vile said:

Generally people use $ for US and put a prefix on for anywhere else that's fairly normal... When you say $2000 people think USD not AUD or CAD

No they don't, everyone outside of the US just uses the symbol and only qualifies when necessary.  But as I pointed out, that qualification is not necessary for this discussion because the point of my statement was one of scale between two values not too currencies.

[mr moose]

8 hours ago, Twilight said:

if i compare my 13" MacBook Pro to something like a ZenBook that costs roughly the same, there was a difference but not that big, the trackpad on the ZenBook was horrible in comparison... 

see here:

13 hours ago, mr moose said:

.  Whilst I am sure there are products that cost more that have subjectively terrible parts, I highly doubt it is a common occurrence.   

 

[Lord Vile]

10 hours ago, mr moose said:

No they don't, everyone outside of the US just uses the symbol and only qualifies when necessary.  But as I pointed out, that qualification is not necessary for this discussion because the point of my statement was one of scale between two values not too currencies.

I’m not in the US. On a forum you assume the most commonly used variant which is USD. Then probably CAD then AUD. It’s the same as saying you had a budget of £1000 and expecting everyone to know you mean Egyptian pounds not pounds sterling. 
 

Your point is dumb, no one is comparing a MacBook to a below budget laptop that frankly no one should buy. People are comparing them to ZenBooks which are in the same price band and are just horrendous laptops, mate had one and just ew. 

[mr moose]

50 minutes ago, Lord Vile said:

I’m not in the US. On a forum you assume the most commonly used variant which is USD. Then probably CAD then AUD. It’s the same as saying you had a budget of £1000 and expecting everyone to know you mean Egyptian pounds not pounds sterling. 
 

 

You may assume whatever you want, but don;t speak for me, if I felt there was a need to qualify the currency I would have, but as my statement doesn't require it doing so would be moot.

 

50 minutes ago, Lord Vile said:

Your point is dumb, no one is comparing a MacBook to a below budget laptop that frankly no one should buy. People are comparing them to ZenBooks which are in the same price band and are just horrendous laptops, mate had one and just ew. 

 

Dumb?  trying to argue a subjective issue as if it is a common complaint because you had a mate with one,  is not exactly the finest of intellectual arguments.  I don't care who likes them or who hates them, this statement stands:

 

Quote

Whilst I am sure there are products that cost more that have subjectively terrible parts, I highly doubt it is a common occurrence.   

 

 

[Lord Vile]

8 minutes ago, mr moose said:

 

You may assume whatever you want, but don;t speak for me, if I felt there was a need to qualify the currency I would have, but as my statement doesn't require it doing so would be moot.

 

 

Dumb?  trying to argue a subjective issue as if it is a common complaint because you had a mate with one,  is not exactly the finest of intellectual arguments.  I don't care who likes them or who hates them, this statement stands:

 

 

 

There was a need.

 

How is it subjective? Trackpads on W10 laptops are objectively worse than those found on MacBooks. 

 

It is a conman occurrence, there are no W10 laptops with a Trackpad in the same league as a MacBook