5 ms·

To be completely honest, I don't use the nub. The trackpad was 5/5 on the MBP, but I feel the trackpad is 4/5 on the X1. It's plenty fine to use... I also c

To be completely honest, I don't use the nub. The trackpad was 5/5 on the MBP, but I feel the trackpad is 4/5 on the X1. It's plenty fine to use... I also carry a portable mouse in my laptop bag.

berberous 8y ago
To each their own, but if the MBP is 5/5 the trackpad on the X1 is still a 1/5 to me. I hate the thing. I also never use the nub. I haven't met a PC trackpad I like though.
- dgzl 8y ago
  Learning the nub requires practice, but the payoff is huge. I'm half convinced that I won't get another laptop without one. Main benefits: + hands stay on homerow while using mouse, so I can switch from keys to mouse to keys very fast and without losing my place. + Don't need extra space for a physical mouse + Easy to use at certain angles - Not easy to use at other certain angles
  - lylecubed 8y ago
    > + Easy to use at certain angles > - Not easy to use at other certain angles Any tips on what the correct angle is? Every few month for the past 3 years I've been trying to get used to the trackpoint on my lenovo. I never stick with it longer than an hour. It's just so much slower than the trackpad. Am I doing something wrong?
    - nine_k 8y ago
      Try playing with acceleration factor in your OS / DE settings. I used to have trackpoint send the cursor across the screen pretty efficiently when pressed harder, while keeping it quite reasonably accurate when pressed gently. The same applies to mice, but the threshold(s) for a trackpoint differ(s) from mouse's, so it pays to tweak it until you're comfortable.
    - dgzl 8y ago
      The only angle I've had issue using trackpoint with is if you're very high above the laptop, like if you're standing above it. At this angle, trackpad is better. Protip: Lenovo makes different styles of nubs that you can buy. "Soft Rim" is easiest to use IMO ( amazing grip), followed by the "Classic Dome" (great grip but rubs off easily).
  - avhon1 8y ago
    + middle mouse button Makes using 3D software on a laptop much easier, and also allows using X11's "middle-click to paste". I've been idly thinking of getting a new laptop, and it's been disappointing to see how few have a true middle mouse button.
    - pat2man 8y ago
      You can get a middle click on a MBP trackpad with third party software.
  - pymai 8y ago
    I've been using a trackpoint for a long while now and I was 99% certain they were superior to everything else but i had been hearing a lot of good things about the surface book trackpads and that they were at the same level as apples so I decided to switch for a while. its been about 4 months of using nothing but a trackpad and even though its really good im fairly certain I'll be sticking with trackpoints from here on out. one thing that's really starting to bug me lately is the accidental clicks from your palm hitting the edge of the trackpad. I don't know how people manage with those new macbooks with the oversized trackpads
    - ReverseCold 8y ago
      > I don't know how people manage with those new macbooks with the oversized trackpads Have new MacBook, never had this problem. Mabye they're detecting accidental inputs?
      - rikkus 8y ago
        I have a MacBook Pro 2015 and a Magic Trackpad 2 and get phantom inputs on both. Still, I’m an old TrackPoint user and I prefer the Mac trackpads regardless.
      - NeedMoreTea 8y ago
        Constant incorrect activation of the trackpad was one of the main reasons I sold my '16 MBP and bought a '15. Never had that problem with any previous Macbook. The other reason for selling it was two failures of the awful keyboard in six months - I wanted shot before the warranty ended.
- maguirre 8y ago
  Have you tried the surface book one?
  - berberous 8y ago
    I have not. To be fair, other than the X1 Carbon, I haven't tried any of the latest PC trackpads (Surface, Dell, etc.) in a while. Hopefully they have improved.
    - davidandgoliath 8y ago
      Dell's prove just as good as the carbons aside from keyboard. The dell keyboard is miniscule. The x1 has what feels like a full sized keyboard in a lightweight package, lightweight like a macbook air but with a nice mechanical keyboard. The dell feels like a netbook that found some big boy pants. It's keyboard is atrocious/typing feels cramped.

To be completely honest, I don't use the nub. The trackpad was 5/5 on the MBP, but I feel the trackpad is 4/5 on the X1. It's plenty fine to use... I also carry a portable mouse in my laptop bag.

berberous 8y ago

To each their own, but if the MBP is 5/5 the trackpad on the X1 is still a 1/5 to me. I hate the thing. I also never use the nub. I haven't met a PC trackpad I like though.

dgzl 8y ago
Learning the nub requires practice, but the payoff is huge. I'm half convinced that I won't get another laptop without one. Main benefits: + hands stay on homerow while using mouse, so I can switch from keys to mouse to keys very fast and without losing my place. + Don't need extra space for a physical mouse + Easy to use at certain angles - Not easy to use at other certain angles
- lylecubed 8y ago
  > + Easy to use at certain angles > - Not easy to use at other certain angles Any tips on what the correct angle is? Every few month for the past 3 years I've been trying to get used to the trackpoint on my lenovo. I never stick with it longer than an hour. It's just so much slower than the trackpad. Am I doing something wrong?
  - nine_k 8y ago
    Try playing with acceleration factor in your OS / DE settings. I used to have trackpoint send the cursor across the screen pretty efficiently when pressed harder, while keeping it quite reasonably accurate when pressed gently. The same applies to mice, but the threshold(s) for a trackpoint differ(s) from mouse's, so it pays to tweak it until you're comfortable.
  - dgzl 8y ago
    The only angle I've had issue using trackpoint with is if you're very high above the laptop, like if you're standing above it. At this angle, trackpad is better. Protip: Lenovo makes different styles of nubs that you can buy. "Soft Rim" is easiest to use IMO ( amazing grip), followed by the "Classic Dome" (great grip but rubs off easily).
- avhon1 8y ago
  + middle mouse button Makes using 3D software on a laptop much easier, and also allows using X11's "middle-click to paste". I've been idly thinking of getting a new laptop, and it's been disappointing to see how few have a true middle mouse button.
  - pat2man 8y ago
    You can get a middle click on a MBP trackpad with third party software.
- pymai 8y ago
  I've been using a trackpoint for a long while now and I was 99% certain they were superior to everything else but i had been hearing a lot of good things about the surface book trackpads and that they were at the same level as apples so I decided to switch for a while. its been about 4 months of using nothing but a trackpad and even though its really good im fairly certain I'll be sticking with trackpoints from here on out. one thing that's really starting to bug me lately is the accidental clicks from your palm hitting the edge of the trackpad. I don't know how people manage with those new macbooks with the oversized trackpads
  - ReverseCold 8y ago
    > I don't know how people manage with those new macbooks with the oversized trackpads Have new MacBook, never had this problem. Mabye they're detecting accidental inputs?
    - rikkus 8y ago
      I have a MacBook Pro 2015 and a Magic Trackpad 2 and get phantom inputs on both. Still, I’m an old TrackPoint user and I prefer the Mac trackpads regardless.
    - NeedMoreTea 8y ago
      Constant incorrect activation of the trackpad was one of the main reasons I sold my '16 MBP and bought a '15. Never had that problem with any previous Macbook. The other reason for selling it was two failures of the awful keyboard in six months - I wanted shot before the warranty ended.
maguirre 8y ago
Have you tried the surface book one?
- berberous 8y ago
  I have not. To be fair, other than the X1 Carbon, I haven't tried any of the latest PC trackpads (Surface, Dell, etc.) in a while. Hopefully they have improved.
  - davidandgoliath 8y ago
    Dell's prove just as good as the carbons aside from keyboard. The dell keyboard is miniscule. The x1 has what feels like a full sized keyboard in a lightweight package, lightweight like a macbook air but with a nice mechanical keyboard. The dell feels like a netbook that found some big boy pants. It's keyboard is atrocious/typing feels cramped.