If you’ve ever used a laptop, chances are you’ve used either a Trackpoint or a touchpad.
The Trackpoint (a.k.a. pointing stick, nub, nipple) was one of the first laptop pointing devices. The touchpad (a.k.a. trackpad) is the most popular laptop pointing device. This article will look into the advantages of the two.
Trackpoint
Very few laptops these days include a Trackpoint. All IBM/Lenovo Thinkpads have them as well as certain business class models of other manufacturers. Although they seem primitive in nature, they are actually more expensive than touchpads, which is why only upper class business notebooks have them. The concept of the trackpoint is simple — you push the nub in the direction you wish your cursor to go. Many models also support a clicking action where you apply downward pressure to the nub; however, this is fairly hard to master and may result in unwanted clicks. Advantages to using a Trackpoint include:
- Infinite movement - You can move your pointer in one direction without lifting your finger off the nub, unlike a touchpad where you have to sweep across the touchpad over and over (exceptions apply).
- Ease of access - The nub is located on the keyboard, usually between the H, G and B keys. This means you can type and move the mouse without having to ever take your hands off the homerow. This increases efficiency and is very helpful for coders.
- Gaming - Due to the first reason above, playing first person shooters is quite possible on a Trackpoint. You won’t get the accuracy of a mouse though.
Touchpad
Touchpads use the same technology as the iPod scroll wheel. You glide your finger over the surface to move the cursor. A tap emulates a click, double tap emulates a double click etc. Advantages to a touchpad include:
- Lower cost - The cheaper cost of a touchpad will be directly reflected in the price of the laptop.
- Extra functions - A touchpad can support various functions. For example, the side of a touchpad is usually reserved for scrolling, the corners for maximizing/minimizing windows or even multi finger gestures.
- “Cooler” - Touchpads have a “cool” factor that feels like something out of a science fiction novel since you’re using your fingers to interact with the computer.
Personally, I prefer a Trackpoing because I’m used to using it and I like the efficiency of not having to move my hands to move the cursor (also why I like using Vim). In fact, I prefer a Trackpoint over a mouse for regular everyday tasks. So what I want to know is which one you prefer and why? Let me know in the comments!
P.S. I use the soft rim Trackpoint cap.
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I’m definitely a touchpad kind of person . . .personally, the best touchpad i’ve ever used has been on the fujitsu p5010d . . . you could program sections of it to scroll and a variety of other commands
remember those asus and fujitsu notebooks you were looking at?
Yea they were awesome… now I’m looking at UMPCs… most of them are trackpad… like half trackpoint half touchpad hard to explain
I’ve owned three laptops in my life. The first was an old Toshiba my dad brought home from work and its only mouse was one that attached into a special port on the side. It had the boll on top that you rolled, and I actually liked it somewhat. My last two have been Dell laptops with only a touchpad, so I’ve grown used to them. I have used the trackpoints at time, such as on old school laptops, but I’ve never really liked them. I guess it was just because I am not used to them.
I find both hard to use and tend to just plug in my mouse.
I’m old fashioned…. I like mice.
My laptop doesn’t have a trackpoint. But that’s fine cuz I prefer the touchpad. Of course nothing beats the mouse.
Enjoy your new mouse by the way!
I hate using those eraser heads…they make me want to shoot myself in the face. Touchpads aren’t much better but they’re usable. I try to carry a small mouse with my notebook when possible.
Hahah I guess no one likes Trackpoint like I do… mouse is the big winner afterall.
I’m ok with using the touchpad. I would consider the laptop broken if I didn’t have a mouse and the only other option I had was that freakin eraser.