Why do no PC laptops have a touchpad as nice as Apples?

[sean l]

Here we go again, another Mac/PC thread.

Just for what it's worth : I find the trackpad on Apple laptops good. I find the trackpads on a number of PC laptops good as well.

I guess it's just personal preference?

Its almost like a perpetual motion machine. We all complain about them, yet they never stop. :p

[Mr. Gibs]

<Snipped>

"I use a Mac for photo/video/sound editing or... (insert one of the general artsy professions you NEED a mac for)". Anyone who tends to use the argument usually can't tell you WHY Apple computers are superior for such things.

Well I believe that some time ago Macs were actually superior at those things (or so I've read / heard). Nowdays I would say they're quite evenly matched...Windows probably does have an edge when it comes to Adobe products though (They seem to run better on Windows, plus some of them even have x64 support...not sure if the mac adobe applications support 64bit yet).

Edited January 6, 2011 by Anaron

[Growled Member]

Now I love win7 and like my mac, but everything I wanna move back to a PC laptop its the dang trouchpad that keeps me from doing it. Why has the PC laptop makers not caught up to the Apple touch pad?

I've often wondered the same thing. I haven't seen any answers in this thread either.

[rajputwarrior]

Wow...just..wow. Almost, but not quite there Synaptics.

relax bud, osx takes/borrows ideas from windows and other manufacturers. i mean the core of osx (darwin) isn't even theirs. it's open source meaning random people contribute to osx core too...

[Matrix XII]

My answer would be because Apple makes the machines directly.

Windows laptops/netbooks are made by 3rd parties.

I think it would be very hard to say that there isn't any laptop trackpad as good/better than an Apple trackpad. The fact is Apple makes ALL Macbooks, and Windows laptops/netbooks are ALL made by 3rd parties (not Microsoft). There is no quality control (Windows) because the company making the OS isn't making the actual hardware, so they have no say in it. Apple has every say in how the hardware is made. That's the difference.

[rajputwarrior]

My answer would be because Apple makes the machines directly.

Windows laptops/netbooks are made by 3rd parties.

I think it would be very hard to say that there isn't any laptop trackpad as good/better than an Apple trackpad. The fact is Apple makes ALL Macbooks, and Windows laptops/netbooks are ALL made by 3rd parties (not Microsoft). There is no quality control (Windows) because the company making the OS isn't making the actual hardware, so they have no say in it. Apple has every say in how the hardware is made. That's the difference.

(Y) this is the reason

[Yusuf M. Veteran]

Thread Cleaned

Enough with the petty bickering. This isn't a PC vs. Mac thread. Discuss more about the topic at hand and less about the finer points of the Mac and Windows operating systems.

[Bengal34]

Because there really is no need for a glass touchpad on Windows PCs.

1. Multitouch - Windows doesn't support multitouch to the extent that Mac OSX does (I personally think multitouch stuff on a touchpad is stupid, but hey thats a different topic).

2. Size - The algorithm MS uses to calculate mouse acceleration on Windows is far better than Apple's one.

Design wise, sure the touchpad on Apple's macbook pros look a lot nicer and is slightly smoother (glass vs. plastic) but I couldn't live without buttons...yes I know you can just tap the touchpad but that's just annoying imo.

Windows supports multitouch

[Stetson]

Actually, second to Apple's trackpads, my favourite laptop pointer is the Thinkpad trackpoint. The precision you can get from those (when they don't stick and drift lol) is better than I've gotten from any touchpad.

[Matrix XII]

(Y) this is the reason

Looks like we agree on something. :rofl:

[Mr. Gibs]

Windows supports multitouch

I'm not saying that it doesn't...just Apple did it better. Now that's because of what Matrix XII mentioned.

Since Apple controls the software and hardware, they can tailor the two to fit their needs. Windows on the other hand is dependent on OEMs and how well they can code their things...sometimes they code / make it well and it works beautifully, other times they code / make it terribly and it just turns into a giant mess.

Actually, second to Apple's trackpads, my favourite laptop pointer is the Thinkpad trackpoint. The precision you can get from those (when they don't stick and drift lol) is better than I've gotten from any touchpad.

Trackpoints are awesome, I miss having one =(

But it's good to see more laptop manufacturer's are using them too...like the new Dell latitude's have one!

[Stetson]

I have a Dell E6500 with one and it isn't nearly as good as the Thinkpad's IMHO. The finger grip is concave and sunken into the keyboard instead of giving you a convex surface to roll you finger on.

My dream "work" laptop for things like Photoshop and 3D work and also casual browsing would be a trackpad as simple, seamless, and responsive as Apple's and a trackpoint as nice and precise as the Thinkpad's.

[rajputwarrior]

Looks like we agree on something. :rofl:

you have good taste in music too, cheer for a better hockey team and we'll be golden ;)

[murkurie]

I don't like multitouch track pads, that includes apples, and my Envy 17. Though my Envy is near apple "quality", after a driver update a few months ago. That's one thing engadget did not do in there review was update there drivers, if they did none of the track pad issues they had would have affected them. I generally take a wireless mouse with me everywhere I go

[Matrix XII]

you have good taste in music too, cheer for a better hockey team and we'll be golden ;)

hahaha never! We're going to win the cup this year!! :D

Seems like there are a lot of Mac vs PC threads lately :s

...and those commercials aren't even on the air anymore!

[lalalawawawa]

Whats with the laptop-other-than-Apple's bashing?

My G71G has a beautiful touchpad. There, all your arguments fall into water. ;)

[Dashel]

Because we use multi-button mice? No matter how much you dress up a touchpad it will always be an inferior control device. And the rare times I do use it, a $400 budget Lenovo pad is just as functional. I've also used many Dell/HP/Sony pads that are better than Apple's in feel and precision. Sloppily accelerated 'glass' only makes noobs happy.

[Astra.Xtreme]

Seems like there are a lot of Mac vs PC threads lately :s

...and those commercials aren't even on the air anymore!

haha! I think this is all we have going for us at the moment. We can't laugh at Justin Long anymore, so we have to declare warfare on Neowin. :p

P.S: Have I missed any priceless quotes from 'treemonster' yet?

[tsupersonic]

I find the exact opposite. I can't stand Apple's touchpad, it's absolute ****. It just doesn't work, if I try to do something simple, it'll accidentally perform another behavior. Hate working on my friend's macbook pro, always have to plug in a mouse to be able to do anything.

[treemonster]

Because we use multi-button mice? No matter how much you dress up a touchpad it will always be an inferior control device. And the rare times I do use it, a $400 budget Lenovo pad is just as functional. I've also used many Dell/HP/Sony pads that are better than Apple's in feel and precision. Sloppily accelerated 'glass' only makes noobs happy.

+1 i don't care how good a track pad is, i'd rather be using a mouse. less work, less awkward ways to move my hand. when i do use trackpads though i like them to have smooth textures, tactile feedback and all.

unforunately for a mouse you can't always use one with your laptop or netbook. sitting on a bench with the laptop on your lap for example. but in that scenario i dislike typing with the laptop on my lap too. so more often then not i find a table to sit at and set up my mouse and mouse pad i take with me with my netbook when i travel.

I find the exact opposite. I can't stand Apple's touchpad, it's absolute ****. It just doesn't work, if I try to do something simple, it'll accidentally perform another behavior. Hate working on my friend's macbook pro, always have to plug in a mouse to be able to do anything.

i felt the same way about my asus netbook's multi touch trackpad. it was unreliable to try and use it. after a few sessions i gave up and dug out one of my old mice. works way better.

the best trackpad i've used yet was my dell laptop for work a few years ago. had dedicated portions of the pad makred for scrolling windows. used it for browsing and spreadsheet work just fine. was less anoying and frustrating to use than any multi touch pad i've tried. but still not as good as a mouse.