magic mouse or trackpad for macbook air desktop set-up

I would go with a trackpad but that's just my personal preference. I got a Magic Mouse but never use it.

Get a different mouse. I borrowed a friend's and it's just not very useful. Heavy for what it is, and ergonomics weren't even a factor in the design.
The trackpad is nice, but whether it's better than a conventional mouse is preferential.

most economical way to find out:

1. Use the MBA a while on its own. If you find yourself liking its trackpad and not missing a mouse, get a magic trackpad.

2. If you need a mouse you'll probably still prefer another one (Logitech bluetooth?) to the magic mouse.

3. Some people do love the magic mouse. I'm not one of them, but their opinions are no less valid than mine.

Honestly I thought the Magic Mouse sucked when I first got it but have grown to love it. Use it for photoshop and stuff. I need a mouse and at the time Logitec didn't really have a good Bluetooth mouse. Only wireless. I say go for the TP if you don't need to be precise though

Trackpad. Its great. I had the magic mouse but while its good the trackpad is far superior.

I would go with the trackpad. Sleeker, and I've noticed my magic mouse has gotten quite scratched up over a year's time. But besides aesthetics, it's a flawless experience. [Plus no batteries!] Assuming you're not looking at the external track pad of course.

trackpad - the mouse is so yesteryear. For what you can do with multi-gestures on the trackpad, I'm just not sure why the mouse survives.

I went with the mouse over the trackpad when I bought my mini because...

... i use an extended keyboard and it is long already.
... i have the mouse sitting between my wrists when i'm typing, it is easy to swipe and stuff on it that way. I don't think the trackpad would fit well there.
... i've never had a trackpad with full gestures - so I have no clue what i'm missing!

After using it, I would still make the same purchase. I just don't have the space for the way I work for the trackpad. The Mouse has some quirks, but i've gotten used to it and am not looking for an alternate. The whole swiping to change desktops is my favorite thing - my teen laughs at me, but I never used spaces or expose on my MBP, so i'm a happy little Lion user right now!

Trackpad. I have a MagicMouse that I have never bothered recharging after I bought it, used it for 1-2 days and then it drained out... Months have passed by since and it's still sitting in the box it came with.

You dont need to buy anything, simply use the trackpad on your macbook. You wont miss the mouse, give it a 1 month trial.

Anyways, regarding mouses, I love the magic mouse and its touch scrolling is one of the things it got me to switch from windows to mac. Never again those anoying "wrach wrach" when scrolling.

But for gaming, you need a mouse with a scrolling wheel. But I bet you wont be gaming on a macbook air

LeandrodaFL said:

But for gaming, you need a mouse with a scrolling wheel. But I bet you wont be gaming on a macbook air

Click to expand...

Even better: "you need a proper right-click" button. I remember struggling with Starcraft 2 ... there was like a 50% 50% chance that the right-click will correctly trigger on the Magic Mouse when trying to move units / give orders.

The Magic Mouse is definitely not a gaming mouse! It might manage with some games, but overall, it is a poor choice when it comes to playing games with a mouse.

The gestures are very different on the mouse than with the trackpad, and drove me nuts. I finally got a trackpad to go with my MBP when I was using it at a desk, and replaced the mouse on my Mini with a trackpad. Never looked back.

I use the trackpad on my MBA and have no mouse for it, and the same for my new MBP. My vote is strongly in the trackpad column.