Btw. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with any of this, but I noticed that the new M4 MBA's are assembled in Vietnam whereas the M3 MacBook Air I have with the coarse trackpad is assembled in China. Maybe we can get more data points from people on this.
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Macbook Air 15 inch - Trackpad texture
- Thread starter arnolds1
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A bit random - but I received my 13" M4 MBA today and noticed immediately that the trackpad is much smoother than the trackpad on my M3 Max 16" MBP. Weird how much variation there is... the 16" feels like you're moving against sandpaper compared to this!
Test driving a base 13" M4 in Midnight and its smooth trackpad woo
The trackpad was so clean after unboxing being brand new, that I thought at first it was rough, but then I compared next to my 15" Air that is smooth also side by side and its for sure the same consistency
The keyboard on my 15" is by no means mushy, but this 13" feels clickier too which I also prefer.
The trackpad was so clean after unboxing being brand new, that I thought at first it was rough, but then I compared next to my 15" Air that is smooth also side by side and its for sure the same consistency
The keyboard on my 15" is by no means mushy, but this 13" feels clickier too which I also prefer.
I tried a few more M4 MBA’s at a different Apple Store and found them to be more rough than the 1st store I went to. Tried both the 13” and 15” models. Guess the issue is still here this year around.
I got in a 15” M4 MBA assembled in Vietnam and the trackpad is smooth, but I got in another one assembled in China and the trackpad was very coarse.
Has anyone tried making their rough trackpads more smooth somehow? I’d love to try something to reduce the friction but not sure where to start. Its started to really detract from my enjoyment of the computer lately 
I tried a number of things before like adding a trackpad skin and even trying to add Vaseline. Nothing was satisfactory for me. What device do you have?Has anyone tried making their rough trackpads more smooth somehow? I’d love to try something to reduce the friction but not sure where to start. Its started to really detract from my enjoyment of the computer lately
Now that I have a smooth trackpad it makes the biggest improvement with productivity. Prior, I didn't even want to use my MacBook.
16 inch MBP (M3 Max), I tried an M4 MBA for a few weeks recently and the trackpad was WAY smoother... as you say, really makes it a more enjoyable experience than the sandpaper on my MBP
I've noticed a similar difference in trackpad texture between the MacBook Air and Pro models. The MacBook Air tends to have a slightly more matte finish, which can feel a bit coarser compared to the Pro's smoother, glossy feel. This could be due to manufacturing differences or variations in the materials used. While it might take a bit of getting used to, it shouldn't affect the performance of the trackpad itself. If the texture is bothersome, you might consider using a trackpad protector to alter the feel.
My 15" M4 24/512 MBA (midnight) feels fine, I have it right next to my 16" MBP M1 and I can't really feel a difference at all. I do wonder if maybe it has anything to do with the color chosen and the finish? My fiancee has a M4 MBA 13" base in skyblue and it feels slightly different, but not what I'd call coarse.
I tried a trackpad protector but it was still a coarse experience. I tried 3 different brands too. I think it comes down to the actual trackpad having issues in some models because now with my M4 MBA having a smooth trackpad the cursor moves more in the way I intended. Whereas with the coarse trackpads it’s inaccurate.
I haven't had a prior MacBook to compare with but I've been very impressed with how smooth my trackpad is on my M4 MBA 15". Much smoother than my Dell Inspiron.
Ron
Ron