Tried this one too. It does have the ability to adjust the pointer speed, and the slider goes up to 8. The default system maximum is 3. But if you set the slider any higher than 3, the actual speed you get is limited to 3. Seems like Apple's driver, or the hardware itself, now limits the speed to within the range offered by the System Settings panel.
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MBA 15in - Trackpad speed at max?
- Thread starter helloapple1
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Like at the M1 Max/Pro MBP event, they said 'more connectivity benefits pros a lot' lol, like you dont say! 2 usb c ports and having to carry a heavy dongle with you is not very convenient for pros? "Wow, what amazing day"
I am seeing the same behavior on my 14" Pro in that the terminal command does not have any effect on increasing the speed over the max available in the settings. Difference is that the Pro trackpad speed is acceptable.
Here's to hoping they provide an update to the Air as i know that is frustrating. The Magic Mouse is way to slow for me on the max setting in the UI, but the terminal command does work for the mouse.
In case it helps anyone else, the trackpad speed feels much more normal if you lower the display resolution. At the middle scaling option in the Displays preferences pane, 1440 x 932, it feels almost perfect at the fastest tracking speed setting. This resolution is an exact 2x scaling of the native resolution 2880 x 1864, so it improves screen clarity too, at the cost of less real estate.
Interesting. My max resolution of my perfectly fine daily driver mid 2010 MBP is 1440x900 lol....really not great.
Apple are often really arrogant. I never get why so many are adamant everything just works with their machines.
It should have never shipped with such a basic thing limiting their users, let alone it still being an issue months after release.
And then they fix it like half a decade to a decade later, without admitting the problem, just kind of saying it is great they fixed it without really making it obvious that the problem existed and it had to be fixed lol, very nifty and not right imo.
Yes that's what I'm seeing too. There's enough acceleration so if you move your finger fast you can still get from one side to the other in one gesture. But if your finger is moving at a normal speed, it feels too slow at the default display scaling (but fine at the middle resolution setting, which is 2x).
no issues here with trackpad speed at 4 (of 10) on Ventura 13.5. Feels just right. Coming from MBA 13 and som MBPs.
The trackpad is annoying me so much I’m going to return it and wait a month to get another one. I really dislike using the device because of how sticky the trackpad is and how slow the cursor is for me at the max setting.
did anyone who is affected ever contact Apple support or go to an Apple store?
This seems so strange. As I wrote before, I do not have any of these problems with my MBA 15 on 13.5:
trackpad speed is perfect at 4, with a 1440x932 resolution.
At 1920x1243, I had to raise the speed to 7, and it was perfect again.
No stickiness, no stutter. Easy move of the cursor from lower left to upper right corner with one trackpad swipe only.
This seems so strange. As I wrote before, I do not have any of these problems with my MBA 15 on 13.5:
trackpad speed is perfect at 4, with a 1440x932 resolution.
At 1920x1243, I had to raise the speed to 7, and it was perfect again.
No stickiness, no stutter. Easy move of the cursor from lower left to upper right corner with one trackpad swipe only.
I never contacted Apple support. I figure to just return it instead, but I really should contact them. Such an annoying problem to have.
Interesting. I have a 15" coming next week, and this has me worried. I am one of the max speed people. Is there anything in accessibility settings that could combat this?
Some tricks
Increase trackpad scrolling speed:
System Settings > Accessibility > Pointer Control > Trackpad options > increase scroll speed slider
(you can also activate three-finger dragging if you're into that - cool feature)
Also, for increasing speed of control-click shortcut menu;
System Settings > trackpad > scroll and zoom > disable "smart zoom" (now the options menu pops up instantly)
---
As for track speed, I'm liking LinearMouse; it even got another update today, so the developer is actively working on it.
Increase trackpad scrolling speed:
System Settings > Accessibility > Pointer Control > Trackpad options > increase scroll speed slider
(you can also activate three-finger dragging if you're into that - cool feature)
Also, for increasing speed of control-click shortcut menu;
System Settings > trackpad > scroll and zoom > disable "smart zoom" (now the options menu pops up instantly)
---
As for track speed, I'm liking LinearMouse; it even got another update today, so the developer is actively working on it.
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Maybe it is because I used a Time Machine backup, but my scrolling and overall track pad speed feels just as fast and it previously was. I also already had the accessibility settings changed like arcite mentioned above.
There appear to be some surface level differences in the trackpad coatings from batch to batch which might affect how they feel.
I have two MBA 15"s in front of me, both in midnight color, purchased a couple of months apart. The trackpads don't feel the same so I took a USB microscope to the surfaces - and to my surprise, the coatings look different.
The older one has a stickier and sluggish feel. The surface cells are larger.
The second one has a smoother and more polished feel. The surface cells are smaller, roughly half the size. These images were taken at exactly the same microscope settings and zoom level.
The midnight coatings on the other parts look very similar, and I don't notice any difference in fingerprints on the outer case, so it's just the trackpad that seems to be different.
I have two MBA 15"s in front of me, both in midnight color, purchased a couple of months apart. The trackpads don't feel the same so I took a USB microscope to the surfaces - and to my surprise, the coatings look different.
The older one has a stickier and sluggish feel. The surface cells are larger.
The second one has a smoother and more polished feel. The surface cells are smaller, roughly half the size. These images were taken at exactly the same microscope settings and zoom level.
The midnight coatings on the other parts look very similar, and I don't notice any difference in fingerprints on the outer case, so it's just the trackpad that seems to be different.
Maybe that is the issue. I have a Starlight color, and literally just got it yesterday. It feels the same as my previous Macs and is very smooth. I notice not difference at all in feel or speed of the cursor. My Magic Trackpad actually feels more sticky than the MacBook.
Yes I think this is the issue. The more I use the newer second one with the smoother trackpad, the more I can see it. I don't find the track speed setting to be an issue on this one. I don't think there's anything different in software, and I'm on the same trackpad speed setting, it's just that the surface is smoother so your finger moves faster and you get more acceleration.
I don't know whether it's an improvement they made in the manufacturing process or the trackpads were sprayed (presumably?) by different machines or different workers or at different factories, but they do feel quite different. It's a trackpad lottery. (However the keyboard on the second one feels much stiffer than the first, annoyingly so).
I think this is just typical supplier variances, or if it's the same supplier, slight variances in glass used and sourced to mass produce the TrackPads.
Just like there is clearly more than one keyboard supplier as the differences between those are a bit more severe (some having a bit more satisfying bounce and springy feel and thunky sound). And we all know the display panel lottery, even when it's sourced from the same supplier.
Same is true for the overall build regardless of part quality from one unit to the next, though Apple is usually pretty consistent there. This is what happens with mass produced parts - especially if more than one factory is making the same product.
All of my MacBook's TrackPads feel very smooth to the touch, with tiny variances, but definitely pass my OCD test, but there may be some that feel a bit more rough out there that I've not experienced.
Just like there is clearly more than one keyboard supplier as the differences between those are a bit more severe (some having a bit more satisfying bounce and springy feel and thunky sound). And we all know the display panel lottery, even when it's sourced from the same supplier.
Same is true for the overall build regardless of part quality from one unit to the next, though Apple is usually pretty consistent there. This is what happens with mass produced parts - especially if more than one factory is making the same product.
All of my MacBook's TrackPads feel very smooth to the touch, with tiny variances, but definitely pass my OCD test, but there may be some that feel a bit more rough out there that I've not experienced.