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New glass trackpad harder to depress

R

rm8t

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 18, 2008
3
0
The no-button glass trackpad is harder to depress, or click, than the "old" MBP single button.

I've tested 3 of the new MBPs, and all three require at least 2x to 3x the force of the "old" MBP.

I regret not having a true means of measure the force in Newtons, but I swear it's harder to click. Loud enough to wake up my wife (like I did last night).

** can anyone else confirm this? **

So I've had to resort to clicking by tapping the surface.

I'm wondering if the mechanism can be tuned or hacked. The trackpad seems to be a sealed unit, You can see some details when you remove the battery, but I'm afraid to go any farther. The ifixit.com folks took the whole unit apart, but didn't go into (or under) the track pad unit.

The new glass surface is fantastic though. Hard to describe but it's more effortless than the previous, slightly smaller surface.
 
I hardly ever use the button on my current MacBook to click, I find that tapping the pad is far nicer and easier. Why do you prefer clicking so much more?
 
I can niether confirm nor deny . . .

rm8t said:
The no-button glass trackpad is harder to depress, or click, than the "old" MBP single button.

I've tested 3 of the new MBPs, and all three require at least 2x to 3x the force of the "old" MBP.

I regret not having a true means of measure the force in Newtons, but I swear it's harder to click. Loud enough to wake up my wife (like I did last night).

** can anyone else confirm this? **

So I've had to resort to clicking by tapping the surface.

I'm wondering if the mechanism can be tuned or hacked. The trackpad seems to be a sealed unit, You can see some details when you remove the battery, but I'm afraid to go any farther. The ifixit.com folks took the whole unit apart, but didn't go into (or under) the track pad unit.

The new glass surface is fantastic though. Hard to describe but it's more effortless than the previous, slightly smaller surface.
Click to expand...

I have had my New MBP for 2.5 days so far (love it!) and I have not been bothered much by the click force issue (although you are right it is loud). I actually like tap-clicking, so I only press click when I need to for some reason. Since I do tap click a lot I am glad that I am not continually accidentely press-clicking the track pad. Also (my guess is you have noticed this) but the closer you are to the bottom of the track pad the easier it presses, the higher up you are the harder it is to press (and the top does not press in at all).

I trained myself to tap-click on my PBG4, and have never looked back, I actually find it a lot easier/faster, as I do not need to get my thumb involved. Good luck.
 
Try clicking at the bottom of the trackpad. It seems to sort of pivot from the top edge -- much harder to click the further you go towards the keys. I think that at the bottom it's only a teensy bit more resistant.
 
I think it depends on how you are use to clicking. I typically use my index finger on the trackpad with the next finger directly hovering over and click with my thumb. I walked up to the new unit in the store and was clicking without even noticing or reminding myself that there wasn't a button. But I have always clicked at the bottom with my thumb anyway. I can see how it would be much more difficult if you were clicking from the center of the trackpad. I could be more difficult to press but I really didn't notice.

I'm sure someone can test. I don't have the equipment to, but it wouldn't be interesting to know.
 
I don't know about harder to click, but it certainly seems louder than my previous Macbook Pro was when clicking.

The noise doesn't bother me and I enabled the tap to click options first thing. I'm pretty happy with the new trackpad, but it is a bit loud for my tastes.
 
I've had my MBP for a little over 24 hours now...Been on it probably 18 of those hours! :D and the click is indeed very loud, but I have already adopted the tapping method of clicking instead of actually depressing the trackpad. The only time I use the trackpad to click is to highlight text or expand/move a window.....You should try to adopt the tap to click method, its actually quite convenient IMO
 
:eek: thanks god for this thread!

i just got the new 15.4" laptop and i though that my trackpad was faulty (stiff near the top compaired to the lower section) i actually thought theree seemed to be a pivot near the top!

this thread has put all my worries to reat :p

thanks

P.S. does anyone notice that the new macbook pro getts really hot? espically when installing windows via bootcamp?
 
For me, tap clicking is difficult for click-and-dragging, and when I need to click without moving the cursor. I guess it's about accuracy and reliability. I do tap click after midnight, however. This is my biggest annoyance with the old Pro and it's too bad the click has gotten louder with the new models.
 
nope

I played around with both the new MBPs and MBs in an Apple Store right after they were set up, and I honestly forget that there was no longer a button.

I typically click with my thumb, but it really made no difference whatsoever.
 
Spanky Deluxe said:
I hardly ever use the button on my current MacBook to click, I find that tapping the pad is far nicer and easier. Why do you prefer clicking so much more?
Click to expand...

YES AND I *HATE* it . also find the whole keyboard harder to depress overall. think i'm going to learn how to tap click b/c my thumb i swear is getting carpal tunnel. AWFUL.
 
svphillips99 said:
YES AND I *HATE* it . also find the whole keyboard harder to depress overall. think i'm going to learn how to tap click b/c my thumb i swear is getting carpal tunnel. AWFUL.
Click to expand...

I also do tons of text editing as a writer and this is getting more and more obnoxious. About tap-clicking, I already do that! I just htought there was something else I could do to to drag & drop. There's not.

BAD APPLE. http://images.macrumors.com/vb/images/smilies/frown.gif
 
It is slightly harder to depress and the clickity-click is pretty annoying. I have also resorted to 'tapping' and I like it. silky-smooth.
 
I prefer the tap to click. When I drag and drop I press the bottom left corner of the mouse with my left index finger and use my right finger to point.

It's fine if you guys don't like it, but I don't understand why you don't prefer tap to click. It requires the least "press" of anything.
 
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