Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Why the trackpad on the MacBook sucks

L

lite426

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 24, 2013
238
57
It's impossible to move the cursor slowly smoothly. It jerks around. Here is a video.
 
That's odd, while I don't own a Retina MacBook, I've played with one in the stores and I found the trackpad to be very good. This seems like something is definitely wrong.
 
  • Like
Reactions: g33k and eyeseeyou
TyWahn said:
My trackpad is the best I have ever used. It goes as slow and smooth as my shaky finger can move it. ;-)
Click to expand...

Ditto on this and that's in Windows 10 :)

However I think the OP is referring to the point where you drag your finger so slow on the trackpad you can feel the resistance change on your finger/skin and it's impossible to reduce the contact pressure any further, at that point you can feel like the grain of your finger print is dragging and it causes a jerky cursor

IMO if your requiring that sort of cursor precision at that slow speed you should be adjusting the trackpad sensitivity or use a mouse
 
I find it to be a problem when selecting certain small menu items. I didn't expect this on supposedly the best trackpad in the business.
 
Mine keeps randomly clicking without warning. I just cleaned the surface, and it continues to just click itself. Also what it does is click and stick, causing the highlighting of text or the dragging of a window. Suggestions on how to have this behaviour stop appreciated.
 
  • Like
Reactions: stevebrown1950
Assuming y'all have played with TrackPad System Preferences (Click: Light-Firm and Tracking Speed: Slow-Fast). If not, do.

Mine is behaving beautifully, aside from the occasional inadvertent swipes and taps from my bumbling fingers, while typing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jazz1
This issue occurs even at the lowest trackpad setting. Could some of you who say you don't get it post a video of you moving the pointer slowly?
 
lite426 said:
This issue occurs even at the lowest trackpad setting. Could some of you who say you don't get it post a video of you moving the pointer slowly?
Click to expand...
Look at your finger when you think its being jerky. Its your finger "rubbing" against the trackpad. IMO
 
I've maintained all along that the tp on the rmb sux in many ways beyond about what the op is complaining.
 
if your pointer is acting "jumpy" .. try removing the power cable and see if the problem is still there .. it worked for me ..
 
It's too bad you're having issues. I haven't experienced any problems using my trackpad on my rMB, or any other Mac I've owned. They have always been the best and the trackpad is one thing that really got me when I first started using Macs.
 
No problem here. I have it set on light and in the middle for track speed. It's actually more accurate than the MBP or MBA that I've tried. The keyboard takes some getting used to though.
 
Tracking and scrolling are excellent on the new Surface cover but other gestures are less responsive or missing entirely.
 
lite426 said:
It's impossible to move the cursor slowly smoothly. It jerks around. Here is a video.
Click to expand...
It's kind of hard to tell whether you're being genuine or just looking to stir up a controversy - talk about your made-up "issues".

If you really think the trackpad is behaving abnormally, then take it to an Apple store (or authorized service center), or compare it to any other MB you can get your hands on. That aside, there is nothing wrong with the rMB trackpad as far as "jerkiness" goes.

First, video quality of your linked video is so low-resolution and pixelated that ANY trackpad is going to look jerky in the video (I hope you don't actually have your resolution set like that... it would explain a lot, LOL).

That being said, I think I know what you are referring to, and you apparently fall into that 2% that could possibly even notice the "jerkiness" at normal viewing distance... kind of like the folks that claim they can hear the difference between 256kbs AAC and a CD.

I have a rMB, a MBA, a nMP (with 4K 27" displays), and an original apple magic trackpad and magic mouse (both of which are practically brand new - I generally use a different mouse with my nMP), and so I just wasted 30 minutes of my life comparing them. Even trying to slow down cursor movement to the ridiculousness shown in the video, I see very similar results on all the displays with all the input devices.

I would chalk the "issue" up to problems you had in your childhood, errr j/k... seriously just in comparing my gear, the magic trackpad's glass surface feels slightly smoother than either rMB or MBA trackpads (I would never notice that without literally having a finger from each hand on each at the same time). Maybe whatever trackpad you were used to was well worn and offered less fingertip resistance.

There's also the trackpad's "Tracking speed" to consider (I usually have mine set to 4 or 5). Going out on a limb, the retina display may contribute to the "issue" as well... even using the magic trackpad with the nMP results in ever so very slightly more "jerkiness" compared to the MBA.

Of course you're entitled to feel the way you do about it - everyone's sensitive in different ways. For the other 98%, there is no issue with jerkiness of the cursor.

(FTR, personally I have an issue with the trackpad due to the cursor jumping around from inadvertent palm touching, so it's not like I think it's perfect either)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Goatllama
Love the trackpad. Its huge for a trackpad and especially a computer this small.

It's smooth as silk, but i guess when you do try to move your finger VEEEERYYYY slowly on it there is some resistance from your fingertip.

my only worry about this computer is the 'finish' rubbing off the trackpad or the keyboard keys getting smoothed over from use (which is starting to happen on the keys a bit)
 
Clearly you haven't tried a windows laptop OP :)

I tried an asus zenbook ux305 earlier this year, and the trackpad was incredibly weak.

I love my rMB trackpad, force touch is nice too -- letting me feel the click while keeping this design razor thin. And the large surface area

I also like the adjustable feel of the click, loose or firm.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back