I Hate the Size of the Apple Magic Trackpad
I'm looking for a touchpad to use on my desk next to my keyboard. I have occasional hand pain, and I find that varying the input device I use throughout my working day can avoid or alleviate some of this discomfort.
Now it appears that no reputable company makes external touchpads for Windows any more. I've tried a couple of cheapo ones and their performance isn't great, so I set my sights on the top tier desktop trackpad, the Apple Magic Trackpad. I found a great deal on Music Magpie, £60 for a near mint device. I decided to try it despite my reservations about the ethics of Music Magpie (supporting a company that pays peanuts for things and then resells at a much higher value).
The Magic Trackpad hardware is truly beautiful in classic Apple fashion; a solid puck of technology, but damn it is HUGE. I don't think that larger touchpads are good ergonomically. I imagine it is to make gestures easier and encourage their use but I've always been fine with a small touchpad. The higher the sensitivity and speed the better - the less you have to move your finger, the better they are ergonomically, less movement, less strain!
I thought the increased size was something I would get used to but the Magic Trackpad is simply too big. When I'm using touchpads on laptops - Windows laptops without comically large touchpads, that is - I find that I rest my tracking finger(s) above the touchpad, especially when I'm scrolling. This is impossible on the Magic Trackpad because of its height; my fingers naturally want to rest on the trackpad surface which of course throws off the tracking. It feels unnatural to shift my fingers off to the side instead.. and hovering them makes my hand sore.
It's such a shame as the device is beautiful and just what I need, but this is one of those cases where bigger isn't better. I'm writing this on an HP business laptop from circa 2012 with a 2"x4" touchpad and I vastly prefer it despite it seeming very quaint in terms of size.