Michal Ždanský When Apple released in 2010 Magic Trackpad, made it clear to the world that he sees the future of computer control in multi-touch trackpads rather than the desktop screen itself. At the time, we knew such a trackpad only on MacBooks, but thanks to the new device, owners of iMacs and other Apple computers could also use the unique functions, moreover, on a significantly larger surface. Logitech has now decided to compete with the unusual device with its trackpad T651 and compared to Apple's solution, it mainly offers a built-in accumulator instead of batteries. How does it stand up to the competition of devices at the same price?
Processing
At first glance, the T651 looks almost identical next to the Magic Trackpad. The length and width are exactly the same, and when viewed from above, the only difference between the two devices is the Logitech logo and the aluminum band on the Apple trackpad. The touch surface is made of the same glass material and you practically cannot tell the difference by touch. Considering Apple still has the best touchpad among all laptops, that's a big compliment. Instead of an aluminum chassis, the T651 is encased in a black plastic case. However, it does not detract from its elegance in any way, and you can hardly see the black plastic surface.
The trackpad has two buttons, one on the side to turn the device off and the other on the bottom to initiate pairing with your computer via Bluetooth. An otherwise invisible diode at the top of the trackpad will let you know about activation. The blue color indicates pairing, the green light is on when it is switched on and charging, and the red color indicates that the built-in battery needs to be recharged.
The trackpad is charged via a MicroUSB connector and a sturdy 1,3 meter long USB cable is also included. According to the manufacturer, the battery itself should last up to one month with two hours of daily use. Recharging then takes up to three hours, of course the trackpad can be charged and used at the same time.
A significant difference compared to the Magic Trackapad is the slope, which is roughly twice as small. The angle of inclination of Apple's trackpad is mainly influenced by the compartment for two AA batteries, while the T651 makes do with a relatively thin battery. The lower slope is also more ergonomic and the palm position is more natural, although previous users of the Magic Trackpad will take some getting used to.
Trackpad in practice
Pairing with a Mac is as easy as with other Bluetooth devices, just press the button on the bottom of the T651 and find the trackpad among the Bluetooth devices in the Mac's dialog box. However, for full use, drivers must be downloaded from the Logitech website. By full use, you mean the support of all available multi-touch gestures in OS X. After installation, a new Logitech Preference Manager item will appear in System Preferences, where you can choose all gestures. The manager is completely identical to the Trackpad system settings, which makes it much easier to navigate. In addition, it allows you to set the double-click speed, turn off coasting when scrolling, and also display the charge status.
Although it doesn't seem like it right away, the T651's surface is clickable just like the Magic Trackpad. However, while Apple's click button is the entire touch surface (just like on the MacBook), Logitech's click is handled by the rubber feet on which the device stands. Perceptually, the click is less noticeable and almost inaudible, so users will have to get used to it for some time. A big drawback is the fact that clicking only takes place on the two lower legs, its use in the upper third of the surface is almost unthinkable, moreover, clicking with dragging your finger is sometimes frustrating, as you have to exert more pressure on your finger to prevent the trackpad from loosening.
As I described above, the T651 does not have that aluminum strip at the top of the surface, offering theoretically more surface area for maneuvering. Unfortunately only in theory. The trackpad has dead zones on the sides that do not respond to touch at all. In the upper part, it is a full two centimeters from the edge, on the other sides it is about a centimeter. For comparison, the touch surface of the Magic Trackpad is active over its entire surface and, as a result, offers more room for finger maneuvering.
As for the cursor movement, it is very smooth, although it seems to be a little less precise than Apple's Trackpad, this is especially noticeable in graphics programs, in my case Pixelmator. However, there is no difference in accuracy so striking. Another problem I ran into was when using multi-finger gestures, where the T651 sometimes has trouble detecting the correct number of them, and the four-finger gestures I use (moving between surfaces, mission control) sometimes didn't recognize them at all. It's also a shame that gestures can't be expanded through the utility BetterTouchTool, which doesn't see the trackpad at all, unlike the Magic Trackpad.
Except for these few errors, the trackpad from Logitech worked flawlessly to my surprise. Since notebook manufacturers have yet to catch up with Apple in touchpad quality, Logitech has done an amazing job.
Verdict
While Logitech is far from new to Mac accessories, creating a competitive device to the Magic Trackpad is a big challenge, and the Swiss company has done it more than well. The presence of a built-in battery is undoubtedly the biggest attraction of the entire device, but the list of advantages over Apple's trackpad practically ends there.
The T651 does not have any major shortcomings, but if it wants to compete with Apple, it will also have the same price tag around it 1 600 $, it needs to offer at least as good a use case to convince users that they should choose Logitech's trackpad instead. You're definitely not stupid to buy it, it's a really good control device, but it's hard to recommend it against the Magic Trackpad, at least if you don't have a major aversion to changing and recharging batteries from time to time.
[one_half last="no"]
advantages:
[Checklist]
- Built-in battery
- Battery life
- Ergonomic slope[/checklist][/one_half]
[one_half last="yes"]
Disadvantages:
[bad list]
- Dead zones
- Multiple finger recognition errors
- Trackpad clicking solution[/badlist][/one_half]
I didn't read the article, but as soon as I saw the picture I said to myself, "prefer the one from Apple" :)
funny and at the same time significant is the fact that all the trackpad advantages listed below refer to the built-in battery :)
The trackpad clicking solution, mentioned as a negative in the review and in the conclusion, is the same as the Apple trackpad. I had it disassembled a month ago (because it didn't click) and with the Apple trackpad, clicking is handled via microswitches in the legs.