The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    M17x touchpad

    Discussion in 'Alienware' started by unhip_crayon, Aug 13, 2009.

  1. unhip_crayon

    unhip_crayon Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    46
    Messages:
    215
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I remember a while back, a few people were saying that the touchpad buttons are a little stiff...is this still the case with the newer units?

    Thanks
     
  2. airplaneman

    airplaneman Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    150
    Messages:
    716
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Not sure what you mean, the touch pad itself I find is a bit touchy, but the keys to turn it on/off seem fine to me.
     
  3. unhip_crayon

    unhip_crayon Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    46
    Messages:
    215
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    By "the key" I mean the left and right click key under the touchpad....not sure what its called :p
     
  4. airplaneman

    airplaneman Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    150
    Messages:
    716
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    The left and right click buttons haha. They seem fine too me, not really any different from any other laptop I've used..
     
  5. fastlappy

    fastlappy Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    100
    Messages:
    319
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I find them a little stiff for me...I just use a razer mouse anyways...
     
  6. Kissarmy

    Kissarmy Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    13
    Messages:
    171
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I've moved from an XPS Gen2 to this, the buttons seem really stiff to me, also they are a single button that pivots in the middle. not too bad if you press at the left/right extremities however very stiff if you try to press near the middle.
    When I first got the XPS I thought its keys were stiff and small though I got used to it. The best left/right keys I've ever used were on my previous Inspiron 8000, large and featherlight.
    The touchpad and left/right click keys are my least favoutite feature of this machine. Unfortunately I'm on a train at the moment ant there is no room to use a mouse.
     
  7. lordqarlyn

    lordqarlyn Global Biz Consultant

    Reputations:
    73
    Messages:
    1,056
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Don't have an issue myself, but I generally use a mouse anyway....
     
  8. sleey0

    sleey0 R.I.P. AW Side Topics

    Reputations:
    1,870
    Messages:
    7,976
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    I think the tp was the worst I've ever used.

    I guess it is a compromise for me. I won't let the tp bring me down!
     
  9. Entrope

    Entrope Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    23
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    The buttons on my M17X are extremely stiff and I dont care for the rough, grainy touchpad personally. I know people differ on this. I really liked the vostro 1500 sleek feel on the pad and the buttons were easier to click. Doesnt matter too much, wireless mouse ftw.
     
  10. sakariye

    sakariye Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I now carry around a dinovo edge keyboard in my laptop bag just to avoid the horrific excuse-of-a-touchpad.

    It simply is the worst I have ever used.
     
  11. sleey0

    sleey0 R.I.P. AW Side Topics

    Reputations:
    1,870
    Messages:
    7,976
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    Agreed.

    Not much more to say other than it sucks. lol
     
  12. airplaneman

    airplaneman Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    150
    Messages:
    716
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I don't know why you guys all hate it..I personally don't mind it. I'm used to clicking the keys on the outside edge anyways. Each to his own I guess.
     
  13. sleey0

    sleey0 R.I.P. AW Side Topics

    Reputations:
    1,870
    Messages:
    7,976
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    Buttons aren't bad but the pad sucks.
     
  14. airplaneman

    airplaneman Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    150
    Messages:
    716
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    That is what I meant. They both seem OK to me..sure the touch pad is a bit...sporadic but heh, I got used to it.
     
  15. sakariye

    sakariye Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I don't use the buttons. I click/doubleclick/select by tapping the pad. Besides not being able to control the cursor very well with this pad, clicking and selection are very difficult (drag-and-drop, even more so).
     
  16. NDJason2009

    NDJason2009 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    2
    Messages:
    80
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I think some others might have said it somewhere... I hated the touch pad at first, but when I did a clean install of Vista I didn't install the Synaptics drivers, just used the default Windows drivers, and now I think it works great. You can't do all the customizations and stuff with the sensitivity, but it works a lot smoother and the scrolling works a lot better.
     
  17. b0oMeR

    b0oMeR Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    5
    Messages:
    127
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Hmmm. You buy 3k+ laptop to use the touch pad? lol.

    Touchpads were never good, and never will be.
    A $10 mouse is better than the touchpad.
     
  18. lordqarlyn

    lordqarlyn Global Biz Consultant

    Reputations:
    73
    Messages:
    1,056
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Amen to that! For most of my games and for all of my work on photoediting and on 3D Studio Max, I always use a mouse!