Trackpad Or Mouse For Laptop FPS Gaming?

This is just something I've been thinking about, and I'm curious to hear what other people here do. My last notebook was a Sony Vaio S360, and it was capable of some FPS's like HL2, etc. However, I was never too comfortable with using a trackpad compared to a mouse.

But of course part of the idea of notebook gaming is that you would do it when you didn't have the ability to use a mouse, so the trackpad ends up becoming necessary.

Especially for people who do have high-end gaming notebooks, how often do you use the trackpad as a control mechanism, and what are you experiences and opinions using it? Clearly a lot of people are playing high-end FPS's, but I'm wondering how many people just hook up a mouse and play somewhere where they can use the mouse, or something else?

-Zadillo

 

Playing an FPS, especially multiplayer, without a mouse is asking to be fragged.
Only games i'd use the trackpad for would be RTS's (C&C and the like). And even then, the mouse is faster/easier.
Trackpads just don't have the sensitivity and control you need for good gaming.

 

Right. I think that's really what my question is about; it's safe to assume that a trackpad isn't that great for FPS's, so what do people with gaming notebooks usually do when playing FPS's? Make do with the trackpad, or only play games in places where they will be able to use a mouse (perhaps a necessity anyway if you need to play on AC power).

 

generally if you can't use a mouse its not worth playing an FPS so you either have to plug one in or play a different genre of game

 

Wow I couldnt imagine playing HL2 or BF2 without a mouse, a touch pad would be un bareable playing a FPS. You need an external mouse to play them.

 

Yeah....... again, I probably wasn't too clear in my original post. I wasn't asking about what's better (a mouse or a trackpad), but more about what people with gaming notebooks do about FPS gaming? It seems like people do spend a lot of money on high-end gaming notebooks with the capability to play FPS's, but it seems like the need to be near AC power and to be in a place where you can hook up and use a mouse sort of limit it (i.e. it's not going to do you any good on your lap since you won't have anywhere to use the mouse).

And at that point, what is the real benefit of a high-end gaming notebook? Is it just portability, ultimately? I.e. that it is much easier to take to a LAN party?

 

All of my notebooks hardware is gaming grade, excpt for the video card, but its still not bad. I can play HL2 (completly topped out with 16xAF) with my notebook on my knees while laying in bed, and use my V400 on the sheets. I get great battey life with my notebook, about 2-2.5 hours of gaming on the battery, and about 5-6 with regular use. But yes I use a mouse to game. And if your going to game on something other than a desk/table, then you should get a good mouse. Mine was $50, its got a dual-laser engine so it tracks on almost any surface, which is really nice because I like gaming in bed sometimes. It also comes in handy in long boring classes.

I paid alot for my notebook, and I can game on the go, you just need a good mouse. The new Logitech Revolution mice look really good. I cant remember which one is the notebook one, mabey the VX? But which ever one it is, its the next iteration of the V400. The V400 is good so that mouse must be great.

 

I have a little notebook-sized wireless optical mouse I could use in a pinch. Turn up the sensitivity and you would probably use it on the right palm rest if you had absolutely nowhere else to set it.

 

Wait, you use the mouse directly in bed? Like, you just use your sheets or whatever as a mousing surface? And that works pretty well?

-Zadillo

 

You just answered your own question.
Portable power. But it comes at the price of having to plug it in. You can't run a gaming laptop full bore on battery, so you need to plug it in. And if you can plug it in, running it full out on your lap is a recipe for burned legs and fried CPU/GPU (because you'll block the fan intakes with your legs).
So, you'll be using a table or desk of some sort, which means there should be plenty of room for a mouse.

 

My new logitech G5 works great on my couch. The laptop sits on a wooden TV tray and I mouse right on the couch cushion.

 

K, that makes sense.

I think the only other question I have then is really how many people who buy high end gaming laptops actually really take advantage of the portability? And how many end up just using it on their desk all the time, at which point they probably could have spent the same amount of money on a desktop + a regular notebook?

 

Yeah, the V400, or really any mouse that has a laser, and in my case 2 lasers. The only surface I couldnt get it to track on was the side of a clear, empty water bottle. But yeah it works great on my sheets. The only think you have to worry about is the wrinkles getting in your way, but smoothing the surface first makes it as good as on a desk.

 

Well that's part of what you have to determine when buying one.
I had the same thought when buying my laptop. I worked it like this.

Option 1.
New desktop - $1500
"cheap" laptop - $800-900
Total - $2300+

Gaming at home, portability for the road.

Option 2.
Gaming laptop - $2300

Gaming at home AND the road.

If I got a laptop, I knew i would want to play games on it. So why not spend the same amount of money and be able to game in both places?
Also, when you take your laptop out, where does it usually end up? On a desk/table. Either at work, or at the hotel, or your friend's house.
The percentage of time you would actually be able to use it on your lap is dramatically less than the time it spends on a flat surface somewhere.
Unless you live in your car or something like a travelling salesman

 

Yeah, good point. I think it basically comes down to how much you'll actually do the "gaming on the road" part. At that point the cost tradeoffs are worth it to be able to game in both places. But I guess if you don't do as much "gaming on the road", the benefit I see is that, in your equation, the $1500 you might spend on a gaming desktop might get you more gaming capability than even a $2300 gaming laptop.

 

I actually am getting a smaller, gaming-capable laptop that I kinda do double-duty with. I wanted it to be very portable and usable on my lap, but I'm not gonna play games like that. I get together with some guys about once a month or so and play some C&C:Generals Zero Hour, play some different FPS's like Far Cry and all, but I like being able to play no matter where I am. Load up my playstation emulator and play Tony Hawk (gotta have the USB control pads), stuff like that.

 

Optical mouse works quite well for me. I just bust out my mouse pad and sit it on the arm of my recliner at home and play with the M90 in my lap. F.E.A.R. at 1440x900 full up with Soft Shadows, the thing never gets hot. I do need more RAM though. Until I play the game for a few minutes and everything gets loaded up, I get a lot of lag while it's loading the level. I have played FPS' with the trackpad before however, and I make do. But it's not a good substitute. You have to turn the sensitivity up cause the trackpad's not big enough to do like a 180 if the sensitivity is set low. And trying to use your thumb to hit the button sucks and is so much slower.

For me, since I'm a college student, I go home every weekend, and that is where I do most of my gaming. But while I'm at school, I need to be able to do some 3D modeling. So I couldn't go with a desktop. If I did, I either wouldn't be able to game at home or wouldn't be able to draft/model at school. So I decided to get a nice laptop. Would I love to have a stronger desktop and MacBook for just a little more than I paid for my M90? Absolutely. But that just wasn't an option for me right now. Maybe sometime in the future (hopefully next generation of Integrated Graphics will pick up enough for good 3D modeling).

 

Gaming is for mice lol! I always take my Logitech LX7 with me, its an awesome mouse for gaming. Only time I game on the trackpad is if its a slower pased game.

 

I personally don't like to use the trackpad at all if possible. I don't have the "technique" down--meaning I've seen people do everything they want with trackpads, but I've never spent the time to really figure them out. I much prefer a good mouse and external keyboard too whenever possible.

Each form factor has its pros and cons. Of course you can get much more power in a desktop...but you can't or won't want to take it around with you (tower/keyboard/mouse/monitor/cables) very often if ever. The convenience factor of having all your data with you and the ease of transportation + some gaming ability is worth the hassle of finding a place for your mouse.

 

i do that kind of thing too, on the floor in my bedroom. my mx 518, and the standard dell mouse for that matter track perfectly over my rug. it is very precise and i don't notice any differnce in percision between the rug and, say, a table.

 

personally for ALL FPS games or anyother app i use a logitech marble mouse trackball

its $20 and rocks for accuracy..... plus u can use it on the go with a minimum of space requirements....u only move the ball not ur arm

 

i have used a touchpad in bf2, i got some kills, but i got killed way more.

 

I used to use trackballs a lot, but my trackball finger (tried both index and thumb versions) would get really fatigued after a while. I prefer a sensitive mouse.

 

With my Notebook I usually just play UT, UT 2004, Battlefield 1942, or Battlefield Vietnam. (Can't run BF2 on notebook) I use a Razer Diamondback, (Salamander Red), and a mousepad and it works great! I use my notebook more for mobile audio recording and such.

 

IF I play some games I use a mouse, because the touchpad is bad for gamming. I only used it to play age of empires and it's difficult. I play once call of duy 2 with the touch and I was killed trying to moving my finger.