TrackPoint on T61 Difficult to Move

I received my new T61 last week and have been playing around and configuring it since. One of the main reasons I went with a Lenovo laptop was because of the availability of the TrackPoint. However, even after changing the setting to the "lightest" setting and increasing the sensitivity, it still requires too much effort to move the mouse around the screen. It pretty much makes me not want to use the TrackPoint anymore. Compared to Dell laptops that I've used, it's just too "stiff".

Is there anything else I can do to increase the sensitivity? Is this just how TrackPoints on ThinkPads are?

 

You were right to change the TrackPoint Stick to "Light Touch". But when you say you also increased the sensitivity do you mean that you changed the Pointer speed? If yes, then there is no more you can do with the software settings. You could however try updating your TrackPoint software and see if that helps the sensitivity. I don't think it will, but it is worth a shot.

There is another way though. You can change the cap/nipple to a more manageable one. The one which gives you the most speed with the least effort is the Soft Rim Dome nipple. It is the one in the bottom left corner of the picture.

http://www.thinkwiki.org/images/9/9a/Trackpoint.jpg

The other ones may look better but they will definitely slow you down compared to the Soft Rim Dome.

 

Thanks for the info. I'll give that a shot.

I would just like to know if my experience is normal or not. If anyone else has used a Dell, do you find the Lenovo's being far more stiff?

 

I think my old Toshiba had a softer trackpoint. The Thinkpad's is just stiff. The T61 trackpoint stick is quite massive compared to any others I've used before...

 

That would be the cap I recommend as well. I like Thinkpad's UltraNav system better than Dell's implementation.

 

Ack, that's like the one on the Dell laptops I'm a big fan of top center. First order of business when I get a new Thinkpad is to pry off the default one (now lower right) and put on the old cat's tongue It's more compact in my opinion, less squishy, and has a positive feel to it. But hey, each to their own, and that's why the machines come with all three. I just wish I had a spare to swap out my Dell -- I end up using my vx nano mouse instead.

The trackpoint is a litle stiff, and I believe that's by design as well. Otherwise you'd be moving your mouse all over the place while typing.