Trackpoint, Trackpad, or Mouse?

I just got my first ThinkPad and I'm extremely impressed by the trackpoint. It's going to take a little getting use to, but I can picture a scenario where I only break out the mouse for gaming.

What is your primary use to navigate?

 

touch pad is the best.

 

Trackpoint.
I don't have a trackpad and I dislike mice almost as much as I dislike trackpads, so there.

 

I use a mouse when I’m at a desk—and exclusively the trackpoint when I’m on the go.

 

TrackPoint on both my laptop and desktop. I maintain a mouse on my desktop only for the purpose of gaming.

 

At my desk, I use the mouse.

Ever since I got my Thinkpad, I've been more and more reliant on the TrackPoint. I'd say I use it 75% of the time when I don't have access to a mouse, and I use the touchpad occasionally.

Recently, I've gotten fairly good at using the TrackPoint for gaming - I can actually score most of the headshots I go for.

 

Yup, it's too soon for me to say for sure but I think I'm definitely heading down this route.

 

Nothing beats the mouse If you don't use the mouse it's usually not because others are more comfortable but because of the lack of space etc. I wish I could be more used to the trackpoint--have to practice a lot before getting used to it.

 

I have always loved trackpoints. I also believe when my thinkpad comes that it will be my main mouse. I do prefer an external mouse for gaming, but after what you guys said Ill try it for gaming. Oh and I have always despised touch pads.

 

What I love about the TrackPoint is economy of motion.

I'll use my desktop for this example as it's a rather extreme case. I have a triple monitor workstation with a very large desk, so space is not a problem. However, I have my keyboard in a retractable keyboard tray.

With the aid of the TrackPoint I can very quickly shift from two handed typing (with the tray retracted) to the small-moderate moves of the mouse required for web browsing, document creation, et. al.

Conversely, if I used a mouse I would have to remove my right hand from the keyboard, bring it up on top the desk, locate and move the mouse, and return my hand to the keyboard. This wastes several seconds each time and it can really stack up during a period of typing, web browsing, or content creation.

For casual browsing and reading articles I simply use my x200T and rotate my screen around until it's a clipboard. NOTHING beats a tall format display and pen or finger navigation for consuming articles and similar content. Again, this may well be a special case as most people don't have tablets.

I tend to only use the mouse for occasions where I will have my right hand on the mouse permanently, and only need one (or zero) hand on the keyboard. This is basically just gaming and possibly light photo editing.

 

mouse when using as desktop
touchpad when using as notebook

 

TrackPoint when the laptop is actually in front of me. Logitech MX 620 when the laptop is hooked up to my TV.

The beauty of the TrackPoint is much like Jon said, in that you can keep your hands on the keyboard and still move the mouse cursor. I've actually found that I usually use the TrackPoint with my left hand despite being right-hand dominant. I guess I learned to do that because it allows me to keep my right hand near the Enter key.

I never use the touchpad.

 

Trackpoint is the best.... although touchpad with multi-touch feature really interested me......

 

Mouse mainly, and Trackpoint on the go (although my Dell's trackpoint is not as good as the Thinkpad's ones, but it's already pretty good)

It's very addicting! I had this in an Asus Eee-PC 901, and you can get so incredibly used to scrolling with two fingers and going back/forward by sliding three fingers. I'm really looking forward to cheaper 12" or 13" tablets with capacitive multi touch touchscreen.

 

I'm assuming that the thinkpads can shut off the touch pad all together so that the track point is the only mouse usable. Would be a pain to have both running as the touch pad sucks when you accidentally hit it and it drags you somewhere or deletes what you're typing,

 

You have assumed correctly and this is how I use it.

 

Sweet thats what Ill plan on doing. Do they have an option to auto shut off when an external mouse connects? That is a really nice feature that my dell has.

 

Not sure/I haven’t looked into it. I actually have the pad disabled in the BIOS and have both the mouse and pointer active at the same time—and this is desirable for me.

 

Despite having owned many ThinkPads in a row, I'm still a trackpadder. While I'm OK with the stick, I just never liked it. I used to have an older ThinkPad with no trackpad, a lot of the older ones didn't. I always used a mouse with it.

 

(Note to self: Prepare TrackPoint Kool-Aid for ZaZ!)

 

The only time I use anything other than the TrackPoint is when I'm at my desk with a mouse, and even then I find myself using it 50% of the time. I don't think I can ever go back to trackpads!

 

This is exactly what I'm doing. It's 50/50 when I'm at my desk; otherwise it's TrackPoint.

 

Within the first few hours of use my trackpoint skills are pretty nice. I have the touchpad disabled at this point never to be used.

 

I didn't drink the Apple Kool-Aid either.

 

Well Im glad for that. But one of these days we will have to get you using the trackpoint. Ever since I have been here when I hear ZaZ I think of thinkpads, and at this point not using a trackpoint when its avail seems unnatural. You will conform sir.

 

LOL

fillerfillerfiller

 

I love the external mouse the best and if I have room. If I am cramped for space, then the trackpoint. I really don't like any tracpoints/touch pads etc.