Apple Magic Trackpad - White Multi-Touch Surface ​​​​​​​

The Apple Magic Trackpad is an incredible addition to my workspace! Its sleek design looks great alongside my Mac, and the touch surface is spacious and highly responsive. The ability to use gestures makes navigation a breeze, whether I'm scrolling through documents or zooming in on images. The rechargeable battery lasts for weeks, so I never have to worry about replacing batteries. Connecting via Bluetooth is effortless, providing a clutter-free setup. Overall, it’s an exceptional trackpad that enhances productivity and comfort for any Mac user. Highly recommend it for anyone looking to upgrade their input devices!Pros:Spacious, responsive touch surfaceSupports a variety of gestures for easy navigationSleek design complements Apple devicesLong-lasting rechargeable batteryEasy Bluetooth connectivity for a clean workspaceCons:Higher price point compared to standard trackpadsLimited functionality with non-Mac systems

was initially skeptical about the Magic Trackpad. As a software engineer, my hands are under constant strain from long coding sessions, and I worried that using a trackpad instead of a traditional mouse would only add to the fatigue. However, after giving it a real chance—especially with macOS gestures and BetterTouchTool—I quickly realized just how transformative this device can be.The gestures and precision are game-changers. Navigating between workspaces, switching apps, and managing windows feels seamless compared to even the best mice I’ve used. The pressure-sensitive surface and haptic feedback add a level of responsiveness that’s hard to match. Once I configured BetterTouchTool to customize gestures, my workflow became even more fluid, cutting down on unnecessary clicks and improving ergonomics. The larger surface area also allows for natural hand movements, which surprisingly reduced my wrist fatigue over time.A Few Things to ConsiderThe only real downside is the learning curve—especially if you're coming from a traditional mouse. It took me about a week to fully adapt, but once I did, it felt second nature. Also, while the battery life is excellent, I still hate charging it lolFinal ThoughtsIf you’re a power user, creative, or someone who values efficiency, the Magic Trackpad is absolutely worth it—especially when paired with BetterTouchTool for maximum customization. Give it some time to adjust, and you might be surprised at how much it improves your workflow.

The magic trackpad works out of the box on linux. Specifically, it works on the distribution release I use, ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS. I tried two other trackpads with usb receivers, logitech and perixx. The logitech was very flaky, but I bought it used, and it may have been defective to begin with, or damaged by its previous owner. I also don't think logitech makes it any more. The perixx was a reasonable deal given the price, but it required a touch that was a bit heavy and did not always pick up movement or taps. The magic trackpad, although not perfect, has a smoother surface, takes a lighter touch, and is more responsive and consistent in its behavior. The battery in my case lasts one to two months before I have to recharge — YMMV. The trackpad behaves the same way as the builtin touchpad on my laptop, supporting single, double, and two-finger taps, and it allows me to drag objects around the screen. There is a third party driver on github which enables three-finger gestures. I don't remember the name.I'll make some recommendations regarding the trackpad setup on ubuntu, using a combination of gui and terminal utilities. If you only want to use a gui interface or are not interested in a slightly off-label configuration, or if you don't use ubuntu or any of its derivative distributions (or maybe if you don't use apt or a gnome desktop), you can disregard the rest of the review.Configuration and usage recommendations for ubuntu:The open source bluetooth driver package included with debian and debian-based linuces, such as ubuntu, is called "bluez". Ubuntu LTS (long-term support) ships with bluez 5.64, in spite of the fact that stable debian (version 12, code-name "Bookworm") ships with 5.66. I'd recommend an upgrade to the later version.The easiest way to pair a new device is to use the settings/bluetooth page in the (gnome) gui desktop. Once paired, the system retains the definition, but the connection is lost during a reboot or suspend. If you are using bluez 5.66 or above, you can force a reconnection just by pressing down on the trackpad to produce a click (just tapping won't do it). The click inserts a bluetooth icon in the panel at the top the screen. After a few seconds, the pointer responds to additional trackpad events. Click-to-reconnect works both before and after login. Pointer movement and clicks work on the login page; taps are post-login only.If you are using bluez version 5.64, you will have to explicitly reconnect after logging in. In my opinion, the easiest option is to reconnect with a shell script. Obtain the trackpad's mac address by clicking on the "magic trackpad" link in the settings/bluetooth device listing, or by executing "bluetoothctl devices" in a terminal window. (I'll use A1:B2:C3:D4:E5:F6 as a sample address — obviously, you should substitute your own.) Create a shell script with the single line,bluetoothctl connect A1:B2:C3:D4:E5:F6and move or copy it to a directory in the path. For the script file name, use something short and suggestive, like "tpad". Then, whenever you reboot, or wake up from suspension, open a terminal window with the keyboard shortcut,ctrl+alt+t[control, alt, and the letter T], then type "tpad", and press return.If for some reason you want to disconnect and stay live, create a script containing the line,bluetoothctl disconnect A1:B2:C3:D4:E5:F6The simplest way of manually upgrading to bluez 5.66 is to search online for the package's file name, download, and install locally. If you're using an intel or amd PC with a 64-bit OS (and you probably are), the name isbluez_5.66-1_amd64.debIf you have a different architecture, search fordebian packages stable adminand follow the link. ("admin" refers to the administrative utilities page.) Find "bluez (5.66-1)" on the admin page and click on the link. Go to the bottom of the package page and select the architecture of your choice.After the download, in a terminal window, change to the download directory and install the package withsudo apt install ./bluez_5.66-1_amd64.debNormal apt upgrades will not replace 5.66 until a later version is added to the repository. To see what you have on your system, executedpkg -l bluez

Outstanding product! Well designed and so easy to use. I got this because I didn’t like the clicking noise of the Apple Magic Mouse. Also because that mouse is definitely not ergonomic. I’m satisfied with the price because it’s hard to put a value on the superior performance I get from it. The battery life and connectivity are great. I recommend this and couldn’t be happier about my purchase!