Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad? Which one should you get? Check out this article on Magic Mouse vs Magic Trackpad where we compare them.
Bought a new Mac and wondering which Apple-branded navigation device you should get? Apple has two navigation devices for Macs, they are the Magic Mouse and the Magic Trackpad. Both these devices are amazing in their own right but they are not perfect.
Both devices have their advantages and disadvantages and so choosing the one that will suit you the best will need some research. This article will pit both the devices against each other to see how they compare against each other.
Related: Which Apple laptop should I buy?
Magic Mouse vs Magic Trackpad
Table of Contents
The Magic Mouse comes included with every new Mac desktop, so if you are already using it, reading this article will give you an idea if you should invest in a Magic Trackpad. So read our guide on Magic Mouse vs Magic Trackpad to know more about both navigation devices.
Magic Mouse vs Magic Trackpad: At a Glance
| Magic Mouse 2 | Magic Trackpad 2 | |
| Multi-touch support | Yes | Yes |
| Force Touch support | No | Yes |
| Weight | 3.52 Ounces | 8.16 Ounces |
| Wireless/Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Battery life | Up to 2 months | Up to 1 month |
| Charging | Lightning port | Lightning port |
| Use while charging | No | Yes |
| Price | Free with new Macs Desktop $79 when purchased separately | Doesn’t come included with a Mac Desktop $129 when purchased from Apple |
| Pros | Small footprint Free with Mac desktop Multi-touch surfaceApple aesthetic | Larger surface area Force Touch support Low profile design Comfortable clicking |
| Cons | Not ergonomic Bad charging port placement | Large footprint More expensive |
| Buy at | Check out the Magic Mouse 2 here | Check out the Magic Trackpad 2 here |
Magic Mouse vs Magic Trackpad: Design
We are comparing two differences so the difference between them is night and day as one is a mouse and the other is a trackpad. But even then the design of both products is vital when it comes to comparing them. The design dictates the experience of using them.
What makes this comparison hard is the fact that both products are designed by Apple, so the design language and the quality of the products are similar.
Both the Magic Mouse and the Magic Trackpad are sleek, minimalistic, and premium products. Both devices feel good to touch and hold. So when it comes to quality, both products are of the highest quality standards.
The real comparison when it comes to design is that one is a mouse and the other is a trackpad, so looks, ergonomics, size, and all that differ significantly.
The Magic Mouse is one of the slimmest mice you can buy, it’s almost flat which makes it sleek and cool, but the design has its disadvantages too. It is not very ergonomic so using it for long hours can cause stress to your arm. And a mouse is designed to be moved around for navigation, and this means your whole arm is at work, which for long hours may not be comfortable.
On the other hand, the Magic Trackpad is much more comfortable when it comes to continuous usage as only your fingers are moving around. The Magic Trackpad is just as sleek, if not much sleeker than the Magic Mouse.
I prefer the design of the Trackpad more but it is also much larger than a Magic Mouse, this means that you need to have a lot of space on your desk to accommodate it.
Both products are designed well and look awesome, but when it comes to practicality both have their weaknesses. The Magic Mouse is not ergonomic so long hours of work on it can be uncomfortable.
The Magic Trackpad is much more ergonomic and comfortable to use but it is much larger, meaning people with limited desk space may find it hard to use it. This makes the Magic Mouse more portable too, as you can carry it around more easily than the Magic Trackpad.
So, if you are someone with a lot of desk space and want an ergonomic navigation device for your Mac, then the Magic Trackpad is better suited for you, but if you want a small, compact, and precise navigation device for your Mac then the Magic Mouse is the better bet.
The designs of both products have their advantages and disadvantages, so pick your poison.
Magic Mouse vs Magic Trackpad: Functions and Gestures
The design isn’t the be-all and end-all of these devices because both devices have different functions that make them different to use, after all, they are a mouse and a trackpad.
Both the Magic Mouse and the Magic Trackpad share a lot of gestures with each other. These include swiping between pages and apps, scrolling with one finger, double-tapping to access Mission Control, and more.
The Magic Mouse has a limited touch-sensitive area to work on, so it is limited when it comes to the gesture list. The Magic Trackpad has a much larger touch area and so you can do more like pinch-to-zoom, image rotation, and more.
The Magic Trackpad also features Force Touch similar to 3D Touch on iPhones. You can use Force Touch to click and press down on the trackpad surface and it will register a second click based on the force. Force Touch lets you access Quick Look and Look Up, on your Mac and while these are good additions, letting users customize what Force Touch does would be even better.
While the Magic Trackpad has more gestures and functions, the Magic Mouse excels when it comes to navigation itself, as it is more precise. This makes the Magic Mouse better for navigation tasks that require precision like editing software, gaming, and more.
Getting the Magic Mouse for a Macbook makes sense, as you can get more precise navigation with it. Likewise, getting a Magic Trackpad will help when working with a Mac desktop, since a Mac desktop already comes with a Magic Mouse. The Magic Mouse is for precise control, while the Magic trackpad is for versatility.
Magic Mouse vs Magic Trackpad: Battery and Charging
Both the Magic Mouse and the Magic Trackpad are wireless devices, so they need to be charged if you want to use them. The Magic Mouse has a battery life of 2 months while the Magic Trackpad can work for 1 month between charges. So, the Magic Mouse is better in this aspect, right? But this is not the case.
The design of the Magic Mouse is so sleek that Apple couldn’t place the charging port anywhere but on the underside of the mouse. This means that you can’t charge the mouse and use it at the same time.
This can be infuriatingly inconvenient as it takes a long time to charge the Magic Mouse. You will need to charge for at least 15 mins if you want a few hours of power, and an overnight charge is required if you want to charge the mouse to 100%.
The Magic Trackpad on the other hand can be used while charging since it has a charging port on the side. You won’t have to worry about running out of charge and losing productivity at the same time with the Magic Trackpad. So, while the Magic Mouse lasts longer, it can be a chore to keep track and charge its battery. Apple chose form over function with the Magic Mouse.
Both devices use a Lightning port to charge and come with an included Lightning cable. The Magic Mouse takes longer to charge since it has a bigger battery.
Magic Mouse vs Magic Trackpad: Price
So far, the Magic Mouse hasn’t fared well against the Magic Trackpad, as you have fewer compromises to live with the latter. What makes the Magic Mouse an excellent navigation device for your Mac is its price.
The Magic Mouse is free if you buy a new Mac desktop. If you want to buy the Magic Mouse separately like for your MacBook or if your old one broke, then a new one will set you back by $79.
The Magic Trackpad, on the other hand, doesn’t come free with a desktop Mac, so you have to buy it separately and that will cost you a cool $129 which is $50 more than the Magic Mouse.
I do think that overall the Magic Trackpad is a better product for navigation, but if you don’t have the budget to spare, the Magic Mouse offers much better value and similar functionality. And if you are getting a desktop Mac, you will get the Magic Mouse with it, so that’s nice to have.
Conclusion
The conclusion for Magic Mouse vs Magic Trackpad is fairly simple, the Magic Trackpad is the better product, especially when you consider ergonomics and functionality as it offers more. The trackpad looks awesome, and feels amazing to use, and offers a lot of gestures too, making it an excellent navigation device. But it is also large and expensive, and this might be a no-go for many.
The Magic Mouse is a great navigation device for your Mac too, it offers most of the gestures and functions of the Magic Trackpad, it looks cool, and feels just as good. It’s compact and portable making it great for travel and finally, it’s precise making it better in some applications over the Magic Trackpad.
The Magic Mouse also costs considerably less when bought separately, so it offers more value. So, in my opinion, get the Magic Trackpad only if you can take advantage of its large surface area and gestures. For everyone else, the Magic Mouse will do wonders. The Magic Trackpad is the better product but it’s not necessarily the better buy.
Hope our article on Magic Mouse vs Magic Trackpad was helpful. Let us know in the comments which one you chose.
What makes the Magic Trackpad better?
Here are some advantages of the Magic Trackpad 2 over the Magic Mouse 2.
- You can use the Magic Trackpad 2 even when it’s being charged. The charging port on the Magic Trackpad is on the side which allows you to use it when charging. On the Magic Mouse, the charging port is on the bottom so you can’t use it while charging.
- The Magic Trackpad is great for navigation thanks to more gestures. Gestures make it easy for navigating around macOS, you can swipe, pinch and spread for ultimate control.
- The Magic Touchpad has Force Touch, which makes it feel better. The force feedback makes it feel like a MacBook touchpad. You can also use it to draw better.
- Magic Touchpad is more comfortable to use. Since only your fingers are working, the Magic Touchpad can be comfortably used for long hours.
What makes the Magic Mouse better?
Here’s what I love more about the Magic Mouse.
- The Magic Mouse is much more precise than the Magic Trackpad. With a high-quality optical sensor, the Magic Mouse lets you control the cursor precisely. It is great for professional tasks like editing and adjusting dials/bars.
- The Magic Mouse has an inconvenient charging port, but it offers almost double the battery life compared to the Magic Trackpad. With 2 months of battery life, you would rarely face the inconvenience of wanting to charge and use it at the same time.
- Free when you buy a new Mac Desktop, while you have to pay for the Magic Trackpad. The Magic Mouse 2 is also cheaper at 79 USD, while the Magic Trackpad 2 costs 129 USD.
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