Apple makes such excellent trackpads with such good gestures. The trackpad is similar to a touchscreen device. It was first released in 2010 and is known as the Magic Trackpad. Using a trackpad on a Mac is easy for general computing. In addition, it is easier to clean and use.
Here’s a comparative table for Magic Trackpad 1, Magic Trackpad 2, and Magic Trackpad 3:
| Feature | Magic Trackpad 1 | Magic Trackpad 2 | Magic Trackpad 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | July 27, 2010 | October 13, 2015 | March 10, 2022 |
| Technology | Multi-Touch | Multi-touch, Force Touch | Multi-touch, Force Touch |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth | Bluetooth 3.0+EDR, Lightning connector | Bluetooth, Lightning connector, automatic pairing |
| Power | Two AA batteries (replaceable) | Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery | Longer battery life |
| Compatibility | Bluetooth-enabled Mac laptops & computers | Bluetooth-enabled Mac with OS X 10.11 or later, MacBook, iPad with iPadOS 13.4 or later | Similar to Magic Trackpad 2 |
| Dimensions | 5.2 x 0.7 x 5.1 inches | 0.19-0.43 x 6.30 x 4.52 inches | 0.19-0.43 x 6.30 x 4.52 inches |
| Weight | 0.3125 Pound (0.14 kg) | 0.51 pound (0.230 kg) | 0.51 pound (0.230 kg) |
| Price | $69 | $129.00 | $149.00 |
| Pros | Wireless, replaceable batteries | Wireless Bluetooth pairing, multi-touch and Force Touch input, rechargeable battery | Control Pad for iMacs, iPads & MacBooks, continuous glass surface, longer battery life |
| Cons | Not compatible with Windows PCs/Laptops | Not compatible with Windows PCs/Laptops | No significant new functionality over Magic Trackpad 2, primarily design changes |
Sometimes, people ask, “Why do you need a Magic Trackpad?” The answer is that People prefer trackpads because they are more comfortable for long-term use than a mouse. The Trackpads settings on Mac are decent and helpful in panning, zooming, rotating, and responsive.
Talking about “How many versions of Magic Trackpad are there?”; the answer is mainly three: the first was Apple Magic Trackpad 1st generation, the second version is known as Magic Trackpad 2, and the third is Magic Trackpad 3. Furthermore, you can get Tricks for Magic Trackpad serial number check here.
#1. Magic Trackpad (1st generation)
The Magic Trackpad is a wireless, multi-touch trackpad released on July 27, 2010, and manufactured by Apple Inc. It runs on Mac OS X Snow Leopard v 10.6.4 and higher versions Operating System; it also runs with Bluetooth-capable iOS devices, Windows XP, Vista, and Apple Boot Camp.
These magic trackpads work wirelessly through Bluetooth when paired with Mac computers. It has a nice angle that matches the original Magic keyboard. In addition, it makes things easier, like zooming, swiping, and more.
Features:
- This Trackpad is the same as the MacBook’s built-in Trackpad.
- It’s 80 percent larger than MacBook’s Trackpad.
- This magic trackpad offers multi-touch gestures, including tapping, swiping, pinching, or spreading by fingers to perform actions.
- It provides wireless Bluetooth connectivity.
- It runs on two AA disposable batteries.
Specifications:
| Release date | July 27, 2010 |
| Manufacturer | Apple Inc. |
| Type | Multi-touch |
| Color | Silver |
| Operating system support | Mac OS X Snow Leopard v 10.6.4 and higher |
| Technology | Wireless Bluetooth Technology |
| Predecessor | Magic Trackpad |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth |
| Power | Two AA batteries (Replaceable) |
| Compatibility | Bluetooth-enabled Mac Laptops & computers |
| Dimensions | 5.2 x 0.7 x 5.1 inches |
| Weight | 0.3125 Pound (0.14 kg) |
| Price | $69 |
Pros:-
- Compatible with Mac computer & Mac mini.
- Wireless Bluetooth Technology.
- Replaceable two AA disposable batteries.
Cons:-
Not compatible with Windows PCs/Laptops.
#2. Magic Trackpad 2 (2nd generation)
The Magic Trackpad 2 is a multi-touch, force-Touch, and accurate trackpad released on October 13, 2015, and manufactured by Apple Inc. It supports OS X EI Caption(the twelfth major release of macOS)-Apple Inc.’s desktop and server operating system for Macintosh. It is a successor to the first-generation Magic Trackpad.
This Magic Trackpad 2 offers a rear view with the power switch left and the lightning port at the center. In addition, it provides haptic feedback(It responds to touches and simulates a click effect using electromagnets) with a multi-touch matte glass surface with force touch and a Taptic engine input.
- The Magic Trackpad 2 supports MacBook computers and iPad devices.
- It supports Bluetooth 3.0+EDR & lightning connectivity.
- This 2nd generation Magic Trackpad runs on Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery.
- You can drag or rotate objects, and photos, scroll through the webpage, pinch to zoom in/zoom out, and many more gestures.
- The other benefits are gestures, like 3 figure swipe between desktops, mission control, etc.
- Using the Force Touch pressure, you can slide your finger around and press to control on-screen pointers.
Specifications:
| Release date | October 13, 2015 |
| Manufacturer | Apple Inc. |
| Type | Multi-touch and force touch |
| Color | Silver |
| Operating system support | OS X EI Caption |
| Technology | Force Touch technology |
| Predecessor | Magic Trackpad |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 3.0+EDR, Lightning connector |
| Power | Rechargeable Li-Po Battery (2024 mAh) |
| System Requirements | Bluetooth-enabled Mac with OS X 10.11 or later, MacBook, & iPad with iPadOS 13.4 or later. |
| Compatibility | iMac, iPad and MacBook devices |
| Dimensions | 0.19-0.43 x 6.30 x 4.52 inches |
| Weight | 0.51 Pound (0.230 kg) |
| Price | $129.00 |
Pros:-
- Wireless Bluetooth pairing.
- Multi-touch & Force touch input.
- Rechargeable Li-Po Battery.
- Lightning port to charge.
Cons:-
Not compatible with Windows computers/Laptops.
This Magic Trackpad 2 pairs automatically; you can charge it by connecting it to a USB-C port on Mac.
#3. Magic Trackpad 3
On March 10, 2022, apple released a Magic Trackpad with rounder corners, known as Magic Trackpad 3. By comparing technical features, Magic Trackpad 3 is the same as Magic Trackpad2. Let us look at the Features.
Magic Trackpad 3 is a Control Pad for iMacs, iPads, and MacBooks. This Trackpad automatically pairs with the device by using Bluetooth connectivity. You can use a long-lasting battery for a month.
Features:
Like Magic Trackpad 2, Magic Trackpad 3 offers the same additional features:
- Control Pad for iMacs, iPads, and MacBooks.
- It has longer battery life.
- Sensors offer different features to detect individual pressures.
- It supports rotating objects and photos, scrolling through the webpage, pinching to zoom in/zoom out, and many more.
- It offers Force touch gestures.
- Continuous glass surface.
Specifications:
| Release date | March 10, 2022 |
| Manufacturer | Apple Inc. |
| Type | Multi-touch and force touch |
| Color | Black |
| Operating system support | OS X EI Caption |
| Technology | Force Touch technology |
| Predecessor | Magic Trackpad |
| Connectivity | Automatic pairing with the device via Bluetooth and Lightning connector. |
| Power | longer battery life |
| System Requirements | Bluetooth-enabled Mac with OS X 10.11 or later; iPad with iPadOS 13.4 or higher |
| Compatibility | iMac and iPad devices |
| Dimensions | 0.19-0.43″ x 6.30″ x 4.52″ inches |
| Weight | 0.51 Pound (0.230 kg) |
| Price | $149.00 |
Pros:-
- Control Pad for iMacs, iPads & MacBooks.
- Continuous glass surface.
- Longer battery life.
- Automatic pairing via Bluetooth.
Cons:-
It does not provide internal support.
Don’t Miss this guide – Hacks to use mac without a trackpad
How to Setup Trackpad on MacBook
You can connect your Mac with Apple Magic Trackpads. All three forms are below:
Initial pairing(with Lighting USB cable)
Do connect the lighting cable to your Mac, and follow the given path;
Go to the System Settings> System preferences > Bluetooth– turn it on the toggle button >Select your Trackpad and tap on “Continue.”
Wireless Pairing(without cable):
1) ➞ Go to the Bluetooth file exchange.
2) ➞ Press Command + space. (Browser window will open)
3) ➞ Tap the down arrow to select your Trackpad.
4) ➞ Press Return to connect.
Find a nearby device:
1) ➞ Select Apple Menu
2) ➞Go to the System Settings
3) ➞ Select the nearby device (Trackpad) and Connect it.
Read More: – How to Change Scrolling Speed of Mouse or Trackpad in Mac
More gestures
Select Apple Menu > Go to the System Preferences > click on Trackpad > More gestures.
➞ Swipe between full-screen apps:
There are three options: set swipe left-right with three or four fingers or put it Off.
➞ Notification Centre:
You can enable the toggle button to allow the Swipe left from the right edge option to use two fingers.
➞ Mission Control:
Mission control shows three options: set the Swipe up with three or four fingers or put it Off.
➞ Apple Expose:
Like Mission Control, Apple expose shows three options to set Swipe down with three or four fingers.
➞ Launchpad:
It shows a toggle button to enable a pinch with the thumb and three fingers.
➞ Show Desktop:
It shows a toggle button to enable Spread with the thumb and three fingers.
Force Touch support/ Does Magic Trackpad have force touch?
The force touch technology helps pressure-sensitive touch. The Magic Trackpad 2 and Magic Trackpad 3 are force touch capable with Mac.
Magic Trackpad 2 is no 3D touch. There is a hardware difference between 3D Touch and Force Touch. Force Touch uses electrodes on the edge of the trackpad screen, and 3D touch uses a capacitive sensor to measure pressure.
Haptic Feedback
Apple’s second-generation trackpad provides haptic feedback with a built-in Taptic Engine. It can use with MacBook Trackpads. It brings a similar Force Touch experience to the Magic Trackpad 2.
Coils of copper wire form powerful electromagnets to push and pull against the steel bar. They are mounted to the underside of the trackpad surface and simulate the sound and feel of a touch click.
FAQs
Ans. Yes, Magic Trackpad replaces the mouse with its gestures and touch-click sensor.
Ans. Apple Pencil can use with an iPad, requiring the sub-display scanning technology of iPad models. That means you can’t use the Apple Pencil on Trackpad.
Ans. In June 2021, Apple stopped selling Space Gray color Magic Trackpad 2. It is available in Silver and Black colors.
Ans. Yes, you can draw on the Magic Trackpad with your fingers.
Ans. Yes, you can use the Apple Trackpad on a PC by using GitHub software called Mac Precision Touchpad. (Windows precision Driver Implementation for Apple MacBook/Magic Trackpad.)
Ans. The Magic Trackpad 3 is available in Black at the Apple store. It is a new version of Magic Trackpad 2 with the same functionality & different colors.
Ans. A touchpad is a rectangular pointing device that is sensitive to touch and easy to slide with a fingertip on a pad. In comparison, Trackpad is a pressure-sensitive glide pad usually available on the laptop to move the cursor.
Ans. Apple Trackpads last for five years.
Ans. You can place the Magic Trackpad in different places you want. Some of them are listed below:
At the edge of the desk;
Under the keyboard;
On the right side of the keyboard and more.
Ans. The first-generation Magic Trackpad is discontinued and unavailable on Apple’s official website.
Ans. Yes, you can disable Magic Trackpad anytime. You can turn off the Magic Trackpad through the power button.
Ans. Apple’s Magic Trackpad 2 & Magic Trackpad 3 work with iPad version 13.4 or higher.
Ans. The trackpad is helpful for gestures and casual computer use. It is better for the wrist. By using a trackpad, you can use shortcuts for gestures more easily. The mouse would be better for specific gaming and 3D modeling in other cases.
Ans. Using a Trackpad by lifting your wrists off your work surface can save the carpal tunnel area. In addition, it helps to protect your nerves and blood flow from getting shrunken.
In conclusion, people are using Magic Trackpad for their individual uses. Most of them prefer to use it for good gestures. At the same time, other people who work for a long time choose to use a mouse for gaming, modeling, and many more. At last, some use both a mouse and trackpad per their work needs.
Show Desktop: Spread with thumb and three fingers.
