NotebookForums.com › Forums › Notebook Manufacturers › Dell Forums › Dell Legacy (single-core notebooks) › Inspiron 8600, synaptics or alps touchpad
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Inspiron 8600, synaptics or alps touchpad

post #1 of 50
9/27/04 at 1:13pm
Thread Starter 
Hi folks,

I'm twitching to buy a new laptop. I recently played with a D800 that came with the alps touchpad instead of the synaptics my old 8100 had. It was terrible, there's no way I could use that machine for an extended period of time. Does the 8600 use the alps or synaptics touch pad?

Thanks,
Eric
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 50
9/27/04 at 1:34pm
My 8600 has the alps touch pad
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 50
9/27/04 at 2:38pm
what's the difference between the touchpads?
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 50
9/27/04 at 2:44pm
i think the difference is that the synastic can feel the pressure 8-|
Not sure though, maybe there is some what differences
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 50
9/27/04 at 2:53pm
Well the alps one mine has a 'pressure level' adjustment so if you want it to respond to slight touches it will, or if you wnat to press really hard you can do that too.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 50
9/27/04 at 3:23pm
Alps suck, that's all I can say not as responsive as synaptics. Lots of complaints about Alps on the dell forums
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 50
9/28/04 at 9:01am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mjb
what's the difference between the touchpads?
In general use I find the Alps to be twitchy and jittery. It doesn't stop where I want it and I find it hard to do any fine work. Just to click an icon on the system tray becomes a chore. I've played with sensitivity settings for hours trying to get it acceptable. The Synaptics pads are dead on, there's no comparison. It's hard to describe, but if you used the two back to back you would definitely notice the difference. I simply work slower on an Alps because I have to focus on moving the mouse to the right spot, on a Synaptics I don't. Dell support also verified that the i8600 uses an Alps so I'll be looking elsewhere for a laptop. I'm disappointed because other than that, the 8600 was exactly what I was looking for.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 50
9/28/04 at 8:19pm
I have the synaptics on my I8600, D800, and I600m....i didnt know Dell used different vendors for the touchpad.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 50
9/28/04 at 8:33pm
How can you tell which kind of touch pad you have?
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 50
9/28/04 at 8:52pm
It should say it in the hardware tab in Mouse properties. The Alps does suck. I am having a problem at startup where the program that controls the touchpad activities (like scrolling and back/forward) comes up but won't minimise or hide in the system tray or whatever. I end up having to Ctrl+Alt+Del it, which means that i can't use the scrolling on my touchpad, something I use all the time. It is ok when i have a mouse connected because I use its scroll wheel (the BT500), but the touchpad I use a lot too. Anyone have this problem and know how to fix it?
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 50
9/28/04 at 9:25pm
I dont know what you guys talking about, but my apls is ok, except the pressure sensor.
I can scroll, backward and forward, and even scroll horizontally.
Everything is great most of the time. And im happy with it
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 50
9/28/04 at 10:32pm
You can also check it on your packing slip.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 50
9/28/04 at 10:40pm
My Alps is all right as well.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 50
9/29/04 at 4:34am
I have the alps as well and i have no problems with it. I can touch it with my finger slightly and it does what it's supposed to do. I do not have the option of adjusting the pressure level though as someone else stated, but even still it is sensitive. At times there is a pause for the cursor to move but not for long and not often.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 50
9/29/04 at 4:49am
yea, thats true. Sometimes the mouse stops responding, you just have to wait a bit, and then it will move again. Thats about everything wrong with it. However, i prefer to use the button than tapping when i do drag'n'drop tasks. Simply it is much easier.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 50
9/29/04 at 5:03am
I use it either way, either tapping the pad or using the buttons. All depends how im feeling at the moment lol both ways are easy though.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 50
9/29/04 at 9:14am
What dell models come with the synaptics versus the alps touchpad ?
Or is it just a crap shoot as to what they feel like putting in when they build it?
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 50
9/29/04 at 10:07am
Usually they use the ALPS, but sometimes, some people get the Synaptics.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 50
9/29/04 at 11:41am
Quote:
some people get the Synaptics
Lucky people. I am really getting annoyed with my touchpad. The drivers are screwing up.
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 50
9/29/04 at 11:53am
Those who haven't had problems with their ALPS I have a questioin for ya.... Have you guys used the synpatics before?
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
NotebookForums.com › Forums › Notebook Manufacturers › Dell Forums › Dell Legacy (single-core notebooks) › Inspiron 8600, synaptics or alps touchpad