Review: Logitech T650 touchpad

 

With the trend of touch interface in various devices and platforms, Microsoft ramped up Windows 8 with touch optimizations. But not all desktop computers have a touch screen so adding a touchpad looks like the next best thing.

Consider the Logitech T650 – a wireless and rechargeable touchpad, with gestures for Windows 7, and optimized for Windows 8. Read on for my impressions of the T650.

Design

The Logitech’s T650 looks great with its black body and thin frame. It has some weight to it and rubber stoppers at the bottom corners that help keep it locked in position. The surface area is also much larger than other touchpads we find in laptops, so we won’t be hitting the edge too much. The surface is supposed to be made of glass, although its matte finish takes away the shine we’d expect.

 

The design is truly Logitech and it’s easy to see how the T650 will match up perfectly with other Logitech devices. One thing I noticed though is that it looks like a glorified coaster or a warming plate for a cup or mug. Overall, it really feels like a premium warming plate touchpad.

Wireless

Logitech’s unifying receiver is Logitech’s standard approach for their wireless devices, and the T650 is no exception. This is great if you’re already using the unifying receiver, just pair the T650 and you’ll be good to go. But if you don’t have a unifying receiver, do not worry because the box includes one.

The range of the unifying receiver is great since it is using an advanced 2.4 GHz signal – similar to some cordless phones. I tried using the T650 about 8-10 feet away from the unifying receiver and it worked just fine, so this could be something used during presentations.

Rechargeable

Based on the spec sheet, a single charge of the T650 should last 1 month. Once it runs low on juice, it only takes 3 hours to recharge. Logitech includes a micro-USB cable that you can use to recharge the touchpad. What’s nice is that we can use the touchpad while charging it and can continue what we’re doing.

Also, when the day comes that the battery won’t hold a charge anymore, the battery can be replaced.

Gestures

Gestures on the T650 are designed with Windows 8 in mind, but it does not mean that Windows 7 is neglected. Sadly, Windows XP is out of the picture.

Gestures include standard clicks, navigation, and some Windows shortcuts. Due to the design difference of Windows 8 and 7, the T650 has 3 extra gestures available for some unique functions found in Windows 8. Those functions are Windows 8 Charms, the Start screen, and the Application menu. For details on all available gestures, check out the Logitech T650 webpage here.

Impressions

I’ve had the chance to use this on a Windows 7 computer so my feedback will rely purely on my Windows 7 experience. However, I think that there is no difference for the touchpad’s performance between Windows 7 and 8.

I already have a unifying receiver from my wireless keyboard and mouse so setting up the T650 was not a problem. The touchpad’s surface has a slight rubbery feel to it and I was pleased to find that it is does not attract finger prints despite the fact that it is glass.

Doing an actual click is also possible as an alternative to doing a single tap. The clickers are actually found at the bottom of the T650, the 2 rubber base pegs found at the bottom corners. I initially tried doing a click by pressing down somewhere in the middle of the surface, which did not work so well. The better way that I found would be pressing down on the lower part of the surface with the thumb.

I also found that the distance from the keyboard required a little re-orienting since I’m more familiar with having a touchpad right below the spacebar in laptops.

Using the gestures didn't feel natural for me at the start since I’m primarily a mouse user, but it’s just a matter of getting the hang of it. Pinch to zoom is one of the more interesting gestures, because I found that it was a gesture that can be used in different software that allowed zooming. There is one odd part of Windows 7 where I expected this to work but it doesn't – the Windows Photo Viewer.

Another cool thing about Logitech is the software that you get when you purchase any of their wireless products called SetPoint. What’s interesting about it is that it gives Windows a “mission control” view of open applications called the application switcher, just like the one in OSX. Well, not exactly like it…mission control is still far ahead with smoother animations and a better layout.

It is fair to note that using the application switcher on a dual monitor setup does not work right. In a dual screen setup, the application switcher partially spills over to the other display. A workaround would be to install the older version 4.8 of SetPoint just to get it working right in a dual monitor scenario. Despite the not so perfect application switcher, it is still a nice touch from Logitech (no pun intended).

Touchpad VS Mouse

So, can the touchpad do away with the mouse? Here are my thoughts on the matter:

• If you’re a gamer – heck no. 
• If you just surf the net and do social media all the time – yes. 
• If you work with MS Office, Adobe products, and other productivity software – will depend on which peripheral you’re more comfortable using while working long hours.

Conclusion

If you already have a touch screen Windows 8 computer, getting a separate touchpad might be a good addition so that your screen won’t get smudgy with finger prints (I don’t like smudgy screens). Or if you’re on a desktop and you can’t get enough of the touchpad on your laptop, this touchpad is an attractive solution.

The Mac is not forgotten, because Logitech has a Mac inspired version available in the market. The price of the T650 is currently is at PHP3,397 SRP (or US$79). I find that a little pricey because we can get a decent mouse for a lot less, but you do get what you pay for with the premium build quality and great features of the Logitech T650.