Do you duplicate your laptop input devices?

Edwin · Mar 3, 2022

TheMystic said:
Why use an external mouse?

Cuz I'm lazy and not very coordinated!!!

pparks1 · Mar 3, 2022

For my work laptop, I always use the keyboard that is built into it. Even though I have a dock, I utilize the screen on the laptop as well, so if the laptop is open it seems a waste to not use the keyboard and just have more clutter.

As far as the trackpad goes, I have it disabled and use an external mouse when I am stationary. For work, I use the Microsoft Trackball Explorer. I have literally had this same exact mouse now for over 20 years and it still works great. When I am traveling, or going to the datacenter, I just use the trackpad.

glasskuter · Mar 3, 2022

TheMystic said:
there are no complaints. Why use an external mouse?

Like everything else, it comes down to what tool one is familiar and comfortable with using. I've had a mouse glued to my right hand for 30 years and now that I've progressed to a 5 button one, it's an extension of my right hand. I don't have to think about it. And seeing that trackball---fu-get-a-bout-it.

Edwin · Mar 3, 2022

I tried a Trackball mouse once..., fecked me right up!!! :zany:

Dch48 · Mar 3, 2022

I do a lot of gaming. When I'm using the laptop for other things like browsing or shopping , I just use the trackpad. When I start gaming, a mouse gets plugged in. Try playing a game like World of Warcraft with the trackpad. It just doesn't work. It doesn't work well for almost all games. I always use the built in keyboard though. My keyboard skills are bad though. I only use 2 or 3 fingers and I have to look at the keyboard while typing. Even then, I sometimes hit the wrong key. Touch typing is way beyond my capabilities. I have tried to learn it and it's just a futile exercise.

For the mouse, a standard 3 button one is the best for me. Those gaming mice with all the buttons are a no-go. My current mouse has 2 side buttons which I disable because they always get pushed accidentally.

Edwin · Mar 3, 2022

Btw..., what's more connectively reliable, Bluetooth or Unifying Receiver?

K7MEM · Mar 3, 2022

TheMystic said:
That's a different scenario, one that requires external support. I'm referring to using external input devices even when the built-in input methods are working fine.

Then you need to make your intentions clearer.

Winuser · Mar 3, 2022

Edwin said:
Btw..., what's more connectively reliable, Bluetooth or Unifying Receiver?

In my experience, the Unifying Receiver.

TheMystic · Mar 4, 2022

Dch48 said:
I do a lot of gaming. When I'm using the laptop for other things like browsing or shopping , I just use the trackpad. When I start gaming, a mouse gets plugged in. Try playing a game like World of Warcraft with the trackpad. It just doesn't work. It doesn't work well for almost all games. I always use the built in keyboard though. My keyboard skills are bad though. I only use 2 or 3 fingers and I have to look at the keyboard while typing. Even then, I sometimes hit the wrong key. Touch typing is way beyond my capabilities. I have tried to learn it and it's just a futile exercise.

For the mouse, a standard 3 button one is the best for me. Those gaming mice with all the buttons are a no-go. My current mouse has 2 side buttons which I disable because they always get pushed accidentally.

That's one very good reason (gaming) where an external mouse should come in handy. For office work and other routine activities, the trackpad should be good enough.

I have seen that people (including myself) also prefer to have a dedicated number pad on their keyboard, so when buying an external keyboard, they get one with number pad.

Edwin said:
Btw..., what's more connectively reliable, Bluetooth or Unifying Receiver?

I think the unifying receiver is often limited to the company's own products, like the Logitech one you posted. If that gets lost, the keyboard/ mouse becomes unusable.

K7MEM said:
Then you need to make your intentions clearer.

Done, but I thought it was implicit in the question.

Fabler2 · Mar 4, 2022

Edwin said:
Btw..., what's more connectively reliable, Bluetooth or Unifying Receiver?

I think it has to be UR. I dual boot Windows so on Win A I can shutdown or restart and the BT mouse connects again even on the lock screen. Booting to Win B I have to reconnect the mouse again and the same will happen . It reconnects automatically whether a shutdown or reboot.
Booting back to Win A have to go through connecting it again. Never happened with a wireless dongle.

hdmi · Mar 4, 2022

Edwin said:
Btw..., what's more connectively reliable, Bluetooth or Unifying Receiver?

CERT/CC Vulnerability Note VU#799380

Devices supporting Bluetooth Core and Mesh Specifications are vulnerable to impersonation attacks and AuthValue disclosure

kb.cert.org

EDIT: for further info about this subject, navigate to 1:04:05 in the video below.

Dch48 · Mar 4, 2022

TheMystic said:
That's one very good reason (gaming) where an external mouse should come in handy. For office work and other routine activities, the trackpad should be good enough.

I have seen that people (including myself) also prefer to have a dedicated number pad on their keyboard, so when buying an external keyboard, they get one with number pad.

My Laptops have number pads on the built in keyboards. I can't see using an external keyboard with a laptop. That's just more space taken up. I use my laptop very often on a folding stand/ table that I can use in bed. It goes over my legs and works very well. There is room at the side for a mouse.

TheMystic · Mar 4, 2022

Dch48 said:
My Laptops have number pads on the built in keyboards.

13/ 14" laptops can't have a keyboard with a number pad, unfortunately.

Dch48 · Mar 4, 2022

TheMystic said:
13/ 14" laptops can't have a keyboard with a number pad, unfortunately.

Yeah I have never bought one smaller than 15.6"

FJRMarty · Mar 4, 2022

I have an tiny old 11" ASUS dual-core that has traveled many many miles on the back of the bike, no room for extras so I used just the keys and mouse pad. Otherwise, for years my normal use PCs due to travel and work at home have been 15-16" laptops, and I always used at least a mouse.
Since I retired and don't travel like I used to, about 95% of the time my brand new 14" W11 laptop lid is closed because I ~~need~~ use an external monitor, and of course then I also use a keyboard and 2 button wheel mouse.
Thus, I appear to be in the minority, external keyboard and mouse.

Brizzle · Mar 5, 2022

TBH, what I use depends on where I am. If I'm in my home office the laptop is sat on a small stand which means it is about 3" above the desktop. It's arranged like this so that the 16" laptop screen lines up with the much larger 24" second screen (this makes it easier to move the cursor from one to the other). In this case I use a USB external keyboard and the wireless mouse that came with the laptop. Using an external keyboard in this configuration gives me a separate numerical pad, which the laptop doesn't have (despite the screen size).

Almost anywhere else I use the laptop keyboard and trackpad, although I prefer to use the mouse if there is sufficient space :)

jvickers · Mar 5, 2022

TheMystic said:
This post is specifically about using an external device when the built-in device is in a proper working state.

I prefer using the laptop's own keyboard and trackpad all the time. If often find many people using external (wireless) keyboard and mouse.

Don't see the point of adding unnecessary clutter to the desk.

What do you prefer and why?

I use an external mouse because I have a MacBook Pro that bootcamps into Windows 10. I can't seem to operate the dadgummed trackpad. Plus, I'm used to clicking mouse buttons!

Edwin · Mar 5, 2022

I'm clumsy on a Trackpad..., a mouse, I could operate it in my sleep!

cereberus · Mar 6, 2022

Edwin said:
Btw..., what's more connectively reliable, Bluetooth or Unifying Receiver?

A UR is more reliable inasmuch as they do not suffer the usual bluetooth connection shenanigans but in the end, decision depends on needs

Bluetooth is very convenient as it does not use usb ports and same mouse can be used on multiple devices.

A UR is limited to one device.

However bluetooth devices do not work in winpe mode. For a laptop, this is not such an issue as you can use a trackpad. For a desktop, you would probably need to connect a usb corded mouse.

On a desktop, a UR is probably better as you generally have lots of usb ports.

For a laptop, I personally prefer bluetooth as I have three laptops (main, backup and travel). I do not need to worry about whuch mouse is connected to which ur. Bluetooth mouses (mice?) are totally interchangeable. Like most users, I have a usb corded mouse as backup.
So like most things, choice depends on personal needs.

This is why this sort of poll is completely pointless as answers are totally random, and rarely cover permutations.

barman58 · Mar 6, 2022

The trackpad and the keyboard on my Dell XPS17 9700, [See my Specs, System 2], is perfectly good enough to use when I use the Laptop stand alone, indeed the trackpad is huge, [ 7" or 170mm Diagonal], and sensitive, [with Proper Key switches as is the keyboard], probably the best I've ever used.

However as the laptop is used as a portable image processing system I always carry a Wacom Intuos Pro [Small] pen tablet in the bag. [I use a Medium on the desktop]

When I'm at home I have a stand for the laptop to the right of my desktop workstation and I use a Logi MX Master 3 Mouse and MX keys keyboard Using flow technology to control the mouse, [and the keyboard that follows the mouse automatically], across the two monitors of my Desktop and the Laptop screen.

When I travel I tend to pack a small BT mouse and Keyboard, [or combi Unit] and or a Corded set including a PS/2 Mouse/keyboard adaptor [that covers most options for me and/or the client setup] [I also carry a usb Numeric keypad for times when I need to enter a lot of numeric data, and this is also useful to start systems with faulty or missing keyboards]