Track pad not consistent

[Bill Turnip]

I have just picked up an Acer Helios 18 (refurbished) and it is a great machine except for track pad inconsistency. Generally it is fine, but if playing a game and using keyboard and mouse at the same time, the track pad doesn't pick up inputs.

As an example (I wouldn't usually play an fps with a track pad, but gives the example) in cyberpunk, holding W to move forward sometimes means that you cannot look around whilst walking. It isn't exclusive to this game, does it in stellaris as well.

I've just updated all the drivers I can find, but does anyone have any ideas before I return it? It was a bargain, so would like to get it working if possible.

 

[Teknobry]

I couldn't imagine trying to play an FPS with the trackpad Can you not just plug a mouse in?

Is the trackpad working fine the rest of the time?

 

[Bill Turnip]

Oh I wouldn't play an fps with it! I shouldn't have to accept this on a high end laptop, not spending a couple grand on a laptop for workarounds. It's large enough, don't need to carry extra items around.

Track pad is generally fine however.

Customer support just offered me a wireless mouse and keyboard to get around it - it doesn't solve the fault however.

 

[Teknobry]

So the only issue is when gaming and you're pressing/holding down buttons whilst trying to swipe on the track pad? Is that the only scenario where it's being inconsistent?

 

[Bill Turnip]

Seems to be. Occasionally you get a phantom click and drag when browsing, but within games it's a consistently repeatable inconsistency.

 

[Teknobry]

Seems to be. Occasionally you get a phantom click and drag when browsing, but within games it's a consistently repeatable inconsistency.

To me i don't think that would be an issue if that's the only time you have any problem with it, as you wouldn't be using a track pad during that time anyway.

 

[Rroff]

Trackpads are generally horrible on the best of laptops. A poor substitute to a mouse or even touchscreen.

 

[radderfire]

Could it be related to the fact that you are applying physical pressure when pressing down a key, and this is affecting the response of the trackpad? Do you have an external keyboard you can attach, and then try pressing the key on the external keyboard, and see if the trackpad works? If it does, you know it's related to physical pressure.

 

[Bill Turnip]

Trackpads are generally horrible on the best of laptops. A poor substitute to a mouse or even touchscreen.

Don't disagree, but a lot of the time the track pad is going to be used.

Could it be related to the fact that you are applying physical pressure when pressing down a key, and this is affecting the response of the trackpad? Do you have an external keyboard you can attach, and then try pressing the key on the external keyboard, and see if the trackpad works? If it does, you know it's related to physical pressure.

Possibly I suppose, although it feels fairly solid and I'm not being rough with it. I've tried using the trackpad with considerably more pressure than normal to try and get it to register, but no dice.

 

[PaulM]

Are you sure this isn’t related to palm detection? Some touchpad drivers disable the trackpad while a key is pressed

 

[Bill Turnip]

Are you sure this isn’t related to palm detection? Some touchpad drivers disable the trackpad while a key is pressed

Fairly sure. I have updated the touch pad drivers, and the fact that it sometimes picks up suggests that the trackpad isn't being fully disabled for palm detection.

 

[LostCorpse]

also double check i there is a firmware update avaialble - differant to driver

 

[Bill Turnip]

Thank you for the suggestion, but the firmware appears to be up to date, as far as I can tell. The retailer has agreed to take the laptop back as an RMA, so will hopefully get it repaired/refunded.

Thank you everyone for your advice, however. Much appreciated.