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I've recently purchased a trackpad (which I'll probably put in an answer), but I'm curious about what else is available. The requirements:

  • Must work with my 2012 MacBook Pro (running OS X 10.11)
  • Must not have a 'sticky' surface - I hate it when my finger gets 'stuck' (stick-slip phenomenon) on a trackpad when I'm trying to move it around.
  • Must work to move the mouse, not just in 'art' programs like Photoshop, GIMP, etc. Working in those apps would be a plus, though.
  • Be within a budget of ~$150. I'm flexible on that
  • Not require use of a stylus - but the option to use a stylus would be welcome.

Ideally:

  • Work over Bluetooth, but I'm not completely opposed to burning a USB port for this
  • Support OS X's Multitouch gestures
  • If it takes batteries, it shouldn't eat them at a rate of more than one set per month with fairly heavy usage.

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I've been using an Apple Magic Trackpad 2 for the past week or so:

  • It looks great on a desk, the poorly-lit Wikipedia picture doesn't do it justice. On a light wood desk, in warm light, it looks right at home. It also lines up well with a Magic Keyboard.
  • As as programmer, I click things a lot. Being able to adjust the click sensitivity is wonderful - I have it turned all the way down, which puts ever so much less stress on my hands:

    enter image description here

    Note that 'silent clicking' option there - this thing somehow can make noise when you click it beyond the noise generated by the Haptic Feedback thing - I don't know how they managed to hide a speaker in it (I've looked for it), but it's very realistic, rivaling the sound made by my MacBook's physical trackpad.

    I have it off because I don't like noise, but it's a neat thing to have.

  • The rechargeable battery is great, I haven't had to recharge it in the week or so I've had it. It also comes with its own Lightning cable, which you can steal and use to charge other iOS devices.

  • I don't know what they finished this with, but it feels better than my MacBook trackpad. It seems even less sticky - it might just be that I've worn some of the finish off my older trackpad, but this one definitely feels better.

  • Doesn't require, or support, a stylus that isn't designed to work with capacitive surfaces, just like an iPhone.

$130 is a little steep, but for using it all day, it's completely worth it. Also comes with a standard 1 year warranty, and, in my experience, Apple means warranty when they say warranty. I've never had trouble getting them to honor one. That said, there's nothing in this to break - something electrical would have to go wrong, as there are no real moving parts. That in itself is a huge plus for me.

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    I was going to suggest the same thing. The old version was decent, the new version is expensive but amazing. +1 from me.
    – Cronax
    Oct 27, 2015 at 15:00

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