And the trackpoint is a clear winner if space is at a premium.
If the trackpoint is such a great input device, why would anyone need a trackpad? But choice is good, I suppose.
Still, it speaks volumes that even IBM/Lenovo offers both input methods by default on their laptops. On the new T60's at work, it's so smooth it almost feels like a slider. And the trackpoint's motion is a lot smoother compared to the old models I remember, which makes it less fiddly. But scrolling is out of the question, of course. For one thing, I can now press the trackpoint to click. I noticed that the trackpoint has improved over the years as well.
In fact, the Synaptics drivers are the only OEM input drivers I ever install. The first thing I do when I get a new laptop is make sure I have the latest Synaptics drivers. And Synaptics has done an incredible job, year after year, of harnessing the touchpad functionality in useful, usable ways.