I Love My Trackball Mouse
Published: March 31, 2025
I've been looking at trackball mice, on and off, for a couple years now.
"Oh, you mean the old ball mice?"
Well, yeah. But not really. I don't mean the typical mice that now use laser tracking instead; I'm talking about the ones where you have a giant ball and manipulate it directly. Like this one:
Instead of it being shamefully hidden from view underneath the mouse, the ball sits proudly on top, waiting for you to gently caress it with your dexterous extremities.
Innuendos aside, I finally pulled the trigger a couple months ago and picked up the Kensington Orbit. I can say that I am extremely happy with it.
Ok, but why?
The main reason I opted to try a trackball was due to wrist pain. I've had creeping pain in my carpal tunnel region for a few years now. The general pattern is that it would crop up when I'm either using the mouse too much or doing something excessively stressful, like playing a game with excessive mouse clicking (Ragnarok Online, I'm looking at you). Then, I'd back off a bit, and it would clear up.
However, the most recent bout was particularly persistent, and I had to really consider whether it was good for this to continue into the future. I'm 34 now, and I'd really rather my wrists still be working 20, 30, 40(?) years from now.
Options
Being a more-niche product, trackballs aren't quite as standardized as mice. However, they generally fit into one of two categories: "thumb" or "finger" trackballs.
Thumb trackballs, like the Logitech MX Ergo, are manipulated entirely with your thumb. The mouse looks quite similar to a typical mouse, but wih the addition of a shiny ball that sits off to the side of the clickers.
Finger trackballs, like the Kensington Orbit, are manipulated with any of your fingers EXCEPT for your thumb. In most models, your thumb is used to click. In the case of the Orbit, your thumb is for left clicking, and your pinky for right clicking. There's a rotatable wheel which rotates around the perimeter of the ball, which allows you to scroll as usual. The only thing this mouse lacks is a middle click, which is substitutable in most software with a keyboard bind anyway.
Outcome
I decided to try a finger trackball, as it seemed like it would be easier on my wrists overall. Fortunately, two months later, I appear to have made the correct decision. This mouse is awesome, and my wrist pain is completely gone. As in, it is nowhere to be found any longer.
I've also been very happy with the Orbit, in particular. It looks very strange, but it's actually quite pleasant. My hands are average size and they fit on the device comfortably. I saw a couple other options, but the Orbit seemed to be better overall. The ball rolls smoothly, and I have had zero issues with it thus far.
Efficacy
In terms of games: I do not play first-person shooters, but I do not think it's particularly good for that. It's definitely not as precise as a normal mouse. However, I was still able to play Atlyss without much issue, so it may still suffice depending on how hardcore you are.
For art: None of this was a consideration for me. I use a drawing tablet for everything, including pixel art. I recommend you to do the same.
Recommendation
Should you try it, as well? If you're having wrist pain, then it's absolutely worth a try.
While I went with the finger type, one of my friends uses the thumb type and loves his as well, so do consider your preferences/needs when making the purchase.
If you do pick one up, just make sure you pop the ball out and clean the dust out of the sensors every week or so. It only takes a few moments and it'll make it run oily smooth once again.
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