Home PC Components and Peripherals The Best Trackball Mouse for Every Budget in 2022
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The ergonomic trackball mouse is all the rage these days. Thanks to the advancements in medical science in the past years, we now have a better understanding of how such a mouse can work well with our body and posture.
For starters, a trackball mouse is just about the same as other mice we use to navigate laptops and PCs. However, it has an additional built-in, a ball that can be rotated on any axis, which offers a lot more precision and control. This also allows you to move the mouse cursor without moving the whole mouse itself.
Because of how good this new mouse design is compared to the traditional one, the market has now become filled with various trackball mice. While extra variety can be a good thing, this also means that there are now countless mice to choose from, making the ordeal of finding the perfect match for your needs a lot trickier. But, don’t worry; we carefully curated a list of the best trackball mouse that will suit all budgets.
It is not surprising that Logitech’s most recent update to their lineup is a success, given their longstanding dominance in the trackball mouse market. The MX ERGO model from Logitech combines a traditional form factor with contemporary conveniences that aren’t currently offered on any other option. This top-of-the-line device contains all the necessary basic mouse functionality in addition to Logitech’s incredibly useful dual wireless connection (USB dongle and Bluetooth), which enables simultaneous use of the device with different PCs or mobile devices. It also has a tilting stand, which may be used to position the trackball at a more vertical angle to reduce repetitive stress during extended work sessions. The precision button enables a swift transition to more precise, small movements. The only minor drawbacks are a lefty-unfriendly design (a problem with all thumb-based trackballs) and a bulky integrated battery that doesn’t travel well. However, the Ergo is fairly weighty. This isn’t a major problem for folks who stay near to their workstations, and the added weight provides it a wonderful hand feel and solidity. Nevertheless, it is substantially heavier than the M570, and it may be uncomfortable for those who like to pack light. Moreover, note that there is no left-hand model of the mouse, as lefties out there have probably already surmised. The mouse is designed for usage with the right hand alone.
Excellent ergonomicsFantastic battery lifeEasy to switch between computersWindows and macOS users can customize buttons
A bit heavy for mobile useMicro USB instead of USB-C charging
Wrists need a break? You have everything you need with the Kensington Expert Mouse Wireless Trackball to customize the trackball experience to fit your preferences. The Kensington Expert Wireless has a simple appearance and the feel of a “professional” device. Four big, triangular click panels surround the hemispheric crater where the ball is located in the roughly rectangular block, which measures 2.7 by 5.1 by 5.8 inches (HWD, including the ball). The panels are loud and, to be honest, a little springier than those found in most mice; while often not a problem, they can occasionally become annoying. A textured scroll ring that resembles the ring around an old kitchen timer surrounds the ball. The actual ball is a sizable, flawless sphere of brilliant red plastic. As long as you don’t pick it up, it stays in place nicely in the rest. When the removable wrist rest is added, the device lengthens by nearly three inches. Similar to the hump along the left ridge of a mouse, this substantial, firm, leatherette-coated pad acts as a guide to position your hand and fingers correctly over the trackball. It isn’t particularly fluffy, but it’s soft enough that your wrist and hand feel supported (which is crucial, especially for beginner trackball users). Even throughout prolonged sessions, your hand maintains its place. Every placement makes perfect sense. Even for a novice user of a trackball, acclimating to the setup only takes a few minutes. That’s nothing in the grand scheme of ergonomic mice and keyboards. Despite having only four buttons and fewer capability than most simple mouse, each input feels like it is in the proper location. It’s very easy to utilize the scroll ring without taking your fingers out of the rolling position because you can effortlessly scroll up and down with only one finger. Since the ring feels like a feature that any trackball designer should include moving ahead, it’s astonishing that other devices handle scrolling in different ways.
Comfortable design, including game-changing scrolling ringDetachable wrist restLots of customization available via config software
Relies on disposable batteries (may be a pro to some)Noisy click panels
The Logitech M570 Wireless Trackball Mouse prioritizes ergonomics and comfort over everything else. It takes some getting used to the trackball design, but if you can, this mouse will repay you with years of comfortable use. It would be an understatement to say that the Logitech M570 Wireless Trackball Mouse has an unusual design. It resembles an alien device more than almost any other mouse. However, the intriguing aesthetic is not a coincidence. The Logitech M570 doesn’t require you to grab the mouse and move it around the desk like other mice do. Simply place your hand on the mouse and your thumb on the large blue trackball to navigate. By limiting movement to just your thumb, this design eliminates the pressure that would otherwise be applied to the outside of your hand. The Logitech M570 is simple to configure. It only takes a few seconds to connect the tiny USB receiver after removing the mouse, batteries, and receiver from their plastic box. Our Windows and macOS machines both recognized the mouse right away. We only needed to tweak the tracking speed in each operating system’s mouse settings menu. After that, we were ready to start. As for the trackball, it is quick and accurate. The buttons have a pleasant tactile feel, and the scroll wheel is adequate. Although we wouldn’t advise using this mouse for gaming, it works just fine for almost all other tasks, such as online browsing and document editing. The M570 may not be the best in terms of specs, but comfort more than makes up for any shortfalls. The curved crescent form fits both tiny and large hands well. Pinky and ring fingers can rest comfortably in the grooves to the right of the left and right mouse buttons, and the noticeable ridge forms a bowl-like shape for your palm to rest on.
Long battery lifeIncredibly comfortableWon’t damage desk
Quite largeTakes some getting used to
The Elecom M-HT1DRBK Trackball seems like it belongs in a science fiction film at first glance. Both the sharply angled lines and the bright red ball have a decidedly 1990s feel to them. Despite this, the trackball still has a contemporary appearance, and it has the buttons to prove it. This trackball contains 8 different buttons, which is enough functionality for both office professionals and gamers. The enormity of this item is the first thing you should get used to. Its dimensions are 181 mm by 114 mm, almost twice as large as a typical mouse. This makes it possible for your hand to rest flat on it the entire time, supporting it from the base of your wrist to the tips of your fingers. Without a doubt, this mouse will fit hands of all sizes despite its size. The elongated buttons are pressable in any direction. You simply let your hand rest naturally, and the buttons are placed where your fingers would normally rest. This has the main benefit of allowing you to maintain a neutral wrist position. Your tendons won’t be under as much stress because you’re not turning them to the left and right. This can help you avoid carpal tunnel if you work at a computer for extended periods of time. Using this mouse can alleviate wrist pain if you already experience it as a result of a wrist issue. The right and left mouse buttons are the two most significant buttons. The others you might live without, but these are the buttons you’ll use constantly while using the computer. The left button is ordinarily controlled by your pointer, but it is currently occupied by the trackball. Elecom was forced to shift the left button to the side, where your thumb can press it. The left button is fairly big and may be activated with just a slight squeeze. We quickly grew accustomed to it.
Unique Ergonomic ShapeUnique Ergonomic LayoutBuilt-In Palm + Wrist Rest
Dated SoftwareBearings could be smoother
Compared to most trackballs, including Kensington’s own Slimblade Trackball, the Orbit Trackball is a tiny bit smaller in size. Although you’ll still need to set aside some desk space for it, it won’t need to be moved at all, giving it rather fixed dimensions. The Orbit Trackball uses a single red optical sensor, flanked by two conventional mouse buttons, to track the movements of the blue sphere itself. Although you can specify an action for pressing both mouse buttons at once, there are no additional buttons available here like the Slimblade. The Orbit is connected to a computer by a USB cable, which may upset people who dislike untidy cords. The scroll wheel that Kensington attached around the Orbit Trackball itself is what distinguishes it from other trackballs. Trackballs have had trouble with this for a long; while it’s possible to assign scroll wheel-style action to a specific button, doing so typically needs more finger dexterity than most users have or want to employ. It’s constantly accessible by hand because a scroll wheel rings the entire ball, or fingertips in this instance. Due to physical mobility difficulties, a trackball may be the only viable solution for some people. Others might prefer a trackball just because it offers a defined method for carrying out common mousing tasks. Regardless of your perspective, the Orbit is essentially a standard trackball with regular functionality.
Integrated scroll wheel works really wellIncludes wrist rest Ball
Wrist rest may over-extend fingersScroll wheel feels a little loose
The Logitech Ergo M575 is a solidly constructed, more ergonomic alternative to a typical mouse that is only limited by a design that may not be ideal for everyone’s hands or workstyles. The Ergo M575 was created for right-handed users; left-handed users will need to explore elsewhere for an ergonomically built input device. The Ergo’s design would pass for a typical Logitech mouse if it weren’t for the eye-catching blue trackball. It includes two main mouse buttons, a rubbery-feeling scroll wheel, and a flat-gray color scheme. It is 5.3 inches tall and has a footprint of 3.9 x 1.9 inches. The presence of two extra Forward and Back buttons next to the left mouse button is the key distinction between this mouse and other mice. Additionally, the Ergo M575 lacks a mouse’s usual rubber feet. The M575 is the complete opposite of smooth PTFE rubber, which is intended to glide across the surface of a desk or mouse pad like a penguin gliding on snow and ice. Trying to move it across the desk will be like watching a penguin belly-flop on gravel since it has the stickiest rubber feet possible. It will move, but it won’t be fun. It would be better to just let the device stay in its intended resting location. The Ergo works well right out of the box, but you can alter a number of different parts of the experience with the extra Logitech Options program. The ability to customize the secondary buttons’ or scroll wheel’s behavior accounts for the majority of that customization. The left and right mouse buttons can also be switched around, though I’m not sure how beneficial that would be given the design of the gadget.
Ergonomic designSolid constructionSupports both Bluetooth and Logitech's USB Unifying receiver
Thumb-ball design isn't for everyoneNo support for wired connections
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