Discussion
Has anyone made the shift from a mouse to a trackball?
How did you get on with it?
I'm working from home and desk space is a little short so I'm contemplating something like a Kensington Orbit.
They're not super expensive but I don't want to be throwing it in the bin after an hour.
Appreciate it may be an entirely personal preference but any thoughts welcome.
How did you get on with it?
I'm working from home and desk space is a little short so I'm contemplating something like a Kensington Orbit.
They're not super expensive but I don't want to be throwing it in the bin after an hour.
Appreciate it may be an entirely personal preference but any thoughts welcome.
I moved from an Anker ergonomic mouse to a Logitech M570 trackball just over a month ago.
To start with, the mouse wasn't quite moving in the direction I wanted/expected and the back button seemed in an awkward place. Within an hour I'd adjusted to it and I've been happy with it since.
To start with, the mouse wasn't quite moving in the direction I wanted/expected and the back button seemed in an awkward place. Within an hour I'd adjusted to it and I've been happy with it since.
I switched to a track ball decades ago and worked my way through several types before settling on the Logitech Marble Mouse, now the Trackman Marble.
I currently have two, one for my PC and one for my laptop and find them very comfortable to use for long periods with good control even when doing very fiddly stuff like photo editing. They take up very little desk space and they can be used with either hand, I've become adept at using my left hand although I'm right handed.
https://www.logitech.com/en-gb/product/trackman-ma...
I currently have two, one for my PC and one for my laptop and find them very comfortable to use for long periods with good control even when doing very fiddly stuff like photo editing. They take up very little desk space and they can be used with either hand, I've become adept at using my left hand although I'm right handed.
https://www.logitech.com/en-gb/product/trackman-ma...
I’ve got two trackballs. I use one, a Logitech marble mouse – fully recommended, I’ve had mine years without problems – with my left hand. The only downside is that it hasn’t got a wheel. It's extremely accurate. The other, a recent purchase, a Perixx 720, I use with my right. I bought it because of RSI. I’ve had it two days and the adjustable angle seems very comfortable. It has a wheel plus a button that is a mystery. The manual is useless. It's not so accurate, but that's probably something to do with it being my right hand.
I would not go back to a mouse. I’ve got a Kensington Orbit that I use for my laptop. It’s OK but would not recommend it as I find the ball awkward to use and it ‘grits up’ quickly. To be fair, it's ancient, but it was my first trackball and I thought it normal.
Just to confuse matters; I also have a Huion graphics tablet https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inspiroy-Multifunctional-... which I use for Blender and Affinity Designer. While I wouldn’t suggest it was the perfect replacement for a mouse, it’s great for temporary RSI relief. It’s bigger than A4, so takes up a lot of space.
I would not go back to a mouse. I’ve got a Kensington Orbit that I use for my laptop. It’s OK but would not recommend it as I find the ball awkward to use and it ‘grits up’ quickly. To be fair, it's ancient, but it was my first trackball and I thought it normal.
Just to confuse matters; I also have a Huion graphics tablet https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inspiroy-Multifunctional-... which I use for Blender and Affinity Designer. While I wouldn’t suggest it was the perfect replacement for a mouse, it’s great for temporary RSI relief. It’s bigger than A4, so takes up a lot of space.
Thanks both some interesting feedback.
I was looking at Kensington and the Orbit and Expert.
A bit of a price difference but measure twice cut once so haven't done anything just yet.
I've read of possible difficulties adjusting to one with things like selecting text.
I don't know a polite way to phrase this so hopefully no offence caused but I'm only looking for space saving reasons in a cramped home office nothing related to dexterity or RSI any of the reasons you often seem to see people move to these.
I was looking at Kensington and the Orbit and Expert.
A bit of a price difference but measure twice cut once so haven't done anything just yet.
I've read of possible difficulties adjusting to one with things like selecting text.
I don't know a polite way to phrase this so hopefully no offence caused but I'm only looking for space saving reasons in a cramped home office nothing related to dexterity or RSI any of the reasons you often seem to see people move to these.
b
hstewie said:
hstewie said: Thanks both some interesting feedback.
I was looking at Kensington and the Orbit and Expert.
A bit of a price difference but measure twice cut once so haven't done anything just yet.
I've read of possible difficulties adjusting to one with things like selecting text.
I don't know a polite way to phrase this so hopefully no offence caused but I'm only looking for space saving reasons in a cramped home office nothing related to dexterity or RSI any of the reasons you often seem to see people move to these.
As per some other respondees, i also use the Logitech M570 Trackman. I was looking at Kensington and the Orbit and Expert.
A bit of a price difference but measure twice cut once so haven't done anything just yet.
I've read of possible difficulties adjusting to one with things like selecting text.
I don't know a polite way to phrase this so hopefully no offence caused but I'm only looking for space saving reasons in a cramped home office nothing related to dexterity or RSI any of the reasons you often seem to see people move to these.
In fact i've two - one for travelling and one for at home in the living room to use with my laptop.
Great device. You can also get a hardcase for it meaning you dont risk damaging it when travelling.
I hate mice (never have got on with them) so I used a Logitech Marble when they first appeared in the 90's & when the Trackman Wheel came out I found my perfect trackball. I bought 3 & put one away for when one of the other 2 broke - that was at least 10 years ago & I still have it unused. They are really fantastic for those that get on with them. A tip: when the movement starts to feel a bit "gritty", take the ball out & remove the crud that accumulates around the 3 tiny rollers that support the ball. Lovely smoothness will return again!
I've been using one for 20years now, the Microsoft trackball explorer. It is often quoted as the most comfortable trackball made, which I'd agree with.
I only had to replace the bearings in that time in the one I owned, it survived numerous job/desk moves but met it's demise recently due to covid
. Brought it from the office to home, where one of my dogs caught the cable and dragged it off the desk. 20year old plastic didn't survive the fall.
Unfortunately quality MTE's are super expensive, up to £650 for old stock in box. Replacement wise I bought the Elecom huge, its decent but not quite the same as it is a flatter hand position. Reports of the quality of these vary, mines good but others have poor bearings resulting in a sticky movement of the ball. In the end it wasn't as comfortable and gave me discomfort in my hand with the flatter profile. The Elecom deft pro is supposed to be a closer fit to the old MTE but they weren't instock anywhere when I was buying.
In the end I ended up also buying a ploopy kit (www.ploopy.co), which is an updated 3d printed version of the MTE. Took some time to solder and assemble when it arrived, took 2 days to get from Canada to the UK, but 3 weeks in Royal Mail system before it was delivered.
The differences to my old MTE are minor but the comfortable hand position is back so I'm very happy with it.
I only had to replace the bearings in that time in the one I owned, it survived numerous job/desk moves but met it's demise recently due to covid
. Brought it from the office to home, where one of my dogs caught the cable and dragged it off the desk. 20year old plastic didn't survive the fall.Unfortunately quality MTE's are super expensive, up to £650 for old stock in box. Replacement wise I bought the Elecom huge, its decent but not quite the same as it is a flatter hand position. Reports of the quality of these vary, mines good but others have poor bearings resulting in a sticky movement of the ball. In the end it wasn't as comfortable and gave me discomfort in my hand with the flatter profile. The Elecom deft pro is supposed to be a closer fit to the old MTE but they weren't instock anywhere when I was buying.
In the end I ended up also buying a ploopy kit (www.ploopy.co), which is an updated 3d printed version of the MTE. Took some time to solder and assemble when it arrived, took 2 days to get from Canada to the UK, but 3 weeks in Royal Mail system before it was delivered.
The differences to my old MTE are minor but the comfortable hand position is back so I'm very happy with it.
r-kid said:
Replacement wise I bought the Elecom huge, its decent but not quite the same as it is a flatter hand position. Reports of the quality of these vary, mines good but others have poor bearings resulting in a sticky movement of the ball. In the end it wasn't as comfortable and gave me discomfort in my hand with the flatter profile. The Elecom deft pro is supposed to be a closer fit to the old MTE but they weren't instock anywhere when I was buying.
Thank you I hadn't heard of Elecom so I'm having a look at some reviews of those now.Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff