Some trackballs use AA batteries, while others have a rechargeable battery. Battery life: If you opt for a wireless trackball, you can expect anywhere from six months to 24 months of battery life.Great software also lets you change the pointer speed, acceleration, and scrolling speed. Software: If your trackball mouse has four or more buttons, you’ll likely want to customize how they work with manufacturer software.Comfort: A trackball should be comfortable for any size hand and not require wrist extension or deviation to operate.Buttons: We look for the same amount of buttons as we do on wireless mice-a trackball should have at least left- and right-click buttons, but we prefer models with at least two additional buttons for back and forward.The bigger the trackball, the less rotation you need to employ to move the cursor across the screen. A low-quality ball can ruin the experience of using a trackball. Ball: A trackball should rotate smoothly, without gritty-feeling friction.(For more information, see Should you switch to a trackball? below.)Īlthough trackballs can help some people with some symptoms of repetitive stress injury, they can’t help everyone-we recommend consulting a doctor first if you’re considering a trackball for that reason. We also have a budget pick-the Kensington Orbit Trackball Mouse with Scroll Ring-if you don’t mind sacrificing build quality and a couple of features for a more affordable trackball.įinger-operated trackballs with center-mounted balls work for both right- and left-handed people and encourage better wrist posture, while thumb-operated trackballs are more similar to traditional mice and therefore easier to get the hang of. After spending more than 120 hours testing eight trackballs during weeks of work, we found that the best trackballs are the finger-operated Kensington Expert Mouse Wireless Trackball and the thumb-operated Logitech Ergo M575. A trackball isn’t as accurate as a good-quality mouse, but it can be more precise than a trackpad for anyone looking to eliminate repetitive motion from mousing around too much.

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