topbanner_forum
  *

avatar image

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?

Login with username, password and session length
  • Tuesday March 19, 2024, 3:52 am
  • Proudly celebrating 15+ years online.
  • Donate now to become a lifetime supporting member of the site and get a non-expiring license key for all of our programs.
  • donate

Author Topic: Best trackball?  (Read 15894 times)

kartal

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2008
  • **
  • Posts: 1,529
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Best trackball?
« on: January 27, 2010, 11:16 PM »
Hi

I am thinking to buy a new trackball. At the moment I mainly use my Wacom pad, Logitech G9(good mouse), n52 Gamepad and Logitech marble trackball, but I need a convenience trackball for my left hand when it is not on the keyboard. The L marble trackball is fine for general work but I need something better. I am looking for non wireless devices(sick of changing batteries)

I read couple good reviews about this laser one for example. It is little pricey but if it is good I am sure I can get some juice out of it. Also my wrist is more important than the price of the trackball in the long run :) Plus it will be an office investment.

http://clearlysuperi...highperformance.html


Do you use any other trackball that can be the pinnacle of trackball design?


Ehtyar

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 1,237
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Best trackball?
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2010, 11:23 PM »
Still using my Logitech TrackMan from about 4 years ago. Don't know if you'd consider one with the ball for the thumb (I can't stand ones with the ball in the middle), but this is the best mouse I've ever used, period.

Ehtyar.

kartal

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2008
  • **
  • Posts: 1,529
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Best trackball?
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2010, 11:39 PM »
Unfortunately this is a right handed model I think. I am looking for my left
hand, a hybrid one maybe

Ehtyar

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 1,237
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Best trackball?
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2010, 11:57 PM »
Oh I'm sorry Kartal, I misread your post. I thought the part about a left handed trackball was simply discussion (like you already had one or something). Sorry for the bugger-up.

Ehtyar.

kartal

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2008
  • **
  • Posts: 1,529
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Best trackball?
« Reply #4 on: January 28, 2010, 12:26 AM »
Nop Ehtyar :)

Deozaan

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • ***
  • Points: 1
  • Posts: 9,746
    • View Profile
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Best trackball?
« Reply #5 on: January 28, 2010, 12:55 AM »
I'm with Ehtyar. I love the Logitech Trackman Wheel. Unfortunately it doesn't appear to come in Left-Handed versions.

My 5 minutes of research leads me to the conclusion that people seem to love the Logitech Trackman Marble. But you say you have one already and need something better. So I'm afraid I'm of no help to this particular line of inquiry.

tomos

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • ***
  • Posts: 11,958
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Best trackball?
« Reply #6 on: January 28, 2010, 02:56 AM »
Yeah, it's a bummer the trackman doesnt come for left handers - it's the best design I've found so far for your wrist/arm/shoulder.
Your wrist is at it's natural angle, plus the arm doesnt have to move. But it's not that great for accurate work I've found.

Re the one you're looking at, I wonder if it might actually be a strain to use - it looks like you're meant to move the ball with your fingers (although you could possibly rest your hand on the table beside the mouse and use your thumb, which would be less stressful for the hand & wrist).

Would you be interested in this 'vertical mouse' ? https://www.donation...ex.php?topic=14541.0
Pros:
~ very good position for wrist
Cons:
~ not good to use if you have any shoulder problems (cause with the wrist in it's 'proper' position, the mouse has to be moved from the shoulder)
~ again, not so accurate
Tom

kartal

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2008
  • **
  • Posts: 1,529
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Best trackball?
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2010, 09:53 AM »
Tomos, I actually bought one of those vertical mice stuff but I sent it back because handling was not well suited for me. I mean it worked ok but once in a while I needed to hold it up and move it back to put at a comfortable position on the mouse pad, and that was not very comfortable for me. Although this one is from another company so the result might be different

epopuI

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 18
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Best trackball?
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2010, 11:03 AM »
I have used a Kensington Expert Mouse Trackball for over 5 years now and really love it - the new version is even sleeker than mine - it, IMHO, is a well made product and stands up to my heavy left handed use very well. 

jaden

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2008
  • **
  • Posts: 145
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Best trackball?
« Reply #9 on: January 28, 2010, 12:15 PM »
The best left-handed trackball I know of is the Marble Mouse.  When mine died I tried a Kensington Expert Mouse Trackball to replace it, but it was pricey and didn't work as well as I'd hoped.  I returned it and got a Trackman wheel because I wanted a scroll wheel.

Even though I'm left handed, I was able to adjust to a right-handed trackball without too much difficulty.  You may want to try switching.  It gives you a lot more options.

azgarth

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 10
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Best trackball?
« Reply #10 on: January 28, 2010, 08:27 PM »
i'm with epopuI on the kensington, it's great. sturdy enough, easy to clean (ball isn't locked, just turn it upside down at catch) when needed, and it's comfy for a center-ball trackball. supports macros and the like out of the box too, i think (not using it right now, mom stole it). four buttons and a (non-clickable) scrollwheel.

armrest is detachable, i use it without.

searching other kensington trackballs, it seems they may have some other ones you might like.

they all are pricey though, and if you have young kids they will play with the ball.

edit:
[url=http://www.mousetrak.com/products/evolution/evo.html]this one looked interesting, though i have no idea how available it is.[\url]
« Last Edit: January 28, 2010, 08:30 PM by azgarth »

ewemoa

  • Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2008
  • **
  • Posts: 2,922
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Best trackball?
« Reply #11 on: January 28, 2010, 08:55 PM »
I'm w/ epopul and azgarth -- use two of these.

and if you have young kids they will play with the ball.

I can attest to the phenomena of at least one young visitor repeatedly finding amusement in playing with the ball.  Lucky for us, the balls are large enough so that finding them is not too difficult after the visitor's departure.  (Hmm, perhaps there was an element of noticing that the user of the trackball ended up shifting their attention from the pc to the young one in question...)

kip

  • Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 40
    • View Profile
    • Fx Software
    • Donate to Member
Re: Best trackball?
« Reply #12 on: January 29, 2010, 04:11 PM »
I would suggest either the Kensington Expert - make sure you install the software to get all the functionality, if not it acts as a standard HID.   
Another option could be the PC-TRAC - http://www.keytools.co.uk/product.php?productid=16245&cat=281&page=2
or even the Orbitrack - http://www.keytools.co.uk/product.php?productid=16408&cat=281&page=2, but that is getting a bit pricey unless its for an RSI problem, in which case cost is not the main factor.

kartal

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2008
  • **
  • Posts: 1,529
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Best trackball?
« Reply #13 on: January 29, 2010, 04:30 PM »
Thanks for all suggestions. I will check them out one by one

allybtmc

  • Participant
  • Joined in 2021
  • *
  • Posts: 1
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Best trackball?
« Reply #14 on: June 30, 2021, 02:05 PM »
Which one do you found more comfortable mate?