The Best Trackball Mouse to Save Your Wrist From Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
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The popularity of trackball mice has waned significantly over the last decade, but lately they’re having a bit of a resurgence due to their excellent ergonomics. In case you're unfamiliar with trackballs, they’ve been around since 1946 — over 20 years before the first computer mouse. You operate them with your hand in a neutral position (a level hand without a bent wrist), rest your finger on two buttons, and move your computer’s cursor across the screen by nudging the ball with your thumb or finger.
Users say that they provide greater speed and accuracy, better ergonomics, all without taking up too much room in their workspace. Keep reading if you’re interested in buying one for yourself or gifting a trackball mouse to your loved one to see what else you need to factor in before making a purchase.
Why You Should Consider Gifting a Trackball
Trackballs do have a bit of a learning curve, but after using one for a week, I’m confident you or your giftee will find them both fun and comfortable to use.
Roberta Carson, an ergonomist and founder of ergonomics consulting company ErgoFit, said trackballs can help relieve the repetitive motion stress that can come from using a mouse. If you or a loved one has ever experienced shoulder, wrist pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, or muscle tension after using a computer at your desk, one may be worth buying for yourself or to gift.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports that repetitive stress injuries affect about 1.8 million workers per year, but thanks to their stationary design, you can operate a trackball without changing your hand position.
With a wide variety of shapes and designs to choose from, a trackball can help improve any office worker’s desk ergonomics and prevent RSI. Here’s which ones we recommend after comparing 10 of them.
Kensington Expert Wireless Trackball
Kensington Expert Wireless Trackball
Pros
- Has a scroll ring around the ball that mimics a traditional mouse’s scroll wheel
- Includes an optional leatherette wrist rest to improve its comfort
- Backed by a 3-year warranty
Cons
- It weighs about 1 pound, making it too cumbersome for portable use
If you’re hoping to gift a durable and sturdy trackball mouse that offers improved ergonomics, look no further than the Kensington Expert. This trackball has been a fan favorite of technology writers including Dan Frakes and Jason Snell for over two decades.
Its large programmable buttons are clicky and responsive, the device works for Mac and PC users, and it can pair to your computer wirelessly via USB or Bluetooth. The trackball is comfortable for both left- and right-handed users and its included AA batteries will last for months on a single charge.
Editors and testers at Wirecutter found that finger-operated trackballs such as the Kensington Expert encouraged better ergonomics (full arm movements and neutral wrist posture) compared with thumb-operated models like our runner-up pick by Logitech so we’re confident this one will be a safe buy that’ll last years to come.
Logitech MX Ergo Wireless Trackball Mouse
Logitech MX Ergo Wireless Trackball Mouse
Pros
- Feels incredibly well-built
- Wireless and can be paired to multiple computers
Cons
- Pricier than the competition
The MX ERGO is an outstanding trackball mouse that’s ideal for right-handed users, but is suitable for all hand sizes. When you rest your hand on it, holding the mouse is a bit like a handshake and it feels incredibly comfortable and natural.
The MX ERGO is the only trackball we came across that features an adjustable design that lets you choose between a 0-degree and 20-degree tilt position.
“The trackball is on the side, and it's huge, so it took a day or so to get used to my thumb sitting there,” our tester Latifah Miles said. “The trackball controls the mouse icon on the page, so I didn't have to physically push the mouse around — which also took some getting used to — but after a while, I did like that my hand was able to sit in one spot.”
If you’re on a budget, Logitech still manufactures the slightly older ERGO M575 thumb-operated trackball. That model’s trackball doesn’t scroll as smoothly, and it doesn’t feel as durable. We also like that the MX ERGO lets you easily pair it with multiple computers. It’s completely wireless and lasts for 4 months on a single charge.
Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring
Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring
Pros
- Comfortable and easy to use
- Backed by 5-year warranty
Cons
- Only equipped with two buttons
If you’re willing to sacrifice durability and build quality in the name of savings, the Kensington Orbit is the best budget-friendly trackball worth gifting. Kensington sells a wireless variant or one with a wired USB cable that’s about an extra $20 cheaper.
We recommend opting for the wireless one. It’s similar to our best overall pick, the Kensington Expert Wireless Trackball, and has a center-mounted, finger-operated trackball along with a ring-style scroll wheel. It comes with a detachable palm rest and a wireless USB receiver for connecting it to your Mac or PC.
Our biggest complaint is this option offers just two buttons instead of four and the ball is smaller than the one that’s included with the Expert Mouse, so it doesn’t feel as precise. But overall, despite its smaller and less sloped design, it’s still comfortable to use and is backed by a generous 5-year warranty, making it a good option for gifters on a budget.
ELECOM EX-G Series Left-Handed Trackball Mouse
ELECOM EX-G Series Left-Handed Trackball Mouse
Pros
- Has easily-accessible forward and back buttons
- Wireless
Cons
- Its buttons can be too sensitive at times which results in accidental button presses
ELECOM is the only company that makes a left-handed thumb-operated trackball mouse, and as a proud lefty, I can wholeheartedly recommend its EX-G mouse for its long battery life, numerous customizable buttons, and excellent optical tracking.
Randall Jue, a writer at Switch and Click tested the similar EX-G Pro series to replace his Logitech M570 trackball and he said it earned a permanent spot on his desk.
“After using primarily thumb-balls for the past 6 years and trying to find a worthy successor…the EX-G Pro is possibly the most productive thumb-ball I have used in the last decade,” he said. “The Elecom EX-G Pro balances style, productivity, and power all in one trackball, and is one of the best thumbballs available on the market.”
The EX-G mouse is available with a red or black trackball and it’s compatible with both Windows and Mac computers.
Other Trackballs We Considered
- SANWA Gravi: This trackball is similar to the Microsoft Trackball Explorer from the early 2000s. We dismissed this product because many users report that there is no way to customize its buttons without downloading a third-party app.
- Nulea Wireless Trackball Mouse: This rechargeable trackball mouse is a decent affordable trackball that offers wireless connectivity. However, many users report that it doesn’t hold a charge very well and remarked that it’s too large and unwieldy which may make it uncomfortable to use if you have smaller or average-sized hands.
- Logitech ERGO M575: The ERGO M575 is a good trackball mouse that you won’t regret gifting, but others are newer and offer better features. We think you’re better off going for the new MX EGRO from Logitech since it has a tilt base, feels more durable, and supports multi-device connectivity.
- Kensington SlimBlade Pro Wireless: This trackball is Kensington’s newest one on the market, and the manufacturer has two more that are expected to launch in Q2 2023. The SlimBlade Pro is a wireless trackpad that we ultimately dismissed because it doesn’t come with a wristrest which undercuts the ergonomic advantages of investing in a trackball mouse.
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