Gaming Trackball Mouse?

Kamar

Hey Tech Tavern. I've been using this mouse



for about, say, 9 years now, going through 3 or 4 of the things. It gives me a ton more precision and control than a standard mouse, and everyone that has ever used mine long enough to get used to it ended up buying one for themselves. The problem, though, is that it is a very utilitarian mouse.

So what I'm wondering is if anyone knows of any thumb-trackball gaming mice on the market? I haven't had any luck searching, myself. Hell, even just a thumbtrack with more buttons would be nice.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help

wunderbar

trackball mice have gone away because only a very small subset of the population sees any value at all in them.

PMAvers

TRACKBALL SUPREMACY

Looks like Logitech still sells updated versions of that one, but it doesn't look like they have one with more buttons.

While it's not a thumb-trackball, I've always been a fan of my Kensington. (Probably why I've been using a Kensington trackball for like fifteen years.)



Scroll rings > scroll wheels, IMO.

My brother had one of their SlimBlade Trackball mice for use with his laptop, and he always liked it.



It's a bit different, though, since it switches between a mouse and a trackball with a push of a button. Plus, the "ball" acts as a scroll wheel that can go any direction, instead of just back and forth.

Obs

That trackball mouse you've had for 9 years is pretty much the best trackball ever because of the fact that you control the mouse with your thumb. I have the same one and I've never changed it because there simply isn't a better one out there.

Every other trackball mouse at their consistently fails at this, they all assume you want to use your index fingers or whatever to move the ball.

ArcSyn

Personally, I used a thumb trackball for a few years (very similar model to yours, but the wireless version), but then I got one of these:


It was the superior trackball for anyone who wanted to use them. Fingers just provided me with such greater control, especially since you could dedicate 2 fingers to the ball. (Thumb: 2 buttons plus scroll, Ring and Pinky the two offset buttons, leaving you with pointer and middle for the ball) It provided the best control and precision.

Mine had the cord break, which I then spliced a USB cable into the controller so I could keep using it. If it ever gives though, I'm definitely grabbing that Kensington with the scroll ring. Especially since the MS Trackball Explorer seems to go for $texas online now..

Lasbrook

Hmm how hard is it to rewire one of those things?

I have one of these and after like a decade of use it finally died on me and like you said they are ridiculously expensive, i think it's because the trackball itself is made of pure Adamantium or something i've dropped it god knows how many times and not even a scratch. I believe it's the cord itself that went out but i've just been just too cheap or didn't like the price/features on current trackballs enough to replace it.

As for a recommendation just about the only real options i've found that aren't so ridiculously dated that they dont have a scroll wheel are either the Kensington Expert Mouse listed below (which is pricy) or this Logitech trackball but neither is thumb-based.

Fizban140

I don't mean to derail this, but a good mouse is way better than a trackball for gaming. I can find some articles on it if you want me to, I use to be real big into competitive gaming and getting the mouse out of my mouse. I think the problem might be is that you are not use to a normal mouse.

Mblackwell

Or maybe you're just not used to a trackball.

Lucky Cynic

4,000DPI Mice and the analog basis of a Trackball have put a nail in it for gaming AFAIC. I did use one for the longest time though.

Fizban140

I really don't want to drag this thread down, but using your whole hand is a lot more accurate than using just your thumb.

kralizecc

I'm going to have to agree with the kensington suggestion, I've used many trackballs, and this is by far the best. It's optical, not analog, and using multiple fingers does give greater potential for control precision. It's also smooth as butter, after you roll it around for half a minute, to break in the teflon stubs it rides on. Pure awesome

ArcSyn

Lasbrook wrote: »

Hmm how hard is it to rewire one of those things?

I have one of these and after like a decade of use it finally died on me and like you said they are ridiculously expensive, i think it's because the trackball itself is made of pure Adamantium or something i've dropped it god knows how many times and not even a scratch. I believe it's the cord itself that went out but i've just been just too cheap or didn't like the price/features on current trackballs enough to replace it.

As for a recommendation just about the only real options i've found that aren't so ridiculously dated that they dont have a scroll wheel are either the Kensington Expert Mouse listed below (which is pricy) or this Logitech trackball but neither is thumb-based.

It's pretty easy if you have some small tools and a sharp knife.

You can do it one of three ways:
1: Grab a spare USB cord, chop off the end you don't need, and then cut the cord for the mouse just inside where it exits the casing (this is usually where the break is if it's a bad cable). Strip back a bit of the wire on both cables, tie together the wires (Mine were color coded the exact same way, so it was super simple), either tape or heatshrink tube them and put the trackball back together.

2: Instead of splicing the wires together, carefully remove the internal plug from the trackball cable and put it on the new USB cable. This is a bit tougher.

3: Find and buy a new plug that is identical to the internal one (it's a fairly common plug type) and put that on the new cable and replace it.


Few extra notes:
The new cable may be thicker than the old one. Mine was, though it's a much better quality USB cable and less likely to break like the old one did. I had to cut out the exit and some of the "pathway" around the cable so it would fit.

If you have a volt meter, after cutting the cables, check the voltages on the wires while plugged into a computer to ensure you are tying together the right wires.

Obs

Fizban140 wrote: »

I really don't want to drag this thread down, but using your whole hand is a lot more accurate than using just your thumb.

No it isn't, it's a hell of a lot slower.

Accuracy only matters up to a certain point.

In an FPS I can turn the sensitivity up insanely high due to a trackball.

And plus you have to cover a lot more distance with your whole arm to do something that for me would only take a quick flick of my thumb.

Mblackwell

Lucky Cynic wrote: »

4,000DPI Mice and the analog basis of a Trackball have put a nail in it for gaming AFAIC. I did use one for the longest time though.

Uh... they make optical trackballs...

Fizban140 wrote: »

I really don't want to drag this thread down, but using your whole hand is a lot more accurate than using just your thumb.

Not necessarily. Using your fingers and wrist (and many cases some of your arm muscles) reduces stability. But even so, they have trackballs that allow you to use your fingers.

kralizecc

I don't know if you or obs have ever used a non thumb trackball, but you don't move your arm, or your wrist, it's just that you have the option to use more than one finger, which provides a higher potential of controll, potential precision. You can set the sense just as high as you want to, there's no difference really in that respect. You have a larger ball, the option to use more fingers, and so you don't always need that high of a sens.

All in all, they have all the strengths of a thumb ball in addition to more fexibility.

Mblackwell

I was comparing to a regular mouse. I actually haven't used a trackball in years but I'm suddenly thinking about trying one as well after seeing someone using one recently. They were using a Trackman also. I am worried about precision with just my thumb, but I like the button placement. A ball where I could use one or two fingers I could probably get better speed and accuracy, but I'm afraid I'll lose button control (it was a problem in the past, although obviously the designs have come a long way). It would be nice if some place had a few models set up so I could see what's best.

Kamar

I will add that even with the thumb trackball, I often use my thumb+index finger for maximum accuracy.

TK-42-1

i used a logitech trackball for years back in the mid-to-late 90s and even fps gamed with it in q2. for everything that didnt require a large movement like turning a 180 or anything that needed snap movements like a rocketjump it was tits. even with pings 200ms higher than everyone else i could still railsnipe them on a regular basis. it all depends on what you are used to, but moving the mouse with your fingers while keeping the butt of your hand on the desk provides the same amount of precision if you have your settings set for it

1ddqd

Without turning this into a flame-fest, let's clear the air

Google "Gaming Trackball" - you'll find lots of questions but not a lot of direct product links. Already, the outlook is grim. Delve into some of those posts from the forums (HardOCP, TomsHardware, etc). Lots of those posts were pre 2006. Not a lot of recent development in this field...

...so you could either go with the Clearly Superior Tech Laser Optical Trackball or the Microsoft Trackball.

Either way, it's a dead tech because mice are the more preferred, more accessible, cheaper medium.

If you want to experience a good quality mouse, look at Razer's offerings (I use the Copperhead) or Logitech's gaming mice. Either set are durable, high quality, and very precise. When browsing, my mouse moves cover maybe 2 sq inches. When gaming, that goes up to about 4. This is due to dpi tracking and in-game sensitivity changes. So no, arguments about "using the whole arm" either = "you're doing it wrong" or "you're blowing it out of proportion"

Ego

*grin* I really didn't want to say anything, but this thread made me feel so bloody nostalgic about 'ye olde internet' of the 90s, and the heated debates over keyboard vs keyboard + mouse (and occasionally joysticks were in there) for video games (specifically, the Doom series, since that's what competitive gaming was back then.)

Just to join in a little...

Your thumb is not as quick or as accurate as your fingers. If you like trackballs, then use them, but if you actually want to game then get one that uses your fingers.

MagicPrime

Holy shit! Is it the 90's again!?

Anyone want to check out my new GateWay?! The Help Files are videos of Patrick Fucking Stewart!

I got Mad Dog McGree at the store today!

mg78

I use the trackball linked in the OP for ergonomical reasons for everything but Shooters, and I'm loving it. Much more relaxed for work and non-shooter games.

Kamar

I can only say that anyone arguing a trackball is inferior for precision hasn't used one enough to get used to it....I mean, I've been banned from a number of FPS servers because they thought I was using an aimbot, FFS.

mg78

lol... I'm not there yet but hopefully will be someday... Usually I switch to my mouse after 5 minutes of utter frustration.