recommendations on a trackball mouse

tdkid · October 3, 2023

yes you read the title right. i need a trackball because my PC is in my room and i have limited space so my monitor is a TV and my PC tower is 10ft from my bed and optical mice dont work well if at all on the surfaces of a bed so looking for a trackball mouse as it will work. preferably a wireless as i dont want more cables cluttering up my room. i have the logitech ergo m575 but its having some issues.

GarlicDeliverySystem · October 3, 2023

Been using the Logitech MX Ergo at work now for the last couple of years, works pretty well for me. Also got a case for travels or for when I do more work from home/commute.

Only issue for me is that after ~5 years the rubberrized finish on most of the palm area is starting to get sticky and nasty, not a fan of those in general. In my experience these all degrade sooner or later, and while you can clean/remove the gunked layer it is always a hassle.

Btw if anyone has a good idea on how to clean or preserve this kind of material, I am all ears.

TylerD321 · October 3, 2023

21 minutes ago, GarlicDeliverySystem said:

Been using the Logitech MX Ergo at work now for the last couple of years, works pretty well for me. Also got a case for travels or for when I do more work from home/commute.

Only issue for me is that after ~5 years the rubberrized finish on most of the palm area is starting to get sticky and nasty, not a fan of those in general. In my experience these all degrade sooner or later, and while you can clean/remove the gunked layer it is always a hassle.

Btw if anyone has a good idea on how to clean or preserve this kind of material, I am all ears.

That is the same mouse my dad uses as he has carpal tunnel. He has used it for years and seems to like it alot. Man even plays L4D2 on that thing, idk how he does it.

tdkid · October 3, 2023

24 minutes ago, GarlicDeliverySystem said:

Been using the Logitech MX Ergo at work now for the last couple of years, works pretty well for me. Also got a case for travels or for when I do more work from home/commute.

Only issue for me is that after ~5 years the rubberrized finish on most of the palm area is starting to get sticky and nasty, not a fan of those in general. In my experience these all degrade sooner or later, and while you can clean/remove the gunked layer it is always a hassle.

Btw if anyone has a good idea on how to clean or preserve this kind of material, I am all ears.

yes i have used that one before but was a little too much for me to justify at the time. i guess with it now being $100 if it last 5 years that is $20 per year which is a pretty good deal but my issue was the dust and debris that gets into the supports for the ball.

GarlicDeliverySystem · October 3, 2023

21 minutes ago, tdkid said:

i guess with it now being $100 if it last 5 years that is $20 per year which is a pretty good deal but my issue was the dust and debris that gets into the supports for the ball.

The dust and debris is not a real issue though. There is a hole on the backside, large enough for something like a pen etc. With that you can just pop out the ball (use something soft or wrap it in a tissue etc.) to clean everything. I'm doing that regularly and have no issues with the ball becoming looser etc.

Don't go overboard with the cleaning of the ball though, I found that using strong alcohols etc. basically completely degrease the thing. Took about a day before natural grease made the thing roll smooth again. Learned my lesson and just use a damp cloth now, unless it is really dirty or for the occasional deep clean.

Main points of wear I have observed are the rubber parts.

The silicone/rubber coating on the metal base became loose after about 3 years, but to be fair in those years I was commuting a lot with the thing (like, daily) and didn't have a carry case yet. A few small pieces tore off, but overall still in perfectly working condition. Just get a carry case for it if you plan to regular put it in a backpack.

The other more annoying part is said rubberized finished on most of the palm area. Feels nice, but over time it will absorb skin oils etc. and depolymerize or whatever. Makes it feel sticky or even bubble. I found washing with something like isopropyl alcohol plus soap water afterwards, with some scrubbing can remove the gunk layer, though if you do it too often it will eventually all wear away.

To be fair, I have never seen a product where this type of coating wasn't degrading over time. Just bums me out to know these mice are basically on a timer with a half life of 4-6 years, simply because of material choice. But it you use it daily or often, 20 to 25$ a year is not too much to ask imho.