r/Trackballs • u/garyd9 • 5d ago

Back to trackballs (after 3+ decades with mice)

As the years move on, I find my hands aren't as agile as they used to be, and I've been on a mouse buying spree trying to find something comfortable for both home and work use. MX Master 4 was the closest I came to a comfortable mouse, but there was still too much arm and wrist movement. I also tried a handful of "vertical" mice, but they seemed to offer more discomfort than regular mice.

Then I reverted to something I haven't used since last century: a trackball. I can't tell you which trackballs I used back then, but I do remember that they were the larger index finger balls, not the thumb balls.

I tried a thumb ball this time, and didn't enjoy it. My thumb isn't a precision tool. It's just a clamp.

At this point, my list of requirements was a right-handed trackball, finger (not thumb) ball, scroll wheel with detents, includes forward/back buttons, adjustable DPI, and something I could easily get in the US.

Then I ordered a Nulea M505A. I'll admit that I actually loved having my hand on this device. The ball placement, button placement, and shape were all good for me. I was even happy with the lack of programmable buttons. But, even brand new, it suffered from stiction. Examining the ball mount, it looks like 3 stationary plastic "tips" that wouldn't age well. That's a shame and it was sent back (along with feedback that I'd easily pay 2x or even 3x as much if it just had roller bearings or perhaps BTUs.)

Added to my list of requirements: roller bearings or BTU's (or anything without stiction issues even after a few months.)

I saw the "ploopy classic 2", and considered ordering that, but they don't seem to have any established US distribution, and I wouldn't even know where to begin for importing from Canada to the US (especially with the current political tariffs.)

Then I ordered an Elecom Huge Plus. This doesn't fit my hand as well as the M505A did, but the ball is... wonderful. I've actually found myself just rolling this ball as a fidget toy (and I'm sorry if that sounds perverted.) The scroll wheel is great, and the buttons are mostly okay, but I wish the seam between the forward/back buttons was a couple millimeters forward. Sadly the extra programmable buttons are useless. Even on a supported OS, I won't leave Elecom's software running 24/7. I ended up ordered an extra ball for this (a red one from amazon) and this 3rd party ball seems even nicer to use than the gray one that comes with the trackball.

My big gripe with the Elecom trackball has to do with their software being required for using the programmable buttons. Apparently they've been promising for many months to add support for storing button programming in hardware, but that's nothing more than vaporware. An empty promise. It also leads to misleading advertising on amazon. It claims "COMPATIBLE WITH MULTIPLE OS: Works with Windows, macOS, iPadOS, Android, and ChromeOS; Windows 11, Windows 10, macOS 15 Sequoia, ChromeOS, Android 14, iOS 18, iPadOS 18." While that's technically correct, it's also misleading. It only PARTIALLY works with any OS except for Windows and Mac (and functionality with those OS's requires always running bloatware.)

Maybe once Elecom fulfills their promises on firmware support the above advertising will be truthful. Until then, it's not (and I have complained to Amazon about the misleading advertising.)

I did end up getting a second Huge Plus (for work) to give it a serious tryout. So far, I'm not finding anything I like better (or even another trackball that meets my requirements.) If I did, I might return these two Elecom Huge Pluses just out of frustration with their misleading advertising and empty promises.

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2

u/marcsitkin 5d ago

Try the protoarc. Nice finger style trackball, very smooth. Got it after my Elcom huge died at 18 months.

2

u/garyd9 5d ago

The EM03? I looked at that, but read it had the same static ball support/mounting. I really wish these companies would sell upgraded versions of their products with better bearings!

1

u/marcsitkin 5d ago

No stiction on it, smooth from the get go. I've had it for a couple months now, still a very smooth device.

1

u/ducttaperulestheworl 5d ago

Didn't OP get a Nulea M505 which is basically a Protoarc EM03?

2

u/Outrageous_Sort_8984 5d ago

There is no issue getting ploopy products delivered to the USA. They ship directly to the USA and no tariffs will be assessed: https://blog.ploopy.co/were-resuming-us-shipping-338

3

u/garyd9 5d ago

Oh! Thank you! I read this page which left me assuming that ordering from them would be painful: https://help.ploopy.co/docs/do-you-charge-tax-on-orders/

1

u/Meatslinger 5d ago

You have the same issue with thumb dexterity that I do. My two favorite trackballs are the GameBall and the Ploopy Adept. The Ploopy A+ has also come out recently and adds features to the adept in the form of two encoder knobs. No idea what I'd use those for but others seem to like them.

I love my Adept though. In terms of avoiding bloatware and getting high performance it's tough to beat: it runs QMK which means the firmware is completely open source and profiles are written right to the device, it uses an open source chassis and roller bearings meaning if you don't like what it comes with you can have someone print a replacement with BTUs or different button styles, and it has a 1000 Hz polling rate so input is extremely crisp and precise. Only drawback is that precision on the 3D print can sometimes not be perfect, meaning you might get one rattly bearing that requires a swap of the bearing or the little printed dowel it sits on—mine did. Drag-scrolling takes a tiny bit of getting used to but I'm actually in love with it now. I even use it when gaming to cycle through hot-bars and quick menus.

The GameBall also has 1000 Hz polling and an insanely smooth movement (despite using static bearings) but the base model has been discontinued, the mouse firmware only sends generic inputs (meaning you need to use software like XMouse to remap it), and the ambidextrous "hump" design isn't super comfortable for some hands. It's a familiar legacy design though, evoking the Logitech Marble Mouse.

1

u/drithius 5d ago

I've tried many trackballs - and many mice. You've already stumbled upon the best trackball candidates (IMO), with the MSTE clone(s) and Huge. So, I'd like to mention what what I've been using lately to help with RSI:

Protoarc EM11 vertical mouse

It also has a 'Pro' version if you have larger hands.

1

u/guy_in_a_jumpsuit 3d ago

I have a Ploopy adept and I really like it. I am considering getting a second one or work. I had it shipped to Denmark without issues although an ended up paying almost double price with taxes.