RTINGS

Trackball technology may seem old-fashioned, but modern trackball mice provide a comfortable, ergonomic alternative to more conventional designs. If you're interested in a work-oriented trackball option, the Logitech MX ERGO is the best we've tested. It feels very well-made and is ideal for a palm grip for all hand sizes. There's also an included metal tilt plate that you can use to angle the mouse halfway between a customary palm-down position and a handshake position.

This mouse sits stationary on your desk and has a pair of standard left- and right-click buttons, a scroll wheel with horizontal scrolling inputs, and a large trackball for your thumb to control the cursor. You can connect it wirelessly via Bluetooth or a USB receiver and pair it wirelessly with up to two devices at the same time. Logitech advertises this mouse has a full-charge battery life of around four months.

Unfortunately, the design is bulky, and the unusual shape makes it an unlikely candidate for travel use. Also, the scroll wheel lacks a free-scrolling mode, which is unusual considering it's a staple feature for other mice in Logitech's exclusive MX productivity mouse lineup. Altogether, this mouse is a great design if you have limited desk space or want a more ergonomic option to reduce the strain on your body using a mouse for a long period.

The best mouse for MacBook Pro with a trackball we've tested is the Logitech MX ERGO. It has a right-handed shape and a trackball on the left designed for use with your thumb. This mouse is fairly large and heavy, but it remains stationary when you use it, which can prevent some of the wrist strain associated with more conventional mice you have to move across a desk.

It feels very sturdy and connects wirelessly with its USB receiver or Bluetooth. You can also pair it wirelessly with two devices simultaneously and switch between them using the button behind the scroll wheel. Unlike many similar trackball mice with a rotating ring around the trackball for scrolling, this mouse has a conventional scroll wheel. It also has left- and right-tilt inputs for horizontal scrolling.

Unfortunately, the scroll wheel doesn't unlock for a free-scrolling mode, which can be disappointing if you frequently work with long documents or web pages. Additionally, this mouse has a low, fixed polling rate, meaning it isn't a suitable choice for gaming after the workday is done. All in all, this mouse is a great choice if you also use your MacBook Pro at home and prefer a more ergonomic trackball design.

If you're looking for a trackball mouse, look no further than the Logitech MX ERGO. It features a right-handed slanted design with a trackball on the left side under your thumb to move the cursor. It's a stationary mouse, so its design reduces wrist strain during those long workdays since you don't need to use wrist or arm movements to control it.

It feels very well-built and solid, and there's also a pinky rest, so none of your fingers should hang awkwardly off the edge of the mouse. It connects wirelessly using its USB receiver or via Bluetooth, and it uses a rechargeable battery for power. Unlike other trackball mice that use a ring around the trackball for scrolling, this mouse has a more typical-looking scroll wheel with L/R tilts for easy horizontal navigation through spreadsheets or video timelines. You can also reprogram all of its buttons to best suit your workflow.

Unfortunately, its scroll wheel doesn't unlock for free scrolling, which might be annoying if you spend a lot of time navigating long documents. It also has a low, fixed polling rate, so it's not very versatile and isn't suitable for gaming use. With that said, it's a good choice if you're looking for a trackball mouse with a comfortable, ergonomic design.

The best trackball we've tested is the Logitech MX ERGO. It has an ergonomic, right-handed shape that's well-suited for all hand sizes using a palm grip. There are left- and right-click buttons and a conventional scroll wheel on the right side, and a large trackball on the left. There's also a metal plate attachment that tilts the mouse 20&ordm; to the right, so your hand posture is somewhere between a handshake and a more traditional palm-down position.

Like other products in Logitech's MX lineup, it feels very well-built and sturdy, but the materials and finish don't feel quite as premium as those of the Logitech MX Master 3, for example. You can connect this mouse wirelessly using its USB receiver or via Bluetooth, and it has a rechargeable battery for power. Logitech advertises a battery life of up to four months. You can pair two devices simultaneously and switch between them using the dedicated device switching button behind the scroll wheel.

Unfortunately, while the scroll wheel has L/R tilt buttons for horizontal scrolling, it doesn't unlock for a quicker free-scrolling mode, which is disappointing if you frequently deal with long documents or web pages. Also, while it has robust companion software to program buttons and adjust CPI settings, there's no option to increase the polling rate, which isn't high enough to produce smooth cursor movements for gaming. Altogether, this is a very ergonomic and customizable option for everyday browsing or productivity work.

TechGearLab

The Logitech MX Ergo is a solid choice for those who want to keep wrist movement to a minimum, have limited desk space, or just have an open mind about finding an innovative product. The trackball mouse design is ergonomically shaped and comfortable in your hand while including all the standard features of a classic mouse. This great mouse can be recharged and switches from computer to computer with the push of a button. Even though it can take some time to get used to a mouse with a trackball, it is somewhat more natural with the included precision button on the Logitech MX Ergo. When the user initiates the precision button, the cursor speed reduces, allowing you to get better handling of precise movements. The mouse adjusts quickly from an angle of  0° up to 20° to allow you to find a suitable place to rest your hand. 
This trackball mouse does have some notable setbacks. In order to remove the trackball for cleaning, a separate tool is necessary. Like the other models in the Logitech lineup, the dongle doesn't have a convenient storage location. The angle adjustment plate uses a pretty strong magnet to stay attached, but there's still a chance you could lose it. Without the angle adjustment plate, the mouse becomes unstable and can wobble around, making it uncomfortable to handle. Despite these minor inconveniences, we think the Logitech MX Ergo is a superb trackball mouse for anyone willing to give it a chance.

If you're interested in a trackball design, we recommend the Logitech MX ERGO. It has a comfortable right-handed shape and a thumb trackball design suitable for all hand sizes. It also includes a metal plate that lets you adjust between a zero or 20-degree tilt position, and there's a pinky rest area, so none of your fingers hang awkwardly off the side. Overall, this mouse is very well-built, and the materials are high quality. However, it doesn't feel as premium as the Logitech MX Master 3S, which is typically available at a similar price point. Some users also report the rubber coating can be prone to wearing out from heavy use.

This mouse connects wirelessly using its USB receiver or via Bluetooth. It has an advertised battery life of up to four months, and you can pair up to two devices simultaneously. The scroll wheel has tilt buttons, but it doesn't unlock for a quicker free-scrolling mode like some other options on this list. Using the customization software, you can reprogram buttons to best suit your needs. If you're interested in a more affordable alternative, consider the Logitech ERGO M575. It has the same ergonomic shape; however, it doesn't include a tilt base, doesn't support multi-device connectivity, and feels cheaper overall.

The best trackball we've tested is the Logitech MX ERGO. It has a comfortable right-handed shape and a thumb trackball design suitable for all hand sizes. While using it, your hand posture is between a handshake and a more traditional palm-down position. It also features a metal plate attachment that lets you choose between a 0&ordm; or 20&ordm; tilt position. Overall, while it feels very well-built and sturdy, and the materials and finish are high quality, it doesn't feel as premium as other more recent models in Logitech's MX Lineup, like the MX Master 3S. Some users also report the rubber coating is prone to wear out over time.

You can connect this mouse wirelessly using its Logitech Unifying Receiver or via Bluetooth, and you can pair up to two devices simultaneously. The scroll wheel has tilt buttons for horizontal scrolling but doesn't unlock for a quicker free-scrolling mode like some high-end productivity mice. Also, while it has companion software to program buttons and adjust sensitivity settings, there's no option to increase the polling rate. It won't be a concern for most people, but the polling rate isn't high enough to produce smooth cursor movements for gaming or if you use a 4k monitor.

You may also want to check out the Logitech ERGO M575, which is very similar overall and typically available for less. However, it doesn't include a tilt base, doesn't support multi-device connectivity, and feels cheaper overall.

The Logitech MX Ergo is a solid choice for those who want to keep wrist movement to a minimum, have limited desk space, or just have an open mind about finding an innovative product. The trackball mouse design is ergonomically shaped and comfortable in your hand while including all the standard features of a classic mouse. This great mouse is rechargeable and switches from computer to computer with the push of a button. Even though getting used to a mouse with a trackball can take some time, it is somewhat more natural with the included precision button on the Logitech MX Ergo. When the user initiates the precision button, the cursor speed reduces, allowing you to get better handling of precise movements. The mouse adjusts quickly from an angle of  0° up to 20° to allow you to find a suitable place to rest your hand. 
However, this trackball mouse has some notable setbacks. A separate tool is required to remove the trackball for cleaning. Like the other models in the Logitech lineup, the dongle doesn't have a convenient storage location. The angle adjustment plate uses a pretty strong magnet to stay attached, but there's still a chance you could lose it. Without the angle adjustment plate, the mouse becomes unstable and can wobble around, making it uncomfortable to handle. Despite these minor inconveniences, we think the Logitech MX Ergo is a superb trackball mouse for anyone willing to give it a chance.

Best for Most

amazon.com

rtings.com

pcmag.com

expert-review

The Best Trackballs

techradar.com

walmart

Upgrade Pick

cnet.com

bazaarvoice

Budget Pick

Good quality trackball mice tend to be somewhat more expensive than conventional mice, but if you're looking for the best bang for your buck, we recommend the Logitech ERGO M575. Visually, this mouse closely resembles the newer and more premium Logitech MX ERGO. It doesn't have an included tilt plate and has fewer programmable buttons than the MX ERGO, but it performs very similarly and is generally much more affordable.

This mouse connects wirelessly with a USB receiver or via Bluetooth, and it uses a single AA battery for power. Logitech advertises that this mouse will last up to 24 months on a single battery. It also has a very accurate sensor and customization software that lets you create profiles, remap buttons, and adjust CPI settings.

Unfortunately, the scroll wheel lacks both L/R tilt buttons and a free-scrolling mode, and there's no support for multiple device pairing. Additionally, while this mouse has good click latency when connected with its USB receiver, it has a very low, fixed polling rate, so it isn't a good option for gaming. Despite this, it's a great everyday choice for light productivity at a more affordable price point than some of the more premium models on this list.

Wirecutter

Comfortable to use and easy to get the hang of, the Ergo M575 is a good choice for new trackball converts. Plus, it includes Bluetooth and USB wireless support.

tom's Hardware

The Logitech Ergo M575 Mouse is the hero your strained wrists have been waiting for. With it, you won&rsquo;t need to move them at all. Just lay your hand on your mouse once, and you&rsquo;re all set for eight hours straight without needing to move it again (aside from getting up to go to the bathroom). Of course, your thumb will be getting a workout the whole time.

That&rsquo;s because this mouse uses a trackball to move the cursor. It&rsquo;s not a new approach, but at $50 and with 2.4GHz and Bluetooth support, the Ergo M575 is more advanced than what you would have gotten in the &lsquo;90s.
Using it will take some practice, of course, but it feels like a dream in your hand. It completely eliminates strain from repetitive motions, and the wide body perfectly contorts to my hand shape. Again, it does require my thumb to do a lot of movement, but if there&rsquo;s anything decades of gaming has taught me, it&rsquo;s that my thumbs are pretty resilient when it comes to carpal tunnel syndrome. The rest of my hand, not so much.
Of course, speaking of gaming, not being able to move the mouse&rsquo;s body itself does come with some struggles. For instance, while this isn&rsquo;t our best gaming mouse list, let&rsquo;s not kid ourselves. You&rsquo;re probably not constantly swapping between a gaming and work mouse with your home setup. If you were hoping to use this mouse to moonlight in games, think again. While its trackball can reach a DPI of up to 2000, it&rsquo;s harder to do controlled flicks or steady tracking with it. Not common use cases on the job, but very common in games.
Clicking-and-dragging also takes some rewiring at first, as I&rsquo;m not used to using both my thumb and my index finger when doing so. It took a bit of thought to remember to let go of my index finger when I was done dragging, but not my thumb. Similarly, it can be hard to precisely highlight text with a trackball.
Most of these issues, aside from the mouse not being well-suited to games, are easy enough to fix with practice. And once you do, your wrists will thank you. Your desk might thank you too. While the M575 is a bulky mouse, it also paradoxically has a small footprint because you don&rsquo;t need to move it when using it. It doesn&rsquo;t even need a mousepad, making it great for people with small desks or keyboard trays.
Like the Logitech M510, the M575 is compatible with the Logitech Options software, which lets you remap its three extra buttons, check battery level, swap the left/right click and adjust DPI. The customization on offer here is fairly robust, and allows you to set a button to open programs, control media, enter certain key combinations and the like. Plus, you can set the mouse to use different settings depending on which program you have open.
If you like trackball mice, this is one of the best modern options available.

target

The Logitech M570 is one of the only trackball options we tested and topped the charts in many of our tests, particularly in the ergonomics category. Trackball mice utilize a ball to carry the cursor around the screen rather than moving one's arm. In recent years this style of the mouse has particularly gained popularity so we included one in this review. The Logitech M570 is an incredibly comfortable mouse and right up there with our most ergonomic mice of the review with a position in-between traditional and handshake position mice. The forward and back button pages are in a fantastic location by your pointer finger, and the scroller doesn't require stretching from those of us with smaller hands.
The Logitech M570 is among our most bulky mice and is likely for home use only, depending on your luggage space budget. Additionally, we would have liked to see a sensitivity adjustment for the trackball built into the mouse rather than a computer setting. Lastly, the trackball, similar to the handshake position mice, will involve a learning curve. The M570 is recommended for those seeking a high-quality trackball option in the wireless market.

If you're looking for a trackball you can carry with you when you're on the go, we recommend the Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring. It has a true ambidextrous design with a center-mounted trackball, a ring-style scroll wheel, and two main buttons that serve as left- and right-click buttons on either side. There's also an included palm that you can detach, making it much more compact.

While this mouse isn't exactly as easy to stow away as a more conventional travel mouse, its relatively small, streamlined shape makes it a much more portable option than competing trackball models. You can connect this mouse wirelessly with its USB receiver or via Bluetooth. It uses two AA batteries for power, and there's a storage space for the USB receiver when it's not in use, so you don't accidentally lose it in transit.

Unfortunately, this mouse doesn't support multi-device pairing, and the somewhat unconventional ring-style scroll wheel may take a little getting used to if you aren't already familiar with them. Also, like most trackball options, this mouse has a very low, fixed polling rate and poor click latency, so you're better off looking to other models if you're planning on grabbing this to game on the go. Overall, this is an affordable wireless travel option for anyone looking for a no-fuss trackball for the road.

If you’re not sure whether you like trackballs, the Orbit, with a scroll ring and two buttons, represents a good starting point.

We recommend the Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring as a budget option. It has a truly ambidextrous design with a center-mounted, finger-operated trackball. It also has a ring-style scroll wheel and two main buttons that serve as left- and right-click buttons on either side. There's an included palm rest that you can detach, making it much more compact. Overall, it feels very well-built and connects wirelessly with its USB receiver. It uses two AA batteries for power.

Unfortunately, this mouse doesn't have as many programmable inputs as the ELECOM HUGE M-HT1DRBK. Additionally, the somewhat unconventional ring-style scroll wheel may take a little getting used to if you aren't already familiar with it. Also, like most trackball options, this mouse has a very low, fixed polling rate and a low maximum CPI setting, which means it isn't suitable for gaming or if you have a very high-resolution display. That said, it's an affordable wireless option for anyone looking for a no-fuss trackball for work or everyday browsing.

With a huge ball and four buttons, this is a near-perfect trackball held back by a gritty scroll ring.

If you're interested in a trackball at a mid-range price point, we recommend the ELECOM HUGE M-HT1DRBK. It's a versatile finger-operated trackball with a right-handed shape. It includes a conventional scroll wheel with left and right tilt buttons and ten programmable inputs. It also has an integrated leatherette wrist rest which, true to its name, makes it fairly large and bulky. However, it's still a good fit for all but small-sized hands.

It connects wirelessly with a USB receiver and uses a pair of AA batteries for power. You can use the companion software for remapping buttons and adjusting CPI settings. However, only three CPI presets are available, and the highest setting is only 1200 CPI, which may not be sensitive enough if you use a very high-resolution display. Unfortunately, this trackball doesn't have Bluetooth support like the Logitech MX ERGO, and like all mice on this list, apart from the GameBall Mouse, it has a very low fixed polling rate, making it unsuitable for gaming. That said, it's an affordable option with plenty of customizable controls for productivity or everyday use.

There's a dedicated community of gamers who prefer using trackball mice for different genres, but up until recently, trackball mice specifically designed for gaming have been few and far between. The best we've tested is the GameBall Mouse. Most importantly, it has good click latency, and unlike nearly all other trackball mice, it has a polling rate of 1000Hz, which is the current standard among gaming mice.

It has a true ambidextrous design that's comfortable in hand for all hand sizes using a palm grip whether you're right- or left-handed, and there's a sloping palm rest that's long enough to accommodate your entire palm. There are three buttons on either side and a tactile scroll ring around the trackball. The left side of the scroll ring controls horizontal scrolling, and the right side controls vertical scrolling. Note that this is also a wired mouse, and while this isn't super important as the mouse stays put during use, it makes it a more cumbersome option to use on the go or away from your home setup.

Unfortunately, while it has a maximum polling rate of 1000Hz, it only has five CPI presets, and it lacks dedicated software for programming buttons or adjusting sensor options. Additionally, while the click latency is the lowest we've tested among trackball mice, it isn't as low as premium conventional gaming mice. We don't recommend it for fast-paced, reaction-based titles like competitive FPS games. This mouse is still your best bet if you're a gamer who prefers trackball designs.

For gamers, we recommend the GameBall Mouse. Unlike other trackball options we've tested, it has a higher-quality sensor with a polling rate of 1000Hz, which is the current standard among gaming mice and produces much smoother, more consistent cursor movements in-game. It has a true ambidextrous shape that's comfortable whether you're right- or left-handed. It also features a sloping palm rest long enough to accommodate your entire palm. There are three buttons on either side and a tactile scroll ring around the trackball.

Note that this is a wired mouse, and while this isn't super important as the mouse stays put during use, it does mean a bit more clutter on your desk. Unfortunately, its click latency is high compared to most gaming mice. While it's well-suited for a range of game genres, it isn't ideal for playing competitive FPS or other fast-paced, reaction-based games and may not feel as snappy and responsive as most conventional gaming mice. It also lacks dedicated software for programming buttons or adjusting sensor options.

Trackball Mouse Comparison