Okay, so I've been using a Logitech MX Revolution mouse for years, but it's very awkward to clean so it's been getting less and less reliable for a long time now. So I'm in the position of looking for a replacement pointing device for my Mac.
Now, I say pointing device because I've never really tried trackballs, but I'm tempted to give them a chance. I was able to find a Logitech M570, and I actually kind of like the use of the thumb for the trackball, but the layout of the rest is pretty lousy thanks to the extra forward/back buttons; if not for them the left/right click would be further left which I think would have been better, and the forward/back buttons could have sat beneath the trackball or something (since you aren't likely to need to track while using them anyway).
So it seems like a possibility, but due to the relative unpopularity of trackballs I'm not sure what else to try on that front.
So unless there are some trackballs I've missed, I may be looking at another mouse.
In any event, here are some of my requirements in case anyone has any ideas recommendations:
Now, I say pointing device because I've never really tried trackballs, but I'm tempted to give them a chance. I was able to find a Logitech M570, and I actually kind of like the use of the thumb for the trackball, but the layout of the rest is pretty lousy thanks to the extra forward/back buttons; if not for them the left/right click would be further left which I think would have been better, and the forward/back buttons could have sat beneath the trackball or something (since you aren't likely to need to track while using them anyway).
So it seems like a possibility, but due to the relative unpopularity of trackballs I'm not sure what else to try on that front.
So unless there are some trackballs I've missed, I may be looking at another mouse.
In any event, here are some of my requirements in case anyone has any ideas recommendations:
- Wireless with good range (at least 1m to cope with my weird setup, though I'm looking to put a USB hub in a better location so this isn't actually crucial).
- Preferably either rechargeable or with really good battery life. If rechargeable, I prefer mice that don't require a proprietary charger though it's not a big deal, but I do like ones that just use regular USB.
- Good enough for casual gaming; I'm not the most competitive gamer, so I'm more concerned with fun than ultimate performance (plus I've beaten pro gamers with a Mighty Mouse so I've never needed it before
), but good accuracy and response time are very nice to have regardless. - Easy to clean! The worst thing is a mouse (or trackball) that has inaccessible parts that are vulnerable to dirt. For this reason I've actually been looking at touch mice, but Mac support for these seems poor and I'm not a huge fan of the Magic Mouse (requires batteries but doesn't have amazing battery life). I realise a trackball is necessarily dirt-prone, but if it's easily cleaned that's fine.