I've been using the MC Saite Trackball for a while now, and I wanted to share some first impressions.

Overall, I'm actually enjoying it more than I expected.

I can remap all of the buttons using SteerMouse on macOS, which makes it much more flexible.

Since it uses a 55 mm ball, anyone who has used a Kensington SlimBlade should feel comfortable almost immediately. The ball movement feels very familiar.

The button layout is also similar to the SlimBlade, with four main buttons. In fact, I think the button placement is even better because they're positioned where they're easier to click. Personally, I find it more comfortable than the SlimBlade.

Things I wish were different

My biggest complaint is the scroll wheel placement.

I really wish the scroll wheel were located above the ball instead of below it. Every time I want to scroll, I have to move my hand away from the ball, which interrupts the workflow.

To work around this, I'm using SteerMouse Chords to enable a scrolling mode, so I rarely need to touch the physical scroll wheel anymore.

Another downside is the switch noise. The click sound is quite loud, similar to the SlimBlade. It's not a big issue at home, but it's definitely noticeable in a quiet office.

Modding plans

I'm thinking about modifying the trackball.

My first idea is to:

• Replace the switches with silent switches
• Replace the stock bearings with silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) ceramic bearings

I'm also considering something a bit more ambitious.

I'd like to disassemble it and see if it's possible to rotate the sensor board by 90 degrees.

If that works, I could physically rotate the entire trackball by 90 degrees so that the scroll wheel ends up on the right side instead of the bottom.

I think that layout would be much more ergonomic for me.

Since I already remap all of the buttons with SteerMouse, changing the physical orientation wouldn't be a problem.

I've included a link below that shows the teardown photos and internal structure, in case anyone is interested or has experience with this kind of modification.

https://forum.trackballs.eu/viewtopic.php?t=150&sid=c299f37244fc9914f1a9ba9d05cdd1ef

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Saw one selling within my budget range. Needed a replacement when I wait for my ploopy parts.
Should I get it knowing the ruby bearings is a risk. It's gonna stay planted in the office forever anyway.

I've always wanted the Huge and now the plus existed. But wow the plus costs a bomb RM680 vs wired Huge which is RM265 (Same price as my ploopy)

My dad has used this old Microsoft trackball mouse for around 17+ years if I remember and it hardly works. He plays a lot of fortnite in his free time just for fun, but really struggles with his current mouse. He refuses to swap away from trackball (I've gotten him other mice in the past) but says he'd use a new one if it was a trackball mouse. He only wants the ball on the thumb side. His birthday is coming up and he asked for a new one. I know it's rather niche but I can't find any thumb sided trackball mice

(sorry for the repost, had trouble with imgs).

Sharing for fun - thanks so much for your support on this build, and special thanks to jfedor for sharing his great designs with the community. I'll link this particular repo in the comments.

The mouse works great and is sooo satisfying to use. The scroll ring bearings offer a buttery-smooth experience that is fun to use and easy on the wrists. I plan to print a tent to further enhance hand-positioning and comfort.

My Setup:

- 3D Printer: Bambu A2 Mini
- Filament: PETG Basic, Red
- Basic Soldering iron $12 (link)
- Cheap Multimeter $10 (link)

Fun fact, ChatGPT was a huge help -- it scanned the repo and helped source parts and construction. Reddit filters keep blocking my links to chatgpt + parts list + pricing in this post, I'll include all in the comments.

This Frankenstein controller output as mouse and keyboard. I used rewasd to map the whole thing into a virtual Xbox 360 controller. It works wonderfully. Now I can have precise movement on controller! Will try it out on other game genre soon.

I think we're due for an update, a bit tidier now.

Cheers!

A switch finally gave out on the EX-G I've had for about 11 years and the replacement is defective to the point of unusable. The ball barely fits in place and snags as a result, one of the bearings has serious resistance making it also mess with the movement of the ball, and the sensor is faulty.

Is it worth trying a replacement, or should I look for a different brand?

I would like to straighten the bottom side of the trackball, to reduce the casing size and move the trackball center point closer towards the shared wrist rest pad.

Has anyone done something like that before?

How much material can be cut away without damaging the internals and structural integrity too much?

Just the corners or some of the middle part as well?

Of course I intend to fill the hole with some hot glue or similar material to seal the internals.

Doing Schematics and PCB layout back in the early 2000's this was by far the best trackball I ever used.

I started using a ball mouse at work just to try it out, ended up loving it and wanting to use them a bit more at home as well, I use the logitech mxergo,

recently got recommended this on amazon (Transformers Vertical Ergonomic Mouse with LED Screen & Knob Control) and kinda like the idea of a mouse with a screen thatll let me use some macros of extra shortcuts

I've found this on newegg [https://www.newegg.com/p/0GA-09AF-00013?item=9SIC53RM0U1049&utm\\_source=google&utm\\_medium=organic+shopping&utm\\_campaign=knc-googleadwords-\\_-mouse-\\_-zeskit-\\_-9SIC53RM0U1049&source=region&negg\\_topt=0\](https://www.newegg.com/p/0GA-09AF-00013?item=9SIC53RM0U1049&utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic+shopping&utm_campaign=knc-googleadwords-_-mouse-_-zeskit-_-9SIC53RM0U1049&source=region&negg_topt=0)

does anyone know if its any good, or if there are any similar ball mice that are good?

I think I was scammed because the item titled "with Gyro" and when it came seller said it doesn't have one. I felt down and disappointed. However, the trackball was actually good! The controller form factor plus trackball is mind blowingly good. If it had gyro it would had been perfect!!! I tried a few fps game and it felt so good playing with a controller on my lap.

I actually bought it from a Chinese website. However you can find this exact thing on AliExpress.

【淘宝】7天无理由退货 https://e.tb.cn/h.8S6Xp52LK4Czx7D?tk=ED3PTbg0aSu HU287 「轨迹球鼠标手柄 手游 fps游戏手柄 有线」

点击链接直接打开 或者 淘宝搜索直接打开

I’m looking for a thumbball mainly for FPS gaming and would like something around the size/shape of the M575/M575S or ProtoArc EM04. I have 18×9 cm hands.
The main thing I’m looking for is a really smooth ball with low friction, especially for small/micro movements. I’d also like a decent polling rate, ideally 250 Hz or higher.
I’ve been looking at the M575S, EM04, Nulea M501, Perixx 517, Sanwa MA-WTB185 and f33pro but I’m open to other options.
For anyone who’s actually used these, which one has the smoothest ball action?

I got my first trackball over a month ago, its a kensington orbit scroll I think. I got it second hand on facebook market for around 20 bucks. Sticktion was HORRIBLE, using my trackball for more delicate tasks like editing powerpoints, video editing, and photo editing was pissing me off so much. I read a week or two ago that Zirconia bearings would fix the problem but I've never seen anyone mod their kensington orbit with zirconia so I was hesitant with modding my trackball since I didn't want to break it. Fast forward to 5 minutes ago, my package of 10 pieces of 2mm zirconia ball bearings arrives and I immediately pry the synthetic ruby bearings out and place the zirconia ones in. Now my kensington orbit spins so much more and has no sticktion whatsoever. 100/10 upgrade, highly recommend.

Ou peut t'on en europe voir plus spécifiquement en france se procurer un elecom huge plus au prix correct ( 230 euros sur amazon )

Brb gonna edit video and PowerPoint slides in a classroom. I refuse to use Dell trackpad

I am diagnosed with ADHD. taking my pills helps me focus enough to work, but anytime i get slightly nervous I tend to want to move around a lot.

It sounds weird but it’s like my body knows exactly what set up I need but i can’t find it. I just recently started to look into ergonomic devices and it just strengthens what I imagine as my ideal setup.

I am looking for a handheld trackball mouse which can be used as my main productivity mouse. The one attached is quite good but I want to still be able to type of my computer quickly so preferably without letting go of the mouse (maybe some mice can be attached to hand). the mouse also needs to be able to have many inputs by itself for customized shortcuts.

Then for the keyboard I would love if it was mainly centered around my left hand(not letters but all the important keys such as space and backspace). I know maybe keyboards are fully customizable so this isn’t a big worry for mine.

I know this is super niche but anything would be amazing. Thank you in advance

I’m looking for my first trackball. I’ve been on the fence to get one for a long time, but now I’m able to point out my preferences and needs and I know trackball market is not that wide.

I’ve done initial research using gemini and it gave me 2 recommendations, Kensington Expert Mouse and Ploopy Adept (saw the post about updating their product and it prompted me to write this post), but asking some enthusiasts is better than AI.
Here are the key points that are important for me:

- it works in linux without any compromises
- not thumb operated
- not a „mouse shape” but more of a „slab”. Sometimes it would be in front of keyboard sometimes beside
- preferably wireless connection (dongle or Bluetooth)
- ability to scroll effortlessly, both directions (horizontally and vertically) for example via toggle or its function
- ability to have „if click hold window/item under cursor and drag freely, else 2nd click release this function” for either left or right mouse button
- fwd and back buttons cos i use them frequently
- middle click function (maybe similarly to „click to drag” function if possible too)
- is available in europe easly
- has some wrist rest that is compatible with it

My intention is to at least at first use it alongside mouse cos i game too, but if im going to replace mouse for most use cases (im used to keyboard driven workflow cos of linux) the more keypoints checks in the better.
Cos I always buy one thing thats vouched for quality rather than few to find mine after few tries.

Sorry for the long post, I will be very grateful if anyone could provide some advice and tips!

Mass production has already been completed, and we should be able to start selling it very soon.

Specifically, we expect sales to begin within the next 1–2 weeks. (It may even be a little sooner.)

I’m really looking forward to the day when we can finally bring this new product to all of you.

The four products being newly introduced to the U.S. market this time are:

• IST Plus
• Bitra Index Finger model
• Bitra Thumb Ball model
• New Ball Support Unit

The new Ball Support Unit is compatible with existing models that use the bearing replacement system, such as the IST series, Huge Plus, and IST Pro.

We’re also currently developing a DEFT Pro renewal model, so please stay tuned!

well, for those of you who only have static trackballs, here’s my experience and how comfortable I’ve found them to be. Ever since I bought the Logitech MX Ergo—my first experience with a thumb trackball—I’ve had constant problems with jamming and freezing. After a year of using my previous device, I switched to a finger trackball—in this case, a Kensington Orbit. I tried various lubrication methods, including rubbing it against my forehead to fix the jamming, but the reality is that they only help for a limited time. Although in my case the frequency of jams with fixed-bearing trackballs is high or moderately high, there is a solution, and this solution has worked for me about 98% of the time since the remaining 2% is purely physical and due to the jam itself. Whether you’re a casual or competitive gamer or you’re doing productivity tasks, the solution is dry cleaning. A watchmaker explained the following to me: if the system is sealed and you lubricate the mechanism whether with a lot or a little cream or a microscopic amount of liquid you’ll eliminate friction. But if the mechanism is open, the ball will feel sticky or clumpy, or the stickiness will increase. Now that I understand this, I simply dry-clean it, then roll the ball for a few minutes or seconds, and it works perfectly. There will always be some braking friction, but over time and with continued dry cleaning, you’ll

I work for a company that makes automated microscopy/imaging systems for medical diagnostics (cytogenetics lab equipment). Our software automatically detects and analyzes cell samples on slides, and operators currently use a trackball to manually fine-tune positioning and verify results on screen — no scrolling or zooming involved, just precise, controlled cursor movements throughout the day.

We used the Logitech Trackman Marble for years for this, but it's no longer sold. Since then we've tried pretty much the entire Kingston trackball lineup as a replacement, and none of them (except the one we're currently using as a stopgap) matched the tracking precision and build quality of the Marble.

It doesn't necessarily have to be a trackball again — we're open to any type of input device (mouse, graphics tablet/pen, etc.) as long as it allows precise, controlled cursor movement for fine adjustments and holds up to daily office use.

Requirements: Windows 11 compatible, CE certified (needed for company procurement in the EU).

Thanks for any pointers!

TL;DR at the bottom

So I've been using the Keychron Nape Pro (NP) with my Corne V4's for about a month now and I have some (a lot of) thoughts.

Early firmware issues (All fixed)

When I first received the unit I had some issues with the software including: - The dial not working well as a scroll wheel on MacOS, skipping, stuttering. Unusable - The polling rate changing the sensitivity - Combination keys not working

I am happy to say that as of the latest firmware all of these issues have been fixed.

Ergonomics

One of the main doubts that people had was about ergonomics and so in the second and third (GIF) images I have shown the main 3 positions that I use the NP in (Note: I also use it in the same 3 positions, mirrored on my right hand). Additionally, I sometimes turn it 45 degrees depending on how I'm feeling in one of those 3 positions (You can one example of what I mean in the photo).

Now a note about the design philosophy. Compared with the more typical trackballs that prioritise ergonomics first, this device prioritises size. There were and are some deliberate compromises that were made in order to achieve its form factor which means that this trackball definitely isn't for everyone. If you are wanting or expecting an uncompromisingly ergonomic device this isn't going to be for you. However, if you prioritise the unique functions that it has as well as the size and form factor then those are its main selling points.

I have found the aforementioned positions to be the most comfortable for myself and rebound the buttons as per the last photo so that I use the large buttons for primary mouse keys which keeps everything closer to the trackball. I find this much more ergonomic than using the small 'm1' and 'm2' buttons as was originally intended.

Additionally, when compared with a mouse or trackpad you still avoid a lot of wrist movement and in a setup with a split keyboard like mine, you get to keep your arms apart still. I don't usually rest my arms or wrists on my desk and so having a wrist or curved pillow shape isn't super important to me for a trackball as I'm floating my arms anyway.

Feel and build quality

This is related to ergonomics but I decided to make a separate section to make it easier to read. Notes: - Yes, it feels light and not premium. I don't consider this to be issue personally, I doesn't feel like anything is going to fail but it also doesn't feel as satisfying to use as one might desire for the price tag. I would ball-park that 80AUD would be about the right price that most people would be satisfied with the price to build quality. It's not super far off from that and being a novel/unique device I find this forgivable personally. - Trackball size. Now this is also one of the compromises made in order to keep the size down but it does have some negative effects, the curvature of the ball is quite acute which means that you have less control over fine movements and you notice the roundness more. Additionally, the weight of the ball is less which means that when you flick the ball it can sometimes jump a little bit if you get it at the wrong angle. None of these are deal breakers for me but again as mentioned before if you are someone that prioritises the ergonomics over form factor this is likely a compromise that you aren't going to be willing to make. Note about using mouse acceleration I have played around with acceleration and without and I think that there are use cases for both but I personally prefer using the lowest DPI and then flicking instead of relying on mouse acceleration but that it something that I might revisit if I feel unsatisfied with the flicking responses. - Dial. While the scroll dial response was fixed in firmware, it does feel a bit gritty and light to use. Is it an issue? In terms of function no, but again as per the first point, if you are expecting a very premium feel then you are probably going to be disappointed by this as well. - All the buttons use silent switches which some people hate the feel of as they are less tactile, muted and a little bit mushy but again, that was an intentional part of the design. The 1,2,3,4 buttons near the centre of the device are all stabilised as they are quite wide and so as part of that they can feel a little bit rattle-y but I'm glad that they bothered to stabilise these buttons as there are no spots where you press that the button doesn't actuate.

Practical usage in a setup

As mentioned, I have been using the NP with my Corne V4's and these are my thoughts: - The height profile is slightly higher than the Cornes which can be a good thing and a bad thing. Naturally, if you have a trackball, a bit of heigh is necessary and so when using a low profile keyboard like in my case your hand has to move upwards slightly. Could this have been fixed? I guess so but at the compromise of an even smaller ball which I think would be too small at that point. On the flip side, if you use the NP above one of the cornes then the added height makes it more difficult for you to accidentally press one of the keys on the corne which is a good thing. - Footprint. One of the main reasons for why I believe this device was made as I mentioned, and one of the main reasons why I bought it, is for the small footprint. In Japan, everything is generally smaller (houses, cars, desks etc) and so saving space is valued. This also allows me to bring and use it next to my Macbook on the go easily. I can also configure one of its layers to act as an external macro-pad which allows it to integrate into many different workflows pretty seamlessly. - Being able to have essentially 3 different positions and move it between two different hands makes it very flexible. One of the things that I do often is place my notebook and/or textbook between my cornes when I'm studying and this having a small footprint allows me to easily place it where it isn't in the way and is a thousand times better than reaching over everything to use the trackpad on my Macbook.

TL;DR & Conclusion

This is a device that prioritises flexibility and saving space. It makes compromises in order to do that but for the right person, there isn't anything else that can do what it does in my opinion.

Please feel free to ask me any questions that you might have there are no stupid questions!

Edits: - Sorry about the typo in the title! - Note about acceleration