Orbit with Scroll Ring

I've had the trackball for about a month now. I bought it to replace the wireless Mighty Mouse that came with my Mac 'cause it ate batteries like no tomorrow. VERY, VERY pleased with the trackball. It took me about a week to figure out how to comfortably use it as I had exclusively using a Wacom tablet in place of the mouse, before deciding to get some sort of mouse. The software: To start off, for those reading reviews of those complaining about the program, you CAN plug and play it. You don't actually need the program for the trackball to work. The mouse adjustments that you can make in the System Preferences will still work for the trackball. However, in order to access the additional features, you will need to download the software. It's a very easy process, just go to the website, download and install it (the instructions come in the packet). The icon will show up in your System Preferences window under the Other header. I don't know where it appears for Windows as I've only transferred the trackball between our Macs. In the trackball program, you can adjust the usual features (scroll speed, click speed, etc) and also the left/right combo click which you can set to do stuff like go back or forward. The program also allows you to choose which direction to have the scroll ring turn to go up or down. The default is set to clockwise for scrolling down. The buttons: overall, they're pretty standard in function. However, I do find that sometimes in certain programs like a Flash game, it won't always want to click on the first try, so I wouldn't recommend this for gaming purposes for games where you do need an immediate response. All other uses, I haven't really noticed any problems. I love the option of being able to set the dual click to do something :) As a first time trackball user, something else I also had to remember to do was take my fingers off the ball before clicking as I often catch myself nudging the ball when I click and then missing the spot I wanted to click. Same goes for the scroll wheel. I seem to subconsciously fiddle with that too. Trackball: No issues with it at all. It took some getting used to with adjusting from a mouse or my tablet and I found myself trying to click on the ball itself a number of times. *lol* But no fault of the device. The scroll ring: So far, I haven't experienced any of the major problems that have been complained about so far. Up till about a week ago, I hadn't gotten around to looking into the trackball's software and once I did, it made a huge world of difference with how smoothly the ring scrolled. It felt a little slow, previously to the point where it sort of staggered sometimes. I love how I can now just give the ring a quick flick with a finger and I'll be back at the top of a web page. I've actually caught myself trying to do that with a scroll wheel on a mouse at work and wondering why it just inched up instead of flying up where I wanted it! Keeping in mind of the complaints though, I have been careful with the wheel and trying not to use it when I don't feel I really need to, as not to potentially abuse it to death as I really like it. So if I'm scrolling to skim an article or search it for something, I'll use the scroll bar on the browser, which with the trackball is pretty effortless. Extras: It includes a wrist rest that you can attach to the end of the base. I didn't bother with it as my desk has a built in one. Size of whole unit: it's a decent size for me. My hand length is about 7 inches and the size of the unit allows me to perch my fingertips on the ball and comfortably roll forward to the middle joint of my fingers if I want to do one long continuous drag. I've play tested some older trackballs in stores many years ago when the majority seemed to be a lot larger, so this works fairly well. Advice: if you find yourself needing to clean your trackball, don't use Clorox wipes. It leaves a sticky residues that slows down the ball's spin. I just pulled out the ball and washed it with hand soap and water, wiped out the dust in the holder, dried off everything and stuck it back in. User troubleshooting: If you find that your hand is more tired using the trackball than a regular mouse, try adjusting your chair height. This can make a very big difference. If you have an arm rest on your chair, take advantage of it and adjust your chair height to make the rest level with your trackball.

I've been an avid trackball user since the 1990s and have used quite a few of them. I've been trying to replace my favorite discontinued model for years, and of the many I've tried I would say this is the best. Pros: Overall feel is very nice in my hand. It was broken-in within minutes (by this I mean the ease of rolling the ball in it's socket; there is typically a bit of drag or stiffness with most of the trackballs I've tried. This usually gets better over a few days' use). The scroll ring also feels nice. I would call the build quality mid-grade. It doesn't feel high end, but it also doesn't feel like junk. The wrist-rest is just a tiny bit lesser quality plastic, and I didn't expect to use it, but after trying it out it really does improve overall comfort of use. The software is simple, although there is room for improvement. Another pro for me is the ball being in the index-finger position. I really dislike models with the ball in the thumb position, but that is really a matter of personal preference. Cons: Not enough cons to impact overall rating. I would like more buttons, although that is probably a limitation of being a low-cost model, as the more expensive Kensingtons do have more. The ability to chord (press both buttons simultaneously to function as a third button) would be nice. I don't know if that is a limitation of the software, hardware, or both. The scroll ring is a tiny bit too sensitive for my liking. In summary, this is an excellent trackball for the price, and is significantly better than more expensive trackballs I have tried (I got this one for $17 during a Black Friday sale). I wish I bought a few of these at that price, because it seems like once a model becomes discontinued, the after market prices get crazy. For example, my all-time favorite is the Microsoft Trackball Explorer, which was perfect in every way. Long discontinued, they can still be found on Ebay for several hundred dollars. I may give one of the higher end Kensington models a try. I briefly tested one in a store years ago and didn't like the ergonomics, so the only reason I tried this one was because it was insanely cheap. I'm very glad I did.

The functionality of the design is great. The scroll ring is awesome and using the simple Kensington software, you can set special commands for the buttons and scroll ring. For example, mine is set so that when I push both left+right click buttons, it will do a "back-browser". This saves me so much time going through webpages and researching instead of having to move the cursor to the back button each time. I just hit both left+right buttons to go back. This also works in going back when navigating file menus. The ball itself is very nice to use and gets smoother from the natural oils of the hand. I've cleaned the trackball with rubbing alcohol and noticed it rolling very roughly for the first several minutes until it gradually smoothed out. I guess it was designed to use the natural oils from the hand? The scroll ring is easy to rotate and in an easy to access location. My gripe is that it sometimes squeak - the scroll ring is just a piece of plastic with another plastic bearing underneath. So it sounds like plastic rubbing on plastic. Not a deal breaker and most won't notice but these little things I pick up on. Pros: Comfortable, ergonomic, smooth trackball after some use, button functions can be customized, price is relatively low for the feature set it delivers. Cons: Button clicks are quite audible - it would be nice to have silent button clicks that are still tactile through feel. Scroll ring bearing sucks - it can squeak a little if you rotate while placing pressure on the ring in certain ways. Either way, the cons are not a deal breaker at all but I'd pay more money to have the items listed in the cons section improved. Overall fantastic trackball that's great for a small desk.

I have been using this model of mouse for over 9 years now (Edit: 15 years? Who's counting). I first got one of these in high school as a present from my dad, who uses this himself. It's gotten me through undergrad, master's, and a couple years of working. I love it so much. I've bought multiple ones to use at home, office, and a spare in case they ever discontinue it. Not one has failed so far. I have attached photos of how I position my hand on it: thumb on left button, index finger on ball, middle finger on wheel, and ring finger on right button. My pinky sits off to the side and doesn't operate the mouse at all. This is just how I use it, YMMV depending on your hand size and whatever you find most comfortable. I find that my pinky just isn't strong enough to do a lot of clicking without getting tired after a while. My index finger is the most dextrous finger, so it's good for precise operation of the track ball. I tried some of the other hand positions described in other reviews, and I found them uncomfortable and awkward, so it's a very personal thing. Play around with it to find what works best for you. I don't use the included wrist rest. I think it's more comfortable to rest my wrist directly on the desk, based on the slope angle of the mouse (probably because my hands are small). Again, YMMV. Pros (why I love this mouse): - Very comfortable and ergonomic for extended use (for me at least). My hand and wrist rest on it in a neutral position. - Track ball allows fast and precise movements. A traditional mouse depends on moving the entire forearm/wrist, which is slower and less precise. - Left-clicking with my thumb is easier than a standard mouse because it's a stronger finger than my index finger and doesn't get tired as easily. - Large scroll wheel is easy to operate. I can either scroll a tiny bit or fling it to scroll a lot, and I don't have to bend my finger as much as a traditional mouse scroll wheel requires. There's another model of Kensington track ball mouse that has a scroll wheel like this (the one with 4 buttons) but I find that one awkward to position my hand on. Cons (only minor annoyances for me): - Coworkers have no idea how to use it when they come to my computer to show me something. - Larger than a traditional mouse, doesn't fit in a standard laptop case. - The area under the ball gets gross pretty quickly and is hard to clean because it has a lot of nooks and crannies. I usually just clean off the three supports to make the ball move more freely, about every other week. - No software support for Linux or Chromebook, so you can't customize buttons with those operating systems. - No middle-click, but this may be emulated by your OS as simultaneously clicking left+right buttons. - Probably hard to game with this. I don't game, so this is not an issue for me. Edit (2026): Yup, I still use this mouse! I've acquired one of the newer wireless ones with the red ball (which otherwise works the same as this item) and that one works great too. Still have my original wired ones too. One of them had some issues a few years ago but I opened it up and cleaned out some gunk with alcohol and that fixed it. I will probably keep using these until I die, or until AI makes computer input devices obsolete. :)

I've used LogitechT-BC21 trackball mouse for the last 10 years and after they discontinued that model, I was holding on to my last one until it finally lived its last days... I ordered bunch of trackball mouses/mice and this one is the winner. I've had it only for one week and so far it is amazing! the response is fast, the ergonomics are great as well, feels very comfortable and it does the job!

This trackball isn't terrible, but it could be so much better. The price point is attractive, and the addition of a scroll ring is welcome. It is also nice that it is ambidextrous, since many of the higher-feature trackballs are for right-handed users only (at least with Logitech). The device itself is deceptively small and lightweight. For some reason when I looked at pics of this online, it always looked as though it were a large and bulky chunk of plastic. It is not. In fact, I found the Orbit to be very small and very low to the desk (in other words, it was not very high at its highest point - the trackball). Logitechs seem to rise up to support your palm before they curve towards the buttons. Overall, their models just seem taller on the desk compared to the Kensington. For me, the result was that my hand was splayed open all the time to hit the buttons, and it was much lower to the desk, with my wrist hitting the edge causing discomfort. There are ways to work around this, as Kensington supplied a little rubber wedge that slips on the end of the trackball housing to lengthen the supported area for your hand and wrist. This support simply slips on to the end, and there is a tiny rubber catch that hooks on the bottom of the trackball. The catch doesn't lock the pad onto the end of the Orbit, rather it just helps keep it lined up. At first this support was very uncomfortable, but after a few days, it became less so. I found that the support seemed to stay on the trackball fairly reliably. One of the great features of this trackball is how smoothly the ball rotates in its socket. After a hour or so, I felt hardly any resistance or friction, especially when compared to my Logitechs. I also liked how you could just plug it in and use Windows to configure the features for you. Kensington provides its own software for download, but I ran into several snags getting it to install and run on Windows 7 64 bit, so I stuck to the Windows drivers. It only has two buttons, which was fine by me, so that wasn't a turn off for me. The downsides I found with this trackball were the extremely light weight of the device (I found I was accidentally moving it during usage), and the overall cheap feel of the unit. The housing felt very flimsy to me, and the largish buttons made a hollow, cheap sound when clicking. They also require a bit more force to depress than other trackballs or mice, so double clicking got to be a bit tiresome after awhile. The scroll ring, which worked perfectly for me seemed cheap too; it had a plastic-on-plastic rubbing noise to it, and although it moved without resistance I wondered how long that would last. Another reviewer wrote a piece on here telling about how he took his Orbit apart and put graphite lubricant under the scroll ring. Its an intriguing thought, and if I had the time and truly loved this trackball, I might have tried it myself. All said and done, I didn't hate this trackball. I probably could have lived with it if there weren't other choice out there (granted, not many choices, which is a shame)that met my needs better than the Orbit. For me, it worked flawlessly with the Windows drivers. It just wasn't my favorite. Edit 7/22/2012 Well, I reacquired one of these Orbits, and followed that aforementioned reviewer's advice. I never really had a scroll wheel issue, but depressing the buttons was problematic, fatiguing, and ultimately uncomfortable. As he suggested, I opened up the trackball and glued two plastic shims cut from a zip tie to the plastic 'plus-sign' contact points under each button that hits the actuator (I believe that's the term). I used Loctite super glue which has held well, but I also have Plastruct Plastic Weld which I will try if it doesn't hold. After letting it sit for about 12 hours, I put it back together. Like the original reviewer, I, too, found the shims a bit thick. When the housing was screwed down the button were permanently activated. I simply loosened the front two screws slightly, and the buttons required far less effort to activate. So, I suppose with the modding done, I would add a star. But I won't do so officially for this review because it came from Kensington needing to be modded in the first place (at least in my opinion). But I hope this helps.

Love the trackball. HOWEVER, oddly it glows red. If you're someone who doesn't like those extra lights at night, don't get this color. But all the other colors don't glow. I have one that is blue and it doesn't glow. Also, I like it better than the older Kensington orbit with no scroll ring I had, which was oddly tippy. This new one has a completely flat bottom and is very stable. Love the scroll ring too. IMO it's probably the closest you're going to get to the great old, but no longer made, Logitec marble mouse.

2.5 Months into ownership review Things I love about this mouse: - The trackball makes maneuvering 3 screens incredibly easy - Switching from mouse to keyboard is so much easier to transition to for some reason. Not sure why but it feels faster and easier - The hand's resting position is comfortable even for all day use. As a cubicle worker, this was a must. - The resting position also makes it very easy to reach each button, and use the track ball at the same time Things I don't love about this mouse: - The trackball needs to be cleaned regularly. More specifically the little nodules that hold the trackball in place do. They get clogged with oils and dust from your hands, which can impact the trackball's smoothness. I have to clean those off every few days or the trackball loses all fluidity - Sometimes "disconnects" so you have to unplug it and plug it back in. Not super annoying, but annoying nonetheless All-in-all I do really like this mouse, but there were some things I hadn't thought of before I bought it. Wouldn't stop me from buying it again though. Likely has better applications than what I'm using it for, but if nothing else, no one else in the office has one, which is fun.

I've purchased two of these over the years for home and office desks and this trackball is my go to. It is comfortable and practical for the price, as cheaper trackballs without a scroll wheel are a little irritating. It also doesn't take up too much desk space either. If there it one area for improvement I'd like to see Kensington make - it is that the scroll wheel after 2-3 years of use does tend to accumulate skin cells due to the type of rubber it uses, (this is a common issue with this type of rubber, similar to the sticky issue of some tablet pens). Using a different type of rubber would really improve this design.

Review of Kensington Orbit Trackball Mouse (silver) with Scroll ring. Wired version. Mac OS Mojave (also compatible with Windows). I've never used a Trackball before but was getting fed up with hand cramp on the standard mouse. This trackball comes with a wrist rest which is how I use it. It works straight out of the box. Because the Trackball doesn't move on the desk I didn't see much need for a wireless version. Also, you know a wired version works as soon as you plug it in. The rubber pads keep it quite firmly on my desk. Intuitive to learn. Clicking with the left mouse and dragging with the ball was easy. Nice smooth action. I chose the version with the mechanical scroll ring as I wanted to be able to skim quickly through documents, and I'm glad I did as it works easily. More functionality can be added with 'Trackballworks' which is now called 'Kensingtonworks'. I didn't really need it, but decided to download the software anyway. This required two installations and several restarts before the software recognised the trackball: you have to ensure via 'Security and Privacy' in System Preferences that the OS doesn't stop elements of Kensingtonworks from operating. Once the software was operating successfully I was able to increase the speed of the scroll ring, but that was all I bothered with. I should have bought a trackball years ago. Delivery from Amazon was staggeringly quick.

Superb product and worth of money. I would like thanks Kensington for this trackball.it’s amazing,attractive,precise.ergonomic and very soothing to my finger. Now I can take full control of my laptop with finger controls. Before this I was suffering wrist fatigue vague pain and discomfort from using Logitech mouse.Thank to this Kensington trackball now my wrist worries is gone. Bye Bye mouse.

Perfect workmate!

They say these things have a learning curve, but that's nonsense. It's instantly a massive improvement over using the mouse. Much more comfortable, much more accurate.