I've been using trackballs for about 18 years now. At one time, I had
the Logitech Cordless Trackman Opical, and excellent mouse. However,
after that one bit the dust after years of heavy use, I replaced it with
a Kensington Slimblade. By far, it's the best trackball I've ever used.
And an amen for the man.
That's what I was looking at, rather ended up there -- for effectively
matching the functionality I need. A $30 or $50 Kensington just
wasn't happening after a hard look -- oh, no, best believe it wasn't
long before a $100 SlimBlade did catch my attention.
(Also needed to know precisely what options were available for those
four buttons in the way of macro assignments, which I did not or quite
so easily ascertain. Native Windows hotkeys, things such as "switch
to last task." It's actually three on a Logitech, at least for me:
those two smaller buttons superimposed on the larger - for a "switch
hitting" lefty, such as myself, the small left button just is not, at
all, conducive for deft usage. I wanted to tear it apart and swap out
the smallest microswitches, but, alas - Logitech is getting pretty
good at pressing together plastic parts, it would appear, for impeding
such an attempt.)
Tell you, too, I will spend over $50 on a keyboard, more -- I've
already done that before, $100 for the best of keyboards. Just never
that much on a mouse. As for exactly why, I'd be a little dark on the
insides and stuck to say. (Probably because I'm still typing on this
one - a $59 Focus keyboard from after when I wore out a $100
Northgate/Omnikey, and Focus bought out Omnikey. Most gamers with
their "colored - brown/blue/red" tactile keyswitchesd wouldn't be as
likely to recognize those names.)
Good to see someone who does know a quality item, though. Apart from
having it jump up and bite them on the ass. . . .After 3 Trackman
Marbles, (god, hope I'm not mistaken about that, and it's not already
four replacements), I'm halfway there -- as it is, doing it not so
much my way anymore, but the hard way -- Logitech's Way.