Customer Reviews

Kensington Orbit USB/PS2 Combo Mouse/Trackball for Windows or USB Mac

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Trackball mice come in two basic configurations, depending on whether the ball is placed under the fingers or the thumb. Persons who are particularly good at manipulating either type are unlikely to find the other kind comfortable.

That is why this Kensington model is such a good first choice. It is inexpensive, the ball is smooth and responsive, and it has the major advantage of being ambidextrous. Like most trackballs, it is very simple to maintain.

Be forewarned! Trackballs take getting used to. It takes time to learn to click the button with your thumb without sending the entire mouse skating, which also sends the cursor flying. That is why many folks find themselves switching to a mouse that puts the ball under the thumb and the buttons under the finger (in my opinion, a much more stable configuration).

Nonetheless, this Kensington model is an excellent value and will perform well. As a first choice in trackballs, you can't go wrong.

I did my homework, and though I knew this trackball was mechanical and rather an old model, I still thought that overall many people had been happy with it. I have used trackballs before to a limited extent, and my husband has the Kensington Optical Trackball with the cool red glow, but I wanted something that would better match my Mac. Well, forget about that. The Orbit got very difficult to manipulate very soon after use...I had cleaned it several times in the first week, and I am a clean freak where the area around my Mac is concerned. I found that the tiny springs inside were very fragile and one was not really in the right place. After two weeks I sent this back to AMAZON. It is pretty, it SHOULD work better, but after thinking it over I ditched "matching", went out to Staples and tried the Logitech Marble Mouse. It is a great fit for my hand, and now resides on my desk. The marble mouse is cheaper too, which is odd. If I hadn't wanted a trackball right away I would have bought it at AMAZON. Your options aren't that great pricewise as far as trackballs go, which makes the Marble Mouse a really good deal, unless you are a power user of photo manipulation software or other specific apps which need many buttons programmed.

this is quite possibly the greatest input device ever. Besides the fact that you never have to deal with moving the mouse around. running out of mousepad space. or tangling the wires. It is large and fits your hand perfectly. Over the course of my 10 years of using computers. i have seen it all. mice, optical mice, touchpad, touchpoint, and trackballs. and i can honestly say that this is the best input device i have ever used, great for photo editing (photoshop) flash movie making, and playing games. including RTS games (red alert, starcraft, homeworld) and FPS games (unreal tournament, jedi knight) this is the one you want. and you cant beat the price!!!

I've been using this trackball for well over a year now and I have to say, next to my Microsoft contoured keyboard, it's the best "upgrade" I've made to my computer. It does take some getting used to and it does lack some features like the middle scrolling wheel and the like but I'm willing to give those up for the confort and ease of use of this mouse.

Once you get used to it, this trackball just "feels" right under your hand and you have maximum control from just twitching your index and middle finger. I wouldn't suggest playing any video games with this but for common everyday use, you'll never go back to a standard mouse again.

The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is that, unfortunately, it's kind of a pain to clean. Because it's not an optical mouse, you need to, on occasion, pop the ball out and clean the rollers and the teeny little red beads that hold the ball in place.... If you have extremely dry hands, I guess it's not that big of a deal but cleaning the gunk out CAN be an excersize in a bit of frustration. Essentially, you'll get to the point where you'll never get it completely clean. Just clean enough....

But that complaint aside, this really is a great trackball, and though there's a holy war between the users of this type of trackball vs. the logitech type with the little ball on the thumb, in my opinion, after using both, this give you the maximum in control and confort for a really good price. If you're looking to get rid of that clunky mouse, at least give this one a chance. You just might like it.

I've been using this trackball professionally (I'm a graphic designer) and at home for the last 3 years. I bought it because I was experiencing cramping in my forearm from repetitive stress. From the moment I first started using the trackball, I could tell the difference. The cramping ceased almost immediately.

I've tried other trackballs (Logitech and the Kensington Expert) none of them offered the control and comfort that the Orbit did. Because of the intense focus on the thumb, the Logitech model I tried actually made my problem worse.

The best thing is that with programmable button behaviors, you don't have to give up your scrolling wheel. You can program the Orbit to act just the same when you click the right and left buttons at the same time!

On top of everything else...you can claim back your desk. No more wandering mouse syndrome. No mouse pads. No falling off of the mouse pad. And no more revving up your mouse like it was a Hot Wheels car to move it around the screen.

It can be difficult to clean, especially after 3 years, but I've had no complaints and recommend this model to everyone I know.

I've been using this trackball for over a year now and I love it! I went from the Logitech 3 button mouse to this trackball and it was a very smooth transition! It took no time to get used to moving the ball and clicking the buttons.

I started using this trackball because my dr thought I had the beginnings of Carpel Tunnel Syndrome and I've read several articles that Trackballs are supposed to be more ergonomic for your hand. I don't know if it was the addition of the wrist pads or the use of this trackball, but I have had no problems with my hands since!

There was only one downside to this unit. I have found that this Trackball gets dirty a lot more often than a normal mouse does. I've found myself having to clean it normally once a week. I believe it was probably due to the oils in the hand, etc.. Otherwise, I love it!

I was trying to replace my Kensington 'Expert Mouse" (trackball)with this much cheaper Kensington "Orbit" Trackball. I loved the older Expert mouse, but I wore out one of the buttons. The smaller ball (@1.25in vs @2.75in) and the hesitation of the movement made me return this ball. I will probably get another "Expert Mouse". I would like to find a optical trackball with a large trackball, but I am still looking.

Keeping in mind that I was using a very cheap [amt.] mouse five minutes ago, this trackball is so nice! I just hooked it up (still downloading the free software mentioned in the owner's manual) and I've never found a mouse this comfortable. I've worked in data entry for the past five years, not to mention the fact that I use my computer several hours a day at home. I would recommend this to anyone who is tired of their standard mouse sticking (I can already see I'll never have to pick this one up from the pad). So, I think it is safe to say that I am very happy with the product, especially considering how inexpensive it is.

I liked this mouse fine -- and the first time it went out on me in a relatively short amount of time I figured I would give it the benefit of the doubt and get another. The second one, also, lasted only a very short time (less than 6 months). Then I got a third one, and this one started acting screwy within the first few months. It is AWFUL. I can't believe they charge this much for something so lame.

Don't waste your money.

I have tried many types of mice and tons of trackball type controllers. I own a standard Kensington Orbit USB for PC or Mac and have used it with both. In the five or six years that I've owned the Orbit, it has always worked perfectly and has never lost performance, even when it needed cleaning - In fact, I've only had to clean it twice with all these years of daily use. It's very easy to clean and to do so only takes a few seconds.

It is well-built with a large, heavy ball for easy and accurate cursor movement. It has two large, well-positioned buttons. I feel that it would benefit from having a scroll wheel but I don't mind as I use it as a secondary controller for home studio PC recording mostly, where it is handy to be able to position the cursor on, for example, a RECORD button onscreen and then click the buttons without moving the cursor - impossible on a standard mouse!

Although this is now quite an old design, it still looks perfectly modern and offers superb performance even compared to much more expensive devices.

Primarily a USB device, the Orbit also comes with a PS/2 adaptor to allow you to plug into non-USB computers (not many of them left now!)

It has four tacky rubber pads underneath which guarantee that the mouse does not slide about in use.

All in all, a super design which has passed the test of time in my studio and one which I would recommend to anyone who wants a change from a standard mouse for whatever reason. The fact that you do not need to grip the Orbit the way you do an ordinary mouse means that it may also be of benefit to those who are prone to R.S.I. and other strain-related disorders.

My advice is to steer clear of the trackball mice where the ball is moved by your thumb. They are harder to learn and use and do not offer any advantages over the Orbit in the long run. The layout of the Orbit is both ergonomic and very natural in use with your hand sitting in a very comfortable position.