Trackball Vs. Mouse

Wintermute

New member
Joined:
Sep 9, 2012
Posts:
1,975
Liked Posts:
1,333
I currently have a Logitech m570 wireless. Primarily play FPS games. I'm by no means "pro" but I do pretty good with it. Was looking at gaming mice the other day just for grins.

What do you guys use? Any real advantage to gaming mice? Just a gimmick? Or is the skill more in the player than the hardware?
 

Ares

CCS Hall of Fame
Donator
CCS Hall of Fame '19
Joined:
Aug 21, 2012
Posts:
41,422
Liked Posts:
39,621
I think once you have a decent enough optical mouse, which you can get for 20-30$, its all about the skill of the gamer.

When I played competitive FPS back when I was in high school I had a 5 button mouse so I could have like crouch, jump and the 3 main functions all in my mouse hand, but that was more preference than anything, its not like it gave me a huge edge or something.

Then of course if you get into the realm of where you simply game way too fucking much, the comfort of the mouse in your hand for long periods of gameplay might come into the conversation lol....
 

Crystallas

Three if by air
Staff member
Donator
Joined:
Jun 25, 2010
Posts:
19,890
Liked Posts:
9,618
Location:
Next to the beef gristle mill
My favorite teams
  1. Chicago Bulls
Everyone likes different things. You have grip types, hand sizes, etc to account for.

I use a modified original mx518 and a Roccat Kone Pure. I love the mx518, and I hate mice that look like they are one of Michael Bay's Transformers.

But I also have a trackball for CAD. I don't like gaming with it.
 

Novak

Mod in Training/Fire Forum
Donator
CCS Hall of Fame '21
Joined:
Sep 7, 2014
Posts:
16,086
Liked Posts:
12,652
To add to what Ares said, go wired for gaming. Wireless mice (the cheaper ones anyways) have a delay that you will notice in an FPS
 

Ares

CCS Hall of Fame
Donator
CCS Hall of Fame '19
Joined:
Aug 21, 2012
Posts:
41,422
Liked Posts:
39,621
Everyone likes different things. You have grip types, hand sizes, etc to account for.

I use a modified original mx518 and a Roccat Kone Pure. I love the mx518, and I hate mice that look like they are one of Michael Bay's Transformers.

But I also have a trackball for CAD. I don't like gaming with it.

Lolz dat part in bold, I know what you mean.

I was buying shit on Newegg for my last build like 6 years ago and decided to check out getting a new mouse and I found a bunch of what you described there.... I was all:

i_dont_even_cat.jpg
 

Crystallas

Three if by air
Staff member
Donator
Joined:
Jun 25, 2010
Posts:
19,890
Liked Posts:
9,618
Location:
Next to the beef gristle mill
My favorite teams
  1. Chicago Bulls
Yeah, I don't understand why so many gamer mice need to be dominated by flat edges.

I also don't understand why you throw some extra LEDs on existing hardware, charge 20% more, then say it was made for gaming. Lookie Mom, we don't needs no mo christmas tree! I'ma gamer!
 

Ares

CCS Hall of Fame
Donator
CCS Hall of Fame '19
Joined:
Aug 21, 2012
Posts:
41,422
Liked Posts:
39,621
Yeah, I don't understand why so many gamer mice need to be dominated by flat edges.

I also don't understand why you throw some extra LEDs on existing hardware, charge 20% more, then say it was made for gaming. Lookie Mom, we don't needs no mo christmas tree! I'ma gamer!

Bro my case has red and blue cathodes bro...... my keyboard and mouse both have bad ass green LEDs and the front of my case has more useless flashing lights than one of those old Cold War bunker rooms with an old 80s computer in a 90's movie.

stowaway2.png


ATLB-16.JPG
 

botfly10

CCS Donator
Donator
Joined:
Jun 19, 2011
Posts:
32,868
Liked Posts:
26,844
personally, I can't live without thumb buttons anymore. Not since I got used to a razer naga
 

xer0h0ur

HS Referee HoF
Donator
Joined:
Aug 20, 2012
Posts:
22,260
Liked Posts:
17,824
Location:
Chicago, IL.
My favorite teams
  1. Chicago White Sox
  1. Chicago Bulls
  1. Chicago Bears
  1. Chicago Blackhawks
Everyone likes different things. You have grip types, hand sizes, etc to account for.

I use a modified original mx518 and a Roccat Kone Pure. I love the mx518, and I hate mice that look like they are one of Michael Bay's Transformers.

But I also have a trackball for CAD. I don't like gaming with it.

I still have two MX518 and I hate myself for not having one on my gaming PC. I have some generic ass logitech wireless mouse at the moment. I still need to buy a new mechanical keyboard then probably another MX518 off eBay.
 

Crystallas

Three if by air
Staff member
Donator
Joined:
Jun 25, 2010
Posts:
19,890
Liked Posts:
9,618
Location:
Next to the beef gristle mill
My favorite teams
  1. Chicago Bulls
I still have two MX518 and I hate myself for not having one on my gaming PC. I have some generic ass logitech wireless mouse at the moment. I still need to buy a new mechanical keyboard then probably another MX518 off eBay.

You have no idea how obsessed I am with these mice. I have 4 NIB pre 2009 revision mx518s. :D (pre-2009 SKUs don't have the cable issue), and 2 NIB post-2009 mx518s with spare new in bag 501 cables which are better than the OEM). And 1 g400s that I used for a week before my spoiled ass couldn't do it any more. It's just off in many ways and has cheap feeling switches all around.

I'm ready for the mouse apocalypse bitch! I've learned from the IBM Model-M keyboard discontinuation(I only have one spare, and a unicomp reproduction, which IMO are actually better). Although I'm good with a number of Cherry switches which also rock.

You'll need to pry these things from my cold dead hands before I switch to these BS mice and membrane keyboards.


I also think the mx518 could slightly evolve in both form and with trackers and switches. I really love the coating roccat uses around the hands. I love a number of braided cables, and I also love the tracking switches steelseries uses. I love corsairs switches. And I love Razers scroll wheels. I also like how Roccat Kones are very close to the same shape, but not quite right. The one part about the Kone housing that I would adapt to the mx518, is the cable end of the mouse, with a slightly flatter angle.

Here's an early draft mockup I made a while back with that Kone front quarter. I wont revise or draft a real one until I get a better 3D printer.

As soon as a good USB 3.0 controller in mouse comes out with a tracker I like, I'm going to 3D print my housing and build my dream mouse. While USB 3.0 is redundant for mice. I also want to use some of the non-bandwidth related power(and power saving) features in USB 3.0 that aren't available in USB 2 which reduces the laser or optical efficiency significantly, as well as support higher native DPI with a much lower CPU impact(not that mice really hurt on 2.0, I'm just all about pinching performance drains everywhere). This is my OCD.
NhEiRWH.png
 

Wintermute

New member
Joined:
Sep 9, 2012
Posts:
1,975
Liked Posts:
1,333
I'm really tempted to try a mouse out, but don't want to get suckered in the aptly described "michael bay" model. Sounds like the MX518 and Naga got a few nods. Heard good things about the Death Adder. Any thoughts?

Xero, which brand and type of switches are you looking at?
 

Crystallas

Three if by air
Staff member
Donator
Joined:
Jun 25, 2010
Posts:
19,890
Liked Posts:
9,618
Location:
Next to the beef gristle mill
My favorite teams
  1. Chicago Bulls
For the record, I am not suggesting the mx518. It's not worth it for someone that didn't use one for many many years. You're better off jumping into an easier to replace grip style. Basically, if you don't know what you're missing, don't try to jump into a dead-end mouse.

Also, which grip do you use?

Finger, claw, palm are the dominant types. Also note, if you have no real preference and aren't locked into anything, then this may be your window to adapt to an more ergonomical style mouse before you develop all the bad habits.
 

Novak

Mod in Training/Fire Forum
Donator
CCS Hall of Fame '21
Joined:
Sep 7, 2014
Posts:
16,086
Liked Posts:
12,652
I use a Razer deathadder. For $45, its pretty great and obviously easily replaceable if/when it breaks due to its relatively inexpensive cost. I love the thing, fits comfortably in my hand (palm), which was a problem with other mice because of my larger than average hands.
 

Wintermute

New member
Joined:
Sep 9, 2012
Posts:
1,975
Liked Posts:
1,333
For the record, I am not suggesting the mx518. It's not worth it for someone that didn't use one for many many years. You're better off jumping into an easier to replace grip style. Basically, if you don't know what you're missing, don't try to jump into a dead-end mouse.

Also, which grip do you use?

Finger, claw, palm are the dominant types. Also note, if you have no real preference and aren't locked into anything, then this may be your window to adapt to an more ergonomically style mouse before you develop all the bad habits.

I'm in the same boat. Trackball is all I've ever used, so I really don't have a grip preference:

http://thumbs4.picclick.com/d/l400/pict/251699072031_/Logitech-Trackman-Marble-Trackball-PS2-Mouse-Model-T-CH11.jpg

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81pJpXN1w2L._SL1500_.jpg

If I had to choose, probably one that causes the least hand fatigue after many hours. I did come across this which would get me back to wired:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/615yRfjAFSL._SL1280_.jpg

But I'm looking into something cost effective like a Naga or 'Adder just to try. Gotta use every advantage I can to keep from getting pwnd by the teenagers, LOL
 

Crystallas

Three if by air
Staff member
Donator
Joined:
Jun 25, 2010
Posts:
19,890
Liked Posts:
9,618
Location:
Next to the beef gristle mill
My favorite teams
  1. Chicago Bulls
With trackballs, there are two main top hand grips and two base grips. That should help you determine your mouse grip and also narrow down your search a lot.

Do you trackball with your index finger or thumb?

Do you rest your whole hand on the mouse, or just the side?


If you're a thumbing whole hander, you're likely a palmer. Most common trackball user.
If you're using the index finger and a whole hander, you are a claw-palm hybrid.
If you thumb and rest on your side, then you're a claw.
Index finger + side, finger grip.

The Death Adder, Kone, Sensei, are universal but more finger/claw oriented.
The Naga, G502 are universal, but more palm/claw oriented.
The Rival and Zowies are also universal, but more finger oriented.
 

botfly10

CCS Donator
Donator
Joined:
Jun 19, 2011
Posts:
32,868
Liked Posts:
26,844
I'm really tempted to try a mouse out, but don't want to get suckered in the aptly described "michael bay" model. Sounds like the MX518 and Naga got a few nods. Heard good things about the Death Adder. Any thoughts?

Xero, which brand and type of switches are you looking at?

A lot of people shit on razer mice for durability for the price. In my experience you can expect 2-3 years of heavy use from a naga before something on it begins to fail. To some people, that is not acceptable for top end consumer priced mouse. I think they range like $50-$90 or something depending on the model.

I get that perspective, but personally, I haven't seen an alternative to the naga in terms of feel, button layout, and driver support. I think the only knock is durability. Oh, and some people hate the driver software, there is a misconception that it has to be online to work, which isn't true.

Personally, after getting used to the 12 buttons on the thumb, I can never go back.

 

botfly10

CCS Donator
Donator
Joined:
Jun 19, 2011
Posts:
32,868
Liked Posts:
26,844
Anyway, at the end of the day, choosing a mouse is such a completely personal choice. So many considerations like feel, weight, button layout are super individual.
 

botfly10

CCS Donator
Donator
Joined:
Jun 19, 2011
Posts:
32,868
Liked Posts:
26,844
I'm in the same boat. Trackball is all I've ever used, so I really don't have a grip preference:

http://thumbs4.picclick.com/d/l400/pict/251699072031_/Logitech-Trackman-Marble-Trackball-PS2-Mouse-Model-T-CH11.jpg

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81pJpXN1w2L._SL1500_.jpg

If I had to choose, probably one that causes the least hand fatigue after many hours. I did come across this which would get me back to wired:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/615yRfjAFSL._SL1280_.jpg

But I'm looking into something cost effective like a Naga or 'Adder just to try. Gotta use every advantage I can to keep from getting pwnd by the teenagers, LOL

For me, using the naga, the only fatigue I get is where the heel of my hand rests on the table surface. I get like a contact type pain I think just from the weight of my hand resting on it for so long.
 

Top