Kensington expert Wired trackball mouse

 Kensington expert Wired trackball mouse

am a film and video editor with over 25 years of experience. I only write reviews when I think I can really help other people by sharing information.

I shoot a lot, but when the editing comes, I can spend 9 hours a day editing. A few weeks ago I started to get some pain in my shoulder, after some research I found out that it was a mild form of RSI.

Of course, I realized that in order to stop RSI it is necessary to address the chair, posture, desk, keyboard, etc. So keep that in mind when reading my review.

So let's talk about the mouse. I've tried several upright mice, I've tried ergonomic mice and even some gaming mice, the pain was the same, some worse.

I tested the Logitech m570 trackball and found that the way it is built requires you to use your thumb to operate the trackball. Also, really precise movements like those needed in graphic design or video editing are hard to perform with the m570, especially if you're a fast editor or a quick-thinking editor who wants to keep what your hands are doing with what your mind dissolves.

I tried the Kensington Expert Trackball (wired version) and liked the great trackball at first, but I didn't find much difference. Yet the precise movements were not easy.

But then I read some helpful reviews and found the solution, and now I love this trackball. I can edit for hours without arm fatigue, and best of all, I can't feel my arm while editing!

Without a doubt, this trackball is the best mouse replacement device ever. My next step is to test a Wacom tablet, but for now, I'm on my Trackball honeymoon!

So the keys to using this trackball effectively for video editing or other activities that require extremely precise movements are:

1. Roll the trackball with your index finger and occasionally with your middle finger. DO NOT use your thumb to move the trackball as this will cause more pain if you have RSI or other problems when you are feeling well.

2. I'm using a MAC, but I think you can do the same on your PC. On Mac, go to Control Panel, Mouse Speed ​​Control (not the specific speed of the trackball but the overall speed of the mouse) and place it exactly in the middle of a line before (slower) than the middle.

3. I'm using a MAC, but I suppose you can do the same on your PC. On Mac, go to the Control Panel and in the Trackball, panel find the tab that controls the speed, set the speed between 20 - 40% (the exact number depends on your editing style, fast or slow movements). This will help you make accurate movements without any problems, but it will reduce the speed of the pointer to quickly cover long distances. So to help with that, on the same tab, set the trackball acceleration to about 40-70%. This will help the trackball pick up some speed as you roll it to move the pointer from one point to another on the other side of the screen or on a second screen.

4. The trackball has 4 buttons that you can customize in the same tab as mentioned above. By default, the bottom buttons are configured for left and right clicks. I suggest you set the top left or top right button to drag the padlock, that way it stops one of the worst activities for RSI, dragging. With drag lock, you click on an item with the drag lock button, move it and then release it with another click of the same button.

I hope this review can help other video editors, graphic designers, or sound mixers, who want to protect their hands/arms or try to stop RSI or even carpal tunnel.