Updated February 01, 2020
The 6 Best Trackball Keyboards
This wiki has been updated 6 times since it was first published in October of 2019. Trackballs have given way to trackpads on modern keyboards for the most part. However, they offer two unique benefits — the ability to use different hand positions for better comfort and multiple simultaneous contact points for better control. Plus, they eliminate the need for a mouse. We’ve listed devices that not only include great tracking, but also perform quite well in other respects. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki. If you'd like to contribute your own research to the Wiki, please get started by reviewing this introductory video.
Editor's Notes
January 29, 2020:
Trackball keyboards aren’t easy to locate these days. While trackballs are still found on mice from time to time, trackpads are the universal standard on keyboards. It’s likely due to a stigma that trackballs are difficult to clean, impossible to play games with, and too uncomfortable to control. However, these reasons are simply untrue. You’ll find that many on this list are removable and all offer the same accuracy as a standard optical mouse. It just takes time to get used to unfamiliar movements and build trust in a strange-looking control mechanism.
The Perixx brand is single-handedly keeping this rare type of keyboard-mouse fusion alive by producing several unique keyboards with a focus on integrated trackballs. I’ve chosen two of their best devices for this list, the Perixx Periboard-505H and Perixx Periboard-522. The former is built with portability in mind, while the latter is best suited for stationary workstations.
The Tesoro G6TL at the top of our list is a clear winner. It’s essentially a very high-end desktop keyboard with a premium trackball mouse attached to one side. Many other trackball keyboards sacrifice something for portability, assuming that you want mouse integration because you don’t have the ability to use an actual mouse. Just be aware that the G6TL is a bit overkill if you’re looking for something to take on a plane.