After a five-year wait, the GameBall is now available for purchase, and it hopes to blend the ergonomics and comfort of a trackball with the speed and pizazz of a gaming mouse.
The creator of GameBall, Eric Anders, said in a video a couple of years ago that options for trackball mice for gaming are minimal, and he's not wrong. Some people often end up using a trackball mouse for work and productivity then switching over to a gaming mouse when it's time to game, while others, for medical reasons, don't have that luxury.
What are the benefits of a trackball mouse? Well, one allows you to move your mouse cursor by sliding around a trackball with your fingertips instead of using your wrist and arm. Suppose you suffer from carpal tunnel or any sort of wrist discomfort from using a gaming mouse. In that case, doctors often recommend a trackball mouse because it reduces the repetitive fatigue you can get from regular mouse usage.
There are some stellar trackball mice out there but many lack some features that are pretty standard fare for a gaming mouse, like high-resolution optical sensors, high DPI, or even RGB lighting. Yet the GameBall claims to provide an all-in-one answer. Eric even has videos showing how you would play games like Assassins' Creed Valhalla and Valorant with the GameBall.
Below are the specs for the GameBall:
- Wired USB cable connection (70 in / 178 cm)
- Ergonomically ambidextrous
- High resolution optical sensor (PixArt)
- Native CPI/DPI Resolutions: 400, 800, 1200, 2000, 3000
- Ceramic bearings
- Dimensions: 162mm (6.4 inches), 119mm (4.7 inches), 52mm (2 inches)
- Ball size: 38.1mm (1.5 Inches)
- Weight: 230 grams (0.5 pounds)
- Omron switches
- 1000Hz polling rate
Best CPU for gaming: the top chips from Intel and AMD
Best graphics card: your perfect pixel-pusher awaits
Best SSD for gaming: get into the game ahead of the rest
While it's not the fastest mouse on the block, it's still decent enough to play competitive games without risking the health of your mouse hand and wrist. Much like anything piece of niche ergonomic PC hardware, the Gameball isn't cheap. It's $148 (plus shipping) with a one-year limited warranty.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the Gameball fares with more frenetic shooters like Call of Duty or Apex Legends especially in the hands of competitive players. If it does well, hopefully, this will encourage other mouse makers to take a chance on the trackball lifestyle.
