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Logitech Cordless Optical TrackMan Review

productnumber 904369-0403

Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman Trackball

“Smooth motion, wireless, but button placement not as ergonomic as alternatives”
4.2 stars
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SUMMARY: The Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman is a strange beast. The first few minutes you might have to take a close look at it to find out what’s actually the front or what’s the back. It looks like a one-eyed beetle from outer space that could scurry away from your desk. Once you realise that it is just patiently waiting for your orders, you put your palm on the extra smooth surface (it’s really nice and soft) and start exploring this multifunctional trackball. This serious trackball means business.

OUR VERDICT: Very Good Read full review below

eBay $129 – $395 See it
Amazon $149 – $299 See it

Logitech Cordless Optical TrackMan

The Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman looks very promising. It is loaded with buttons, seems to have a very ergonomic shape, and it is wireless.
But when I started using it, I quickly find out that it has some drawbacks. It takes some serious practice to get a hold of this one. This is a difficult trackball, and you need to adjust the way you use mice or trackballs to be able to use it properly. Once you have dedicated some intense training time with this device, you might have found a very good new friend.

Logitech Cordless Optical TrackMan Review

When I take the Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman out of the box, I admire the shape and soft material of the handrest. It has a very luxurious feel to it, and the trackball is solid and well made. It has a good grip on the desk surface so you won’t move it around by accident or too much pressure.
There are two models available, one as pictured above with the dark grey plastic, but another version is available with silver grey plastic. The darker version looks much nicer in my opinion.

Plug… and not immediately play

Of all trackballs I have tested so far, this one takes the longest to install, since it’s not working instantly. I first have to insert the two batteries (which are included in the box) and pair the device with the wireless receiver, simultaneously pressing a button on each device. The button on the Trackball is one of those tiny buttons you have to press with a pen or paperclip. Handy? Not really. But ok, after a minute or two of fiddling it works and my pointer is moving on the Retina screen of my Macbook Pro. (The Logitech M570 is much quicker and is recognised by receiver and computer instantly when you turn the device on).

Logitech Cordless Optical TrackMan wireless mouse

Wireless

This Logitech is, as the name already reveals, cordless aka wireless. But if you were hoping for a bluetooth trackball, you will be disappointed. And if you were hoping for a tiny USB receiver (just like the Logitech M570 Wireless), you will also be disappointed. If you happen to know older Logitech models with a wireless receiver, you might already know that it is a large device (see images above). For me, as a laptop user, this is quite useless, since the wireless receiver is just an extra large thing on the desk that I don’t need. A normal cable from the trackball device straight into my laptop would actually save a lot of space!
So what is the use of having it wireless if you need more space? The trackball doesn’t move so a chord would never be in your way. Only if you have a desktop computer, and when you can hide the hideous receiver out of sight, it would be useful.
When I tested it, the range of the wireless device is only approximately two meters (7ft), so if you want to use it to control your media center, while hanging on your couch, you have to make sure you are close to your computer.
One more downside of the wireless connection: on rare occasions, it loses the connection for example after you restart your computer. A short connecting session (holding the two buttons at the same time) or unplugging and plugging in the USB cable solves this.
I would say that this device would have been better off with a (long) USB cable.

Although the Cordless Trackman trackball is quite long, it feels a bit too small. For people with large hands like me, the whole thing could have been a bit longer with all the buttons moving almost an inch forward. With the current design, I have to bend my thumb to press the left-click with the tip of my thumb, my index finger is too much forward to handle the scrollwheel and other buttons properly. Only my pinkie is placed correctly on the right-click button.

Buttons

Ok, so how many buttons does this machine have? Well, if you count the ‘scrollwheel click’ (pressing the scrollwheel produces a click), there are no less than 8 buttons. That is impressive! Each of these buttons can be programmed via the Logitech Control Center software. I strongly recommend downloading and installing the latest version from http://www.logitech.com/en-us/support).

The standard setting for the buttons is: the largest button on the left is the left-click and the two buttons above it are Back/Forward. Then, on top of the device we find two tiny round buttons that act as scroll (or as Logitech calls it: Cruise up and Cruise down). The scrollwheel-click selects an object, and the button with a lock on it acts as Drag-lock. Then finally, the large button on the right is the right-click. As mentioned before all these buttons can be set to perform all kinds of actions.

Ball

The ball doesn’t move very smoothly at first. It takes a an hour or so before you can ‘throw’ your cursor around with it, and after some use it becomes even more comfortable and accurate. The size of the ball is decent, smaller than the Kensington Expert or SlimBlade but similar to the Logitech Marble and Adesso iMouse T1.

Conclusion

Very Good 3.5 / 5 Very Good

The Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman is one of the more complicated trackballs to give a simple conclusion. I think, after using it for a while, that it is a very good trackball, especially for demanding users that want a lot of buttons. Heavy users and professionals will be very happy with it when they take the time to get used to it. With 8 buttons (the most of any currently available trackball) and a decent scrollwheel you can make this a very useful tool for your work or even gaming, and one that is of course far superior to a regular mouse, saving you many arms and wrist movements and always being very accurate and fast.

The Logitech Cordless Trackman is well built, feels solid and comfortable and looks good.
If you are a laptop user, the downside of this trackball is (surprisingly) the fact that it is wireless. I really wonder why there still isn’t a bluetooth trackball available, that would be a better solution than this huge USB receiver which takes up space, a USB port and has a very limited range. If you are working on a laptop, having a long chord with a wireless receiver and then the trackball device itself, completely defeats the purpose of a wireless device (saving space!). For Desktop users this would be less of an issue, and actually a benefit since they wouldn’t need a cable from the trackball to the computer which probably is placed under the desk.

If you are a casual user mostly browsing the internet and writing emails, then a more simple trackball, like the Logitech Marble, or Kensington Orbit with Scroll Ring might be a better choice. But for experienced computer users, probably desktop computer owners working in for example programming, design or other intense computer work, I can fully recommend this as a very good trackball.

This trackball is currently not produced anymore so can fetch high prices on eBay and Amazon, see links below.

where to buy Logitech M570

Review notes

Pros

Logitech Cordless Optical TrackMan

  • Sculpted shape supports your hand
  • Beautiful design
  • Soft-touch surface, your hand will love the way this Logitech trackball feels
  • Medium size ball
  • Scrollwheel
  • Eight-buttons! You’ll save time with one-touch access to common tasks and activities, programmable Forward/Backward buttons, and a drag-lock button for more control.
  • Easy to clean
Cons
  • Wireless receiver quite big
  • Not easy to get used to
  • Currently very hard to find for a decent price

See more features and specifications on the Trackball Comparison page

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15 comments

I had a trackball mouse and never could get it to work. I messed with it for 6 days, and still no luck so stuck it in the box it came in and sent it back to Amazon. I’ve never had a problem like this with any other logitech products like this one. I have an old track ball that I’ve used for years, but would have loved to had a more modern one, but guess that’s not going to happen.

Tragically Logitech have discontinued this trackball! It was easily my favorite.

It’s $395 on Amazon! Update your price!!!

These are discontinued, and since they’re so popular, people are willing to pay that much for them. That price isn’t an error, unfortunately.

Correct. Watch eBay and Amazon. I had one for years, and it eventually starting becoming unresponsive and not working well. It got retired, and because I refused to pay the ridiculous highway robbery prices asking online, I lived without it for a couple years. Finally found that supply v demand had leveled out, and those hoarding them had found that they were sitting on stale stock and eventually lowered their prices. Finally have it back, and couldn’t be happier. The last of the proper, ergonomic trackballs that allow you to use your left thumb to left click.

I still have these mouse 8 pcs brand new in stock, contact me at mindscapez@gmail.com if you guys want, you can pay by paypal.

After 2 years of usage, the soft-touch polymeric coating went completely away with the sweat, like a skin peeled off, leaving the hard plastic under and some debris around the buttons, with the impression of being more dirt.
Anyway it has very good ergonomics, and the scroll wheel isn’t for me a big problem (I use it for navigation and gaming); also batteries last very long

I had a trackball mouse and never could get it to work. I messed with it for 6 days, and still no luck so stuck it in the box it came in and sent it back to Amazon. I’ve never had a problem like this with any other logitech products like this one. I have an old track ball that I’ve used for years, but would have loved to had a more modern one, but guess

I’ve had one of the older model of these (the silver and black one) for what must be over ten years now, and on the whole I agree.

The wireless is utterly unnecessary and is the source of most of the downsides to this trackball. If this thing was wired it would, in my mind, be near perfect.

One thing that is definitely worth mentioning though is that, on the newer ones (red and black), the plastics used in some of the internal parts are weaker than they used to be. Mine is still trucking along nicely, but new ones can wear out pretty quickly.

It’s irritating that Logitech stopped making this one, because there pretty much isn’t another trackball like this one, except the Microsoft one that’s similar, but that’s so expensive it’s not worth looking for.

Can anyone please tell me if there’s any difference between black and red version of this mouse and the older black and white once except color itself? Any sensor/Bluetooth/material quality improvements?

I have the older version of this trackball and have used it for years for general computer use, photo editing, and gaming. It works well for most use, though its tracking has gotten a little jerky. Also, from long-term use and transportation in a messenger bag, the cord going into the receiver has frayed and come disconnected (it actually stopped working today, so I’ll probably have to take it apart and fix the wiring).

I agree, the wireless is useless due to the size of the receiver.

Bottom line: I love this trackball and it has served me well, but I fear that it is on its way out and it’s too expensive to replace.

Best trackball I ever had. Have always preferred trackballs. For me, for desktop use for work or casual usage, or even light gaming, index finger control is the way to go. Having an ergonomic interface with the left click under your thumb is far more intuitive and comfortable. I had a Trackman Vista years and years ago, and it had the same relative ergonomics. loved it for what it was, although it would be extremely dated today.

Went years without, must of been 2007 or so when I discovered this device. Finally they were back on board with making what I considered to be the “right”, or best, layout for a Trackball. That one served me well until about 2014, when it started becoming unresponsive, almost like it was dirty, but no amount of cleaning would fix it. Due to the exorbitant prices being asked online, and no other similar options available anywhere, I went back to a plebeian mouse. Finally, last year, the prices came back down to earth and I was able to score a NOS Cordless Optical Trackman.

All in all, its a fantastic device. I don’t understand the reviewers “learning curve” complaint. I guess that would only apply if you had never used similarly oriented devices in the past.

Only complaint is what Francesco said above. Eventually the soft coat DID begin to peel, resembling an old car that was never washed and has the clear coat peeling off. Made it always look dirty. Didn’t effect functionality at all though.

I wish Logitech, or any other major manufacturer would get on the ball, all pun intended, and make another device like this. If they would re release this exact device, with a captive ball and the more modern small receivers (or even just a corded one), that would be amazing and it would corner the market, as no other device exists from a known, major manufacturer with this layout today. I would buy one today with the smaller receiver or wired connection to use with my laptop for work. Instead I’m relegated to the m570, a decent device for what it is, but not exactly what I want.

I have several of these (7) and have used for years since an elbow problem as i can’t move a regular mouse for very long without pain. Agreed the prices are outrageous, but as has been said it has been discontinued , I was told it was a copyright problem and the person who owned the copyright complained, so they stopped production , but I don’t have any real proof. I have since found the Elcom/Deft mouse to be similar, the ball in the same spot and just about the same amount of buttons, scrollwheel, and it comes corded, wireless, or left-handed. The switches on the Logitech Trackman do wear out and some people have successfully replaced the switch, but that is kind of extreme for many people. I don’t care for the Logitech M570, it’s just not the same, but unless someone makes another like the Optical Trackman, there are not many options. I have been hoping someone would make one for us with Repetitive stress injuries, but haven’t seen anything yet.

I still have one of these. I’ve had it AT LEAST 20 years. Couldn’t tell you when exactly I bought it, I just remember using it for gaming way back when. I just took it apart and cleaned it because the scroll wheel stopped working. Hopefully it’s good for another 20 years because I do not want to pay $200 for another one. I think I paid $20 for this one back in the day at CompUSA.

I would love to kick the Logitech habit…their four button wired trackman index finger mouse is literally the ONLY mouse I can use without pain (fibromyalgia, so ANY repetitive motion hurts in short order). My computer is my life…but without the original mouse in the original configuration, I am lost. I mean, I would love to see it have the three options many of the newer mice have, a scroll wheel, and more buttons, but can sacrifice all that for comfort. Then, at some point they made it so cheap that after about two months the USB would randomly connect/disconnect driving me nuts…so another $60.00 about every 2-3 months (I am a photographer). Now it seems to be discontinued. WTF!!! I. Need. To. Work, and not having a mouse I can hold still and use my index fingers for accurate work is going to end my ability to earn anything or have any self-worth. I am very disappointed in the company.

So I try everything…thousands of dollars in failed attempts to find a replacement, days and weeks of trying to adapt to others, as I am bed bound and mouse/computer are an absolute necessity to avoid just not wanting to be here. I have DRAWERS full of mice…I try anything new (even Logitech, although I have no faith in a company that does not even apologize or acknowledge their customer in any way). I have written them repeatedly in as many ways as I can with zero response…but. Nope. I have refrained from posting my box of dead trackmans in the vain hope they will do something.

Can’t tell you how scary it is to contemplate giving up gaming and doing anything quickly or even be able to work more than 30 minutes at a time. USB issue seems cable and heat oriented, as I have about four and keep switching them out, my husband has tried rewiring them. I am desperate. It is SO maddening! Help me Obi Wan…please help me!

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