Kensington Orbit Trackball with Scroll Ring icon

Kensington Orbit Trackball with Scroll Ring Review

productnumber K72337

kensington orbit scrollwheel trackball

What owners say
This affordable Kensington Orbit With Scrollwheel is highly rated with 4.2 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com. People say it’s the right size for both small and large hands, the scroll ring is great and that it is extremely good value for money.
4 2 stars
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best-price-180LOWEST PRICE:
$34.99 »

SUMMARY: The fantastic scroll ring around the trackball is Award Winning, the overall design of this Kensington Orbit Trackball with Scroll Ring takes some getting used to. But looks aside, it has completely won me over as one of the best trackballs currently available. Trackballing your way around the computer screen was never this smooth. Small, extremely light, brilliant layout of the buttons and ball, and very comfortable on the hand and fingers. With its very reasonable price, we think the Kensington Orbit Scrollwheel is without a doubt the Best Value trackball mouse option.
UPDATES
4 November 2019: the Orbit is now available in two new colors!
2021: now also available as a Wireless edition!

OUR VERDICT: Excellent Read full review below

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Kensington $39.99 See it
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Kensington Orbit Trackball with Scrollwheel Review

I wasn’t expecting much of the Kensington Orbit trackball with Scroll Ring, but was positively surprised. On photos it doesn’t look that impressive. When I opened the box, took out the device, and placed the blue, medium sized ball in the body I immediately felt that this is actually a nice device. The design is perfectly symmetric, so can be used by both left and right-handed users. The body is very small and low, and the ball is held in place by a shiny plastic ring. Around the ball there is a grey rubber ring that acts as the scroll ring. On each side of the body there are two large buttons. The materials are nice: solid plastic in a matte dark-grey, with the ‘metallic’ blue ball as a stark contrast sticking out on top.

Kensington Orbit Trackball with Scroll Ring Review

Like all modern trackball mice, this trackball immediately works without any driver installation when the typical Kensington USB plug is connected to my computer. Installing Kensington’s TrackballWorks software (available for download on the Kensington website) is recommended though, since it gives you options to program the buttons and speed and direction of the scroll ring.

After using the Orbit for just a few minutes I was really impressed with the comfort and precision. Especially the scroll ring and trackball are both working very smoothly and are accurate.

Buttons

The buttons are large but compared to most trackballs are a bit too sturdy: it takes some pressure to click. I got used to it after a while, but if you’re just switching to this trackball you will feel the difference.
With the TrackballWorks you can program each button, for example if you are left-handed and want the right-click on the left. As a bonus, you can program an action for when you press the left and right button at the same time, making this a hidden ‘third button’.

Finger operated trackball

With this Kensington Orbit, you can use your thumb for the left-click, index and middle finger for the trackball, ring finger for the scroll ring and pinkie for the right-click – that is in my opinion a great set-up which allows for much speed and accuracy.
I prefer this kind of ‘finger operated’ trackball, but as I mention in other trackball reviews as well, this is a personal preference and if you are used to a thumb-operated trackball you might argue differently. If you have never used a trackball, I would recommend a finger-operated one (see the list of other finger-operated trackball here).

Ball

The Orbit with Scroll Ring has a medium sized ball: not as large as the Kensington Expert and SlimBlade, but bigger than the Kensington Orbit Optical. The ball is placed solidly in the device, and can easily be popped out for cleaning purposes. The ball is held in place by the body, so during transport or if you hold it upside down, the ball won’t fall out.

Removable wrist rest

If you prefer extra support under your wrist, the Orbit comes with a removable wrist rest that can easily be attached or removed. This makes the overall length much bigger of course, but some people prefer the support. I personally never use these wrist rests (the Kensington Expert comes with one as well) but you should try it to see what works better for you.

Scroll Ring

According to Kensington this Orbit features an “Award winning” Scroll Ring, but we haven’t been able to find out yet which award it won. The scroll ring is extremely comfortable and good, so it wouldn’t surprise me if this Orbit trackball scroll ring actually won a prize. The large rubber ring has a grip similar to the continuous tracks of a tracked vehicle. The ring rolls very smoothly without much resistance or sound and it is very easy to control the webpage or document’s vertical position that you are browsing.

Conclusion

Excellent 4.0 / 5 Excellent

Fantastic scrolling, nice layout of the buttons and trackball, finger-operated trackball: I really love this little Kensington Orbit with Scroll Ring. It looks like a shy little brother of the much more impressive and large Expert and SlimBlade, but actually is very smart and probably better for people with smaller hands. But even my large hands and long fingers are very comfortably placed on the body of this trackball. With its small size it will fit on any desk and because it doesn’t have to move (like all trackballs) you will save a huge amount of desk space compared to a mouse.
It only has two buttons, which in Trackball-land is not many, but most people don’t need more than 2 buttons anyway, especially if you are not a professional or heavy user.

In short: surprisingly good trackball, and great value for money, I recommend the Kensington Orbit with Scroll Ring as the number 1 choice for new trackball users and anyone else who wants a great trackball.

Kensington Orbit With Scroll Wheel Anniversary white gray new colorsUPDATE NOVEMBER 2019: Kensington has released two new colors of the Orbit to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the Orbit with Scroll Ring: a white model with gray ball (model number K72500WW) and a dark gray model with ‘space gray’ ball (model number K75327WW are the new variations of the classic gray with blue ball that has become so popular.

Wireless
UPDATE 2021: Kensington has released the same Orbit trackball now as a wireless version, available in grey or white on Amazon ($52.99) or on Kensington ($49.99).

where to buy Logitech M570

Review notes

Pros

Kensington Orbit Trackball with Scrollwheel

  • Great click-free scroll ring allows fast, easy scrolling of web pages and documents
  • Two customizable buttons with Kensington TrackballWorks software
  • Ambidextrous design for left or right-handed users
  • Detachable wrist rest cradles hand in comfort
  • Wired 150cm USB cable provides reliability and avoids need for batteries
Cons
  • Not many cons!
  • Maybe the lack of extra buttons, although most people won’t need more than 2.
  • Small ball: not as accurate as an Expert or Slimblade.

See more features and specifications on the Trackball Comparison page

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amazon £29.99 Read reviews See it
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27 comments

Is it possible to program a third click if you press the two buttons together? (In the Orbit’s software)

UPDATE 2019: yes, it will be possible to program a third click in the latest Trackballworks Software.

Yes it is possible (at least on OS X with Kensington TrackballWorks).

Thanks a lot for this very useful review. My old trackball let me down, and I was quite happy to find your reviews and opinions about these products. I finally got the Kensington Orbit with Scroll Ring, and after a few minutes we were already making a good team! 🙂

Thanks a million for the great info and for your site – it’s a real service to heavy PC users. I’ve been a long-time user of the Logitech marble (I own several – for work and home use) but I’ve been having some ergo issues with it (hand/wrist irritation and shoulder tension, too). I bought the Kensington Orbit and less than an hour after setting it up – it was true love. Pain’s gone, shoulder is happy, and I’m totally nuts about the scroll ring. After many more hours of use, I can say it’s a keeper. I’m buying another one today (through your Amazon link!) for my office.

The Ball is not bigger than the Kensington Orbit Optical, it is the same ball size (40mm), but that one looks cooler, swapping them make this one look much better.
now the Kensington Orbit Wireless Mobile Trackball, has a 32mm.

About the scrollring: does it scroll with clicks or smoothly? I cannot play games if it’s without clicks…

Starts great, but I have not found a way to clean it. So it is the scroll wheel which limits the life of the device for me.

I began having a slight pain coming and going in wrist, lower part of my arm,shoulder and neck some time ago and a Homepage suggested a Trackball.
This is my first Trackball and I must say I’m very satisfied… BUT!
I really missed the “Back”-button, so I configured “Button 3” (Both buttons pressed at once) to back.
I’ll recommend this for everything, but gaming.
Please read on, Reply for questions.

First let me say I have a medium to large size hand.
And after using it for a couple of months for surfing, browser gaming, little office, Gimp, Audacity and Gaming (RTS, RPG and Shooters) and generally I have the problem (in games only) that I accidentally hit the scrollwhell. I’m still not all that comfortabble with it, so I’m still not that precise with it…

I think I’ll another one, because it ain’t always healthy in shooters to pull the knife (or zoom, because it’s the wheel), when you’re walking around or about to zoom (or whatever your right-click is)!
Playing the old game Warcraft III: Suddenly you zoom in in the middle of an enemy contact!

The again: I have ABSOLUTELY NO issues in every other task.

As a first trackball, from my experience the Logitech M570 gets my vote. It’s pretty much like using a mouse, but without all the movement of the wrists 🙂

I can’t decide between the Kensington orbit trackball with scrollring and the Logitech Trackman. What would you recommend? Would you recommend something other too? thanks In advance. -Liam

I can’t decide between the Kensington orbit trackball with scrollring and the Logitech Trackman. What would you recommend? Would you recommend something other too? thanks In advance. -Liam

my budget is around 40 dollars just to let you know -Liam

I have the same dilemma, I think I’ll have to buy both and plan to return one.

I have used this mouse for several years. The buttons are very firm, and the scroll wheel is loose–it can be spun around with a flick of the fingers. It is a good unit, but my preference would be for less-firm buttons, and a scroll ring with more resistance.

I agree the buttons are too stiff and require a bit too much pressure. I improved this by putting some heavy-duty, thick tape on the underside of each button. I found two layers of black Gorilla Tape gives the right height, put across the raised plastic mouldings on the underside of the buttons that lines up with the micro switches. It does require opening up the trackball (five screws, one under the rear foot pad).

As for the trackball, I also have the Kensington Expert, but prefer the Orbit. The hand is at a much nicer and more natural angle, the smaller ball is more nimble and not so tiring to move around, and the scroll ring is smoother and easier to operate.

Thank you so much for that tip, Jay! I just added tape as you described above, and the button clicks are a lot more discrete! I also ran the wire the other way so that it comes out of the front of the trackball mouse – that way I can run the wire under the desk from the front and it almost seems like a wireless device!

I do not recommend this one, I actually injured my hand because of how much force you need to actually click its button (for a right handed person, the left click especially).

DBFINDJSCEUFSPEHOES

This actually answered my drawback, thank you!

I bought two of them (one for home the other for work) and after not much more than a year, the left button went wrong on both. The scroll wheel is a bit jumpy, I could not use it for scrolling. I was satisfied with them until they worked, but I would not buy another.

I don’t know if things have changed since the review. I have seen many comments saying the buttons require too much force to press, but I do not experience this in my newly bought unit.

I wish the scroll ring had a little more resistance too, but I guess I will get used to that. It isn’t bad as it is anyway.

Hi! I just received my Kensington Orbit trackball and in the first few days it was working great. I even installed the Kensington works software for added controls. But now, upon startup of my PC, the buttons are not working (can’t click on anything). I unplugged it and reinstalled my Logitech wireless mouse and it is working. I suspected that maybe it could be the Kensington works software so I uninstalled it and the moment it was uninstalled the trackball worked. I really like the added controls the software offered.

Do you have any suggestions which could help me with my problem?

Something that I think is really worth mentioning with these trackballs is the longevity of the micro-switches for the buttons.

I have had 2 of these, because as a trackball I think they are really great, however in both cases the micro-switch for the left button failed after just a couple of years use.

I am now trying an Elecom Huge.

Would a Red Ball be any more precise?

The ball for Kensington orbit trackball and Logitech trackman marble are the same size, they can be used in both. I have both of them and I swapped their balls and it’s working XD

Got this orbit with scroll a few days ago, and on the positive side, the scroll wheel and the trackball operation are a dream. Super smooth, really like it.
On the negative side, the buttons are not very sensitive and require “hitting” with thumb or fingers, sometimes multiple times to get a double click. I tried some tape under the buttons but still an issue. Buttons themselves are a bit too far forward to be easily used, as well as a bit too far away from the ball.

I really am missing the Marble, as that was a great ambidextrous mouse. So I guess the search will continue.
If I was only doing scrolling and moving mouse, and very little clicking, I might be able to live with this mouse. Unfortunately, the clicking is too big a fault to ignore.

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