Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring  Mouse Review

Reviewed Dec 10, 2021 at 10:12am
Tested using Methodology v1.0 
Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring

Track

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Office/Multimedia 
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Video Games (FPS) 
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Video Games (MMO) 
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Ultra-Light Gaming 
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Travel 

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  2. Trackball

The Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring is a stationary, wireless trackball mouse designed for office and productivity tasks. It comes with a detachable wrist rest for more ergonomic support and has an ambidextrous design suitable for both left- and right-handed users, especially with a claw grip. It has two buttons on top, a CPI switching button on the bottom, which allows you to cycle through four preset CPI settings, and a scroll ring around the trackball for vertical scrolling. It connects wirelessly with a Bluetooth connection or with its USB receiver and uses two AA batteries for power. Unfortunately, it doesn't offer horizontal scrolling, and its plastic body feels cheap. It also has limited customization options and isn't suitable for use as a gaming mouse.

Our Verdict

0.0
Office/Multimedia 

The Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring is a good mouse for office or productivity use. It feels well-built and comfortable to use and comes with a detachable wrist rest for better ergonomic support. Also, its scroll ring feels very precise and easy to use. Although it doesn't have many programmable inputs, you can use the software to reprogram the L/R buttons to function as media, editing, or navigation controls. Unfortunately, it lacks a horizontal scrolling feature, which is a common feature among office-oriented mice.

Pros
  • Detachable wrist rest for extra support.
  • Feels well-built and comfortable.
  • Bluetooth compatible.
Cons
  • No horizontal scrolling feature.
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Video Games (FPS) 

The Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring is a poor mouse for FPS gaming. Although it's very heavy, its weight isn't as major of an issue as it's a stationary mouse that doesn't move during use. However, it has a low, fixed polling rate and extremely high click latency, so it's not suitable for gaming.

Pros
  • Feels well-built and comfortable.
Cons
  • Fixed polling rate of 125Hz.
  • Extremely high click latency.
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Video Games (MMO) 

The Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring is a poor mouse for MMO gaming. Though it feels well-built and comfortable, it doesn't have nearly as many programmable inputs as dedicated MMO mice. It also has extremely high click latency and a low fixed polling rate, so it's not suitable for gaming use.

Pros
  • Feels well-built and comfortable.
Cons
  • Fixed polling rate of 125Hz.
  • Extremely high click latency.
  • Not as many programmable inputs as dedicated MMO mice.
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Ultra-Light Gaming 

The Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring is a terrible mouse for ultra-light gaming. Although it's heavy, its weight isn't as severe of an issue as it's meant to remain stationary during use. However, its low, fixed polling rate and extremely high click latency make it unsuitable for gaming use.

Pros
  • Feels well-built and comfortable.
Cons
  • Fixed polling rate of 125Hz.
  • Extremely high click latency.
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Travel 

The Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring is a good mouse to travel with. It connects wirelessly with a USB receiver or via Bluetooth, so you won't have to worry about bringing around cables. It also uses two AA batteries for power and has a storage compartment in the mouse for its USB receiver. Additionally, it feels well-built and comfortable, and its stationary design means it doesn't take up much space during use. Unfortunately, it may be a bit too bulky to easily fit into laptop bags. Also, it lacks onboard memory, so you can't carry your settings with you across devices; however, you can back up your settings to cloud storage applications like Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive.

Pros
  • Detachable wrist rest for extra support.
  • Feels well-built and comfortable.
  • Bluetooth compatible.
Cons
  • No onboard memory.
  • 0.0
    Office/Multimedia
  • 0.0
    Video Games (FPS)
  • 0.0
    Video Games (MMO)
  • 0.0
    Ultra-Light Gaming
  • 0.0
    Travel
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Dec 10, 2021: Review published.
    2.  Updated Dec 07, 2021: Early access published.
    3.  Updated Nov 29, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
    4.  Updated Nov 25, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.

    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    The Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring that we tested has a gray trackball and a black plastic body. There are other variants with a white body and gray trackball, or a black body and a red trackball. You can see the label of the unit we tested here.

    Popular Mouse Comparisons

    The Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring is a stationary, wireless trackball mouse designed for office and productivity use. It has a low-profile ambidextrous design with one button on each side and comes with a detachable wrist rest, which is a nice ergonomic feature commonly found with other Kensington trackball mice. Like many other office-oriented trackball mice, its polling rate is fixed at 125Hz, and its click latency is extremely high, making it unsuitable for gaming. On the upside, you can adjust the set CPI by using a button on the bottom of the mouse to cycle through four presets to best suit your sensitivity needs. Unlike some other trackball mice with more conventional scroll wheels, this mouse has a trackball ring surrounding the trackball. The scrolling experience feels very smooth and precise, but you can only scroll vertically.

    For other options, see our recommendations for the best ergonomic mouse, the best wireless mouse, and the best mouse.

    Kensington Expert Mouse Wireless Trackball

    Track

    The Kensington Expert Mouse Wireless Trackball and the Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring are both wireless trackball mice designed for office use, and they perform similarly. The Orbit has significantly lower click latency, so it'll feel more responsive during use, and it has an adjustable CPI. Also, the Orbit has a lower profile some users may prefer. On the other hand, the Expert has more buttons, which can all be programmed, and has more cushioning built into its style.

    Kensington SlimBlade Trackball

    Track

    The Kensington SlimBlade Trackball and the Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring are both stationary trackball mice designed for office use, and they perform similarly well, but with some key differences. The SlimBlade is wired-only and has significantly better click latency, but it's not as portable even though it doesn't come with a detachable wrist rest like the Orbit Wireless. On the other hand, the Orbit Wireless has five CPI presets you can cycle through to suit your preference, and it connects wirelessly with Bluetooth or its USB receiver, so it's much easier to travel with. It also feels more comfortable to use.

    Logitech MX Master 3

    Track

    The Logitech MX Master 3 and the Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring are both wireless mice designed for office use; however, the Kensington is a stationary trackball mouse, while the Logitech is a more typical mouse. The Logitech performs much better overall as it has a scroll wheel that unlocks for free scrolling and a thumb wheel for horizontal scrolling. It also has more programmable inputs. On the other hand, the Kensington is better suited for users with limited mobility or limited desk space as you don't move the mouse around to operate it.

    Logitech MX ERGO

    Track

    The Logitech MX ERGO and the Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring are both wireless trackball mice designed for office and productivity tasks, but the Logitech performs better overall. It has a right-handed ergonomic design with the trackball on the left side under the thumb rather than mounted in the middle. It has more programmable inputs, feels better built, and has significantly better click latency. On the other hand, the Kensington has an ambidextrous design, comes with a detachable wrist rest for extra ergonomic support, and uses a ring around the trackball rather than a typical mouse wheel for scrolling.

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    Test Results

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    Category:
    All
    Design
    Style
    Type
    LockedTrackball
    Lighting ColorLockedLocked

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    Shape
    LengthLockedLock" (Lock mm)
    HeightLockedLock" (Lock mm)
    WidthLockedLock" (Lock mm)
    Grip Width
    LockedLock mm

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    0.0
    Portability
    Volume
    LockedLock in³ (Lock cm³)
    Cable/Receiver Storing
    LockedLocked
    Weight
    Maximum Weight With Wire
    LockedN/A
    Maximum Weight Without Wire
    LockedLock g
    Minimum Weight Without Wire
    LockedLock g
    Weight Distribution
    LockedLocked
    Extra Weights
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Build Quality

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    0.0
    Comfort Of Use
    Right-handed
    LockedLocked
    Left-handed
    LockedLocked
    Ambidextrous
    LockedLocked
    Coating
    LockedLocked
    Finger Rest
    LockedLocked

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    Palm Grip: Hand Size Recommendation
    Small Hand
    LockedLocked
    Medium Hand
    LockedLocked
    Large Hand
    LockedLocked
    X.Large Hand
    LockedLocked

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    Claw Grip: Hand Size Recommendation
    Small Hand
    LockedLocked
    Medium Hand
    LockedLocked
    Large Hand
    LockedLocked
    X.Large Hand
    LockedLocked

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    Fingertip Grip: Hand Size Recommendation
    Small Hand
    LockedLocked
    Medium Hand
    LockedLocked
    Large Hand
    LockedLocked
    X.Large Hand
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Wireless Versatility
    Bluetooth
    LockedLocked
    Receiver
    LockedLocked
    Battery Type
    LockedLocked
    Use When Charging
    LockedLocked
    On/Off Activation
    LockedLocked
    Receiver Extender
    LockedLocked
    Battery IndicatorLockedLocked

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    0.0
    Cable
    ConnectivityLockedWireless
    Cable LengthLockedN/A
    Cable Type
    LockedLocked
    Permanent Kink
    LockedLocked
    Port Type: Mouse End
    LockedLocked
    Port Type: PC End
    LockedLocked
    0.0
    Mouse Feet
    Gliding Experience
    LockedLocked
    Material
    LockedLocked
    Extra Included
    LockedLocked

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    In The Box

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    Control
    Sensor Specifications
    Sensor Technology
    LockedLocked
    Sensor Model
    LockedLocked
    Works On Glass
    LockedLocked
    Minimum CPI (DPI)
    LockedLock CPI
    Maximum CPI (DPI)
    LockedLock CPI
    CPI (DPI) Adjustment Steps
    LockedN/A
    CPI (DPI) Variation
    LockedLock%
    Minimum Lift Off Distance
    LockedN/A
    Maximum Polling Rate
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Buttons
    Buttons Activation
    LockedLocked
    Total Number Of Buttons
    LockedLock
    Number Of Side Buttons
    LockedLock
    Number Of Programmable Inputs
    LockedLock
    Profile Switching Button
    LockedLocked
    CPI (DPI) Switching Button
    LockedLocked
    Gesture Support
    LockedLocked

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    Mouse Wheel
    Scroll Wheel
    LockedLocked
    Scroll Wheel Steps
    LockedLocked
    Scroll Wheel Tilt
    LockedLocked
    Thumb Wheel
    LockedLocked
    Thumb Wheel Steps
    LockedLocked

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    Noise
    SAMPLE
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    Kensington Orbit Wireless Trackball with Scroll Ring Noise Video Sample
    Click Noise
    LockedLocked
    0.0
    Click Latency
    Click Latency: Receiver
    LockedLock ms
    Click Latency: Bluetooth
    LockedLock ms
    Click Latency: Wired
    LockedN/A
    Operating System And Software
    0.0
    Compatible Software Option
    Software NameLockedLocked
    Software Windows Compatibility
    LockedLocked
    Software macOS Compatibility
    LockedLocked
    Account Needed
    LockedLocked
    On-Board Memory
    LockedLocked
    CPI (DPI) Adjustment
    LockedLocked
    Polling Rate Adjustment
    LockedLocked
    Profile Configuration
    LockedLocked
    RGB On/Off
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Mouse Compatibility
    Windows CompatibilityLockedLocked
    macOS CompatibilityLockedLocked

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