Trackball Static Friction (Stiction)

What is Static Friction (Stiction)

Trackballs have this problem of static friction, aka stiction. That is, it is difficult to move cursor just 1 or 2 pixels.

Why Do You Care About Static Friction

common usage are:

• Make screenshots often, with precise starting and ending positions.
• Select text, e.g. On tablet, shell, programing syntax, where you do not have keyboard.
• Image editing.
• Drag a slider precisely. e.g. in audio video editing, in 3D modeling, in sound mixer.

Trackball with Static Friction Ranking

roughly from better to worst:

1. Logitech M575 Trackball
2. GameBall
3. Slimblade Trackball
4. Elecom HUGE Trackball (high stiction)

Trackball with No Static Friction

• Ploopy Trackball

• If a trackball uses Ball Transfer Unit (BTU) bearings, then it has basically no static friction.

for more, see

• Trackballs That Can Spin