Gatsby's Equipment: Logitech Trackman Mouse

This is my gaming mouse of choice. It doesn't have the buttons of a gaming mouse, its not even marketed as a gaming mouse, but to me, it's my favorite mouse to game with.


The Good


What's really nice about this ball mouse is that all the control is with your thumb. What that means for me is that the reflexes I have with my 360 or PS3 controller carry over in some ways to my gaming mouse, and vice-versa. It's not exactly the same as an analogue stick, but its similar enough that the skills carry over. If you play console games at all, you'll have a very low learning curve with this mouse.


Its also great for low-space desks. My area for moving my mouse around is less than a foot wide. I can't really move my hand around much, and I don't really want to. In that way, this mouse works really well for me.


On the off chance you really like the change things up, you can basically rest the mouse anywhere and it will be just as effective. If it can sit still, it'll work. For example, when I'm using my laptop on the couch, I grab the mouse from my computer and set it on my leg (not really a fan of trackpads).


You don't need to install any drivers. It's a USB mouse. It's not very expensive, around $30 for the wired version and 37-40 for the wireless. And its pretty durable. I've dropped this mouse numerous times moving around my computer and I've never had a problem. The ball clicks in and out, so if something ever serious happened to it I could replace it.


The Bad


One thing I don't like though is it does not have nearly enough buttons. Even though it has the 3 button setup, that center click is not really the best button to use gaming because that's also where most games switch weapons or zoom. If you're playing something fast paced, the last thing you want to do is get those two functions confused. The mouse has room for more buttons, but I highly doubt Logitech is ever going to do much to change this mouse.


Verdict


I recommend this mouse throughly if 1) You play console games often and 2) You don't have much space. If you are only used to using a normal mouse and don't play console games, a mouse with more buttons is probably better for you. But if you are like me, then this will work out well. Its not an expensive mouse, and it does the job well and has for quite awhile.