Logitech MX Ergo, trackballs can still give a lot of war

For years I have been a believer in the trackpad. It can be said that since I started using my first Mac I have gone from hating the trackpad of classic notebooks to being a deep admirer of it, putting the mouse aside. However, the new MX Ergo from Logitech caught my attention from its announcement, probably because for a long time, before being a Mac user, I used a trackball also from Logitech.

Heir to many of the features that have made the Logitech MX Master and MX Master 2S successful, this MX Ergo offers us the now classic configurable buttons with a control system by means of the ball that we operate with the thumb without the need to move our hand., and the possibility of even adjusting the inclination for greater ergonomics. We have tried it and we tell you our impressions.

Ergonomics taken to the maximum

Trackballs have been in the world of computers longer than conventional mice, however they have failed to gain a foothold among users who continue to see them as a somewhat strange and difficult to handle peripheral. Nothing could be further from reality, because as much as it may seem that handling a ball is more complicated than moving a mouse on the table, the reality is that you soon get this control system and it is very comfortable. With this Logitech trackball your hand will rest completely on it, without having to move anything more than your thumb and index and middle fingers to reach all the buttons that the MX Ergo includes.

To this we can add the possibility of adjusting the inclination of the trackball so that we are as comfortable as possible. I have opted for the position more inclined to the left, for me much more natural than the other. There are no intermediate points, since it really is a magnetic base that engages in two positions without the possibility of making a finer adjustment.

Configurable buttons

So far we haven't said anything too special about this trackball that sets it apart from the classics that have barely evolved in years. Pero the best thing about this MX Ergo is that it incorporates what has been liked so much about the MX Master of the same brand: its configurable buttons. They are accessible without having to make contortions with the hand, the fingers in a very natural way reach all the buttons, and although at first it can be a bit confusing, you immediately get to use them.

The MX Ergo has a scroll wheel that can also be pressed and moved to the left and right, two "conventional" buttons to click on the screen, a button to link to the computer and with two memories that allows you to alternate the use with two computers simply by pressing it, two configurable buttons on the left and another button that allows to adjust the speed of the pointer for more precision work.

All of this can be configured with the application that Logitech has for Windows and Mac (link), and it is very important to be able to waste a little of our time taking a look at the enormous number of possible configurations that it offers us to find the ones that interest us the most. Close applications, Mission Control, show desktop, zoom, scroll and even other more advanced functions, being able to even set key combinations to a single button. Of course it is compatible with "Flow", a Logitech option that allows you to control up to three devices and drag files between computers.

Bluetooth connectivity

I have always tried to understand why the interest of many manufacturers in offering us wireless mice and keyboards but that they forced us to use their own connections occupying a USB of our machine. Luckily Logitech hasn't done this with its MX Ergo, because it has Bluetooth connectivity. Yes, it includes its Unifying receiver but it is up to you to use it or opt for Bluetooth, an option that I have chosen. As I said before, switching between two computers, my iMac and my MacBook, is as simple as pressing a small button located just below the scroll wheel. Two numbers remind you which connection you are using.

The autonomy of this MX Ergo is not a problem, since a full charge of the trackball will give you up to 4 months of normal use, and if you ever run out of battery unexpectedly, so you won't have to wait to be able to use it . It is charged using a microUSB cable that comes in the box and that connects to the front of the trackball, as if it were a normal wired mouse.

Editor's opinion

Trackballs are not for everyone, that goes without saying, but once the initial prejudices are overcome, this MX Ergo will convince most of those who try it. It is a very comfortable device that allows you to work for hours without problems (with your obligatory breaks). The configurable buttons become something you can't do without once you get used to them, and the possibility of using it with two computers at the push of a button makes it an accessory that you will always want to carry even with your laptop. It has convinced me to abandon the trackpad ... at least most of the time. Of course, if you are left-handed or learn to handle it with the right because there is no possibility of using it with the left. You have it available in Amazon from 107€