3 Things to Know About Trackballs and Mousepads

A mousepad does not affect trackball smoothness The ball spins on bearings inside the housing and never touches the desk surface, so the pad makes no difference to how smoothly it rolls.

A mousepad only helps if your desk is uneven or slippery If your desk is flat, a bare surface works fine. A pad might stop the trackball from sliding around, but that is its only possible benefit.

Dust comes from your hand, not the desk Dirt getting into the bearings comes from your hand and the environment, not the surface underneath. Keep the ball clean instead of worrying about the pad.