The new SlimBlade Pro. | Image: Kensington
Kensington’s new version of its SlimBlade trackball mouse has a big improvement over the original model: wireless connectivity. With the SlimBlade Pro, which Kensington announced on Tuesday, you’ll be able to connect the trackball to your PC or Mac via Bluetooth or with a 2.4GHz wireless dongle (via 9to5Mac).
Kensington claims the SlimBlade Pro will be able to get up to four months of battery life on a single charge, so you should be able to use the trackball for quite a while before needing to plug it in. The dongle has a handy storage spot on the bottom of the trackball if you want to keep it out of sight. And if you prefer keeping your mouse or trackball hooked up to your computer all the time, the SlimBlade Pro works with a wired connection, too, thanks to a built-in USB-C port.
The SlimBlade Pro otherwise offers many features available on the original SlimBlade. The big red trackball on the Pro is still 55mm in diameter, and Kensington says you can scroll just by twisting it. (I’m personally quite curious how well this works; I was a big fan of the physical scroll wheel on the Expert Mouse.) You’ll also be able to customize what each button does with the KensingtonWorks software, which could be a useful way to personalize the trackball mouse for your needs.
You can order the SlimBlade Pro now in North America from Kensington’s online store for $119.99. The original wired-only SlimBlade is still available, too, for $10 cheaper.