Nate Hartley from the popular YouTube tech channel Hardwired Review recently conducted a very interesting experiment: he spent an entire day using an ergonomic trackball mouse to see if it could make him a better at aiming in games.
🎯 How "Desperate" Was I for Better Aim?
"Yes, I am that desperate," Nate joked at the beginning of his video. In a quest to improve his in-game aiming skills, he decided to challenge himself with an unconventional tool—the ProtoArc EM01 ergonomic trackball mouse. Unlike a traditional mouse, which controls the cursor by moving the entire device, a trackball's core function lies in rolling a stationary ball.Theoretically, this design significantly reduces wrist and arm fatigue, making it a blessing for long-term users.
🖱️ Remapping Muscle Memory: A Tough Journey
However, there's always a learning curve when moving from theory to practice.Nate quickly discovered that when the mouse itself stays completely stationary on the desk, all his past muscle memory had to be reset.
- Goodbye to Wrist Flicks: "No more quick wrist flicks for me," he mentioned. For players used to precise aiming through instantaneous wrist movements, this was a huge challenge. Now, all headshots and precision shots had to be finely controlled by his thumb.
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The "Sweet Annoyance" of the Tilt: An ergonomic mouse like the ProtoArc EM01 has a unique tilted angle to keep the hand in a more natural position. But this also means the button placement is slightly off-center compared to traditional mice, which made clicking "very confusing" at first.
🎮 The Valorant Showdown: When the ProtoArc EM01 Enters the Fray
The real test came when he entered the battlefield. When Nate entered Valorant with this novel trackball mouse, his first task was to adjust the DPI—or rather, the cursor sensitivity, since the cursor is now driven by a ball. After some practice, his performance "actually wasn't that terrible." This demonstrates the precision control potential of the ProtoArc EM01; it's capable of holding its own even in high-intensity competitive games.
🤔 The Final Verdict: A Cool and Disruptive Experiment
So, did this "wacky" mouse ultimately make him a better gamer? Nate honestly admitted that his aim was "still terrible." But hey, it was still a cool experiment! This challenge clearly shows that switching from a traditional mouse to a trackball mouse requires an adjustment period. While it didn't create a miracle overnight, it revealed a new, healthier, and high-potential way to interact with games. For those willing to invest the time to learn and who seek ultimate hand comfort, the ProtoArc EM01 undoubtedly opens the door to a whole new world.
