Hard surfaces improve trackball performance.

Yes, and you want a hard pad, not cloth.

Trackballs work by a ball rolling over bearings inside the mouse. On a soft cloth pad, the ball sinks into the fabric, creating drag that feels like stiction—the ball skips or feels gritty. A smooth, hard surface lets the ball roll freely with minimal resistance. Glass or high-density polymer pads (like those from Skypad or Pulsar) are ideal because they don’t compress and have a low coefficient of friction.

You don’t need a “trackball-specific” mousepad; any hard pad works. Cloth pads designed for gaming mice (with low friction coatings) are better than standard cloth but still not as good as hard surfaces. A trackball’s bearings also matter—ceramic bearings roll smoother than steel ones—but the pad is the bigger factor.

If you’re using a trackball and hate the floaty feeling, drop a hard pad under it. Your ball will thank you.