I've been using the Elecom Deft Pro and Huge for a few years now. Huge I haven't used anymore for months. I guess I'll start there.
Cons of the Huge is, well, it's huge. The wrist rest area is awkwardly angled for my wrist, especially if I'm using ~~my stupidly purchased weeb mousepads, IYKYK~~ a separate wrist rest. It makes me put my whole arm way to extended. Otherwise I like the huge ball size. Speaking of angles, I never really tried to get wedges to bring the Huge more vertical. I did put a small wrist rest on the left side to bring it up a bit and do find it more comfortable.
On to the Deft Pro, cons would be I'd like it to be a bit bigger I think? Especially the ball, but it's functionally solid. Works much better with a separate wrist rest. Since it's small it's my office mouse that I lug around in my bag.
Both have started to get unintended double clicks. I never really have that much stiction problems with mine, but maybe my standard is low as these are the only two trackball mice I use.
Should I go with the ploopy classic? but I'll miss the extra buttons the elecoms have. not that I use it for anything important, mind you. I just assigned shortcuts to go left/right of tabs in my browser.
Maybe the adept? I never has a symmetrical trackball since the PS/2 kensington Orbit I knicked from my dad's stash that started my on my trackball journey.
Should I go with the gameball? Like I do game, but not in anything PVP or competitive.
Or should I just buy a new Deft Pro? I really don't have that much to complain. Even the ball size is a nitpick I could live with. The Huge really has to fix it's hugeness. So I wouldn't really buy it again.
The only one I have experience with so far is the Ploopy Adept, so I can't really compare at all. However, I can say that I LOVE that one, at least. Been primarily using it for about a year maybe? It's held up very well, and I'm confident I can repair anything that goes wrong. I already have, even. Some people aren't a fan of the stock bearings, but there are community mods for alternatives. I can even pretty reasonably play hero shooters with it!
Yes, I love what Ploopy is doing and what they stand for. The open source nature of their designs really is the draw. I don't have any 3D printer, though there are local services here that can do it, and last I soldered is like 2 decades ago lol. But they do sell completely assembled for a fee, so that's nice. I'm really interested in the Adept. I mean I even started with the old school Orbit, and the Kensington blade have always been in the back of my mind.
I'm just wondering how to easily scroll with the Adept in games. While browsing I can imagine it, but not while gaming. There are some games that use scroll wheel as an option wheel, whether for items, skills, adjusting size, etc. The Kensingtons are fine, theoretically in my mind, they have a scroll ring.
Oh you know what, you're totally right about the scrolling. I really like the default setup for normal use cases, but R.E.P.O. uses scrolling in-game and it's very clunky there.
What if you changed the button from hold-scroll to toggle-scroll? I should try that and compare.