I decided years ago that since the conventional computer peripheral is called a mouse, trackballs are rats.
I also decided years ago that rats are where it's at and that's all I'll use. A mediocre rat still has tons of advantages over mice, because mousepads are a scam by Big Computer Desk and I spent my formative years suffering technology that didn't work. If the surface is subtly wrong a mouse no longer honors your movements; a rat has no such problems and can be stopped only by debris falling into the optical sensors, which is as obvious as it is easy to troubleshoot/clean!
I'm not gonna say I'm objectively right or anything– I like there being options so people can pick what meets their needs! But I am a fan of the rat. I love the rat. I honor the rat.