I’ve never used a trackball, but Keychron’s Nape Pro looks like the perfect one

This compact trackball seems very versatile.

by Antonio G. Di Benedetto

Jan 10, 2026, 3:50 PM UTC

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Put this ball under your board.

Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge

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Antonio G. Di Benedetto is a reviewer covering laptops and the occasional gadget. He spent over 15 years in the photography industry before joining The Verge as a deals writer in 2021.

Keychron announced new mechanical keyboards with marathon battery life at CES, but this trackball stole the spotlight. The Nape Pro is Keychron’s first trackball, and its slender frame means it can work on your desk in multiple ways. You can keep it to the right or left of a keyboard like a traditional trackball, or you can tuck it in front and use it without moving your hands from the keys.

That positioning makes it a bit like a giant Lenovo TrackPoint, typically found on ThinkPad laptops but sometimes used on dedicated keyboards. And it should allow you to move your cursor, turn the Nape Pro’s rotary dial, or press one of its six fully programmable buttons — all without changing your hand positioning.

<em>My mind is already racing with how the Nape Pro could match various mechanical keyboard aesthetics.</em>

<em>Maybe I spent too much time staring at the <a href="https://thevergetoday.pages.dev/news/851853/this-limited-edition-tablet-is-the-closest-you-can-get-to-using-hideo-kojimas-computer" target="_blank">Kojima tablet</a> at CES, but there’s a slightly sci-fi look to this white version.</em>

<em>Black and white options both look good, though hopefully Keychron will make more ball colors.</em>

1/4

We ballin’.

Keychron cofounder Paul Tan told The Verge that the Nape Pro is coming soon to Japan via crowdfunding, but it should make it to the US in the spring for $60 to $100, depending on tariffs.

I’m looking forward to when it comes here. I’d put one under my keyboard — or even to the side — while still using a traditional mouse. Options are fun.

Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge

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