A pointing device may be directly soldered to a printed circuit board. In one embodiment, a bottom substrate defines a sensing region with a plurality of interdigitated conductive trace regions. Each trace region includes interdigitated common and sense traces. At least one via passes through the bottom substrate for each trace. Each via supports a conductive path from one trace to at least one lead element. Each lead element is solderable to a printed circuit board. A flexible substrate is constructed from a heat resistant polymer. The flexible substrate has a resistive layer deposited on a bottom side. A raised pedestal is formed on the bottom substrate top face around at least a portion of the sensing region. The pedestal separates the interdigitated conductive traces from the flexible substrate resistive layer. A button on a keypad membrane may be used to depress the flexible substrate onto the trace region.