20 Best Flight Stick For Pc (2023 Updated)

A superb stick purchased with the Warthog throttles to fly F18, F16 and Warthog in DCS world. It is a very heavy unit and has a silky smooth movement with quite a lot of resistance. Because it uses magnets to return to centre you are stuck with the resistance since their are no springs to change! Also note that this stick does not have a twist rudder feature.

If I want a rudder I’ll have to fork out for pedals. BUT modern military aircraft tend not to need rudder input for normal flight manouevres and I have allocated a HAT switch on the throttles for basic rudder during take off etc.

All switches and hats appear to be strongly built but only time will tell with these regarding reliability. I paid well over the odds for the seperate stick and throttles since I was unable to find the two bundled together without a 6 week wait.

Two days after they arrived the UK thrustmaster site was offering the bundle again! Having said that they are still just about worth the extra providing they prove as robust as they look and feel. As a bundle for £400 I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend! A friend has just got the Logitec x56 pair for £215 and after 2 weeks a hat switch is failing and the rudder twist judders so – apparently £215 isn’t enough to buy you reliability! Hopefully £400 – £500 is.

The Thrustmaster Warthog flight stick is a solidly made stick, nearly all metal – even the 2 stage trigger. Every button has a different tactile feel and feels absolutely premium. The stick can detatch from the base – allowing for an alternate stick to be used.

Overall weight is very heavy – there’s very little chance this is moving about while in use – even when not bolted down, which is an option. TARGET software didn’t play too well with my T16000m and Warthog HOSAS combo – so using JoyToKey instead.

Accuracy is great and the stick is solid enough to sit firmly centred with zero wobble so only a tiny deadzone is required depending on how steady handed you are. Downsides: No twist or analog thumbstick – you may need either rudder pedals or a second stick / throttle with analog twist, stick or paddles.

This joystick is built like a Mack Truck and should hold up. However, the software used to make it work is dated and not as intuitive as it could be. Hell, for the cost it should just automatically hook up.

Another issue I don’t like is the stick has an ever so slight twist to it. It’s NOT a twist stick (for rudder control) but it does twist somewhat which is irritating for the amount spent on this controller.

This product is absolute garbage. Seems great for 1st 3 months, and then it becomes worthless. I’d expect a little more for the price. Thinking maybe a fluke I got a second one being rated so well. Same thing within 3 months.

This time I was able to return and replace. Same thing another 3 months later. Wow. Cannot be a coincidence. Not sure how this is rated so well as it seems like a con. What’s wrong with it? At about that 3 month mark flight control starts to produce a slight drift becoming more pronounced.

No amount of tightening, loosening and calibration helps resolve the issue unless you feel like taking a new product apart to use. I don’t. I want something of better quality that I pay for. Needless to say maybe.

You can live with this drift and need to have constant pressure the flight stick. That brings me to going into a sub menu that shakes so bad you can make a selection or takes so long to do do you just go back to a controller.

Don’t waste your money.

I’ve got a very complex racing wheel and pedal set for my Oculus system, but when I picked up Star Wars Squadrons for my Xbox, I wouldn’t even play it since controlling with the Xbox controller was awful.

And of course thanks to Microsoft’s Flight Sim, HOTAS units were impossible to find forever. I was randomly checking a few places every week or so and was fortunate enough to catch one in stock here at Best Buy, so I snagged it right away.

The length of the cord isn’t that great, but fortunately I had a USB extension cable from my first Oculus headset, allowing me to get a decent distance from my TV. Fired up the game, and this made ALL the difference.

It went from annoying to enjoyable instantly. Not sure how many people would play with the thrust and flight control sticks connected, but that would work. However there’s enough cord to separate them and get them comfortably distanced from each other.

For me, the bonus is that this is natively recognized by the game so I can SEE what buttons will do what, I didn’t have to remap controls or anything. I wish there was a bit more resistance on the throttle stick, but for this price, I’m pleased that it’s responsive and works.

Buttons are for the most part placed well, just some muscle memory now to train as I start to use it. All in all, for this price, it’s light years beyond using the controllers that come with a game system.

Definitely NOT worth the scalp prices you find them online, but if you wait like I did and snag it at retail price it’s worth it.

Don’t be scared from negative reviews of this item. It’s not perfect out of the box but I’ve never had any hardware work right out of the box. You will need to do adjustments but that’s not on thrustmaster, that is on the software developers.

I mainly use Xplane only right now First out of the box for Xplane 1. Update firmware from Thrustmaster 2. Update The planes that you’ll be intending to use. Toliss, Jar Designs and Flight Factor. 3.

Go into your settings in main menu of the sim. Then go to to joystick and select your Quadrant. Then you’ll see add curve for each throttle 1 and 2. Click that and at the bottom of the new screen you’ll see a check box that says beta/Has reverse detent click that and then save.

That is so the simulator will know that you have a quadrant that has reverse detent. 4. Read the planes new manual. They have added help for setting up this quadrant as well as quick keys for the buttons and switches on the quadrant to save you time looking forever for them.

5. Lastly go into the planes settings while in the sim and you’ll see on the joystick page Rev on same axis. If that is not selected the plane wont know you have a reverse detent and your idle will sit at 27% thrust Zibo works perfectly out of the box and switches work with some searching.

Need to do set up #3 above SSG 747 and E Jet series works perfectly out of the box but switches don’t work for engines but made hot keys for lights with the switches until a possible Plane update to use them.

Not thrustmasters fault they don’t work, its a software issue with the plane maker. Need to do set up #3 above Last word of advice you’ll need to make sperate joy stick profiles for each plane cause each plane is different software wise.

Save the time and just make one for each plane you use Yes it stinks having to set these up but it’s not the hardwares fault and yes you’ll still need to make adjustments but that’s the plane developers coding.

Also use the forums of your flight sim community. They will help you with any questions you have The side stick is amazing very well built and works perfectly but might need some minor adjustments in sensitivity in the main menu.

The swapable switches to allow left hand or right hand flying is great. I still stuck with right handed from many years of flying that way I highly recommend these items and can’t wait for the addons to finally be available for the quadrant.

The joystick is decent. Nothing blows me away but it works as advertised. The throttle quadrant however is what has really impressed me. By default the throttles have detents along their axes that mimic the detents found in the actual Airbus A320 throttle quadrant.

However what I really like is that if you’re flying a non-Airbus plane then the detents can be deactivated. In addition the throttle quadrant has reverse thrust triggers that mimic those found in the real aircraft.

Another bonus though is that these reverse triggers can very easily be ‘locked out’ to more accurately simulate aircraft that don’t have reverse thrust capability; twin pistons for example. Right out of the box the setup for MSFS2020 was extremely easy.

When flying the A320 it was simply plug and play. It did take a bit of remapping when I wanted to fly other aircraft though but it was still relatively straightforward. Overall, when you consider the price of other joysticks and throttles, the value you get with this combo is excellent.

I highly recommend it. I’ve been very pleased.

For the price I believe it doesn’t get any better than this. I’ve used it for the last two weeks on X-Plane 11 with the Toliss A319 and I had no problem so far. Configuration is easy (even though I use OSX) and the amount of available buttons at disposition almost guarantees you’ll have a terrific time flying.

I’m relatively new to the world of simulators, that’s reason why I don’t own rudder pedals yet, nonetheless the extra axis on the joystick allows me to control the rudder without complications and the TFRP port on the quadrant it’s a great gift from Thrustmaster if you already own pedals, as this gets rid of one extra cable to your computer.

So if you are new to flight sims as well, the officer pack is perfect for you as a beginner. So far, I haven’t found a negative aspect to the product. But I do consider important to mention that if you are an aviation enthusiast the level of immersion that this product gives is something totally worth the price.

I’m really looking forward to purchase the Quadrant Ad-ons as soon as they are available.

I have two of these for a HOSAS setup in Elite Dangerous. Works great, both were detected immediately and I was able to set in-game bindings without issue. Comfort: Very comfortable, perfect size for my hand (a bit on the small size, but larger hands should fit fine) and all buttons are easily accessible.

When using it in the left hand (such as for a dual-stick HOSAS setup), there is no wrist rest and the side thumb button is not easily accessible. That said, the grip is not uncomfortable and I didn’t get fatigued, but I would not recommend using this as a left-handed stick for people with large hands.

Build quality: It’s a cheap stick, so don’t expect top-notch quality. The plastic on the handle feels fine and the buttons are reasonably tactile, though I wish the trigger had a bit more travel. The base is nice and weighty with some decent rubber feet, so it’s not going to slide unless you really push on the stick (or have a non-grippy desk).

My main issue arises with the hat switch. On one stick it works fine, but on the other it feels mushy. Software: Any game I tried it with detected the stick automatically, so there’s no need to install software.

If you intend to play a game that doesn’t support sticks, Logitech’s software allows you to bind keys to it. This worked well, despite the age of the software. Think of it like a macro customizer. The software also automatically supports multi-stick setups.

Accuracy: Despite the lack of hall effect sensors and a 20 year old design, I’m pleasantly surprised with the accuracy of the stick and use only a small deadzone (mostly to prevent my resting hand from providing an input).

For the hat switch, I recommend using it as a 4-way hat instead of an 8-way hat because it’s easy to skip between the directions. One small note about the throttle on the back – there’s no feedback when it’s centered.

If using this for a space sim, set the throttle control to be only in the forward direction, or don’t use that throttle at all.

All buttons and sticks are easily programmable and they immediately update in real time, no restart needed (must first install the stick’s driver and software). 12 buttons, two joysticks and a switch tab.

The base platform is wide and heavy enough to keep it firmly planted on a flat surface so the entire device does not tip over when doing aggressive moves with the stick. Product weight says 2 pounds, but to me it feels more like 4 to 6 pounds.

Moving the stick feels firm, which is good so you don’t over shoot your movements and frantically move back to align. The plastic material feels solid as steel. USB cable is long enough, about 6ft. Can’t beat the price! The corner holes make it easy to set on a DIY side table if you build your own gaming seat simulator, you can use the holes as channel locks or run straps through them.

I honestly can’t think of any cons with this thing. It’s perfect.

I looked everywhere for this stick at MSRP. Finally found it at Micro Center, whom seem to be the only ones out there not willing to sell multiple things to a bot. 1 per house hold. Thank you Micro Center! Anyhow, I use this in a dual stick setup for my games, like Elite: Dangerous.

The stick has an unbelievable amount of buttons for the price, and most games allow you to use them as macros (I think that’s the correct term) so if you press and hold button 1, for example, and then press button 2, it could be assigned to an entirely different action.

This makes your usage increase beyond the simple 12 button scheme. The stick itself moves smoothly and without resistance. Compared to my older Logitech Attack 3, this thing is leagues ahead of it. The build quality is superior, though there is an uncomfortable plastic seam on the handle, but you get a much needed change in the palm rest at the base of the stick, a curved button for your thumb, a HAT joystick and an easy to reach “dial”, which can be used for thrust.

The software you can download for it is a must have. Seriously. I couldn’t even get it to work in games without it, despite the sticks appear. Within the software, you can adjust all sorts of things for the sticks to fine tune it further.

Overall, I am quite pleased by the product and would completely recommend it, especially if you have a tight budget!.

I bought this to use to fly jets in MSFS 2020 and it works well. Setup is automatic in MSFS but you will need to understand how to use the control option settings in MSFS at some point. For example, the TWCS throttle and the throttle on the joystick can interfere with each other, so I find it best to remove the throttle setting for the joystick.

The T. A. R. G. E. T. software is not necessary to understand or even use unless you are deep into gaming. I don’t plan to pursue that at all but it’s there if you want to. I was using the Logitech Extreme 3D joystick to fly before and wanted a better throttle.

With this bundle, getting the throttle along with the joystick is only slightly more expensive than getting just the throttle alone, so I opted for the joystick combo. To make things even simpler in MSFS, I basically turned off all the assorted buttons on the throttle to avoid conflicts and only re-added button 1 to activate afterburners in MSFS F-18 jet.

As I get more familiar with the settings, I might add some buttons back. Otherwise, I remapped flaps, parking brake, trim, and int/ext view to the left buttons on the joystick base because I use the stick right-handed and don’t want to remove my hand from the joystick to change settings while flying or reach around with my left hand.

I set the landing gear and spoilers to the right/left buttons on the top of the stick respectively, similiar to the setup I used on the Logitech settings. Overall, I don’t have any issuesto report but can’t comment on the long term durability since I have only been using it now for a week or so.

Since I also use the Thrustmaster rudder pedals, I wish the twist on the joystick could be prevented, but that is only possible on the Airbus version. Lastly, I did loosen the slide of the throttle a little by adjusting the tension screw to make it work more smoothly.

As I recall, you need to put the throttle in the full power position to see the screw from the underside. That was a bit confusing in the instructions. The nice thing about this setup and MSFS is that you can reset everything on the throttle/joystick to default settings if you mess things up too much.

I mostly fly using VR goggles, so it will take some time to remember the button assignments and find them by feel, but I am happy with the setup and the flying experience in VR is simply amazing.

These things were made to fit with Elite Dangerous in their color choices. Tons of buttons, but I understand the criticism in reviews on physical placement of the hat switch on the top and the buttons on the base can be awkward to find your way around.

I frequently have to look at it in order to know which one I am pressing, which was fine-ish with the first one I got which didn’t get super bright until you floored it in one direction. Unfortunately mine developed some issues with drift and return to neutral.

I kept increasing the deadzone to try and compensate, but eventually had to touch base with Thrustmaster. The service was meh, but they did replace it under warranty and send me a new joystick at no charge.

Which is where I touch on the dumb lights at the base of the joystick. the replacement model they sent me doesn’t have the issues with drift, but Thrustmaster at some point replaced the correlative lighting with a very, very bright constant light.

You will find complaints about that feature all over the internet and I keep meaning to snip the wires because it’s very distracting when you’re playing something dark like Elite Dangerous and keep having to look right into that light to determine which base button you’re ambiguously about to push.

All in all very solid though, it was a massive upgrade from the T-Flight and works great with the Monstertech chair mounts, even if those will drive you to bankruptcy. Most of the buttons and trigger feel fine, but some of the hat choices on the throttle seem silly.

You get used to it though.

One of the BEST Flight Systems you can buy! Although, there are not many options available at the time of writing this as many of these Flight Sets are becoming more and more difficult to purchase in New or Unused conditions.

Many models are being discontinued and unavailable anywhere for purchase. which leaves limited options. However, This set is a more up-to-date model in keeping up with current technology. The T. 16000M FCS features 4 independent axes, including twist rudder (controlled by rotating the stick), 16 action buttons with “braille”-style physical button identification, one 8-way Point of View (PoV) hat switch and an ergonomic trigger.

Its striking orange accents and backlighting bring gamers’ immersion to a whole new level. T. 16000M FCS flight stick Exclusive precision: H. E. A. R. T* HallEffect AccuRate Technology™! 3D (Hall Effect) magnetic sensors located on the stick (*US patent: US08471815) Precision levels 256 times greater than current systems (16-bit resolution: 16000 x 16000 values!) Magnets ensure friction-free action for razor-sharp precision that won’t decrease over time Helical spring (0.

1” / 2. 8 mm in diameter) inside the stick providing firm, linear and smooth tension Fully ambidextrous joystick! 3 removable components allow the joystick to be perfectly tailored for left-handed or right-handed use Piloting with a joystick in each hand is now possible in all games compatible with two joysticks 16 action buttons with “braille”-style physical button identification! 12 on the base and 4 on the stick + one 8-way Point of View hat switch Switch allowing users to configure the 12 buttons located on the base in a left- or right-handed position 4 independent axes, including twist rudder (controlled by rotating the stick) Ergonomic trigger for brake (civilian flight) or rapid fire (military flight, space simulation) control Multidirectional hat switch (for panoramic view) Ergonomic design for optimum comfort Wide hand rest for reduced stress Weighted base for enhanced stability TWCS throttle TWCS (Thrustmaster Weapon Control System) throttle: use your left hand to increase your combat speed and manage your spaceship or jet fighter.

The TWCS throttle’s lower positioning compared to quadrant-based systems provides unrivalled comfort. To give simmers complete control, the TWCS throttle includes 14 buttons and one 8-way-PoV hat switch that are added to those of the joystick.

In total, this provides gamers with 9 axes, 30 buttons and two 8-way PoVs – plus 3 extra axes via the optional TFRP rudder*. The TWCS throttle features 5 axes and a rear RJ12 connector offering 3 additional axes via the external optional TFRP rudder* from Thrustmaster’s flight product ecosystem.

*Sold separately. Which this set includes. T. A. R. G. E. T programming software: program up to 256 buttons on the joystick (buttons merged from keyboard and mouse) Thrustmaster Advanced pRogramming Graphical EdiTor software: combine with other Thrustmaster devices (so that they are recognized as a single USB device), and load or create specific mapping profiles for each game This product is not distributed under license from and is in no way endorsed by Microsoft Corporation.

The Thrustmaster TFRP (T. Flight Rudder Pedals) First rudder ever to feature the S. M. A. R. T (Sliding Motion Advanced Rail Track) slide rails system! Capitalizes on the brand’s 25 years of expertise and leadership.

Is the device most highly requested by members of the flight sim community. S. M. A. R. T (Sliding Motion Advanced Rail Track) slide rails rudder System of 4 slide rails crafted of industrial-grade aluminium for perfectly smooth sliding motion Self-centering rudder axis: the perfect balance between smoothness and resistance for re-centering Long range of travel on rudder axis for precise maneuvers 10-inch/25-centimeter footrest (12/45 shoe size) for rudder function Versatile ergonomic design suitable for all types of flight (aerial combat, space adventure, civil flight, etc.

) With the heel-rest removed, you can control the rudder using the ball of your foot, with your heel on the floor With the heel-rest in place, you can rest 100% of your foot on the pedal Large base and inclined design combining comfort with stability Two differential brake pedals Large differential brake pedals: 10 inches/25 centimeters (12/45 shoe size) Rounded central pivot with central grip, on the differential brake’s axis Pivot angle with a 15° range of travel: on an incline for deliberate activation, avoiding inadvertent activation when using the rudder.

The joystick and throttle are very well made with metal casing and good quality switches and buttons With positive action, the joystick and particularly the throttle are heavy so do not move about on your Desk, but I would recommend using desk mounts.

One thing to be aware of is that the joystick does not have a twist function (yaw) so I had to buy a set of flight pedal from Scan (Thrustmaster TFRP rudder pedals scan code LN946031). The axis on the joystick are very slick with high tension springs To return the axis back to a neutral position.

The throttle action is smooth and you can alter the friction by a wheel on the throttle, a nice touch is The ability to set an indent that can be used as a engine full stop or engage afterburners in flight sims.

Thrustmaster use a program called TARGET to program all the many axis and buttons that are available, it can be a bit daunting at first but YouTube have lots of programming guides, in its Advance mode you can program multiple actions to one switch and have axis that have variable rates.

The Thrustmaster HOTAS is not cheap and you do need pedals but quality of both units are very good And should last many years of use.

The stick and throttle are both sturdy (made almost entirely of metal) and responsive with heavy bases (about 6kg between the 2 pieces) as rubbery feet to prevent slippage when in use. Does require a small software and driver download form thrustmaster in order to get optimal performance.

I was a little disappointed to find out that the stick doesn’t have a twist for yaw function (would be nice if it was mentioned that it doesn’t have it) because I’m used to on my Thrustmaster T-flight one.

Probably not implemented to incentivise you to buy the $300+ rudder pedals. Overall it is a great HOTAS I’m just going to have to get used to not trying to twist the stick haha.

OK, this is an expensive bit of kit. But to be honest it is good. very good. I have owned a few HOTAS before and this is the best. be warned they are heavy. real heavy, the stick (which is interchangeable) is solid metal, well made.

the feel is brilliant. when in intense maneuvers though it does not move one inch, no matter how i wiggle. before death 🙂 the feel is solid on both stick and throttle and has all metal parts and so many buttons.

sooo many. in DCS it is brilliant in IL2 it takes a bit to sort out the configuration, but once done, it is brilliant the same for elite dangerous. the thrust master software is OK, it takes a little practice to sort out what to do and to be honest the manuals are not great.

but its obvious how to accomplish things. and to honest there are a lot of configurations out there already built for you would i recommend them, if you are a serious flyer or deep space explorer. then hell yes.

if you are casual then perhaps a cheaper option.

I have been suckered into to buying 5 each of these Thrustmaster T-flight sticks (being gifts to family members and friends) BEWARE they are defective products. The sliders fail in a matter of a few hours of use, then they go totally inoperative.

Thrustmaster will send you some software claiming it’s a software problem. However all they do is “mask over” the existing Microsoft joy stick software (so your not really getting anything that will correct the defective joystick) also when that fails they suggest their calibration software (because obviously they already knew masking over the Microsoft joy.

cpl won’t fix the defect problem) and here Microsoft rejected and refused to install their calibration software. Mostly do the fact their software is outdated and totally useless, and they seem to know this as well.

I said “suckered into buying” thinking this would make a nice gift for a reasonable price and provide hours of entertainment; but it only provided aggravation and disappointment coupled with a waste of good monies for what is simply a “defective product” being sold.

Made in China “dirt cheap” and sold to the American public for whatever price they can bleed you for, here some outlets are asking for $80 dollars, but most outlets sell these very same flight sticks for $30 dollars.

I would not only NOT RECOMMEND this product; I will WARN YOU that you are wasting your money. The idea they make a pathetic attempt to say it’s a software problem, does not hide the fact; that all 5 joysticks purchased had the very same problem, being a defective slider (throttle) which of course renders the entire joystick totally useless.

BUYER BEWARE and hope you heed the advice and don’t waste your hard earned money.

Because this flight stick (joystick) does NOT include any software please check to make sure that it will work with the program you are interested in. For playing a game such as WoW you will need a Joystick/Gamepad to Keyboard mapping program, such as xPadder.

Other games, like PS2, support non-keyboard controllers, yet you need to check the configuration window and do a manual set-up. This joystick uses the generic drivers that Microsoft released back in 2006, so it doesn’t need to supply it’s own, nor does it.

I have used a joystick in the past that would tilt off of my keyboard try just because it was a light-weight unit. This has some size and heft to it, and it has not raised off of the desk surface yet.

The key/button placement around the base is a bit strange. You raise the index finger of your right hand to press up on button 3 – strange at best, awkward at worst. While my right hand is on the joystick my left hand could be resting on the base, with my thumb operation the throttle, ring finger on button 5, middle finger on #6, and index finger on #7, and stretching to reach button 8.

That leaves buttons 9 through 12 without a finger to operate without taking your hand(s) out of their resting place. Also, I keep my left hand on a keyboard, so buttons 5 – 12 really don’t do me any good.

I do think they got button #2 and the PoV (Point of View) hat switch, yet it works. Again, check the game(s) you want to use this joystick with to make sure it is supported. If it is not then you will need to invest a few more dollars in a software program that can map the actions of the joystick, and it’s buttons, to the keyboard, and mouse.

And because of the rudder action of the hand grip you will want to make sure that the program supports that as well. Because of the lack of a way to map the joystick to a keyboard/mouse I can not recommend this flight stick.

Other manufactures include software to program their sticks, even in this price range, so having to spend another ten dollars does not seem correct. It does seem to be a good, sturdy, controller, yet I just can’t get over the lack of any real support for games that do not have an alternative controller configuration built in.

And yes, this is worth deducting one and a half eggs for (button placement is worth another half to whole egg).

This flight stick is a good solid piece of technology and material. Plug and play makes it easier to use though buttons can be reassigned to suit your game play. Its ergonomically designed with a smooth “z” axis control.

Its weight allows for its use on the platform without it moving/sliding as its being used. A good buy for flight sim. operators.

Looking to control a game like Star Citizen or Elite Dangerous? This sick has you covered. Plenty of controls at your fingertips even before you get to assigning the switches on the throttle base. While plastic, it doesn’t feel cheap or wimpy, and gives a feeling on confidence from the setup.

While I would personally have made a few design changes to this product, there are plenty of buttons to map, and it works very well for 6DOF sims like Elite Dangerous. Criticisms: The throttle stick is short and some of the switches are hard to access while the throttle is in certain positions.

The thumb joystick and cluster of hat switches is smaller than I expected and it’s a tight area to use, particularly at 0 or 100 percent throttle. Be aware the yaw stiffness can not be adjusted with springs.

Most of the issues are ergonomic annoyances, but worth being aware of. Even with adjustments, the throttle starts out a bit too stiff. It can be corrected by removing some of the grease from inside to make it less stiff.

(There are no sticker-obscured screws) I had to use Velcro on the base to keep it from tipping during enthusiastic maneuvering. Just, don’t use industrial Velcro like I did. A few small contact dots will suffice and keep it steady.

Or, even better, get a chair mount setup and enjoy the mounting holes. It is certainly an upgrade from my X52, but the ergonomics are not as well designed. If you’re considering this, I do recommend it.

Just be aware of the criticisms outlined above.

Formerly a Saitek product, but bought out by logitech. Since the buyout/takeover, the manufacturing process has not changed. There are still significant issues with this product. And has been the 3rd Product to fail in very short order.

issues: 1) tension screw (on throttle) does not always stay in it’s set position, or is jammed in position prior to purchase, and is very difficult to unjam unless you take the unit apart (which voids the warranty) (throttle always either really stiff or really loose) 2.

) Inside the yoke handle – the aluminum tube, for the bundled wires, cuts through wiring insulation, and sometimes the wiring, because the tube is not sanded down, is not flanged, is not flared, is not rolled, or is not capped at the ends.

(mine only lasted 2 weeks with heavy use) which causes shorts, ghosting, and eventually non-functionality. 3. ) throttle wiring is too stiff and too thick. which causes the soldered connections to break loose in short period of time, with heavy use.

4. ) hat switches both on throttle and yoke. directional pads/sensors do no last long with heavy use. (springs inside the direction buttons become compressed enough to not open/close/reset their intended circuit.

5. ) USB. Cannot have both the throttle and Yoke plugged into the same USB root. (which causes ghost presses) For me I have had to have one unit plugged into USB 2. x and the other plugged into USB 3.

x to get them to function without ghost presses, feedback, or drifting. But still have to constantly reset or recalibrate, regardless.

Ahh the trusty old X52 HOTAS. This thing is literally old enough to vote, as it was originally released by Saitek almost 20 years ago. Now under the Logitech brand, the design kind of stands the test of time.

Ergonomically, the X52 / X52 Pro have always been home runs. The only slight knock I can think of would be if your hands are below average size for an adult male. Tons of buttons logically placed on both devices.

Once you get into a groove and configure the dozens of available button and mode combinations, it’s an incredibly flexible HOTAS platform for the price. All that said, it’s almost 20 years old and the inherent design flaws present since day one have not been improved.

The software always has been garbage, but you generally don’t need it anyways. The primary problem is with the centering / spring / shaft design on the flight stick. Do a web search for “X52 sticking” and you’ll see what I mean.

This problem even got it’s own word invented to describe the issue: “sticktion”, a combination of “sticking” and “friction”. If not right out of the box on day one, it will eventually develop a sticking / friction point in certain directions.

The inner spring / shaft / centering plate will develop friction and make precise, small movements almost impossible in a certain direction. Manually lubricating things can help, but it’s an Achilles Heel that’s been around since this thing released.

Generally speaking, this isn’t as big of a deal in space sims like X-Wing or Elite, where you are typically making big, swooping maneuvers in a dogfight. But it can be a death sentence when you are trying to maintain your glide slope during a carrier landing in an F-18.

I originally bought my current X52 Pro to replace an ancient X52 non-Pro that I bought probably 12-14 years ago. A few of the buttons didn’t work and one of the sliders constantly twitched. I probably could have taken it apart and fixed / cleaned everything.

but it was essentially spent and had served me well. My original idea with this new X52 Pro was to only use it for X-Wing and ED, but now that I’ve gotten back into MSFS2020 and DCS, the flaws of the flight stick are almost impossible to ignore.

I might keep using the throttle unit, but I am in the process of researching a replacement flight stick. So in conclusion, I’d give it 4/5 stars for space sim use, 2/5 stars for flight sim use and 3/5 average.

While I think it’s slightly overpriced at full MSRP, it’s still a very respectable choice if you play ED / X-Wing / SC. If you are primarily a flight sim person, you should probably spend a little more and look elsewhere.

Ah yes, the Saitek acquisition did quite a number of good things for Logitech. But, the large push was that it gave Logitech the largest push into gaming peripherals that I’d seen in my lifetime. So, where did we go so wrong that we must take Saitek’s tried and tested design, and give it so many flaws that it’s not unusable.

but agitating. Let me explain; I bought the HOTAS system with the express intention of using it for Elite: Dangerous. There were already profiles for key mapping in the game, and I wanted a device to last, especially knowing that Logitech has been a household name forever.

When I first got to using the stick, it was moderately responsive, and functioned exactly as intended, however after about 3 weeks there was something off about the throttle. The throttle’s X and Y rotation wheels started to detect movement, even when the wheels weren’t being touched.

Fine, a minor grievance, increase the deadzone and get on with it. Then, it started happening to the throttle itself, while I had it in the loosest resistance. Fine, tighten the resistance and slightly increase the deadzone there as well.

And since then, I’ve seen no other issues other than whenever I plug the HOTAS back into my PC, if I do not plug it into the same port then all my customization settings get reset back to default. My lord! Was there little quality control done on this batch? Possibly, but it does still function.

Despite all my gripes about the quality of material, like the cheap plastic they used for the handles, and the technical issues, this thing is still really comfortable to use. With my smaller than average hands, I can still reach everything in both throttle and stick with ease making this the most ergonomic stick I’ve used in a long time.

A few months ago my friend got me into Elite Dangerous, a space exploration game. At first I just used a regular controller which was alright. But once I got hooked into the game, I decided to upgrade to a hotas.

I ended up getting the x52 pro and after a month or so (at least feels like that long) I have had no major complaints about it. The controller is super comfortable and accurate which is important for long sessions of flying around.

There is a plethora of extra buttons that seem useless at first, but become very useful for custom button mapping and making plenty of hotkeys. The only complaint I have is that the I haven’t been able to get the “i” button to work for my engine booster.

But, I admittedly haven’t looked into it that much and just remapped the booster to a different button. So really, my only issue is likely just user error. Are there cheaper options for a hotas, absolutely.

But believe me, the extra comfort and customization that comes with the x52 pro is definitely worth it.

I’m a long time flight simmer and more recently have been playing a lot of Elite Dangerous. My fairly old Saitek HOTAS recently gave up the ghost and I was in the market for a new setup. I’d very much like a Thrustmaster Warthog but can’t justify the price at the moment, especially as it recently seems to have spiked from 300-ish to 400.

I’d heard good things about the T-1600M and found OcUK were selling this package with the throttle and pedals considerably cheaper than everyone else. The stick itself is very nice, It’s got a decent weight to the base so it feels solid and won’t move around the desk as you use it.

The grip is very comfortable (and the package includes the necessary bits to change it over for left hand use). This stick uses the Hall Effect sensors which are found in Thrustmaster’s considerably more expensive flagship HOTAS Warthog.

The advantages touted are these sensors are very accurate and precise, with a high resolution. They don’t wear out and aren’t effected by dust getting inside the stick. So in theory at least, as long as you look after this stick and don’t abuse it too much it should last forever.

In my flight sims I’ve found it to be very smooth and pleasant to fly with. The throttle unit is also rather nice. Rather than rock back and forth the throttle slides back and forth on metal rails built into the base.

The action is just a little bit juddery or sticky, but nothing that a bit of extra lube on the rails won’t sort out. The base i quite light, but has a large footprint and the rubber feet do a good job of gripping my desk so I haven’t found the throttle sliding or moving about the desk despite it’s relatively light weight.

It seems to be designed for larger hands though, so if you have small hands you might find yourself having to move your hand on the throttle to reach the buttons and rudder rocker controller on the front.

The rudder pedals are about as good as you’d expect them to be at this price point. Again the unit has a good weight to it and the rubber feet grip the carpet far better than the ones on my old Saitek pedals which seemed to be forever slipping and sliding on the carpet as I used the pedals.

The rudder travel itself isn’t massive, but again at this price point you can’t really expect more. The pedals themselves would seem to be suitable for all but the largest or smallest of feet. You can remove the lip at the bottom of the pedals if you wish.

I do find the central position detent on the pedals to be a bit weak, and in use it can be quite hard to “feel” the central position of the pedals. The pedals are also rather close together (more so than the Saitek pedals).

To be fair after a few hours use I’ve got used to it and don’t really notice it. The toe brake action is nice and smooth too and the springs for these seem to be stronger than the Saitek ones which make them easier to use as you can more accurately feel the pressure you are applying to the brakes.

Note though these are flight pedals and the toe brakes pivot around a point about halfway up the pedal – as such they aren’t really suitable for use in driving games. I haven’t tried the Thrustmaster Target software for programming – I can quite happily get by without it.

I’d have preferred a fourth button on the top of the stick, and a stronger central detent on the rudder pedals. Overall this is a very good setup for the price (less than half the current cost of just the HOTAS Warthog stick and throttle).

Highly recommended for those looking for an entry level stick/throttle/pedals setup or who can’t justify the price of the HOTAS Warthog or some of the other high end specialist flight controllers (from the likes of VKB, etc).

This purchase was made by me as a remedy to a problem. I have DCS, STAR WARS SQUADRONS, ELITE DANGEROUS, and MSFS 2020 and without a HOTAS I was really limited in how I wanted to play and enjoy these games.

I also had purchased a QUEST 2 for the VR and hunting for buttons is NOT IT when you can’t see the keyboard. This HOTAS was honestly the ONLY one available at the time. I found that it lacks buttons and is short at least 1 hat switch for DCS WORLD.

Having to Remap a full hat switch of buttons makes DCS basically 1000X harder to play in or out of VR. When it comes to MSFS 2020 this HOTAS works beautifully. The rudder control can easily be switched to the stick for for the stick twist Rudder that I prefer.

The stick is adjustable for firmness but I find my wrist and arm actually get tired if I do too much maneuvering at high tension. This was easily fixed by loosening the tension on the bottom of the Stick control.

Believe me I know how stupid that sounds but I am serious. I would absolutely recommend this stick to anyone who needs it for any number of Flight Sims.

Overall, this is a well built flight stick and throttle. A nice feature is that the two parts separate so you can have the throttle on your left and joystick on your right. The whole thing is plastic, but it doesn’t feel too cheap.

Another item to note is that although the throttle sometimes feels like it slides too easily, it holds its position and is nice to use. I use this for playing DCS and it works pretty well. I am able to map the needed controls for the SU-25T to all of the buttons on the controller.

If you’re looking to get started with flight sims, this is a good choice.

I bought the “Xbox/PC” version just under two years ago and it developed a fault within a year; The yaw started glitching to the right ever so slightly making it hard to aim sometimes and making cruise impossible.

I dealt with it for a while and only just now sent it for warranty and they couldn’t replace it because they don’t sell the xbox version anymore but I got a full refund and am upgrading to an x52. I used the hotas exclusively for Elite Dangerous and it’s amazing.

All the pre-mapped controls are fairly easy to get used to within a week of occasional gameplay, and it feels great to play with a real throttle and stick. It comes in extremely handy when playing ED in VR, as it’s impossible to miss a button and it makes for an absolutely amazing experience.

I haven’t heard of anyone else having the problem that I did so I’d say I can recommend this HOTAS for anyone looking for an affordable option.

This is a great entry level HOTAS for those wanting to try one out on PC. It has good value vs performance and features and for under $70 that is a great option. Anything past this and you will be spending several hundred dollars for the next tier.

It doesn’t have the weight or feel as the high end HOTAS but it performs well enough for sure. It has pulleys and not gears for rotation so be sure to get the 2 year protection plan so when it starts to fade you can return and upgrade or decide HOTAS is not for you.

Plays great in Star Wars: Squadrons.

ATTENTION FSX, PC Users. I am using this with FSX Steam Ed. It took a minute to find, download and install the firmware and drivers update. Afterward I simply restarted my Win 10 PC, launched FSX SE and bingo it worked immediately.

It was also very easy to assign the buttons to my preferences. I’ve had a T Flight HOTAS before and it lasted me 12 years! I do agree with other reviewers that the throttle is too loose and cannot be adjusted.

The midway detent is annoying and I’ve never understood what it’s even for? For the money and having a good experience with an old version of this same HOTAS I’d still say it’s great and highly recommended.

You could buy something cheaper but how many times do you want to do that over the years? These things just last and last.

I purchased Squadrons VR for PS4 and attempted to use the standard PS4 controller to play it, which is rather confusing as there are A LOT of buttons, which made it not so much fun to play as most of the time was spent figuring out the controls.

With everyone being home during this pandemic, Flight Sticks are hard to find or pricey on Amazon as you don’t have much of a choice there as everyone is raising the prices. This particular flight stick is 2x the amount at Best Buy.

TWICE THE PRICE for the same product!!! Luckily, Best Buy doesn’t overcharge during these times, but stock is limited, as it took me 2 weeks to be able to purchase, but worth it. Using the flight stick made Squadrons VR a lot more intuitive.

There are specific /recommended button configurations (which can be found on the website) to make the game you want to play (Squadrons, Combat Aces, Flight Sim). It takes some time to map it, but the 20 mins spent on button mapping is worth it, and now I enjoy playing Squadrons VR.

The flight stick comes as 2 separate pieces (connected with a cable) so you can play it in whichever way you feel comfortable, but it also comes with an allenwrench and screw to attach them together (as pictured) which makes it easy to simply put on your lap and play that way.

There are plenty of other flight sticks that can have MORE buttons, and other features, but those triple/quadruple the price of this “entry level” flight stick. I’m pretty happy with this particular flight stick, especially at the Bestbuy price point.

I bought this for a great price on a sale. If you have the space and setting for it, it can be very fun and the flying simulation can feel more realistic. I would recommend it only if you have a desk or table close to where your PS4 is.

Since I don’t have that, I have to unfold my plastic table every time I want to use it and it gets tedious. It can be a bit bulky to store as well. I only wish it had vibration or haptic feedback and it would have been perfect.

Also, do your research and look for compatible games. It won’t work with every flying game. I wish the instructions were more detailed as well. I still haven’t figured how to switch to alternate weapons in Ace Combat 7.

Overall, 9/10 on design regarding its functionality as a joystick. Its biggest winner being the two mini sticks that are very ergonomically placed on the stick and throttle. 2/10 on durability; you should plan on some sort of issue arising withing the first month.

1) If I could give it five stars I would alas I cannot. 2 )First set the throttle lost all of is tension and wouldn’t stay up on its own in 2 weeks. Shortly thereafter the Yaw spring in the stick snapped.

3) second set the throttle just kinda. came off. after a week and a half. Afterwards I hooked up the stick to see its movement on TARGET and it was like ping pong. That being said. The design itself is outstanding and allows virtually unlimited possibility.

Put the throttle on the c stick on the throttle for all I care I’m not your dad. Enjoy!.

Recently picked these up with several friends, 5 of us total and a lot of star citizen hours. Overall it’s a decent unit. joystick tension is about average, enough to provide feedback, not too little that it feels like something you’d find in an arcade.

They sit on my desk pad and surprisingly stay stable. They come with suction cups for just a flat desk. Triggers are okay, buttons supply decent feedback. Really it’s a great starter set or for someone casually playing a flyer of some kind.

A solid Toyota Corolla/10 This was my one month review between friends, we’re all of the same mindset. Looking at upgrading probably within a year but got these to see if it’s something we’d care about.

Solid investment, especially since they were on sale for 100$.

I owned this many years back when it used to be SAITEK. I used it mostly to play Il2 Sturmovik 1946. The stick is loose, poorly made, and the spring tension is far too low. The axis curves cause rise suddenly, and it makes it very hard to have any precision when the stick is pulled to its extremities.

This is inherent to the stick, and cannot be changes with software. It makes it hard to use for WW2 dog-fighting. I also broke after a few months. I ended up swapping it out for the CYBORG Evo by SAITEK (It was a GOAT stick).

The throttle on the other hand was brilliant. Solid, programmable, precise. Trim, prop pitch, mixture etc was made breeze by the wheel slider. The extra programmable buttons made it a true ‘Hands On Throttle and Stick’ experience.

The ability to control the mouse pointer with a programmable blue knub by the thumb was excellent for games with mouse look, and made tracking targets easier with the absence of TRAK I/R hardware. Paired with another stick, it made an excellent throttle.

Adjustable resistance was the cherry on top. Logitech should consider selling the throttle separate.

Still one of the best joysticks out there! software although outdated still works with windows 10. number of programable functions is crazy. I bought this to replace a CH Products 568 combat stick, which I have used for more than 20 years , I think that says a lot for product durability! Funny part is the 568 still works great , the F16 stick just has 2 more 4 way switches ! I use it for several different flight sims and combined with the CH Pro Throttle and CH rudder pedals , it all works great for IL2 and DCS and X-Plane.

First off, i transitioned to this stick a bit less then a month ago, so i can’t comment on its long term durability and longevity. What i can comment on however, is its performance and overall feel. Now, i fly FSX and DCS mostly, and the Aerosoft’s F-14 most of all, because of the carrier operations that come with it.

Those of you that flew her, know all about how temperamental and tricky to handle behind the boat she can be. Especially at approach speeds/angle of attack. Maybe it’s because i come from a lesser quality stick, but let me tell you, this baby makes a difference.

When i was previously struggling with a 50% bolter chance, now the F-14 “sleeps” on the glide slope. The traditional XY axis design may be off putting to people used to current radial solutions, but it does allow for very precise and articulated axis inputs.

Despite this design approach, the stick is relatively “soft” and doesn’t require much force to move around. This could pose precision input problems if not for the quite large throw. All this combined allows for very accurate performance of basic fighter maneuvers, aerobatics and carrier landings.

Few points on the size and ergonomics. Make no mistake, this is a big stick. I have small palms and short fingers (for a man). To illustrate, when i hold and5. 5” screen size smart phone resting in my palm, my thumb can’t reach to full diagonals.

As such, from a hand rest position, i can just barely reach the top most HAT (8way PoV), and i can’t reach the top most left button. However, this stick has 3 4way HATs (in addition the top 8way), and 3 push buttons plus a trigger.

Even without using the mode button to map more functions to each input, this allows for a great degree of freedom when mapping your keys. In other words, you can just map the least essential commands to that 1 or 2 keys you find least accessible and still be left with over 15 buttons to priority inputs.

The pinky button is positioned in such a way that may invite accidental presses, but i got used to this fairly quickly and after a day of use, i no longer press it without intent. What more could i say? Some people may find the industrial/military/spartan design esthetics off putting and dated as well.

To me though, they are part of the appeal. I just hope hope it lasts me as long as other people on the internet say they have and use theirs. I hope you find the above review useful. cheers and safe flying!.

This is a simple review for a simple product. If you want a flight stick for your games that doesn’t let you down then this is the one. It’s boring looking and an old design and completely devoid of flashy graphics.

Even the LED’s are just old school basic design. But while other stick manufacturers use cheap plastics like styrene this is made out of FRP (Fiber reinforce plastic). The same stuff they use for their industrial products.

If you crack it open you’ll find all of the pots and switches are oversized and easily replaced. Even the USB cable is oversized and reinforced. The stick is a bit big and the hats are well spread out so sometimes if you have small hands you have to reach but the other side of the coin is that it’s very rare to activate a control by mistake.

I know gamers who have had these devices for decades. They don’t use encoders but the pots don’t seem to wear out. The eight bit resolution can be noisy but I don’t seem to have any trouble in practice with the sims I play.

This is the best. Just buy it.

Good replacement for a previous broken or worn unit. There is no difference between this and the base that comes as part of the standard Warthog. While the name isn’t misleading per se it should be noted that the Magnetic in the name refers to the hall effect method used to sense the joystick position not any attempt to keep the base in place using magnets.

This seems pretty self evident in that I not seen too many metal desks one would be ‘sticking’ this joystick base to.

Very expensive, but there isn’t any better than this for PC flight simming. Useless without the appropriate stick top, but fabulous with. Heavy and stable, extremely smooth action, very accurate response and input.

Only gripe is that there’s no z-axis or rudder, and for that you’d need to buy the matching TPR. But then again, if you’re spending this much, cost isn’t really an issue.

I remember this movie because my wife wanted to see it in the 80s. I was shocked at how different it seems is today. In the 80s Video game/Arcade centers were new. It was astonishing to see that one of the “actors” was from Texas.

and has never made another movie. These are probably the worst of the South and SouthWest. But it is titilating from some perspectives, but probably just GAUL for the producers. I can’t say: enjoy; but there it is.