Reddit reviews Gladiator Joystick, Flight Simulator Controller Stick - PC Mac Linux

Hmm, lets see...

CH - These are all old/well established and generally well regarded

• Pro Throttle - Has an analog thumb stick and a linear slide (goes forward and back without going "up and over").
  
• Fighterstick - No TWIST axis, you therefore require pedals for a YAW or ROLL axis.
  
• Pro Pedals - I've not heard any bad things about them, often they are recommended.
  
  The CH products are old looking but very robust and generally well regarded. The software is dated but probably the most powerful and flexible on the market today.
  
  Saitek - Formerly MadCatz now Logitech
  
  
• X-52 HOTAS - Has TWIST. Mid range and fairly well regarded.
  
• X-52 Pro HOTAS - Has TWIST. As above, not a lot of difference between them.
  
• X-55 HOTAS - Has TWIST. Older model, replaced by X-56.
  
• X-56 HOTAS - Has TWIST. NEW replaces the X-55.
  
  Saitek have been plagued by QA/QC issues and shoddy drivers. The software works fairly well, provided you avoid the bluescreens.
  
  X-52's are generally well regarded, although some report issues with squeaks and sticktion.
  
  X-55's have known issues with throttle wiring issues causing button failure etc. X-56's may or may not suffer the same issue with the same regularity. The X-56 is basically a revamped X-55 with a hat (throttle) and button (stick) replaced by analog thumb sticks.
  
  My X-55 had switches which died from overuse, they are smaller switches than in other products (CH) and rated for fewer clicks so it's no surprise.
  
  Thrustmaster - Good reputation for solid reliable hardware.
  
  
• T-16000M - Has TWIST. A well priced accurate stick, very well regarded, has perhaps a few too few buttons on the stick itself for my liking.
  
• T-Flight HOTAS X HOTAS - Has TWIST. Cheap entry level HOTAS, basic but fairly reliable for the price. You can buy the stick alone also as "T-Flight STICK X".
  
• FCS HOTAS - Has TWIST. The revamped T-16000M with the new TWCS throttle.
  
• TWCS - The NEW throttle, just released, has mixed reviews.
  
• Warthog HOTAS - NO TWIST on the stick, but other than that I know very little about it.
  
  The Thrustmaster software is relatively good, not as flexible as the CH, but more reliable that the Saitek stuff.
  
  VKB - Russian? company which makes replica/sim gear not exactly aimed at space flight
  
  
• Cobra M5 - Old very popular model, still available in the UK/EU. Very light stick movement, plenty of buttons, nice mode selector on the stick itself. No macro software in the more recent revisions with cheaper electronics. Some models exhibit jitter and issues with TWIST axis recentering.
  
• Gladiator - Has TWIST. Good plastic gimbal, interesting "no wobble" free recentering and intentional soft middle feeling. NOT available in the EU/UK due to licensing restrictions, Speedlink AIRROW and Ravcode Javelin are based on it but have slightly worse precision/software/and some internals IIRC.
  
• Gladiator Pro NO TWIST. Full metal gimbal, high precision, plans for future grips to swap in and out. Available in the EU/UK.
  
  No doubt I have forgotten some..

sure, I'll copy/paste here:

The higher-end ones tend to be what's called a H.O.T.A.S (Hands On Throttle And Stick). essentially this is a packaged deal with a joystick and throttle quadrant, and is useful for not having to take your eyes (or hands) off the throttle and stick while flying. Some of these can be expensive like the Thrustmaster Warthog, considered the high end of the sticks. The issue with this as well, is it's modeled off a A-10 Warthog's inputs, so you'll also need to get rudder pedals as well since there is no Z-axis twist on the stick.
For more budget options, I have heard really great things about the T-16000 M. You can also buy the stick and throttle separately if you dont have the cash for both right now.

Another company is VKB, a Russian company but uses magnetic "MARS" sensors. I actually use their Black Mamba and love it, however the item has since been discontinued and the company itself is hard to get hold of. They currently have affordable sticks modeled on the German KG12 - flight stick used in BF109's and FW 190's (although no throttle quadrant with it). Available on Amazon its called Gladiator

Saitek makes several sticks, however they're in a transitioning period. They were just bought-out by Logitech and some people have complained about quality issues with their newer sticks and lack of customer support, so I'd only recommend them if you can get a great deal on a stick on sale, or possibly a used one for cheap. Their models are the X52 Pro, X-55, and X-65. I had the 52 Pro and never had any issues, but its one of those buy beware moments with them right now.

And then there's really affordable sticks that work fine too, such as the logitech extreme 3d pro and Thrustmaster T-Flight X. These are reliable sticks that lack some of the fancy things like buttons and dials for radiator management for example. I know guys who fly using these and love it.

Another thing that is highly recommended to get, but is not required to play the game, is called a Track IR. If you watch in my video, I'm swiveling my head back and forth to check my 6, and make sure theres no enemy aircraft diving on us. I'm not using the mouse, or any input to look around, rather I have a clip on my headset that uses IR sensors to turn my head in game without having to take my hands off the HOTAS. Here's a video of how it works. Again, not necessary to buy, but one of those things to hope to get down the road. There are free alternatives called Freetrack which uses a webcam, I think. I havent messed with that but I know a few guys who do use it and are happy with it.

I think thats a fairly decent summary. Feel free to PM with any questions, or check out our group's forums if you'd like to do some more research
http://aircombatgroup.co.uk/forum/index.php

You can also check out r/hotas which is a great community dealing with news, special offers, user reviews, etc

Cheers!

The X-52 Pro was released in 2006. The X-56 in 2016. The Pro was good for it's time, but not these days imo. I got the X52 and I regret it, quality was utter garbage and wasn't even supported by logitech/saitek when I bought it in 2015.

You'd think Saitek/Logitech have learned a lot of lessons between that time? But that x56 has been panned quite heavily by customer reviews on every site I go.

Don't get any of them. Buying the VKB Gladiator and a thrustmaster TWCS Throttle is a far better setup. Though VKB are out of stock with Gladiators at the moment. Xplane.org are charging them slightly above the $99 retail for $106 USD. (Which might end up cheaper anyway depending on shipping costs)

And here's a link to the TWCS

Hey man, great work for a Xbox controller! Next step is a joystick. If you're looking for some cheap ones that'll do everything you need to, the [Logitech Extreme 3D Pro] (https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-963290-0403-Extreme-Joystick-Windows/dp/B00009OY9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497142979&sr=8-1&keywords=logitech+extreme+3d+pro) is the place to look, it's around $30 to $40 from most retailers, but the price also equates to lower quality, and not a bad experience but one that could be improved upon significantly. The next step up would be a [VKB Gladiator] (https://www.amazon.com/Gladiator-Joystick-Flight-Simulator-Controller-Stick/dp/B01G6GT49O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497143033&sr=8-1&keywords=VKB%2BGladiator&th=1). A bit of a jump in price (nearly double, can be had for around $100USD +/-$25), but most reviews say it's stellar and a couple people around this subreddit love it. The $200~ price range after that is a bit iffy, as you get sub-par quality most of the time, but the [Thrustmaster T.1600M HOTAS] (https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-16000M-FCS-HOTAS-Controller/dp/B01KCHPRXA/ref=pd_cp_63_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01KCHPRXA&pd_rd_r=SX371RPQX69YRDW52JNY&pd_rd_w=8TOqr&pd_rd_wg=NAt9b&psc=1&refRID=SX371RPQX69YRDW52JNY) has kind of alleviated that issue. Most reviews make it out to be excellent for the price. If you've got the change, I think it'd be a great place to start. Other than that there's not much in the $300-$200 price range. In the $500-$400 price range however, there's the one and only [Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00371R8P4/ref=psdc_172487_t5_B01KCHPRXA), which is extremely expensive but modeled after a real A-10C and is of stellar quality. You're going to need rudder pedals if you go that route though, so I'd advise against it as it's got quite a premium to pay.

Glad you're enjoying the hobby, and hopefully you can expand to a stick soon and get even better. No pressure to get one if you're fine with the controller, but it can totally enhance your experience.

I use the T1600M (non-Hotas) for X-Plane and it works just fine. Not really much else to say.

I have read that the Gladiator Joystick is better for the money. I plan to upgrade to it soon.

With sticks you definitely get what you pay for. I'm currently reviewing VIRPIL's WarBRD series (grip and stick) and its phenomenal but it costs quite a bit more.

IMHO, the best 'cheap' stick that I've used is the VKB Gladiator. https://www.amazon.com/Gladiator-Joystick-Flight-Simulator-Controller-Stick/dp/B01G6GT49O/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=VKB%2BGladiator&qid=1559305878&s=gateway&sr=8-2&th=1

Read my full review here:
https://stormbirds.blog/2016/12/11/%ef%bb%bfreview-vkb-gladiator/

The best things about the stick are that it hast just enough buttons for a WWII warbird. It has an integrated throttle. It's smooth and precise using contactless sensors typical for a higher end stick. This was my daily driver for 2 and a half years and its only $99 on Amazon.com.

Actually at that price, the Gladiator is a much better value at ~$99.
link

I'd suggest getting a VKB Gladiator joystick and a Thrustmaster TWCS Throttle.

Definitely look at a VKB Gladiator.

https://www.amazon.com/Gladiator-Joystick-Flight-Simulator-Controller-Stick/dp/B01G6GT49O

I haven't bought the game yet but it looks really cool, I hope to be able to use these peripherals when I buy it. Thanks for working toward a quick bug fix

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I have a Thrustmaster HOTAS

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T16000M-FCS-Flight-Pack/dp/B01N2PE8CZ/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1549048613&sr=1-1&keywords=thrustmaster

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And a Gladiator flight stick

https://www.amazon.com/Gladiator-Joystick-Flight-Simulator-Controller-Stick/dp/B01G6GT49O/ref=sr_1_16?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1549048659&sr=1-16&keywords=flight+stick

https://www.amazon.com/Gladiator-Joystick-Flight-Simulator-Controller-Stick/dp/B01G6GT49O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483586486&sr=8-1&keywords=VKB

The Cobra M5 looks really interesting, to bad it seems like the only ones in the US are used for over $300. I had thought about maybe picking up the TWCS and a seperate joystick, mostly a Gladiator or used Fighterstick, but haven't looked into it to heavily yet.