Best joystick for Elite? (Not HOTAS)

[Deleted member 110222]

Yes, I mean joystick. Only requirement I have is that it has a Z-axis (twist) for yaw, and that it's a currently available model so I can buy new.

Other than that... No conditions!

Reason I'm not looking at a throttle is because for streaming purposes, I much prefer having my left hand dedicated to a keyboard. Also, I do actually quite like keyboard for thrust control.

 

[MottiKhan]

I have two that I like. The Logitech Extreme 3D Pro and the Thrustmaster T-16000.

The T-16000 was a bit more precise at first, but it started getting some drift. I fixed that by adding deadzone to it. The Logitech needs a deadzone to begin with, but it has more buttons and a better layout.

 

[DNA-Decay]

Logitech 3D Pro.
Cheap and cheerful.
used mine for six years until I got the Warthog.


I had the opportunity to fly a full military helicopter sim.
In the control booth, the situation operators had two Logitechs on their control desk to run the targets and back end craft that needed to be hand flown for tactical reasons. They are functional and cheap.

 

[Roybe]

I have two that I like. The Logitech Extreme 3D Pro and the Thrustmaster T-16000.

The T-16000 was a bit more precise at first, but it started getting some drift. I fixed that by adding deadzone to it. The Logitech needs a deadzone to begin with, but it has more buttons and a better layout.

Logitech 3D Pro.
Cheap and cheerful.
used mine for six years until I got the Warthog.

Another Logitech fan. If you can find a working Belkin n52TE/Nostromo....great pairing for this game.

 

[Deleted member 110222]

I had a feeling, and indeed was hoping due to price, that the Logitech would be recommended.

 

[Xious]

Another vote for the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro

 

[Roybe]

I had a feeling, and indeed was hoping due to price, that the Logitech would be recommended.

If you are going to buy one a big tip....Set up the flight rotation like this:

Spoiler

Use the axis setting (the other settings are digital and joystick is analog)

Also make some kind of dead zone for yourself...removes the 'fidgetiness' of the joystick...particularly in FA Off mode!

Be sure to test your settings before going in game...use the tutorial.

If you find the rotation axis is backward switch to inverted or regular.

Be sure to apply your changes before you test!

 

[Space Dandy]

I shudder when people recommend the logitech over the t16000m...lmao

Best beginner quality and or low cost stick is the t16000m then after that you want to look into virpil/vkb.

 

[[VR] Enexemander]

Gladiator MK II (Non-Pro) is what I use, and I love it. There are lots of buttons on the base, and a switch to double all the buttons (and another switch you can use to double even more...). I use it as a HOTAS, but even without the throttle that would get my vote.

Next pick would be the Thrustmaster 16000m. Just make sure to get the newer orange one with the more tactile buttons on the base. Plenty of buttons there on the base if you're not using a throttle anyway.

 

[Roybe]

I shudder when people recommend the logitech over the t16000m...lmao

Best beginner quality and or low cost stick is the t16000m then after that you want to look into virpil/vkb.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to kill the Logitech...after thousands of hours in the game. I would have some hesitation to buy that stick because of the button layout...particularly the throttle...I like the paddle on the logitech rather than the slider.

 

[Vasea Azure]

Yup, you should be just fine with Logitech Extreme 3D Pro. Very cheep and pretty reliable with a small throttle handle and Z twist. +1

 

[the100thmonkey]

Another Logitech fan. If you can find a working Belkin n52TE/Nostromo....great pairing for this game.

The design is now owned by Razer, who have turned it into a whole range of assignable mini-keyboards.

I had the original Nostromo with no backlights or anything. Great little piece of kit.

As for joysticks, the T16000.M is only a little more expensive than the 3D Pro in my region, and is a vastly better stick in throw, accuracy, and configurability.

 

[testmate]

Logitech Extreme 3D Pro ..... all you need! (good quality, cheap, reliable)

perhaps you want to chose the option "yaw on low roll" (low X-axis/roll input is used as yaw) in settings, which "frees" one axis (Z-axis) for vertical thrust for example

 

[CMDR The Riz]

Gladiator MK II (Non-Pro) is what I use, and I love it. There are lots of buttons on the base, and a switch to double all the buttons (and another switch you can use to double even more...). I use it as a HOTAS, but even without the throttle that would get my vote.

[...]

Fellow Gladiator MK II user over here - I highly recommend it. It's a thing of beauty: tons of buttons, one bowl-style hat switch, programmable software (albeit a tad buggy at times lol), and my favorite: a fold-down trigger for those times you don't want to deploy hardpoints inside stations!

I use it alongside the Thrustmaster Weapons Control System throttle, but the stand-alone Gladiator would work very well for what you need.

 

[Vasco Sapien]

Not a JoyStick... but i play with an Xbox360 controller and i love it.

I play PC, but i rock the bean bags in my underpants and the control pad is pure comfort.

 

[Deleted member 110222]

Fellow Gladiator MK II user over here - I highly recommend it. It's a thing of beauty: tons of buttons, one bowl-style hat switch, programmable software (albeit a tad buggy at times lol), and my favorite: a fold-down trigger for those times you don't want to deploy hardpoints inside stations!

I use it alongside the Thrustmaster Weapons Control System throttle, but the stand-alone Gladiator would work very well for what you need.

Does it have twist stick?

 

[GTwannabe]

Non-Pro model has twist.

 

[Deleted member 110222]

Non-Pro model has twist.

Thanks! I had no idea. This is good news for me.

 

[Dan Bender]

T16000M user here; it’s a great stick, and only $15 more on Amazon. However, if you’re not going to pair it with a throttle, the button layout on the Logitech may be more advantageous. The T16000M is ambidextrous, but those six buttons on the “far” side of the base are super awkward to use and are best suited for non-time-critical functions like landing gear, deploy hardpoints, etc. The Logitech, on the other hand, has three additional buttons on the stick.

That said, the stick would never be a bad choice, and the scripting capabilities on the Thrustmaster products are very powerful, allowing for things like on-the-fly mode switching.

 

[Caramel Clown]

T16000+keyboard. Easily the most flexible and versatile setup I've tried. It's my personal choice, and I'll take it over any HOTAS any day of the week