Hardware & Technical Finally had enough of Saitek's poor quality.

Hell, I'm using a Saitek Cyborg 3D Gold USB circa 2000, yes turn of the century, joystick. I acquired it second hand and it still works great!

I guess they don't build them like they used to. :)

This is the literal truth.

It's why I went with CH, they still build them like they used to. Most people upgrading a CH setup are doing it because they want a stick with a USB port attachment, not because the stick itself has died. They remind me of my old C64 Wico sticks in durability and quality; stuff that lasts forever.
 
My X52pro must be 8 years old and still working perfectly.
You mean no dead zone? ;)
I own one for 6 months and it works pretty well...but forget about precisely aiming with any fixed weapons...dead zone is terrible...
Workaround, I use stick + mouse (when i must aim precisely)...and it's a hassle! :(
 
Have x52 pro so far OK..... Apart from the false advert on the siatek web page saying Fully compattable MFD
Seems they don't care about false advertising laws
 
I used to have the Saitek Cyborg 3D Gold and sadly binned it weeks before the Elite Dangerous kickstarters. X52 pro now.
 
My x52 broke after 8 months. My first X55 broke after a month. Saïtek replaced it swiftly and without questions but still : these products are expensive and should last much longer.
 
I have still 11 months of the warranty left, during which they ought to send me the replacements.

CH products do not have nor twist rudder nor as much buttons as X55 has.

Twist rudder controls tend to fail, in this defensive lineman's hands... :(

And, it's *worse* for rudder pedals. *Stomp!* *Crunch!*

Anybody of my era, who had to go through full spin/stall training, knows of what I speak.
 
I'm on my fourth X-52 Pro in 8 months. I'm kinda wondering if the "2 year warranty" is from my original purchase date, or resets every time I receive a replacement. At least they have covered the shipping every time since the initial return. Whats really sad is I have a 20 something year old MS Sidewinder Force feedback pro that still works great. Also swapping the mappings while I was waiting for the replacement was a pain until I learned how to save a backup profile.
 
The second X55 Rhino has developed exactly the same faults (switch failures) as the first.
Obviously, it's the switches one uses the most on the Stick & the Throttle.

.

i have an X55 and I love it, but i too am terrified of it generating a fault. in my limited experience it seems the X55 is worse built that the X52.

saitek are not renowned for their build quality, neither are madcatz :(

the warthog is a stick of beauty but for me it is too expensive, and on top of that has no twist yaw.
 
My x52 broke after 8 months. My first X55 broke after a month. Saïtek replaced it swiftly and without questions but still : these products are expensive and should last much longer.

Saitek's QC is some of the worst in the industry. I don't use their sticks, but I use their mice, or rather mouse. I can't play games with anything but the M.M.O. 7 anymore after my hand got used to the shape. QC is just as bad on that, and their gamepads, headphones, etc...
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It's like every unit they sell guarantees at least one return, yet the company still manages to make money. Boggles the mind.
 
Saitek's QC is some of the worst in the industry. I don't use their sticks, but I use their mice, or rather mouse. I can't play games with anything but the M.M.O. 7 anymore after my hand got used to the shape. QC is just as bad on that, and their gamepads, headphones, etc...
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It's like every unit they sell guarantees at least one return, yet the company still manages to make money. Boggles the mind.

They're purdy, have flashing lights, and get in good with companies like FD to push their products into good visibility market areas.

Maybe they should move some of their marketing guys down to QC. >___>
 
I have still 11 months of the warranty left, during which they ought to send me the replacements.

CH products do not have nor twist rudder nor as much buttons as X55 has.

The twist stick and button layout is the reason I bought the X55.

- - - Updated - - -

Does anyone know if the X65 performs better then the X55? Maybe time to change up.
 
The twist stick and button layout is the reason I bought the X55.

- - - Updated - - -

Does anyone know if the X65 performs better then the X55? Maybe time to change up.

If every product from the X55 down has problems, do you think one step up is going to magically become better?
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If you like the layout of the X55 that much pick up a Warthog. They're similar, but the Warthog is more ergonomically correct. I use the stick with a CH throttle. It's peachy keen.
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Edit: Ralfi's comparison between the X55 and the Warthog has been posted on here several times, but he does a good job of pointing out the primary differences between the layout of the sticks, so it's worth posting again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY0mTd0SOLg
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Strong language advisory.
 
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The failing switches have (both times) been the "down" microswitch on the castle hat...
Same thing here.
I bought mine in March or April the "down" is already worn out, ie mushy, no longer "clicking".
Same with button "B" on the joystick.

They'll never see my money again.
Unfortunately, there's very little to choose from, I'm not getting pedals, so maybe KB&M will be next.
 
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I've been using my X52Pro since December for an hour or two every day and I had only one problem that hasn't reoccurred. Saitek was good about promptly replacing it.
 
Saitek unfortunately seems to be one of those companies where if you get the right unit, it will last a long time, but you need to get lucky for that to happen. I've had my X52 (the non-pro one) for 8-9 years now, and it's seen easily thousands of hours of use during that time and it's still going strong. In fact, the only problem with it is that some of the LED lights are starting to die. But then you hear of all the other people who buy a Saitek stick and have nothing but trouble with it, and then have the same problems with replacement units as well. It makes it so hard to recommend Saitek products, even though personally I've had good experiences with mine.
It doesn't help that the Saitek software is generally pretty terrible as well.
 
This game convinced me to by the x52 pro. While I've still never managed to get the profiler software to work, the x52 works like a dream in E:D otherwise. Maybe try the x52? I've not had mine long enough to wear anything out, but I swear by it. When I first bought it, I thought 'What the frak am I going to do with all these buttons".. now I'm wishing I had about 4 more and another hat. Still, I love it. My mouse has been religated to an afterthought device only used in the rare occurance i'm NOT playing E:D. ie.. browsing forums, etc.
 
I used Saitek way back in the day 8+ years ago and just picked up a Rhino. So, far I appear to have been lucky but the quality is not the same as years ago. I ordered direct vs many that have ordered off New Egg, Amazon, etc., where it seems truly hit-and-miss as to problems with the units. Then again, I also don't use my stick and thruster as a combination nutcracker and dodgeball, or try to save people hanging off the side of buildings or cliffs with alligators at the bottom, or as rope bridges... :)
 
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