Looking for a new HOTAS

[Sweet&Dandy]

Greetings commanders,

After recently returning to the game I am looking to update some of my equipment. Am I a VR player who currently uses a gamepad in combination with the x56 HOTAS stick and throttle.

I love this HOTAS and have owned several versions over the years.

My question is … are there better options that other commanders have switched to and prefer? I remember the Warthog being one back in the day but I seem to recall it was missing the twist or something like that?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Fnord Velkor]

Best bang for buck is VKB EVO range... (loadsachoices)

Best quality is Virpil range ... (loadsamoney)

Just my opinion of course, there are other options.

 

[DeckerSolo]

Virpul for me after having X56. Its expensive and can be fiddly to set up but is very high quality.

 

[Lhorndra]

Just a small addendum, because OP is asking for a HOTAS setup: both the VKB Gladiators as well as the Virpils can be converted into an "Omni Throttle". That's basically a hybrid between a joystick and a throttle. You can use it as a standard throttle (i.e. without left-right axis and without springs that pull it back into the default center position), or otherwise as a fully operational joystick. It works extremely well in space sims, but much less so in realistic flight sims.

Omni Throttles look like this:

• Gladiator NXT EVO Omni Throttle
• Virpil Flightstick Z-Extension

 

[Lhorndra]

Both VKB and Virpil offer very comprehensive throttles as well, but they're not cheap.
https://flightsimcontrols.com/product-category/controllers/throttles/
https://virpil-controls.eu/shop/throttles

I think the original Thrustmaster Warthog throttle is still considered very good, but I don't have any experience with it.

 

[STRONTIUM DOG]

Strange
i always seem to get a sense of deja vu when someone is looking for a new stick..........
can't think for the life of me why

 

[aXeL]

I bought this to replace the the flight stick on my X56:
https://flightsimcontrols.com/product/gladiator-evo-space-combat-edition/

Just plug and play, no special software or setup and no issues retaining the X56 throttle since I didn't need to replace it. I've heard people say the Virpil is 'better' but I can't see for the life of me what needs to be better on the VKB. IMO, Virpil pricing makes it a 'boredom' purchase. Can just buy a VKB and take the extra cash for a Virpil and tear it up and throw it away, the net effect with ED will be the same ( He says with absolutely no authority or comparative data having only read about and seen YT vids of the Virpil ).

 

[Fnord Velkor]

I had my first failure on a VKB stick in over 2.5 years of frequent use - one of the springs went ping - happily the sticks come with spare springs and fitting a replacement was a matter of minutes.

 

[STRONTIUM DOG]

type expensive handbags into google the price difference is staggering for almost the exact same thing
one has to be the most expensive its the way of the world and most expensive seldom ever means the best

 

[aXeL]

I had my first failure on a VKB stick in over 2.5 years of frequent use - one of the springs went ping - happily the sticks come with spare springs and fitting a replacement was a matter of minutes.

That's good to know, I completely forgot I have spares much less where they are.

Just thinking, the VKB flight stick has buttons and dials on the base as well. The Virpil doesn't AFAIK from the website. Another reason I think the VKB is better.

 

[KrixtinaViperX]

Absolutely love the VKB hosas. I got a gunfighter III for the right hand and the NXT for the left. The gunfighter is absolutely massive, but I prefer having the buttons. For space simming an omnithrottle is definitely the way to go https://www.linkielist.com/hardware...mnithrottle-space-and-flight-sim-controllers/ - with the hat set to the speeds you only really need to push the throttle in combat, where you don't want it to stay in place after you have pushed it anyway.

 

[CMDR_UKmouse]

In my opinion, if there is nothing wrong with your x56, no need to replace it. As a VR player too, I've used the x56 for over 5 years. I do have a couple of spare units (bought from eBay as spares/repairs very cheap) so I can repair / replace parts if necessary. So far, I've only had to replace the twist spring.

 

[Sweet&Dandy]

I love the x56 and have owned several but all of my units now have issues (some major and some minor) and I will likely not buy again after it finally goes.

I would like to find as close an approximation to the x56 as possible, but Saitek / Logitech or whoever they are don’t seem to be making them anymore.

 

[Dragsham]

Virpil constellation alpha primes. Solid metal construction. Perfect sticks. Can't beat them

 

[aXeL]

Virpil constellation alpha primes. Solid metal construction. Perfect sticks. Can't beat them

Can you get a variant with buttons and controls on the base like the VKB? Whilst I'm happy with my VKB, I am intrigued. The handgrip looks very comfortable on the Alpha.