Need advice on new HOTAS

[Golaz]

The primary fire button on my X-55 Rhino stopped working and a few of the directonal buttons are starting to get less responsive as well.
It has lasted me about 1200 hours and today it went to the trashcan.

I really like the button setup on the X-55 so I'm wondering to buy a new X-56 or a ThrustMaster Warthog.
After watching quite a few reviews and reading comments on the X-56 it seems to have gotten a lot of cons regarding build quality.
This led me looking into the Warthog which seems to have a great build quality and feel to it as well as a lot of options, but missing the z-axis/yaw

Can anyone with a Warthog tell me about their experiences with the stick/hotas. I'm especially interested in how you perform in combat. Can you easely compensate for the missing yaw by binding it to one of the directional buttons on the throttle or stick? I mean to the point you don't even miss the z-axis on the stick. I've read about people using pedals instead, but that's not going to be an option for me. Is yaw really that important for combat or flying your ship in Elite? I can't really tell since I've not been flying without it.

I'm now currenty using my X-52 but I really miss all the buttons/switches on the throttle I had on the X-55

 

[Asp Explorer]

Take it out the rubbish bin and warm up the soldering iron

 

[Sylow]

I switched from the X-55 to the X-56. My X-55 broke down a few weeks before the warranty ran out, so i sent it back instead of digging out the soldering iron. On quality, the X-56 actually seems a bit better in many aspects, except that its grip surface is a bit smooth for my taste.

Some flaws (mostly how the cables are fed into the throttle) are not fixed, so they are likely to break again after a few years, though, so buying this requires a little confidence in your fixing ability once the warranty runs out.

Next to that, it handles quite similarily to the X-55 with some important differences:
- The left thumbstick is much better thruster control than you could formerly do with the 8-way sticks. Also i have bound my afterburner (boost) to it, to make it a really nice way of controling ship movement.
- If you formerly used the thumb button on the stick as secondary fire button, i recomend to move it somewhere else, though. There is a thumbstick there now, too, and while it can be brought to good use (i rebound it in the programming tool to numpad buttons, which i in turn in game use to switch targets and weapon groups) using the button feature of it requires some fine control which you don't always have when doing combat maneuvers. For firing cannons or missiles this is feasible, as soon as you have something like a multicannon there, keeping it pressed down and centered requires too much attention. Better put the fire button somewhere else.
- Luckily the X-56 comes with a pad attachable to the hand plate, which moves my hand up just far enough that the button between the three hats can finally be reached comfortably enough to serve as fire button for the secondary group.

All in all, it seems like the X-56 can be brought to good use, but i only have it shortly and won't give final judgement yet.

 

[lysan]

I've tried many HOTAS, however after the Warthog HOTAS there are not many alternatives out there. Its a great Joystick and it works all the time, mine has 3000 hours on the clock.
I just got a new set of rudder pedals and that is needed for the Warthog, if you want to get the full experience.

I like the full metal build from Slaw Devices as it will last a lifetime.

 

[Devari]

I'm now currenty using my X-52 but I really miss all the buttons/switches on the throttle I had on the X-55

I looked into the X52 (standard and Pro versions) and the X-55 Rhino and found that each had enough "flaws" that I couldn't justify the price point of $200+ for me. In the case of the X52 there was the issue of the build quality on the standard version using too much plastic but the Pro version not quite being worth the increase to the premium price point. In the case of the X-55 the issues with the size of the stick requiring you to move your hand to reach the Hat switch properly and the stiffness of the throttle were issues I didn't see myself being happy with again given the price point. The new X-56 Rhino looks interesting but I'm not sure if the prior X-55 Rhino issues (hat switch positioning and throttle stiffness) were improved as the design looks very similar if not identical to the X-55 other than the color scheme but for all I know the throttle stiffness adjustment may be an entirely redesigned feature on the X-56.

What I ended up doing was going with the Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS. It was only around $60 and this made it very easy to justify. The flight stick is quite comfortable and it has a reasonable amount of buttons, with a trigger, three secondary buttons and a hat switch plus z-axis for yaw. The stick's only real "flaw" is that the trigger is a little too small for my fingers and this makes it uncomfortable for me to continually hold down the trigger for longer periods. What I did was simply use the secondary fire as my main "trigger" for multicannons and use the main trigger to occsaionlly fire single-shot ordnance like missiles and it works quite well. Where the HOTAS truly shines however is the throttle. It is one of the most erognomic and functional throttles I've seen and there are a total of 6 buttons plus a "rocker" button (for yaw/lateral thrust) accessible simultaneously with good positioning, plus an additional 2 buttons on the throttle base that I use for landing gear/cargo scoop (requires taking my hand off the throttle for those which is why I have them mapped to non-combat functions). The throttle has a neutral "detent" position which is perfect for Elite to set the throttle to "neutral" when jumping or docking and it still has a decent range of forward/reverse movement. I briefly tried combining my old Cyborg V.1 joystick (which was a cheap $35 stick that I liked because it had a large number of useful buttons) with the Thrustmaster T-Flight throttle as Elite can recognize and configure both of the sticks simultaneously. I ended up just switching completely over to the T-Flight because it wasn't worth the hassle and desk space to have a second joystick plugged in at the same time. For the price point however the T-Flight is phenomenal value. I can't speak to the build quality as I have only owned mine for a few months and the build appears to be entirely plastic so I can't say that it is necessarily particularly rugged and the weight is fairly light with no weighted baseplate. I wouldn't expect it to have the longevity of a metal or metal/plastic design but for the price that is hardly an issue even if it only lasts 1-2 years of typical use. I will probably eventually upgrade to a "better" HOTAS setup but at the moment it is hard to go wrong with a $60 HOTAS even if you only use the throttle and ignore the flight stick itself (which at the moment can be done within the standard Elite control configuration menu).

 

[VR Captain Covert]

I had an X-55 which expired about 35 seconds after the warranty did - almost half the controllers on the throttle quad died. Bit the bullet and got a Warthog and what a difference in quality there is - does need pedals though. If that's not for you, as Devari says, the T-Flight is an awesome piece of kit for the money - just get voice attack if there's not enough switches for you. Don't forget the new Thrustmaster HOTAS comes out next month which has a stick twist for yaw and is a lot cheaper than a Warthog - might be worth a look.

 

[Hellhawk666]

... For the price point however the T-Flight is phenomenal value. I can't speak to the build quality as I have only owned mine for a few months and the build appears to be entirely plastic so I can't say that it is necessarily particularly rugged and the weight is fairly light with no weighted baseplate. I wouldn't expect it to have the longevity of a metal or metal/plastic design but for the price that is hardly an issue even if it only lasts 1-2 years of typical use. I will probably eventually upgrade to a "better" HOTAS setup but at the moment it is hard to go wrong with a $60 HOTAS even if you only use the throttle and ignore the flight stick itself (which at the moment can be done within the standard Elite control configuration menu).

I bought a T-Flight HOTAS in October 2014 specifically for ED alpha testing. It was my first HOTAS. I'm still using it today and it has literally thousands of hours on it from use in many games. It is a delight to use, still functions like the day I bought it, and is unbeatable value at the price. It is also the only HOTAS of which I know that has both twist on the stick and a centre detent on the throttle, which makes it particularly suited for space games. It is plug-and-play requiring no special drivers or configuration.

I subsequently tried both the Saitek X-52 and X-55 expecting them to be an upgrade from the T-Flight. After a few hours use in each case I sold the Saiteks on ebay. IMHO Thrustmaster and CH make better products than Saitek, but both CH and the Warthog are more expensive to start with, require pedals, and don't have a centre detent. The T-Flight is a great HOTAS.

 

[Zeeman]

I've got:
T16000M
VKB Cobra M5
CH Pro Throttle
Warthog
VKB T-rudder MKIII pedals.

Will probably be adding a Crosswinds or Slaw, and a VKB Gladiator pro at some stage.

My personal views
T16000M - awesome stick, except, there are twelve wasted buttons on the base, there should be at least one more hat, and possibly two more buttons on the stick itself for it to be truly special. Nice feel, very precise.

Cobra M5 - very light action, the twist is useless because it is so light that just pressing a button on the stick will make it yaw. Excellent button layout and quite precise, lots of buttons and hats WHERE YOU NEED THEM! The head is a bit big though, and getting the thumb around can be a bit awkward. I personally use this with pedals, and have been tempted to mod the stick for no twist.

CH Pro throttle. - awesome, lov eit, and despit ehaving a warthog, for ED, this is the perfect throttle. The analog thumbstick is what makes it - for lateral thrust control, only a second joystick is better. Lot so well placed buttons and hats

Warthog - a BEAST! It's built by muscled men with hammers, an anvil, and a forge, then the electronic geeks ar elet loose with top quality gear.The action is very heavy, though precise, lots of well placed buttons, though they are stiff, but in the "well made high quality stuff" kinda way. The button layout is excellent, and everything is easily reached, and the head isn't so big that getting your thumb around is awkward.

The throttles, again are excellent, lots of well places buttons and hats on the throttle at finger's reach, and thumb reach. The only reason I don't use this for ED is the lack of an analog thumbstick.

VKB T-rudder MK III rudder pedals - well made, very precise and smooth, top down action which works well for an office chair set up like mine. The only downside is that it doesn't have toe brakes - but this is no big deal with ED, seeing as ED doesn't really have a toe brake function. These pedals are mor elike what you'd find in a chopper. They are also a fair bit cheaper than the Crosswinds or Slaw, and will, like those, likely last a lifetime. However, I will be buying the Crosswinds or Slaw at some stage for DCS (fighter jet simulation).

Personally, for ED only, I would (depending on if you want pedals or not)

No pedal - T16000M + CH Pro throttle.

with pedals - Cobra M5 (though maybe the new Gladiator is better, actually - though have not tried one yet), with CH Pro throttle and VKB T-rudder pedals.

Money no object - Warthog stick, CH Pro throttle, Crosswinds or Slaw pedals.


Z...

 

[Devari]

I bought a T-Flight HOTAS in October 2014 specifically for ED alpha testing. It was my first HOTAS. I'm still using it today and it has literally thousands of hours on it from use in many games. It is a delight to use, still functions like the day I bought it, and is unbeatable value at the price.

That's reassuring to hear that it held up well to continuous use. My last flight stick was an entry-level $35 Cyborg V.1 and it was surprisingly well designed with plenty of buttons but other than a small throttle mounted on the base it wasn't an actual HOTAS. After about 4 years of use one the buttons finally broke and I got an identical replacement while I looked at my options to get a true HOTAS. I almost went with an impulse buy on the X52 Pro as it was on a modest discount at the time but I didn't think it was the best value in its price range so I waited until I could find the T-Flight. The Thrustmaster T-Flights are surprisingly hard to find locally, they are almost always sold out and as soon as one arrives in stock it is sold that same day. I'm glad I waited as I finally managed to get a T-Flight HOTAS a few months back and have been quite happy with it so far. It looks like the X-56 has improved on some if the X-55's flaws but the price is even higher than the X-55 was selling for so I think I will keep using my T-Flight until it stops working before I consider upgrading.

 

[h347h]

You could wait for this, which is coming out next month if I remember correctly.

http://www.thrustmaster.com/en_US/products/t16000m-fcs-hotas

I have the T-flight HOTAS and pedals currently and can say that Thrustmaster does make quality kit. I have been waiting on them to make a yaw hotas for a while now.

 

[Devari]

You could wait for this, which is coming out next month if I remember correctly.

http://www.thrustmaster.com/en_US/products/t16000m-fcs-hotas

I have the T-flight HOTAS and pedals currently and can say that Thrustmaster does make quality kit. I have been waiting on them to make a yaw hotas for a while now.

That stick looks amazing, the MRSP is around $130 which is half the price of the X52 and X-55/56 series. The hall sensors and much more sophisticated throttle controls should be a significant step up from the T-Flight which is already a great HOTAS.

 

[h347h]

That stick looks amazing, the MRSP is around $130 which is half the price of the X52 and X-55/56 series. The hall sensors and much more sophisticated throttle controls should be a significant step up from the T-Flight which is already a great HOTAS.

They also sink up with the Thrustmaster pedals and can be used as one controller.