The best HOTAS? One opinion of many

[Hooplah]

Greetings,

After trying several HOTAS over the years per the Thrustmaster T16000M FCS, Warthog and T.Flight HOTAS 4 for the PS4, Saitek X-55, Logitech X-56 blue and gray I'm running a VKB Gladiator EVO Space Combat Edition joystick wtih a Logitech G X-56 gray throttle. Some comments.

By engineering design the Logitech X-56 gray is hands down the perfect HOTAS setup for playing Elite Dangerous. Lots of dual throw toggle switches, 4/8 position hats and buttons all in the right places after a player spends a month binding them to ED and coming up to speed using them. Then the grey version added two analog thumb sticks on both the joystick and throttle which no one else has as far as I know. I use the throttle thumb stick to FSS scan a system in seconds and a system with 32 bodies takes about two minutes. Note that the VKB top left hat is an 8-way hat. Push it, a red light turns on and it becomes an analog thumb stick! This could be useful with precision thrusters when cold orbiting a Thargoid.

The problem is the quality as over time the controls wear out as well as poor yaw centering on every X-55/56 version I have owned. When something breaks and it will there are no repair parts so I suggest buying the long term extended warranty as you will probably get to use it. IF Logitech got their act together looking at VKB and Virpil quality multiple versions with parts support then apply it to their products they could be competitive.

The X-56 gray joystick wore out and replaced with the VKB Gladiator EVO Space Combat Edition. Night and day per precision and accuracy plus 6 more controls on the base. After two years every control still works as if it was new. Then the pitch spring broke last week. With the premium edition one get lots of parts and switches to customize your setup so with 15 springs selecting with 3 different torque versions it is repaired. Then I saw a wiring problem.

The three red, yellow and black wires from the EVO joystick has exposed wiring with no insulation and two of them had separated hanging on with a few strands of wiring left. They are very small wires as in say 22 gauge so some soldering to reinforce them and some insulation got the joystick back to working. Maybe you should check out your wiring over time.

The X-56 gray throttle failing per a hat and dropping the throttle to zero doesn't always work. Setting the throttle deadzone to 20 in the profiler fixed the problem. I could probably refurbish the hat but maybe it is time to move on. Being very impressed with VKB products I ordered the VKB WWII Throttle to play with it. They advertise two analog axes up to four so I'll see if I can FSS a system with this version as well as analog thrusters versus digital hats. We'll see...

Regards

UPDATE: Testing the VKB WWII Throttle it is not for me. It is very well built, has lots of programming options and with a system that can replace/add more modules attached to the joystick. My issues are no analog thumb stick and having to take my hand off the throttle to activate the switches. With the X-56 all the of the important in-flight switches as in activate FSS, silent running etc can be activated with the thumb while holding the throttle. Secondary switches like the camera suite toggle Ship/SRV/CMDR view are placed elsewhere.

So for me it is the VKB Gladiator EVO Space Combat Edition and the Logitech G X-56 gray throttle. If buying new I would get both then sell the X-56 joystick on eBay! There would be plenty of buyers reducing your combo cost to around $250.00. It works with both the blue Rhino and gray throttles and probably the Saitek yellow but I didn't test it. Others may go with the excellent Virpil products but given the very high costs too much for me.

Logitech
VKBsim
Virpil

That's a TT esports Black Element gaming mouse but no longer available.

 

[Ryder7]

I'm still using a Warthog I bought back in 2011, already an used version since I couldn't offer a brand new. While not as ergonomic as others seems to be, in particular for space sims requiring more axis than plane sims, I can only give my testimony about the strudiness of this very rig: the paint is leaving and cracking, but every button and axis works perfectly fine exept that ''cursor'' thing that never worked. Also I find the profiler convenient to use for dual binding keyboard+stick.
But I can't compare with other models since I've never used them so far.

 

[Afterglow [SecB]]

I use a Virpil Hotas combo. After trying or wearing out x52 (not durable enough), Warthog (no twist) and Thrustmaster 16000m (plastic stuff, not durable enough), I'm now really satisfied.

 

[Elobilo]

I started out on the Logitech X-56 blue. It was a good system and excellent beginner system (or even mid system - but this is talking about the best, so compared to the best, it is beginner). It did though have a number of irritations and problems, very plasticy and feeling cheap and ultimately lacking. The throttle especially had problems, in a cool room, you had to "warm it up" before use as it would be far too stiff to easily use.

I did a huge amount of research for the best (in my opinion and what others generally considered the best) and for me, I bought the VKB GUNFIGHTER IV MODERN COMBAT EDITION joystick and think it is the best. If I was buying it now, I would buy the metal pro version. Virpil is also, in my eyes, a near second and the VPC Constellation ALPHA Prime joystick being especially attractive. Ultimately, all the VKB and Virpil joysticks are excellent and which one is really a matter of personal taste, though I still think the VKB GUNFIGHTER IV MODERN COMBAT EDITION Pro rules them all.

For the throttle, at the time of research (and I think when the OP posted - one year ago), the VPC MongoosT-50CM3 Throttle was the clear winner. No other throttle came near it. It has all the buttons, switches, dials axis and everything else you could want in a well thought out layout and extremely well made. It was and still is perfect for my use. Having said that, I bought these a few years ago (just after the CM3 was released) and if I was buying a throttle now, though very good, I would not buy the MongoosT throttle as things have progressed. Now I would buy a VKB throttle combo. The VKB throttles are much much more modular (both with throttles and controllers) and adaptable and you can essentially design or build up your custom perfect throttle set. The one I would get would be similar to the VKB "STECS THROTTLE SYSTEM – MAX" which I would arrange a bit differently, and probably will get this in time. With the throttle and controller modularity, VKB in my view are the clear winners for the best. All peoples tastes and needs can be catered for.

Another really interesting throttle is the WinWings Orion2 15E/EX Throttle Combo. It looks very nice to me and can do a lot of configuration with the throttle, but not modular like the VKB, so in my eyes, a negative.

Attached a picture of my current (dusty) setup, with home made support stands.