Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X Joystick (PC/PS3)

I use this with MS FSX on PC and been delighted with it so far. Large, heavy, solid item that fits your hands well. The picture doesn't really do it justice, and in reality it is a much more impressive item. There are 12 buttons in total on both the joystick and throttle control for other aircraft functions. The throttle control and joystick can also be separated, although I haven't felt the need to. Joystick twists for rudder control and has an equivalent rocker switch on the throttle too for the same or joystick switch-able separate function. I've also used the Saitech X52 throttle/stick combo and as far as I am concerned this stick is just as good in practice, if not better, and at a quarter of the price much better value. No drivers required, just plug in the USB and the stick appears in your game controllers control panel.

The only issue I have had with it is that if left plugged in, under XP on my Toshiba laptop, when the laptop is switched on, the stick is not recognised and the stick has to be unplugged from the USB and then plugged back in again. Other than that, it has worked flawlessly in use.

Possibly the worst thing about this joystick is the name! Surely they could have come up with something a little snappier?

Still, thats the worst thing I have to say about this stick.

I bought it a few weeks ago as a replacement for my Saitek X-52, which I'd had for a couple of years, but was developing faults in some of the switches. Also, the drivers played havoc with other parts of my computer, most notably the mouse.

Considering I paid under £30 for this (although it was advertised under a slightly different description for over £40) I really can't fault it. Incredibly simple to use - just plug it in, let Windows find it and install the drivers and away you go (unlike the Saitek!) Configuring the buttons to use with games such as Lock On and MechWarrior is a breeze. The only thing you have to be careful with is in making sure the "mode" selector is on the right setting. This stick can be used with a PC or Playstation 3, but trying to use it in the wrong mode can cause a good deal of frustration!

The only real faults with this stick / throttle combo, after being used to the Saitek's weightier and better designed controls, is that both the joystick and throttle feel very light...although you do get used to this with time. Also the throttle doesn't sit very well in your left hand and some of the buttons can be awkward to reach. This is where its lightness pays off, as you don't need to grip it very hard. Just move it with the palm of your hand, making it easier for your fingers to find the buttons. I probably found it easy to adapt to this stick as I owned a Thrustmaster Top Gun Afterburner some years ago which is almost identical to this. I would also recommend using it with the stick and throttle separated, as I found using them connected became uncomfortable after a while.

There are enough buttons to cover all the main functions you'll need with most games, including a very nice rocker switch on the throttle, which will really appeal to mech jockeys (torso twist!).

Pros: Price, ease of use, decent number of features, is both PC and PS3 compatible.

Cons: Controls feel light and not as ergonomic as more expensive sticks. Not as many features as higher priced sticks / flight controllers.

That said, I am very happy with this stick as it offers nearly all the features of my defunct Saitek stick, without the hassle of installing drivers and programming software, for a fraction of the price. You really can't go wrong with this.

First of all I would like to point out that this appears to be an identical product to the Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X PS3 (PC compatible)(PS3) listed elsewhere on Amazon for £30.79. Puzzling.

I think that at £22.33, this is an absolute steal (hence why I snapped one up back in December 2009).

This controller is also noteworthy because it's just about the best value flight stick for the PS3 and is a delight to use with IL2 Sturmovik Birds of Prey.

Other things in its favour:
The controller base has a pleasingly large footprint which makes it stable. Should you wish, you can separate the yoke section from the throttle (attached by another lead which is hidden in the base).

The usb lead has ample length so you should not find yourself having to push your couch up close to the TV

Additionally with the simple flick of a switch it can be used for PC Flight Sims as well.

In summary, well worth the money!