Saitek x52 pro flight control system review

#Saitek x52 pro flight control system review pro#
#Saitek x52 pro flight control system review simulator#

As a result, the already tricky task of locking up targets became a nightmare of thumb spasms. Click in any direction and our target designator would scroll all the way without stopping. We noticed one issue with the main hat switch though it often got stuck. Two eight-way hat switches are at the head of the joystick, allowing you to pan your view and manipulate radars and targeting systems with ease. The sexy black finish is much less girly than the silver X52. Err, actually, maybe the cover is a good idea, especially for US pilotsвЂ¦ The cover isn't really necessary - as if you'd ever accidentally hit the glowing red button and launch an AMRAAM at a civilian 737. Four other fire buttons grace the stick, one of which (button 2, traditionally used for missiles) is covered by a safety cover. There's a snazzy two-stage primary trigger - give it a gentle pull to activate your cannons, squeeze it all the way to drop your nukes. To keep your right hand busy, the joystick has a large range of controls. When first using the X52 Pro, it becomes apparent why real pilots call HOTAS systems 'playing the piccolo', as nearly every finger on both hands is used. Considering most aircraft have hundreds of different buttons, HOTAS makers need to be very clever about button use and ergonomics. This means the pilot can access every setting without ever having to take their hands off the controls. This does not mean the stick is 'Hot As', rather it stands for 'Hands On Throttle And Stick'.

#Saitek x52 pro flight control system review pro#

For those who are unfamiliar with the X52, let's take a look at some of the features of the X52 Pro that have been retained from the original. As such, it includes all of the goodies that made IGN love the original X52 back in January of 2006. It's almost identical to the existing X52, with a few new bells and whistles. Can its latest stick satisfy the extremely high expectations of this slightly scary audience? So you have to respect companies like Saitek, who cater specifically to these most exacting of customers. We should know, as there are several Maverick wannabes strutting around the office, singing 'You've lost that lovin' feeling' to any receptionist who'll listen. Seriously, pleasing these guys is harder than curing world hunger. If a chopper sim doesn't model the absolutely precise velocity needed to successfully auto-rotate after an engine failure, while inverted and during a Hurricane, you can be assured their displeasure will span at least seventeen hundred pages on the game's forums.

#Saitek x52 pro flight control system review simulator#

Flight simulator fans are the most demanding gamers in existence.