[MikeRoz]

I used the forum search to look for joystick threads, but the most recent one it returned was from 2005 or so. I knew that was a joke, so I tried Google. Still nothing since 2010. So I figure, it's time for this thread again

Back in time immemorial, I used cheap gameport joysticks. The kind you could get free from OfficeMax after mail-in rebate. They're what I learned to ply sims with. I tore up Descent, Freespace 1 and 2, a bunch of the old Jane's games, and countless other games which have simply been lost to my memory over the decades.

Then for the longest time, I had this Logitech joystick. It got me through I-War 2, the newer Jane's games, pretty much any of the thinning crowd of joystick games from the turn of the century. It wasn't the most expensive thing in the world, but it was better than my old sticks, and I was happy with it.

But then disaster struck. You see, this stick (or at least the version I have - mine was blue) has a gameport cable, but it came with a female gameport to male USB adapter. Nothing at all sophisticated - I know these adapters can get rather involved, so I'll have to assume that the joystick had internal circuitry to detect the connection type and function accordingly. Anyway, around 2006, I lost the gameport to USB adapter, rendering it useless on pretty much any computer constructed in the last ten years.

So I jumped to a Saitek X-52 about a year later. I really liked having a hands-on throttle, and I liked having all the buttons, but I did not like the feel of the stick. Felt way too floaty. Maybe my memory is biased after all this time, but I could swear those cheapy gameport sticks were easier to control. Or maybe the 52 just wasn't what I was used to. Why would you use magnets for your axis mechanism? What's wrong with a simple potentiometer? In any event, I was never entirely happy with the X-52.

On top of that it didn't have the best build quality. By now the calibration is all over the place. Plus there's something really funky going on with the cable that's shorting out my PC. Time for a replacement!

Now, I've seen decent reviews for the Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS X (any reason the name is so long?). No really strong complaints about it aside from one post I found here, which to me seems encouraging. You can find a bad review of pretty much any of the more expensive sticks. And given my tastes, as long as the spring is strong enough, I could be really happy with it.

But I'm also a firm believer in the phrase "you get what you pay for". So I'm also considering other options. The only other real front-runner is the CH Fighterstick USB. The design really reminds me of one of those old-school, simple yet rugged sticks. It is a bit more expensive - ~$100 for the stick alone, and another ~$100 if I want the throttle, so if I end up hating it, it's a bigger deal than if it's the $30 Thrustmaster. But everything I've read says this is a really solid stick and should definitely last. I'm torn.

Then there's the X-52 Pro. A review I've read suggests that their decision to add another spring and generally improve the build quality might actually solve my issues. On the other hand, you don't have to look far on amazon to see a poor review. One plus is that it's $150, as opposed to $200 for the CH stick/throttle combo.

Then there's the X-65F. I don't think I'd have any patience with the X-Y bleed mentioned in its SimHQ review. There's also the price - that's really pushing it. I don't think I'd mind if I knew I'd be 100% satisfied and it would last me for years, but I have no such illusions.

I'm aware of the existence of the Warthog and G940, but I'm not interested in these. I've seen some terrible reviews for the G940 that say it simply wears out after a few months, and the Warthog is simply a bridge too far as far as price. I could buy two consoles and have money left over for games. No thanks.

So I'm torn and can't decide what to do. What say you, HLP? Maybe the best option is the cheap stick for now, since most games I play these days are FPSes anyway. On the other hand, if I had a working joystick that wasn't frustrating to use, I might dive into FS2 and some of the other classics. Either way, I'd like to hear from people with experience with the sticks.

[Kopachris]

I got my X-52 from a cousin who never uses it.  Works just fine with FS2_Open on Linux.  Also works just fine with X-Plane 9 on Linux.  Yay!
 

[MikeRoz]

Pro or regular?

The more I read, the more I'm leaning toward the CH. Seems like the best build quality and accuracy around, even including expensive sticks like the X-65F.

[Aurora Paradox]

I use a Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 myself.  I only wish it had a few more buttons at times.

[rhraziel]

I used the forum search to look for joystick threads, but the most recent one it returned was from 2005 or so. I knew that was a joke, so I tried Google. Still nothing since 2010. So I figure, it's time for this thread again

What am I, chopped liver? 

http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=76190.0

[Droid803]

To be fair "what do you use" could refer to many possible things.
That, and search isn't the smartest thing ever.

[MikeRoz]

I blame Google. Maybe it hasn't crawled the site that recently.

[RangerKarl]

I really dig my CH Fighterstick + Throttle + Rudder setup, but then again I play a lot of DCS A-10 more than FS nowadays. Still, it's very programmable, and is supposed to last for years if you treat it right.

[Kopachris]

Pro or regular?

The more I read, the more I'm leaning toward the CH. Seems like the best build quality and accuracy around, even including expensive sticks like the X-65F.

Regular.

[Dragon]

Full CH HOTAS, same as RangerKarl.
I've managed to get the full set on an auction, so it's used, but I never had any problems with them, barring the initial shock of moving to a humongous HOTAS stick with powerfull springs from a small, gentle, FF equipped Logitech Wingman Force 3D.
Works with FS, ArmA II, FF5 and even XWA (though the latter can't comperhand the amount of buttons  ).

[Astronomiya]

I've never used the standard X-52 or the CH, just the X-52 Pro, which I own.  I will say that it's a nice HOTAS.  The stick doesn't feel floaty at all in pitch and yaw; it does want to twist just a smidge too readily, I think, but you can lock it down.  The buttons and switches are all of pretty nice construction, the profile software isn't bad, and it has easy to reach toggle/mode switches.  The only benefit of the something like the X-65F, I think, is for its double throttle for twin-engined planes, and the more realistic (for modern military jets, anyway) pressure sensitive stick.  I'd decide between the CH and the X-52 Pro.

[KyadCK]

since i voted for "other" i am obligated to state i use a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro (yay for sub-$50 budget brand?) which works just fine

and for the record, if you use a 32bit system you can add an old PCI sound card with a 15-pin game port (such as a soundblaster live SB0200) and it should work just fine if you can find the drivers. 64bit is a tad trickier though.

[Thaeris]

Logitech also makes a high-end stick, full HOTAS with force feedback. I believe it comes with pedals as well. However, it is quite pricey.

However, if I could get one stick/control set-up, I'd probably go CH due to everything I've heard of them. Unfortunately, if you're only getting a stick, you might want to get something else, as the CH is only two-axis on the controller. After that, the X-65 (which is more expensive than the entire CH control setup combined, at least last time I checked) and the Warthog look pretty promising. The former and the latter both use the Hall effect to track the stick's position rather than rely on potentiometers, so both should last a long time. The X-65 of course doesn't move (and is made of metal), so that should last a good long time as well.

Ultimately, if you're in the market for getting your old sticks to work, talk to Nuke.