Saitek X52 Flight Control System Reviews

• Excellent

  
  By A2L7WYA5OENV03 on 2005-06-05
  We can't compare this stick to Thrustmaster really because their stuff now is garbage. Thrustmaster pretty much forced Suncom (maker of the fab F-15 series) out of business with lawsuits claiming the newcomer was infringing on their patents to produce "realistic" flight sticks. Then we now have a monopoly on the supposedly authentic stuff which has produced crap like The Cougar. Thanks Thrustmaster! Then there's CH Products...good, smooth, but ugly, expensive, and low resistence. Saitek has been making these strange looking, possibly gimmick-rich products for a while. I think they've finally created a near ultimate HOTAS with the X52.
  
  Clearly if you don't like twist rudders on the stick (as the real Comanche has) then you need to buy some pedals (everyone raves about CH's). But the throttle alone on this Saitek is worth the price. X-Plane and Longbow Anthology (when it works, which is rarely...might have to partition Win '95 spot for it) love this system. Every trim control and slider is recognized in X-Plane. In Longbow 1/2 I have most of the flight and cockpit commands in just one main mode and its pinkie mode. I'll save another mode and its pinkie equivolent for campaign comm stuff. That still leaves two more modes on this thing. Amazing. It's a bit of a headache programming it, but not from the standpoint of design. There's so much you can do with it that it's easy to get overwhelmed with where to put what command. Then you realize you could put such and such on a pinkie shift mode and move it over to the next button, yadda yadda yadda. It'll take hours unless you sit down and plan out your programming strategy ahead of time. But it pays off. Oh, and the mouse stick on the throttle works fine. I'm using it right now to surf the net since my Viewsonic optical was DOA (with no warranty, instructions, 800-number...unbelievable). I don't want to take my hands off the controls to retract flaps and gear after just taking off in an F-4...it's the easiest moment to stall.
  
  My first gripe is that the twist rudder is a little weak on the spring to the right, but I set a significant deadspot in the control panel configuration to prevent me from accidentally yawing when I don't want to. Also, I haven't managed to get the toggles or the fire button to recognize pinkie shifts. For instance, I wanted engine offs and weapons jetison to be toggles+pinkie, with the fire+pinkie as master arm. It doesn't work with that, in Longbow Anthology, at least. But I need the keyboard nearby for a variety of other commands anyway, so it's not a big deal. I leave master arm on, I just wanted the neat effect of switching to it on the fly. There's nothing quite like having laser designator on a stick button to trigger one or two seconds before a hellfire impact, though. The lower hat on the stick does tend to get flipped occasionaly, but I put all my target next/previous/best/close on it. That makes it less of an issue.
  
  The stick is adjustable to your handsize (my first adjustment that seemed perfect actually was too cramped) and it feels well built. I completely discount any complaints that the stick is too easy to tip over or has too much range of motion. If you're not strapping, taping, tying or otherwise attaching them to something, then you're an idiot. You should do that with any HOTAS. Even with my old Playstation I had the Flight Force Pro throttle and stick tied to the flat arms of a wooden deck chair with wrapping present ribbon/string. Couch throw pillows, queen size pillow, and standard pillow made great cushions. You can get a whole flight seat set up with just stuff around the house or from the local department store. Friends would freak out seeing me with Gunship 2000, Ace Combat 2, Colony Wars, and Star Fighter with that setup. Like I said, if you don't do twist rudders, buy pedals. If you don't like the stick, buy a CH one. The throttle is probably the best out there. I like the Saitek how it is and for the price you're getting stick and rudder for free when the only thing left on the market anymore that can compete with this is CH at $100 per item. I'm thrilled with my purchase.
  
  Saitek has very few useful profiles, and it is not easy to make good ones. Go to Simhq and look for any of my posts. I have a link at the bottom of my signature that will take you to a zip of profiles. Amazon apparently doesn't allow for URL's to be listed.
  
  

• Excellent HOTAS system, great bang for the buck

  
  By A1O26YWZJ82P68 on 2005-11-01
  As a previous owner of the X45 flight control system and avid flight sim junkie, I was compelled to upgrade my HOTAS system to something newer. I was originally looking at the Thrustmaster HOTAS system, but could not conjur up enough money to purchase one. After playing with the X52 at a LAN party, I was sold and went out and purchased one that night.
  
  The X52 has loads of improvements over the X45 - not even mentioning the LCD MFD. One addition which I would have loved to see in the X45 are the eight removable suction cups on the bottom of the stick and throttle bases. The cups first out of the box will do some sliding around, but nothing so drastic that it'll mess your flights up. They do a great enough job to keep the stick down during normal use - provided that you don't slam the stick around, but for a flight system that costs this much, I don't think that'll be too much of a problem for most people.
  
  Just like all other Saitek sticks, the X52 is fully customizable in both hardware and software. Not only can you move the lower shelf on the joystick up and down to fit your hand, but you can also adjust the force on the throttle stick. Like all other Saitek sticks, however, you cannot adjust the centering force on the stick itself. But I did not find this to be too much of a problem as it is much looser than all other HOTAS systems that I have owned. The X52 also comes with the Saitek SST programming software, which (again, like all other Saitek sticks) allows you to program every button on the joystick to either an axis, mouse axis, single keyboard stroke, or a complex macro.
  
  I also fell in love with the three modes and color coded mode identification LED to let you know what mode you are in. As a result I can have a mode for A-A, one for A-G, and one mode for general tasks when playing Falcon 4.0: Allied Force, making it easier to keep my hands on the flight system at all times.
  
  The MFD is also a cool addition to the X52. It has a time display to let you know what time it is in up to three time zones, as well as a built-in stopwatch to time your flights and coordinate your turns right on time. And if you can't remember what you programmed a button to - just simply hold down the info button and click the button you want to know about and voila! Your button's function is displayed on the screen.
  
  All in all - a great HOTAS system for those of us that cannot afford the Thrustmaster HOTAS systems. This flight stick runs perfectly with games like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 and Falcon 4.0 - my two choices and recommendations to pair up with this stick.
  
  And for those of you who want to know about Windows XP Professional x64 support - the stick works perfectly using drivers available on the Saitek website.
  
  

• an excellent folow up to the X-45

  
  By AYOFQLSSYTCDW on 2004-12-06
  I probably spend more time than I should with flight sims, mainly IL2-sturmovik but also FS2004 and lomac, and have worked my way through a few sticks.
  
  before I purchased the X-52 I used an X-45 for near a year. I was happy with it and it still worked perfectly, but when saitek released the'52 I knew I wanted one.
  
  I have used it about 2 weeks now, and man is it sweet. the action on all the axis' is silky smooth,and accurate. I believe the "non contact" technology they are advertising has alot to do with this.
  
  All the buttons are laid out in an intuitive manner, and there are more control options than the X-45 has. the blue LEDs are spiffy, and they thought to allow a way to dim or extinguish them if you so desire
  
  The multi function display is nice to have, but essentialy just eye candy unless you need to know what time it is or what profile you are running.
  
  overall it has a quality feel and look the X-45 was maybe lacking a bit.the hand rest on the stick is adjustable for height, which is also a nice touch. its large enough to accomodate large hands, mine arent exactly tiny and I moved the rest up a notch to be comfortable
  
  I also liked the "two stage" trigger as now a slight pull is guns, and pull it fully and its guns+cannons.its the little things that mean so much.
  
  anyway, it comes highly recommended by me, and at least 6 of the people I fly with also have and love their X-52's. you can't go wrong if you are looking for an advanced flightstick/throttle at a fair price.
  
  

• x45 > x52

  
  By A3UXDANXWT5495 on 2005-03-10
  I've owned the x45 HOTAS for almost a year since I decided to finally try the x52. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the x45, I just got a little curious about the x45's older brother.
  
  Here are my observations comparing the two HOTAS: x45 vs. x52
  
  * x45 - Buttons/Hats were a little hard to reach with smaller hands on the stick, but I actually prefer the rocker switch for rudder control located on the throttle. I only wish it was designed better and more ergonomically. It felt weird for me to pull on the stick on the x52 and have to rotate the it for rudder control as more often than not I find myself rotating the stick inadvertently. Stability sucks while playing games, it's just not heavy/stable enough to keep from tipping often. SOLUTION: I've fabricated a bracket out of wood and steel to solve this. Solid as a rock on my chair or desk! Heavy as a rock though... =0(
  
  * x52 - Buttons/Hats are easier to reach on the stick, but having the rudder twist on the stick is a drawback for me. I'd rather use the rocker on the throttle or rudder pedals. More available modes are nice, but I've honestly never run out of buttons on the x45. Stability sucks while playing games, it's just not heavy/stable enough to keep from tipping over. Fabricating a bracket to mount on would solve this. The x52 just feels much bigger than the x45. It's a little uncomfortable moving the stick around because of its size, but the huge deadzone in the stick seems to be the biggest drawback for me. Can't seem to solve it with software either...
  
  Unfortunately, I will be returning the x52 after only a few weeks of use and going back to my trusty x45. It looks cooler than the x45, feels better, but functionality has not been improved for me. Biggest drawbacks of the x52 are as follows (in order of importance):
  
  1) Huge deadzone that can't be compromised with software. My x45 doesn't exhibit this flaw.
  2) Rudder twist on the stick rather than a rocker switch. I would have preferred that they improved upon the x45's rocker switch on the throttle on the x52.
  3) The HOTAS just "seems" much bigger when I'm playing. It's a little uncomfortable how tall the stick is and how much I have to throw it around for fast game playing.
  
  Anyways, my $0.02. Have fun with whatever HOTAS you end up going with. I happen to love the fact that I paid $64.98 for my x45 on amazon, less than half what I paid for the x52. In my case, the x45 is simply a much better buy for what I got. But whatever the case, go test drive first. See what works for you! Just make sure you can return either for a refund.
  
  

• Incredible value - full featured HOTAS

  
  By A24WSD48Z3WUZS on 2004-12-30
  First, a short plug for AMAZON: They've provided the SAITEK X52 at a terrific Christmas price, delivering it with flawless service!!! Kudos to all of you at Amazon.com! Happy New Year!
  
  I own and operate the Thrustmaster Cougar and now have the Saitek X52 to compare. First of all, they are similar and different but you can't fully appreciate one without knowing the other. This is a terrific opportunity to do a head to head comparison.
  
  The X52 is simply a delightful work of art. It is beautiful sitting on my desk in the dark with it's illuminated buttons, switches and most of all the throttle's blue, backlit LCD. I wouldn't have believed I could own such technology for approximately one Ben Franklin but it's true and I'm in a little bliss over this new, superb flight control system.
  
  THE GOOD X52
  
  There's so much to say about this pair of controllers and almost all of it is positive. The aesthetics are unpretentiously modern star wars motif. The textured black on silver puts one to mind of a new stereo outfit. The little rubber inset grippers on the rotaries, dials and POVs are very appealing but the configurable intensity blue LEDs and LCD are so peerless that a smile is invoked every time I look the controls over. You can move the hand rest for the flight stick to five positions. This should accommodate a range of large to small hands nicely as the POVs, buttons and mode switch are put in effortless reach of thumb, index and pinky fingers. The stick has a short rotational throw with "relatively" strong spring resistance for rudder control. This is one 3D stick that doesn't seem to produce an affect on the X and Y axes when the rudder twist is engaged. There's a lock at the base of the stick to eliminate the rudder function but isn't especially necessary if you don't wish to use the stick's rudder feature. It really doesn't seem to interfere at any time.
  
  The SST programming software can be optionally installed. In other words, you can keep things bare bone simple by allowing the buttons to be assigned to basic tasks within a game. You lose a great deal of potential function by not programming the X52 but you will still have a very powerful controller even in its most basic form. The SST isn't exactly intuitive but with a few hours of reading the installed Profile Editor's manual, under the HELP tab, and some experimentation, you will be amazed and pleased by a powerful and well thought out programming interface. You can really open up the interface by switching from a 3D display to a tabled "Data View". It seems as though there is no limit to the variation and combination of switch settings with 3 Modes and six base toggle positions. Like the Cougar, you can continue to multiply function by invoking the pinky button while selecting what a button, slider or POV will do. You have a micro stick on the throttle that will most likely be used as a mouse control. There's a hat on the throttle as well as a thumbwheel that operates very much like the thumbwheel mouse button combination on modern pc mice. The fore mentioned Slider and Thumbwheel are not on the Cougar's throttle but the X52 lacks the dogfight and Speed Brake switches. All else has comparable counter parts. The Cougar and X52 flight sticks are also close in features. The X52 lacks two POVs but has a 3 position rotary and six toggles on the base. The flip-up cover for the primary pickle button on the X52 stick is an Easter egg to me. Some might consider it a nuisance or waste but it can be left in the up position and poses no restrictions for critics. I find it an appealing item that shows a playful and generous attitude on the part of Saitek's engineering team. Another nice item is the small green power LEDs on the X52 controls. Again, it may be unnecessary but why not? There's a space for them and if you should choose to turn the LEDs and LCD backlighting to the off option, you'll still know your units are powered up.
  
  THE BAD X52
  
  Hardly worth mentioning when considering the incredible price! The units are very light weight; less than a pound for the throttle and perhaps a little more than that for the stick. Unless fastened down or minimum resistance is set for the throttle, you will be tipping and sliding it around when throwing the handle forward or back. I haven't wanted / bothered to install the supplied suction cups so that may be the way to go for many users. Suction cups aren't for me though. The action of the flight stick's axes is so light that you will require some practice getting used to a feather touch for control. It can be readily done but may not be immediately what you want for confidence inducing sensory resistance. I am happy with the action now but initially it didn't feel right. You might wish the flight stick handle to sit an inch lower as the zero contact design seems to have elevated the stick a bit more than it would be otherwise. If you can mount the stick a little lower than desk top level you might like the stick height a little bit more. Also, there is no solid detent for the idle and afterburner on the throttle. The resistance at least doubles when these boundaries are engaged and I do know that I have reached them but the familiar snick into a detent is what I'm used to and thus it doesn't feel quite right at this stage of my introduction to the X52. It's not a disaster without the detents and the lack of them may prove to be an absent point of wear that won't become an issue one day.
  
  The SST programmer interface lacks the availability of a REMark statement but a comment can be made to momentarily appear on the throttle's LCD when a button press or macro is engaged. This quieted that lacking REMark complaint to a barely audible murmur from me. To see a short definition of a key press on the LCD adds to a sense of total technology coolery.
  
  The multi language hardcopy manual looks loaded and promising but once opened you will be disappointed in the 30 pages of pertinent information that in part is a warrantee disclaimer and Saitek contact information. The manual that gets installed with the SST software doesn't mention the X52 at all but refers to the X36 and X45. One reference to setting milisecond timing for keypresses isn't correct with this version of the SST. There's still enough help available to understand the X52 adequately and it's a good guess that an update help system is in the making. By contrast the Cougar has an excellent hardcopy manual but in just a few hours I feel I know as much about the X52 as I do of the Cougar after two years of intermittent exposure. Sometimes less can be more.
  
  The SST programming software lacks a literal KEYTEST applet, as well as many other FOXY like application and programming aids. Any of the FOXY like applets would be a terrific addition to an otherwise great programming interface. I might add that within the X52's control panel is a TEST tab. When testing each button, POV, mode switch and rotary, there's has been an ever so slight jittering in one or the other rotaries. Right now, I'm seeing nothing so I won't know how that will fair in the future but for now, it is not a problem to me and at present, doesn't even exist.
  
  THE FINAL CONSENSUS
  
  Quality, at least in part, is in the eye of the beholder. The Saitek X52 is light weight plastic. The Thrustmaster is heavy duty aluminum. You can never compare the two on a price level. The Cougar's FOXY programming language interface with all it's tutorials, keytest applications and interactive graphical interface is without comparison. The X52 simply is no match for these two features. But the Cougar is more than twice the price and doesn't have the LEDs and informational mode LCD with three time zones, button engagement information and timer. But, in the end neither really performs any greater or less than the other. One is a Honda and the other is a Hummer. They're both terrific and will get you reliably to your destination. I wouldn't want to choose between them and I'd rather own them both if possible. If you want the most expensive and robust feel that performs extensively and well, then you need the Cougar. If want the coolest looking, feature laden outfit available, go for the X52. I love the X52. I won't know how it will work in two years like I know of the Cougar but for the moment, I'm a coon in a cabbage patch.
  
  
• The older X-45 was better
  By A2DMHDHPX0INAQ on 2005-10-17
  I have both an X-45, and now the X-52. I can honestly say, that for what I do (flight sims) the X-45 was superior. I shall explain.
  
  The best feature of the Saitek Flight Controls (upto the X-52) was the rudder axis being intigrated into the throttle quadrant. While not as useful as full blown rudder pedals, this arrangement allowed for precise control with out inadvertant rudder inputs. A very nice feature to be sure. The X-52 got rid of this excelent feature, and replaced it with a Microsoft Sidewinder-esque rudder-in-stick control. When you are flying a combat flight sim, and lining a guy up in your sights, the last thing you want to do is have the plane yaw hard as you crank back on the stick. This is the single worst feature of this stick.
  
  There are some ergonomic changes that I don't like also. The trim knobs on the trottle have been made "more cool" looking, and less simple to manipulate. They are too slick and stiff, and too big. The added buttons on the stick are nice, but the #2 button is not intuitive, it's just a flush black spot that doesn't look like a button unlike the rest of the buttons that glow quite brightly. The location of the saftied button is easier to reach now with out inadvertantly bumping the main view hat switch (this is about the only ergonomic improvement on the stick). The ability to program the "Mouse Hat" on the throttle as a conventional four or eight way hat swtich has been removed, and a button located on one of the trim wheels on the throttle doesn't seem to do any thing at all with out specifically programming it.
  
  Finally, there is the issue of what the stick looks like. I guess that the flashy look is popular, and the current craze of making every thing have lights is a good marketing stratagy, but it's not really useful, and more than that, it's distracting.
  
  The main plus to this new set up is the location of the attachment point from the throttle grip to the base. It just seems sturdier to have that point directly underneath the assembly, instead of the extreme end.
  
  All in all, I am not happy with this product. It works, and it has some functionality, but I feel it's a step back from the previous versions, both USB and Game Port Connector versions.
  
  
• It works on Vista for FSX, but we need new software...
  By A210PRFGUD4EKD on 2006-12-02
  I bought this after playing Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) for a couple of days using the keyboard and mouse. I actually got it from a local electrical retailer, who evidently didn't sell many of them and my box took a while to locate in some back-room somewhere and was covered in dust. It was also a third more than on Amazon.
  
  In any event I got it home, unpacked the box and plugged it's single USB connector in to my Toshiba Tecra M4 laptop running the final, released version of Windows Vista. Vista recognized it immediately and after some disk-access said it was done and that was it.
  
  I hadn't actually thought to shut down FSX during this and went I went to manage the controls in it, it appeared to have just discovered the X52 and defaulted various buttons to it. I was able to set a huge number of buttons to anything I want and spent some time configuring it the way I wanted. The only problem I had was I couldn't work out how to get some of the sliding controls to control anything; it all seemed to be on/off switches - even the flaps are two buttons (more flaps / less). I think one of the wiggly buttons on the throttle is supposed to replace the mouse, too but I couldn't get that to work and didn't miss it either as obviously I have a mouse so I don't consider this a big deal.
  
  I've been playing FSX very happily with the X52 ever since and it makes a huge difference to this game - highly recommended; much easier to control the various aircraft than with the keyboard and / or mouse.
  
  It came with a cd with some software on it that promised to offer various additional configuration options; I couldn't think what it could do that would be of use to me in FSX as I had everything I wanted but I thought I'd try and install it anyway to see. It didn't work on Vista so I still don't know if I'm missing anything there. Hopefully Saitek will bring out a version that runs on Vista at some point; I will keep an eye out although to be honest I am very happy with it just as it is and I don't plan to use it for anything other than FSX anyway so I don't think that's a very big deal, either.
  
  Overall, highly recommended if you are looking to run the new FSX from Microsoft.
  
  
• Just what the control tower ordered
  By A1ROG0LJRTQPY9 on 2005-07-26
  Ever since picking up BF2 I needed a new controller that could handle both choppers and jets. My original was a Logitech wingman..total garbage. That thing wouldn't calibrate correctly to save its life...which as a result, is forefeit. My concern moving foward was that twist stick rudders are often too sensitive or have a slight margin of error for chopper flight.
  
  After doing some research I bought the Saitek X45, which had great reviews and was a pretty good set up. It was unequalled with the control it gave you over the choppers since the rudders were easily controllable on the left thrust stick, rather than with a twist rudder on the joystick. The problem is, as soon as I switched from chopper to jets I found it very cumbersome to fly correctly, since I would have to think about what I wanted my left hand to do with the toggle rudder while trying to make intense flight decisions with my right. I did a full day of dogfighting head to head with the x45 and came to the conclusion that I just could not manuever fast enough with that rudder system, so back it went.
  
  That leads us up to ...the SAITEK X52. For about $100-$130 bucks I am completely satisfied with the way this thing performs. It has a comfortable, flowing feel to it, with the tension on the throttle adjustable, as well as the height of the hand rest. I will say that at first the twist stick rudder did exactly what I feared, as soon as I got in a chopper it oversteered. However, one great feature about the x52 is the ability to set the dead zones where the stick will not react even if you twist it. With a little tweeking this thing now flys both choppers and jets with complete control. I haven't gotten into the profile set up yet, but that will come as needed. Overall its a great looking great feeling controller. It is a bit light, but the rubber pads at the bottom keep it in place even while making quick, broad moves. And if you need to, it has both suction cups or preset holes to mount it to the desk. If your looking for a comfortable, responsive controller without paying an absolute fortune, this is a good purchase.
  
  
• Amazing value. Reliable performance.
  By A283UX5S0CMQGY on 2006-04-01
  I will try not to repeat everything already said in these reviews, but the stick is an amazing value and hard not to praise. The fact that the price is so reasonable makes this an unbeatable HOTAS period!
  
  Prior to purchasing the X52, I was using the low-end sticks like the MS Sidewinder series, and most recently the Logitech Extreme 3DPro. The problem was, as an avid flight simmer, I was wearing out the sticks every 1-2 months of heavy usage. New, out-of-the-box, the low end sticks were fine, but the potentiometers wore out and controls started spiking within weeks. After researching the alternatives thoroughly, I decided to give the X52 a try.
  
  That was over 6 months ago now, and I have logged hundreds of hours of usage with nary a glitch. The signals are still as steady as the day I bought the system and I still do not need to use the deadzone adjustments to compensate. No buttons are loose, nothing is falling off and all the lights and led panel still work. I am amazed at the rugged reliability to date since I can be fairly hard on controllers in the heat of battle.
  
  Of course every rose has its thorn and the X52 is no exception. With the CH products the thorn would be the cost. With the X52 its a bit more subtle. Besides MS Flight Sim 2004, I fly the IL2 Forgotten battle series and this is where the only limitation of the X52 comes into play. In a WW2 flight sim where the only air-to-air weapon is a set of fixed place machine guns, it is imperative that I get the gunsights properly and steadily placed to hit my target. The problem is X52 has a noticable built-in hardware deadzone from the center. In practical terms, what this means is I cannot make a tiny adjustment in pitch without an inordinate movement of the stick. Over time it became less problematic as I adjusted and compensated for this, but it remains an annoyance nonetheless. I feel like I have to be just "that much better" to fly in combat with this stick successfully than with another stick. It's hard to describe, but any sim pilot needing small precision movements or corrections from center will know exactly what I mean. If you fly jets with lock-on style ordinance, you will notice no drawbacks.
  
  Overall, I could not be more hearty in my recommendation of this HOTAS. It's value is unchallenged to date and its reliability is a refreshing change from the low end sticks I was use to. Ironically, in the long run, this stick has actually saved me money over the low-end sticks I used to have to replace every couple months at $25 a pop.
  
  
• Sorry, but a good HOTAS is found in the details
  By A1DW87MS37RV36 on 2006-02-03
  The GOOD:
  - A very complicated stick and throttle with oodles of hats and buttons, two rotaries, a slider, and a mouse controller including a wheel. The stick also has a twist function, but I didn't use it much because I already have pedals.
  - The stick is very long and has very light springs, which makes precise control possible even if you're a bit ham-handed.
  - The pinky trigger is adjustable in height for different hand sizes.
  - The whole setup plugs in to one USB port and is recognized by Windows as one device, which is useful for older, slightly more retarded games that can only use one input device.
  - It looks really cool in the dark with the all the little blue lights on.
  - It's CHEAP. Less than half the price of the Cougar or the CH Fighterstick and Pro Throttle. This is the main reason I bought the X52. I wanted to graduate from a joystick to a HOTAS system, and this was the cheapest thing I could find. If that's your motivation, though, you might want to read on...
  
  The BAD:
  - There are some ergonomic problems with the stick and throttle. I think I have pretty average sized hands, but I found myself sliding my hand up and down the throttle a lot, trying to reach all the controls. The hat switches on the head of the stick are hard to reach without loosening your grip and stretching your thumb up.
  - Saitek's programming software is called SST. SST is, for lack of a less degrading word, just f___ing nuts. The GUI is one of the least intuative I've ever used. It's hard to visualize complicated HOTAS functions with the setup, and even harder to figure out how to get it to do what you want it to. Worse, the program crashed frequently on my system, at least twice resulting in a corrupted profile, meaning that I had to start all over. You'd probably have to use the program to understand how annoying it is, but I wouldn't wish that on anyone.
  - The mode switch only switches modes. It can't be programmed to do anything else, making it harder to synchronize modes in SST to modes in the game.
  - Hope your flight sim has built-in support for rotaries, because the rotaries can't be programmed with increment and decrement functions. You can only split them in to "bands" and give them seperate commands for each band. Logically, this means they're only useful on commands which each have their own key assigned, are somehow related and yet also mutually exclusive. How often does that happen?
  - Four months after I bought it, all functions on the stick started cutting out randomly and intermittently. I checked cable connections, reinstalled the software, and switched USB ports. Alas, the problem kept getting worse. When the stick started losing calibration mid-flight, I had had enough. I e-mailed Saitek Customer Support about the problem, but I still haven't got a response almost a month later. Finally I got tired of waiting and went and bought a Cougar (this last problem might have been a blessing in disguise).
  
  All in all, the X52 is just a disappointment. I would say you get what you pay for, but that's not really true either. You get little toggle switches, pretty blue lights and a useless MFD, but they couldn't bother to make their programming software stable and user-friendly. Saitek's priorties are just in the wrong place. They spent time building a cute GUI with a nice 3d model of the stick and throttle, but they didn't realize you might want to program functions to the mode stick or use a button as a toggle between two commands. They need to realize that the HOTAS concept is about function over form.
  
  
  
• O.K, for some stuff
  By A33WJ0V8GAWCNU on 2006-05-31
  I imagine this would be good for some, but I don't much like it. First, the 'MFD' is really just a clock. Which has it's benefits in Flight Sim, but pretty limited, considering how much they tout it. I find it useful for traffic patterns, but not much else. The stick itself has some main flaws. The first being the spring is nowhere near stiff enough for the flight simmers. If you fly a combat game, and want fast reflexes, it's fine (other than the MASSIVE deadzone, which really, really sucks). The other main, and worst part, is the way the stick works. It uses a plastic ring on the base. This poses a problem, when you are trying to hold a slight nose down attitude, say on landing, and you try to aileron left or right, the nose begins to porpoise severly. I've tried everything from settings to a new, heavier spring, but the fact is, it's a design flaw. The more you pull on the stick, the faster the control surface will move. This presents a problem. If you pull back on the stick in a slow, continuous speed movement, and watch your elevators, they will move slowly at first, until they hit about 2/3, at which they will hit full stop with even the slightest movement rearward. This makes it almost impossible to perform smooth visual approaches. It's a nice stick if you're not really hardcore, and the throttle quad is really well designed.
  
  
• Great idea, bad implementation
  By AOAF7CDZM816T on 2005-02-01
  To be honest, I really like my x52 and plan to keep using it. However it could be so much better because of a few problems.
  
  Problem #1, can't recalibrate. You'ld think some program that came with the 52 would be able to recalibrate the joystick, but no, it requires editing registry settings in regedit. Fine for a guy that knows computers but a bit advanced for others.
  
  Problem #2, a lot of people are experiancing a huge dead-zone that is apparantly a hardware, not a software issue. Please read the forums at saitek for this issue at
  saitekforum.com/showthread.php?t=6176
  
  Problem #3, the mouse wheel does not work. See this thread at the saitek forums for more info.
  saitekforum.com/showthread.php?t=6264
  
  Possible problem #1, the stick is HUGE, and this size gets some getting used to. It feels like you have to throw the stick back and forth because it is so tall
  
  Possible problem #2, the response curve for the joystick is different than for other joysticks. I've heard that the curve is linear instead of logarithmic. I don't know if this is true, but you have to adjust your in-game settings in order to get this stick to feel like others (In Pacific-Fighters, which is what I play, this means sliding all the sliders for the joystick responses way up). Furthermore, there is no Saitek utility to edit this response curve, if there isn't an in-game joystick response option page in your favorite game, you're stuck with what you're given here.
  
  There are other problems posted by users at the Saitek forums, but I have not experianced them personally. My recomendation is to read through the forums and see if you can handle the risk involved in getting the stick.
  
  My subjective conclusion: great idea and design, but it lacks quality assurance.
  
  
• Best flight controller ever!
  By A1357R0T2DCJDI on 2005-10-17
  If you're serious about flight sims there's only one controller you have got to have and that's the x52. Great throttle controls and a very responsive stick. Highly programmable and worth every penny.
  
  
• Very good Joystick
  By A3DIEBU257KDW9 on 2006-08-19
  The X52 replaced my old X45 Saitek and I find it much better in every way from the old stick, very much more sensitive to stick input. It is one of the most versatile sticks I have ever used and lives up to the praise that has been direct its way on this forum. If it had force feed feel to it that would have been awesome, but as is it is performs very well on the various flight sims.
  
  The hardware is very nicely done and it has hardy feel to it, the spring action of the joystick is a little too light for my preference but I was use to the hard feel of the X45 so that may account for that.
  
  I tried it on the MS FSX beta and it was excellent. I fly on IL2 Forgotten Battles everyday and it has improved my game. With the new Saitek rudder pedals it will be one of the very best setups going. I feel it is worth the money and an well satisfied with this purchase.
  
  
  
• Best joystick I have ever owned
  By A1C7UZA0VJKIEL on 2005-01-16
  The last joystick I have own was the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro. That thing seems like nothing compared to this. The picture you see at Amazon makes it seem like it is very small, but it is a pretty good size.
  
  I don't know what this jotsick could be without the throttle. It brings out the full effect of the X52. The stick is what makes it thought. It takes awhile to get used to because it is so easy to turn. When I saw all the the fire buttons and everything on this I said to myself "Man, I need Combat Flight Simulator for this thing".
  
  There is a button on the throttle that acts like your mouse. When you are in the middle of a flight of you can use that button on your throttle, instead of taking your hand of of the joystick to use it. I thought it was a really handy feature. I can't even start to name everything you can do with this.
  
  The way it looks really boosts the rating. When I plugged it in the my 2.0 USB port, and I looked at it, basically everything was glowing blue. It was the coolest thing I have ever seen! It might seem funny for me liking the joystick because it looks cool, but you have to give it some credit for that.
  
  I was at Best Buy one day and I saw the X45. I pulled the throttle back on it, and it wouldnt stay in place. I went to Saitek's website and I noticed that they had a different model, the X52. I saw the features and I saw that this one had suction cups! So none of you have to worry about the problem the X45 had.
  
  
  I hope my review was helpful and I would highly recommend this product, "Saitek X52"
  
  
  
• Realy very Good Flight Control System
  By AW6UV711YL9F1 on 2006-02-28
  Hi, i am Captain Chitrangan Gaurav
  These are not only words - This is Really very Good Flight Control System as shown on the website compaired to any one.. Saitek make realy very good game controls always.
  As I am a pilot of jet fighter trainer airplane. It Has A JoyStick control system like Fighter jet F-16,18,22 OR MIG-21 Have.
  So i always fly simulated before my real flight to practice maneuvers, Take off/Landings etc..!! for that reasion i need the extreamly high quality flight control systems for my flight simulator. SO I CHOSE THIS SAITEK X52. Three Things i liked Most in it which is Multi functional Display with Soft Controls, Programm ablity and Quality.
  It is Truly Proffessional... it helps me a lot.
  BUT FOR ME: The only thing is Not Satisfying me is that, Flying as a Captain.. throttle must be at starboard(right) position and joystick control must be at Port(left) Position.
  But Still it is Exellent for begginers or first officers.
  
  
• Horrid RMA policy, plus poor quality manufacturing and software
  By A2GPCSCSFW41B4 on 2005-10-14
  The worst part of the X52 is Saitek's RMA policy, which I suspect any purchaser of the X52 stands about a 25% chance of experienceing first hand.
  
  Saitek's RMA policy is as follows: "Turnaround time for exchanges/repairs is 10 business days after we receive the unit at our offices. Replacement/Repaired units are shipped back via UPS Ground(typically takes 7-12 business days)."
  
  This means that should something go wrong with your stick, you will be without your stick for around a month (the week it takes the stick to get to them, the 2 weeks they take get the stick back in the mail to you, and the week the stick spends in the mail on its return trip).
  
  Further, during this entire process, Saitek cannot easily provide you any insight into where in their process your stick is, or even if they've received it. If you want to know what's happening with your stick, you will have to call them, make a request for information, and then wait 24-48 hours (and by that I can only assume they mean 1 to 2 business days) to see if your request was, in fact, honored.
  
  As far as your chances of experiencing this situation, I don't have any hard numbers on which to base my estimate of 25%. However, this is the second Saitek stick I've purchased that has had a switch die on me, meaning that this has happend to 100% of the Saitek sticks I've owned. This is compared to the 0% of the switches that have died on me on the 4 CH Products controllers I've owned.
  
  In addition to those particularly bad experiences with Saitek sticks, you might want to consider these experiences, too:
  * This person's experience with a possibly bad potentiometer (http://www.visualflight.co.uk/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3400)
  * The fact that the latest set of drivers released by Saitek to Microsoft Update don't work, and are a pain to roll back (Personal experience and http://www.saitekforum.com/showthread.php?t=7837&page=3&pp=15 )
  * The fact that you occasionally have to unplug and plug back in the X52 to get it to work (Personal experience and alluded to in the previous two references)
  
  Finally, you should consider what you're getting. The features of the Saitek stick and supporting software really pale in comparison when up against CH Products' complete set of offerings. True, the Saitek stick is either half the price (or less) of the complete set of CH Products' controllers, but you're likely to never have to return your CH Products controller (or if you do, CH Products makes a concerted effort to get the stick back to you as quickly as possible. You can check out http://www.ch-hangar.com/ for testimonials to that effect).
  
  All in all, I'd really like to have the $130 I blew on the X52 back so I could either give it to CH Products, or go buy something from www.betainnovations.com.
  
  
• Crap...
  By A1QH0HQU6AAFSI on 2006-05-01
  This is your idea of a HOTAS? I bought one just out of curiosity and had the same problems...Deadzone is horrible, then the thing crapped out on me after 2 1/2 weeks. Better off saving your money and getting a Cougar or CH Fighterstick and Pro Throttle. I have an upgraded Cougar and NOTHING compares to it.
  
  The x52 just felt like it should be labelled "by Hasbro", very cheap feel to it and don't expect it to last very long, less if you do combat flying.
  
  
  
• A lot of fun, so far!
  By A2HXGDFF5UU3BL on 2007-01-18
  I bought the X52 set along with Saitek's rudder pedals. The rudder pedals are useless, as well as Saitek's support, but the X52 set is great! Having separated throttle control from the "stick" makes it feel much more realistic than having to keep both hands on the joystick to control everything. The throttle(s) in most combat aircraft are on the left side of the cockpit, not on the control stick, so the X52 allows you to position them that way. Button positions and the shapes of the stick and throttle grip feel very comfortable and naturally placed, even in the heat of near-sonic combat over Iraq. The blue backlighting around the buttons is cool, too! I just hope they hold together for a long time, because Saitek's support of their products is weak. See my review of their pedals for details about that. I also own a set of CH Product's rudder pedals. Combine the X52 hand controls with CH Product's Pro Rudder Pedals and you have a winning combination! So far, I can't fault the X52, so I gave it five stars.
  
  
• great gift
  By A1H7EOU77J7V2P on 2005-10-17
  this made a super birthday gift for a 13 yr old boy who has everything. He loved it!!
  
  
• Not a suitable joystick and throttle for online flight sims.
  By A2IQBNQWDWOD4S on 2007-06-16
  I bought the Saitek X52 joystick and throttle when my Microsoft Sidewinder began to wear out. I intended to use it mainly for massive multiplayer online flight simulators (Aces High II). While the stick and throttle are very aesthetically pleasing, with a dazzling array of buttons, hats, switches, sliders, and leds, it suffers from a few fundamental design flaws.
  
  The first and most fatal (in the online flight sim world anways) is that the control throws are simply too large. Whereas a normal joystick (such as the Microsoft Sidewinder) reaches maximum deflection (pulling back on the stick) in one or two inches, the X-52 requires perhaps twice that amount. The same goes for the throttle. The simple physical distance required to go from minimum to maximum is just too far. This translates into diminished reaction times.
  
  The second flaw is the tension of the joystick. First, its very loose. I would prefer that the spring be twice as strong as it is. Even better would be a system which increased tension as one pulled farther back on the stick. But instead, the stick puts forth a very weak and sloppy resistance. This translates into inadvertently losing control of one's aircraft. The second part of the tension flaw is balance. The tension of the rudder is around twice that of the roll and pitch axis. The entire joystick wants to move when applying rudder pressure, and it is much more difficult to line up for a shot with this unbalanced rudder.
  
  One final flaw is that the buttons are to far apart. I have large hands, and its difficult for even me to reach them all. And even when I can reach them, they are spaced so far apart that I lose accuracy when deploying ordnance.
  
  So in summation, if you enjoy spending time in the competitive online world of combat flight simulators, this is not the stick and throttle for you. Its really quite a shame, the X-52 is a good looking setup, and it completely programmable. But the sad fact of the matter is, the X-52 is a downgrade from the range of $40 joysticks on the market today.
  
  
• Outstanding controls / Good looks!
  By A507OVWJFL4O7 on 2005-01-11
  Though it took a long time to arrive (ordered 12/3, arrived 1/8) it was worth the wait.
  
  Great controls - x/y axis, twist function, weapons toggle, thrust control and digital display. I will reserve it for the more intense combat flight simulations UMI Lock-on.
  
  Excellent job Saitek!!!
  
  
  
• Customize me
  By A26L1PSARRN597 on 2005-06-27
  This isn't your typical plug-and-play device. For maximum enjoyment from this control, one must actually spend the time to program the stick to do what you want it to. All the time that is spent programming the controls for every flippin' game you own is worth it when you realize that you can actually use it on every game you own. The stick is fully programmable which means that you can have it take over actual keystrokes. (A fun upshot of this feature was to use it as my keyboard during a chat session.) Sure it's not quick and easy, but it's what a game controller should be for the PC.
  
  
• Sweet!
  By A3O0NOOWJGZP8M on 2005-08-23
  I'm not going to going into a long detailed review I am just gonna give to you all straight up. First of all I dont really care for all of the pretty lights and bright looking futuristic funky joysticks that are similar to this. This joystick however caught my attention. For all that this includes and what it is; you can't beat the price on Amazon. I paid ~$98 including expedited delivery now c'mon that is one heck of a price. The overall functions of this joystick rock; yes there are several buttons to program and it can be difficult but not impossible. The joystick can seem a little loose especially when you are in some intense dogfights but the software that comes with it allows you to adjust the joystick so it isn't so bad. The lights can be turned off so it doesn't look so funky (some people might like them...) The throttle is awesome, it gives so much more precise control. The ergonomics are great as well, the joystick and the throttle both have a really good feel to them and even have rubber padding. In ending, it may not be the same as having rudder pedals but really if you have the money and this is something you can afford; get it. If you try to go for anything else you will either get something really cheap and not worth getting or you will be paying a huge wad of cash for another joystick that will most likely be about the same.
  
  
• X-cellent features and X-cellently good looking HOTAS
  By AKP1G1RDWE93A on 2005-09-17
  I bought this one because I have been wanting a joystick for the longest time. Last time I used one was a Logitech, which was adeqaute but uninspiring.
  Found this one, and although I thought the price was a bit steep, but if its good, then it'll probably be worth it.
  Not too many hours on this baby yet, and not to bore people with repeated comments, this is my opinion, here's the pros:
  
  -Look really nice, so what if it doesn't look like a real flight stick, its appealing on my desk. All those buttons tell you how much you can do with this monster, and it works!
  
  -The stick is good to handle, and smooth, and the actions have quality feel to it.
  
  -Throttle has adjustable resistance to make it feel like you are really pushing it.
  
  And the cons, well, to me there is, so that's why the 4 stars.
  
  -build quality is not 100%, some corners and edges are not smooth, and has imperfection. Looking at reviews pics on other gaming sites, it seems this only applies to mine :(
  
  -Problem with default deadzone on the stick meant that you have to move quite a bit to see the reaction on the screen, but appearently this can be resolved through RTM or configuration, depends on how serious your problem is.
  
  -I think this one is more like a wish list, ie, I wish that the throttle would have this neat feature of moving to the correct postion when autothrottle is on/off, just like in a real plane, because you might not know where to shift it to when autothrottle is off, and resulting in rough ride (virtually).
  
  Overall, good quality stuff, whole-hearted recommendation to get this if you like to fly!!
  
  
• This is an awesome joystick!
  By A2HUYAO4PSU3KZ on 2006-08-20
  This is my first HOTAS, but I did a good bit of research. It is very easy to set up, and the SST Programming is very helpful setting the shift key. The joystick is easy to move, which is nice in a close dogfight. I am very glad that I bought this HOTAS, because I have had NO problems with it. I highly recommend this system to anyone.
  
  
• shortages
  By A1URBIX20MJZFP on 2005-03-08
  I LIKE THE FEATURES ON THE X52. HOWEVER I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO USE THE TWIST RUDDER AND COMBINATIONS OF BUTTONS NEEDED TO KEEP INFORMATION OR A TARGET IN VIEW. THE GRIP ALSO FORCES ME TO MAKE A LOT OF LEFT TURNS BECAUSE WRISTS DO NOT BEND BACK AS EASILY AS THEY TURN IN. IN SHORT THIS WOULD BE A GREAT JOYSTICK WITH THE ADDITION OF A RUDDER ROCKER OPTION OR REPLACE THE TWIST GRIP. I HAVE AN X 52 BUT HAVE GONE BACK TO AN X45.
  
  
• The complete package.
  By A1W7NPJL2NMQOM on 2006-02-28
  This set up is really cool. The hardware itself works great, set up is easy and there is no denying it looks great, especially in low light condition. Set up was quite easy (pretty much plug and play). The softwatre that came with it to assign profiles is confusing and not useful for me. I did load the FS2004 profile from the Saitek web site and found it to be unuseful. The assingments through the actual FS are a lot easier to use and allows me to customize the way I use. There are so many buttons and switches on this set up, I haven't explored or used half of them. I've only used with FS2004.
  
  One thing I don't really like- the throttle is set up for left hand use, when in he real worl, pilots control the throttle (for the most part) with their right hands. To add realism this trottle needs to be made available in reverse. This is a small dislike however and all in all I really like this set up. I wish Saitek would come out with an actual companion yolk. There needs to be more competition in that area.
  
  
• Saitek X52 is better than the X45.
  By A1NR5XYHJFSIO5 on 2006-03-21
  I got the X52 to replace a broken X45, it was not defective it was broken by accident. When I bought this the X45 was hard to find. I really liked my X45 but with used prices (...)plus shipping and new units (...)plus shipping the X52 for only a few dollars more made sense. I like the X52 and think it is slightly better than the X45. I like the layout of buttons and the adjustable flight stick handle. The X45 flight stick handle was always a little too small even with the plastic pinky button removed. That said, I wouldn't upgrade to the X52 if you have a functional X45 because it isn't that much of an upgrade. The X52, for the price/features, is the best HOTAS you can find. The lcd screen is, however, really just a gimmick.
  
  
• SIMPLY AMAZING
  By A11JMZLIZH4FHC on 2006-07-15
  this flight control is the best of the best easy to instal and use cool LED lights and LCD readout make it glow in a dark room i have hours of fun with it and never get bored if you combine this bad boy with microsoft flight sim 2004 your in for a great time
  
  

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