The review is valid but, the current inflated price of Thrustmaster offerings makes the higher-end options a better choice if you're looking to get into this now. My opinion of course. Warthog hotas is sitting at 700-900$ on amazon right now. If you're going to pay that, get VKB or Virpil with adjustable gimbles and many other options TM doesn't offer.
you also mention one big con at least for me - as far as I can see in your vid. which is the lack of a yaw-axis - to perform roll in space games like SC ?
1. Rolling with twist makes you weird. 2. I don't count that as a con for "replica" sticks, since the original doesn't have it either. Though I like twist to yaw, and I currently use it, once I get used to pedals I like them, mine just don't stay put on my cement floor
@@marczamp4737 well, since that I have got a Gladiator nxt and modded a twcs throttle. Works pretty good, at least until vulcan and proper optimizations come (because even with an rx 6800 xt I have basically -30% fps and max 85% gpu usage when the game is in focus... instant +30% fps and 99% gpu usage when I alt+tab out. Not a great motivation to make me play).
They are, but they're hard to find currently. I had to buy a new stick base last July after my old one went out and the only place I could find one (at a reasonable price and not an extreme mark up) was on Walmart's site with 2 left in stock. It sucks for sure and I feel your pain. Hell, I've been wanting to get some Virpil gear, and I had to scrounge around to luckily find the WinWing F/A 18 Hornet throttle and the two control panels. It's rough for simmers right now. Covid and the MSFS release has definitely contributed to the major shortage
@@christopherhanifan7923 Amazing reply, man! ORDERED VIA WALMART - Thank you - I read on WinWing's forums that their new throttle is stocking up sometime tomorrow. Hope it's true.
I managed to buy mine at RRP of £355 in June 2020,then added a 6 inch stick extension which removes stiction and increases fine movement. I next got the TPR pedals (the best that exist!) and the F18 stick. There's a PlayStation mod for the targeting 'nipple' that works much better. VERY pleased the Thrustmaster setup!
Whoever told you that an extension eliminated stiction was either ignorant or misleading you. Stiction occurs when wear and tear on the ball and cup gimbal causes the cup to bind to the ball. This can be avoided by maintaining your grease in the gimbal and in most cases sanding down any rough spots on the ball and cup. If anything an extension is going to cause more wear and exacerbate stiction not the other way around due to the fact that the stick will have much more lever arm on the gimbal.
@@FalconsLedge It reduces stiction to the point of elimination by increasing the leverage moment on the ball and socket. That one simple mod transformed my warthog stick!
@@ColinDyckes if you have stiction and you put an extension on, it would appear to eliminate stiction due to the change in the lever angle. The stiction will come back with time. I'm sorry but I'm 100% positive that adding an extension does not prevent stiction.
@@ColinDyckes don't get me wrong, extensions are great, and I recommend using them, but because they help stiction(which they don't), but better because they help with accuracy.
With the prices of these somehow skyrocketing for a 10+ year design, I went with the Winwing orion setup. $499 and it let me pick up an joystick extension and MFG crosswinds for almost the same price as the warthog.
@@FalconsLedge Yeah, no. If I lived in China? Yeah. But that 499$ quickly turns into 700$+++, when you add the shipping costs, VAT, and import duties on top of the MSRP, putting it into Virpil's/VKB boutique stuff price territory, and nearly twice the Warthog price.
@@TheKain202 Where d you live that charges you 200+ in import and VAT? I paid 50 on top of the price of my throttle to get it shipped plus import. Warthog throttle? Not bad, Warthog stick? Well it works and feels decent, Warthog gimbal hell no, that thing is horribly oudated and prone to issues. Not worth it.
@@FalconsLedge Poland. 23% VAT. 8% customs, + shipping will easily get it into 700+ territory. I guess Poland doesn't have that big of a sim community, covid and the like didn't hit the prices all too much. Bought my Warthog for 2000pln(~350-400$ depending on exchange rate) in 2019, and it still goes for about as much. at that price, winwing's Orion is not exactly competitive - getting it home would cost me at least 3500pln. At almost twice the price not nearly the same pricing tier.
@@TheKain202 since I can't compare vat, and customs and taxes and all that other stuff from every single country I go by MSRP. I'd still take Winwing, VKB, or Virpil over buying a warthog any day. Heck, when I had a gladiator NXT and Warthog together I found myself preferring the NXT over the warthog stick.
What throttle to get? Been driving myself (and the HOTAS discord probably) nuts with this question. Unless the WW comes with detents and/or those finger lifts included as a stand-alone offering, it will have to be the WH for me. And I too can tell you why .. :D I can get the TM delivered within a day or two from any number of vendors in my country (Germany) for a pretty decent price - amazon has it for €239 incl shipping at the moment. WW Orion 2 would be €320 incl shipping and import duties. Unless it doesn't include detents/finger-lifts in which case it'll be more like €400 (shipping cost for the lifts are a bit insane ... $50 for the throttle on its own, $17 more if you also want the lifts shipped). And since we have to pay import duties on product price + shipping cost, this drives up the final price even further. And €400 is just €100 away from my actual dream-throttle (Virpil) so the WW is out at that price. My other reason/point is that I think if you have to allocate funds between stick and throttle (which I will do), the stick will always have the higher priority for me - it's just more important than the throttle, since you use it way more often and more, errr.. intensely. My current plan is to either see if I can get a second hand deal on the WW Orion 2 or, if that fails, get the WH to replace my TWCS and then either the Virpil WarBRD or VKB GF to replace my Gladiator NXT Evo. Not that the Evo is bad or anything (far, far from it, actually), but I will need more buttons than my KG-12 has and I also think that after 20+ years of simming mostly on mid-range plastic products, it's time to go metal/high-end. I think I've earned it... :D
The Orion 2 has finger lifts and detents. The Orion is a full decade ahead of the WH. The WH is NOT WORTH THE COST. The Orion has bottom events when coming up to idle and into the off position, WH doesn't. Orion has full metal internals, WH doesn't. Orion has radar elevation axis, WH doesn't. Orion has an analog slew, the Warthog has an absolutely garbage "nub" that is aggravating to use, and very inaccurate. There is no comparison between these devices. Don't be impatient, buy the best, not the convenient.
I was about to pair the Warthog throttle with the Gladiator NXT, but your review just convinced me NOT to get the Warthog throttle. Guess I'll either wait for the TECS or splash out on the MongooseT.
The throttle is good, very heavy, but I do wish it had a good analog stick. With a $65 modification you can add an analog stick, which helps a lot. The orion throttle from winwing shows a lot of promise, but I don't know if they sell it separately from their orion stick.
Same here. Got my Gladiator NXT yesterday. I also want to wait for the TECS but it seems that they're delaying infinitely. And the Virpil Throttle is way too expensive. :(
Thrustmaster's design is way different to the others...mainly because it was released with a specific pattent. Now the question is do you prefer playing with cams and springs, or with a fixed solution?
Fixed solution as in FSSB or cams and springs vs ball and cup like thrustmaster? I think thrustmaster has the worst of the high end solutions, but not specifically because of the design but the materials. If the TM gimbal was metal they'd be in pretty good shape. I really want to do some real testing with FSSB, but have not had a long term test with it and can't really form a full opinion on it. Theoretically it's great, and I really hope to get more time with it soon.
this has been an interesting review. My “high end” stick has been the X-65F for the past 8 years. I’ve flown falcon bms, an F-16C simulator, and it has served me very well. Venturing into DCS around 2014, I realized how much I enjoy flying other platforms, especially helos and the force sensing on the X-65 can definitely throw you off in other aircraft. I wanted to stick with something similar to the F-16 stick so, I purchased the F-16 stick from thrustmaster and have paired it with the Virpil warbird as well as the T-50cm3 throttle allowing for a more versatile set up while keeping my familiarity with the F-16 stick. Although there are back orders on such products, It only took about a month for all of it to get to me, so I think the wait is worth it if you plan on getting virpil products. I just wonder how nice the thrustmaster stick will play with the virpil base. Excellent review!
The grip itself is the best part of the thrustmaster stick. It has a great feel to it, I would recommend using heavier springs with it since it has a higher pendulum load on the gimbal. I haven't ventured into talking about the x65 since I've never used one. Hopefully I'll get a chance to compare the experience to other solutions.
@@FalconsLedge Man, for being a viper guy, the X-65F was like peanut butter to jelly. Smooth force sensing controls translated so well from BMS to the DCS viper, I didn’t even need to add any dead zones or curves. My only complaint was the throttle has these flimsy plastic rotaries that die out (based on your X-56 review, it’s damn there the same throttle with the same issues). My sensors pretty much crapped out on me with constant stutters that made for an absolute headache. Other than that, it was a pure joy. Still works, too. I’ll probably go back to it just for old times sake. They should honestly keep making them.
Great joystick, I have had mine for a few months, I just find it awkward to use with the large base, so am trying to design a mount that fits to the front of my chair...
I threw a couple of wooden ones together for $20 using two C clamps , some screws and some 90 degree L brackets. I am looking to build some custom aluminum Extruded ones that naturally I'll post on here with a how-to video.
Why don't you just place it on your chair and sit on top of it (joystick inbetween your legs? That's what I do and it's comfortable with F--16 and F/A-18 grip without wrist rest.
@@EbonySeraphim Thanks, but too late, I made 2 fixtures with some wood and metal brackets. The throttle is permanently fixed to the side, but the joystick is easily removable.
@@Hobbes22 No hair off my back. Curious though, did what I said make sense? I think it's strange hardly anyone (who posts on UA-cam) uses it that way. It's super close to where it's supposed to be straight out of the box and works with a any normal desk and chair. The only downside I can think of is that your chair needs to be maybe a foot or two back from your desk so the joystick doesn't touch the desk on full deflection forward. I have long arms and legs so I can still reach a forward throttle (though my desk now has a side return), and rudder pedals.
I got the stick around the time this video was posted and stiction is already a noticable issue. Cost me about $750 for the hotas and I knew it was above market but my x52pro was suffering from centering issues during a time where the stock for PC hardware in general was not available. I would probably recomend passing on the TMW. I've gotta open this thing up now, and re-grease with Nyogel767A which was an additional $50. It has been a love hate relationship. I miss having more axis like the x52.. prop and mixture controls in flight sim just aren't as good when bound to digital hats.. in addition, there is a severe lack of momentary switches, and since the flap switches are not momentary, they won't work as you might expect in any sim apart from specifically the A10 in DCS. You can use their convoluted TARGET scripting language with a custom profile that tricks the driver into allowing 128 button support and making the flaps act as momentary software side but you still physically need to return them to center every time you extend. In addition to the annoyance if having their software running before you load a simulator / game and having their service startup with your PC. Overall, many oversights for an expensive piece of kit. I'm still torn if I like it more than my x52. I do appreciate the more premium build quality and weight. It's a step above the toyish feel of the x52.. but in all honesty, I would recommend looking elsewhere for the same budget.. perhaps winwing.
@@EazyE11 judging by the return rate, and long long list of user issues on virtually every forum out there, yes it appears so. This happens quite frequently when you critique products.
@@FalconsLedge I might be a bit late to this discussion, but my X56 is a nightmare. Throttle: 2 Way switches on the throttle base have 2mm play in either direction, went from nice clicky feel to mushy, mini sticks have HUUGE zone where it doesnt center (20 Deadzone in DCS), 4 Way also have 2mm play in either direction, the 2 way on the back tends to stick in the down position after pressing, rotaries got sloppy after 6 months of owning it. Stick: I have to set 12 as a deadzone in dcs. The centering mechanism sticks, doesnt center well, and when i grease it i have to bump up the deadzone to 15. Ministick has terrible center (20 Deadzone in DCS again) Trigger is okay-ish, you just dont feel the button press, only the trigger bottoming out. Trimhat has 2mm play in all directions, the 4 way under that 1mm of play and the POV hat has maybe ~0.5mm of play. I really dont like it, and my Virpil gear should arrive today.
It depends on your goals. You see, the warthogs status as a replica of sorts gives it more value for those looking for an A10 hotas. I honestly think for the money today, the winwing orion is a much better stick than the Warthog.
Nice review. I suppose it can have a few components upgraded and agree about the plastic gimble but as a HOTAS I still think it is a great unit. I have had mine for only a year but had a x52 since 2008 so you can get some longevity out of a good HOTAS. Keep up the good work.
I dont mean to be offtopic but does anyone know of a way to get back into an Instagram account?? I was stupid lost my password. I appreciate any assistance you can offer me
@Enrique Ruben I really appreciate your reply. I found the site on google and Im trying it out atm. Seems to take quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
@@FalconsLedge Thanks for the reply! i hated the spring centering gimbal on the X55 and on most plastic constructed flight sticks had such and a ridged feel to it. I can live with remapping yaw on a different button on the hotas warthog.
@@bcxii9684 getting some pedals is great, I use a set of Logitech pro pedals. They aren't amazing, but they get the job done, and I find them to be more comfortable than the narrower models
It's a good stick especially if you want a replica. As for features and quality, there are better options nowadays. Hopefully thrustmaster comes out with a competing product soon.
I can get the warthog combo for 420 dollar new in sweden. Is there another joystick combo (throttle and joystick) i can get that is ”better” for the same price or? Would love to get some feedback.
@@DanneJensen Yeah thats always tough from China. gut iMO its totally worth it. You are talking about a joystick and throttle with complete metal internals for a couple hundred more than the warthog.
@@FalconsLedge haha now im looking at the F18 HOTAS with Mount/Extension(SUPER LIBRA+SUPER TAURUS) for 947 dollars.i really want the extension and mount. Im just a casual player that plays mfs2020 but want a stick next to my yoke to swap. Gonna see how much the tax and shipping is for this one.
@@enderkayhan555 it has no z axis. If actually recommend going with a Winwing Orion over the Warthog, it's a better solution, and has a z axis as an option
It's funny how Thrustmaster was one of the first and best joystick companies around, but now they have fallen way behind other companies. Those new companies saw the opportunity with all the flight sim programs and enthusiastic users with cash to spend and have produced modern products. At $300 for this outdated tech, I would just save the money and get a WinWing Orion which MSRP is less but shipping is $83 to my West Coast US location making them pretty much the same price. I'd wait for the pre-order and not the immediate gratification of having a HOTAS that is inferior.
Yeah thrustmaster and even Logitech has huge success in the early 2000s to early 10s, but then, seeing that they had no real competition, they claimed to be the best available at their pricepoint and rested on their laurels, sucking in money. They were too fast and lazy to see their competition pass them. I'm their advertisements they still claim to be the best.
@@FalconsLedge I agree, as a budget to dollar value guy the Gladiator NXT is probably the absolute best choice that can be made right now. Also if you want rudder pedals and can do without the toe brakes the VKB mk4 rudder pedals are well made and priced reasonably at just slightly over $200 U.S.D. Nice thing about VKB products you can very often find them in stock and their shipping to the U.S.A. anyway usually arrives within about a week. The Thrustmaster TWCS throttle though with a 3rd party bearing plate/bearings and magnetic throttle detents does actually turn the throttle into a very smooth and decent unit for the total amount invested and teamed up with the above VKB products can make a budget conscience/restricted flyer a well performing outfit to enjoy their flying games. Still waiting like so many others for VKB to release a stand alone throttle that works as well as the Gladiator flight stick and has the same amount of value at a reasonable price point. Not many choices currently on the market for a decent quality stand alone sub $150-$200 throttle assembly. Not everyone wants to or perhaps even has the budget to invest over a $1000 into high end controllers to fly a pretend plane in their computer games but still wants decent dependable gear at an affordable price point.
@@billwiley7216 the TWCS throttle appears to have been delayed, but if the price is at about $200 to $250, it will be a great value. I'm also looking forward to the button boxes that attach to the GNX. Those are further along in production than the TWCS, who knows we could see them soon?
When the Wart Hog was originally released it was unique and one of the best options out there, today as compared to other offerings on the market it is an antique, inferior, overpriced design with fewer features that has been left behind by better offerings from its competitors.
Totally agree. In today's market I can't recommend the warthog for MSRP. Even it's most direct competitor, the winwing Orion dominates it for the price.
Thanks for the price notes at the end. Definitely not doing the 700 on Amazon that it’s at right now after this.
That intro music... Total Annihilation!! I know that soundtrack anywhere!
Love that soundtrack
@@FalconsLedge It's damn amazing! Brings back so many memories
The review is valid but, the current inflated price of Thrustmaster offerings makes the higher-end options a better choice if you're looking to get into this now. My opinion of course. Warthog hotas is sitting at 700-900$ on amazon right now. If you're going to pay that, get VKB or Virpil with adjustable gimbles and many other options TM doesn't offer.
Interesting take.... Interesting because that is my exact recommendation ;)
you also mention one big con at least for me - as far as I can see in your vid. which is the lack of a yaw-axis - to perform roll in space games like SC ?
1. Rolling with twist makes you weird.
2. I don't count that as a con for "replica" sticks, since the original doesn't have it either.
Though I like twist to yaw, and I currently use it, once I get used to pedals I like them, mine just don't stay put on my cement floor
Maybe one day I'll have something like this.
There are even better Hotas’ to fantasise about
@@marczamp4737 well, since that I have got a Gladiator nxt and modded a twcs throttle. Works pretty good, at least until vulcan and proper optimizations come (because even with an rx 6800 xt I have basically -30% fps and max 85% gpu usage when the game is in focus... instant +30% fps and 99% gpu usage when I alt+tab out. Not a great motivation to make me play).
@@JKGaming1414 Jeez that’s not very pleasant hope that gets sorted out. The a nice combo you’ve got there
$549 and in stock on amazon at the time of this post
Dude, are these still being manufactured? I haven't been able to find one under 600 bucks, since right before covid.
They are still being manufactured, but covid affected production, and they are also in high demand, bad combination
They are, but they're hard to find currently. I had to buy a new stick base last July after my old one went out and the only place I could find one (at a reasonable price and not an extreme mark up) was on Walmart's site with 2 left in stock. It sucks for sure and I feel your pain. Hell, I've been wanting to get some Virpil gear, and I had to scrounge around to luckily find the WinWing F/A 18 Hornet throttle and the two control panels. It's rough for simmers right now. Covid and the MSFS release has definitely contributed to the major shortage
@@christopherhanifan7923 Amazing reply, man! ORDERED VIA WALMART - Thank you - I read on WinWing's forums that their new throttle is stocking up sometime tomorrow. Hope it's true.
I managed to buy mine at RRP of £355 in June 2020,then added a 6 inch stick extension which removes stiction and increases fine movement. I next got the TPR pedals (the best that exist!) and the F18 stick. There's a PlayStation mod for the targeting 'nipple' that works much better. VERY pleased the Thrustmaster setup!
Whoever told you that an extension eliminated stiction was either ignorant or misleading you. Stiction occurs when wear and tear on the ball and cup gimbal causes the cup to bind to the ball. This can be avoided by maintaining your grease in the gimbal and in most cases sanding down any rough spots on the ball and cup.
If anything an extension is going to cause more wear and exacerbate stiction not the other way around due to the fact that the stick will have much more lever arm on the gimbal.
@@FalconsLedge It reduces stiction to the point of elimination by increasing the leverage moment on the ball and socket. That one simple mod transformed my warthog stick!
@@ColinDyckes if you have stiction and you put an extension on, it would appear to eliminate stiction due to the change in the lever angle. The stiction will come back with time. I'm sorry but I'm 100% positive that adding an extension does not prevent stiction.
@@ColinDyckes don't get me wrong, extensions are great, and I recommend using them, but because they help stiction(which they don't), but better because they help with accuracy.
thank you for your honest review :)
With the prices of these somehow skyrocketing for a 10+ year design, I went with the Winwing orion setup. $499 and it let me pick up an joystick extension and MFG crosswinds for almost the same price as the warthog.
The winwing Orion is a better value right now, even at MSRP.
@@FalconsLedge Yeah, no. If I lived in China? Yeah.
But that 499$ quickly turns into 700$+++, when you add the shipping costs, VAT, and import duties on top of the MSRP, putting it into Virpil's/VKB boutique stuff price territory, and nearly twice the Warthog price.
@@TheKain202 Where d you live that charges you 200+ in import and VAT? I paid 50 on top of the price of my throttle to get it shipped plus import. Warthog throttle? Not bad, Warthog stick? Well it works and feels decent, Warthog gimbal hell no, that thing is horribly oudated and prone to issues. Not worth it.
@@FalconsLedge Poland.
23% VAT. 8% customs, + shipping will easily get it into 700+ territory. I guess Poland doesn't have that big of a sim community, covid and the like didn't hit the prices all too much. Bought my Warthog for 2000pln(~350-400$ depending on exchange rate) in 2019, and it still goes for about as much.
at that price, winwing's Orion is not exactly competitive - getting it home would cost me at least 3500pln. At almost twice the price not nearly the same pricing tier.
@@TheKain202 since I can't compare vat, and customs and taxes and all that other stuff from every single country I go by MSRP. I'd still take Winwing, VKB, or Virpil over buying a warthog any day. Heck, when I had a gladiator NXT and Warthog together I found myself preferring the NXT over the warthog stick.
What throttle to get? Been driving myself (and the HOTAS discord probably) nuts with this question. Unless the WW comes with detents and/or those finger lifts included as a stand-alone offering, it will have to be the WH for me. And I too can tell you why .. :D
I can get the TM delivered within a day or two from any number of vendors in my country (Germany) for a pretty decent price - amazon has it for €239 incl shipping at the moment. WW Orion 2 would be €320 incl shipping and import duties. Unless it doesn't include detents/finger-lifts in which case it'll be more like €400 (shipping cost for the lifts are a bit insane ... $50 for the throttle on its own, $17 more if you also want the lifts shipped). And since we have to pay import duties on product price + shipping cost, this drives up the final price even further. And €400 is just €100 away from my actual dream-throttle (Virpil) so the WW is out at that price.
My other reason/point is that I think if you have to allocate funds between stick and throttle (which I will do), the stick will always have the higher priority for me - it's just more important than the throttle, since you use it way more often and more, errr.. intensely. My current plan is to either see if I can get a second hand deal on the WW Orion 2 or, if that fails, get the WH to replace my TWCS and then either the Virpil WarBRD or VKB GF to replace my Gladiator NXT Evo. Not that the Evo is bad or anything (far, far from it, actually), but I will need more buttons than my KG-12 has and I also think that after 20+ years of simming mostly on mid-range plastic products, it's time to go metal/high-end. I think I've earned it... :D
The Orion 2 has finger lifts and detents. The Orion is a full decade ahead of the WH. The WH is NOT WORTH THE COST.
The Orion has bottom events when coming up to idle and into the off position, WH doesn't. Orion has full metal internals, WH doesn't. Orion has radar elevation axis, WH doesn't. Orion has an analog slew, the Warthog has an absolutely garbage "nub" that is aggravating to use, and very inaccurate. There is no comparison between these devices. Don't be impatient, buy the best, not the convenient.
Great review Honest best I’ve seen thanks
I appreciate that, I still have some more improvements to make, and I'm hoping to be completely up to standard in a few months here.
I was about to pair the Warthog throttle with the Gladiator NXT, but your review just convinced me NOT to get the Warthog throttle. Guess I'll either wait for the TECS or splash out on the MongooseT.
The throttle is good, very heavy, but I do wish it had a good analog stick. With a $65 modification you can add an analog stick, which helps a lot. The orion throttle from winwing shows a lot of promise, but I don't know if they sell it separately from their orion stick.
Same here. Got my Gladiator NXT yesterday. I also want to wait for the TECS but it seems that they're delaying infinitely. And the Virpil Throttle is way too expensive. :(
I got the throttle to pair with the gladiator NXT! Let's see how they work together!
ive found a deal for 450usd for the warthog, would it be worth it to buy it? or are there any better options in the similar price range?
Absolutely not. You can have an all metal Winwing setup that is better for that
IMO in 2024 warthog should not be priced over $299. Plastic internals just make it absolutely not worth it
@@FalconsLedge well what would you recommend?
@herthakbar if your budget is 450, best value is Winwing Metal warthog
Thrustmaster's design is way different to the others...mainly because it was released with a specific pattent. Now the question is do you prefer playing with cams and springs, or with a fixed solution?
Fixed solution as in FSSB or cams and springs vs ball and cup like thrustmaster? I think thrustmaster has the worst of the high end solutions, but not specifically because of the design but the materials. If the TM gimbal was metal they'd be in pretty good shape.
I really want to do some real testing with FSSB, but have not had a long term test with it and can't really form a full opinion on it. Theoretically it's great, and I really hope to get more time with it soon.
this has been an interesting review. My “high end” stick has been the X-65F for the past 8 years. I’ve flown falcon bms, an F-16C simulator, and it has served me very well. Venturing into DCS around 2014, I realized how much I enjoy flying other platforms, especially helos and the force sensing on the X-65 can definitely throw you off in other aircraft. I wanted to stick with something similar to the F-16 stick so, I purchased the F-16 stick from thrustmaster and have paired it with the Virpil warbird as well as the T-50cm3 throttle allowing for a more versatile set up while keeping my familiarity with the F-16 stick. Although there are back orders on such products, It only took about a month for all of it to get to me, so I think the wait is worth it if you plan on getting virpil products. I just wonder how nice the thrustmaster stick will play with the virpil base.
Excellent review!
The grip itself is the best part of the thrustmaster stick. It has a great feel to it, I would recommend using heavier springs with it since it has a higher pendulum load on the gimbal.
I haven't ventured into talking about the x65 since I've never used one. Hopefully I'll get a chance to compare the experience to other solutions.
@@FalconsLedge Man, for being a viper guy, the X-65F was like peanut butter to jelly. Smooth force sensing controls translated so well from BMS to the DCS viper, I didn’t even need to add any dead zones or curves. My only complaint was the throttle has these flimsy plastic rotaries that die out (based on your X-56 review, it’s damn there the same throttle with the same issues). My sensors pretty much crapped out on me with constant stutters that made for an absolute headache. Other than that, it was a pure joy. Still works, too. I’ll probably go back to it just for old times sake. They should honestly keep making them.
@@TheRandomSqueak x65 is one I've never tried, perhaps I can get my hands on I've for a proper review someday
If you are looking for an upgrade to your x65, look at the realsim sticks, but be prepared to get your wallet out, they are quite expensive
@@FalconsLedge yeah that’s a lot. Plus I coughed up the cash for a new virpl setup
I still luv my TM
WHs are good sticks
Great joystick, I have had mine for a few months, I just find it awkward to use with the large base, so am trying to design a mount that fits to the front of my chair...
I threw a couple of wooden ones together for $20 using two C clamps , some screws and some 90 degree L brackets. I am looking to build some custom aluminum Extruded ones that naturally I'll post on here with a how-to video.
Why don't you just place it on your chair and sit on top of it (joystick inbetween your legs? That's what I do and it's comfortable with F--16 and F/A-18 grip without wrist rest.
@@EbonySeraphim Thanks, but too late, I made 2 fixtures with some wood and metal brackets. The throttle is permanently fixed to the side, but the joystick is easily removable.
@@Hobbes22 No hair off my back. Curious though, did what I said make sense? I think it's strange hardly anyone (who posts on UA-cam) uses it that way. It's super close to where it's supposed to be straight out of the box and works with a any normal desk and chair.
The only downside I can think of is that your chair needs to be maybe a foot or two back from your desk so the joystick doesn't touch the desk on full deflection forward. I have long arms and legs so I can still reach a forward throttle (though my desk now has a side return), and rudder pedals.
VKB throttle gives "soon" completely different meaning. 🙂
Confirmed by VKB for this year
Is 160 for the throttle a good deal? Or should I return it and save for the winwing one?
Warthog throttle for 160 is a good deal
@@FalconsLedge definitely keeping it now, didn’t even realize I got one with the slew upgrade
The warthog is great, but the prices are skyrocketing into oblivion
I got the stick around the time this video was posted and stiction is already a noticable issue. Cost me about $750 for the hotas and I knew it was above market but my x52pro was suffering from centering issues during a time where the stock for PC hardware in general was not available.
I would probably recomend passing on the TMW. I've gotta open this thing up now, and re-grease with Nyogel767A which was an additional $50. It has been a love hate relationship. I miss having more axis like the x52.. prop and mixture controls in flight sim just aren't as good when bound to digital hats.. in addition, there is a severe lack of momentary switches, and since the flap switches are not momentary, they won't work as you might expect in any sim apart from specifically the A10 in DCS. You can use their convoluted TARGET scripting language with a custom profile that tricks the driver into allowing 128 button support and making the flaps act as momentary software side but you still physically need to return them to center every time you extend. In addition to the annoyance if having their software running before you load a simulator / game and having their service startup with your PC.
Overall, many oversights for an expensive piece of kit. I'm still torn if I like it more than my x52. I do appreciate the more premium build quality and weight. It's a step above the toyish feel of the x52.. but in all honesty, I would recommend looking elsewhere for the same budget.. perhaps winwing.
Winwing it's a great option, or VKB. Don't go with the x56, they have massive quality problems and ergonomic issues.
@@FalconsLedge I've had my x56 for 2yrs now, not a single issue. Guess I got lucky.
@@EazyE11 judging by the return rate, and long long list of user issues on virtually every forum out there, yes it appears so.
This happens quite frequently when you critique products.
@@FalconsLedge I might be a bit late to this discussion, but my X56 is a nightmare.
Throttle:
2 Way switches on the throttle base have 2mm play in either direction, went from nice clicky feel to mushy, mini sticks have HUUGE zone where it doesnt center (20 Deadzone in DCS), 4 Way also have 2mm play in either direction, the 2 way on the back tends to stick in the down position after pressing, rotaries got sloppy after 6 months of owning it.
Stick: I have to set 12 as a deadzone in dcs. The centering mechanism sticks, doesnt center well, and when i grease it i have to bump up the deadzone to 15. Ministick has terrible center (20 Deadzone in DCS again) Trigger is okay-ish, you just dont feel the button press, only the trigger bottoming out. Trimhat has 2mm play in all directions, the 4 way under that 1mm of play and the POV hat has maybe ~0.5mm of play.
I really dont like it, and my Virpil gear should arrive today.
@@erinaisshu I don't recommend Logitech or thrustmaster gear. VKB, Virpil and Winwing
As always a great review extremely informative etc etc
But also Diesel nice thinking about the environment or just diesel because it a truck
A truck, we just sold it last weekend.
Do you think the warthog would be worth it if I can buy it for $500 usd?
It depends on your goals. You see, the warthogs status as a replica of sorts gives it more value for those looking for an A10 hotas.
I honestly think for the money today, the winwing orion is a much better stick than the Warthog.
Nice review. I suppose it can have a few components upgraded and agree about the plastic gimble but as a HOTAS I still think it is a great unit. I have had mine for only a year but had a x52 since 2008 so you can get some longevity out of a good HOTAS.
Keep up the good work.
I totally agree, its a great HOTAS, and volumes better than any logitech product out there. But they desperately need to update it.
I dont mean to be offtopic but does anyone know of a way to get back into an Instagram account??
I was stupid lost my password. I appreciate any assistance you can offer me
@Maverick Mohammad instablaster =)
@Enrique Ruben I really appreciate your reply. I found the site on google and Im trying it out atm.
Seems to take quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
@Enrique Ruben it did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D
Thank you so much, you saved my account!
Went from a madcat fly5 to ordering a warthog hotas
Warthog is a good setup, I enjoyed mine for what it was. I truly hope thrustmaster updates the hog soon!
@@FalconsLedge Thanks for the reply! i hated the spring centering gimbal on the X55 and on most plastic constructed flight sticks had such and a ridged feel to it. I can live with remapping yaw on a different button on the hotas warthog.
@@bcxii9684 getting some pedals is great, I use a set of Logitech pro pedals. They aren't amazing, but they get the job done, and I find them to be more comfortable than the narrower models
@@bcxii9684 warthog is spring centered too, but it uses a much larger spring
I love the warthog
It's a good stick especially if you want a replica. As for features and quality, there are better options nowadays. Hopefully thrustmaster comes out with a competing product soon.
I can get the warthog combo for 420 dollar new in sweden. Is there another joystick combo (throttle and joystick) i can get that is ”better” for the same price or? Would love to get some feedback.
Winwing Orion. It is better in every conceivable way for around the same price.
@@FalconsLedge i just looked at the website. The price looked good until i check the shipping cost. It was around 150-200 dollars extra.😕
@@FalconsLedge so total price 700 dollars for me
@@DanneJensen Yeah thats always tough from China. gut iMO its totally worth it. You are talking about a joystick and throttle with complete metal internals for a couple hundred more than the warthog.
@@FalconsLedge haha now im looking at the
F18 HOTAS with Mount/Extension(SUPER LIBRA+SUPER TAURUS) for 947 dollars.i really want the extension and mount. Im just a casual player that plays mfs2020 but want a stick next to my yoke to swap. Gonna see how much the tax and shipping is for this one.
The stick has no z axis?
For example using the rudders
@@enderkayhan555 it has no z axis. If actually recommend going with a Winwing Orion over the Warthog, it's a better solution, and has a z axis as an option
It's funny how Thrustmaster was one of the first and best joystick companies around, but now they have fallen way behind other companies. Those new companies saw the opportunity with all the flight sim programs and enthusiastic users with cash to spend and have produced modern products. At $300 for this outdated tech, I would just save the money and get a WinWing Orion which MSRP is less but shipping is $83 to my West Coast US location making them pretty much the same price. I'd wait for the pre-order and not the immediate gratification of having a HOTAS that is inferior.
Yeah thrustmaster and even Logitech has huge success in the early 2000s to early 10s, but then, seeing that they had no real competition, they claimed to be the best available at their pricepoint and rested on their laurels, sucking in money. They were too fast and lazy to see their competition pass them. I'm their advertisements they still claim to be the best.
Shit I just bought a,vkb gladiator and a vkb gladiator mini throttle
They do offer an upgrade kit from NXT to NXT EVO
It is evo. I'm using the omni as a throttle thing.im new to dcs..
@@erfguuipo8084 honestly there is no reason to buy the Warthog in 2022, your Evo will do just fine
T16000M HOTAS without pedal rules the world!!!
I'm going to have to call your bluff there :), the Gladiator NXT is 10x the stick the T16k is. Better sensor too.
@@FalconsLedge I agree, as a budget to dollar value guy the Gladiator NXT is probably the absolute best choice that can be made right now.
Also if you want rudder pedals and can do without the toe brakes the VKB mk4 rudder pedals are well made and priced reasonably at just slightly over $200 U.S.D.
Nice thing about VKB products you can very often find them in stock and their shipping to the U.S.A. anyway usually arrives within about a week.
The Thrustmaster TWCS throttle though with a 3rd party bearing plate/bearings and magnetic throttle detents does actually turn the throttle into a very smooth and decent unit for the total amount invested and teamed up with the above VKB products can make a budget conscience/restricted flyer a well performing outfit to enjoy their flying games.
Still waiting like so many others for VKB to release a stand alone throttle that works as well as the Gladiator flight stick and has the same amount of value at a reasonable price point.
Not many choices currently on the market for a decent quality stand alone sub $150-$200 throttle assembly.
Not everyone wants to or perhaps even has the budget to invest over a $1000 into high end controllers to fly a pretend plane in their computer games but still wants decent dependable gear at an affordable price point.
@@billwiley7216 the TWCS throttle appears to have been delayed, but if the price is at about $200 to $250, it will be a great value. I'm also looking forward to the button boxes that attach to the GNX. Those are further along in production than the TWCS, who knows we could see them soon?
When the Wart Hog was originally released it was unique and one of the best options out there, today as compared to other offerings on the market it is an antique, inferior, overpriced design with fewer features that has been left behind by better offerings from its competitors.
Totally agree. In today's market I can't recommend the warthog for MSRP. Even it's most direct competitor, the winwing Orion dominates it for the price.
Great if you're playing a terrestrial flight sim. pretty trash for everything else.
I wouldn't say trash, but there are certainly better alternatives if you are just running space sims.
I agree, prefer my x52 pro for Elite Dangerous, but much prefer warthog for DCS and MSFS