I have this very stick. Not only do I have the ~lightest spring installed I also have a zip tie around it to compress it further and make it even lighter. He has it exactly backwards. You don't want stiffer for precise movements, you want smoother, and to get this you need lighter movement weight not heavier. As myself has flown UH-1H's in real life, I can tell you, the amount of force needed to move a hydraulic powered flight control is so minute that you pretty much just have to think about it. If you try to move the stick a lot, you'll end up dead real quick. The same is true for the F-16 stick, where in real life it only moves 1/4" in every direction ~that's how sensitive it is, and it was initially designed with only 1/8" of movement but pilots didn't like it because it didn't move enough. Even in a Cessna, you'd be surprised how little force is actually needed during normal flight. It's like driving a car. You only move that sucker a little bit at high speed for a major change, and they only find center through gyroscopic forces, that have nothing to do with the steering wheel. This guy doesn't know what he's talking about. I love this stick and as both a real world aircraft mechanic and sim enthusiast, I can tell you, this stick is a great and low price alternative to the Thrustmaster Warthog, and the Virpl flight controls. The prices he's talking about in this video aren't set by Logitech but the retailer. I got mine for $249 last year, you just have to know how look at other places other than Amazon, and Ebay for deals. I have no issues with helicopter flight or precise movement with this stick.
While it could have been significantly less-toxic, this comment was useful. I only say this to explain that at least one of the "likes" is for some info hidden in all the hate.
Same her. I cut spring to make stick more loose. Also removed part from throttle- now can't change throttle stiffnes, but it's not that stiff as it was. Really hard to be precise if you need two hands to move stick, right?
@@tsalVlog Where was I even a little toxic? Where I called him out for being wrong and not knowing what he's talking about? Sorry the truth hurt your feelings.
Here we have a pilot who has supposedly flown UH-1H’s (oddly specific model given the complexity of the many different variants), has flown the F-16 as well as Cessna’s though is now a mechanic all the while being subscribed to gaming channels. That would make perfect sense wouldn’t it? I don’t know many pilots who would leave UA-cam comments as it is, though in such a condescending tone supplying their supposed resume? Yeah, right.
this is an awesome review from someone who actually talks you about the details on the controls, how the inputs fell, any problems with different parts, and goes deeper than just the feels of the controls.
Except he has no real world experience. I have this very stick. Not only do I have the ~lightest spring installed I also have a zip tie around it to compress it further and make it even lighter. He has it exactly backwards. You don't want stiffer for precise movements, you want smoother, and to get this you need lighter movement weight not heavier. As myself has flown UH-1H's in real life, I can tell you, the amount of force needed to move a hydraulic powered flight control is so minute that you pretty much just have to think about it. If you try to move the stick a lot, you'll end up dead real quick. The same is true for the F-16 stick, where in real life it only moves 1/4" in every direction ~that's how sensitive it is, and it was initially designed with only 1/8" of movement but pilots didn't like it because it didn't move enough. Even in a Cessna, you'd be surprised how little force is actually needed during normal flight. It's like driving a car. You only move that sucker a little bit at high speed for a major change, and they only find center through gyroscopic forces, that have nothing to do with the steering wheel. This guy doesn't know what he's talking about. I love this stick and as both a real world aircraft mechanic and sim enthusiast, I can tell you, this stick is a great and low price alternative to the Thrustmaster Warthog, and the Virpl flight controls. The prices he's talking about in this video aren't set by Logitech but the retailer. I got mine for $249 last year, you just have to know how look at other places other than Amazon, and Ebay for deals. I have no issues with helicopter flight or precise movement with this stick.
Pretty much this. After having flown a real GA plane for the first time recently i was surprised that 1) the stick doesn't want to return by itself to a neutral position and 2) it is extremely sensitive to the slightest movement. I finally understand why some simmers who are also real world pilots mod their sticks and remove the spring entirely.
@@ImpendingJoker it really reveals how much of the question of stick tension/centering is simply up to the user's preference. Buggy inputs can certainly be one thing, but adjusting sensitivity and dead zones for minute control with a fairly soft return spring can be pretty great.
I dont know why so many people are having trouble with this hotas. I do fine movements on BMS and DCS almost everyday and I've never had any problems with it. The HOTAS is just working fine for me.
It's my first hotas and I love it. I have somewhat smaller hands so pressing multiple buttons at the same time isn't a problem for me. Also as for the USB bit, my motherboard has a ton of ports on the back. Some of them are Usb 3.1, which I use for both the throttle and stick, and those don't give any problems with random button inputs. The motherboard is a TUF B450-PLUS GAMING. There's also a ton of other crap in the other USB ports at the same time; mouse, keyboard, a controller, headset and there are no issues this way.
I upgraded from a Logitech Extreme 3D stick to the X56 when playing Elite Dangerous, and the change in my gameplay was incredible. I also use this a lot in combination with the Logitech G923 wheel for Farming Simulator 19 and 22. The number of available mappings makes gameplay much more immersive for me, especially when combined with VR.
I have the Logitech x56 (same HOTAS, Logitech just bought Saitek) and I have experienced none of the power issues that he describes here. I agree that the deadzones need to be set larger than i would like due to the mushiness when the ring isn’t engaged though. However, the presence of the ministicks on the throttle and stick make this a really great option for VR DCS players.
Thanks for the excellent review, i was considering this and the Warthog and ended up with the Warthog. My decision was sealed after I read about the X56's lack of tension/stiffness (which was the same reason i sold my X52 Pro many years ago) and it being equally lacking in weight for assured desktop usage. Your comments on the buttons/levers were especially useful.
Very well said and executed. The detailed description and the attention to every part let alone the comparison with other products blatendly depicts the effort you put into the making of this brilliant commentary. Thank you for posting this beyond helpful review to the public!
If you remember what email you used and have a decent PC it’s playable now and some of the final big hurdles in the game’s development (server meshing and some other back end tech they need) are about to completed which is going to allow the devs to begin pumping out features and content really quickly.
@@ashcosmo3854 they aint finished the FIRST system cause of server meshing and icache.................we know they have a few systems near complete behind closed doors. it also runs pretty well in the current patch.
i just got into it during the freefly held in the end of November. i enjoyed it so much that i decided to buy a package. IMO its freaking amazing. the visuals, the intricacies, and strangely the interactions with other players are what sucked me in. yeah, its been in development for a long time. but lets see... what other game has taken well over a decade(+) to make... oh yeah, Cyberpunk.... and i would strongly argue that the tech and mechanics behind Star Citizen are FAR more complicated.
@Ferinir I'm a troll ? Hows crashing on Hurston every 30 minutes ? 9 years in development and the first system isn't even complete but they'll sure as shit keep shovelling new ships down your throat lmao
Agree, some may think I'm crazy but I recently swapped my thrustmaster hotas warthog for an x56. Yes, the quality of the warthog is much better but the amount of joystick pressure you need to put in is ridiculous and very annoying. In fact it left me with a shoulder injury because of this. The x56 is far more relaxing to fly with, given its low tension.
Personally, coming from a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro... I think this thing is great. And I "only" paid 325$ CND (about 250$ USD) for it, new. I consider it a fair price. Now, I agree with all the things you said that are wrong with it. It's far from perfect, but so far, I'm happy with it. I have no issues with USB power, although I make sure to use different headers (one from the back and one from the front) so maybe, in my case, it does the trick. And I have a good motherboard. The Logitech software is frustrating to use... and I'm still debating if I should use it with modes or just map my controls in games... Right now I have a mix of both and it's kind of a mess. But... at least it offers options. So.... I don't know. It's not perfect, but overall good enough for a casual gamer if you want more than a basic joystick. If you want more, just accept to pay more than what it offers, and move on to the high end options right away.
And that pretty much mirrors my view. I really like my X56 for Star Citizen/Elite Dangerous and as I'm not a flight sim player, I guess I don't really experience some of the annoying aspects of this HOTAS. I've not suffered with some of the issues around USB power, again like Eric, I didn't cut corners with my system and have smaller hands, I don't have an issue with pressing the wrong switches inadvertently. Still, good review :)
@Kxwala Well, the tightening screw broke a month ago on the X56... not a surprise since it's a known problem... Other than that I'm happy with it. Lots of options to map stuff. Is it worth it? Depends on the price you pay I guess. There are better, higher quality, options... for twice the money or more. And not much in between. I'm not serious enough about this stuff to put more money into an HOTAS, so for me, yes the X56 was worth it.
@Kxwala Good question, I haven't looked. It's quite easy to open though. But a quick search didn't provide any diy fix. That doesn't mean there aren't.
I can attest to the USB issue especially being a owner of the original Saitek model and I didn't see that USP issue till I plugged in not only the sticking throttle but the foot pedal and I was playing Elite dangerous in VR
@@Fedack I just separate all 3 controller's in different 1 proprietary motherboard usb,1 front case USB, and 1 into a USB hub though it's not a 2.0 nor connected via pci slot. If I do that the issue does not appear.. not to mention I'm still using my z120 plus motheboard
@@Fedack i don't think it's a powered issue. i think it's a congestion issue. i stopped seeing ghost button issues when i rerouted my unpowered external hub (so that my sticks can be mounted to my chair and then i only have one wire running to my PC) from my Mobo USB ports (which were all filled up) to an unpowered USB PCI card, thereby isolating my external hub/flight stick communications from the other communications.
I saw this video before when evaluating the X-56. I only remembered the USB part, what's wrong with an externally powered USB hub that takes current from the same outlet your PC does and skips the Power Supply altogether? All it's doing is acting like a HUB with higher power levels. Also the problem with the X-56 isn't the power consumption but the Signal to Noise Ratio that creates the problems you're talking about, in Electrical Engineering that's called Crosstalk. That's actually solved through Electromagnetic Compatibility Engineering (the FCC/CE logos you see in products) and it has nothing to do with power intake at the USB port. That's just a work around to deal with bad EMC design and probably a lack of filtering. I got my X-56 off of ebay for less than 100 and you're totally right about all of its symptoms. I returned the X-52 before and you're also right about the stick(when it comes to behavior not really about stiffness being the cause). Because I knew all as well as learning the mechanical engineering reasons of what constitutes a good gimbal that I went with VKB and I would have gone with VKB for the throttle as well and not with Virpil. In short even though Virpil is famous their EMC design is just as bad if not worst than Thrustmaster's and TBH VKB are the only ones who have a clean EMC design.
I've been using an X-56 RGB for a couple of years and I got it for the $250 I got it shortly after it was released. I've never had any issue with the hardware in star citizen or elite dangerous. I have it plugged into an external wall powered USB HUB from anker. It's been a great HOTAS and a joy to use. IMHO.
I think a lot of the phantom button press problems stem from not enough power going to the hotas. I have found people who have more than enough power in their pc or a wall powered usb hub don’t experience the problem. Is that true for you?
I just got a T.16000M dual stick set for MSRP! I love em so much. I'm still new to world of Hotas/Hosas, but it's incredible! Once I get used to it I'll check out some nicer sticks.
Glad you love it. Honestly the deeper message of this review was that unless you need the features of far more expensive set ups, the TM16000 is amazing and as you go to higher models the satisfaction isn't as assured.
@@Leadnap yeah especially since the price jump is even worse if you want twin stick. I hope that another ambidextrous mid-range stick comes with the huge bump in demand for Hotas since MS Flight Sim launched.
I actually got my T.16000 from a walmart clearance rack in a small town for $40 canadian lol I also found a pair of logitech flight pedals in a staples in that same small town, all in 2020 which is crazy. I really dont like the button setup on the T.16000 for DCS but the actual joystick travel is amazing for the price! Even after I upgrade to winwing for DCS, Il still use the T.16000 for Elite Dangerous... its just too smooth for space games
I went from x55 to X56 to a t16000m. Go with the tmaster. While none are perfect, the x55/56 is built like garbage. It looks cool yes. Cool buttons yes. Made like junk.
after 3 years of use for this stick i can vouch for it, this stick is good for a-10c f16 and f18 in dcs because of the all 190+ programable buttons, as for the stick i had 0 problems with it, i use the lightest spring and i can say that it moves like butter, i even got a guy to make the x56 joystick all metal wich feels more durable. If you want a dcs experience for starters this is the one thing you can get now. Good review!
Yep that makes sense, my x55 is also a no refueling stick lol. I have however doubled up on the spring by lining them up and melting a pipe sleeve to help hold them in place. Tensions better but not perfect.
07:15 I had the same issue. It is quite easy to solve in DCS: use user curve for axis tune. Adjust knobs in that way that responce curve has flat part in your "usual" zoom position.
Malachi 81, How long are you having to wait for the delivery of the virpil from hitting the 'BUY' button? Looking at their site, they do look good, but i don't (Can't) want to wait 2-3 months as my X52Pro is really dying very quickly now. I have such a large dead zone on X and Y that makes flying ridiculous.
Well, they do have a massive back order due to MSFS, but customer service is top notch. They called me that my order is being dispatched, details came with an email. Took a month from buying to dispatch. Perfect timing because my right t16000 is dying :p
i had the saitek version, which had an issue with the cam sticking, when i sent it back I got a replacement under warranty to the Logitech version. The plastics and electronics have definitely received an upgrade with the logitech version and I find the cam much better on the stick. Also I find that using USB 2.0 ports (or a PS/2 to USB adapter for those with older motherboards with the dedicated PS/2 mouse port) are much more stable than using the newer ports on my inputs. maybe this will help for those with USB issues. I also have just invested in a VKB stick to go dual stick and even thought the build quality and smoothness is noticeably better, the price of the stick alone was what I paid for the entire HOTAS for the X56.
WOW, what an unbiased appraisal of the X56. GREAT video and most helpful to someone looking to replace their trusty but aging X52pro Hotas. I was (Am) looking to the X56 and the Warthog, and your video has certainly made me think very hard. Whilst i don't play DCS (Why Not i wonder as it looks right up my street), i flight sim in X-Plane, MSFS 2020, Elite Dangerous, so am after a setup that will do all 3. There are plenty of 'USED' X56's on the bay and other markets, but after watching your video, it makes me ask the question 'Why are they selling'? Hmmmm Faulty switch, wobbly joystick....Alarm bells ring............... STAY AWAY FROM 2nd HAND X56! Thanks Man, often on here reviewers give a false positive as they have bought it and want it to be good, but this video of yours is a in depth breath of fresh air exposing some critcal flaws of the X56, whilst showing the possible benefits. Thank you Sir!
Glad it helped you in deciding what to do. The Warthog has been great so far for DCS and MSFS 2020, but it's not been nearly long enough to do the review on that yet. X-Plane and MSFS - DCS is worth checking out! Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much for this extremely thorough and high quality review. It has saved me a lot of wasted money and headaches, Ill be going for a VIRPIL setup I think. Can buy it piecemeal, its upgradable, hopefully it's as high quality as I've heard (and with broad usage options as you described). Amazing, thanks again. I would love to see more reviews like this on as many sticks as you can!
I run my X52 pro on a USB3 hub. USB3 has loads of power available, which fixed the power issues for me no worries. I also run a button box with 20+ controls, which does help with complex stuff.
A while back I upgraded from an old Logitech G940 FFB (which i still use on occasion) to an X56 HOTAS. Initially I liked it although I did miss the FFB. I liked the abundance of switches and axis' and I liked that it was a very generic setup because I use my HOTAS for a number of flight sims and space sims. However, it wasn't long before two big issues became very apparent. First, the slop in the joystick was extremely noticable and problematic. The second and much larger issue was the ghost inputs, mostly from the throttle. I tried every fix and remedy I could find on Google and various forums, and while a few of them decreased the frequency of the ghost inputs, none of them eliminated the problem completely. The slop in the stick was something I could fix. But the ghost inputs were a deal breaker and I have since upgraded to a Winwing Orion 2 HOTAS.
Same here, the Ghost inputs killed it for me. The ferrite core would probably work. But why is it my job to fix a bad design suffering from interference. ferrite cores help prevent wires from acting like antennas. But again, not my job. I should have heeded the warning from others. But I crossed my fingers and bought that junk.
I know the review is 3 years old but as of 2023 December, the issues talked about in this video still persist with this HOTAS. Thank you greatly for the video, I had purchased it before seeing your video, and searched when i noticed the issues, promptly sent back to Amazon
I personally own this exact, model. I have had some issues with centering and rotating buttons value output changing when it wasn't moved. typically in +/- 50.(5% change) For those that don't know this stick goes on a scale from 1-1000 as output values. I solved the centering issue by adding a dead-zone of 5. I do agree with @ImpendingJoker the lighter spring is much better for precision. After calibrating both controllers. it solved most issues mentioned. For some buttons yes the clearance is very tight and sometimes hard to hit the right button. However, after a couple weeks, you settle in quite easily, and learn the proper positioning for those buttons on the controller. I do wish that rest stop on the stick was actually adjustable. Would make hitting those hard to reach buttons much better. I use this joystick/ throttle combo for all of the games mentioned. without any issues. By far the best Stick/Throttle combo I've ever owned. on the precision site. for minute control, with deadzone set to 5 on both x/y axis, minute changes occur right as you start to feel spring pressure. Which helped with mid air refueling in dcs. @leadnap Gaming I would suggest changing to the lightest spring, deadzone on the stick set to 5 on x/y axis, and try it again. The stiffest spring, sucks as much as you say it does, but not trying to other springs, means you only tested the worst of this system. Alot of people i know that use this controller all use the lightest spring.
Bought my X-56 for approx $130 second hand a couple of years back as the throttle part had a few input problems. I figured out with reference to sites on the common failures of the throttles. There was a great set up for me in SC at Alpha 3.4, but when they changed the flight system it failed to work and I haven't really sat down to remap it yet. I do have a problem with the throttle box disconnecting from the PC from time to time, but your video may have helped me, as it might just be a power issue to resolve as most of my USB's are being used on my ROG Hero VII motherboard along with an RX 5700XT and artic 34 eSports Duo processor cooler. Having tried on a real military simulator for air to air refueling of a multi engine aircraft, it is one of the hardest things I have ever tried and failed multiple times, the longest I stayed connected was 0.5 seconds. This was part of our training as RAF aircraft technicians at RAF Kinloss.
This review is quite accurate. I owned one of these, and hats off to you for lasting this long with it because lasted about 5 minutes before I hit the refund button on amazon. I had to set a massive dead zone on the stick because it was that lose even after changing out the spring to the stiffest I could find in the box. Loaded up War Thunder Sim battle, the hotas didn't even register, loaded up Elite Dangerous and I had the input situation you were talking about, moved the throttle and every single command possible activated. Honestly, this was a lesson learned for me, I found it for $400 on amazon (price hike thanks to Microsoft Flight Sim), but with all these issues, hell I wouldn't want to pay more than maybe a $100 for this.
Those loose springs are a must for space and helicopter pilots. Actually wanted even weaker spring on mine, but it ended up not centering too well. I'd need different axis system / cams for which i have to invest to virpil.
Funny, I have the X55 (basically identical except with the Saitek logo instead of Logitech). I had the opposite problem with the springs, they were so freaking strong I would nearly rip my stick out of my desk if I got too vigorous.
theres a few things incorrect in your review, and a few things i downright disagree with as an X-56 owner myself. 1. the USB ghost button issue, as long as you have the stick and throttle plugged into different headers on your board, you will not have an issue (try putting one on USB 2.0 and the other on 3.0 or 3.1) 2. the thumb hats and right side toggle switches require some getting used to, they are not the best design, but they are far from useless as you have made them out to be. 3. You are spot on in your assessment of the stick. I replaced it with a VKB gunfighter, and will never look back.
The part with the USB hub was really important information. I just ordered an X56 to replace my reaaaaally old X52. And i have one of the best USB hubs available still in my old PC. First i will try without and if i encounter any issues i am gonna switch it into my new PC and bam. So that is a W for me. Thanks a lot lad. :)
I personally do own an X56 and i franly think its great. I dont see myself going any higher than this unless FOMO gets the better of me. The reason i got the x56 is because i wanted a stick with magnetic sensors and this one did. I actually am 100% fine with what you consider a problem with it when it comes to finite controls. After modifying the curves a little bit, the x56 performs AMAZINGLY and i actually love the sensitivity in the center. I fly in elite dangerous which is probably why i dont find the centering an issue. I actually want that sensitivity, because a slight movement of my hand translates into very critical and needed adjustments when flying flight assist off. Also for me the throttle was too hard to move even on the lightest settings, i actually needed to take the back off and take out some of that goop for me to be able to move the thing how i like. The button layout on the throttle is problematic if you have average to large hands, i have small hands so i can navigate that area much easier than the average user so i dont have any issues with those. Also i dont have a detent on the black knobs on the base of the throttle so im not sure if its broken. All in all the x56 is an amazing stick especially for its price range and i encourage everyone to get it.
will be looking for a new hotas in the next year or so, the t16 has been good but limited and very flimsy, wish there was more choice in the hotas market
The X-56 wasn't bad, though if you think the T16 is flimsy you might be best avoiding the Logitech line altogether and going up to the Warthog - which is solid enough my kid can't push the stick over.
I cannot recommend the Gladiator NXT from VKB enough. Even without a throttle, its a solid build and amazing at everything. Ergonomics are on point and it has more switches than the warthog stick in a similar layout. For every fault that the X-56 stick has, the NXT solves.
Here is my experience with the X55 and X56. I brought an X55 a few years back (they are almost the same stick other than RGB), when I did they where about 120-150 GBP, about two months in with VERY light use (like an hour a week tops) it broke. The cables inside the throttle unit are incredibly weak and small trust me if you took the throttle apart like myself youd see, they basically go up into the throttle free floating around, a big bunch of like 50 cables that are that horrible plastic cable insulation not the more rubberised bendy sort thats resistant to breaking. The more times you move that throttle the more likely theyl just snap (this is on the X56 cables too btw). Anyway I got a new X55 under warranty and the wheel for the throttle stiffness broke sticking me at max stiffness litterally the day I got it the first time I went to adjust the stiffness down, I sent that one back under warranty, thats when they discontinued the X55 so I got sent out an X56 nearly a year later (I forgot I even sent my X55 away), I thought sweet, a V2 obviously theyve fixed all the same problems (and also a much more expensive stick at 210 GBP), a couple of months in the trottle stiffness broke and I just said screw it. I took it apart, saw the VERY poorly designed internals. Fixed the stiffness wheel myself and sold that stick. Never picked up a flight stick again. The saitek really does suck. REALLY, dont buy it. The only one worth getting is the X-52, its designed much more robustly. The X55/56 looks cool, and thats where its practicality ends, all the quality went into the switches and buttons. The joystick / throttle itself is terrible, taking it apart its held together with hot glue and free floating spindly cables, that will break. DO NOT BUY
just to add its not user error, my thrustmaster T500RS racing wheel and pedals, and my brothers thrustmaster T flight from about 10 years ago still go strong after what mus be thousands of hours of use, by both me and other people. The difference in quality between these two brands is completely unreal. Ironically my external powered USB hub I used (I would recommend doing that instead of an internal one) is still going strong has come in more useful and seen more use than the stick.
One should set a dead zone on a stick only if the output signals are 'noisy' and hence inducing a jittery response. The really bad thing about dead zones is that they remove the center zone where the smallest deflections are effected. That is, the dead zone results in a sudden jump from zero to some larger value, with no intermediate scaling. This is how to REMOVE the ability to make the very fine inputs for such precision control necessary for, e.g., aerial refueling. To illustrate with an extreme example. Suppose one set a dead zone that cut out the lower 50% of deflection. One would then be able to push the stick through half its range to no effect at all. Then once crossing the dead zone threshold, suddenly the deflection output would jump to 50%. To counter this the curve of response would need to be re-scaled so that at the half-deflection threshold the output would be just commencing to rise from zero. But if there is overall 'noisiness' in the sensor, there will remain the problem of jitter at those small output deflections anyway. And the need of setting that center range of zero response is by itself detrimental to fine control. The ideal always is to have crisp response, with output deflection being completely continuous and uninterrupted through the center range of movement. To that end, non-noisy sensors are your best friend. If potentiometers, periodic replacement is wise under heavy use. And if the manufacturer or a 3rd Party make them available. A Hall effect sensor should be free of this issue.
One thing to count for refining your controller, is to look up a spring creator company, for customization of your joy con.. lengthening the longest spring this joy con offers, as "spring companies" offer users greater potential! As I have experience with riding through the challenges of limited product performance in such things. Also going to an "electronics shop that specialize in switches and dials, electronic tuning knobs and LEDs, is a great way to go looking into customizing otherwise unpleasant functions the "joy con comes with". To take a list of what best functions and abilities there are, and then dial into your system what makes your game most effective, changes a decent system into an amazing product! Also looking into getting a 3D printer and cad company to customize the body of your console's joy con controllers, may become even more enjoyable if you see build types you'd like to tune your joy con with.
Exactly why I bought it and not the warthog. Even if i spent most of my time playing at DCS I didn’t want to buy a shitty rudder at 200€. To be honest, I was expecting the x56 to be quite bad in term of precision but in fact he is really ergonomic and smooth. It’s not made of metal but the plastic quality is great and feels strong.
The build quality is on par for Logitech, and I don't mean that as an insult. If you're already using products in their line, the X-56 won't jump out as very different, just an upgrade in mappable controls. If you like the other offerings from them, you'll certainly enjoy the X-56 I would think.
My tip for this stick is to snip the lightest spring at a desired level, and it will have a small amount of give before the spring "engages". This will allow for small micro adjustments that make little to no difference in normal flight, but huge difference when refueling or formation flying.
Had the Saitek one, now I have the Logitech one. I remember stacking springs with the Saitek one because the tension was so weak with just one. Is there a visual guide for your method I can look at so I don't screw things up? Thanks! ❤
@@gamesturbator The point is to make it as loose as possible, and snipping it both makes it loose and gives it a small deadspot where its entirely loose and wiggles around. I use this for any EOTS system or formation flight. It's too minuscule to make a performance difference, but it still gives you fine control. I don't have any visual guides to it, just snip small sections off of a spring you WOULDN'T use and see how it feels, or order extra sets of springs and screw around with them. Remember, always cut off less than you need, as you can keep cutting off more but you won't be able to reattach it
Thank you for this review, you saved me from almost buying an X-56. Especially the part of the inflight refuel was a deciding factor. This was the exact reason i was looking for a new stick because my current logitech extreme 3D sucks a** bigtime. I cannot get the plane stable behind the tanker and i know its not me (i dont believe its me because of my extensive experience with sims). Im looking again at the Thrustmaster warthog hotas, but the expenses will keep me from buying it for some time unfortunately. Maybe next year.
I own and use the X55 which I really like - had it for years but only recently it's had some button issues. I'll probably buy the X56 - it's not perfect - I have small hands so have to re-adjust for the top buttons but button clashing has never been an issue and the low resistance I quite like. Inaccuracy of the stick honestly has never been an issue either, the dead zone is quite large but I don't mind that. The great gains for this HOTAS are in the name - it's the ability to map everything so you don't have to rely on a keyboard, the software is great and the mapping combinations numerous with the 3x toggle selection triple your available mappings. For VR this stick is fantastic. The biggest issue for me is that I can't really find an alternative that works as nice across those big three titles and Elite Dangerous.
I heard after Logitech bought Saitek, this HOTAS was reworked and is a much better HOTAS now. There are tons of good reviews on this on Amazon and I am planning on getting one. That blue one is the one by Saitek. Logitech one is grey.
Started with DCS and a new PC in 2020 (Lockdowntherapy). My first Stick before was a Thrustmaster FLCS (F16 Stick and Throttle) but sadly don't work with newer PCs (without USB, DOS Software). Bought a X56 Rhino. Got in the Game but upgraded quickly to the Warthog. I miss the F16 like Throttle of my old Thrustmaster but the two separate Throttles are usefull for many DCS Birds and Helis. I still have the 56 and the Twist Axis is a quick Fix for my missing Pedals in Helis.
With the usb power issue, you can buy powered usb hubs that plug into the wall. A lot of sim players will mount a powered usb hub onto the bottom of their chair, and plug all their hotas controllers into that.
I used this hotas during one year in dog fight. And the cheap plastic joystick is now broken. The throttle too ! This gear is made for casual players doing commercial travel in Star Citizen. But for combat, you need metal gear. So I changed for the Virpil Constellation Alpha and it's throttle, witch are made for hardcore players. The Logitech is easy to install in Star Citizen, the Virpil not at all (I need Joystick Gremlin for, and friends to explain how it works). I needed one week to set up the Virpil witch is a monster of precision. You can customise everything on. I have 72 buttons working ! But when the Virpil is ok : this is another dimension. You get what you paid for... Think about it : what is the most expensive? One Logitech per year, or one Virpil for years ? I use the Virpil system with Monster Tech system and this is just awesome. I play better, I kill faster, I fly safer. Now I'm gonna buy a track IR or maybe an eyetracker and nothing will stop me.
I do have the ghost button issue as well due to the power draw and it was infuriating whilst I was trying to trouble shoot it. Fix for me was to deactivate the LED's in the X56 software and I haven't had the issue since. Not great however if you love the LED's. The review is also spot on with A2A refuelling in DCS, very difficult due to having to set a slight dead zone at centre.
So in the end the ghost buttons ended up coming back no matter what I did plus a few of the hats stopped clicking, they did work but were impossible to use without the tactile feedback. Thankfully I purchased mine from a local retailer and they gave me a full refund.. Absolute junk. I have since spent 3 times as much on a Virpil stick and throttle and it has been worth every sent, simply flawless and makes DCS as good as it possibly could be.
Note: I have the x-55, but apparently the same exact issues made it to the x-56. I think your comment near the end might be the real problem: too many USB ports in use creating conflict. Not USB 2.0 vs 3.0 like I have found online or powered vs unpowered. One person even went so far as to say that putting ferrite cores around wire groups IN the throttle assembly fixed it (which I could almost see work). In the past, I never experienced ghosting because my sticks were individually connected to my previous PC through the Motherboard USB ports. While I don't think behavior would be any different, I will say I had upgraded my PC before recently getting back into Elite Dangerous. And my new setup has my HOTAS attached to my chair with mounts from monstertech. They sell an Anker USB 3.0 hub and so they are plugged in there. Then, that hub was connected directly to a single USB 3.0 port on new motherboard. Note: all of my Mobo USB ports are used up. Immediately, I began to experience ghosting. After doing research, as I stated in the first paragraph, people had lots of potential solutions. Even though powered was a possible solution, I didn't want to dig around and connect a powered PCI port, so I just purchased a 3.0 USB PCI card. Upon moving my external USB plug to the new unpowered PCI USB card (unpowered), ghosting has been eliminated.
Wow the same problem of the old x45... that ring / spring mechanism is a really pain in the ass. You need to push to move the disc and most of the time overshoot. And with the time it will become worst and worst no matter how much grease you put
I completely agree with the finite controls issue (had an x55), the spring and centring mechanism has a weird breaking point (force required to move the stick and get a response) where its too much so you over and when you correct for it you over correct causing PIO in Air to air refuelling that you don't notice in any other types of flight. Personally I have never had any issue with the Control layout or size/position that other reviewers have had, but I suspect that this may be because I have larger hands than them. But yea good entry level hotas.
Interestingly, I don't have this USB issue with the X56, but I did get my stick about 5 months after this review came out, so perhaps the X56 was updated behind the scenes? I do have issues with the fine stuff though, but that's alright because I don't do much precise inputs in DCS. The most precise thing I need is landing, which is fine on the X56. Great review!
My main purpose is to use this for MSF 2020. Though I have other games to play with like DCS, Elite Dangerous and even Ace Combat, I know this joystick will be enough. Though I dream of having an all out great hardware set, this will be a good upgrade from a simple console joystick on my pc. Thanks for the real input. Especially about the USB scenario. I never even thought about that. And I'm almost out of USB ports! Cheers!
Having bought and used the x56 after watching this video i must say its suprisingly good i have had mine for about 10 months now and i was never short of buttons (not even with the a10 in dcs) and i have also never had any problems with any buttons not working the stick is kinda loose after a while but i guess thats just how springs works (they do give you the stick with multiple springs)
Hello, I just saw a comment from someone asking if it is possible to use more than one spring in a helix formation so maybe you can share your thoughts on this. Is it possible in your opinion and would it help the stick be more stiffer?
I just bought the X-56, I have the older blue version. I actually love mine, but my previous hotas was my ps3 Thrustmaster T-Flight X. There is now a shortage on Entry Level Hotas and this was the first one that became available under $300 ($250). I couldn't be happier with this HOTAS, I use it for Elite:Dangerous and Star Citizen. Still a very new user, I think I have my Elite setup finally the way I want it, but Star Citizen is still a work in progress... I may end up using the software to map to keyboard shortcuts to get more options. I think the problem I came across in Star Citizen is on the thruster side, the up down button on the front is mapping as z-axis, which is the same as the actual thruster moving forward and back, and also the rotating knobs are considered all z-axis on controller 2. I am still working on getting past that issue to make all those extra knobs and switches to work.
Ok, I just retested my hotas mapping using the star citizen advanced controller configuration. I think what happened was I was pushing on the thruster as I was trying to set the rotating knows on the thruster and it kept registering my slight push instead of the rotating knob. I had to have my hand off of the thruster and just rotate the knob making sure not to accidentally move the thruster and the rotary knobs worked just fine. So please ignore the comment above regarding this...
I used to own one of these things probably slightly older (x 52pro I think) with pedals too. The quality is really crappy and after little more then one year the throttle broke down and I had to throw the whole thing away. I went for a thrustmaster warthog combo and kept the pedals. BTW after a while the pedal's rubber went all gooey and I had to remove it with a screwdriver and a lot of Isopropylic alcohol (a messy job to be honest). The warthog is worlds apart and is solid and heavy like a rock even after years of use. Most important metal is everywhere and both switches ans levers are high quality and don't lose tension. If you are really into flying Sim, don't be discouraged by prices and go for the TM. Finally if something breaks you can dismount the thing with easy and buy spare parts easily available from the store and even third part producers to customize your hotas. I'm using it for Star Citizen at the moment but in this case a couple of TM 16000 left and right handed would probably be a better investment because of how the mechanics of flight work.
I have the saitek cyborg, same stick design but no repleceable spring... i just open it and removed the spring... it is the best, sure no back to center but, I improve carrier landing on all aircraft and Helo flying. it was tough doing helo landing on a carrier or land on a top a a mountain with that system
I still have the original, old-firmware version of one of its predecessors, the "good" old X-52. The zoom-bounce is a huge problem on that one too, along with the spring tension. Sounds like they didn't learn from their mistakes, used some of the same hardware in the X-56, and spent the real money on adding the split throttle and the additional switches. .
Personally, i have not had any USB issues and both the stick and throttle are connected to the same header on my motherboard. Perhaps they are 1000mAh USB ports for fast charging., but I haven't had any issues with a used, refurbished blue Saitek model (same in all but color AFAIK). No phantom inputs or anything like that. I did run into issues when I initially tried to daisy chain them through my Corsair keyboard and mousepad USB 'hubs' but other than that, good to go. Great review, and quite unbiased. I really liked how you explained why this isn't objectively great as a HOTAS but can be an excellent product in its price range or for a certain demographic. That information is much more useful than "this is bad/good/best because x features".
Around 3 months with the X56 V2 after 2 years owning 2 X52 Pro (first one had a broken spring on the Z axis). I use my X56 99% with Star Citizen and I must say that I 'm loving it so far. The many extra controls over the already good X52Pro make all the difference when the acronym H.O.T.A.S. comes to a real definition. What I actually don't like much is somehow the analog axis precision on some sticks and knobs. I had to create many axis limits and dead zones to avoid issues but this is something I was aware it could happen anyway. By far, what bothers me the MOST is the insane hard Z axis (twist) on the Joystick... Compared to the X52, seriously it's like the X56 justify its price because you are also paying for a forearm workout program, rather than paying for a gym. Jokes aside, it's really annoying using the twist movement on the X56 Joystick. For many times, I've been really considering getting the Logitech Pro Pedal to avoid using the freaking twist movement. Another thing is indeed, the USB issues and ghosting. I don't have problems since I've connected both the Throttle and the Stick on my Monitor's (Asus PG348Q) USB inputs. I read everywhere before buying it that connecting it into a powered USB port is really necessary. BTW, I had some trouble when I kept them into a USB 3.1 so they are now back to the 3.0 ports and working perfectly with no ghosting whatsoever. The software is also another thing that should really be improved. Overall, I'm quite happy with it and wouldn't go back to the X52Pro although, I really miss the soft and easy twist movement on the X52. The only reason I don't consider Thrustmaster or Virpil is due to the fact that you simply don't even have the option to place the stick on a regular table (without making holes at least).
Hi F.D.M, I am interested in purchasing the X 56. I am new in respect to HOTAS, but want an upgrade from my extreme 3d pro. can I use an external powered hub instead of one incorporated to the PC? I ask as prices for internal (should we say) soar up.
I have this HOTAS with it's peddles. I will say your review was true to it's pros and cons / with the understanding that not all problems you have I have. The X56 has a quality build issue from the factory. Some component's last longer and preform better so what you get from the factory is a roll the dice moment. Lol sad but true. Bottom line I do NOT fly online. DCS is the way I fly. People can learn to get by with what they have and adjust for the units short comings. I have had my unit for 3 years. I see this unit as: I wanted the BEST low end medium range HOTAS when I was starting out. Low end stuff is just junk. So the X56 fit my price and logic and I have been very happy. BUT now I do want a better unit.... Time does move you to start thinking about retiring this unit for something better. I just didn't know if I would stick with flight sim fun so why blow big dollars on a "thought" of fun.
I'm glad you came back to it towards the end, that this is a very good stick for Star Citizen. I've never played DCS. so I can't relate to those issues that just sounded "Not-Picky" to me. Those minute adjustments for your midair refuling are PERFECTLY done with the 2 little thumbsticks. Though I don't know if you can program them for that in DCS. I have my left thumbstick as strafe up, down, right and left. And my right thumbstick as Strafe forward and backward. In essence, you get HOSAS with those thumbsticks. I've got speed limiter and thrust limiter on the split throttle. So with cruise control the speed limiter acts as a throttle, but when you want finer, or more temporary control, turn off cruise Control and use the strafe. I wonder if you got a bad stick, Christmas will mark 2 years for mine, and with the lightest spring, mine centers well. Recently I get a tiny yaw left. So I put a tiny X dead zone in the SC settings. And that fixed that. Your best points were the sad truth that in the flightstick world, we go from cheap $30 crap, to barely adequate at about $100 to this colossal jump to $500-$1000. With only the X55/56 in the Gap. (and forget about the 55. Those thumbsticks are well worth every penny). I've had many org mates complain about Drift settling in to their T16000 within a few months. And that it has very few programmable buttons and switches. I still have a good dozen unassigned spots on my X56 just waiting for things like shield hardening missile select. A while ago I made a 5 minute video showing my Keybinds for SC. I've made a couple of tiny changes since I got a Khartu-Al. But I'd take it as a courtesy if you'd take a look at that vídeo. I actually made it for Cobra when he was considering to buy a stick. MY ONE COMPLAINT right now is I need a side handle button, like on my VR controller. I used to have Weapon group 2 on the pinky, but with the Khartu-Al I need afterburn to NOT be thumb activated, but not be a reach (tried putting it on the pinky lever, but that's just a bit awkward) I really wish I could design my own flightstick. But have a list of top notch parts. I just don't have the resources to R&D every part to make sure I find wires that won't break in 6 months and triggers that won't malfunction after 50,000 pulls.
Well as I mentioned, SC was far less "demanding" as far as the sorts of precision I was looking for especially in DCS. In games like that that stuff just falls to user preference, and it would have been wrong to tell people it was a bad stick because it didn't meet my personal preference. Overall it's not a bad HOTAS at all, just over priced, now more than ever. I'll be working on my own custom throttle build here in the next year or two. I'll check your video out.
I have this stick set up. You can simply plug them into available USB 3.0 ports on your motherboard. I was having issues using 2.0 ports while playing Elite Dangerous. The lack of dead zone is annoying at times with the new MSFS. Planes list to the left which is only good for out maneuvering Star Destroyer guns.
this is interesting! I got the x 56 as wedding present and after 4 years and 300 hours in elite dangerous and 250 in dcs never had any problem except for the very fine control when flying in dcs. I always thought it was just that the game is difficult. Motherboard is a 250 Euro one so maybe that's why I never noticed any power problems...
Today the Logitech X56 Rhino HOTAS is available and selling for about $280.00 taxed and shipped at MicroCenter with delivery by Xmas; the Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS is available from Amazon UK Global for about $500.00 taxed and shipped with an estimated mid-January delivery. Otherwise, the list price of the Warthog HOTAS will be about $600.00 taxed and shipped from U.S. retailers in 2021. For a little more money than the X56 and a slightly longer wait than the Warthog, you can purchase a premium VKB Gladiator NXT (about $180.00 shipped) and a Thrustmaster TWCS throttle (about $110.00 shipped). This last option beats the Rhino and rivals the Warthog in quality, durability and performance, representing a more solid value for what you pay while providing twist function in the stick and "finger pedals" on the throttle for those who want true HOTAS ergonomics and 6 degrees of freedom without additional rudder pedals.
Interestingly enough, the behavior you brought up as its worst attribute is exactly what another youtube reviewer mentioned as a positive. Where you set a sensor deadzone for the physical deadzone, they apparently didn't and they said being able to make the tiniest adjustments to the stick position without even engaging the spring at all helps them a lot in formation flying and airborne refueling in DCS.
Just a few comments: - I actually like the lighter center spring on the joystick. My criticism on that mechanic is a very different one: after using this stick for a few years now, wear and tear set in. The hole through the centering core widened just a fraction of a millimeter over the years, which unfortunately means the top of the stick now has several millimeters of leeway without moving the cone. - I actually dislike the stiff throttle. It's the reason why this system can only really be used when attached to the table. (Mind you, not all X55/X56 throttles i owned over the years were like this, though. It depends on how much wax is on the tray where the braking panels drag through. ) - I also can't really relate to the problem described with the throttles 4 way switches. I can use quite reliably. - Where i also notice the inaccuracy instead are the thumb mouse-simulation-sticks on each device. They tend to drift under my thumbs. And i by now conclude that it's because of their position. I can use them quite accurately when using them with another finger, but not when having my hands properly on the device. (So I guess as you experience the issue with the 4 ways, it might be a question of hand size? ) - From some of the switch issues you describe, i would guess that you still have an early Logitech model. To get where i am coming from: the original Saitek design, while being nice, had MASSIVE quality issues. I replaced my HOTAS a number of times. (Luckily, due to how Amazon handles warranty, they refounded my broken X55 when it broke, as it was not available any more, then always replaced my X56 on warranty, as it reliably broke before the warranty time was over and they always only checked when they last time sent the device to me. ) The first HOTAS which i then got with the Logitech label on it still had plenty of problems. The latest one i got now survived for several years, without any of the issues. (See above: wear and tear. My Saitek-built sticks never survived long enough to even develop these problems. ) - Last not least, the whole thing about power: it is true that the device is very power hungry. But you don't need to go for the USB card you showed. Just get a powered USB hub. They cost just a few more bucks than a normal USB hub. Compared to the HOTAS holders and whatever else you invested, they are a triviality and really reliably fix the problem. At the same time, it -might- be true that you need another USB card for a very different reason: my device ran perfectly fine on my old system, but the USB controller on my Asrock B450 Pro 4 board had problems with this HOTAS. (As well as with my HBCI card reader. ) Which kind of invalidates the "no problem with an expensive board" statement, though. I had to install an additional USB card from another producer to fix the problem. But should i really blame the HOTAS for it, if the USB port of a rather high rate mainboard (of the time i bought it) has problems with it and other USB devices? So all in all, if somebody offers you a Saitek version of this stick, keep your fingers off. If it's a Logitech built one, if you can, check which year it was produced in. If you're offered the 2016/2017 ones, again say no. Even the first batch of the Logitech ones with the grey prints still had some issues. While they were said to have improved cables, i still within short time ran into problem with the switches. My late 2017 model i have now, on the other hand, serves since almost 3 1/2 years. So while it indeed now shows signs of physical wear and tear, it's still within reasonable limits. (Up to around X-mas, i used the stick completely without deadzones. Which you can't do with too many sticks. )
I have a X52 and been plotting on going Virpl but the X52 is too perfect button wise. I wish the right stick was more sensitive to movement, but other than that its perfect.
WOW, if you watch this to the end every thought you might have to contest what he says about this stick will be resolved! i don't think its possible to give a better review this this. thank you!
Wouldn't help. It's less the strength of the spring and more that the tolerances between the cup & ring as well as the cup and the shaft it slides on means there's an untensioned hole in the center. What has helped some owners is adding external springs between the mounting bolts in the corners and the stick
I have one of these, and have exactly the same issue with the rotary on the throttle, which I'm using for my zoom axis too. It's the perfect spot for it, but jitters around like crazy.
I have this very stick. Not only do I have the ~lightest spring installed I also have a zip tie around it to compress it further and make it even lighter. He has it exactly backwards. You don't want stiffer for precise movements, you want smoother, and to get this you need lighter movement weight not heavier. As myself has flown UH-1H's in real life, I can tell you, the amount of force needed to move a hydraulic powered flight control is so minute that you pretty much just have to think about it. If you try to move the stick a lot, you'll end up dead real quick. The same is true for the F-16 stick, where in real life it only moves 1/4" in every direction ~that's how sensitive it is, and it was initially designed with only 1/8" of movement but pilots didn't like it because it didn't move enough. Even in a Cessna, you'd be surprised how little force is actually needed during normal flight. It's like driving a car. You only move that sucker a little bit at high speed for a major change, and they only find center through gyroscopic forces, that have nothing to do with the steering wheel. This guy doesn't know what he's talking about. I love this stick and as both a real world aircraft mechanic and sim enthusiast, I can tell you, this stick is a great and low price alternative to the Thrustmaster Warthog, and the Virpl flight controls. The prices he's talking about in this video aren't set by Logitech but the retailer. I got mine for $249 last year, you just have to know how look at other places other than Amazon, and Ebay for deals. I have no issues with helicopter flight or precise movement with this stick.
While it could have been significantly less-toxic, this comment was useful. I only say this to explain that at least one of the "likes" is for some info hidden in all the hate.
Same her. I cut spring to make stick more loose. Also removed part from throttle- now can't change throttle stiffnes, but it's not that stiff as it was. Really hard to be precise if you need two hands to move stick, right?
@@tsalVlog Where was I even a little toxic? Where I called him out for being wrong and not knowing what he's talking about? Sorry the truth hurt your feelings.
@@ImpendingJoker You are on-point though. I own a prehistoric x45 and the first thing that I did was remove the spring completely.
Here we have a pilot who has supposedly flown UH-1H’s (oddly specific model given the complexity of the many different variants), has flown the F-16 as well as Cessna’s though is now a mechanic all the while being subscribed to gaming channels. That would make perfect sense wouldn’t it? I don’t know many pilots who would leave UA-cam comments as it is, though in such a condescending tone supplying their supposed resume? Yeah, right.
this is an awesome review from someone who actually talks you about the details on the controls, how the inputs fell, any problems with different parts, and goes deeper than just the feels of the controls.
Thanks. I felt those things were lacking in a lot of reviews I watched in deciding what to buy - so I try to include them when I do a review
Except he has no real world experience. I have this very stick. Not only do I have the ~lightest spring installed I also have a zip tie around it to compress it further and make it even lighter. He has it exactly backwards. You don't want stiffer for precise movements, you want smoother, and to get this you need lighter movement weight not heavier. As myself has flown UH-1H's in real life, I can tell you, the amount of force needed to move a hydraulic powered flight control is so minute that you pretty much just have to think about it. If you try to move the stick a lot, you'll end up dead real quick. The same is true for the F-16 stick, where in real life it only moves 1/4" in every direction ~that's how sensitive it is, and it was initially designed with only 1/8" of movement but pilots didn't like it because it didn't move enough. Even in a Cessna, you'd be surprised how little force is actually needed during normal flight. It's like driving a car. You only move that sucker a little bit at high speed for a major change, and they only find center through gyroscopic forces, that have nothing to do with the steering wheel. This guy doesn't know what he's talking about. I love this stick and as both a real world aircraft mechanic and sim enthusiast, I can tell you, this stick is a great and low price alternative to the Thrustmaster Warthog, and the Virpl flight controls. The prices he's talking about in this video aren't set by Logitech but the retailer. I got mine for $249 last year, you just have to know how look at other places other than Amazon, and Ebay for deals. I have no issues with helicopter flight or precise movement with this stick.
Pretty much this. After having flown a real GA plane for the first time recently i was surprised that 1) the stick doesn't want to return by itself to a neutral position and 2) it is extremely sensitive to the slightest movement.
I finally understand why some simmers who are also real world pilots mod their sticks and remove the spring entirely.
@@ImpendingJoker it really reveals how much of the question of stick tension/centering is simply up to the user's preference. Buggy inputs can certainly be one thing, but adjusting sensitivity and dead zones for minute control with a fairly soft return spring can be pretty great.
@@ImpendingJoker Could have not copy and pasted it, and also not have made it so toxic.
As someone who just barely scraped one of these from a store with a few left and has it in the mail... this was a rollercoaster lol
fr i thought i made the wrong decision lol
I dont know why so many people are having trouble with this hotas. I do fine movements on BMS and DCS almost everyday and I've never had any problems with it. The HOTAS is just working fine for me.
Same here, never had any problems with mine and very happy with it for $250 new in Australia. Cheers
It's my first hotas and I love it. I have somewhat smaller hands so pressing multiple buttons at the same time isn't a problem for me.
Also as for the USB bit, my motherboard has a ton of ports on the back. Some of them are Usb 3.1, which I use for both the throttle and stick, and those don't give any problems with random button inputs. The motherboard is a TUF B450-PLUS GAMING. There's also a ton of other crap in the other USB ports at the same time; mouse, keyboard, a controller, headset and there are no issues this way.
I upgraded from a Logitech Extreme 3D stick to the X56 when playing Elite Dangerous, and the change in my gameplay was incredible. I also use this a lot in combination with the Logitech G923 wheel for Farming Simulator 19 and 22. The number of available mappings makes gameplay much more immersive for me, especially when combined with VR.
I am still on my Force 3D Pro^^
@@emmata98same🥹
I have the Logitech x56 (same HOTAS, Logitech just bought Saitek) and I have experienced none of the power issues that he describes here. I agree that the deadzones need to be set larger than i would like due to the mushiness when the ring isn’t engaged though. However, the presence of the ministicks on the throttle and stick make this a really great option for VR DCS players.
Stock from factory, do I need to adjust with that ring? Im going to use it for MSFS, will the deadzone be just okay out of the box for that?
Thanks for the excellent review, i was considering this and the Warthog and ended up with the Warthog. My decision was sealed after I read about the X56's lack of tension/stiffness (which was the same reason i sold my X52 Pro many years ago) and it being equally lacking in weight for assured desktop usage. Your comments on the buttons/levers were especially useful.
"Fly an adult jet with one engine"
*Me locking up said engine in EO in my Flanker*
Boo non clickable aircraft
@@TheRandomSqueak non clickable but sure is damn fun to fly
@@candle_eatist you ain’t wrong. Nothing like flying the 27 with an ushanka, drinking vodka, and blasting hardbass
@@TheRandomSqueak damn right comrade
Say what if I flew the hornet with one engine one. hmmmm this is big brain time
Very well said and executed. The detailed description and the attention to every part let alone the comparison with other products blatendly depicts the effort you put into the making of this brilliant commentary. Thank you for posting this beyond helpful review to the public!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow, I forgot I bought star citizen. Jeez, that was like 8 years ago
If you remember what email you used and have a decent PC it’s playable now and some of the final big hurdles in the game’s development (server meshing and some other back end tech they need) are about to completed which is going to allow the devs to begin pumping out features and content really quickly.
@@ssp712 Don't lie to him lol the game is still hot garbage and they have not even finished the FIRST system. The game is a pipedream.
@@ashcosmo3854 they aint finished the FIRST system cause of server meshing and icache.................we know they have a few systems near complete behind closed doors. it also runs pretty well in the current patch.
i just got into it during the freefly held in the end of November. i enjoyed it so much that i decided to buy a package. IMO its freaking amazing. the visuals, the intricacies, and strangely the interactions with other players are what sucked me in. yeah, its been in development for a long time. but lets see... what other game has taken well over a decade(+) to make... oh yeah, Cyberpunk.... and i would strongly argue that the tech and mechanics behind Star Citizen are FAR more complicated.
@Ferinir I'm a troll ? Hows crashing on Hurston every 30 minutes ? 9 years in development and the first system isn't even complete but they'll sure as shit keep shovelling new ships down your throat lmao
I actually quite like the lack of centre tension, I find it useful for formation flying and refuelling.
same here
growling mentioned that too though
Agree, some may think I'm crazy but I recently swapped my thrustmaster hotas warthog for an x56. Yes, the quality of the warthog is much better but the amount of joystick pressure you need to put in is ridiculous and very annoying. In fact it left me with a shoulder injury because of this. The x56 is far more relaxing to fly with, given its low tension.
Personally, coming from a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro... I think this thing is great. And I "only" paid 325$ CND (about 250$ USD) for it, new. I consider it a fair price. Now, I agree with all the things you said that are wrong with it. It's far from perfect, but so far, I'm happy with it. I have no issues with USB power, although I make sure to use different headers (one from the back and one from the front) so maybe, in my case, it does the trick. And I have a good motherboard. The Logitech software is frustrating to use... and I'm still debating if I should use it with modes or just map my controls in games... Right now I have a mix of both and it's kind of a mess. But... at least it offers options. So.... I don't know. It's not perfect, but overall good enough for a casual gamer if you want more than a basic joystick. If you want more, just accept to pay more than what it offers, and move on to the high end options right away.
And that pretty much mirrors my view. I really like my X56 for Star Citizen/Elite Dangerous and as I'm not a flight sim player, I guess I don't really experience some of the annoying aspects of this HOTAS.
I've not suffered with some of the issues around USB power, again like Eric, I didn't cut corners with my system and have smaller hands, I don't have an issue with pressing the wrong switches inadvertently.
Still, good review :)
@Kxwala Well, the tightening screw broke a month ago on the X56... not a surprise since it's a known problem... Other than that I'm happy with it. Lots of options to map stuff. Is it worth it? Depends on the price you pay I guess. There are better, higher quality, options... for twice the money or more. And not much in between. I'm not serious enough about this stuff to put more money into an HOTAS, so for me, yes the X56 was worth it.
@Kxwala Good question, I haven't looked. It's quite easy to open though. But a quick search didn't provide any diy fix. That doesn't mean there aren't.
You paid $300+ for a $40 stick?
I can attest to the USB issue especially being a owner of the original Saitek model and I didn't see that USP issue till I plugged in not only the sticking throttle but the foot pedal and I was playing Elite dangerous in VR
Have you considered a powered USB hub which is a lot cheaper and make sure you can keep the power separate while retaining data?
@@Fedack I just separate all 3 controller's in different 1 proprietary motherboard usb,1 front case USB, and 1 into a USB hub though it's not a 2.0 nor connected via pci slot. If I do that the issue does not appear.. not to mention I'm still using my z120 plus motheboard
@@Fedack i don't think it's a powered issue. i think it's a congestion issue. i stopped seeing ghost button issues when i rerouted my unpowered external hub (so that my sticks can be mounted to my chair and then i only have one wire running to my PC) from my Mobo USB ports (which were all filled up) to an unpowered USB PCI card, thereby isolating my external hub/flight stick communications from the other communications.
I use a usb 3.0 hub with external power supply. No more ghosting and disconnects
I saw this video before when evaluating the X-56. I only remembered the USB part, what's wrong with an externally powered USB hub that takes current from the same outlet your PC does and skips the Power Supply altogether? All it's doing is acting like a HUB with higher power levels. Also the problem with the X-56 isn't the power consumption but the Signal to Noise Ratio that creates the problems you're talking about, in Electrical Engineering that's called Crosstalk. That's actually solved through Electromagnetic Compatibility Engineering (the FCC/CE logos you see in products) and it has nothing to do with power intake at the USB port. That's just a work around to deal with bad EMC design and probably a lack of filtering. I got my X-56 off of ebay for less than 100 and you're totally right about all of its symptoms. I returned the X-52 before and you're also right about the stick(when it comes to behavior not really about stiffness being the cause). Because I knew all as well as learning the mechanical engineering reasons of what constitutes a good gimbal that I went with VKB and I would have gone with VKB for the throttle as well and not with Virpil. In short even though Virpil is famous their EMC design is just as bad if not worst than Thrustmaster's and TBH VKB are the only ones who have a clean EMC design.
You are 100% correct.VR has the same issues, nothing to do with power drain just signal noise. All you do is change your plugged in configuration.
I've been using an X-56 RGB for a couple of years and I got it for the $250 I got it shortly after it was released. I've never had any issue with the hardware in star citizen or elite dangerous. I have it plugged into an external wall powered USB HUB from anker. It's been a great HOTAS and a joy to use. IMHO.
im old school i run the saitek x51
I think a lot of the phantom button press problems stem from not enough power going to the hotas. I have found people who have more than enough power in their pc or a wall powered usb hub don’t experience the problem. Is that true for you?
@@questofknowledge8788 Yes you should use a wall powered USB HUB. That way you don't have to worry if your board is providing enough power.
I just got a T.16000M dual stick set for MSRP! I love em so much. I'm still new to world of Hotas/Hosas, but it's incredible! Once I get used to it I'll check out some nicer sticks.
Glad you love it. Honestly the deeper message of this review was that unless you need the features of far more expensive set ups, the TM16000 is amazing and as you go to higher models the satisfaction isn't as assured.
@@Leadnap yeah especially since the price jump is even worse if you want twin stick. I hope that another ambidextrous mid-range stick comes with the huge bump in demand for Hotas since MS Flight Sim launched.
I actually got my T.16000 from a walmart clearance rack in a small town for $40 canadian lol I also found a pair of logitech flight pedals in a staples in that same small town, all in 2020 which is crazy. I really dont like the button setup on the T.16000 for DCS but the actual joystick travel is amazing for the price! Even after I upgrade to winwing for DCS, Il still use the T.16000 for Elite Dangerous... its just too smooth for space games
I went from x55 to X56 to a t16000m. Go with the tmaster. While none are perfect, the x55/56 is built like garbage. It looks cool yes. Cool buttons yes. Made like junk.
When my stick gets floppy, I just double click her mouse wheel!
Huh?
Works good for me. I have found that no Hotas system out there is perfect. And It works great in Star Citizen!
after 3 years of use for this stick i can vouch for it, this stick is good for a-10c f16 and f18 in dcs because of the all 190+ programable buttons, as for the stick i had 0 problems with it, i use the lightest spring and i can say that it moves like butter, i even got a guy to make the x56 joystick all metal wich feels more durable. If you want a dcs experience for starters this is the one thing you can get now. Good review!
Bought this set when Microsoft flight simulator 2020 came out. It works so im happy
Update?
@@christopher5846 still works great
@@VKanto glad to hear!
Is it still working? 😅
@@Ashmodai still works great
Yep that makes sense, my x55 is also a no refueling stick lol.
I have however doubled up on the spring by lining them up and melting a pipe sleeve to help hold them in place. Tensions better but not perfect.
Nice idea! I'll have to try this.
Sotas, the quintessential piece of equipment for all virgin starter packs everywhere.
07:15 I had the same issue. It is quite easy to solve in DCS: use user curve for axis tune. Adjust knobs in that way that responce curve has flat part in your "usual" zoom position.
Wouldn’t just creating a dead zone do the same thing?
@@faroukm4148 It would. The problem is one cannot create a dead zone in the arbitrary place on the axis, it can be done only around zero.
Same issue here, had to just ignore it as it's a common problem. I now use the one on bottom has is slightly better.
One of the many reasons I've stuck with CH Products since 1992.
This is the best X56 review on UA-cam. Please look at the VKB Gladiator NXT.
I've had so many requests on this I will try to get one and do so.
Waiting for my virpil hotas set, watching reviews for other sets in the meantime :p
Hope you enjoy it! Certainly do want to eventually test their set up out for a review!
@@Leadnap are you a real f16 pilot????
Malachi 81, How long are you having to wait for the delivery of the virpil from hitting the 'BUY' button? Looking at their site, they do look good, but i don't (Can't) want to wait 2-3 months as my X52Pro is really dying very quickly now. I have such a large dead zone on X and Y that makes flying ridiculous.
Well, they do have a massive back order due to MSFS, but customer service is top notch. They called me that my order is being dispatched, details came with an email. Took a month from buying to dispatch. Perfect timing because my right t16000 is dying :p
@@malachi8151 Thanks, might give it a go
i had the saitek version, which had an issue with the cam sticking, when i sent it back I got a replacement under warranty to the Logitech version. The plastics and electronics have definitely received an upgrade with the logitech version and I find the cam much better on the stick. Also I find that using USB 2.0 ports (or a PS/2 to USB adapter for those with older motherboards with the dedicated PS/2 mouse port) are much more stable than using the newer ports on my inputs. maybe this will help for those with USB issues.
I also have just invested in a VKB stick to go dual stick and even thought the build quality and smoothness is noticeably better, the price of the stick alone was what I paid for the entire HOTAS for the X56.
WOW, what an unbiased appraisal of the X56. GREAT video and most helpful to someone looking to replace their trusty but aging X52pro Hotas. I was (Am) looking to the X56 and the Warthog, and your video has certainly made me think very hard.
Whilst i don't play DCS (Why Not i wonder as it looks right up my street), i flight sim in X-Plane, MSFS 2020, Elite Dangerous, so am after a setup that will do all 3. There are plenty of 'USED' X56's on the bay and other markets, but after watching your video, it makes me ask the question 'Why are they selling'? Hmmmm Faulty switch, wobbly joystick....Alarm bells ring............... STAY AWAY FROM 2nd HAND X56!
Thanks Man, often on here reviewers give a false positive as they have bought it and want it to be good, but this video of yours is a in depth breath of fresh air exposing some critcal flaws of the X56, whilst showing the possible benefits.
Thank you Sir!
Glad it helped you in deciding what to do. The Warthog has been great so far for DCS and MSFS 2020, but it's not been nearly long enough to do the review on that yet. X-Plane and MSFS - DCS is worth checking out! Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much for this extremely thorough and high quality review. It has saved me a lot of wasted money and headaches, Ill be going for a VIRPIL setup I think. Can buy it piecemeal, its upgradable, hopefully it's as high quality as I've heard (and with broad usage options as you described).
Amazing, thanks again. I would love to see more reviews like this on as many sticks as you can!
How's that virpil these days. Thinking about upgrading from this to that. X56 for 3 years now it's held up ok some buttons failed though.
I run my X52 pro on a USB3 hub. USB3 has loads of power available, which fixed the power issues for me no worries. I also run a button box with 20+ controls, which does help with complex stuff.
Also thank you for the in depth review. I was considering this thing but I feel like it could be done better for the price point.
A while back I upgraded from an old Logitech G940 FFB (which i still use on occasion) to an X56 HOTAS. Initially I liked it although I did miss the FFB. I liked the abundance of switches and axis' and I liked that it was a very generic setup because I use my HOTAS for a number of flight sims and space sims. However, it wasn't long before two big issues became very apparent. First, the slop in the joystick was extremely noticable and problematic. The second and much larger issue was the ghost inputs, mostly from the throttle. I tried every fix and remedy I could find on Google and various forums, and while a few of them decreased the frequency of the ghost inputs, none of them eliminated the problem completely. The slop in the stick was something I could fix. But the ghost inputs were a deal breaker and I have since upgraded to a Winwing Orion 2 HOTAS.
Same here, the Ghost inputs killed it for me. The ferrite core would probably work. But why is it my job to fix a bad design suffering from interference. ferrite cores help prevent wires from acting like antennas. But again, not my job.
I should have heeded the warning from others. But I crossed my fingers and bought that junk.
Thanks for that awesome and indepth review, showing some of the problems and quirks not talked about usually.
I know the review is 3 years old but as of 2023 December, the issues talked about in this video still persist with this HOTAS. Thank you greatly for the video, I had purchased it before seeing your video, and searched when i noticed the issues, promptly sent back to Amazon
I personally own this exact, model. I have had some issues with centering and rotating buttons value output changing when it wasn't moved. typically in +/- 50.(5% change) For those that don't know this stick goes on a scale from 1-1000 as output values. I solved the centering issue by adding a dead-zone of 5. I do agree with @ImpendingJoker the lighter spring is much better for precision. After calibrating both controllers. it solved most issues mentioned. For some buttons yes the clearance is very tight and sometimes hard to hit the right button. However, after a couple weeks, you settle in quite easily, and learn the proper positioning for those buttons on the controller.
I do wish that rest stop on the stick was actually adjustable. Would make hitting those hard to reach buttons much better.
I use this joystick/ throttle combo for all of the games mentioned. without any issues. By far the best Stick/Throttle combo I've ever owned.
on the precision site. for minute control, with deadzone set to 5 on both x/y axis, minute changes occur right as you start to feel spring pressure. Which helped with mid air refueling in dcs.
@leadnap Gaming I would suggest changing to the lightest spring, deadzone on the stick set to 5 on x/y axis, and try it again. The stiffest spring, sucks as much as you say it does, but not trying to other springs, means you only tested the worst of this system. Alot of people i know that use this controller all use the lightest spring.
Bought my X-56 for approx $130 second hand a couple of years back as the throttle part had a few input problems. I figured out with reference to sites on the common failures of the throttles.
There was a great set up for me in SC at Alpha 3.4, but when they changed the flight system it failed to work and I haven't really sat down to remap it yet. I do have a problem with the throttle box disconnecting from the PC from time to time, but your video may have helped me, as it might just be a power issue to resolve as most of my USB's are being used on my ROG Hero VII motherboard along with an RX 5700XT and artic 34 eSports Duo processor cooler.
Having tried on a real military simulator for air to air refueling of a multi engine aircraft, it is one of the hardest things I have ever tried and failed multiple times, the longest I stayed connected was 0.5 seconds. This was part of our training as RAF aircraft technicians at RAF Kinloss.
This review is quite accurate. I owned one of these, and hats off to you for lasting this long with it because lasted about 5 minutes before I hit the refund button on amazon. I had to set a massive dead zone on the stick because it was that lose even after changing out the spring to the stiffest I could find in the box. Loaded up War Thunder Sim battle, the hotas didn't even register, loaded up Elite Dangerous and I had the input situation you were talking about, moved the throttle and every single command possible activated. Honestly, this was a lesson learned for me, I found it for $400 on amazon (price hike thanks to Microsoft Flight Sim), but with all these issues, hell I wouldn't want to pay more than maybe a $100 for this.
It comes out of the box with the stiffest spring attached. Wdym? 😂
Those loose springs are a must for space and helicopter pilots. Actually wanted even weaker spring on mine, but it ended up not centering too well. I'd need different axis system / cams for which i have to invest to virpil.
Funny, I have the X55 (basically identical except with the Saitek logo instead of Logitech). I had the opposite problem with the springs, they were so freaking strong I would nearly rip my stick out of my desk if I got too vigorous.
theres a few things incorrect in your review, and a few things i downright disagree with as an X-56 owner myself.
1. the USB ghost button issue, as long as you have the stick and throttle plugged into different headers on your board, you will not have an issue (try putting one on USB 2.0 and the other on 3.0 or 3.1)
2. the thumb hats and right side toggle switches require some getting used to, they are not the best design, but they are far from useless as you have made them out to be.
3. You are spot on in your assessment of the stick. I replaced it with a VKB gunfighter, and will never look back.
Nice Review. If I ever go into Sticks again I will try to remember you!
The part with the USB hub was really important information. I just ordered an X56 to replace my reaaaaally old X52. And i have one of the best USB hubs available still in my old PC. First i will try without and if i encounter any issues i am gonna switch it into my new PC and bam. So that is a W for me.
Thanks a lot lad. :)
I end up using the mode knob for Nav -> M1, Air-to-Air -> M2 and Air-to-Ground -> M3 in DCS. Pretty useful for me.
I personally do own an X56 and i franly think its great. I dont see myself going any higher than this unless FOMO gets the better of me. The reason i got the x56 is because i wanted a stick with magnetic sensors and this one did. I actually am 100% fine with what you consider a problem with it when it comes to finite controls. After modifying the curves a little bit, the x56 performs AMAZINGLY and i actually love the sensitivity in the center. I fly in elite dangerous which is probably why i dont find the centering an issue. I actually want that sensitivity, because a slight movement of my hand translates into very critical and needed adjustments when flying flight assist off. Also for me the throttle was too hard to move even on the lightest settings, i actually needed to take the back off and take out some of that goop for me to be able to move the thing how i like. The button layout on the throttle is problematic if you have average to large hands, i have small hands so i can navigate that area much easier than the average user so i dont have any issues with those. Also i dont have a detent on the black knobs on the base of the throttle so im not sure if its broken. All in all the x56 is an amazing stick especially for its price range and i encourage everyone to get it.
has it been good after the 5 months
Had the power issue with the X52 Pro, solved it with a powered USB hub
I was wondering if a powered USB hub would solve the issue, since that is what i use for my controllers.
will be looking for a new hotas in the next year or so, the t16 has been good but limited and very flimsy, wish there was more choice in the hotas market
The X-56 wasn't bad, though if you think the T16 is flimsy you might be best avoiding the Logitech line altogether and going up to the Warthog - which is solid enough my kid can't push the stick over.
I cannot recommend the Gladiator NXT from VKB enough. Even without a throttle, its a solid build and amazing at everything. Ergonomics are on point and it has more switches than the warthog stick in a similar layout. For every fault that the X-56 stick has, the NXT solves.
Here is my experience with the X55 and X56. I brought an X55 a few years back (they are almost the same stick other than RGB), when I did they where about 120-150 GBP, about two months in with VERY light use (like an hour a week tops) it broke. The cables inside the throttle unit are incredibly weak and small trust me if you took the throttle apart like myself youd see, they basically go up into the throttle free floating around, a big bunch of like 50 cables that are that horrible plastic cable insulation not the more rubberised bendy sort thats resistant to breaking. The more times you move that throttle the more likely theyl just snap (this is on the X56 cables too btw).
Anyway I got a new X55 under warranty and the wheel for the throttle stiffness broke sticking me at max stiffness litterally the day I got it the first time I went to adjust the stiffness down, I sent that one back under warranty, thats when they discontinued the X55 so I got sent out an X56 nearly a year later (I forgot I even sent my X55 away), I thought sweet, a V2 obviously theyve fixed all the same problems (and also a much more expensive stick at 210 GBP), a couple of months in the trottle stiffness broke and I just said screw it. I took it apart, saw the VERY poorly designed internals. Fixed the stiffness wheel myself and sold that stick. Never picked up a flight stick again. The saitek really does suck. REALLY, dont buy it. The only one worth getting is the X-52, its designed much more robustly. The X55/56 looks cool, and thats where its practicality ends, all the quality went into the switches and buttons. The joystick / throttle itself is terrible, taking it apart its held together with hot glue and free floating spindly cables, that will break. DO NOT BUY
just to add its not user error, my thrustmaster T500RS racing wheel and pedals, and my brothers thrustmaster T flight from about 10 years ago still go strong after what mus be thousands of hours of use, by both me and other people. The difference in quality between these two brands is completely unreal. Ironically my external powered USB hub I used (I would recommend doing that instead of an internal one) is still going strong has come in more useful and seen more use than the stick.
Excellent Detailed Review Just Going To Wait A Bit For The Price To Drop On AMAZON either in 2022 or 2023 Keep Up The Excellent Reviews
One should set a dead zone on a stick only if the output signals are 'noisy' and hence inducing a jittery response. The really bad thing about dead zones is that they remove the center zone where the smallest deflections are effected. That is, the dead zone results in a sudden jump from zero to some larger value, with no intermediate scaling. This is how to REMOVE the ability to make the very fine inputs for such precision control necessary for, e.g., aerial refueling.
To illustrate with an extreme example. Suppose one set a dead zone that cut out the lower 50% of deflection. One would then be able to push the stick through half its range to no effect at all. Then once crossing the dead zone threshold, suddenly the deflection output would jump to 50%. To counter this the curve of response would need to be re-scaled so that at the half-deflection threshold the output would be just commencing to rise from zero.
But if there is overall 'noisiness' in the sensor, there will remain the problem of jitter at those small output deflections anyway. And the need of setting that center range of zero response is by itself detrimental to fine control. The ideal always is to have crisp response, with output deflection being completely continuous and uninterrupted through the center range of movement. To that end, non-noisy sensors are your best friend. If potentiometers, periodic replacement is wise under heavy use. And if the manufacturer or a 3rd Party make them available. A Hall effect sensor should be free of this issue.
One thing to count for refining your controller, is to look up a spring creator company, for customization of your joy con.. lengthening the longest spring this joy con offers, as "spring companies" offer users greater potential! As I have experience with riding through the challenges of limited product performance in such things.
Also going to an "electronics shop that specialize in switches and dials, electronic tuning knobs and LEDs, is a great way to go looking into customizing otherwise unpleasant functions the "joy con comes with".
To take a list of what best functions and abilities there are, and then dial into your system what makes your game most effective, changes a decent system into an amazing product!
Also looking into getting a 3D printer and cad company to customize the body of your console's joy con controllers, may become even more enjoyable if you see build types you'd like to tune your joy con with.
I'm so glad I found this cause I've been on the fence about it for a few weeks.
you can stack the springs inside of each other
Makes sense
Makes sense
Another benefit of the X56 is I don't need to spend another $200 on rudder pedals.
Exactly why I bought it and not the warthog. Even if i spent most of my time playing at DCS I didn’t want to buy a shitty rudder at 200€. To be honest, I was expecting the x56 to be quite bad in term of precision but in fact he is really ergonomic and smooth. It’s not made of metal but the plastic quality is great and feels strong.
Nice looking stuff. As a Logitech man myself I have been looking at it for the future
The build quality is on par for Logitech, and I don't mean that as an insult. If you're already using products in their line, the X-56 won't jump out as very different, just an upgrade in mappable controls. If you like the other offerings from them, you'll certainly enjoy the X-56 I would think.
simple fix for the multiple command issue. Unplug and plug back in. Works like a charm
My tip for this stick is to snip the lightest spring at a desired level, and it will have a small amount of give before the spring "engages". This will allow for small micro adjustments that make little to no difference in normal flight, but huge difference when refueling or formation flying.
Had the Saitek one, now I have the Logitech one. I remember stacking springs with the Saitek one because the tension was so weak with just one. Is there a visual guide for your method I can look at so I don't screw things up? Thanks! ❤
@@gamesturbator The point is to make it as loose as possible, and snipping it both makes it loose and gives it a small deadspot where its entirely loose and wiggles around. I use this for any EOTS system or formation flight. It's too minuscule to make a performance difference, but it still gives you fine control.
I don't have any visual guides to it, just snip small sections off of a spring you WOULDN'T use and see how it feels, or order extra sets of springs and screw around with them. Remember, always cut off less than you need, as you can keep cutting off more but you won't be able to reattach it
Thank you for this review, you saved me from almost buying an X-56.
Especially the part of the inflight refuel was a deciding factor. This was the exact reason i was looking for a new stick because my current logitech extreme 3D sucks a** bigtime.
I cannot get the plane stable behind the tanker and i know its not me (i dont believe its me because of my extensive experience with sims).
Im looking again at the Thrustmaster warthog hotas, but the expenses will keep me from buying it for some time unfortunately.
Maybe next year.
I own and use the X55 which I really like - had it for years but only recently it's had some button issues. I'll probably buy the X56 - it's not perfect - I have small hands so have to re-adjust for the top buttons but button clashing has never been an issue and the low resistance I quite like. Inaccuracy of the stick honestly has never been an issue either, the dead zone is quite large but I don't mind that. The great gains for this HOTAS are in the name - it's the ability to map everything so you don't have to rely on a keyboard, the software is great and the mapping combinations numerous with the 3x toggle selection triple your available mappings. For VR this stick is fantastic. The biggest issue for me is that I can't really find an alternative that works as nice across those big three titles and Elite Dangerous.
I heard after Logitech bought Saitek, this HOTAS was reworked and is a much better HOTAS now. There are tons of good reviews on this on Amazon and I am planning on getting one. That blue one is the one by Saitek. Logitech one is grey.
The version tested in this video is the Logitech model.
Started with DCS and a new PC in 2020 (Lockdowntherapy). My first Stick before was a Thrustmaster FLCS (F16 Stick and Throttle) but sadly don't work with newer PCs (without USB, DOS Software). Bought a X56 Rhino. Got in the Game but upgraded quickly to the Warthog. I miss the F16 like Throttle of my old Thrustmaster but the two separate Throttles are usefull for many DCS Birds and Helis. I still have the 56 and the Twist Axis is a quick Fix for my missing Pedals in Helis.
With the usb power issue, you can buy powered usb hubs that plug into the wall. A lot of sim players will mount a powered usb hub onto the bottom of their chair, and plug all their hotas controllers into that.
Running multiple $30 Amazon USB cards, one is on my racing sim rig which uses a metric ton of USB ports.
I used this hotas during one year in dog fight. And the cheap plastic joystick is now broken. The throttle too ! This gear is made for casual players doing commercial travel in Star Citizen. But for combat, you need metal gear. So I changed for the Virpil Constellation Alpha and it's throttle, witch are made for hardcore players. The Logitech is easy to install in Star Citizen, the Virpil not at all (I need Joystick Gremlin for, and friends to explain how it works). I needed one week to set up the Virpil witch is a monster of precision. You can customise everything on. I have 72 buttons working ! But when the Virpil is ok : this is another dimension. You get what you paid for... Think about it : what is the most expensive? One Logitech per year, or one Virpil for years ? I use the Virpil system with Monster Tech system and this is just awesome. I play better, I kill faster, I fly safer. Now I'm gonna buy a track IR or maybe an eyetracker and nothing will stop me.
I do have the ghost button issue as well due to the power draw and it was infuriating whilst I was trying to trouble shoot it. Fix for me was to deactivate the LED's in the X56 software and I haven't had the issue since. Not great however if you love the LED's. The review is also spot on with A2A refuelling in DCS, very difficult due to having to set a slight dead zone at centre.
So in the end the ghost buttons ended up coming back no matter what I did plus a few of the hats stopped clicking, they did work but were impossible to use without the tactile feedback. Thankfully I purchased mine from a local retailer and they gave me a full refund.. Absolute junk.
I have since spent 3 times as much on a Virpil stick and throttle and it has been worth every sent, simply flawless and makes DCS as good as it possibly could be.
Note: I have the x-55, but apparently the same exact issues made it to the x-56.
I think your comment near the end might be the real problem: too many USB ports in use creating conflict.
Not USB 2.0 vs 3.0 like I have found online or powered vs unpowered.
One person even went so far as to say that putting ferrite cores around wire groups IN the throttle assembly fixed it (which I could almost see work).
In the past, I never experienced ghosting because my sticks were individually connected to my previous PC through the Motherboard USB ports.
While I don't think behavior would be any different, I will say I had upgraded my PC before recently getting back into Elite Dangerous.
And my new setup has my HOTAS attached to my chair with mounts from monstertech. They sell an Anker USB 3.0 hub and so they are plugged in there.
Then, that hub was connected directly to a single USB 3.0 port on new motherboard. Note: all of my Mobo USB ports are used up.
Immediately, I began to experience ghosting.
After doing research, as I stated in the first paragraph, people had lots of potential solutions.
Even though powered was a possible solution, I didn't want to dig around and connect a powered PCI port, so I just purchased a 3.0 USB PCI card.
Upon moving my external USB plug to the new unpowered PCI USB card (unpowered), ghosting has been eliminated.
Wow the same problem of the old x45... that ring / spring mechanism is a really pain in the ass. You need to push to move the disc and most of the time overshoot. And with the time it will become worst and worst no matter how much grease you put
I think Saitek really tried to make it work, but like I said - the intention was great, but the execution not so much. Thanks!
thanks for this review! you just saved me $250. I think i'll spend the extra dough and get a warthog setup. I need a tight gimble for a/a refueling.
I completely agree with the finite controls issue (had an x55), the spring and centring mechanism has a weird breaking point (force required to move the stick and get a response) where its too much so you over and when you correct for it you over correct causing PIO in Air to air refuelling that you don't notice in any other types of flight. Personally I have never had any issue with the Control layout or size/position that other reviewers have had, but I suspect that this may be because I have larger hands than them. But yea good entry level hotas.
Interestingly, I don't have this USB issue with the X56, but I did get my stick about 5 months after this review came out, so perhaps the X56 was updated behind the scenes?
I do have issues with the fine stuff though, but that's alright because I don't do much precise inputs in DCS. The most precise thing I need is landing, which is fine on the X56. Great review!
My main purpose is to use this for MSF 2020. Though I have other games to play with like DCS, Elite Dangerous and even Ace Combat, I know this joystick will be enough. Though I dream of having an all out great hardware set, this will be a good upgrade from a simple console joystick on my pc.
Thanks for the real input. Especially about the USB scenario. I never even thought about that. And I'm almost out of USB ports!
Cheers!
I doubled up my springs down recall what one but definitely using 2 springs
Having bought and used the x56 after watching this video i must say its suprisingly good
i have had mine for about 10 months now and i was never short of buttons (not even with the a10 in dcs) and i have also never had any problems with any buttons not working
the stick is kinda loose after a while but i guess thats just how springs works (they do give you the stick with multiple springs)
Hello, I just saw a comment from someone asking if it is possible to use more than one spring in a helix formation so maybe you can share your thoughts on this. Is it possible in your opinion and would it help the stick be more stiffer?
@@DerickMasai that might actually work.. ill have to try it
I just bought the X-56, I have the older blue version. I actually love mine, but my previous hotas was my ps3 Thrustmaster T-Flight X. There is now a shortage on Entry Level Hotas and this was the first one that became available under $300 ($250). I couldn't be happier with this HOTAS, I use it for Elite:Dangerous and Star Citizen. Still a very new user, I think I have my Elite setup finally the way I want it, but Star Citizen is still a work in progress... I may end up using the software to map to keyboard shortcuts to get more options. I think the problem I came across in Star Citizen is on the thruster side, the up down button on the front is mapping as z-axis, which is the same as the actual thruster moving forward and back, and also the rotating knobs are considered all z-axis on controller 2. I am still working on getting past that issue to make all those extra knobs and switches to work.
Ok, I just retested my hotas mapping using the star citizen advanced controller configuration. I think what happened was I was pushing on the thruster as I was trying to set the rotating knows on the thruster and it kept registering my slight push instead of the rotating knob. I had to have my hand off of the thruster and just rotate the knob making sure not to accidentally move the thruster and the rotary knobs worked just fine. So please ignore the comment above regarding this...
I used to own one of these things probably slightly older (x 52pro I think) with pedals too. The quality is really crappy and after little more then one year the throttle broke down and I had to throw the whole thing away. I went for a thrustmaster warthog combo and kept the pedals. BTW after a while the pedal's rubber went all gooey and I had to remove it with a screwdriver and a lot of Isopropylic alcohol (a messy job to be honest).
The warthog is worlds apart and is solid and heavy like a rock even after years of use. Most important metal is everywhere and both switches ans levers are high quality and don't lose tension. If you are really into flying Sim, don't be discouraged by prices and go for the TM. Finally if something breaks you can dismount the thing with easy and buy spare parts easily available from the store and even third part producers to customize your hotas.
I'm using it for Star Citizen at the moment but in this case a couple of TM 16000 left and right handed would probably be a better investment because of how the mechanics of flight work.
I have the X55 HOTAS which is basicly the same, and this review is pretty much spot on with all the issues I've had as well. Looking to swap it out
14:16 don't you disrespect my flat-spinning F-14
Great in-depth review! Thanks.
Excellent review, thank you.
Thanks for watching!
I have the saitek cyborg, same stick design but no repleceable spring... i just open it and removed the spring... it is the best, sure no back to center but, I improve carrier landing on all aircraft and Helo flying. it was tough doing helo landing on a carrier or land on a top a a mountain with that system
I still have the original, old-firmware version of one of its predecessors, the "good" old X-52. The zoom-bounce is a huge problem on that one too, along with the spring tension. Sounds like they didn't learn from their mistakes, used some of the same hardware in the X-56, and spent the real money on adding the split throttle and the additional switches. .
Personally, i have not had any USB issues and both the stick and throttle are connected to the same header on my motherboard. Perhaps they are 1000mAh USB ports for fast charging., but I haven't had any issues with a used, refurbished blue Saitek model (same in all but color AFAIK). No phantom inputs or anything like that. I did run into issues when I initially tried to daisy chain them through my Corsair keyboard and mousepad USB 'hubs' but other than that, good to go.
Great review, and quite unbiased. I really liked how you explained why this isn't objectively great as a HOTAS but can be an excellent product in its price range or for a certain demographic. That information is much more useful than "this is bad/good/best because x features".
Around 3 months with the X56 V2 after 2 years owning 2 X52 Pro (first one had a broken spring on the Z axis). I use my X56 99% with Star Citizen and I must say that I 'm loving it so far. The many extra controls over the already good X52Pro make all the difference when the acronym H.O.T.A.S. comes to a real definition. What I actually don't like much is somehow the analog axis precision on some sticks and knobs. I had to create many axis limits and dead zones to avoid issues but this is something I was aware it could happen anyway. By far, what bothers me the MOST is the insane hard Z axis (twist) on the Joystick... Compared to the X52, seriously it's like the X56 justify its price because you are also paying for a forearm workout program, rather than paying for a gym. Jokes aside, it's really annoying using the twist movement on the X56 Joystick. For many times, I've been really considering getting the Logitech Pro Pedal to avoid using the freaking twist movement. Another thing is indeed, the USB issues and ghosting. I don't have problems since I've connected both the Throttle and the Stick on my Monitor's (Asus PG348Q) USB inputs. I read everywhere before buying it that connecting it into a powered USB port is really necessary. BTW, I had some trouble when I kept them into a USB 3.1 so they are now back to the 3.0 ports and working perfectly with no ghosting whatsoever. The software is also another thing that should really be improved. Overall, I'm quite happy with it and wouldn't go back to the X52Pro although, I really miss the soft and easy twist movement on the X52. The only reason I don't consider Thrustmaster or Virpil is due to the fact that you simply don't even have the option to place the stick on a regular table (without making holes at least).
Hi F.D.M, I am interested in purchasing the X 56. I am new in respect to HOTAS, but want an upgrade from my extreme 3d pro. can I use an external powered hub instead of one incorporated to the PC? I ask as prices for internal (should we say) soar up.
That lever axis on the front of the stick will be cool when I’m using the mig 21
I have this HOTAS with it's peddles. I will say your review was true to it's pros and cons / with the understanding that not all problems you have I have. The X56 has a quality build issue from the factory. Some component's last longer and preform better so what you get from the factory is a roll the dice moment. Lol sad but true. Bottom line I do NOT fly online. DCS is the way I fly. People can learn to get by with what they have and adjust for the units short comings. I have had my unit for 3 years. I see this unit as: I wanted the BEST low end medium range HOTAS when I was starting out. Low end stuff is just junk. So the X56 fit my price and logic and I have been very happy. BUT now I do want a better unit.... Time does move you to start thinking about retiring this unit for something better. I just didn't know if I would stick with flight sim fun so why blow big dollars on a "thought" of fun.
I'm glad you came back to it towards the end, that this is a very good stick for Star Citizen.
I've never played DCS. so I can't relate to those issues that just sounded "Not-Picky" to me.
Those minute adjustments for your midair refuling are PERFECTLY done with the 2 little thumbsticks. Though I don't know if you can program them for that in DCS. I have my left thumbstick as strafe up, down, right and left. And my right thumbstick as Strafe forward and backward. In essence, you get HOSAS with those thumbsticks.
I've got speed limiter and thrust limiter on the split throttle. So with cruise control the speed limiter acts as a throttle, but when you want finer, or more temporary control, turn off cruise Control and use the strafe.
I wonder if you got a bad stick, Christmas will mark 2 years for mine, and with the lightest spring, mine centers well. Recently I get a tiny yaw left. So I put a tiny X dead zone in the SC settings. And that fixed that.
Your best points were the sad truth that in the flightstick world, we go from cheap $30 crap, to barely adequate at about $100 to this colossal jump to $500-$1000. With only the X55/56 in the Gap. (and forget about the 55. Those thumbsticks are well worth every penny).
I've had many org mates complain about Drift settling in to their T16000 within a few months. And that it has very few programmable buttons and switches. I still have a good dozen unassigned spots on my X56 just waiting for things like shield hardening missile select.
A while ago I made a 5 minute video showing my Keybinds for SC. I've made a couple of tiny changes since I got a Khartu-Al. But I'd take it as a courtesy if you'd take a look at that vídeo. I actually made it for Cobra when he was considering to buy a stick.
MY ONE COMPLAINT right now is I need a side handle button, like on my VR controller. I used to have Weapon group 2 on the pinky, but with the Khartu-Al I need afterburn to NOT be thumb activated, but not be a reach (tried putting it on the pinky lever, but that's just a bit awkward)
I really wish I could design my own flightstick. But have a list of top notch parts. I just don't have the resources to R&D every part to make sure I find wires that won't break in 6 months and triggers that won't malfunction after 50,000 pulls.
ua-cam.com/video/yzgOLNyWSFk/v-deo.html
Well as I mentioned, SC was far less "demanding" as far as the sorts of precision I was looking for especially in DCS. In games like that that stuff just falls to user preference, and it would have been wrong to tell people it was a bad stick because it didn't meet my personal preference. Overall it's not a bad HOTAS at all, just over priced, now more than ever. I'll be working on my own custom throttle build here in the next year or two. I'll check your video out.
I like what I've seen so far. Still struggling getting it programmed for DCS F-18
I have this stick set up. You can simply plug them into available USB 3.0 ports on your motherboard. I was having issues using 2.0 ports while playing Elite Dangerous. The lack of dead zone is annoying at times with the new MSFS. Planes list to the left which is only good for out maneuvering Star Destroyer guns.
Haha. I like your star wars reference. Good one.
I have none of the issues you have described in the X56. I am loving it to be honest
Excellent review, very detailed and exact. You helped me make up my mind!
this is interesting! I got the x 56 as wedding present and after 4 years and 300 hours in elite dangerous and 250 in dcs never had any problem except for the very fine control when flying in dcs. I always thought it was just that the game is difficult. Motherboard is a 250 Euro one so maybe that's why I never noticed any power problems...
Just a simple suggestion which worked for me with the X52 - Elongate the spring for more "Stiffness"
Love the review, love the X56.
Also, oct 2020 you had lots of ash too? We might live in relatively similar areas hahaha
Today the Logitech X56 Rhino HOTAS is available and selling for about $280.00 taxed and shipped at MicroCenter with delivery by Xmas; the Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS is available from Amazon UK Global for about $500.00 taxed and shipped with an estimated mid-January delivery. Otherwise, the list price of the Warthog HOTAS will be about $600.00 taxed and shipped from U.S. retailers in 2021. For a little more money than the X56 and a slightly longer wait than the Warthog, you can purchase a premium VKB Gladiator NXT (about $180.00 shipped) and a Thrustmaster TWCS throttle (about $110.00 shipped). This last option beats the Rhino and rivals the Warthog in quality, durability and performance, representing a more solid value for what you pay while providing twist function in the stick and "finger pedals" on the throttle for those who want true HOTAS ergonomics and 6 degrees of freedom without additional rudder pedals.
Interestingly enough, the behavior you brought up as its worst attribute is exactly what another youtube reviewer mentioned as a positive.
Where you set a sensor deadzone for the physical deadzone, they apparently didn't and they said being able to make the tiniest adjustments to the stick position without even engaging the spring at all helps them a lot in formation flying and airborne refueling in DCS.
Just a few comments:
- I actually like the lighter center spring on the joystick. My criticism on that mechanic is a very different one: after using this stick for a few years now, wear and tear set in. The hole through the centering core widened just a fraction of a millimeter over the years, which unfortunately means the top of the stick now has several millimeters of leeway without moving the cone.
- I actually dislike the stiff throttle. It's the reason why this system can only really be used when attached to the table. (Mind you, not all X55/X56 throttles i owned over the years were like this, though. It depends on how much wax is on the tray where the braking panels drag through. )
- I also can't really relate to the problem described with the throttles 4 way switches. I can use quite reliably.
- Where i also notice the inaccuracy instead are the thumb mouse-simulation-sticks on each device. They tend to drift under my thumbs. And i by now conclude that it's because of their position. I can use them quite accurately when using them with another finger, but not when having my hands properly on the device. (So I guess as you experience the issue with the 4 ways, it might be a question of hand size? )
- From some of the switch issues you describe, i would guess that you still have an early Logitech model. To get where i am coming from: the original Saitek design, while being nice, had MASSIVE quality issues. I replaced my HOTAS a number of times. (Luckily, due to how Amazon handles warranty, they refounded my broken X55 when it broke, as it was not available any more, then always replaced my X56 on warranty, as it reliably broke before the warranty time was over and they always only checked when they last time sent the device to me. ) The first HOTAS which i then got with the Logitech label on it still had plenty of problems. The latest one i got now survived for several years, without any of the issues. (See above: wear and tear. My Saitek-built sticks never survived long enough to even develop these problems. )
- Last not least, the whole thing about power: it is true that the device is very power hungry. But you don't need to go for the USB card you showed. Just get a powered USB hub. They cost just a few more bucks than a normal USB hub. Compared to the HOTAS holders and whatever else you invested, they are a triviality and really reliably fix the problem.
At the same time, it -might- be true that you need another USB card for a very different reason: my device ran perfectly fine on my old system, but the USB controller on my Asrock B450 Pro 4 board had problems with this HOTAS. (As well as with my HBCI card reader. ) Which kind of invalidates the "no problem with an expensive board" statement, though. I had to install an additional USB card from another producer to fix the problem. But should i really blame the HOTAS for it, if the USB port of a rather high rate mainboard (of the time i bought it) has problems with it and other USB devices?
So all in all, if somebody offers you a Saitek version of this stick, keep your fingers off. If it's a Logitech built one, if you can, check which year it was produced in. If you're offered the 2016/2017 ones, again say no. Even the first batch of the Logitech ones with the grey prints still had some issues. While they were said to have improved cables, i still within short time ran into problem with the switches. My late 2017 model i have now, on the other hand, serves since almost 3 1/2 years. So while it indeed now shows signs of physical wear and tear, it's still within reasonable limits. (Up to around X-mas, i used the stick completely without deadzones. Which you can't do with too many sticks. )
Thanks for sharing!
I have a X52 and been plotting on going Virpl but the X52 is too perfect button wise. I wish the right stick was more sensitive to movement, but other than that its perfect.
WOW, if you watch this to the end every thought you might have to contest what he says about this stick will be resolved! i don't think its possible to give a better review this this. thank you!
I wonder if those springs could be doubled up, like a helix, to give more tension?
I was just thinking about that. Or getting a heavier after market spring to throw on.
Wouldn't help. It's less the strength of the spring and more that the tolerances between the cup & ring as well as the cup and the shaft it slides on means there's an untensioned hole in the center.
What has helped some owners is adding external springs between the mounting bolts in the corners and the stick
I have one of these, and have exactly the same issue with the rotary on the throttle, which I'm using for my zoom axis too. It's the perfect spot for it, but jitters around like crazy.