X52 Flight Control System

After reading many negative reviews about Logitech’s line of joysticks and HOTAS setups I decided on just going ahead and giving the entry-level X52 a chance. I’m really glad I did! It’s an excellent beginner set for space sims (Elite Dangerous is all I use it for currently), with just about the right number of buttons and hat switches in all the logical places, and very good ergonomics all round. Build quality is decent, it’s pretty much all plastic but the grips are rubberized and very grippy. The bases are a little light, and the suction cups only work ok to stop them sliding around, but it’s not a deal-breaker for me by any means. None of the buttons or other inputs have issues, everything worked straight out of the box, perfectly. I can’t attest to the Logitech software for this because I only use it in Elite, which has very good presets from the devs. Again, right out of the box. All in all, I couldn’t be much happier. We’ll see how the quality stands up to regular use after several months, but you get what you pay for, right? I knew I wasn’t getting a Warthog or VKB, but for several hundred dollars less, it’s a superb first dip into the world of HOTAS.

My Son has the Thurstmaster T-1600 and this is so much better at 1/2 the price. The only gripe I have is it's a pain to load the "pre-defined" profiles. (complicated for some reason) This is a great setup - I have always liked Seitek (Logitech purchased this company) The below may help when trying to adjust the LED brightness and/or test button setup as the instructions aren't included in any documentation To adjust LED's on the x52, just open run cmd (win flag +r) then type joy.cpl , highlight the x52 then click properties. done

Pros - Sturdy - Attractive - Functional - easy to initially setup and install - well supported in Windows 11 cons - It is BIGGER then it looks - You really need a large desk or a set of fairly pricey mounting brackets to make this work - So help me, I am not that coordinated!!!! - some strange software glitches that only impact testing Verdict I had to return this. It not you, dear HOTAS, its me. I am not worthy, but a good clip of space sim population is . If you have a big smooth desk or the brackets its a Great. Make no mistake this is clearly a solid choice if not a great choice. However HOTAS is just not for me.

Got this for elite dangerous and the HOTAS works great. I was hesitant based on some other reviews. It was easy to setup, after 200hrs of use have had no issues with accuracy or dead zone issues. One of the common complaints I see is "the LEDs stop working". This is a windows 11 problem it seems, after my computer restarts I have to open the windows joystick menu and adjust the brightness and all the LEDs come back on. The responsiveness is perfect and I couldn't have gotten a better stick for the price.

I had an original Saitek X52 for a couple of decades. The only reason I had to replace it was because the PS2 connection on the back of the stick section was getting loose. I've heard reports that the build quality of the newer Logitech units was less than the original, but if that's true, I sure can't tell the difference. The finish and feel are good and the device works just like my original. I even had the confidence to go ahead and void the warranty by removing the throttle detent. I'm pretty sure I'll be using this one at least as long as my previous unit.

Had this for a couple of weeks. Throttle is awesome. Very comfortable and provides a very good balance of resistance. It feels very solid and has great responsiveness. Buttons and dials are convenient and work well. Have been able to use Elite Dangerous with no keyboard input required. The timer pad on the throttle doesn't light up like it does in the pictures online.

This purely a product review. The company handled both of my returns promptly and professionally. I order the H.O.T.A.S. System in late November and within 2 weeks the Z-rotation of the joystick itself stopped working. It was stuck to one side which meant it had to be configured out of the controls to avoid crashing. The return was issued and I figured it was a fluke so I requested a replacement. Within a week (mid December now), the return was here and I was back to playing my games. Again, after a couple of weeks of reasonable use, the lights started flickering on the joystick and none of the controls would work. 2 issues in a row means there are major quality control issues. I am a long time gamer, with some of my first PC games being Wolfenstein 3d and Earthsiege. I have used several control systems over the past 30+ years and have never had such an immediate failure. The system itself feels solid and does not appear to be cheaply or poorly manufactured which makes the failure a real shame. The Thrustmaster system that I am now going to have to buy definitely has a cheaper feel and a poorly designed button layout but they do not have the diminishing reputation of what once was a decent company.

Between COVID and MS Flight Simulator, HOTAS prices are through the roof. However, my T16000 has a broken twist axis, and I'd rather upgrade to a combo that has more switches rather than disable yaw on the stick and buy pedals. The x56 is going well over $400, so the X52 looked like a decent compromise. As I've spent a day working on mappings for Elite: Dangerous, I've found myself more and more disappointed despite a strong desire to look past flaws and just be happy with what I was able to afford. PROS: -Decent fit and finish. Yes, the throttle is a little bit creaky, and the stick feels light, but if it weren't for the cons below I wouldn't be bothered. -Two hats on the stick, and better T1-6 switches compared to the T16000. -Throttle feels good in the hand and it's not too much of a stretch to hit the buttons, though folks with smaller hands would probably disagree. I'd say my hands are average size for an adult male. CONS: - Throttle tension doesn't actually adjust. At its lowest setting it is still quite firm. I could get used to it, but there are also detents at 25% and 75% that I find bothersome. Also, it tends to move just a tiny bit from where you leave it. Say you set it at 60% throttle, it scootches back to about 58% when you let off the pressure. A minor annoyance. - Wheels and sliders that should be hat switches! Personally I find no practical use for wheels or sliders in Elite. The three hat switches on the T16000 were great, just poorly positioned. I miss the hats. - Mouse nubbin (don't know what else to call it) on the throttle is useless. It's very sensitive, and the axes are difficult to maneuver precisely. If it worked as well as the ol' eraser mouse on a laptop then it could be pretty neat, but this is a poor implementation of that type of input. - Digital thruster hat on the throttle rather than analog. Also a minor annoyance, but I really prefer the finesse of an analogue stick instead of on 0% or 100% thrust in any direction. - USB connection is on the throttle, so there's no practical way to use the X52 stick with a different throttle. Each component should have its own USB. The serial connection between the two is just clutter on my desk. - Obnoxiously bright blue LEDs. Didn't matter though, they all quit lighting up after about a day. This was on a powered USB 3 hub. - Stick movement is pretty smooth in combat where your movements are big and fast. Takes a light touch, which I think is nice since there's no lifting of the base as you move around. However, slow and small movements reveal a little stickiness makes those more precise motions jerky and frustrating. - Pinky switch appears to not work at all. Such a bummer. I really tried to like it, but I'm sending it back and will have to save up for a different make or model.

Already putting in around 50 hours with this HOTAS and its been amazing. My one complaint is the suction cups aren't the best, and it would be better to simply screw in the setup into something. Getting a specialized chair for this is something I would recommend. Other than that, everything works well. There's enough buttons to map almost every control you need in most games, the bottom trigger on the stick itself is adjustable, and the overall feel of this is great.

I’ve used this HOTAS for about a month now playing MSFS, SW Squadrons and Elite Dangerous. Elite dangerous probably being favourite to use with this setup. The movement is fluid and overall the stick works well and the throttle tension adjustment is nice. Things I don’t like are having to unplug and reconnect it after each cold boot to get the display to illuminate and lack of option to calibrate (which seems to be rectified by unplugging it from the USB port and reconnecting to recalibrate). All in all it’s a good HOTAS.

For anyone looking for a controller for all those space simulator games or jet fighter simulator games i would recommend this one all you do is plug the cables in and update your computer and it works like a charm. My only complaint would be the software that come with it but you don't have to use that at all.

Bought it on discount and eight months and over 1500 hours finally broke it in Elite: Dangerous. Pinkie trigger snapped. I took it apart and it looks like it is not user serviceable nor are you able to buy a new trigger. So unfortunately, that's all she wrote unless I 3D print that part. Too bad because it was a fine before that. For the price, probably reasonable. I remapped to a new button so I can keep that going but the replacement will be a more expensive, user serviceable joystick.

Après une 40aine d'heures de jeu sur Elite Dangerous, le joystick a un petit "lousse" mais aucun drift. En général, le produit semble solide. Le petit joystick pour les mouvements latéraux sur le Throttle étaient différents des boutons que j'étais habitué d'utilisé, mais finalement j'aime bien ! Les suces qui permettent de tenir le joystick font le travail, mais je vais définitivement me trouver un support qui peut s'attacher sur mon bureau.