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Elite Dangerous

Elite Dangerous
Sturmer's avatar

When it comes to gear recommendations for Elite Dangerous, many players tend to focus on setups like HOTAS, HOSAS, or MOSAS. While these are excellent choices for flight simulation, I’d like to suggest something more versatile that not only works for Elite Dangerous but can be applied to many other games as well—the Azeron Cyborg Compact Command Pad.

This unique device functions as a keyboard alternative, but rather than using traditional keys, it fits like a glove, with each finger controlling up to five mappable buttons. These buttons aren’t just any buttons -they use Omron mouse switches, providing a high level of responsiveness and tactile feedback. This makes it perfect for Elite Dangerous, where fast and precise commands are key.

Why do I think it’s great? If you use a VR headset, it can be tricky to find the right keys on a traditional keyboard since you can't see what you're pressing. However, with the Azeron Cyborg Compact, each finger is naturally "locked" into its own position, almost like it’s sitting in its own cockpit. This allows you to instinctively know what button you're pressing without having to look down, making it incredibly useful in a VR environment where you're fully immersed.

Another great feature is the thumb area, which includes both a D-pad and a fully functional analog stick. This allows you to map controls like camera movement, meaning you can control the game almost entirely with one hand, holding a coffee in another hand while you navigatiing among the asteroids

If this device piques your interest, let me know - I’d be happy to write a full review!

yan57436's avatar
  1. TrackIR 5

  2. This is a device you put on your head to make games where you act like a pilot or driver feel very real. It also helps in games where you move around a lot. Let's talk about a few things it does well:

    Real View: When you move your head, the game camera moves the same way. This makes you feel like you are right there. Look up to see the top of your ship, down to see controls, and side to side to see around. It helps you see things on the edge of your view, so you know which way to turn.

    True to Life: Using a mouse or game stick is not the same as how we truly see.

    Works with Many Games: You can use it in lots of other games that let you drive or fly.

  3. Link: Amazon.com: TrackIr 5 Optical Head USB Tracking System Bundle + Track Clip PRO : Video Games

  4. This is a high-end item because it's highly precise and greatly improves how real a game feels. Yet, it costs less than a full VR kit but still gives a close feel of being there.

Toretto 70's avatar
  1. THRUSTMASTER T16000M FCS flight pack

  2. recognize for value and performance

  3. https://shopee.co.id/Thrustmaster-T.16000M-FCS-FLIGHT-PACK-Joystick-Throttle-and-Rudder-i.35441254.6841004760

  4. accuracy due to the high quality hall effect sensors used in it's construction Joystick, Throtle, Rudder Pedals and the design very sporty it's look for professional player's also the price not make burn your wallet

V

My recommendation for peripherals would be the TrackIr 5

Amazon.com: TrackIr 5 Optical Head USB Tracking System Bundle + Track Clip PRO : Video Games

It is amazing device for who plays with a big or multiple monitor. It will give the possibility to you look around while piloting the ship, I will giver advantage in combat to see to where your target is going or from where it is coming!

It is a relative simple technology not so expensive but it isn't all that cheap. It will track your head movement and transcript it to the game making your camera follow your head move. If you look to the left your game will move the camera to the left.

S

Logitech - X52 H.O.T.A.S.

This was the best affordable option for me when ED was released.

https://www.logitechg.com/en-gb/products/space/x52-space-flight-simulator-controller.945-000006.html

This is a mid range cost as there are suitable products that are cheaper and also much higher tier products for those without a budget cap. I have used mine without any issues for years and it has never let me down.

I also highly recommend playing in VR, the immersion and 3D cockpit just blew me away the first time I stepped into game (Oculus DK2) the graphics were always a bit grainy due to screendoor effect due to pixels, thankfully I now use the Meta Quest 3 with cable to PC and the pancake lens are a million times better so you don't even notice any pixels, the only danger is once you have played in VR it's much harder to go back to flatscreen (unless you have a crazy huge curved/multimonitor setup)

https://www.meta.com/gb/quest/quest-3/

and again, there are more expensive VR headsets with amazing resolutions/FOV if your budget allows, I'm more than happy with the Quest3 for the price.

CMDR Henckes's avatar

Thrustmaster - T.16000M FCS HOTAS

A few months ago I realized my dream of having a decent HOTAS controller, I bought in a sale the Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS HOTAS, the joystick and the throttle to play Elite Dangerous mainly. Before this I only had the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro joystick, that was a really good joystick to play Elite and flight simulators but it was not immersive enough for me.

You can have a good and excellent experience in Elite with just mouse and keyboard, or a controller or a Joystick and Controller like I had, but to look the in game cockpit and see your character moving the flight stick and throttle in the game exactly like you are moving with your controller is an experience like no other while playing 

But to talk about the vantages that exist with there first of all is that the controllers are lot more intuitive the only but is that you need a little practice to get your aim more precise but everything else will be a lot easy, flying in general, mace maneuvers in combat, fly with the flight assistance off and landing in stations or on planets. You have all the rotations axis (Rotation, Yaw and Pitch) configured on the stick and this helps a lot just playing with stick and keyboard since you have to use the keyboard to configure one of the rotations, so now everything is in one hand, And in the other hand you will have all the controls of the thrusters (back and forward, left and right, and up and down), this one has a little of controversy, probably you will prefer use two stickers (HOSAS) but how I said that one of my main reasons is the immersion and if you think the same as me I really recommend a HOTAS, if you prefer a better performance to get more efficiency in your combat skill probably the two sticks setups is your choice. 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/IM5P4Le2ZDU?feature=oembed

Anyways you have a better control of your ship with a throttle since he has a lot of configurable buttons and like the one that I have you have an analog stick that you will configure your left, right, down and up thrusts since they are note the main thrusts it wont bother you to have this control, I also have configure two other buttons for thrust forward and back since the move of the throttle will only control the throttle I prefer to have some different buttons that accelerate and stop the ship after I release the button, it is really useful to land on stations and planet surfaces.

And the other buttons I have configured some other functions, the targeting and the weapon group change I have configured in buttons next to my fingers so that I don’t have to move my hand out of the stickers to push them. And in the distant buttons I put things like cargo scoop, night vision, maps and some miscellaneous things that I use from time to time.  

The link of the product:

https://www.amazon.com/Windows-PC-10-8-7-Vista/dp/B01KCHPRXA?th=1

It maybe isn't that expansive but how I live outside USA or UK this kind of product is an import and in my country the charges and taxes are really high for technology in general. So this a great choice if you trying a to find a decent HOTAS and don't want to invest so much in it like me.

JHenckes's avatar

Wow, I really like that one! Great review!

CMDR Henckes's avatar

Hahaha, I think you mentioned my brother but thank you!

C
  1. Thrustmaster T16000M FCS HOTAS

  2. Good pricepoint, lots of mappable buttons, accurate input, cool design, and comfortable in the hands.

  3. https://www.thrustmaster.com/en-us/products/t-16000m-fcs-hotas/
  4. Budget-mid-range product, feels much more expensive.

JB

Logitech G X52

This joystick and throttle pairing features excellent ergonomic inclusivity- designed for adjustment to numerous hand sizes/shapes, meaning it'll be comfortable for those long expeditions without hand fatigue.

It has the perfect level of spring tension to allow for precision control of flight, while also returning to neutral position without any effort.

The downloadable programmes allow for finely tuned control mapping for individual games, whether playing Elite or something more along the lines of Flight Simulator.

While quite expensive, this is a great option for those both new and we'll accustomed to using a Throttle. If you are an avid gamer, definitely worth the investment!

https://www.logitechg.com/en-gb/products/space/x52-space-flight-simulator-controller.945-000006.html?utm_source=google&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Paid-Search&utm_campaign=DEPT_FY25_QX_GBR_GA_G_DTX-LogiG-PMax-Sim_Google_na&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw0aS3BhA3EiwAKaD2ZeBHHtBpHBiSudHyFLyLJQS8bmK2lATOO0JQIodbQLa1Kybum-XPiRoC18cQAvD_BwE

It's been a long time since I bought my first logitech joystick and throttle for playing Mech Warrior. Things have come a long way!

Luriant's avatar

URSA MINOR series

A new release reaching homes in August/September 2024, the Ursa Minor Series in 3 flavors. its a clone of the reliable VKB Gladiator, both based in the real Suhkol Su-57 joystick, at 105€/115.5$ its the cheaper joy that use Hall Effect instead the old unreliable potenciometers, that end the life of every old Saitek-Thrustmaster joystick.

The joy include a bigger base, better suited for place in the desk, with his own throttle. Alone, work for any flight simulator, without needed a extra Throttle, but also have the "omnithrottle version", for players that wants a HOSAS. Or even the cheaper Airbus version.

You can't find a best joy for this price, and outshine old and new competitors like Turtle Beach, Thrusmaster, or old Saitek. Also have a extra Hat in the side, with VKB Gladfiator only have a button.

Stores

WinWing have local warehouse, to avoid the Customs Taxes into the buyer.

Choose your country: https://winwingsim.com/view/index.html

This joystick its the entry to the High-end level. There is no mid-range product. You pay for a basic joy using cheap potenciometers that will work some years, but once dust appear the potenciometer, prepare to do yearly cleanings. And this "low joystick" have cool design, lights, agressive style.... to hide the cheap design inside.

Or you buy one with Hall Effect sensors, no dust affect the invisible magnetic field, only breaking the joy will end his life.

Recommended Setup? HOSAM!!!!

Hey, you spelled wrong HOSAS

No, I did it correctly. This joystick enable HOSAM, Hands On Stick And Mouse. And I you are a AX Pilot, I can explain with a link from Antixeno Iniative guide.

https://wiki.antixenoinitiative.com/en/recommended-controls

Keyboard and mouse provides superior control to HOTAS...

At first, I can't argue with them. The mouse provide the best aim in the game for small targets like hearts. But the Keyboard have problems with the 6DOF movement. And thats when the URSA MINOR enter. The stick provide Pitch-Roll-Yaw, but 2 of the Hats have axis, I use the circle one for the lateral vertical thrust, all in a single hand, while blasting thargoids with the pleasure of a real trigger AND mouse button, because ED enable 2 buttons per function.

Another good point, Elite Dangerous have a exclusive section for MOUSE CONTROLS, that link Pitch-Yaw-Roll.... but you can bind them again the same axis to the Joy in FLIGHT ROTATION and FLIGHT THRUST, using the Joy for the normal movement, and the mouse for minor adjustment. You don't leave the mouse pad again doing hard turns, the joy will do this part.

You can do a search in youtube for "HOMAS Star Citizen", and find videos talking about this configuration.

I keep working in the binding file, but once upload, you can find a Combat-Left Hand and Mouse in https://edrefcard.info/ or the backup page https://edrefcard2.epaphus.uk/ , under the URSA MINOR.

Also include some app, this could change the backlights, and one of the Hats from 2Axis to 5 buttons, and even for some old games, separate the up to 128 buttons, into 4x32 buttons joy. But the app isnt needed to have the buttons in ED, and thanks to the new max number of buttons, you don't need the 4x32 buttons.

I DONT HAVE SPACE IN MY DESK

Me too, lets work on a cheap sujection.

https://www.amazon.com/Wolfcraft-3412099-Bench-Simplex-Width/dp/B001S2R5I4 To clamp into your desk.

Buy 2 wall brackets, one side need 2 holes at 8.5Cm to screw to the press, less its ok if you screw it with force, the other side need to be at least 20cm long. The joystick base isnt as big, but you don't want to hit the bracket when moving the joy forward. Pic with the Brackets and press already united, and the important holes from the next step. (The ones with screws, Ignore the holes from my old Saitek X45 and the ones already in the bracket, mug for scale).

https://twitter.com/Luriant/status/1835737463605559571

The base have 2 holes, for 5mm screws. 0.4Cm long (plus the height of your bracket, 2cm in my Duna wall brackets), this size will be enough, one of the holes have a piece of plastic not far inside, that you don't want to break. With the press and brackets screwed, make a hole at 12CM from the press in the first one (see the base to find the correct bracket for that hole). Now from this hole, make another hole at 11.5Cm in the OTHERT bracket. This is the distance between the Ursa Minor threads. Put the screws, and thats all. You have a base, easy to put and remove only turning the press screw. Ursa Minor usb cable could enter from the place that have the main screw. Its ok if you have a minor angle in the base, the distance between brackets isnt perfect, but hard to notice once you put your hand on it.

https://twitter.com/Luriant/status/1835738194005967357

In future Bounties. DIY pedals (show in pic), ED native Opentrack headtracking with webcam and AI face recognition, extra panels with ICarus terminals, and other cheap improvements for pilots on budget.

A

I'd like to recommend headtracking. I will describe the specific device I have but before I do that I'd just like to say that many alternatives are available (you can use a webcam with software like OpenTrack or FaceTrackNoir, you can use something like the Tobii Eye Tracker, or you can home build a motion sensor alternative similar to EDTracker) but whichever method you use, I think you'll find head tracking to be an absolute game changer.

  1. The make and model of the peripheral and its purpose

    So I use the basic TrackIR5 device. This is a small infrared sensor which typically sits on top of your monitor and accurately tracks the motion of a metal clip which is designed to be attached to a baseball cap. The device can track 6 directions of head movement (roll, pitch, yaw, X, Y and Z) and supplies this as a direct input into the game which means that as you move your head, so your in-game point of view changes accordingly (n.b. this is seated only, on-foot head movement is no longer affected by headtracking since it never worked very well in practice and made it almost impossible to aim weapons or point at things to use 'E' interactions). Many people will question how, if you've turned your head to the right, you're still able to see the screen (which is still in front of you of course). It's basically to do with the accompanying software where you can specify scaling curves that mean a slight movement of the head translates to a large movement in game (and you instictively keep your eyes focused on your center of attention on screen in a way that just feels entirely natural). I can easily look 90° left, right, up or down in cockpit without it feeling at all uncomfortable. Note that you can also configure dampening and a small deadzone in the middle which mean that constant tiny head movements (e.g. if you suffer from any kind of nervous head shaking) won't translate.


  2. Why you like it

    It's honestly a complete game changer. From being able to do simple things like look at a star, planet or surface feature as you're flying past it, to being able to track other ships as they fly past you in combat situations ... once you've tried it, the thought of your gaze being fixed to permanently stare fowards out of the front of your cockpit seems bizarre and frankly unplayable. And it's not just where you're looking that's affected. The way Elite changes the focus of objects on the HUD in supercruise (e.g. altering which orbit lines to enhance, displaying the name of highlighted stellar bodies, signal sources, etc) is based on where you're looking, not where the ship is pointing, so suddenly the entire 3D space around you becomes interactive. The key binding to target the object in front of you is also based on this which means that as a ship flies past the right hand side of your ship you can look over your right shoulder and target it as it's going past. You can even configure the various HUD panels to open automatically when you look at them.

    Now I do also want to mention VR here because fans of VR will say that headtracking is nothing compared to what virtual reality is like. Now while this is absolutely true (and VR is a whole other level of immersion), as someone who's had VR for many years, I ended up going back to playing on my flat screen (curved actually but whatever) because I preferred the crispness of it's visuals and being free of the need to wear the headset (which has issues like not being able to see your keyboard, environment, etc). Having head tracking made the transition back from VR infinitely more bearable.

  3. A link to the official product page or an online store where it's for sale

    The official product page for the TrackIR device is here (but it's also widely available on sites like Amazon):

    https://www.trackir.com/trackir5/
  4. Whether you consider it a budget, mid-range, or high-end product

    Although I'm very happy with the device (which was perhaps the best available at the time) it does have some issues and is probably one of the more expensive ways of doing this (i.e. it's high-end cost but perhaps not the best value ). Firstly I should add that the whole baseball cap thing is not essential. TrackIR do sell an optional clip which you can attach to the side of your audio headset as an alternative. The device is incredibly accurate and reliable and the software that comes with it for editing the response curves is excellent. However, the device can be quite badly affected by ambient light so I do tend to play with the curtains drawn. I've heard excellent reports of the free options available using just a webcam (which you may already own) and I think perhaps if you can afford it then the Tobii Eye Tracker is probably the premium solution these days (which tracks both head and eye movement and does some very clever things with that combination).

J/
  1. Virpil VPC Constellation ALPHA stick on a VPC WarBRD-D Base and Virpil VPC Mongoos T-50CM3 Throttle

  2. Started with gamepad, tried T-16000 from Thrustmaster, X-52 and X-56 from Logitech over the early years, which are nice products but do not last long with an fa off hard fighting gameplay.

    Imho components of the T-16000 are cheap, and X-52 and X-56 were from the time before Logitec took over, heard they are better now. Returned most of them within guarantee, would have never been able to afford that otherwise.

    Decided to splash the cash in the end, and got a more solid solution from Virpil. Have not been disappointed for more than 6 years so far, besides their service being really great.

  3. A link to the official product page or an online store where it's for sale

    https://virpil.com/en/https://virpil-controls.eu/

    And available via Amazon, afaik.

  4. It is a very high-end product.

MQC's avatar

My recommendation is definitely the “T.Flight Hotas X” from Thrustmaster.

It is probably not the Hotas with the best quality, best options, more buttons or switches, but it is a great option for those who want to spend little money or are starting in Space Sim.

It is a joystick and a detachable throttle that can be used together or with a separation of about 1 meter with respect to the joystick, through a cable that connects them. It has a total of 12 buttons and 5 axis.

Some of the best terms that best define this Hotas are “durability” and “reliability”. It is very easy to find on the web a multitude of opinions from hundreds of users who verify that they have been “years” with this Hotas and that it works like the first day, something very important to take into account when evaluating a product like this.

https://shop.thrustmaster.com/en_eu/t-flight-hotas-x.html

As an additional recommendation, the “T.Flight Rudder Pedals” can perfectly be added to this Hotas. This addition, which obviously increases the final price of the set (in fact, it is more expensive than the Hotas itself) makes the final experience much more realistic and satisfactory, but logically it is something completely optional since the Joystick's axis of rotation serves perfectly to perform the rudder/yaw function.

https://shop.thrustmaster.com/en_eu/t-flight-rudder-pedals.html

A

I love my Thrustmaster T.Flight (I actually have the Hotas 4 but it's basically the same) but two words I would not use to describe it are durable and reliable I'm afraid. I'm now on my 12th stick (so I get about 7-8 months out of them before the sensors start to fail). Sorry but for balance I did just have to put that out there. But hey, on the flip side ... it's such a nice stick (while it works) that I've now bought 12 so that's some kind of recommendation I suppose.

AndyRice's avatar

I would recommend Thrustmaster T16000M + Logitech X56, both of them are joysticks.

Why not throttle + joystick?

Because in my opinion, dual joysticks set is better than throttle+joystick set in space sim game. Reasons are as followed.

First of all, let me clarify that when I say that the joystick + throttle combination doesn't work, I don't mean that this setup can't run Elite Dangerous, but rather that it doesn't allow you to fully operate the ship using only flight peripherals, avoiding the use of the keyboard. The reasons are as follows:

1.Lack of Degrees of Freedom: Let's first discuss the concept of degrees of freedom. In three-dimensional space, there are six degrees of freedom, which can be divided into two groups: translational degrees of freedom (moving along the X, Y, and Z axes) and rotational degrees of freedom (rotating around the X, Y, and Z axes). In Elite Dangerous, these degrees of freedom correspond to specific controls and keyboard bindings as follows:

(1) Translating along the Y-axis — Ship acceleration/deceleration (Throttle) — W key and S key

(2) Translating along the X-axis — Ship lateral movement (strafe left/right) — Q key and E key

(3) Translating along the Z-axis — Ship vertical movement (up/down) — R key and F key

(4) Rotating around the Y-axis — Ship roll (left/right roll) — Mouse movement left/right

(5) Rotating around the X-axis — Ship pitch (up/down) — Mouse movement forward/backward

(6) Rotating around the Z-axis — Ship yaw (left/right) — A key and D key

This means that when piloting a ship in Elite Dangerous, you need to control all six degrees of freedom simultaneously to ensure smooth operation. However, most joysticks are designed for fixed-wing aircraft, which in real-life aviation lack the ability to perform the lateral and vertical translations (2) and (3). For example, aside from a few fixed-wing aircraft capable of vertical takeoff and landing, no airplane can strafe sideways or move directly up and down.

So, when you're using a joystick + throttle setup, you can only control the three rotational degrees of freedom and one translational degree of freedom for acceleration/deceleration. To control the remaining two degrees of freedom (lateral and vertical translations), you'll either have to rely on the keyboard or joystick buttons (which can be an awkward experience) or invest in rudder pedals (which are expensive).

2.Throttle Centering Issue: As everyone knows, in Elite Dangerous, when the throttle is set to zero, pressing the S key activates reverse thrust. If we abstract the throttle logic into a number line, when the throttle is at 0, the ship remains stationary; when the throttle is negative, the ship moves in reverse; and when the throttle is positive, the ship moves forward.

Therefore, if you want your flight peripherals to perfectly replicate the throttle mechanics of Elite Dangerous, the throttle's neutral position should ideally be at the center. Pulling the throttle back would reverse the ship, while pushing it forward would move it ahead. However, most entry-level throttle controls have their 0 position at the very bottom, meaning you would need to manually set a reverse key.

However, since I ultimately didn’t purchase a throttle control, I'm not sure if any throttle models allow setting the center as the 0 position. If there are models that do, then this issue is solved.

And why dual joysticks?

If you've understood the previous discussion about degrees of freedom, you'll realize that if a single joystick can provide control over three degrees of freedom, then having two joysticks should theoretically allow control over all six degrees of freedom, right? The answer is yes.

Here's how I personally set it up:

  • Right Joystick: This controls the ship's three rotational degrees of freedom — pitch, roll, and yaw. Specifically:

    • Pitch (up/down tilt) is controlled by the Y-axis of the right joystick (pushing forward or pulling backward).

    • Roll (left/right tilt) is controlled by the X-axis of the right joystick (moving left or right).

    • Yaw (left/right turn) is controlled by twisting the handle of the right joystick (Z-axis).

  • Left Joystick: This controls the ship's three translational degrees of freedom:

    • Throttle (accelerating/decelerating) is controlled by the Y-axis of the left joystick (pushing forward or pulling backward).

    • Lateral movement (strafe left/right) is controlled by the X-axis of the left joystick (moving left or right).

    • Vertical movement (up/down) is controlled by twisting the handle of the left joystick (Z-axis).

    With this setup, all six degrees of freedom are perfectly mapped to the two joysticks. Based on my experience, I find this configuration to be quite effective. It feels especially satisfying when you're on a planet's surface and preparing for takeoff — twisting the left joystick to lift the ship off the ground adds an immersive touch to the experience.

    Additionally, this setup solves another issue I mentioned earlier — the throttle centering problem. Since the joystick’s default position is at the center, it naturally resolves the reverse thrust issue without needing any extra configuration.

    My Choice:

    After doing some research, I ended up choosing a Logitech X56 from a secondhand marketplace for my right joystick and a Thrustmaster T16000M from JD.com(chinese version of Amazon) for my left joystick. Both of these are quite common models, so here’s my quick review of their pros and cons:

    Logitech X56:

    This joystick has a mixed reputation, with the main issue being the stick's dead zone in the center.

    • + Good aesthetics: It looks quite nice.

    • +++ Plenty of buttons: There are enough buttons to map many important functions directly to the joystick. Since I’m right-handed, I use the right joystick as my primary one and have assigned crucial controls like targeting and power distribution to it.

    • --- Center dead zone issue: This is the most criticized aspect of the X56. For a joystick in the thousand-yuan range, which is considered an advanced HOTAS, its centering mechanism is quite poor. There’s noticeable wobble when the stick is in the neutral position. If you don’t set a dead zone, this wobble can trigger ship movements, which can cause the ship to drift even when your hand isn’t on the stick. You can solve this by setting a dead zone for all three axes, which will prevent the ship from drifting, but the large dead zone negatively impacts the feel of the stick.

    • Ergonomics issue: While it’s comfortable to hold, the problem lies in the palm rest being positioned too low, and the buttons are placed relatively high. This means that if you have smaller hands, you’ll have to stretch to reach some of the buttons. The original packaging seems to include an add-on for the palm rest, but since I bought mine secondhand, the seller likely lost it.

    • Price: As mentioned, this is a thousand-yuan level joystick, and it usually comes as part of a set rather than being sold individually. However, due to the centering issues, the X56’s secondhand price is quite reasonable. I got mine in good condition for just under 400 yuan.

    Thrustmaster T16000M:

    This joystick is often hailed as a great entry-level stick, and while it's good, it doesn’t really go above and beyond.

    • +++ Great feel: The centering force is just right, and it feels solid in the hand. Most importantly, there’s virtually no dead zone at the center, which makes it far superior to the X56 in this regard.

    • ++ Low price: This is one of the most affordable joysticks featuring Hall effect sensors from a major brand.

    • + Good aesthetics: It also looks pretty good.

    • --- Lack of buttons, and poor accessibility: The joystick has 12 buttons, but they are poorly placed for easy access while holding the stick. On the stick’s head, there are only four controls (three buttons and one hat switch, which is basically a small button you can push in eight different directions). This means when you’re gripping the stick with your left hand, there’s very little you can do in terms of control. The remaining 12 buttons are located on either side of the joystick base, so you have to let go of the stick to press them. As a result, these buttons aren’t suitable for binding to functions you’ll need during intense combat. I’ve assigned them to less urgent functions like opening the map, FSS scanning, and FSD charging.

    • Slightly lightweight: The stick feels a bit light, and if your movements are too large, the joystick can wobble.

AndyRice's avatar

This passage is a tutorial that I wrote and posted in Baidu Tieba(Chinese version of reddit). And the original language is in Chinese. I used translation software to do the most of the translation and corrected some little mistake. I’m too lazy to do the translation by myself lol.

A ‘Sorry’ in advance in case this passage is a little bit weird to read🧐

CJ

For the moment I'm running a low tier stick, but very trustable! Thrustmaster USB Joystick
https://www.thrustmaster.com/en-us/products/usb-joystick/

a cheap but very comfortable soluiton (my previous HOTAS had some drifiting problems) which this one, still didn't present anything wrong after months of use. The only negative point: It doesn't have 4 axis, just three - you can pitch, roll and thrust with the z axis, but can't yaw - You can't twist the stick. I adapted the hat to yaw and strafe up and down.

If you can invest a little more in your cockpit a good one would be: X52 Hotas

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Saitek-Flight-Control-System/dp/B01LY285ZH?th=1

Very precise and doesn't drift after a long period of use. Besides having plenty of buttons for macros. I will invest in one in the future myself.

For the time being I'm starting to build some DIY button boxes with arduinos... very cool for a nice simulation cockpit. But that's for another topic lol

Fly safe around the galaxy, commanders! o7

Stormseeker's avatar
  1. Thrustmaster T16000M FCS HOTAS

  2. Best option Quality/Price

  3. https://amzn.to/3TsaERC

  4. Like I said on point 3, is the best option for a mid-range setup. The joystick sensibility is really great, and the thruster has a lot of buttons without releasing your hand. It may need a little maintenance from time to time... in 6 years using mine I did real maintenance, not just cleaning, 2 times. Best plastic option in the market if you consider the great range of axises and buttons for like 150€ max.

Alex Sinclair's avatar

And for all of you keyboard and mouse players, don't feel left out; we'll be running a bounty for you too!

JHenckes's avatar

Logitech Extreme 3D Pro Joystick

Two years ago I got this joistick for my birthday from my brother (I'd already had ED for two years at that point, so I'm now four years into the game). I've never been that interested in having that much immersion when controlling my ship, I've always been satisfied with the Xbox One controller and a few keyboard shortcuts.

However, little by little I began to test the present and found it fun and began to prefer using it. Conclusion: Nowadays I can't play without my logitech, it's as if the game isn't the same anymore.

With the joistick I found it much easier to maneuver the ship and in battles I got much better over time (at first it was more difficult). I believe this is because the controller is also good for airplane and ship games and is used in flight simulators, I just don't know how to confirm the use of the device in official aviation courses...

The official link: Amazon.com: Logitech Pro Flight Throttle Quadrant & Extreme 3D Pro Joystick for Windows - Black/Silver : Everything Else

For me, it's a cheap product! Even though I live outside the US, there are much better and more complete products than this. In my case, I've never needed a more complete product, because this logitech joistick meets my needs.

So if you're like me and aren't interested in anything more complex, this is the product for you! It's an extremely responsive and comfortable product to use

NOTE: The link available only sold the joystick together with the throttle.

Alex Sinclair's avatar

Hi JHenckes, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like you've entered this one as a 'reply' rather than a bounty entry, so we're not able to award you with a reward. We try to catch accidental replies but sometimes they slip through the cracks, especially when they happen just before a bounty closes. o7

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