Saitek X-55 Rhino HOTAS - tempting

[sandman2575]

Battle of Stalingrad has me looking for a new Hotas setup.  I have a rudimentary Thrustmaster T-Flight X which has served me well with Cliffs of Dover, Woff and Rise of Flight.  But I'm finding it very hard to use with BoS, which unlike CloD does *not* allow you to combo keys on your joystick ( >:(), and unlike RoF / WOFF, actually requires lots o' buttons. 

Tempted by the Saitek X-55 Rhino, which is finally in stock on Amazon for $200.  But I hear very mixed things about it -- mostly about iffy quality of build. (Also, the thing is friggin' HUGE.)

So, "Yes, buy!!!" or "No, avoid like plague!!!"  (no mealy-mouthed in-between assessments, please  ;) ... actually, lukewarm reviews fine too)

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

I bought one and I'm happy with it.  I prefer it to my CH Pro HOTAS.  I have read that some people are having issues with the joystick centring properly.  I haven't found that myself but I've hardly used the joystick as I prefer to use my MS Sidewider 2 FFB stick with the X-55 throttle. 

The software for the stick is pretty well laid out and there are some good tutorial videos on YouTube explaining how to create macros. 

The stick and throttle aren't that big in the area they take up but they are built for big hands. If you've got stubby fingers then some of the buttons and switches might be a little uncomfortable to reach.  The joystick has a big range of motion compared to other sticks so it might take some getting used to if you are used to making small inputs.  On the plus side, the big range of motion allows for very precise inputs.  I find my gunnery is much more accurate with this stick compared to the Sidewinder, the G940, or the CH Pro.

The throttle has a tension adjustment wheel but I find that even at the lowest tension settings, it's still a little stiff for my tastes.  It has 7 toggle switches on it.  I like them for the added functionality but I don't like the fact that they snap back to centre position after you engage them in the up or down position.  I would prefer if they'd stay in position just because it's easier to get visual or tactile feedback that way.   The throttle also has 5 rotary pots which are great for trim, rads, etc but I have had trouble getting some games to fully recognize them.

Anyway, for $200, I'm well pleased with mine.

[sandman2575]

Thanks for the detailed write-up, SDR.  How have you found it with BoS, in terms of setup and getting the game to map/recognize inputs?

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

With BOS it works perfectly.  The game recognizes all inputs and I haven't needed to adjust any input curves or anything like that.

[Jarhead0331]

I have it as well. I would say that I am satisfied with it, but not as head over heels in love as I had hoped. The x52 set the bar pretty high in terms of comfort, ease of use and button placement, and I feel like the x55 is behind it in all of those categories.

Still it is serving me well in elite, arma3, dcs titles and BoS. I have experienced no technical issues with it and the quality of the product seems very high overall.

[sandman2575]

Glad to hear that about the quality.  The user reviews on Amazon and Newegg (I know -- don't take them too seriously) are pretty schizophrenic -- with some people saying build quality is great, others complaining that it is really substandard.  It sounds like luck-of-the-draw -- there is clearly a crop of X-55 lemons out there, but I suppose that's to be expected.  (I wonder too how many of these folks are getting repackaged returns -- not sure what Amazon's policy is on that, but I've certainly bought merchandise on Amazon that I strongly suspect was handled by previously dissatisfied owners...)

Is the X-52 Pro worth considering?  Price difference is pretty negligible ($165 vs. $199), so I'd still be inclined to go with the X-55.

[Con]

I saw Saitek X52 for $120 on Newegg
X52 Pro for $170
and X55 for $190

I am still contemplating getting the X52 since I dont really understand what you get for the more expensive versions?

Thanks
Con

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

They're three numbers higher.

[Con]

Thank you Joan Rivers....I just flew in from Vegas and boy are my arms tired

Con