Hardware Joystick reviews: Cyborg FLY 5 vs Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X

We put two of the best £30 joysticks head to head to see which you should buy...

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/peripherals/2012/07/04/cyborg-fly-5-vs-thrustmaster-t-flight-hotas/1

 

Bought the FLY 5 specifically for flying in BF3. It's great. A hint is to remove all the controls for the stick from within BF3 for flying and use the cyborg software to map the different controls from the stick to the relevant keys on the keyboard. You just have to be aware that when you bail out of a flaming jet make sure you return the throttle back to the middle position.

 

You really need to test these over several months. Because if the build quality of the FLY 5 is anything like the V1, you'll be asking for a replacement inside a year. It's a pity they stopped Saitek making the lower end sticks like the ST290 pro. My original ST290 Pro lasted over 5 years being used every day, until it started to feel a bit too sloppy. I bought a V1 as, like I said, they had stopped making budget Saitek sticks. The first V1 lasted less than six months before it completely failed, and second lasted another nine before deadzones started drifting and buttons started double clicking. I have just purchased a lightly used second hand ST290 pro, because even if it only last two years, it will have done better than the V1's did combined.

 

My original Cyborg has broken too. The left right twist in the handle (for rudder etc) either doesn't pick up the movement, or gets stuck at full right.

Tried taking it apart and cleaning everything, still broken.

I think it was just after two years too, and it hadn't had much use either, I noticed it was broken after getting it down off the shelf after probably 6 months of sitting there, and it was duff.

 

Thanks for reminding me I can lock the yaw axis on the T-Flight Hotas X.

 

Nice article, but the new advertising on bit-tech is infuriating - that flash video for "The Secret World" expands up and down, which shifts the text of the article with it. I have no objection to ads on bit-tech (I know that's how you guys get paid, and I want you to keep producing top quality content!), but, much like those awful inline ads that popped up if you hovered over a highlighted word, the new ads are obtrusive and make it a chore to navigate around the site. Please remove them, or I'll have to resort to removing bit-tech from my adblock whitelists.

 

Looks like I'll be getting the X to replace my old Thrustmaster Afterburner Force Feedback stick , after years of use (IL2) it has a dead spot in the stck movement ... too bad I really liked it


I second restricting the flash ads ... It's anoying as all heck to have an ad pushing it's self over everything

 

The main reason for the Hotas X being able to separate the throttle from the stick is not to more easily hide it away, but rather to get a more authentic feel with a greater distance between the two, rather than small fiddly throttles attached to the stick, as seen on many small flightsticks.

"The T-Flight Hotas X is can be partially dismantled - just as well as it's a big lump to try and hide away in a cupboard. The throttle section detaches from the rest of the joystick, but isn't completely separable"

 

Bit unfair to ask them to test them for several months, as while that does indicate build quality, I think its more important to have a review sooner.

 

How is asking them to keep using them "over several months" after the review is done, unfair?

 

Tried to read article but got dizzy from it slidding up and down...I will not be the Secret World.

 

Buying...meant buying the Secret World...oh god the page is moving by itself again... :-(

 

These things are completely impractical to use as sold, the damn things are never heavy to stop them sliding all over your desk when in the middle of a dog fight for a start, and are too uncomfortable to use with both hands holding them.

Do you guys make custom mounts for them or something, placed at the right height and angle and locked into some sort of rigged up 'locking' base?

 

Are you talking about the T-Flight Hotas X?

If so, either your desk is made of ice or you play like an angry badger.

 

Blu-Tac

 

these should be tested on a proper joystick game...
Starlancer

 

+250 on the annoying advertage....

On the subj of sticks, I'm using my olde worlde X35f and x35t.. still work great, even though the rubberised feel has kinda gone tack... they take up a huge amount of real estate but are so solid I won't change em!

...and using a serial to usb adapter makes it easy (had to get a double serial port thing back in the days)

Bargain, picked up the pair for 35.00 in Virgin Birmingham in the dark ages!

 

Star lancer......what a great game!!

and Redsnake, I remember using blu-tac on a zip stick back in the sensible soccer days!!!

Truth for me is that since the wing commander, star lancer and free lancer games came out. Nothing has inspired me to buy a joystick.

 

Oh Lucas Arts, what do I have to do to convince you that "Fly by Wire" does NOT constitute anything remotely close to a good flight simulator! FOREVER BURN IN HELL! And then revisit the X-Wing/Tie Fighter series as redemption...with gusto.

 

Oh man, that takes me back. I remember loosing hours of study time in college with the other 4 guys in my apartment. Really fun game. Wish they had expanded on it.