After my x52 stopped working I have decided to get a new flightstick. I thought about a thustmaster stick but have read its a bad ideal. So I thought about a VKB sim stick. But I dont know much about them. Do they work in sims like MSFS, dcs and such. Also do they support windows 11?
The main thing I would like to know is what to buy. My budget is $300ish. I would prefer a jotstick with a separate throttle. All help would be valued help.
Title edited for typos. This makes the post more searchable in the future.
I moved from Thrustmaster Airbus to VKB. VKB is great, very modular, the stick is robust, programmable. Not sure it your budget will cover a separate throttle. At the most you can probably get one of their Gladiator units, the base has a single paddle style switch which can serve as a throttle input.
I was looking getting the Gladiator NXT EVO ‘Space Combat Edition’ - Right Hand and the Gladiator NXT EVO ‘Space Combat Edition’ - Right Hand. What need help with will this work out of the box. Do I need and cables or brackets? My plan is to set this on a desk/ Thanks.
You’ll need to install the utilities to configure and test the stick/controller - both provided by VKB. They should be recognized by the sim automatically.
Highly recommend you join and view the VKB forums here:
I also moved from the Airbus to the Gladiator. No regrets. It’s very customizable. Lots of buttons and switches. It sits on the desk very well, but can be screwed down if necessary.
I would very highly recommend the VKB Gladiator, it is a significant improvement over products from Logitech and Thrustmaster, both in terms of build quality and feel / precision in use. The calibration and configuration software is also powerful and versatile. I found it a little unintuitive at first, but there is lots of help available out there, not least from VKB themselves on their forum and YT channel.
In the US, the Premium version of the NXT Evo is $165.00 and the separate throttle quadrant (which you can attach to either side of the Gladiator) is $70.00, so before P&P it falls well within your budget. The Premium version of the stick offers an additional rapid-fire trigger and a couple of 8-way hats in place of the standard buttons, which extra options I found useful.
Personally I would suggest adding the SEM module too for another $70.00, as this gives you a load of extra useful buttons, rockers, a 4-way rotary, a dedicated ‘Start’ button and dedicated controls for landing gear and flaps. You can adjust the number of detents in the flaps control between a simple extend / retract or up to 4 different specific positions. This obviously takes a load of controls off of the keyboard and mouse, which I found really helpful. Together with the throttle and the premium stick that’s $305.00 in total before postage, although you could save $30.00 by going for the ‘Standard’ version of the stick to stay strictly within budget.
Here’s my one in that hotas configuration described:
Take a look at VIRPIL.
Expensive, but absolutely superb quality and precision!
Why not order a new X-52 pro?
Mine broke down a few years ago after over 10 years of service.
I made the mistake to order a TM T16000M and the only ‘+’ happened to be the rudderset.
I think I order a new X-52 pro ( still produced to date) and keep using the TM rudders.
