Best controller for flight sim fans
IF YOU WANT TO FLY the virtual skies in style, Saitek’s X52 Pro is the Gulfstream of flight controllers. This joystick and throttle combo is designed for any kind of flying, whether you’re hauling passengers in Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) or blowing away Messerschmitts in Ubisoft’s IL2 Sturmovik: 1946.
Like the original X52, the Pro version includes seven control axes, 19 programmable buttons, three hat switches, and a mouse control. You also get a three-way mode switch that triples each button’s functionality. Set up one set of commands for take off/landing, another for air combat, and another for ground attack.
The X52 Pro also supports adjustments to accommodate both small and large hands. This new model replaces the loose springs of the original with much more precise controls, and adds a fully programmable LCD on the throttle. Out of the box, the display lets you adjust radio settings in FSX, and it’ll display the current song playing in Windows Media Player. The LCD includes drivers for only those two programs, however. A software-development kit is included for those who want to customize the LCD for additional games, but it requires C++ programming knowledge. Unless Saitek updates the joystick’s software, most users will need to rely on hard-core users and the gaming community to add support for additional games.
For the full-on flight-control experience, you can pair the X52 Pro with Saitek’s $149 Pro Flight Rudder Pedals. This USB based pedal set offers both rudder-control and toe-brake support. With its wide design and adjustable pedal size, this add-on is also comfortable to use.
