Saitek Pro X-56 Rhino H.O.T.A.S. Video Game Flight Controller for PC (SCB432210002/01/1)

I have to say, with all of these negative reviews, I was a bit nervous to buy this hotas between the x56 and the ac 10 warthog.however, after almost 2 1/2 months of play time, i have to say this is one amazing hotas and I do not regret this purchase in the slightest.so first, the good stuff.Pros-----------This hotas, when placed and oriented properly, feels amazingly comfortable in my hands.-Extreme precision like you wouldn't believe.-more buttons and switches than you know what to do with.-Far better lifespan and durability than the x-55-the analogue sticks despite their looseness are very precise.-i have encountered none of the critical issues stated in the reviews before me.now for the bad stuff.Cons---------the stick on the throttle could have been placed a bit better-when throttled all the way up, it is difficult to operate the switches at the bottom.-when throttled all the way down it is difficult to operate the switches on the side.-the whole thing is made of plastic so it feels flimsy and as a result has a slight "bouncy" or "speed bumpy" feeling to it every time the stick passes center.(as a remedy just pop on the weakest spring it's really smooth)-the analogue sticks are a bit "loose" in that you will need to set a small dead zone so that they aren't always doing somethingFinal noteworthy mentions.----------------------------------------the throttle will be a bit stiff for the first maybe week. just bear with it. it will loosen up.be careful that you don't accidentally hit a rotary on the throttle you wont notice until it does something funny.you'll likely want to bind your stick to translation thrust controls.In conclusion, I think this is a great hotas even for its price point and only a few little issues that are more or less just minor annoyances.Good job madcatz keep this trend up and you may just clear your bad reputation.

I'll be blunt and honest about the X56, it’s a wonderful tool. This thing does everything I need it to do, especially while playing Star Citizen. Those who play Star Citizen know how important buttons are on a HOTAS.So, are the bad reviews real? Yes, most of them are very real. I had the wiggly knob on top of the throttle which doesn't affect anything like calibration or function. Did the potentiometer in the stick not calibrate within 6-7% and not calibrate with Mad Cats support, the software, or Windows 10 correctly? The answer is yes, yes, and yes. So why on earth would I give the X56 five stars? Well, let’s get into what my stance is about.The reviews for this product are scary. I watched every single YouTube video and read more forums than I would like to admit. I found, for example, people talking about wiring inside the throttle. Now, before I elaborate, I do fly around on Chinooks D/F and Mi-17 V1 still to this day, 17yrs of aviation experience. Now, there might be issues with wiring, but last I checked not one of those reviewers claimed to have an A&P or any type of avionics experience. We could go into wire, solder, and the grades, but I'm not. Even in a real aircraft, wires move and degrade over time, it’s going to happen folks. If it's that big a worry do like I did and get the 21 dollar 3yr protection plan through Amazon. Added with the already existing warranty, that’s four years of warranty. The same day I'm shipping my controller out is the same day I'm getting the new one from Amazon. If you’re a little older, wiser, and have some patience, we know that these youngsters on YouTube spew crap for the sake of viewers following them. Do not let them deter you from trying this HOTAS.The stick is a little on the light side, but we have holes in the base of the HOTAS to mount them. If holes in your desk are not appealing get clamps, or head up to the hardware store and put a steel plate under the base. Place some padding under the stick to preserve the desk and presto. If you can spend 250 bucks on this you can spend a little for proper mounting. To complain about something that comes with an option to resolve its self is absurd. I know if I’m a little wild on the stick and throttle, they will move a little. With my crazy flying comes great responsibility on my part. I utilize the option for my crazy flying, the mount holes! I’m glad I still have my common sense about me, whew, scary stuff you know?Between the throttles excessive lubrication and the sticks stiffness there is nothing to worry about. The last time I bought a new pair of shoes it took a couple of weeks to break them in. You know, we just might be onto something here. So, before we freak out about lubrication and stiffness, (pun), let’s give common sense a try first. If you have seen or read what I have, you know where this pun comes from.If there is one thing I’ve learned over the years, its unlearning muscle memory. Unlearning muscle memory is difficult, time consuming, and annoying. Some complain about the positioning of different buttons and locations. Well, take your fanny pack off and prepare to unlearn what you find comfortable until it’s comfortable again. I promise, unless your just a spoiled rotten child this HOTAS will eventually feel natural and right over time. Stay committed, it will come in time.Hands down, there is no other HOTAS that gives more functionality and options like the X56 Rhino. The drivers are good, the software is nice, and the stick gives back what you put into it. I’ve played with the Thrust Master, Logitech 3d pro, X52 pro, Warthog, and now the X56. The X56 wins by a mile stone when it comes to Star Citizen. I’ve dabbled with WOWP and ED too. Remember, the HOTAS market is coming to life again and there will be bugs, we as consumers need to relay faults so they can be corrected. Let’s put out useful information that is constructive, a little pun is fine in my book, and get the end result we want.In the end there might be a button not working or find your axis a little off. If that’s the case, return it until you get the one that works correctly. Believe me, what I have now is so nice I’m almost tempted to just set a high dead zone. But, I’m a little older, wiser, and have patience I guess. I’ll wait for Monday to roll around and have UPS pick up the bad at the exact time they drop off the new one. Imagine that, I didn’t even need to buy a backup.Do yourself a favor, beat the odds and get your hands on the best space sim HOTAS out there. Even if it takes more than one try, because that’s how we succeed. What the X56 has to offer is that good. With all that said, I'll see you in game, good luck!

This item arrived a week and a few days earlier than the predicted shipment date, showed up in perfect working order and I've had zero problems with it. The throttle stick is a bit resistant even on the lowest setting, but honestly that's a good thing for me. This is my first HOTAS, so maybe I've not been quite as spoiled as some of the other reviewers who've paid for significantly more expensive setups -- but this stick is functional and great. I've had a chance to burn about 100 hours with it in Elite: Dangerous since my purchase and it's been working perfectly fine. I have almost zero dead zones to adjust on any axis, and once you get this stick broken in with a little bit of play it is great. Usually if I see MadCatz on a product, I will specifically avoid that product just because their third-party console items have burnt me in the past -- so I was extremely skeptical of this item to begin with ... but considering this was one of the most affordable HOTAS options available that had the functionality required for a space sim, I thought I'd gamble and risk a potential return if it turned out to be a flake set of hardware. Thankfully, this gamble has paid off and I am incredibly happy with this item.