I'm looking into investing in a new Joystick System. I recently went to a pawn shop, saw the Saitek X45 and fell in love with it. $15 bucks but I didn't have it. Came home, searched online and come to find out, they have a newer one, the X52, which looks OMGL33T. It's got all sorts of programmable buttons, all sorts of digital throttle type things, and a mouse cursor/button like the X45. The X52 has an LCD display and all sorts of upgrades from the X45.

I want a Saitek X52 like I want to live. Is it a bad choice?

You'd like, be able to play Descent without using the keyboard for weapons / thrusting.

X-wing without using the keyboard for energy diversion and targeting....

That thing is a piece of god himself.

My dad bought me a Gravis Phoenix back in the day. It kicked ***. It plugged into the keyboard and joystick ports, had programmable buttons with 1 shift key, throttle rudder, all the crap you'd need. I loved it. Been looking for a system like it since the days of XP. (and the fact that the analog ways of pre-usb joysticks usually went downhill after a few years)

The Saitek X52 is the only thing I've seen that even comes close to the awesomeness that was my old Gravis Phoenix.

Go for force feedback! (of course, I probably missed the fact that it says it is on the site, making me look stupid...)

Go for it. Reconditioned, $70, directly from Saitek:
http://store.yahoo.com/saitekusa/x52flcosyre.html

I got my Saitek Cyborg Evo that way. It was in fantastic shape. Same warrenty, too, I think.

Oh, if you're not familiar, Saitek makes excellent products. That is absolutely a good choice. But also take a look at high end Logitech, too. Don't even bother with Microsoft. Their build quality is simply inferior.

A couple of years ago I was looking for a joystick for a reasonable price, and the Logitech was the one mostly available. I made a net search and got a HUGE amount of negative feedback everywhere saying the Logitech joystick will break in no time, for various reasons. Now, with a thing like a joystick it's only natural to find feedback from brutes who mutilate their toy all too much, but the amount I found was way out of line.

Needless to say, I didn't get a Logitech. I got a Microsoft joystick, and has had zero trouble. An excellent piece of hardware. Of course this is a useless point nowadays since MS hasn't made joysticks for quite some time anymore.

Well, this only proves that a single message board is not a reference good enough to base your choice.

I feel joy. I want one.

(checks wallet)

Saitek WINS. *hugs his keyboard*

[QUOTE=Dj Yoshi]Saitek WINS. *hugs his keyboard*[/QUOTE]

You can say that again, babybuns. *hugs his keyboard too*

Yeah, definately get the X52 if you can get it for a good price. I'm using an Evo right now, and the X52 will be my next one when the time comes.

My friend currently has the X45, says it rocks. He's going to upgrade to the X52 soon (if he hasnt already) so I'll ask his opinion on that.

The X45 in some cases *feels* better than the 52. The base is larger and it doesn't feel as much like it's going to topple over when you throttle hard.

The X52, though, has much better software, and if you have a surface you can stick it to, has suction cups on the bottom (like the X45) so it won't move so readily.

I traded in my X45 a while ago (eg: stuck it in a closet) and bought the X52. I love it.

It's so much fun for Mechwarrior games.

Well if you got an X45 just laying around, I'd gladly take it off your hands for you :p

microsoft has always built good quality controllers

logitech (in the more recent years, older controllers were more consistent in build quality) is more of a crapshoot on the build quality... some are good and will work for years others are likely to fail within the first year

and that's not a model to model thing either



he said he traded it which would imply that he sold the x45 and used the money to help pay for the x52

No, he said he stuck it in a closet.