7 Best Hotas Joysticks in 2024 Reviewed

Regular gamepads will be amazing for racers while the keyboard-mouse combination is snappy in-flight games, you’ll enjoy acquiring the Best Hotas Joysticks for aircraft control.

Whether you are a Flight Simulator X, and Star Citizen gamer, you’ll want to improve your flight gaming – beyond the use of a controller, classic simulators, or keyboard and mouse.

It’s no secret that a controller cannot give you the amazing gaming experience that a flexible joystick coupled with accurate throttling offers. Read Also: Quality SD card for Raspberry Pi 3.

Reviews: Top 7 Best Hotas Joysticks in 2024

1. Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog Joystick – Best for Flight Simulator X

Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog joystick replicates the Air Force A-10C (United States) flight stick and is simple in design with 19 action buttons.

The designers have maintained top quality making it durable. It has an awesome weight on the base and its handle is made fully from metal.

To many gamers, the Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog Joystick is a little too high-end. But is it worth the price? The joystick allows optimization of buttons and lever to control the vehicles’ movements precisely.

Well, to start with, the Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog Throttle and Joystick combination is a replica of the Air Force A-10C (United States) flight stick.

The real crazy gaming experts are now creating full or partial cockpits having functional multifunction displays. The sticks and throttles are built from real surplus aircraft components, combined with numerous monitors to try and create a real verisimilitude.

Further, you can easily detach the joystick from its metal plate and place it in the cockpit. Also, Thrustmaster has a simulator community to assist gamers.

However, my goal was less lofty – I only needed a real joystick and throttle that could almost replicate the cockpits experience – with just enough buttons, which led me to the Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog Joystick.

Despite being the top joystick, I don’t mean that Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog has no flaws. However, it is a solid, sturdy, and reliable all-rounded joystick.

19 Fully Programmable Buttons – Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog comes with extensive controls and 19 action buttons that are placed strategically on the joystick. It has an afterburner that will disengage from the throttle.

To get a more realistic gaming experience, particularly on night flights, you can program the LED lights to match your taste.

U.S. Air Force A-10C Precision – Hotas Warthog will give you realistic and accurate Star Citizen gaming movements that are a total replica of the U.S. Air Force A-10C operations.
With its amazing 55 buttons which are highly programmable in your gaming.

To give you better control, the throttle will disengage from its afterburner, to allow you to take on the aircraft you desire. The 5 LED lights (programmable) will provide extra lighting for your night flights.

Increased Controls’ Realism – Thrustmaster designed Hotas Warthog with a consultation with their gaming experts and researching the top gamers and thus considered specific needs and undertook careful calibration.

Further, you can readily detach the base and handle to allow configuration to look like the real cockpit.

Easy Customization with T.A.R.G.E.T. – Hotas Warthog uses the T.A.R.G.E.T. software that will allow you to put up various configurations and test to match your requirements. Therefore, you can easily set up favorable controls, with the various software levels.

High Accuracy – The HallEffect AccuRate Technology (H.E.A.R.T.) allows the Hotas Warthog to have increased precision.

The triggers and buttons are pressure-sensitive to create better realism. The sixteen-bit precision will enable you to easily move around with increased accuracy.

2. Saitek X52 Pro Flight Control

Saitek X-52 Pro comes in two parts: the joystick and the throttle both of which have amazing, but non-customizable, LED lights.

The throttle has a USB 2 port and cable that will connect to your computer while the joystick and throttle connect through the PS2 cable.

First, we analyze the joystick. Starting from the top, it has a picky switch and offers accurate and smooth combat flight simulation.

It has numerous controls such as the two-stage primary trigger – which you can squeeze to drop nukes or pull gentry for cannon launching.

With the rotating knob, you can customize each button for any of the 3 modes.

Better feel and control – The X52 Pro is identical to the Logitech X52 but has some additional and exciting features. As a HOTAS kit, the X52 Pro allows the pilot to access all settings without moving away from the controls.

My first experience with the X52 Pro made me realize why pilots name the HOTAS kits “playing the piccolo” since all the fingers in all your hands will be occupied.

Beautiful finish – Logitech X52 Pro has a black beautiful finish compared to the silver X52 finish that looked pale.

It has a 2-eight way switch that will enable you to manipulate radars, pan your view, and easily target systems.

Dual spring mechanism – The X52 Pro has a new dual spring mechanism, is well centered and after exercising on the sensitivity and dead zone, you’ll love the joystick.

Further, the joystick’s hand size is adjustable and thus you can tweak it to fit your hands comfortably. The X52 Pro stick can rotate to give you an excellent rudder input.

MFD functionality – With the MFD functionality, it is possible to identify where each of your joystick’s buttons is assigned based on the labels you’ll affix to its software.

Further, it is possible to see the mode or sub-mode where your joystick is located when you are gaming.
Also, the MFD functionality in X52 Pros allows you to import game data to the MFD, which mainly functions with the FSX game.

It is also to tweak the frequencies through the various rotary and switches control that are contained in the MFD’s base. However, not many games have been coded to utilize MFD functionality, which could change in the future.

3. Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X Flight Stick – Best For Star Citizen

Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X Flight Stick that you can easily progressively tilt or rotate through the dual-system aerodynamic control.

You can also use the throttle and joystick together or detach to use each of them separately. It has 5 axles and 12 buttons that are fully programmable.

T-Flight Hotas X will not disappoint you in its performance, which comes with a favorable price.

I must say that T-Flight Hotas X functions excellently with Star Citizen. However, you might experience some throttle flex and joystick dead zone.

The joystick and throttle are comfortable to create a cockpit-like gaming experience.

Further, the joystick has internal storage for your unique programming and configurations easily.

Comfortable – T-Flight Hotas X has a wide hand-rest for increased ergonomics that will give you top comfort in your gaming. Further, the joystick has a realistic size and can detach completely.

Easily programmable – The joystick has a simple design that will not require any special software or drivers. It has 5 axles and 12 buttons that you can easily program to match your needs.

Accuracy and Precision – T-Flight Hotas X is made using the dual-system aerodynamic control, which you can easily tilt its lever or rotate its handle to achieve more realism.

It has an excellent “MAPPING” button which is built-in that you can use to change the various functions.

Further, the joystick has excellent responsive inner mechanics using the trigger which you can utilize for rapid-fire and braking. Read Also: Laptop Tablet Combo

4. Logitech Extreme 3D Pro – Best Joystick For PC

Logitech Extreme 3D Pro – takes one of the top positions for the best joysticks. It comes at good quality, durability, and low price with a fast response.

Also, Logitech Extreme 3D has a unique and comfortable twist handle that will not irritate your fingers and palm.

Logitech Extreme 3D Pro is a popular entry-level joystick for any gamer venturing into a flight sim, Star Citizen, or other games that need aircraft control.

For many gaming experts, myself included, Logitech Extreme 3D was their first joystick that ushered most of us into PC flying.

The joysticks slider offers good throttle control. Despite being realistic compared to the yoke, the joystick will perform better compared to the mouse and keyboard.

Notably, Extreme 3D Pro will provide more realism with air buses and fighter jets.

The joystick’s rubber material base helps increase resistance and thus the device will have a high-quality feel and increase realism.

Also, it is produced from heavy-duty plastics that will avoid excess joystick movement on the desk. It comes with a USB cable to allow you to easily connect to your PC.

Beautiful Joystick – Extreme 3D Pro is more streamlined and smart to use in your gaming. Extreme 3D Pro is a sturdy, rapid action, and accurate joystick that will help you to easily transit from the cumbersome keyboard and mouse or poorly performing joystick.

With 12 programmable buttons, the joystick will give you better control and precision combined with action of Rapid action technology and smooth throttle settings. However, the joystick has fragile rudder control.

Conclusion

In this article, I’ll let you know the Best Hotas Joysticks. I promise to always update this post to ensure that you get the joysticks with the highest quality and performance.

The Best HOTAS Joysticks will give you an excellent gaming experience. Related: Best ED Hotas.

You should purpose to acquire one of the above HOTA joysticks to revamp your fun gaming moments.