Saitek X52 impressions

[SkyGnome]

Plusses:
Much more comfortable than X45, with most of the buttons much more accessible.

Light spring force.

Rudder control is very accurate, despite the short throw.

Most buttons/dials are positive and have good feel.

Adjustable hand size works very well.

Minuses:

Big huge dead spot on X and Y axes.  I measured it at the top of the stick - 2 inches in X and 1.75 in Y.  This is NOT just in the center, either.  It's a big "+" along the whole stick travel that is D-E-A-D dead.  Perhaps just mine, but I sure as heck wouldn't mail order one.

Frickin' pinkie switch exists, and does not appear to be removable (while preserving warranty .

Hats on main stick are both uncomfortable.  One is too close, the other too far.  It still might be better than X45, but way worse than MS or Logitech.  After 10 minutes of furballing, my thumb was sore on the low hat, and the high hat will probably be tough for folks with smaller hands (and the low will still be too close).

Two stage trigger doesn't work out too well.  The first click is VERY sensitive (I accidentally trigger it frequently with the finger below the trigger rubbing against the bottom), and the second click is a huge travel (1/2-3/4").

Scroll wheel on the throttle doesn't work for a damn.  Great control in a great position, but it's absolutely useless.

Rudder has a mechanical hitch to the left.  Both my stick and the store demo had this.  It's not too bad, but it's there.

Stopwatch on throttle has only seconds resolution.

Second-best button on throttle is not programmable.

Between HTC not allowing throttle curve adjustment and the programming software, I can't put WEP on the end of the throttle effectively.


Overall it's a huge leap forward from the X45, which I found brutally uncomfortable (and lacking a useful rudder control).  Mine is going back to the store, and I'll see if others have the same deadspot problems - that's the deal-breaker.

 -SkyGnome

[SkyGnome]

To Saitek's credit, I should add that despite the initial impression, it was the easiest joystick to repackage for return of all I have tried!

[ALF]

Originally posted by SkyGnome
Plusses:
Much more comfortable than X45, with most of the buttons much more accessible.

Light spring force.

Rudder control is very accurate, despite the short throw.

Most buttons/dials are positive and have good feel.

Adjustable hand size works very well.

Minuses:

Big huge dead spot on X and Y axes.  I measured it at the top of the stick - 2 inches in X and 1.75 in Y.  This is NOT just in the center, either.  It's a big "+" along the whole stick travel that is D-E-A-D dead.  Perhaps just mine, but I sure as heck wouldn't mail order one.

[/B]
There is no 'huge dead spot' on my stick, I have trouble moving the stick a small enough smount not to see the imput...not 1-2 inches...there is a very small minimum dead zone...but thats a requirement for humans to use it.

Frickin' pinkie switch exists, and does not appear to be removable (while preserving warranty .

The pinky switch is non removable, but it adjusts up and down.    On a side note I tried to remove each and every one of the buttons on my CH Fighterstcik, and a MS SIdwinder without success on a single one....couldnt find someone to donate a cougar for my experiment.  

Hats on main stick are both uncomfortable.  One is too close, the other too far.  It still might be better than X45, but way worse than MS or Logitech.  After 10 minutes of furballing, my thumb was sore on the low hat, and the high hat will probably be tough for folks with smaller hands (and the low will still be too close).

With an adjustable handrest that moves up and down over an inch to accomodate different hand sizes....I cant imagine how you couldnt get a comfortable position.

Again I tried my other two sticks....neither seemes to support adjustment...hmmmm

Two stage trigger doesn't work out too well.  The first click is VERY sensitive (I accidentally trigger it frequently with the finger below the trigger rubbing against the bottom), and the second click is a huge travel (1/2-3/4").

The first trigger is sesative, but not to an extreme making it go off when you look at it.  The second stage is a good travel farther....but thats no good too for you?  Im getting a Goldilocks complex here....too short...too long.

Scroll wheel on the throttle doesn't work for a damn.  Great control in a great position, but it's absolutely useless.

It is eFing useless (just when did a letter ing become censored...geeez HT, take some ridalin or something.  I just hope they can do something with it in software.

Rudder has a mechanical hitch to the left.  Both my stick and the store demo had this.  It's not too bad, but it's there.

From your description you mean the stick isnt aligned at 90º with the square base?  If its there its less than 2º and is part of the design...the rudder centers poerfectly, and I dont usually stare at my sticks base with a protracter while Im flying.

Stopwatch on throttle has only seconds resolution.

If you mean it doesnt mesure 1/100th of a second...yes....but it does go to hours and minutes after it exceeeds 60 minutes.  Im just not sure what you want to do with it....time olympic events?

Second-best button on throttle is not programmable.

You are apparently refernig to the 'Clutch button'   The one buttone that allows switching profiles on the fly.  Its hardwired to change profiles.  Just pretend its not a normal button....cause it aint!   Would you complain if that same button was just not there "2nd best button is missing"?

Between HTC not allowing throttle curve adjustment and the programming software, I can't put WEP on the end of the throttle effectively.

You just program it to a button, because thats what its programed for in the game.  You can split the throttle into bands, but AH2 doesnt support specific keys for specific power settings and only +/-    

Overall it's a huge leap forward from the X45, which I found brutally uncomfortable (and lacking a useful rudder control).  Mine is going back to the store, and I'll see if others have the same deadspot problems - that's the deal-breaker.

 -SkyGnome

No stick is perfect for everyone, but it sounds to me like you didnt give the stick enough of a chance and got frustrated and started looking for problems.

[DREDIOCK]

Originally posted by SkyGnome
Plusses:

Minuses:


Frickin' pinkie switch exists, and does not appear to be removable (while preserving warranty .

 -SkyGnome

See now the pinkie switch is the main aspect of the stick that  makes me consider getting one.
I wouldnt even consider getting a stick that didnt have one

I like the pinky switch on my ancient TM stick for my alternate views Foward-up, side-up back-up etc

For me using it like that seems very natural and leaves my thumb for the regular views, my trigger finger for guns and the fingers on my other hand for things like throttle,rudder,flaps etc

[SNO]

Drediock, I use the pinkie switch for the very same thing and agree it is very natural.

[eagl]

I rely on the pinky switch, always have since my original thrustmaster FCS stick.  I have a saitek X36 setup and I like it but it's gotten a tiny bit wobbly at the center and the rudder rocker switch in the throttle spikes badly now so I'm going to have to unmap it from my stick setup.

It works well with my analog CH pedals and I'm not looking forward to trying to find a replacement eventually.

[SkyGnome]

Originally posted by ALF

There is no 'huge dead spot' on my stick, I have trouble moving the stick a small enough smount not to see the imput...not 1-2 inches...there is a very small minimum dead zone...but thats a requirement for humans to use it.

That's good no know.  Mebe I'll exchange for another and give it a try - but given that so far 50% of sticks reviewed have had a huge dead spot, I'll stand by my recommendation to not mail order.  Oh, and I'm of the opinion that in an idea world, the deadspot should be 100% software - not a limitation of the hardware.

The pinky switch is non removable, but it adjusts up and down.    On a side note I tried to remove each and every one of the buttons on my CH Fighterstcik, and a MS SIdwinder without success on a single one....couldnt find someone to donate a cougar for my experiment.  

The pinkie switch adusts up and down with the handrest, so if you don't want a pinkie switch, you get no handrest.  Perhaps my pinkie is more vestigial than y'alls, but I don't do much with it except hit "enter" and grab things.  And actually, when I try to grab things omitting my pinkie, it feels wierd.  Perhaps I didn't drink enough tea with the ladies in my youth to train my pinkie.

The first trigger is sesative, but not to an extreme making it go off when you look at it.  The second stage is a good travel farther....but thats no good too for you?  Im getting a Goldilocks complex here....too short...too long.

I'm not talking about the same bowl of porridge here.  There are two triggers, and neither is ideal.  Given the choice between a pair of turds and one cherry pie, I'll take the cherry pie.

From your description you mean the stick isnt aligned at 90º with the square base?  If its there its less than 2º and is part of the design...the rudder centers poerfectly, and I dont usually stare at my sticks base with a protracter while Im flying.

When moving the twisty to the left, there's a tactile binding about halfway through the travel.  It's not major, but it's there and shouldn't be.

If you mean it doesnt mesure 1/100th of a second...yes....but it does go to hours and minutes after it exceeeds 60 minutes.  Im just not sure what you want to do with it....time olympic events?

Naw.  I like to compare aircraft and weapon performance, etc.  I saw that the base had a stopwatch and thought, "Great! Awesome!".  But a stopwatch with nothing quicker than a second hand is a wall clock.

You are apparently refernig to the 'Clutch button'   The one buttone that allows switching profiles on the fly.  Its hardwired to change profiles.  Just pretend its not a normal button....cause it aint!   Would you complain if that same button was just not there "2nd best button is missing"?

If I were making a stick, the button to change profiles wouldn't be in a prime spot.  Use that one on the top that you have to reach for - and actually, that's the one that the docs point at for the clutch button.  I think someone made a boo-boo.

You just program it to a button, because thats what its programed for in the game.  You can split the throttle into bands, but AH2 doesnt support specific keys for specific power settings and only +/-    

If AH2 supported the axis rate adjustments on throttle the way it does on roll and pitch and rudder, it would be do-able - or if the stick supported assigning a band the full range of the control (similar to what AH does), it would be doable and work great.  Minor niggle, but hey, having band adjustment like AH would be a fine addition to Saitek's software, and arguably where that adjustment belongs.

No stick is perfect for everyone, but it sounds to me like you didnt give the stick enough of a chance and got frustrated and started looking for problems.

Didn't give it enough of a chance?  If you had a stick with two inches of play on both major axes in the middle that you shelled out 130 bones for, would you keep it?  It works great as long as my oponents keep turning instead of flying straight where I can't aim at all.  Mebe I got a bum stick, but I'll wait to hear a few more reviews before I go buy another one.

P.S.  Does Saitek pay you to defend their products, or are you just real sensitive about people saying negative things about your stick?

[Ramses]

Umm skygnome, you do realise that the deadzone for the X-52 is software programmable, right?

Similar to the Cougar in that respect .... you can define the size of your deadzone with the programming software.

RTFM

[Samiam]

I picked up an X52 today and I know just what SkyGnome is saying.

With all dead bands cleared using the Saitek control pannel AND the damper and deadbend sliders all the way down in AH, there's still a considerable dead band with the stick.

I'm actually only experiencing it severely in the y-axis, and it's much worse pullng back than pushing forward.

The comments here and what I'm experiencing leads me to believe there's a production problem - it's not there by design.

Before I give up and return it, I'm going to try getting a response from Saitek.

[Hajo]

Use CH.....F16 Combat Stick or Fighter Stick.

None of the above complaints would be warranted.

CH lasts forever....easy to map....and as PC Gaming Magazines

says about the Combat Stick.

"It just feels right"

Believe me.....over the years I've used them all....there is no comparison.  CH just out performs anything I've used.

CH costs a little more....but in the end you save money from not

purchasing controlers on a regularl basis.

Plus...you save lot's in aggrevation .

[Tilt]

Got mine set up now.

Was dissapointed to learn that the mouse, mouse button and wheel and wheel button all defaulted to such with no access to DX numbers from the SST

Hence I have banded the mouse pointer and set key presses for it and the mouse button.

The wheel button and the wheel up/down are set using commands (hold down for .5 sec) as simple key presses do not register properly (too fast). I am using the wheel for flaps up/down and the wheel button for dive brakes.

AH will not pick up the large throttle pot (RZ). Its fully variable under windows but AH just sits and looks at it........

Throttle slider is  very good for pitch trim

Stick action is very nice....just what I hoped for.... I have scrapped my old profile and started again with all the sliders for pitch and roll maxed out.

[Eagler]

Originally posted by Tilt

AH will not pick up the large throttle pot (RZ). Its fully variable under windows but AH just sits and looks at it.........

can the knob that AH can't see be programmed in the Saitek software and used that way?

My X45 has the top knob banded for rudder trim as when programmed as an axis in the AH side, it was too squirrely. The other rotors are axis through AH. AH commands overrides any Saitek profile commands in the game.

can the X52 analog knob be used the same way??

[RedMizt]

Just got my X52, much differant from my X45, the buttons all seem to work and the only real complaint I have is after using the 45 for so long, I miss the resistence of the stick, one reason I never went with CH, sticks always seemed so loose. As for the clutch button, instead of using any profiles to set up the X52, I just programmed it through AH setup, so I was able to assign the clutch button a setting, all that is required is bringing up your controllers properties and seeing what numbers are assigned to each button when you press them out of game, when you return in game (alt tab) assign that number to the desired effect, they all work for me, using this method.

PS...Yes this is the method to use, for us dummies who have no clue how to create profiles for the Controller!
PSS...If anyone should feel so inclined, maybe posting some profiles would be nice and appreciated, have begun to mess with setting one up, but many things, are beyond me yet. Anyway to make the precision slider zoom in and out once you have toggled Gun Zoom? And if you could clarify exactly how you disabled that dang mini mouse on throttle and set up keystroke inputs, would be most appreciated. Thanks!

[Pollock]

I have a few profiles going.  Once you get them started they are ezy.  The clutch loading on the fly is great also.  Imagine being able to have a specific profile for each craft you fly in AH. examples:

p47d40, spit 5, osty etc.

It is so easy to change them on the fly too.

I agree too with the feel of this stick it is taking some time to get used to it but i am sure that will pass.


 I dont know how to post it to the bbs if anyone wants my starter profile please let me know.

[bockko]

i am finishing my first week with the x52. after getting used to it i am beginning to really like it. easy to program, i use a saitek profile along with some ah mapping; works just fine. the stick motion is way smoother than the x45, which i had to fight to get fine control inputs made. My biggest worry was nose bounce -- the x45 had none whereas my old ms sticks bounced all over the place even after careful scaling; no nose bounce with the x52. worked great with the ch pedals without any ch profile changes. overall, nice stick.