Author Topic: Saitek X52, good and ugly...  (Read 441 times)

Offline 2bighorn

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Saitek X52, good and ugly...
« on: May 11, 2006, 05:06:55 PM »
Well, after 15 months of medium to heavy usage, it's ready for dispossal.

My stick was out of the early production batches and it came with relatively big and asymetrical deadzone on X and Y axis.
(Sticks with serial number above S00245477 suppose to be OK)

Deadzone was build into firmware and impossible to correct. Shooting from dead six or fine flight path corrections were nearly impossible. Setting deadzone in game and controller property panel to 0 helped a bit.

Second issue was mouse stick drifting and it had to be disabled which is pitty because it was useful in games with mouse view (poor man's Track IR) and complemented well the usual HAT switches.

After six months of usage, the Y axis developed some sort of stuttering (not fixable).

Intially, it was advertised as all optical stick, but in reality, it is a mixture of optical sensors (X and Y axis), micro switches (most of the buttons and hats) and old fashioned pots (sliders, rotaries, throttle and twisty).

While all HAT switches still work as on day one, pots gave up one after another.

First victim was precision slider. Second was throttle and only deadzone settings made usage of throttle still possible.

Trigger shiny surface rubbed off as well and it feels now like sandpaper.

Finally, twisty pot started to spike and flying became impossible (controls lock and/or sudden spins).


X52 would be ultimate HOTAS if not for very short life time. A year of heavy usage (two at most) is about all you'll get, and that makes it a very expensive stick.

Unfortunately for those who prefer twisty over pedals, it's about only HOTAS worth buying (even with all the vices).

Offline Eagler

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Saitek X52, good and ugly...
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2006, 06:20:23 PM »
you got a double life with that one :)
my saiteks are lucky to get 10 months before something goes. That is why you get the service plan. Here's how it works:
$120 X52 stick (X45 is cheaper, used to be able to catch one on sale for $70 )
$15 service plan (think that's high) - in store swap out for brand new policy
====
$135 for first stick...stick goes bad.. back to CompUSA .. exchange stick for new one
$15 for another service plan
====
$150 now spent for two sticks ... $75 each now
sitck goes bad or 12 months warranty almost up .. back to CompUSA
$15 for another brand new stick + 12 month service plan
====
 $170 now spent for 3 sticks .. $57 each stick
rinse - repeat

I've been doing this for as long as the X36 gameport 1st came out ... I think I must pay $15.50 a stick each year by now :)
"Masters of the Air" Scenario - JG27


Intel Core i7-13700KF | GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS Elite AX | 64GB G.Skill DDR5 | 16GB GIGABYTE RTX 4070 Ti Super | 850 watt ps | pimax Crystal Light | Warthog stick | TM1600 throttle | VKB Mk.V Rudder

Offline 2bighorn

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Saitek X52, good and ugly...
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2006, 07:16:47 PM »
:aok Just did the same,  ordered new one with extended/replacement warranty. Total (including shipping and taxes) $130 and some change.
We'll see how that works out...

Offline SuperDud

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Saitek X52, good and ugly...
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2006, 07:23:18 PM »
I told you!!! They are junk:mad:
SuperDud
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Offline 2bighorn

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Saitek X52, good and ugly...
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2006, 07:37:05 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by SuperDud
I told you!!! They are junk:mad:
Maybe, they still outgun your stick though

Offline SuperDud

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Saitek X52, good and ugly...
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2006, 07:57:44 PM »
Bah, it's not the stick it's the pile-it's. With that being said, I will pwn joo!#$#@ I just broke out old reliable and I'm gonna go old school on ya WOOOWOOOOOOO:O
SuperDud
++Blue Knights++

Offline Eagler

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Saitek X52, good and ugly...
« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2006, 08:59:56 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by SuperDud
Bah, it's not the stick it's the pile-it's. With that being said, I will pwn joo!#$#@ I just broke out old reliable and I'm gonna go old school on ya WOOOWOOOOOOO:O




Must be true as I'd probably still lose against ya :)
"Masters of the Air" Scenario - JG27


Intel Core i7-13700KF | GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS Elite AX | 64GB G.Skill DDR5 | 16GB GIGABYTE RTX 4070 Ti Super | 850 watt ps | pimax Crystal Light | Warthog stick | TM1600 throttle | VKB Mk.V Rudder

Offline mentalguy

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Saitek X52, good and ugly...
« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2006, 09:23:27 PM »
lol
PFC. Corey "Mentalguy" Gibson
USMC