x52 Pro or x55 Rhino?

Skeng

Skeng

Skeng

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Bolton
Morning guys and girls,
This forum has helped me make some quality decisions in the past and hopefully you can help me make another today. I'm in the market for a HOTAS and I've got my heart set on either the x52 pro or the x55 rhino. I've read plenty of reviews and a few peoples opinions and I'm very torn.

This is my first HOTAS so I've got no previous experience. I will be mostly playing space sims primarily Elite Dangerous. If anyone has used both sticks would you share your opinion on which is the preferred stick and why.

Thanks again.
 
Skeng said:
....
Thanks again.
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I went with the X52 pro mainly because I got it extremely cheap from a friend who had only used it twice, but I've got to say if it broke I'd pay full price and buy it again.
It's my first HOTAS coming from a Saitek pro evo force something and I've got to say it's a joy playing Elite and I the only reason I use the keyboard now is when going into the galaxy map because it's quicker to type the name in and TS push to talk.
There's a button for almost everything and it's so easy to navigate through systems and subsystems while also having a great build quality.

I highly recommend it.
 
I just got the X55 two days ago, there seems to be a lot of haters for the X55 on the net for some reason but i'm really happy with mine. It feels solid in my hands and looks the business.
 
robgmun said:
I just got the X55 two days ago, there seems to be a lot of haters for the X55 on the net for some reason but i'm really happy with mine. It feels solid in my hands and looks the business.
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Same here have the x55. Im sure the stories that are out and about for the x55 do hold some truth, but so far (touch wood), i am enjoying the set up. Yes the throttle might be stiff for some ( there is a youtube mod for this if you feel brave) and the twist action for the flight stick can stick from time to time but nothing that spoils the experience for me.

I will say the total number of buttons you have access to is worth it in its self. ;)
 
The throttle out of the box is very stiff but at the loosest setting it fine, but oddly i found the stick too loose and had to use the stiffest spring, now it feels perfect.

I haven't honestly haven't tried every bottom but i hope to make sure it all works, just very good first impressions :D
 
robgmun said:
The throttle out of the box is very stiff but at the loosest setting it fine, but oddly i found the stick too loose and had to use the stiffest spring, now it feels perfect.

I haven't honestly haven't tried every bottom but i hope to make sure it all works, just very good first impressions :D
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Not tried every bottom ? o.O plenty of time i guess haha
 
If I could do it again I'd go X52 Pro after the awful experience with the X55 (and the fact I just didn't like it at all).
 
Thanks for the replies, I think I'll be going for the x55 it cost a little more but I can pick one up tomorrow ready for the weekend. :D
 
robgmun said:
there seems to be a lot of haters for the X55 on the net for some reason
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It's mainly around how a HOTAS that cost £175+ has the build quality of a marshmallow. They're now something like £120 these days because, while MadCatz/Saitek customer support are excellent and lovely people, the product isn't and even they cannot help you fix the X55 because the replacement parts are just as crap.

For just a few quid extra, you could go CH Products and get something known for lasting decades. The next step is splashing out for a full-on Warthog, although that would be my second choice personally.

Of just those two, I'd have gone with the X52 Pro... or been looking for a second-hand Logitech G940.
 
robgmun said:
They look so cheap and horrible they probably last decades because they spend most of the time in the cupboard.
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Heh heh!
I actually like a lot of 80s vintage/retro stuff so was quite taken with them myself, despite usually being a fan of pritty pritty lights on everything.

They actually feel weird when you first try them, too - They're very light, especially if you've just come from playing with a Warthog, but they also feel solid, like they're made from heavy-duty ballistic nylon or something and the actuation is amazingly crisp and clean. Button layout is great and makes more sense the more you use it. Best part is that CH use off-the-shelf components so in the event that it does go a bit squiffy, you can quite easily fix it yourself.

Users often talk about how their originals have been in continual use since day 1, excluding the time it took to sent them to CH for conversion to USB from the old PS2!!

As a direct comparison the X55 Rhino looks great and felt OK, but had a certain tightness, as if it would loosen up after a bit of use (which it did) and almost as if it were made slightly over the original size specs on the drawing.
I was on the verge of getting one myself when all the defect posts started appearing.


nacho_man1 said:
Lets face it none of these HOTAS are perfect by any means. You can find faults in all, however it is a matter of choosing what suits YOU.
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Oh, most definitely - I almost didn't get the CH because it didn't seem to have enough buttons.
Unfortunately, the only way to find the deal-breaking faults is to actually use them for a while and that's where it can get expensive...
 
The X52 apparently has issues with USB3.0 ports, in that it flakes out. Only way around it is to remove the USB 3 drivers and make them normal 2.0. That was a big thing for me since my new rig has all 3.0 slots, so i went with the X55.

Given there's barely a £10 difference between them these days i prefer the X55 as it has more buttons. Though i do miss the option to change the palm rest hight from the X52.

Warthog is nice, if you can afford it, but you'd also need to by rudder controllers since it dosen't have the stick twist the the X52/X55 have. Which is yet more cost. Though i suppose if you're prepared to spend that much on a HOTAS you're prepared to buy a rudder controller as well
 
Rhenthyl said:
Warthog is nice, if you can afford it, but you'd also need to by rudder controllers since it dosen't have the stick twist the the X52/X55 have. Which is yet more cost. Though i suppose if you're prepared to spend that much on a HOTAS you're prepared to buy a rudder controller as well
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Or just assign the rudder to a control. Same for the CH gear. I have mine set up on the left thumb stick.
Depends whether you want the full 'flying experience' or not, I guess.
 
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