THRUSTMASTER 2960720 Hotas Warthog Joystick

Pros: Simply the closet you can get without enlisting. Fully mechanical switches that are a pleasure to use. Perfect precision in DCS sims and great for FSX. If you have the money and are a serious simmer you must treat yourself to this! Very high build quality , it will last forever.

Cons: Very pricey to the level of decadence.

Pros: Best Thrustmaster product I've ever owned, build quality and setup are excellent.

Cons: Too bad this was not covered with Newegg's Iron Egg guarantee, the price has dropped over a hundred dollars in the last four days, ouch.

Pros: SOLID SOLID SOLID !!!! Great and solid build! Haven't seen anything else that would be even close to the quality of this product. Heavy, solid metal parts (not a plastic cheap look and feel), large platform that could be mounted to the surface. Easy software download and install. The trhottle control is simply awesome! I never regreted I purchesed this product in spite of the high price.

Cons: Price, maybe...Buttons on the joystick could also be metal-made (not really a cons).

Other Thoughts: Although, I do not use it for DCS A-10 game, it works great in FSX (Flight Simulator X) and I love it!

Pros: Where to begin?
-All metal housing and bat switches
-Plug and play
-Seemless integration with DCS A10 Warthog.
-Heavy solid construction prevents the HOTAS from sliding around even on my glass desk.
-Replica of the A-10 warthog flight
stick and throttle quadrant.
-A multitude of buttons, switches and hats that would ever need for a flight sim.

Cons: Price is a bit much. That being said, i would never go back to another HOTAS.

Very specialized design to the a10. However, there are an abundance of switches and hats because of it.

The target software can sometimes be problematic to some users.

Other Thoughts: This HOTAS is perfect if you had ever planned on building your own sim pit.

When this HOTAS is used in conjunction with DCS A10, it really adds to the realism and it leaves you begging for more.

This HOTAS will take your simming to the next level and beyond.

Pros: This throttle and stick combo are the best I have every owned. I have gone through several Hotas and Thrustmaster combo's in the past. This is one is in a league of it's own. The detail and feel of the stick are outstanding! I use this setup with DCS: A-10, TrackIR 5, and 3 24' monitors. It is such an experience and really give the "Simulator" the title it deserves.

Cons: I honestly don't have many other than the price. But the price is absolutely justified once you use it in DCS.

Other Thoughts: This setup is not for arcade style games or casual flight sim users. Not really a con but a heads up to someone who wants to buy it for those reasons. You would be wasting money on setup you prob won't use 100%. Not to say you shouldn't but it just seems like a waste.

Pros: As close as you'll get to the actual stick and throttle of an A-10C without stealing one or joining the USAF. Every exterior surface is metal except some of the switch "hats". The weight of each piece means that it stays planted where you place it. The look, feel, and precision of the unit is exemplary. For example, the joystick precision is such that in normal flight, I rarely move it more than 1/4" to make minor flight corrections. The TARGET software allows you to layer switch functions (if you wish) so that you can have so many combinations that you will need a cheat sheet. Documentation is good, and packaging is excellent.

Cons: Amazingly, on my unit, the male USB connectors for both the stick and throttle fit into their respective female USB connectors on my mobo very, very loosely. I am using two front side case connectors for both, and I am convinced that if I were to turn my computer on its side, the male USB connectors would fall out of their female counterparts. Other components fit just fine into the same connectors. Perhaps the small platform inside each male USB connector (that fits flush with the corresponding one in the female portion) is not quite the proper thickness? Both stick and throttle function fine though.

The fact that this unit is not a generic stick/throttle combination versus an exact replica of one aircraft's controls may irk some, but I don't see it as but a minor nit-pick.

Oh...yes. It is expensive. In this case, you get what you pay for, as this stick and throttle will probably outlast anything else connected to your computer. If fact, it will probably outlast the owner! :

Other Thoughts: Props to Newegg (again). Ordered this on Sunday UPS 3 day, received it at noon on Tuesday!

I'm using the Thrustmaster HOTAS in conjunction with Saitek Combat Pro pedals and TrackIr 5 while "flying" DCS's A-10C Warthog simulation. You don't "play" that title in simulation mode...you fly it...it is that good. When all this hardware is used in conjuction with the DCS sim and a good gaming rig, it completely transforms the end user experience. It was all plug and play, with the DCS sim automatically recognizing the stick/throttle/rudders and assigning buttons properly. I only had to remap the joystick hat switch back to trim controls (verus POV since I'm using TrackIr), and assign wheels brakes to the toe pedals on the rudders, and I was G2G in about one minute. Fantastic!

Pros: Durable construction, great switches, able to be switched out and mounted in a simulator cockpit, feels good, pretty darn accurate. If you're serious about the A-10, you need this. If you're serious about flight sims, you want this.

Cons: If I really had to question anything, what's with the additional switch on the bottom of the flight stick? I may try to use it as a palm switch in Steel Beasts, but it doesn't help in DCS A-10C. Doesn't hurt, either.

Other Thoughts: It's a lot of money, no doubt about that. However, you're getting two control sticks (the flight stick and throttle) as well as an obscene amount of switches and buttons. Add to the fact that these are the most durable controls I've seen outside of a real vehicle or arcade equipment (and it puts even those industrial controls to shame) it's actually a great deal. Seriously the ONLY way to fly in DCS A-10C.

Pros: Construction (save for the one flaw stated below) is excellent. Switches are crisp and movement fluid. The programming software takes some getting used to but is powerful enough to set up almost any configuration you would want.

Cons: Like most HOTAS systems, this does require 'reaching' for some toggles/buttons if you have smaller hands.. That being said, functions can be moved to other, more accessible controls.

Other Thoughts: Had mine for about 3 weeks and the trigger failed. It's a two step trigger and the spring for the primary had suffered metal fatigue and sheared mid-way. I had taken apart the joystick and replaced it with a temporary spring. Asked Thrustmaster for a factory replacement spring and they said I had to RMA the joystick (not the throttle though). Thrustmaster requested photos as proof before an RMA was issued. The photos were all rejected by their mail server and they never notified me that I needed to send them again. Up to this point, their support services were very responsive. After it arrived at their offices though, they stopped answering email or phone calls. I do not know if the joystick is being worked on or when it will be returned.

Pros: All the switches, hats, buttons, and axes feel like a real aircraft. The software to program different setups is powerful and easy to use. I use PPJoy to combine a set of pedals in to get a full rig. The throttle is heavy, smooth, and the green backlighting is awesome. The stick is tough, and easily customizable. I added a 6" extension and a slight twist to the left for my right hand. It also detaches from the mounting plate so you can build a base for it, if you so choose.

Cons: You have to lift the throttle up and over the stops for idle/stop and afterburner (if you choose to configure your afterburner stop). While the throttle is heavy, you will still have to screw it to a base to make it feel as solid as it should. A very minor gig.

Other Thoughts: Never buy another joystick again.

Pros: The throttle and stick both exceeded my expectations. The precision and feel of realistic controls made DCS A10 a whole different game.

Cons: Throttle control panel is accurate, but a lot of those switches are for rarely used functions.