Logitech G X56 H.O.T.A.S Throttle and Joystick Flight Simulator Game Controller, 4 Spring Options, +189 Programmable Controls, RGB Lighting, 2x USB, PC - Black

I was a little hesitant after the documented issues with X52 and reviews of the X56, but decided to go for it instead of spending the multiple hundreds into thousands that is the next step up from here. Wow! I have used it for Elite Dangerous, Star Citizen, and MSFS, and am impressed! Have also used it to replace dual joysticks for logging in farm Sim, but it really shines in the games with lots of controls to bind.Despite being primarily plastic, the controls feel premium and construction feels solid. The movement of the main joystick is fluid and smooth, and there are more buttons and hat switches than I could possibly need! The single complaint is with the split throttle needing to be very stiff in order to maintain position, or it will lower itself and easily moves if bumped - and that part never got better over time. I use clamp on brackets, so I can deal with a very tight throttle, but it does get irritating at times, to be honest.Warning #1, check the dimensions, these things are huge compared to some other HOTAS options! Warning #2, despite that size, they are not too heavy, so some kind of mounting is necessary if you "play with passion." lolHave over a couple hundred hours use and no problems except the throttle not holding position unless super tight. Easily recommend unless a person can afford the big jump in cost to go the next step up.

I normally don't write reviews but I thought it was important to write this one because like me I am sure many other people are looking at this HOTAS and wondering if this is the one for you. You are also probably looking at the x52 and x52 professional. I opted for this HOTAS (playing Elite Dangerous & X4 and various others). This one while being the most expensive option was also the most available at the time and looked the most sturdy as well. THIS IS A SAITEK PRODUCT that Logitech acquired and then branded their own. That's ok, it still works with the proper software driver download (we will get to that later in review).First off this HOTAS is rather large, but keep in mind there are also a LOT OF BUTTONS which require it to be so. Some people with smaller hands might find this to be to big for them. My hands are fairly large and this is at just about the maximum size I can comfortably control. Some reviews complain of poor button placement, well you have a million buttons they all have to go somewhere so nothing is going to be perfect. You just have to adapt to the layout of the HOTAS.The Stick: Solid feeling with the look and feel of a fighter stick, (this is not a Cessna stick here this is a space ship/fighter jet stick). You can still fly a Cessna with this but you also can fly a Boeing 747 or a space shuttle, its up to you. There are multiple HAT controls just on the stick including a smooth move all direction hat that is in fact like a miniature joystick on your joystick. What would you use something like that for? Well for example in Elite dangerous I use the smooth move hat (black to the left of the stick half way down) for which direction I want to "look". This way I can control the direction of the ship with the Stick itself while using the little HAT control to look around which has replaced the mouse for looking around. Very handy, You can effectively remove all keyboard and mouse input with these types of controls and setups. The Stick and Throttle are both coated in that nice feeling smooth PTFE feeling rubber. This makes for a comfy grip not so much of a plastic like feeling like my old Logitech Extreme 3d Pro which I upgraded from. (Had the 3d pro for 15 years excellent entry level joystick and you can still buy it!)The Throttle: This took some getting used to but in the end I am learning to really like the throttle. First off yes you are looking at a split control throttle. Either side can move independently of one another like a real plane. There is a locking mechanism to lock them both together which is how mine will always stay because none of the games I play require independent thrust input to one side of the engine or the other. You will feel that seam in the middle when moving the throttle BUT you will get used to it. Like other reviews the throttle is in fact STIFF, why? because a real throttle is also stiff. If it wasn't than when a stewardess brings the pilots their coffee and sneezes the plane would crash. You have a knob to turn to affect the tension of the throttle, even turned all the way to lowest setting the throttle will feel stiff to push but it is mimicking real life. If you are buying this thinking you are going to be able to just SLAM THE THROTTLE open, you will break this thing like a few review pictures will show. In the games I play you aren't accelerating faster then you can push the throttle so this is a non issue. In fact once again this makes it feel far more real and less chincy than other throttle designs. (for reference I wield chainsaws and buck hay all day my hand strength is above average).YES YOU HAVE A BOATLOAD OF BUTTONS ON THE THROTTLE. Once again you have to ask yourself, if you are getting this many button monster are you gonna be upset at the button placement? Or are you going to adapt (this is the correct answer ADAPTING). The metal toggle switches I would like to point out are not ON/OFF switches. They return to center after you push them up or down. So basically you have 2 buttons for every metal toggle but they still feel ultra satisfying to push and flick......So many buttons, if you aren't playing an actual flight sim you will be hard pressed to utilize all your button options. That's ok, better to have more options than less but then again that's why you are going to buy this monster you want them buttons don't ya?The Important: Ok I would like to address a few issues here related to some minor details and specifics I had to figure out for myself when installing this monster. PAY ATTENTION TO THIS I HOPE TO SAVE YOU TIME and maybe even help others who have bought this thing but couldn't get it to work properly.For reference I am running Windows 10 on a computer that is NOT A POTATO.OK here we go......YOU WILL NEED TO GET THE DRIVER TO MAKE THIS THING WORK PROPERLY AND UTILIZE YOUR PRETTY COLOR FUNCTIONS.This HOTAS is not really plug and play and it is not recognized in GHUB. Listen carefully because you also get ZERO instructions with this thing but I am going to tell you right now what to do.1. Open box and marvel at the beast you just purchased. (DO NOT PLUG IT IN YET)2. Go to Logitechs website and go to downloads and look up this product for drivers.3. You will have a list of about 7 or 8 drivers, go to the one on the BOTTOM not the top. (bottom newest driver circa2018 lol)4. If you are running 32 bit choose the driver immediately above (I am 64 bit so I believe my driver was the last one inlist)5. (DO NOT PLUG IT IN YET!) Run the driver you just downloaded.6. You will see a screen come up that has a picture of joystick then a small picture of a USB WITH A RED X over it andthen a picture of a computer. (The red X is telling you NOT TO PLUG IT IN YET there are no instructions past this Ihad to learn all this by rote and trial and error)7. Click "Next" the driver will start installing ( DO NOT PLUG THINGS IN YOU BETTER NOT HAVE EM PLUGGED IN!)8. When the first half of the install is done you will see now the image you first saw except the USB icon at center nolonger has a red X over it. This is the 2018 program telling you to PLUG IN THE JOYSTICK AND THROTTLE.9. NOW you PLUG IN THE JOYSTICK AND THROTTLE. (be advised I am very certain this requires USB 2.0 or higher notbasic USB).10. After you have plugged them both in you may now click next on the install window.11. After the install is finished the button will now say restart. CLICK RESTART.12. Upon desktop load you will now have a new Icon for X56 HOTAS, this is your joysticks program this is where youchange the color of the lighting and also to do programming button binding etc (this is advanced button bindingoutside of game controls). If you are playing a game like Elite dangerous or X4 do all your binding IN GAME.Yes I had to learn all this on my own but I have shared it with you and now you know how to set this up dear god I hope this helps at least one soul.Changing the spring on the Stick: Go to Youtube, search "how to change X56 Hotas Springs" WATCH THE VIDEO! I changed to the highest spring, it was tricky but it worked I was a little spooked about breaking something make sure you watch a video on this so you understand what exactly you are doing.Once again let me remind you there is no instruction booklet on this thing in the box, you are either using the internet or reading this review or hopefully BOTH.OVERALL: I am very satisfied with the quality of construction and feel of this $250 sink of my hard earned American currency. Plays Elite Dangerous like you were IN THE SHIP ITSELF and I can't wait to try it on other games like X4 or maybe a real flight sim.Buy this product. Take the time to set it up right. Put on a pot of coffee and spend all night binding 486 gorillion buttons. Have Lots Of Fun After.I truly hope this helps clarify some things for wondering folks and helps for you to make a more informed decision on whether this is the right HOTAS for you.::This review may be updated in the future, First draft 1/25/2025::

I was looking for a HOTAS that would provide the functionality I wanted in Elite Dangerous and Star Citizen, among others, but I'm not ready to drop $500+ on a Warthog system, which seems to be aimed at more flight sim enthusiasts than just someone who likes to play space games sometimes.The build quality is simultaniously better and worse than I expected. Both the stick and the throttle are almost entirely plastic, but it's a very high quality plastic. It feels good in my hand, though I wish the stick had a little more weight to it. Both peices could do with more weight in the base as well, for those of us who don't want to permanently (or semi-permanently) attach the unit to our desk or chair.The first set I got, the stick died within a couple hours of usage. (As in, I had *just* finished setting up controls in Elite Dangerous). The axes got permanently stuck in the software, and the ministick went nuts. So I sent it in for replacement (after confirming with Logitech support, who were a little slow. Took more than a week to finally get the "yeah it's busted please return to amazon" message.) The second set seems to be okay. Works well in both Elite Dangerous and Star Citizen.Ultimately a great HOTAS, and pretty much unmatched in its price class, just wish their QC department was a little better at identifying duds.