The wife told me I could get a new HOTAS if I sold off some of my other, unused gaming stuff to pay for it. I am down to the Thrustmaster FCS Flight Pack or the Logitech G X52 Pro HOTAS (basically a rebadged Saitek X52 Pro). Both retail for the same price, $200.
Which is the better-made gear? Anyone have any experience with either of these controllers?
just a quick question, what modules / sims do you have or interest you? Anything related to rotary wing? in that case I don’t think anything can beat the FCS pack wich comes with a pair of pedals.
The Thrustmaster FCS Flight Pack is a nice set - you get a stick, single throttle, and pedals. The X52 Pro is a good stick (I really loved mine!), but the MFD is a gimmick - FSX is the only sim I know where you can get a utility to connect to it, and even then it’s pretty limited. You can write your own interface for it, if you’re so incline, but it’s a lot of work.
On the good side, I really liked the X52 Pro’s ergonomics and buttons. Single throttle still, but two rotaries, a 4-way hat switch, mini stick, a slider, oodles of buttons, and a powerful configuration/profile tool.
As for longevity, the X52 Pro had issues with the cable connectors - mine broke in the first year I had it, but I got it replaced for free. The mini stick also has issues. I don’t know about the T1600 - it’s awfully new, but looks solid. Maybe a user here who won the set in a recent contest can chime in?
You should marry that woman…err…oh…
Is it wrong that whenever I see that I want to draw a flowchart? 
We could really do with an updated HOTAS thread like this - thanks @PFunk. The rudder pedals one we had got turned into a ‘wiki’ and that was useful to a lot of people - Rudder pedals..?
And yeah…that is a lot of bang for your buck in that pack… I’ve not had any experience with them.
Was surprised to hear that…my X45 and X52 were bomb proof. Never did get the pro version though…
I’m mostly getting this for CAP2 and FSX: Steam Edition, which are pretty much the last two flight sims I play. I tried getting back into SF2, but the AI is just so…A…that I can’t seem to get into it. I have DCS, but I uninstalled it after I realized my MS wasn’t in Aeronautical Engineering.
I’d love to see that test data!
Hmm…I remember thinking that the connector issue was widespread, but el Google isn’t turning up much now. Maybe I thought it was common because it happened to me.
I’d still use my X52 Pro, except the Warthog takes a lot of real estate and I hate unplugging/plugging controllers in all the time.
Well…bomb is a relative term. Drunkenly knocking it off the desk, having a cat chew on the cable, and spilling a margarita will be odd test points…
You might want to wait with the X-52. Word on the street is, is that the first batch of Logitech X-52 sticks are just rebadged madcatz/saitek ones. And the last series of those had tremendous QA issues.
That is EXACTLY what I was afraid of.
Ordered the FCS Flight Pack from Newegg.
We expect a full report and analysis mister! 
Sounds like a plan, Chris.
I’ll be real interested to hear about the rudder pedals portion - like if they are heavy enough to stick to the floor (I don’t have carpet) and also the general feel of them. Despite having posted that thread saying I was in the market for rudder pedals, I’ve been living with my old CH Pro pedals for the past year with a slight bit of left drift and the left toe brake no longer works. I’ve adapted my flying style to it…LOL…which explains why I keep running off the end of taxiways and runways in DCS World…
Common problem, both of my toe brakes stopped working, the wire that goes from the potentionmeter to the PCB is a bit thin and snaps. You can easily run a new one or solder it!