This review is from: Saitek X52 Flight Control System (Personal Computers)
By: "G Wheels"
I own and operate the Thrustmaster Cougar and now have the Saitek X52 to compare. First of all, they are similar and different but you can't fully appreciate one without knowing the other. This is a terrific opportunity to do a head to head comparison.
The X52 is simply a delightful work of art. It is beautiful sitting on my desk in the dark with it's illuminated buttons, switches and most of all the throttle's blue, backlit LCD. I wouldn't have believed I could own such technology for approximately one Ben Franklin but it's true and I'm in a little bliss over this new, superb flight control system.
THE GOOD X52
The SST programming software can be optionally installed. In other words, you can keep things bare bone simple by allowing the buttons to be assigned to basic tasks within a game. You lose a great deal of potential function by not programming the X52 but you will still have a very powerful controller even in its most basic form. The SST isn't exactly intuitive but with a few hours of reading the installed Profile Editor's manual, under the HELP tab, and some experimentation, you will be amazed and pleased by a powerful and well thought out programming interface. You can really open up the interface by switching from a 3D display to a tabled "Data View". It seems as though there is no limit to the variation and combination of switch settings with 3 Modes and six base toggle positions. Like the Cougar, you can continue to multiply function by invoking the pinky button while selecting what a button, slider or POV will do. You have a micro stick on the throttle that will most likely be used as a mouse control. There's a hat on the throttle as well as a thumbwheel that operates very much like the thumbwheel mouse button combination on modern pc mice. The fore mentioned Slider and Thumbwheel are not on the Cougar's throttle but the X52 lacks the dogfight and Speed Brake switches. All else has comparable counter parts. The Cougar and X52 flight sticks are also close in features. The X52 lacks two POVs but has a 3 position rotary and six toggles on the base. The flip-up cover for the primary pickle button on the X52 stick is an Easter egg to me. Some might consider it a nuisance or waste but it can be left in the up position and poses no restrictions for critics. I find it an appealing item that shows a playful and generous attitude on the part of Saitek's engineering team. Another nice item is the small green power LEDs on the X52 controls. Again, it may be unnecessary but why not? There's a space for them and if you should choose to turn the LEDs and LCD backlighting to the off option, you'll still know your units are powered up.
THE BAD X52
Hardly worth mentioning when considering the incredible price! The units are very light weight; less than a pound for the throttle and perhaps a little more than that for the stick. Unless fastened down or minimum resistance is set for the throttle, you will be tipping and sliding it around when throwing the handle forward or back. I haven't wanted / bothered to install the supplied suction cups so that may be the way to go for many users. Suction cups aren't for me though. The action of the flight stick's axes is so light that you will require some practice getting used to a feather touch for control. It can be readily done but may not be immediately what you want for confidence inducing sensory resistance. I am happy with the action now but initially it didn't feel right. You might wish the flight stick handle to sit an inch lower as the zero contact design seems to have elevated the stick a bit more than it would be otherwise. If you can mount the stick a little lower than desk top level you might like the stick height a little bit more. Also, there is no solid detent for the idle and afterburner on the throttle. The resistance at least doubles when these boundaries are engaged and I do know that I have reached them but the familiar snick into a detent is what I'm used to and thus it doesn't feel quite right at this stage of my introduction to the X52. It's not a disaster without the detents and the lack of them may prove to be an absent point of wear that won't become an issue one day.
The SST programmer interface lacks the availability of a REMark statement but a comment can be made to momentarily appear on the throttle's LCD when a button press or macro is engaged. This quieted that lacking REMark complaint to a barely audible murmur from me. To see a short definition of a key press on the LCD adds to a sense of total technology coolery.
The multi language hardcopy manual looks loaded and promising but once opened you will be disappointed in the 30 pages of pertinent information that in part is a warrantee disclaimer and Saitek contact information. The manual that gets installed with the SST software doesn't mention the X52 at all but refers to the X36 and X45. One reference to setting milisecond timing for keypresses isn't correct with this version of the SST. There's still enough help available to understand the X52 adequately and it's a good guess that an update help system is in the making. By contrast the Cougar has an excellent hardcopy manual but in just a few hours I feel I know as much about the X52 as I do of the Cougar after two years of intermittent exposure. Sometimes less can be more.
The SST programming software lacks a literal KEYTEST applet, as well as many other FOXY like application and programming aids. Any of the FOXY like applets would be a terrific addition to an otherwise great programming interface. I might add that within the X52's control panel is a TEST tab. When testing each button, POV, mode switch and rotary, there's has been an ever so slight jittering in one or the other rotaries. Right now, I'm seeing nothing so I won't know how that will fair in the future but for now, it is not a problem to me and at present, doesn't even exist.
THE FINAL CONSENSUS
Quality, at least in part, is in the eye of the beholder. The Saitek X52 is light weight plastic. The Thrustmaster is heavy duty aluminum. You can never compare the two on a price level. The Cougar's FOXY programming language interface with all it's tutorials, keytest applications and interactive graphical interface is without comparison. The X52 simply is no match for these two features. But the Cougar is more than twice the price and doesn't have the LEDs and informational mode LCD with three time zones, button engagement information and timer. But, in the end neither really performs any greater or less than the other. One is a Honda and the other is a Hummer. They're both terrific and will get you reliably to your destination. I wouldn't want to choose between them and I'd rather own them both if possible. If you want the most expensive and robust feel that performs extensively and well, then you need the Cougar. If want the coolest looking, feature laden outfit available, go for the X52. I love the X52. I won't know how it will work in two years like I know of the Cougar but for the moment, I'm a coon in a cabbage patch.