@@CaptainCollins I hate tik tok so that would have annoyed me coming from you, but glad you did a review on my first and only set of sticks. btw, what control setting are you using for those for X4? I am going to get back in when the new dlc comes out, but as it is with space games, there a lot of buttons to reset.
1:45 The "second stage" button on the throttle is great in X4 because you can assign boost to the first stage and travel mode to the second stage. It's the perfect way to transition from fast to faster.
In Star Citizen, i have first stage of the primary trigger to fire weapon group 1, with the second stage set up to fire all weapons, i have the red "thumb" button set up to fire weapon group 2
@@mythicalxeon I run dual sticks (just got mine last night) but I didn't realize it was a dual stage trigger. Love the idea to have both of them setup so that a full trigger pull from either fires both weapon groups.
If you don't want to shell out for expensive mounting solutions or drill holes a really good and cheap way to attach it firmly to the desk is just to get some heavy-duty velcro or magnetic tape.
Personally I bought a cheap kitchen wooden cutting board and keep it in place using velcro. My joysticks stay screwed to it and I set them beside my wall out of the way. I paid less than $30. Its heavy to keep everything in place and can be easily moved aside. My desk is an old steel one and many of these mounts just don't fit it. I would rather have lower mounts next to the chair for more comfort. But this has been just fine for everything between racing, flight sims, and star citizen.
Love the VKB Gladiator joystick and omni throttle . i went with the VKB UCM mounts for both. They are not moving anywhere as use them in DCS. Highly recommended.
Glad you covered this stick. I play X4 and ED mainly and was looking all over for a high quality, mid-range flight stick for several months. I was using the T16000M Hotas for a couple years and it was time for a change. Love the throttle of the TM (with bearing slider mod) but the stick had to be repaired several times. Amazon had toy-like offerings, the Logitech sticks etc. or the more hardcore $400+ sticks. I came across the NXT EVO a few months back, watched a few reviews and got the one you are showing here. For the range it stands, It's the best stick ever, It feels great and it's just to much fun in space games. I could not be happier.. (except for the S&H charge)
I'm running something similar for X4, but it's for me, HOTAS = Hands on Trackball and Stick -- running the VKB stick and a 4-button Kensington trackball, with throttle on the scroll wheel. Trackball makes targeting and menus easier without having to constantly switch back to kb/m for most normal tasks.
I had a really hard time absorbing the information in this video, because I found, about half the time I spent shouting at the screen, "WHY ARE YOU WEARING BODY ARMOR TO REVIEW A JOYSTICK?!?!" And I still don't have an answer to that question.
and the patches are backwards. i thought the video was mirrored until i realized i could read the F buttons on the stick base and read everything on the computer screen.😆
The best thing about the software is once you have finished using it you never have to use it again unless something goes wrong. All settings are changed in the joystick itself. I've plugged mine into 3 different systems and they work identically on each system. I only used the software on the first PC I set them up on.
Really nice Sticks but I was a bit surprised about the red marked screws. These must be a new addition because mine didn't have that yet. Oh and I hope we will see a more X4 review focused review with these 😉
Great info, thanks for doing this 👍🏻 Regarding the T16000M Joystick, I’ve had 2 and both ended up with the z-axis sensor on the twist grip glitching… it’s only a starter controller from my point of view… not that sturdy
Easy fix for the side-to-side stability issue would be to fabricate and screw on some some [ and ] shaped side stabiizers made of wood/metal/plastic if someone wanted to avoid a mounted solution. I'm planning on mounting mine. About to order this stick and throttle, thanks for the review!
I play in a recliner, so I glued magnets on the armrests and the bottom of the joysticks. Now, I have easily removable and install options. Works for me lol
My VKB Gladiator Pro I bought as an 'upgrade' to my 15 year old CH Products fighter stick. It was not an upgrade. It broke after 6 months! Ended up in the bin after a year. The trigger snapped. Getting a fix under warranty was impossibly difficult, I gave up. Fixed it myself. Then the thumb and pinky buttons stopped working and the final straw is the gimbal is collapsing. So it went into the landfill after a year. Im back using the CH Products Fighterstick. The VKB Gladiator feels nice but its not as accurate as the CH Fighterstick.
I fly on this setup in DCS, they are great. But lately I bought Gunfighter MK III with 10cm extension and it is even better. T-rudder pedals are great too.
Awesome very glad you mentioned DCS, I've been looking at these sticks because I want to play space sims but I also enjoy flight sims so I'm happy to know they can cover both. Do the sticks have enough buttons for DCS? I've only ever tried playing with M&K (went horribly) but the sheer amount of buttons was intense, the sticks don't look like they have a great deal compared to like the TM1600 he showed
@@CaptainCollins They're great sticks! I have the exact same ones (Premium version) with the left stick angled and the right stick straight. I did adjust the tensions in the left for forward and backwards throttle that suited me. At one point, I removed the spring so the throttle would remain where I left it, but I ultimately put the spring back so the throttle would return to its original position. All in all, the sticks feel well-made and I love the physical feel, customization, and buttons. I only wish the software user interface was better, but all in all I'm very happy I made the purchase. Almost 12 months since my purchase (4/29/22) and they still work like new.
Trank you! Very helpful! To make it perfect i would have liked to see you use the sticks and how you mapped the different axis and hear your opinion how it is working for you. Are you using the sticks now? Do you like them or do they leave much to be desired?
I've been using this stick for about a year. Try not putting the stick on a mat like you're showing there; put it directly on the table so the rubber feet can do their job and hold it in place. Mine won't lift the base unless I continue to apply force after the stick has traveled to full deflection. Any stick that isn't bottled down will do that. My T16000m was way worse; it would rock the base due to spring tension alone, which was annoying.
You don't need to drill it into your desk! XD, you can just use Command Velcro strips and adhere it to your desk. Removable too! But you'd be left with velcro exposed xD. That aside it is a far less permanent solution to a potentially undrillable desk. My desk is glass so I can not possibly drill.
@Captain Collins : Deutsch : Du hast die Twist Achse -Schraube zum feststellen vergessen zu erwähnen English : You forgot to mention the twist axle lock screw aber trotzdem gut gemacht ;)
I did not like the slick feel of mine so got some rubber paint and painted them where I hold them and WOW, huge difference! Highly recommend doing that for anyone that likes sticks that are grippy!
The comment from reviewers along the lines of, "You will have to decide if this is best for you or not" always bugs me. I mean, that's a given. You provided a lot of great insight into the product. What I want to know is if YOU think it's best for YOU and why. Great content as usual, otherwise.
I actually have this stick too! And mainly play X4! Ahahahaa Don't have the Omni Throttle yet though; I want it but that shipping cost is a bit painful. 17:25 Also FYI you can set that indicator lights to do pretty much whatever you want. I think I set the big one to be flashing yellow when I have reverse thrusters on, and to light up a different color when I'm using my main weapons, etc etc. It is a bit unintuitive but there's quite a few ways you can set the lights up.
Yeah, the ship cost is bad and unfortunately, it'snot a flat rate, where it makes sense to order as much as possible to avoid having to re pay shipping. Order more, and the ship cost goes up lol...but totally worth it. I hope they find a manufacturer in the US to save on ship costs.
@@mattm7798 Honestly they don't necessarily need to manufacture in the US (and probably shouldn't tbh) but they should just get a good warehouse in the US so they can ship large amounts of product bulk for lower overseas shipping cost and then ship it to the consumers from that warehouse. However I don't know how much of their customer base is in the US and how much is in Europe.
@@PocketsandOutlaw Yes, I mis spoke. Manufacturer likely should remain in China. Just interesting it also ships from China and the ship cost is quite high so yeah, shipping from the US and/or Europe seems preferable. That said, I looked at these as investments, so I expect to get years of use out of them. :)
Thank you Capt Collins for making this how to video. This is the best video I've found for the Gladiator installation. The VKB guide leaves out some steps, like installing the base. I wish I had seen your video first. The stick itself is very nice and has a good feel. I may experiment later on customization, but it's fine for now. Now to configure it for X4. BTW- what kind of PC speakers are you using?
@@CaptainCollins When I tried to play X4 with the Gladiator, I configured the settings under controls but the joystick is jerky and hard to control. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.
Me thinking: - Those things are probably expensive. - You need to assemble it yourself? - Oh, you get the choice to use a d-pad instead. - A sleeve for thencable during assembly? - You can change the resistance? - Theres replacement springs and of different stiffness? - And you get a tool to remove them? With spare part for the tool? So... Unfortunately a bit too rich for my wallet though my wife reminded me it's not that many yrars until I turn 50 and can wish for it for my birthday 😂
@@CaptainCollins exactly! It's basically free! 😆 But does it work on Linux? Yes, I'm one of those 😅 Your video gave me a longing for my old force feedback joystick. Loved to use that thing in Freespace 2. The feeling in it when you got a bit too close to a capital ship's beam weapon was terrific.
@@TobiasHarms I have no idea if the software works right in Linux with WINE or not. The good news is you only need to use the software to configure it once and all settings will be stored in the onboard memory of the stick. If the software doesn't work right running under WINE you could always install a windows VM and passthrough the stick with USB passthrough/ or use another windows machine, do your configuration, disconnect the stick from that VM/other machine , and now you are set for any OS which works with hid devices.
Used to have the X52 pro, then got the left and right NXTs which are awesome. Then I got the NXT Evo upgrade gimbals and the NXT T-Rudder which I use for throttle. Works great for X4, ED and Star Citizen. My only regret is that it does not work X2/X3 as they only recognize one controller. So I have to play X2/X3 with KB and mouse which sucks.
@@CaptainCollins I can play with 1 joystick and was not a problem with the X52 which had 1 connection to the computer but it seems earlier X series does not recognize the multiple connections. There is a program called PPJoy that supposedly can make it work just not sure that I trust the download sites as I don't think it is actively maintained.
@@christophermarsden9386 Not sure if you figured it out but you can use something like joystick gremlin which merges both joysticks together in one (for the game). You do get limited in the amount of controls you can have (I guess is like a windows joystick driver limitation or something) but I used that so I could use T16000 and TWCS in BF4 since the game also only recognizes one joystick
As the above said, you should use Joystick Gremlin to combine the sticks into one device. Windows will only see 8 axes per device, but that should be more than enough to play these games.
I got this exact VKB Gladiator stick not too long ago, and it's far better than the Thrustmaster T.16000M and T.Flight HOTAS X which are nice looking but junk inside. My only complaint about the VKB Gladiator is the hand rest setup is not ideal for big hands. It could be improved by making the base of the rest wider and textured so you can remove all the risers to accommodate gorilla paws comfortably.
One thing I really wish I could do on those sticks, is on the left analogue mini stick, I wish I could link it to a 1:1 positional control for the pilot's head in Star Citizen. Where dead center is look straight ahead, then a proportional head movement on that stick from center to look around the cockpit so I can follow a target with the pilots head without having to use mouse look. I know there are head trackers out there, but I don't have one. And hitting z for mouse look is just too inconvenient and completely impractical in combat. So I really wish I could link that ability to the left analogue stick on the left omnithrottle. I have already figured out how to link it to moving the head, but it doesn't work properly in game and has some really weird resistance where it just constantly fights you. And it just doesn't look freely. It's like a console FPS where the longer you hold a direction, the further it turns over time. Where I want it to be physically directionally linked to the position of the left analogue mini stick so I can quickly look, or flick as I need to in combat. I also wanted that function on the left omnithrottle because I didn't want to put too much of a burden on my right hand in combat trying to manage head position with the same hand that is managing ship orientation. Throttle movement is a much lighter workload than ship orientation so I really wanted head orientation control on the left omnithrottle. As of yet, I haven't figured out how to make this desired control scheme work in Star Citizen. I haven't tried in X4 yet, so I'm hoping I'll have better luck with that one, but I'm not expecting success at this point. I really hope I don't end up being forced to get a Tobii eye and head tracker just so I can have independent head and ship orientation controls.
Don't get a Tobii until you've tried using a webcam and something like opentrack with the neuralnet tracker. It's worked great for me, took a little fiddling and now I have solid head tracking in SC! It's no Tobii, but it's also free if you have a webcam.
If you have velcro (sticky back) straps.. they can work if you don't want to use nails.. It's the cheap route but it works for me.. but it's not perfect.. it will still move around. I use the setup for ED.. X-series.. and SC and pretty much any game that can use Hotas setup. Not sure if it will stick on a large gaming mouse/kb pad though like yours. I use it for my TM 16000M FCS Hotas (stick and throttle) setup since 2016 and velco probably last longer than the hotas.. Hehe.. As for VKB.. definitely what I'll be ordering if my TM breaks down including their Omni throttle. Hoping one day they do have a dedicated(physical) NA store to alleviate the shipping cost and taxes.(than it shipping it from China)
Wonder where you from. At first I was thinking Québec but not sure. Anyway thanks for commenting on the software. Nice review BTW. More critic toward the products than some others that seems to just see the VKB products as pure gold. Critics is not bashing. There is really a gap for mid quality products. Thrustmaster quality seemed to have lowered a bit but prices went up so they are not recommanded anynore. Problems with joysticks is durability. Many will develop problems within two years, if not one (just like your TM devices). This is what many peoples are trying to improve when going to mid-range. This and a better feeling maybe. Because most low budget have as much buttons than a higher end product. But if the quality is there at the expanse of ease of use, you loose some peoples. I agree with you, that software is more high end user oriented because not user friendly.
Quebec is a little off. It's more like southern... Germany 😅 Just to clarify, my TM's are still working great, but I wanted to try something else and VKB seemed like the next logical step. So far some pros and some cons, but more pros 👍
I only realized this just now, but wouldn't the angled version of this stick, with the springs removed, basically turn this stick into an ergonomic stick-shaped mouse? I recall the software also has a setting for Mouse Mode On/Off.
Oh, that's awesome, lucky you.:) It looks awesome, that handrest is a great feature. Thanks for the review! I've been playing X4 on a Logitech X56 HOTAS for the last 4 months and loving it. VKB was on my wishlist but sadly outside of my pricerange.:) something you didn't really cover: how practical is it in X4? The huge amount of switches and button on my X56 is perfect for the many functions in game.
IIRC X4 and other space sims do well in dual joystick mode vs joystick and throttle. People on the X4/ED forums seem to really love this brand. The X56 is a great hotas but this is like having multiple joysticks in one. Incredible engineering.
Since the modularity of this stick I wonder how hard it would be to find a different base plate that is wider and longer without the need to mount etc. Also seems to have a lot going for it in that aspect. And on the software part it seems to be indeed very flexible but with that it does become overwhelming. But also this could easily be solved by providing basic profiles selector through an basic UI that hides the more complex part until you go to it.
Is it possible to completely lock the X axis on the throttle ? I read it once on Reddit but saw no other confirmation. Of course I could simply use a big X spring so that it will center back but as I play mostly DCS I want it to be Y only. But the Omnithrottle seems to be the right thing for me as it is so flexible in case I decide to play space sim!
Da ich vor habe X4 wieder richtig anzuzocken und ich spacegames einfach liebe, würde ich mir deine persönliche Meinung gern anhören. Schau mir das Video Morgen richtig an. Gute Arbeit bei Gamestar :D /edit: Aber alter was du mit dem Teil machen kannst oO .. Das mit dem Stand, das is bei soooo vielen Joysticks egal fast welcher Marke, da müssen wir uns was einfallen lassen als Piloten :33 Aber richtig gute Arbeit von dir. Ich denk ich hol mir den allein schon wegen dem Winkel.
@@CaptainCollins Aber Wuuza was du mit dem Teil machen kannst oO .. Das mit dem Stand, das is bei soooo vielen Joysticks egal fast welcher Marke, da müssen wir uns was einfallen lassen als Piloten :33 Aber richtig gute Arbeit von dir. Ich denk ich hol mir den allein schon wegen dem Winkel.
It is a bit pricey but there are also higher-end joystick setups that are well over $500 as well. This is probably one of, if not the best, mid-range joysticks on the market right now. At least IMO.
@@PocketsandOutlaw feature wise this is high end. at least so it seems to me. but i remember buying a "top gun" joystick for 30 guilders in the mid 90ties (parallel port) which was a damn fine stick for the equivalent of 15 euro... how times change right? and also: this is how you notice inflation. bread is still a buck, but a joystick is 500 euro :D
Heya Captain! The sticks themselves look nice - maybe a bit too much plastic in the base for my liking, at least for the price range these sticks are set in. Still use my trusty old Saitek X52 HOTAS - at least until they decide to retire.
@@CaptainCollins they're not kidding either, these things are tough. you also have to upgrade to basically top of the line no matter which manufacturer to get metal bodies, and in some cases you have to opt specifically for the metal, simply upgrading to the premium versions doesnt do it
Oh Gott.....Was für ein Plastikbomber, also so wie das aussieht in diesem Video....Ich würde für sowas keine 450 oder mehr ausgeben für beide Sachen. Habe mir damals den Saitek X52 gekauft für knapp 300 Euro.....10 Stunden Elite Dangerous hat das Teil überlebt....erst hat die Beleuchtung der Schubregler geflackert und nach 3 weiteren Stunden war der Stick ausgeleiert. Ich glaube das Teil war dafür nicht ausgelegt gewesen für schnelle Bewegungen^^. Soll jetzt kein Hate sein oder ähnliches, für mich wäre das Teil nichts. Klar, das zusammenbauen würde mir Spaß machen, aber die HOTAS zu benutzen, ich weis nicht....Ich würde das Ding anschauen und es würde schon auseinander fallen 😂😂 Oh god.....What a plastic bomber, that's how it looks in this video.....I wouldn't pay 450 or more for something like that for both things. At that time I bought the Saitek X52 for just under 300 euros.....The part survived 10 hours of Elite Dangerous....first the lighting on the throttle flickered and after 3 more hours the stick was worn out. I think the part was not designed for fast movements^^
Es gibt billiges Plastik wie beim T16000 und teures Plastik wie bei VKB und der Unterschied ist massiv. Und solange du keine 600€ für einen (ja einen) Stick ausgeben willst wirst du auch kein Metall bekommen. Und es ist alle mal besser als der Softtouch Mist der dir früher oder später davon läuft. Sie liefern deutlich mehr Anpassungsmöglichkeiten sowohl in der Hardware als auch Software und vor allem erreichbare Buttons als günstigere Sticks. Die Konfiguration wird auch auf den Sticks gespeichert. Du musst die Software also nicht ständig im Hintergrund laufen haben. VKB hat auch öfter mal Rabattaktionen in Kooperation mit Content Creators mit denen man noch ein paar € sparen kann. Ich würde nix billigeres als die kaufen. Dann kann man sich das gleich klemmen und Maus+Tastatur oder Gamepad nehmen.
The "Hat" is not a hat it's a thumbstick. and those "D-pads" are actual hats. Maybe do a little research before you make yourself look like a fool. All credibility gone in the first 2 minutes of the video. Well done!!
So you spend a fortune on a VKB joystick and you have to build it yourself! Well, with my limited motor skills for fine work I guess I wont be buying them 😞
@@CaptainCollins I appreciate that but while my arthritis meds give me the ability to be quite dexterous with a flightstick I cannot handle small screws or wires smaller than say a usb plug as fingers cannot close or sufficiently manoeuvrable enough to manipulate them. Anything I buy has to be pre built.
Are you really going to use this thing ? Or it's just the advertisement ? Best joystick that enough for most games is Logitech Etreme 3D pro. It has massive basement so it's very stable. By the way, Captain Collins, do you remember what happened on April, 12 in the past ? :-)
Review after 1 year: ruclips.net/video/BSUyOWwSzVM/видео.html
🤣🤣🤣🤣 the atention span comment killed me hahahahahaha
Did it grab your attention? :P
@@CaptainCollins I hate tik tok so that would have annoyed me coming from you, but glad you did a review on my first and only set of sticks. btw, what control setting are you using for those for X4? I am going to get back in when the new dlc comes out, but as it is with space games, there a lot of buttons to reset.
1:45 The "second stage" button on the throttle is great in X4 because you can assign boost to the first stage and travel mode to the second stage. It's the perfect way to transition from fast to faster.
Oh, that's a good idea! I've been debating what to do with the trigger on my omni-throttle.
In Star Citizen, i have first stage of the primary trigger to fire weapon group 1, with the second stage set up to fire all weapons, i have the red "thumb" button set up to fire weapon group 2
@@mythicalxeon I run dual sticks (just got mine last night) but I didn't realize it was a dual stage trigger. Love the idea to have both of them setup so that a full trigger pull from either fires both weapon groups.
If you don't want to shell out for expensive mounting solutions or drill holes a really good and cheap way to attach it firmly to the desk is just to get some heavy-duty velcro or magnetic tape.
Personally I bought a cheap kitchen wooden cutting board and keep it in place using velcro. My joysticks stay screwed to it and I set them beside my wall out of the way. I paid less than $30. Its heavy to keep everything in place and can be easily moved aside. My desk is an old steel one and many of these mounts just don't fit it. I would rather have lower mounts next to the chair for more comfort. But this has been just fine for everything between racing, flight sims, and star citizen.
Very true. I was already spending a bundle on them so a little extra on professional looking and performing mounts felt justified to me :)
Poster stick on putty is my fav. need 20 lbs of force to remove it so it stays when playing.
Love the VKB Gladiator joystick and omni throttle . i went with the VKB UCM mounts for both. They are not moving anywhere as use them in DCS. Highly recommended.
Glad you covered this stick. I play X4 and ED mainly and was looking all over for a high quality, mid-range flight stick for several months. I was using the T16000M Hotas for a couple years and it was time for a change. Love the throttle of the TM (with bearing slider mod) but the stick had to be repaired several times. Amazon had toy-like offerings, the Logitech sticks etc. or the more hardcore $400+ sticks. I came across the NXT EVO a few months back, watched a few reviews and got the one you are showing here. For the range it stands, It's the best stick ever, It feels great and it's just to much fun in space games. I could not be happier.. (except for the S&H charge)
What's the S&H charge? I am using them for days now and they do impress. But I never used any high quality sticks before
@@CaptainCollins Shipping and handling was about $41 to ship from China direct to US. But well worth it.
I'm running something similar for X4, but it's for me, HOTAS = Hands on Trackball and Stick -- running the VKB stick and a 4-button Kensington trackball, with throttle on the scroll wheel. Trackball makes targeting and menus easier without having to constantly switch back to kb/m for most normal tasks.
@@CaptainCollins for me it was 66 USD since I got a regular stick and omni throttle
@@rhubot721 That is interesting thanks for pointing it out.
I had a really hard time absorbing the information in this video, because I found, about half the time I spent shouting at the screen, "WHY ARE YOU WEARING BODY ARMOR TO REVIEW A JOYSTICK?!?!" And I still don't have an answer to that question.
and the patches are backwards. i thought the video was mirrored until i realized i could read the F buttons on the stick base and read everything on the computer screen.😆
It makes me think of the controls in a Gundam cockpit. Definitely a cool setup.
The best thing about the software is once you have finished using it you never have to use it again unless something goes wrong. All settings are changed in the joystick itself. I've plugged mine into 3 different systems and they work identically on each system. I only used the software on the first PC I set them up on.
That... is a very interesting information!
Seriously? That's actually genius.
Really nice Sticks but I was a bit surprised about the red marked screws. These must be a new addition because mine didn't have that yet. Oh and I hope we will see a more X4 review focused review with these 😉
Great info, thanks for doing this 👍🏻
Regarding the T16000M Joystick, I’ve had 2 and both ended up with the z-axis sensor on the twist grip glitching… it’s only a starter controller from my point of view… not that sturdy
Easy fix for the side-to-side stability issue would be to fabricate and screw on some some [ and ] shaped side stabiizers made of wood/metal/plastic if someone wanted to avoid a mounted solution. I'm planning on mounting mine. About to order this stick and throttle, thanks for the review!
Nice ;) First view here. Great products by VKB as always. Eagerly waiting for more throttle options.
I play in a recliner, so I glued magnets on the armrests and the bottom of the joysticks. Now, I have easily removable and install options. Works for me lol
Oh man, I could see tightening up the bearings and leaving the springs out entirely for a nice helicopter stick!
My VKB Gladiator Pro I bought as an 'upgrade' to my 15 year old CH Products fighter stick.
It was not an upgrade. It broke after 6 months! Ended up in the bin after a year.
The trigger snapped. Getting a fix under warranty was impossibly difficult, I gave up. Fixed it myself.
Then the thumb and pinky buttons stopped working and the final straw is the gimbal is collapsing.
So it went into the landfill after a year.
Im back using the CH Products Fighterstick. The VKB Gladiator feels nice but its not as accurate as the CH Fighterstick.
I fly on this setup in DCS, they are great. But lately I bought Gunfighter MK III with 10cm extension and it is even better. T-rudder pedals are great too.
Oh yeah, having more precise control about the actual degree of your input does make so much sense in flight simulations
Awesome very glad you mentioned DCS, I've been looking at these sticks because I want to play space sims but I also enjoy flight sims so I'm happy to know they can cover both. Do the sticks have enough buttons for DCS? I've only ever tried playing with M&K (went horribly) but the sheer amount of buttons was intense, the sticks don't look like they have a great deal compared to like the TM1600 he showed
I have this exact same setup and love it! Thank you for the awesome review! O7
Nice! How do you like it and did you customized something?
@@CaptainCollins They're great sticks! I have the exact same ones (Premium version) with the left stick angled and the right stick straight. I did adjust the tensions in the left for forward and backwards throttle that suited me. At one point, I removed the spring so the throttle would remain where I left it, but I ultimately put the spring back so the throttle would return to its original position. All in all, the sticks feel well-made and I love the physical feel, customization, and buttons. I only wish the software user interface was better, but all in all I'm very happy I made the purchase. Almost 12 months since my purchase (4/29/22) and they still work like new.
One of the best tutorials about this sticks. Thank you !!!!
Oh wow, didn't expected that :D Thank you!
This inspires me to give this kit serious consideration as a step up from my CH Products HOTAS. 😊
Trank you! Very helpful! To make it perfect i would have liked to see you use the sticks and how you mapped the different axis and hear your opinion how it is working for you. Are you using the sticks now? Do you like them or do they leave much to be desired?
Just use industrial velco to mount the sticks. Cheap and work great
Im about to get geared up for Squadon 42 and this is the setup I will be using
Love your vest. Center pocket is really handy. Can you tell me who makes it, and where can I get one? thank you.
No idea who makes it, but make sure it's laser proof like mine. Important for space flight ;)
@@CaptainCollins very cool, hope to find it.
I've been using this stick for about a year. Try not putting the stick on a mat like you're showing there; put it directly on the table so the rubber feet can do their job and hold it in place. Mine won't lift the base unless I continue to apply force after the stick has traveled to full deflection. Any stick that isn't bottled down will do that. My T16000m was way worse; it would rock the base due to spring tension alone, which was annoying.
You don't need to drill it into your desk! XD, you can just use Command Velcro strips and adhere it to your desk. Removable too! But you'd be left with velcro exposed xD. That aside it is a far less permanent solution to a potentially undrillable desk. My desk is glass so I can not possibly drill.
Haha, my solution is a wooden plank, like a breakfast tablet, but for the sticks 😅
maybe us some magnets inset under desk to help hold it instead of drilling through the top.
I like how you made it like you were talking to just me.
@Captain Collins :
Deutsch : Du hast die Twist Achse -Schraube zum feststellen vergessen zu erwähnen
English : You forgot to mention the twist axle lock screw
aber trotzdem gut gemacht ;)
Thinking about grabbing one or two of their sticks for Vendetta Online
I did not like the slick feel of mine so got some rubber paint and painted them where I hold them and WOW, huge difference! Highly recommend doing that for anyone that likes sticks that are grippy!
Nice review. Thanks.
The comment from reviewers along the lines of, "You will have to decide if this is best for you or not" always bugs me. I mean, that's a given. You provided a lot of great insight into the product. What I want to know is if YOU think it's best for YOU and why. Great content as usual, otherwise.
At that time, I couldn't. But in an update, I will give you my clear opinion 👍
I actually have this stick too! And mainly play X4! Ahahahaa
Don't have the Omni Throttle yet though; I want it but that shipping cost is a bit painful.
17:25 Also FYI you can set that indicator lights to do pretty much whatever you want. I think I set the big one to be flashing yellow when I have reverse thrusters on, and to light up a different color when I'm using my main weapons, etc etc. It is a bit unintuitive but there's quite a few ways you can set the lights up.
Yeah, the ship cost is bad and unfortunately, it'snot a flat rate, where it makes sense to order as much as possible to avoid having to re pay shipping. Order more, and the ship cost goes up lol...but totally worth it. I hope they find a manufacturer in the US to save on ship costs.
@@mattm7798 Honestly they don't necessarily need to manufacture in the US (and probably shouldn't tbh) but they should just get a good warehouse in the US so they can ship large amounts of product bulk for lower overseas shipping cost and then ship it to the consumers from that warehouse.
However I don't know how much of their customer base is in the US and how much is in Europe.
@@PocketsandOutlaw Yes, I mis spoke. Manufacturer likely should remain in China. Just interesting it also ships from China and the ship cost is quite high so yeah, shipping from the US and/or Europe seems preferable.
That said, I looked at these as investments, so I expect to get years of use out of them. :)
Thank you Capt Collins for making this how to video. This is the best video I've found for the Gladiator installation. The VKB guide leaves out some steps, like installing the base. I wish I had seen your video first. The stick itself is very nice and has a good feel. I may experiment later on customization, but it's fine for now. Now to configure it for X4.
BTW- what kind of PC speakers are you using?
Thank you ! :) Very nice comment.
The speakers are just some Logitech Z200, nothing fancy, cheap and bad :D
@@CaptainCollins When I tried to play X4 with the Gladiator, I configured the settings under controls but the joystick is jerky and hard to control. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.
Me thinking:
- Those things are probably expensive.
- You need to assemble it yourself?
- Oh, you get the choice to use a d-pad instead.
- A sleeve for thencable during assembly?
- You can change the resistance?
- Theres replacement springs and of different stiffness?
- And you get a tool to remove them? With spare part for the tool?
So... Unfortunately a bit too rich for my wallet though my wife reminded me it's not that many yrars until I turn 50 and can wish for it for my birthday 😂
So many cool things, right?
Think about it like this: if they hold long enough it's just like 10 bucks a year 😜
@@CaptainCollins exactly! It's basically free! 😆
But does it work on Linux? Yes, I'm one of those 😅
Your video gave me a longing for my old force feedback joystick. Loved to use that thing in Freespace 2. The feeling in it when you got a bit too close to a capital ship's beam weapon was terrific.
@@TobiasHarms I have no idea if the software works right in Linux with WINE or not. The good news is you only need to use the software to configure it once and all settings will be stored in the onboard memory of the stick.
If the software doesn't work right running under WINE you could always install a windows VM and passthrough the stick with USB passthrough/ or use another windows machine, do your configuration, disconnect the stick from that VM/other machine , and now you are set for any OS which works with hid devices.
They should add suction cups to insert into the base screw holes. Or you can do it yourself.
this was awesome, very detailed, fantastaic work!
Used to have the X52 pro, then got the left and right NXTs which are awesome. Then I got the NXT Evo upgrade gimbals and the NXT T-Rudder which I use for throttle. Works great for X4, ED and Star Citizen. My only regret is that it does not work X2/X3 as they only recognize one controller. So I have to play X2/X3 with KB and mouse which sucks.
Oh no! But I remember playing X:btf with a joystick.
@@CaptainCollins I can play with 1 joystick and was not a problem with the X52 which had 1 connection to the computer but it seems earlier X series does not recognize the multiple connections. There is a program called PPJoy that supposedly can make it work just not sure that I trust the download sites as I don't think it is actively maintained.
@@christophermarsden9386 Not sure if you figured it out but you can use something like joystick gremlin which merges both joysticks together in one (for the game). You do get limited in the amount of controls you can have (I guess is like a windows joystick driver limitation or something) but I used that so I could use T16000 and TWCS in BF4 since the game also only recognizes one joystick
As the above said, you should use Joystick Gremlin to combine the sticks into one device. Windows will only see 8 axes per device, but that should be more than enough to play these games.
Nice review Captn. Collins. Too bad I will never need these, I do have my BEST sticks The Spade and The Shovel. 👍😁
It would be cool if the x-axis rotation could be half-sprung, so it only pushed back from forward tilt, but backwards tilt would remain free...
whats w the body armor
I got this exact VKB Gladiator stick not too long ago, and it's far better than the Thrustmaster T.16000M and T.Flight HOTAS X which are nice looking but junk inside. My only complaint about the VKB Gladiator is the hand rest setup is not ideal for big hands. It could be improved by making the base of the rest wider and textured so you can remove all the risers to accommodate gorilla paws comfortably.
Yes, was surprised there was no grip under the raiser. It makes sense for the throttle stick, but not the standard one.
Good Vid. VKB are meant to be mounted for sure.
I got them working now for me without mounts, will need to update you on how they perform :)
One thing I really wish I could do on those sticks, is on the left analogue mini stick, I wish I could link it to a 1:1 positional control for the pilot's head in Star Citizen. Where dead center is look straight ahead, then a proportional head movement on that stick from center to look around the cockpit so I can follow a target with the pilots head without having to use mouse look. I know there are head trackers out there, but I don't have one. And hitting z for mouse look is just too inconvenient and completely impractical in combat.
So I really wish I could link that ability to the left analogue stick on the left omnithrottle. I have already figured out how to link it to moving the head, but it doesn't work properly in game and has some really weird resistance where it just constantly fights you. And it just doesn't look freely. It's like a console FPS where the longer you hold a direction, the further it turns over time. Where I want it to be physically directionally linked to the position of the left analogue mini stick so I can quickly look, or flick as I need to in combat. I also wanted that function on the left omnithrottle because I didn't want to put too much of a burden on my right hand in combat trying to manage head position with the same hand that is managing ship orientation. Throttle movement is a much lighter workload than ship orientation so I really wanted head orientation control on the left omnithrottle. As of yet, I haven't figured out how to make this desired control scheme work in Star Citizen. I haven't tried in X4 yet, so I'm hoping I'll have better luck with that one, but I'm not expecting success at this point.
I really hope I don't end up being forced to get a Tobii eye and head tracker just so I can have independent head and ship orientation controls.
Don't get a Tobii until you've tried using a webcam and something like opentrack with the neuralnet tracker. It's worked great for me, took a little fiddling and now I have solid head tracking in SC! It's no Tobii, but it's also free if you have a webcam.
that why buy HOTAS mounts for the stick wobble
If you have velcro (sticky back) straps.. they can work if you don't want to use nails..
It's the cheap route but it works for me.. but it's not perfect.. it will still move around.
I use the setup for ED.. X-series.. and SC and pretty much any game that can use Hotas setup.
Not sure if it will stick on a large gaming mouse/kb pad though like yours.
I use it for my TM 16000M FCS Hotas (stick and throttle) setup since 2016 and velco probably last longer than the hotas.. Hehe..
As for VKB.. definitely what I'll be ordering if my TM breaks down including their Omni throttle. Hoping one day they do have a dedicated(physical) NA store to alleviate the shipping cost and taxes.(than it shipping it from China)
Can i switch the angle from the omni throttle with the straight one from the normal one?
Wonder where you from. At first I was thinking Québec but not sure.
Anyway thanks for commenting on the software. Nice review BTW. More critic toward the products than some others that seems to just see the VKB products as pure gold. Critics is not bashing.
There is really a gap for mid quality products. Thrustmaster quality seemed to have lowered a bit but prices went up so they are not recommanded anynore. Problems with joysticks is durability. Many will develop problems within two years, if not one (just like your TM devices). This is what many peoples are trying to improve when going to mid-range. This and a better feeling maybe. Because most low budget have as much buttons than a higher end product. But if the quality is there at the expanse of ease of use, you loose some peoples. I agree with you, that software is more high end user oriented because not user friendly.
Quebec is a little off. It's more like southern... Germany 😅
Just to clarify, my TM's are still working great, but I wanted to try something else and VKB seemed like the next logical step.
So far some pros and some cons, but more pros 👍
17:21 can I use that analog hat press as another button in game or can it only change the setting of the actual hat?
Just bought one of these not long ago to play X4 after my X52 died after a week of haqving it
I only realized this just now, but wouldn't the angled version of this stick, with the springs removed, basically turn this stick into an ergonomic stick-shaped mouse? I recall the software also has a setting for Mouse Mode On/Off.
Checked this video out. Heard you drop the name of a game. Checked the game on steam, and you were streaming live. LOL o7
Not really live :D more like a Live-VOD ;) thanks for stopping by !
great review dude!
It does have mounting holes, but yes it really does have leverages issues
Use tougher springs then you dont move the stick zo much and it wont top over. Nice vid!
whats the waist jacket do?
I ordered i right hand premium NXT evo, but the omni left hand is ALWAYS out of stock, been 3 weeks looking the website everyday, still nothing.
Same with some other modules I try to get right now :( we have to wait patiently... ps: have you seen the 1-year-review?
@@CaptainCollins yup, for Europe the vkb guy told me february for left handed premium.
dude why are you wearing a tac vest at your desk?
Oh, that's awesome, lucky you.:)
It looks awesome, that handrest is a great feature. Thanks for the review!
I've been playing X4 on a Logitech X56 HOTAS for the last 4 months and loving it.
VKB was on my wishlist but sadly outside of my pricerange.:)
something you didn't really cover: how practical is it in X4? The huge amount of switches and button on my X56 is perfect for the many functions in game.
IIRC X4 and other space sims do well in dual joystick mode vs joystick and throttle. People on the X4/ED forums seem to really love this brand. The X56 is a great hotas but this is like having multiple joysticks in one. Incredible engineering.
Have you any recommendation for binding when playing X4. I have these sticks for SC but im getting into X4 now.
How is the stick sensitivity in games? I play Star Citizen dog fights, would it suffice? Thanks
You are a Super Pilot now ! Yay ! Ace Captain :D
Best review for a consumer😊
Got an "after one year" review update too! ☺️ If you're interested
Since the modularity of this stick I wonder how hard it would be to find a different base plate that is wider and longer without the need to mount etc. Also seems to have a lot going for it in that aspect.
And on the software part it seems to be indeed very flexible but with that it does become overwhelming. But also this could easily be solved by providing basic profiles selector through an basic UI that hides the more complex part until you go to it.
VKB should sells suction cups that screw into the corners holes of the plate.
Does their software support dual joystick setups?
This is a dual joystick setup, with one joystick simply being angled.
I changed the button to the POV hat thing but the orientation is a bit off because of the slant on the omni throttle and there's no way to orient it?
If you haven't already you'll want to flash the omni-throttle firmware.
if you are on a flat surface, the left and right leverage stays solid.
Great video!
Thank you!
5% more for the omi throttle? its like 50 dollars more? thats like 30% or something
I'm right handed. Do I get the exact setup or flipped?
I'm right handed too, but it's completely up to you if you like one angled, two angled, none... It's absolutely customizable
Pitty you didn't show us some of your flying skills with new setup :/
That's for later videos about the actual use in different games 👍
Is it possible to completely lock the X axis on the throttle ? I read it once on Reddit but saw no other confirmation. Of course I could simply use a big X spring so that it will center back but as I play mostly DCS I want it to be Y only. But the Omnithrottle seems to be the right thing for me as it is so flexible in case I decide to play space sim!
Yep, there's an included metal plate and some screws to lock in the X axis.
mine came with a broken f2 button on the base, it falls out due to a broken clip on one side of the button cap
Talk to customer support
@@CaptainCollins just got that done they're sending me a replacement button :)
With the angle on the throttle set, does it still allow use of Z axis?
Yes
@@CaptainCollins Awesome ty, been eyeballing this set. That is a big help in my decision.
Would love to see you review the Virpil hotas system, I have their pedals and they are pretty good
Virpil didn't wanted to work with me (yet ;) )
@@CaptainCollinsI'll put in a recommendation for you o7
One advice Captain: Try not to use joysticks on mousepads
dont have this problem with leverage my hand is resting on stick and it weight is enough to make base stable
Do they have rotation on the stick?
Wondering the same
@@gwilllickers they do. i have them for star citizen
Cool!
Da ich vor habe X4 wieder richtig anzuzocken und ich spacegames einfach liebe, würde ich mir deine persönliche Meinung gern anhören. Schau mir das Video Morgen richtig an. Gute Arbeit bei Gamestar :D
/edit: Aber alter was du mit dem Teil machen kannst oO .. Das mit dem Stand, das is bei soooo vielen Joysticks egal fast welcher Marke, da müssen wir uns was einfallen lassen als Piloten :33 Aber richtig gute Arbeit von dir. Ich denk ich hol mir den allein schon wegen dem Winkel.
Danke! Wenn ich noch etwas mehr Zeit hatte werde ich eine Review zu "VKB in X4" machen.
@@CaptainCollins Aber Wuuza was du mit dem Teil machen kannst oO .. Das mit dem Stand, das is bei soooo vielen Joysticks egal fast welcher Marke, da müssen wir uns was einfallen lassen als Piloten :33 Aber richtig gute Arbeit von dir. Ich denk ich hol mir den allein schon wegen dem Winkel.
You don't have to drill on your desk you just to buy joystick clamps for each side of your desk
those are some rough inputs i'd never put my joystick through lol
very nice stuff. but... HAVE YOU SEEN THE PRICES??!!?? wow.
Yes, it's not for everybody. More for people that want to spend some more it's a viable option though.
@@CaptainCollins yes i have the X52 from logitech/saitek. its a good system. not as good as the vkb though!
It is a bit pricey but there are also higher-end joystick setups that are well over $500 as well.
This is probably one of, if not the best, mid-range joysticks on the market right now. At least IMO.
@@PocketsandOutlaw feature wise this is high end. at least so it seems to me. but i remember buying a "top gun" joystick for 30 guilders in the mid 90ties (parallel port) which was a damn fine stick for the equivalent of 15 euro... how times change right? and also: this is how you notice inflation. bread is still a buck, but a joystick is 500 euro :D
As a happy GNX owner: That Omni contraption is a cheap and sad excuse of not commiting to designing a proper throttle. Come on VKB, make a real one.
0:10
And thats the Like ... lmao xD
Heya Captain! The sticks themselves look nice - maybe a bit too much plastic in the base for my liking, at least for the price range these sticks are set in. Still use my trusty old Saitek X52 HOTAS - at least until they decide to retire.
Had that same impression. Respond from VKB: "Try to break them, you will not succeed" 😅👍
@@CaptainCollins they're not kidding either, these things are tough. you also have to upgrade to basically top of the line no matter which manufacturer to get metal bodies, and in some cases you have to opt specifically for the metal, simply upgrading to the premium versions doesnt do it
Monster mounts why would anyone put on their desk LOL
I got used to them and didn't had that problem anymore. But I'm not using them anymore
Ah yes, something I will never be able to afford, living in a second world country
You have to assemble it? Seems cheap
It looks really cheap, even though they are not cheap.
this boy actually threw on the fake body armor to go on cam
Good video, but the tactical vest looks really silly and in some shots it looks like you're in a barrel.
take the vest off
Naughty!
Oh Gott.....Was für ein Plastikbomber, also so wie das aussieht in diesem Video....Ich würde für sowas keine 450 oder mehr ausgeben für beide Sachen. Habe mir damals den Saitek X52 gekauft für knapp 300 Euro.....10 Stunden Elite Dangerous hat das Teil überlebt....erst hat die Beleuchtung der Schubregler geflackert und nach 3 weiteren Stunden war der Stick ausgeleiert. Ich glaube das Teil war dafür nicht ausgelegt gewesen für schnelle Bewegungen^^. Soll jetzt kein Hate sein oder ähnliches, für mich wäre das Teil nichts. Klar, das zusammenbauen würde mir Spaß machen, aber die HOTAS zu benutzen, ich weis nicht....Ich würde das Ding anschauen und es würde schon auseinander fallen 😂😂
Oh god.....What a plastic bomber, that's how it looks in this video.....I wouldn't pay 450 or more for something like that for both things. At that time I bought the Saitek X52 for just under 300 euros.....The part survived 10 hours of Elite Dangerous....first the lighting on the throttle flickered and after 3 more hours the stick was worn out. I think the part was not designed for fast movements^^
Es gibt billiges Plastik wie beim T16000 und teures Plastik wie bei VKB und der Unterschied ist massiv. Und solange du keine 600€ für einen (ja einen) Stick ausgeben willst wirst du auch kein Metall bekommen. Und es ist alle mal besser als der Softtouch Mist der dir früher oder später davon läuft. Sie liefern deutlich mehr Anpassungsmöglichkeiten sowohl in der Hardware als auch Software und vor allem erreichbare Buttons als günstigere Sticks. Die Konfiguration wird auch auf den Sticks gespeichert. Du musst die Software also nicht ständig im Hintergrund laufen haben. VKB hat auch öfter mal Rabattaktionen in Kooperation mit Content Creators mit denen man noch ein paar € sparen kann. Ich würde nix billigeres als die kaufen. Dann kann man sich das gleich klemmen und Maus+Tastatur oder Gamepad nehmen.
Kind of mehh 😂😂😂
meeeehhhhehehehh :D
"A few bucks" - $55
The "Hat" is not a hat it's a thumbstick. and those "D-pads" are actual hats. Maybe do a little research before you make yourself look like a fool. All credibility gone in the first 2 minutes of the video. Well done!!
So you spend a fortune on a VKB joystick and you have to build it yourself! Well, with my limited motor skills for fine work I guess I wont be buying them 😞
Nono, think about like that: you get a fine meal, that you can adjust to your liking so that you can enjoy it exactly how you like it :)
@@CaptainCollins I appreciate that but while my arthritis meds give me the ability to be quite dexterous with a flightstick I cannot handle small screws or wires smaller than say a usb plug as fingers cannot close or sufficiently manoeuvrable enough to manipulate them. Anything I buy has to be pre built.
Are you really going to use this thing ? Or it's just the advertisement ? Best joystick that enough for most games is Logitech Etreme 3D pro. It has massive basement so it's very stable. By the way, Captain Collins, do you remember what happened on April, 12 in the past ? :-)