@@naenx How so? I've been watchng vdeos like this and Noobifier. Seems like excellent marketing to me. My only peeve with Virpil, which I believe they have adressed now, is that they used thread lock for the cam screws. These are supposed to be interchangable but you need extreme heat to melt the thread lock (at least I couldn't get the screws up otherwise). I simply do not understand the reasoning behind that decision. It seems completely counter intuitive to lock a screw that you should want people to have easy access to. That's really my only major gripe, and I do believe the new Mongoose bases have adressed this, but check to be sure.
Hey man I have some questions if you can answer, how long have you used the Deltas, are you satisfied, any complains, and most importantly how's the twist z axis?
dude I'm 2 minutes in to watching my first video on your channel (recommended on my front page) and you're video production quality is superb. Keep up the good work!
Dude I have only been here reading you are comment for 5 words (recommended at the top of the video) and you are commenting skills is great! Keep up the good work!
Hey man random comment, you have amazing production quality and solid videos, you may want to expand your tags to have more multiword 3+ word phrases, and add a beefier description for search engine optimizations. New subscriber. Even your thumbs are solid, but you have to make sure people see them.
Instant sub (if waiting until the video's end counts as "instant," anyway). Excellent presentation, no generic buzzwords, crisp production quality that helps you get your point across, instead of just being there to look pretty... I wasn't exactly on the fence with this stick -- I'm planning to make the jump -- but I deeply appreciate your ability to give clear feedback and describe the product's qualities in a way that someone (or I, at least) can interpret easily. Nail on the head with the mention of the Alpha's design being more grounded in modern aerospace, and it helping suspend that disbelief that you're holding a flight instrument -- spaceship or not -- and not a game controller.
I don't think a single review has made me yearn so hard for any product in decades. Fantastic video, great production values, lovely product and, of course, that damned rumbley Snake eater voice. Kudos
@@jackaxe9258 because I ordered them right before Covid put to world on lockdown, and it was also back when any Virpil pre-order came with a minimum 90 day wait, so the 3 month wait became a 6 month wait.
Will be getting a pair of these. I think Virpil should get the contract to supply the Expanse for their props now; it would be awesome but they might be too expensive.
Thanks for this - this absolutely helped me make my choice (picking up a quality grip for the first time), and on top of that the video/production quality was very good.
I have just had this Alpha grip, left hand and the Warbird base just a week now as from this post. What can i say that you haven't, its awesome in everyway. For any Microsoft flight sim user this setup is fantastic, very precise and detailed. I had the Thrustmaster T.16000M for around 2 weeks prior to ordering this set up and its night and day better but no slur on the T 16000 but its just so smooth. Very happy with my setup now👍👍
Excellent review. With the minefield that is the market of high end sticks like this, you've sold me on the Alpha for my first VIRPIL purchase. Thanks!
We have different tastes, needs and hands but your reviews are so informative that I still feel I can make a truly informed decision based on them. Thank you!
A legit review as opposed to a paid endorsement. Integrity at 110%. Rock on Snake man! P.S. - Never saw, but you frmr USMC or Army Ranger / Airborne? Getting that Camp Lejune / Ft. Bragg vibe...
@@jessecalder - Sorry, last one... Great review, 'cause that stick is gonna replace my ancient CH in this: SimLab GT1 Evo Transformer: Evolution imgur.com/gallery/Qej95jW
By far the best flight sim product reviews out there. Answered every single one of my questions perfectly thank you for all the time you put into these.
Thank you a lot for this review. I'm currently in the process of getting a flightsim upgrade planned and this review helped me a lot. Very good job. The detailed way a choice of words you use to describe things is very very good to imagine it.
Ok, bud. This was a pretty good review. A little drawn out but you kept the information coming without stretching out the video. Sometimes you tubers just keep lugging on about nothing to get longer times. Good job. You kept me to the end of the video.
I've been researching grips for about 3 months now. Been leaning towards Virpil for a couple of reasons with BuzZzkiller being my go to for bindings being a big reason for getting the deltas and their overall quality. The prices have been a big push back. Giving how youre review has touched on every question I've had for these and how hyped it has me for the Alphas i have made up my mind. Even willing to pay so much more i know the path I'm going. Thanks for the very well made review.
Omg yes. This stick is everything I have waited for! Thank you for reviewing it! I was so close getting a Virpil stick and the twist module because I felt the Delta would be limiting. And the twist lock is what pissed me off about the Hog lacking in features for the price. The Alpha kinda looks a little Hornet-ish. Good amount of buttons and axis. Will buy this for sure!
Thanks for your great reviews. I'm needing to replace my Logitech X56 and you did two great reviews on the virpil and VKB sticks I'm looking at. Thanks for the time and effort!
Man I can't wait until I can order a pair of these. The store page has said "COMING SOON" forever, and I haven't seen any news on the restock page about it.
Expect Delays, due to the developing Global Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic situation, that is affecting everyone on the entire planet. In such ways as to disrupt the manufacturing supply chains with PCB electronics component parts for the grip originating shipment out of China and the Asian workforce enforced isolation lock down occurrences. forum.virpil.com/index.php?/topic/1448-constellation-alpha-pre-order-updates/
Great review. You are making excellent use of your voice and you are factual. Can't wait for that bonus to come through in 2 week's time. Virpil really need to expand fast to satisfy demand. Thankfully they at least have updated their store to handle backorders, so that you don't have to constantly wait for stock to be available before ordering.
Would have pulled the trigger but the mounting solution, bases and grips all together make this nearly a $1000 leap. Absolutely will be getting 2 of these sometime in the future but for now I just got a VKB gladiator and I am thoroughly impressed with it at its price point and I’ll be sticking with it and maybe getting a second left hand one to use for the next 2-3 years.
I was already blown away by your excellent cinematography, obvious passion for the hobby, and ship-shape setup. I hit Like & Subscribe within the first 3 minutes. Then I got to "Flight Stick ASMR" and I lost my sh*t, OMG I found my tribe, you rock SnakeEater. I don't have any Virpil gear yet, but I've ordered and am currently waiting for my Alpha grip & base, the latest throttle quadrant, new button box, and steel pedals!! I can't wait, I finally found the Warthog killer. Which is necessary because I really want that center detent.
The twist is the reason why i will buy it as replacement for my old x-52 habbits! I could not use Rudder Pedals - I hate them! Thank you for your excellent Review, Bud!
I have one on pre-order. I have the newer Virpil base, and also the VPC MongoosT-50CM2 Grip. I find the latter to be 'too light and plasticky" for me, so I've been using my TMW grip with that base, and have been very happy with that combination. That said, your review has me cautiously optimistic that the Alpha could become my primary grip! Thanks for taking the time to put this excellent review together... I love all of the detail that you provide.
Followup: My Alpha is proudly displayed on one of those grip bases. I don't use it except as Art... TMW's switches/hats/etc. are just way better. I don't like "mushy", and (comparatively) the Alpha is just so.
Finally found the guts to order these myself. My justification is ive been playing Star Citizen since day one and i love flying in general. Just upgrading to Saitek X52 from M&K was HUUUGE so i can only imagine how these will be. How are you enjoying them today? Still amazing?
@@semitrous9613 No regrets! Using em every day. While not playing Star Citizen i am also using em for Microsoft Flight Simulator. I have gone full on Virpil since this post. I have now two virpil alphas, virpil ace pedals, trackir, streamdeck as instrument panel. Once you start you get hooked haha. It definetely improves flying games without a doubt. You feel youre actually controlling a ship and not just a "game ship". Loving it.
@@jessecalder Thx amigo. I really meant a right-handed throttle for us left-handed SC pilots. I just pulled the trigger on it and purchase the stick. Also, I found a throttle from TM the TCA Quadrant Airbus addition throttle. It's more of commercial aviation throttle but can be used right hand while piloting with the left hand. Will see if the match works and thank you again for the awesome review. Semper Gumby
I'm really trying to justify the Euro to Canadian Dollar for these, but this review has been a big help and push. I'm probably going to own these by the end of the year! Thank you!
I'm stuck between the Constellation Alpha R with Mongoos Throttle or just buying the HOTAS WARTHOG The Virpil, unlike the HOTAS Warthog has the mouse wheel - which you'd have to buy the Thrustmaster Cougar to get. That means it can easily adapt to the A-10, F-16, and F-18's realistic setups. My issue is that I only have a Saitek X45 which isn't good for a dual engine fighter and after playing HARRIER in DCS, I definitely want the third slider so I can adjust nozzle angles. There is no one-stick fits all, but the Warthog and Virpil HOTAS setups seem like the best possible choice.
Agree with a lot of the comments. Great production quality and I LOVE the thorough review, given my consideration for purchasing this product. Also, how can you beat that beard and voice? Subbed!
Kinda curious as to why you compared the C:A to the cosmo, when even in your video you had in the blurry background the OTHER vkb stick that is the direct competitor and far more equivalent to the C:A than the Cosmo: The VKB Gunfighter. And in regards to the Gunfighter, the two sticks are almost evenly matched except for the mouse scroll wheel and a 4-way is replaced by a button.
Sounds like a controller designer/manufacturer has made a device designed to work in SIMULATORS on a COMPUTER. This is something many others don't think about. "Let's design a milspec representation of this jet/airliner/ga plane controller!" But then how do we zoom when we don't have vr? How do we look around the cockpit smoothly when we don't have head tracking? We have a map function built into the sim, but how do we take advantage of this without having to switch to the mouse? Virpil are making massive waves in this sector and, although I've been looking at VKB gear (and own their limited function pedals) for years, I think Virpil are running rings around them.
I really would like a set of these, but that price tag! For the price of two grips, two bases, plus two mounts I could get a decent second-hand car. That's probably not going to stop me, but It'll take a couple of years of saving.
I am in the same boat. For the mounts im considering the Monstertech Desk mounts. Also really expensive. Its almost impossible to order everything from Virpil cause maybe they have grips in stock, but not the base. Or maybe both but not the mounts. But yeah, really expensive.... My thought process right now is that you probably got joysticks for a lifetime. Ive already played Star Citizen for so many years now and it would be really fun to have these. Just need to find the courage to order these....
The 2nd level mouse depress is a control that another review I watched definitely missed. It didn't make sense when they were counting and labeling the buttons numerically, and suddenly say "22 is unmapped" -- I was like "you sure about that bro?" I know how it is having a lot of buttons to find, but it's always your fault if you didn't find one. Keep searching. Even with devices I'm fairly familiar with, sometimes I miss activating a control if I'm just cycling them.
As always great review, thanks Snake Eater - waiting for my pre order to arrive just became even more harder than it already was ;-) With the ton of options a dual stick setup offers with these sticks I am interested in how you have or plan to set it up for SC. Maybe you would like to share your setup in a future video?
So the Constellation height with the desktop base is not too high like people say the T-50CM2 is? Looks very nice, but I am constrained to a desktop mount for the time being.
Quick question about the desk mount? How much depth is required to clamp it to the desk? What would be the minimum depth required? I have a large piano keyboard on a drawer under my desk so only have around 3cm to play with
Thanks for the excellent review. I am a flight sim guy with a simple Thrustmaster setup. The "VPC Constellation ALPHA" video talks a lot about the multi-stage trigger. It is the most important button ever. What is the typical function of a multi-stage trigger when flying a GA plane? Is it more than just braking on the runway? What can I use this luxury trigger for?
Not really a critical issue but, do you know if you can program the RGB strip with the assigned colours for fire groups in the ship HUD in games like Elite Dangerous? I think it would be a nice ambience feature to have the colour on the sticks change to match the weapon mode of the HUD as you cycle between them, but I'm odd like that.
Just received mine to USA, 76 days from purchase to receive, the packaging is significantly different now from unboxing videos and no manuals or instructions of any kind for a purchase over $1,500 usd is really unexpected
So for me, it seems like a better VKB comparison would be the MCG Pro + twist, given the buttons and feature set of the Alpha. Taking into account the excellent Gunfighter III base, and reputation/build quality of VKB vs some of the QC issues and delays faced by Virpil owners, this becomes a tricky choice!! What are your thoughts between these two offerings, as opposed to the Kosmo?
Hello, great production quality btw!. Just wondering if you have a discount code for the Virpil Constelllation Alpha w/VPC WarBRD Base? I am very interested in purchasing the units also upgrading from the X52.
13:00 You don't actually understand why the sticks need to have so many high hats till you play F-16 in DCS. Dropping a bomb leaves you with asymmetrical wind loading and that forces you to have to trim it out immediately. I had to map trimming to my keyboard's Direction arrow keys. Definitely not as nice as being able to quickly trim with the thumb. HOTAS Warthog got it right since that stick is the same as the F-16 and A-10. They even have the Nose Wheel Steering button for the trigger finger.
I missed the November pre order because of lack of funds . All saved up and ready to get these bad boys in my hands. Do they usually have more preorders down the road or is it just the one? kind of sucks needing to look at there web site each day for there order schedule to see if it updates.
What about the widely reported quality issues? There are plenty of videos / posts out there talking about how widely inconsistent alphas are. Same pre-order can have sticks build from what seems to be different materials.
13:38 how do you get the CM2 throttle grip with the old throttle base, its it a prototype thing? i have the old base and always want a ministick on the grip
Could You do me a favor and take a special measure from the stick? I can not test it, if my hands are big enough for this joystick. I have a x56 from Logitech and this one is too big for my hands.
Curious how you map your sticks to space sim games - how do you bind your axis? Are you still using a traditional "inverted" pitch as is common in flight simulators?
@@jessecalder Thanks for the quick reply. Coming out of about 4 years of retirement from elite: dangerous, and decided to do it right. Bought 2 of these on your recommendation, and it seems there's no clear consensus on how people like to map their dual sticks. Even pulling "back" on the nose doesn't seem to be something everyone agrees on. Clearly i'll have to experiment. Love the videos though - clear, thorough, well produced.
I'd like to 'ease in' to a Virpil setup. Can I essentially 'replace' my Saitek X65 joystick with a Connne Alpha, and still use my X-65 throttle?...then maybe add a left hand Connie Alpha stick later...and still use my X-65 throttle? Anybody?
I have the first generation MongoosT-50 grip and primarily play DCS, but this is really tempting as a 'does-everything-well' grip that I would never need to swap out regardless of what I'm playing. The first gen T50 grip has less hats than the new T50 and is more plasticky... but I'm having a hard time trying to justify the T50CM2 over this, it does everything the CM2 seems to add to my current grip and more. This will be a hard one to resist... oh who am I kidding...
I am experiencing the same thing you talked about. I just got the constellation Alpha on a warbird base. If feels as if the stick has too much play in it. When I try and select something with th e Alpha the cursor flies past it and I have to slow bring it back to where I want it to be. Coming from a Warthog which was very percicse when moving around the screen. I can't find the 0 cam you speak about on Virpil site. What cam would you suggest for a solution? Love your videos btw.
To be fair, most modern fighters have something akin to a thumbstick, except on western aircraft it's usually situated under the throttle index finger. However, Russian designs do indeed have it under the right thumb, while western european designs vary a bit.
Do you have to get a BA to review like this!? Jeesh. Good work homie. I'm already planning to speend 900 BUCKS on virpil gear next week. Can't add this to the list, but its will definitely be put on the wish list. As usual....stellar review!
Awesome vid man! The production quality is amazing. Just a quick question for a flight sim like DCS with the joystick centre mounted chair mount would you recommend this grip or the MongoosT-50CM2 grip? My hand breadth is 3.5” so not sure if my hand will fit the alpha grip
How do they let you preorder sticks but I can’t preorder some damn mounts????? I was able to order the Warthog adapters and an extension from Virpil but no mounts. They said I have to wait so I went with VKB mounts. Of course those aren’t here yet. Damn coronavirus!!!
Not going to lie, when I saw your intro, I thought "that guy is kind of a douche" (I am not from the US, so there also might be some cultural difference). After watching your video you seem like the kind of guy to be great to have a beer with. Also great review, great editing. As a non native speaker you are also really easy to understand. All around awesome. Regarding the stick, would love to get it, but I already spent way too much on the DCS sale.
Picked up a pair of these a couple weeks ago. Feelings are mixed. They feel good in hand, but I find a couple of the hats difficult to operate without actuation the center push. I never had this problem with the mongoos cm2 or the delta.
this video ended up costing me around 1960€. thanks i guess?
I’m on the same page as you on this one
This comment is literally scaring the S! out of me... lol!
$1750 after taxes and shipping, on the Primes.
Thanks Jesse and PayPal Credit.
I wasn't planning on upgrading from the Deltas, but after watching this.... I'll be watching the restock page like a hawk.
I feel like they could make a killing with these products but whoever is running this company obviously has no marketing skills whatsoever....
@@naenx How so? I've been watchng vdeos like this and Noobifier. Seems like excellent marketing to me.
My only peeve with Virpil, which I believe they have adressed now, is that they used thread lock for the cam screws. These are supposed to be interchangable but you need extreme heat to melt the thread lock (at least I couldn't get the screws up otherwise). I simply do not understand the reasoning behind that decision. It seems completely counter intuitive to lock a screw that you should want people to have easy access to.
That's really my only major gripe, and I do believe the new Mongoose bases have adressed this, but check to be sure.
@@goffe2282 I am not sure but i could be safety needed.
Hey man I have some questions if you can answer, how long have you used the Deltas, are you satisfied, any complains, and most importantly how's the twist z axis?
dude I'm 2 minutes in to watching my first video on your channel (recommended on my front page) and you're video production quality is superb. Keep up the good work!
@@jessecalder just came across it too....subscribed after 5min :) great review
@@jamesb7759 I don't understand how such a quality channel doesn't have 364 million subs
Dude I have only been here reading you are comment for 5 words (recommended at the top of the video) and you are commenting skills is great! Keep up the good work!
Hey man random comment, you have amazing production quality and solid videos, you may want to expand your tags to have more multiword 3+ word phrases, and add a beefier description for search engine optimizations. New subscriber. Even your thumbs are solid, but you have to make sure people see them.
As solid as I am sure his thumbs are, what do they have to do with anything?
@@jimmehjiimmeehh9748 Pretty sure you's trollin... but he's talking about thumbnails.
people: boo, the top looks like a xenomorph head
me, an intellectual: sweet, the top looks like a xenomorph head
Yo I literally looked at it that was the first thing that came to my mind “sick it looks like a xenomorph”
Instant sub (if waiting until the video's end counts as "instant," anyway). Excellent presentation, no generic buzzwords, crisp production quality that helps you get your point across, instead of just being there to look pretty...
I wasn't exactly on the fence with this stick -- I'm planning to make the jump -- but I deeply appreciate your ability to give clear feedback and describe the product's qualities in a way that someone (or I, at least) can interpret easily. Nail on the head with the mention of the Alpha's design being more grounded in modern aerospace, and it helping suspend that disbelief that you're holding a flight instrument -- spaceship or not -- and not a game controller.
I don't think a single review has made me yearn so hard for any product in decades. Fantastic video, great production values, lovely product and, of course, that damned rumbley Snake eater voice. Kudos
Thanks for the thorough review. I can’t wait to get this grip for myself. Keep up the good work. 18B all the way!
I finally got my Alpha and throttle a couple weeks ago and they exceeded expectations! This review definitely helped me get through the 6 month wait.
Why was the wait so long
@@jackaxe9258 because I ordered them right before Covid put to world on lockdown, and it was also back when any Virpil pre-order came with a minimum 90 day wait, so the 3 month wait became a 6 month wait.
Will be getting a pair of these. I think Virpil should get the contract to supply the Expanse for their props now; it would be awesome but they might be too expensive.
Thanks for this - this absolutely helped me make my choice (picking up a quality grip for the first time), and on top of that the video/production quality was very good.
I'd like a trackball instead of the main stick. Velocity based axis is really helpful for menus and fine aiming/reticle setting
I have just had this Alpha grip, left hand and the Warbird base just a week now as from this post. What can i say that you haven't, its awesome in everyway. For any Microsoft flight sim user this setup is fantastic, very precise and detailed. I had the Thrustmaster T.16000M for around 2 weeks prior to ordering this set up and its night and day better but no slur on the T 16000 but its just so smooth. Very happy with my setup now👍👍
Of all the flight gear review video, you definitely take the coolest shots and have the best cameras！ Keep up the great work!
Excellent review. With the minefield that is the market of high end sticks like this, you've sold me on the Alpha for my first VIRPIL purchase. Thanks!
We have different tastes, needs and hands but your reviews are so informative that I still feel I can make a truly informed decision based on them. Thank you!
Dude...
That deep buttery voice
Subbed. Jokes aside, awesome and thorough review - I too will join the watch
A legit review as opposed to a paid endorsement. Integrity at 110%.
Rock on Snake man!
P.S. - Never saw, but you frmr USMC or Army Ranger / Airborne? Getting that Camp Lejune / Ft. Bragg vibe...
@@jessecalder USMC Aircrew... We'd give you guys a lift sometimes... 😉👍. Always liked Army shooters... Didn't care for the pogs too much... 😉
@@jessecalder - Sorry, last one... Great review, 'cause that stick is gonna replace my ancient CH in this:
SimLab GT1 Evo Transformer: Evolution imgur.com/gallery/Qej95jW
By far the best flight sim product reviews out there. Answered every single one of my questions perfectly thank you for all the time you put into these.
Thanks for the awesomely kind words Andrew!
Thank you a lot for this review. I'm currently in the process of getting a flightsim upgrade planned and this review helped me a lot. Very good job. The detailed way a choice of words you use to describe things is very very good to imagine it.
Ok, bud. This was a pretty good review. A little drawn out but you kept the information coming without stretching out the video. Sometimes you tubers just keep lugging on about nothing to get longer times. Good job. You kept me to the end of the video.
I've been researching grips for about 3 months now. Been leaning towards Virpil for a couple of reasons with BuzZzkiller being my go to for bindings being a big reason for getting the deltas and their overall quality. The prices have been a big push back. Giving how youre review has touched on every question I've had for these and how hyped it has me for the Alphas i have made up my mind. Even willing to pay so much more i know the path I'm going. Thanks for the very well made review.
Damn Virpil the Alpha looks so cool, think I'm replacing my stick. Great vid Snake.
Omg yes. This stick is everything I have waited for! Thank you for reviewing it! I was so close getting a Virpil stick and the twist module because I felt the Delta would be limiting. And the twist lock is what pissed me off about the Hog lacking in features for the price. The Alpha kinda looks a little Hornet-ish. Good amount of buttons and axis. Will buy this for sure!
Thanks for your great reviews. I'm needing to replace my Logitech X56 and you did two great reviews on the virpil and VKB sticks I'm looking at. Thanks for the time and effort!
Man I can't wait until I can order a pair of these. The store page has said "COMING SOON" forever, and I haven't seen any news on the restock page about it.
Expect Delays, due to the developing Global Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic situation, that is affecting everyone on the entire planet. In such ways as to disrupt the manufacturing supply chains with PCB electronics component parts for the grip originating shipment out of China and the Asian workforce enforced isolation lock down occurrences. forum.virpil.com/index.php?/topic/1448-constellation-alpha-pre-order-updates/
I'm trying to decide between Alpha, and the VKB Kosmosima, what I really need to know though is which works best for really small hands?
man the production quality on these reviews just gets better and better.
Great review. You are making excellent use of your voice and you are factual. Can't wait for that bonus to come through in 2 week's time. Virpil really need to expand fast to satisfy demand. Thankfully they at least have updated their store to handle backorders, so that you don't have to constantly wait for stock to be available before ordering.
Heck! I order one of these. Cannot wait for it to arrive. Thanks for your detailed and straight forward videos.
Thumb joystick application in normal flight sims: CAMERA! So awesome!
Thanks for the review Jesse. Nice walkthrough. Order throughput seems pretty good. I placed an order 20 August 2020 and had it 28 October 2020.
Would have pulled the trigger but the mounting solution, bases and grips all together make this nearly a $1000 leap. Absolutely will be getting 2 of these sometime in the future but for now I just got a VKB gladiator and I am thoroughly impressed with it at its price point and I’ll be sticking with it and maybe getting a second left hand one to use for the next 2-3 years.
Excellent review. Thanks for taking the time to make a quality review for these products. Keep up the great work !
I was already blown away by your excellent cinematography, obvious passion for the hobby, and ship-shape setup. I hit Like & Subscribe within the first 3 minutes. Then I got to "Flight Stick ASMR" and I lost my sh*t, OMG I found my tribe, you rock SnakeEater. I don't have any Virpil gear yet, but I've ordered and am currently waiting for my Alpha grip & base, the latest throttle quadrant, new button box, and steel pedals!! I can't wait, I finally found the Warthog killer. Which is necessary because I really want that center detent.
The twist is the reason why i will buy it as replacement for my old x-52 habbits! I could not use Rudder Pedals - I hate them! Thank you for your excellent Review, Bud!
I have one on pre-order. I have the newer Virpil base, and also the VPC MongoosT-50CM2 Grip. I find the latter to be 'too light and plasticky" for me, so I've been using my TMW grip with that base, and have been very happy with that combination. That said, your review has me cautiously optimistic that the Alpha could become my primary grip! Thanks for taking the time to put this excellent review together... I love all of the detail that you provide.
Followup: My Alpha is proudly displayed on one of those grip bases. I don't use it except as Art... TMW's switches/hats/etc. are just way better. I don't like "mushy", and (comparatively) the Alpha is just so.
Finally found the guts to order these myself. My justification is ive been playing Star Citizen since day one and i love flying in general. Just upgrading to Saitek X52 from M&K was HUUUGE so i can only imagine how these will be. How are you enjoying them today? Still amazing?
Hey man, how did you enjoy your upgrade? was it worth buying for Star Citizen? greetings from the Netherlands!
@@semitrous9613 No regrets! Using em every day. While not playing Star Citizen i am also using em for Microsoft Flight Simulator. I have gone full on Virpil since this post. I have now two virpil alphas, virpil ace pedals, trackir, streamdeck as instrument panel. Once you start you get hooked haha.
It definetely improves flying games without a doubt. You feel youre actually controlling a ship and not just a "game ship". Loving it.
@@Avean Thanks for your quick response! I just ordered 2 Alphas, desk mounts and WarBRD bases. Can't wait till it comes in the mail!
@@semitrous9613 Congrats! You will love em. Quality that lasts for a lifetime.
Man those look real nice the circle is almost complete all that's needed is left right-handed throttle, great video thank you for sharing
Thanks for watching Luis!
@@jessecalder Thx amigo. I really meant a right-handed throttle for us left-handed SC pilots. I just pulled the trigger on it and purchase the stick. Also, I found a throttle from TM the TCA Quadrant Airbus addition throttle. It's more of commercial aviation throttle but can be used right hand while piloting with the left hand. Will see if the match works and thank you again for the awesome review. Semper Gumby
Great.
Looking forward to more reviews and also just general thoughts on market development in the setup world etc.
Came for the sticks, stayed for the doggos. Amazing quality keep it up
I'm really trying to justify the Euro to Canadian Dollar for these, but this review has been a big help and push. I'm probably going to own these by the end of the year! Thank you!
I'm stuck between the Constellation Alpha R with Mongoos Throttle or just buying the HOTAS WARTHOG
The Virpil, unlike the HOTAS Warthog has the mouse wheel - which you'd have to buy the Thrustmaster Cougar to get. That means it can easily adapt to the A-10, F-16, and F-18's realistic setups.
My issue is that I only have a Saitek X45 which isn't good for a dual engine fighter and after playing HARRIER in DCS, I definitely want the third slider so I can adjust nozzle angles.
There is no one-stick fits all, but the Warthog and Virpil HOTAS setups seem like the best possible choice.
amazing production value, love your style
Thanks Joel!
Another great video Snake! Excellent work. Can't wait to get my hands on the Alpha when my preorder arrives. Skol!!!
Special forces veteran? Isn't this life more exciting than RUclips? Some might find my comment very stupid, but I really envy you a part of your life!
I have dual Deltas.. love them but FUCKING TAKE MY MONEY I’m getting the Alphas. I’ve been so stoked to see a review. Good job on this
Very nice rev man, thx for sharing the knowledge.
Hey great video! Very informative. Question: what do you mean when you say along the lines of “virpil is gearing up for a third preorder round”
I bought these after your review. Thanks boss!
@Jesse Calder I cant decide between this and the MCE Ultimate. Which do you recommend the most? Which pleased you the most?
12:00 the thumbstick would be nice if you can map it to TDC slewing.
Agree with a lot of the comments. Great production quality and I LOVE the thorough review, given my consideration for purchasing this product. Also, how can you beat that beard and voice? Subbed!
Kinda curious as to why you compared the C:A to the cosmo, when even in your video you had in the blurry background the OTHER vkb stick that is the direct competitor and far more equivalent to the C:A than the Cosmo: The VKB Gunfighter. And in regards to the Gunfighter, the two sticks are almost evenly matched except for the mouse scroll wheel and a 4-way is replaced by a button.
Sounds like a controller designer/manufacturer has made a device designed to work in SIMULATORS on a COMPUTER. This is something many others don't think about. "Let's design a milspec representation of this jet/airliner/ga plane controller!" But then how do we zoom when we don't have vr? How do we look around the cockpit smoothly when we don't have head tracking? We have a map function built into the sim, but how do we take advantage of this without having to switch to the mouse?
Virpil are making massive waves in this sector and, although I've been looking at VKB gear (and own their limited function pedals) for years, I think Virpil are running rings around them.
Man, I wish I never saw this review! Definitely want one now! Love the channel too!
I really would like a set of these, but that price tag! For the price of two grips, two bases, plus two mounts I could get a decent second-hand car. That's probably not going to stop me, but It'll take a couple of years of saving.
I am in the same boat. For the mounts im considering the Monstertech Desk mounts. Also really expensive. Its almost impossible to order everything from Virpil cause maybe they have grips in stock, but not the base. Or maybe both but not the mounts. But yeah, really expensive.... My thought process right now is that you probably got joysticks for a lifetime. Ive already played Star Citizen for so many years now and it would be really fun to have these. Just need to find the courage to order these....
The 2nd level mouse depress is a control that another review I watched definitely missed. It didn't make sense when they were counting and labeling the buttons numerically, and suddenly say "22 is unmapped" -- I was like "you sure about that bro?" I know how it is having a lot of buttons to find, but it's always your fault if you didn't find one. Keep searching. Even with devices I'm fairly familiar with, sometimes I miss activating a control if I'm just cycling them.
As always great review, thanks Snake Eater - waiting for my pre order to arrive just became even more harder than it already was ;-)
With the ton of options a dual stick setup offers with these sticks I am interested in how you have or plan to set it up for SC. Maybe you would like to share your setup in a future video?
I just bought two of them... Can't wait for it to arrive
So the Constellation height with the desktop base is not too high like people say the T-50CM2 is? Looks very nice, but I am constrained to a desktop mount for the time being.
Quick question about the desk mount? How much depth is required to clamp it to the desk? What would be the minimum depth required? I have a large piano keyboard on a drawer under my desk so only have around 3cm to play with
I love how it looks like a Xenomorph's head.
How tall is this thing going to be on a desk with the WarBRD Base? I want to be able to compare it to my old Sidewinder Forcefeedback 2!
Thanks for the great review. This is helpful in deciding on my next grip for DCS. I do agree with the LED, I wish this was not there.
Thanks for the excellent review.
I am a flight sim guy with a simple Thrustmaster setup. The "VPC Constellation ALPHA" video talks a lot about the multi-stage trigger. It is the most important button ever.
What is the typical function of a multi-stage trigger when flying a GA plane? Is it more than just braking on the runway?
What can I use this luxury trigger for?
Thanks for a thorough review. Appreciate especially your points about suitability for flight sims. Now if only this grip were readily available...
Not really a critical issue but, do you know if you can program the RGB strip with the assigned colours for fire groups in the ship HUD in games like Elite Dangerous?
I think it would be a nice ambience feature to have the colour on the sticks change to match the weapon mode of the HUD as you cycle between them, but I'm odd like that.
Just received mine to USA, 76 days from purchase to receive, the packaging is significantly different now from unboxing videos and no manuals or instructions of any kind for a purchase over $1,500 usd is really unexpected
So for me, it seems like a better VKB comparison would be the MCG Pro + twist, given the buttons and feature set of the Alpha.
Taking into account the excellent Gunfighter III base, and reputation/build quality of VKB vs some of the QC issues and delays faced by Virpil owners, this becomes a tricky choice!!
What are your thoughts between these two offerings, as opposed to the Kosmo?
Hello, great production quality btw!. Just wondering if you have a discount code for the Virpil Constelllation Alpha w/VPC WarBRD Base? I am very interested in purchasing the units also upgrading from the X52.
13:00 You don't actually understand why the sticks need to have so many high hats till you play F-16 in DCS.
Dropping a bomb leaves you with asymmetrical wind loading and that forces you to have to trim it out immediately. I had to map trimming to my keyboard's Direction arrow keys. Definitely not as nice as being able to quickly trim with the thumb.
HOTAS Warthog got it right since that stick is the same as the F-16 and A-10. They even have the Nose Wheel Steering button for the trigger finger.
I missed the November pre order because of lack of funds . All saved up and ready to get these bad boys in my hands. Do they usually have more preorders down the road or is it just the one? kind of sucks needing to look at there web site each day for there order schedule to see if it updates.
@@jessecalder By the way. Another great review. Hit all the points and then some!
Play this at 1.75x and its perfect! How does this grip compare to thrustmaster warthog? I am disappointed its not metal.
What about the widely reported quality issues? There are plenty of videos / posts out there talking about how widely inconsistent alphas are. Same pre-order can have sticks build from what seems to be different materials.
13:38 how do you get the CM2 throttle grip with the old throttle base, its it a prototype thing? i have the old base and always want a ministick on the grip
Can you thumb-stick be used instead of a mouse to look around the cockpit and can the wheel be used to zoom your view in and out?
Could You do me a favor and take a special measure from the stick? I can not test it, if my hands are big enough for this joystick. I have a x56 from Logitech and this one is too big for my hands.
Curious how you map your sticks to space sim games - how do you bind your axis? Are you still using a traditional "inverted" pitch as is common in flight simulators?
@@jessecalder Thanks for the quick reply. Coming out of about 4 years of retirement from elite: dangerous, and decided to do it right. Bought 2 of these on your recommendation, and it seems there's no clear consensus on how people like to map their dual sticks. Even pulling "back" on the nose doesn't seem to be something everyone agrees on. Clearly i'll have to experiment. Love the videos though - clear, thorough, well produced.
I'd like to 'ease in' to a Virpil setup. Can I essentially 'replace' my Saitek X65 joystick with a Connne Alpha, and still use my X-65 throttle?...then maybe add a left hand Connie Alpha stick later...and still use my X-65 throttle? Anybody?
I have the first generation MongoosT-50 grip and primarily play DCS, but this is really tempting as a 'does-everything-well' grip that I would never need to swap out regardless of what I'm playing. The first gen T50 grip has less hats than the new T50 and is more plasticky... but I'm having a hard time trying to justify the T50CM2 over this, it does everything the CM2 seems to add to my current grip and more. This will be a hard one to resist... oh who am I kidding...
I am experiencing the same thing you talked about. I just got the constellation Alpha on a warbird base.
If feels as if the stick has too much play in it. When I try and select something with th e Alpha the cursor flies past it and I have to slow bring it back to where I want it to be.
Coming from a Warthog which was very percicse when moving around the screen. I can't find the 0 cam you speak about on Virpil site. What cam would you suggest for a solution?
Love your videos btw.
To be fair, most modern fighters have something akin to a thumbstick, except on western aircraft it's usually situated under the throttle index finger. However, Russian designs do indeed have it under the right thumb, while western european designs vary a bit.
Just placed an order at Virpil, cant wait to get my hands on it
Do you have to get a BA to review like this!? Jeesh. Good work homie. I'm already planning to speend 900 BUCKS on virpil gear next week. Can't add this to the list, but its will definitely be put on the wish list. As usual....stellar review!
Thanks for the review! I'm wondering can the VPC WarBRD Bases be mounted on a deskmount if desired?
Awesome vid man! The production quality is amazing. Just a quick question for a flight sim like DCS with the joystick centre mounted chair mount would you recommend this grip or the MongoosT-50CM2 grip? My hand breadth is 3.5” so not sure if my hand will fit the alpha grip
How do they let you preorder sticks but I can’t preorder some damn mounts????? I was able to order the Warthog adapters and an extension from Virpil but no mounts. They said I have to wait so I went with VKB mounts. Of course those aren’t here yet. Damn coronavirus!!!
Not going to lie, when I saw your intro, I thought "that guy is kind of a douche" (I am not from the US, so there also might be some cultural difference).
After watching your video you seem like the kind of guy to be great to have a beer with.
Also great review, great editing. As a non native speaker you are also really easy to understand. All around awesome.
Regarding the stick, would love to get it, but I already spent way too much on the DCS sale.
Thanks Snake Eater. I will probably pull the trigger on these then.
can you combine 1 mongoose and alpha together? Id like to have a center stick and alpha doesn't have the extension. reply if anyone has tried this.
Been pretty set on wanting one of these and this review just further confirms my need for it. Very informative, thanks for the thorough review!
Picked up a pair of these a couple weeks ago. Feelings are mixed. They feel good in hand, but I find a couple of the hats difficult to operate without actuation the center push.
I never had this problem with the mongoos cm2 or the delta.
Great review and amazing production quality! Thank you! What song is playing for the last 10 seconds?
any sticks for civilian aircraft?
You sound like a young Mike Rowe (in a good way!)
That's it! I was wondering why he sounded familiar. :)
Can you use one stick cuz I want to buy this for the left handed one
Great review. How does it compare with the VKB MCG Pro? Closer to the same feature set than the Kosmosima (switch/input wise).
Thanks a lot for the review! This grip really seems to be the best thing out there.
Nice that it can work perfectly for both sim and space.