Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog – Hardware Review
Flight sticks or joysticks, often wrongfully deemed to be hardware from a long forgotten age, are still a thing for a certain audience. Flight sim enthusiasts are still using these things and to be honest, it’s sad that these devices aren’t being marketed more in the open. Today we’ll be able to present you with our opinion of the HOTAS Warthog kit, which are actual replicas of a real flight stick and throttle. Let’s finish the last safety checks and board the plane.
Design
Immediately after opening the box it’s clear that this flight stick is a top notch item. Thrustmaster did its best to present you with a quality replica of the U.S. Air Force A-10C’s Flight stick and throttle. One can easily spot that the detail level on these items are amazing. You’ll be presented with all the buttons and switches like with the real deal.
The stick itself has been made completely out of metal and it simply looks a lot better than many of the other plastic versions on the market. Each button has its color, just like in the actual plane. The base looks sturdy and the metal plate finish might look fairly simple, but it looks great.
Seeing this is a two part package, the throttle (and switch panel) has to do an effort to look as good as the flight stick itself. The panel itself might look even better in certain aspects. The throttle looks detailed, sturdy and above all authentic. All switches look like the real deal and no expense was saved on the materials used.
Each of the parts will have a nice looking ‘HOTAS Warthog’ logo, and the throttle will have a small plaque with the production number of your combo. A fun gimmick for a true enthusiast and collector.
Overall the HOTAS Warthog combo set looks amazing. Probably one of the best looking devices I have seen in years.
Comfort
Just like the real life variant of the flight stick, it is designed for right handed (digital-) pilots. You will be able to reach all the buttons and sticks quite easily, if you have normal sized hands. People with smaller hands might have some issues reaching all of the buttons on the stick. That being said, the metallic stick feels just right and is truly molded to be quite comfortable.
Same can be said for the throttle (and panel). You will find everything easy to reach, except for some switches on the side of the throttle handle, if you have smaller hands. The grip of the throttle itself feels comfortable and solid. Other than that, all the switches feel solid and make a clear click when you switch them.
Both parts have a metal base, which makes each piece quite heavy. This is a great feature because it will keep both items in place, even during heavier dogfights. There is also the option to attach both pieces to something else, seeing there is a hole in each corner for you to insert screws. Another fun feature if you want to create a solid setup, with perhaps even more items attached to it. (Radar panels, …)
Longer gaming sessions prove to be comfortable but working with all of the different buttons will of course take some time getting used to.
Specs
- Replica throttle(s)
- Replica Joystick
- Replica control panel
- T.A.R.G.E.T. software
Overview
Both the panel and the flight stick require hardly any assembly and are pretty much plug and play. You will simply have to plug in the top of the flight stick to its base and then screw it together, creating one big whole. It’s advised to install the T.A.R.G.E.T. software in order to change the different settings you will need to ensure a better gaming experience. After that each of the components will need a separate USB port, thus depending on the game you can just use the stick, if the controls of the game are fairly simple.
The T.A.R.G.E.T. software will allow you to bind keys to certain switches and/or buttons on your hardware. Most of it will point itself out and it offers options for newcomers and veterans alike. You’ll be able to select each piece separately and then set it up to your liking. A fun fact is that the software will also support other Thrustmaster items, such as the T.16000M. When everything is set, the panel can pretty much serve as a replacement of your keyboard during your gaming sessions.
When everything is set up and you’re good to go, you except the hardware to be responsive. Luckily this is the case, the stick itself can be used to maneuver quite precisely and you can still fine-tune it further with the software. The stick itself, when you release it, it will automatically go to its original central position.
Conclusion
Thrustmaster’s HOTAS Warthog may be one of the best looking pieces of flight sim hardware on the market. Not only does it look good, it’s authentic, sturdy and above all it offers a wide range of options. Of course, with the price class it finds itself in this item will probably only be great for those who are totally into flight simulation games. That being said, thanks to the software you will be able to take baby steps into the world of a digital pilot. Fasten your seatbelts ladies and gentlemen, we’re about to depart.
Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog - Hardware Review,
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