Compelling features:

Dual throttle with 4 additional axis controllers

7 3-way toggles

User customizable stick tension via different installable springs, or use none at all if preferred.

 

http://www.saitek.com/x55/

 

I'll be having a hard time resisting getting one of these, but I'll wait for the reviews before making any decision.

I'm disappointed that they didn't utilize all that open space on the Stick for more buttons. With my X52 I ran out of buttons very quickly when playing DCS A-10C.

 

As much as this three mode thing is cool, its always better to have maximum functionality in a single mode. In the end I never use the three mode option in the Saitek software, instead using the three way mode switch and the clutch button and the pinkie switch as actual joystick inputs.

 

I'm interested, but I'm skeptical. I wasn't impressed with the X65. I also wonder about price. Will this be in the same ballpark as the X52 was? If so then suddenly it has my attention.

What happened with the X65?  Was it discontinued?  It doesn't seem to be available in the US any longer.

I'm interested in it, depending on pricing.  Looks like a nice upgrade from my x52, plus would allow me to (further) hack up my x52.

As and when my X-52 and X-52 Pro pack up, I'll very likely get this as a replacement. Durability is the key however - Saitek have a bit of a mixed reputation in that regard. Looks very impressive, though.

Durability is the key however - Saitek have a bit of a mixed reputation in that regard.

 

Like the x52 pro (which is what I have), the x55 looks to have hall effect sensors.  Should help a bit in the durability department.  I've been pretty rough on mine and have had it apart a few times, still seems to work pretty good.

 

Can't say the same for my saitek yoke though - it seems to be accruing wear faster than I would like.  Might be nearing time to take that one apart and see what kind of damage mods I can do to it. :lol:

Interesting, nut i think its just another plastic junk, they took all the remaining items made a new house and thats it, Im sure the sensors will be the cheapest ones. and looking at the pics, they promoting the color spring )) LOL WHO CARES?

So is this the sequel to the X52?

With the kind of patethic after sales support that Saitek offered for its previous products, most importantly the X52 Pro, I dont think I will get into the trap once again.

 

At least 7 of the 10 guys using the X52 Pro cannot use the MFD provided with the throttle.  Importantly, Saitek cannot / has not found it necessary to solve the problem.  Go thru the Saitek forums and you will know the truth.

 

Ted

Well Ted, I had an intermittent problem with the trigger switch on my X-52 Pro, about 2 weeks before the warranty was due to expire. All I had was a hand-written receipt from a flight simulator exhibition at Duxford; genuine but not terribly convincing. Nevertheless, Saitek honoured it and sent me a complete brand new X-52 Pro - stick, throttle, cable, the lot. People's experiences differ, don't they. But I do agree - Saitek's reliability and durability is something they need to address. Maybe they will do with the X-55.

My X52 Pro just went mad last weekend :-(

 

I can now only use the Throttle module, and an old Cyborg X.

 

All of a sudden, any button I touch will enable all of the other, in a random mix :-(

 

I tried everything I could so far, including, of course, a complete driver reinstall, with no success.

 

The axis are still good to go, but not being able to use any buttons makes the stick useless, at least for me...

 

BTW: Any ideas welcomed... The x55 might be the only way to go now :-/

At least 7 of the 10 guys using the X52 Pro cannot use the MFD provided with the throttle. Importantly, Saitek cannot / has not found it necessary to solve the problem. Go thru the Saitek forums and you will know the truth.

 

Mine worked for the brief period I used it.  I have since tried to keep any trace of Saitek software off of my pc (It's not just Saitek, I dislike proprietary device software), using FSUIPC for buttons and axis, and spad for my switch panel.  Of course, this is just my personal preference, and if something wouldn't of worked out of the box I'd likely have been annoyed as well.

 

I currently have the X52 pro, Pro Flight yoke, Pro Flight rudder pedals, one extra TQ, the TPM, and the Cessna trim wheel, along with a fairly cheap saitek joystick (can't recall the model) that I turned into a long throw helicopter cyclic.  All of which works rather well, other than that the yoke has a bit of wear and stickiness to it that I'm planning to fix through a few mods.

 

I'm not going to claim that the Saitek stuff is the best ever, but it's relatively inexpensive compared to quality dedicated flight simulation controllers (you get what you pay for), and it's all worked well for me.  Very much on par with any other mice, keyboards or other dedicated gaming peripherals that I've spent money on in the last 20 years.  I guess when I buy a Saitek item I'm only ever hoping to get a specific lifespan out of it.

 

I guess I'm also hesitant to criticize Saitek too much; I appreciate that they are one of the only companies producing affordable flight simulation hardware.  It's a pretty niche market, and all of the guys that make the really high quality stuff charge far, far more money.  The other week I was pricing out a proper helicopter cyclic and collective... wowsers...

I guess I'm also hesitant to criticize Saitek too much; I appreciate that they are one of the only companies producing affordable flight simulation hardware.  It's a pretty niche market, and all of the guys that make the really high quality stuff charge far, far more money.  The other week I was pricing out a proper helicopter cyclic and collective... wowsers...

 

Agree with you about this, Saitek offers niche products at a reasonable price,  have had several sticks and they all function well.

 

I like the removable tension springs, that means this can be used as a helicopter cyclic easily.

 

No if only they made an extender rod for the stick, so that you could floor mount it.

I like the removable tension springs, that means this can be used as a helicopter cyclic easily.

 

No if only they made an extender rod for the stick, so that you could floor mount it.

 

I agree, depending on how they've implemented the spring removal, it'll be very handy.  Prior to hacking apart my cheaper Saitek stick, I was using my X52pro as a helicopter cyclic by zip-tying the spring in a compressed state.  Worked okay.

 

As for an extender rod, it would in theory be quite easy for them to do; the wires for all of the switches on the top of the stick are all run through a plug-in connector (at least on the stuff I've disassembled so far), so they could simply provide a longer handle that you could remove and plug in.  The only issue I've run into in adapting my own is that the overall throw of the joystick is too excessive when using a handle long enough to set the joystick on the floor.  This can be compensated for with curves in FSUIPC, however.

Lookin at the specs...im a bit concerened. The X and Y using hall sensors while the Z axis and the Throttle axis are stil potentiometers. Potentiometers = spiking after x while of use.