Thrustmaster Warthog, worth it?

[Finkeren]

I've finally decided, that I am done with horrible Saitek sticks, and want to replace the stick for my X55 (keeping the throttle which is actually pretty good)

 

I'm looking to go all in and go for a Thrustmaster Warthog, but I would like to hear from people who have tried it: Is it really worth it? From what I've heard the T.16000m is a pretty damn good stick at 1/5 of the price of a Warthog. Is there any actual benefit in the feel, sensitivity, durability etc to the Warthog? I'm not too concerned about the number of buttons etc. mostly about how the stick feels. I want smooth movement and precise controls, and nothing of the stickiness that comes with a Saitek after just hours of use, that's the main thing. 

[=gRiJ=Roman-]

I was thinking the same. Let see what the community says about it.

[BOO]

If you want any guarantee of sticky free movement perhaps you need to look elsewhere. The WH gimbal is much criticised and whilst many report improvements with greasing and fixing rough edges there are other choices now that people are happier with (albeit they are more expensive) .

 

You might get lucky, you might not - I own two bases - both suffered this problem. They were better after some TLC but  if I was looking at the cost of the unit new, I think id be considering other products as well. 

 

In short, the gimbal isn't as good as some other products currently available like the VKB Gunfighter or the Virpil Mongoose (tall stick not suited for desktops without the clamp on stand). A plastic grip and metal gimbal would have been better.

 

Very few people complain about the T1600M though. 

[Nibbio]

My setup includes the Warthog center mounted on a Wheel Stand Pro with the custom Warthog plate.

I also installed a 12,5 cm Virpil extension on the Warthog, with a 15 degrees left rotation for better ergonomics.

 

The extension has really improved the feel of the Warthog and eliminated any "stiction" effects, which is the greatest drawback of this stick.

The Wheel Stand Pro is awesome, heavy and stable, and unexpensive as well.

Thrustmaster T.Flight rudder pedals are mounted on the Wheel Stand Pro floor bars. Will probably get better pedals later on.

 

So far it's working great for VR flying. Similar to the setup in the picture, but without the side plates. The throttle is sitting on a low Ikea table on the left. The whole setup is easy to move out of the way when not flying.

Sawed some 3 inches off the bottom of the inner center tube to adjust the height of the Warthog, since it was sitting too high with the extension.

I used to have a CH Products hotas, but this is much much better.

 

Edited October 24, 2017 by Nibbio

[ST_Pirato]

The Warthog is a mixed bag. The mentioned stiction issue is pretty bad on some units. On my Unit it was really horrible and I had to do quite a bit of DIY to fix it to an acceptable degree. Not what I would expect from a stick in that pricerange. I could have returned it though, but somehow I like fixing stuff. Out of the box precise movement around the center is not possible due to the Gimbal design. Only if you get an extension,which is not an official add on and not supported by TM, the movement becomes kind of smooth and precise. In that case the stick is too high for a desk. Overall im not convinced by TM Quality,accounting on different reports buttons start to fail after some time.On the other hand, I had my unit in use for over 4 years and none of the buttons ever failed or any other problem occured,besides the stiction at the beginning.  Atleast the grip feels nice in hand and makes a nice paperweight.

 

From what I know now,I would not recommend the Warthog stick. Especially that there are great alternatives out there by now,like BRD, VKB and Virpil.

[SCG_Fenris_Wolf]

You're in Denmark, and want to replace the stick within the next 4-5 months?

 

Your best option is Virpil T-50 with desk mount and extension. Second best option is TM Warthog with ground plate and extension. Third is VKB Gladiator Pro Mk. II if you don't need a Hotas. Fourth is Logitech's X56 Hotas with its new wiring.

 

 

The Gunfighter/MCG by vkb is not available, nor will be in any forseeable time. And if something is wrong with it, you'd be hard pressed finding replacement parts. Given the history of vkb, if you pre-order in January 2018 (that's when they allow Europeans to start ordering), you may or may not receive it in March 2018 or later.  That's almost half a year from now on.

 

Choose wisely :-)

 

 

Edit:

I forgot BRD. I do not know his sticks though. I believe he sells through forums.

Edited October 24, 2017 by 2./JG51_Fenris_Wolf

[dburne]

I used a Warthog  for a number of years, got it the year it was released which I believe was 2008 and really enjoyed it. The last few years I used it with an extension which really made a nice difference. I got lucky in that my original Warthog did not suffer from the roughness or bad stickion problems that some do. I did have a button go bad on the grip several months ago, so purchased another new Warthog stick from a seller on Ebay. Now that one was very rough and had bad stickion. I just moved the new grip over to my original Warthog gimbal. 

 

More recently I got the Virpil setup - the stick and base, deskmount, and extension kit. Wow what a difference, so very smooth and quite adjustable. Big difference from my Warthog stick. Unlike the Warthog which uses one big compression spring for both axis, the Virpil have independent axis so one can feel the two separate axis whilst moving the stick. 

 

Nice thing about the Warthog setup, you can just get the whole kit and get a pretty cool throttle unit as well, whereas with the boutique guys like Virpil/VKB currently it is only the stick. Virpil has shown pictures of their upcoming throttle unit which looks very nice, and rumor has it should be available between now and end of the year.

 

So while the Warthog setup is pretty nice, it can be hit or miss the shape the gimbal will be in. I especially like that cold metal feel of the stick. 

Now that I have the Virpil stick, my Warthog is officially retired and will be available only as a backup should I need it.

Now I will also say I had some small issue with my Virpil setup, but support was outstanding and they got me squared away very promptly. 

 

The reason I even mention the Virpil is this statement you made:

"I want smooth movement and precise controls, and nothing of the stickiness that comes with a Saitek after just hours of use, that's the main thing. "

In all my years of flight simming, have never used a stick as smooth and precise as the Virpil I have now.

Edited October 24, 2017 by dburne

[Bombzey]

If you are happy with a Desktop stick that sits outside of leg I don't think you can go wrong with a T.16000m.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T16000M-FCS-Joystick-Black/dp/B01MQEDEEW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1508848515&sr=8-2&keywords=T.16000m

 

I've heard of people swapping the concrete ballast for a heavier metal but to be honest I VHB taped mine to a block of thick rubber and it works a treat.

 

At a 5th of the price of a WH its not a monumental investment for a super smooth stick.

[OrLoK]

I love my hog.

 

Far superior to my COUGAR.

 

No ragrets here.

[Sokol1]

Certainly is better that Saiteks or CH (only other HOTAS options) , but really worth for play DCS A-10.

 

For WWII games are best options in sticks mechanics - VKB, VirPil, Baur and even in grip (VKB MCG PRO).

 

Joystick is not just "badass look"  or "tons of buttons" buttons or keyboard emulator that "fry sausages and open beer cans", is sensors, that in Warhog is good, and mechanics - that in Warthog is "so, so", hence as now are options in the market, better invest in better mechanics.

 

The mentioned options has no complete HOTAS for now, but their sticks can be used with X-52, X-55, CH, Thrustmaster or GVL224, Kantori custom throttles in modern combat games - may not in FPS games with flight "things" (Bf's e Cia).

Edited October 24, 2017 by Sokol1

[LLv24_SukkaVR]

I have Warthog and if i had to choose again, i would buy VPC controls instead. Im especially disappointed with the throttle unit which died, and while i was trying to fix it if found out that a lot of people had similar issues. Underneath that nice steel case is nothing else than cheapest chinese crap that can fail anytime. Luckily i had warranty left and i got replacement throttle but now i fear everytime when i plug in the throttle that it flashes those 5 leds of death and the throttle is bricked    But im pretty happy with the stick with 10cm extension. But i think i would rather buy VPC stick now if i had to choose and im thinking about selling Warthog throttle and buying VPC throttle which seems pretty cool and it should be compatible with my wheel stand pro stand.

[Finkeren]

I’ve been looking a bit into the Virpil stick, but I am ashamed to admit, that I’m always a little anxious about trading outside the EU.

 

What are people’s experience with delivery times and payment methods?

[dburne]

I’ve been looking a bit into the Virpil stick, but I am ashamed to admit, that I’m always a little anxious about trading outside the EU.

 

What are people’s experience with delivery times and payment methods?

 

From the time it shipped to my getting delivery here in the U.S., was around 7-10 days.

 

As far as payment, I had no trouble using a credit card.

[ST_Pirato]

They are on Amazon also for EU customers. But they not have always something in stock.

[Sokol1]

I’ve been looking a bit into the Virpil stick, but I am ashamed to admit, that I’m always a little anxious about trading outside the EU.

 

What are people’s experience with delivery times and payment methods?

 

VirPil is became be available in Amazon.uk - their Western representative, Cyph3r on DCS forum, is from England.

[dburne]

 

VirPil is became be available in Amazon.uk - their Western representative, Cyph3r on DCS forum, is from England.

 

Cyph3r is on these forums as well under VIRPILControls.

 

He has been a great source of support for the Virpil setup.

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

I've been flying with the Warthog for about three years now. I immediately put on a 10cm extension and center mounted it on a DIY PVC stand. Perhaps it is the extension which allows me to have good flight mechanics and no stiction. It seems really precise to me. I have never greased or tinkered with the gimbal and have had zero issues with it. I can recommend it highly and have easily gotten my moneys worth out of it.

 

Edit: Between the throttle and the stick I have almost everything programmed to my HOTAS including PTT on TeamSpeak.

Edited October 25, 2017 by II/JG17_HerrMurf

[VIRPILControls]

I’ve been looking a bit into the Virpil stick, but I am ashamed to admit, that I’m always a little anxious about trading outside the EU.

 

What are people’s experience with delivery times and payment methods?

 

Understandable! However, I would like to try and alleviate any concerns. 

 

We have been trading via our online webstore since March, and we have customers from all over the world. Delivery times vary country by country, but we ship via EMS Express and you should generally expect 5-14 days. 

 

If you're in the EU however, you'll be pleased to know that we have since opened up our EU warehouse, which is currently serving Amazon UK and Amazon DE (FR, IT and ES coming soon!). We are currently out of stock of the MT-50 Bases/Flighsticks, the first shipment got snatched up incredibly fast, but we will be sending another shipment over in the next 7-10 days. 

 

If you have any other specific concerns, feel free to message me  

 

 

 

VirPil is became be available in Amazon.uk - their Western representative, Cyph3r on DCS forum, is from England.

 

 

Cyph3r is on these forums as well under VIRPILControls.

 

He has been a great source of support for the Virpil setup.

 

Hello!    

[Warpig]

If you want quality, precision, and smoothness, VKB is the way to go. Well worth the wait.

 

This is from my own experience using the Fat Black Mamba with the metal gimbal system.

[Inkophile]

I find my Warthog a VERY good stick (same sensor as the T.16000M btw, so sensor-wise no precision advantage), and although IL-2's way to read key inputs makes the programming of it a hassle (no other sim has this issue, but the devs still blame Thrustmaster for their own incompetence/negligence) I absolute adore the number of switches on it.

 

The only issue I have with it is the spring tension. It is a stiff stick and at least without an extension it can becone tiring to use for longer periods of time. Especially when in a 109. It definitely is more of a jet-stick than a prop stick.

 

H eupside is a near non-existent deadzone, and the even tensionacross the whole range of movement makes it very easy to be very precise wih it.

 

Two throttle levers certainly doesn't hurt either (I use them both for engine 1/2+3 throttle, and the friction lever for RPM)

[dburne]

Some considerations on Warthog, Virpil, VKB. ( I own all three ).

 

Warthog - pretty much complete turn key product for the most part, a nice stick and a nice throttle ready to go. Some buyers receive units with sticktion, some worse than others. I have had two Warthog gimbals, and they were as different as night and day. One , my first, smooth as could be and still is. The second, rough and lot of sticktion. May be a toss up on what shape your gimbal comes in. The Warthog would probably be most economical solution.

To truly get the best experience, would be to add an extension available form several sources, and a center mount. This turns the Warthog truly into a very good setup. Monster Tech offers table mounts ( I have one ), that works quite well but a little pricey. Some guys create their own. I used my Warthog with a 7.5CM extension and table mount for quite some time. My original gimbal, purchased in 2008, still smooth as could be and works great. Never even had a need to grease it.

 

VKB - Boutique mfg, that makes an excellent product. All metal gimbal system with independent x and y axis. ( Warthog uses one large compression spring for both). Joystick only. Movement is very smooth, with absolutely zero sticktion. That will never be an issue. Runs their product in "batches" , with pre-orders. Current iteration is the Gunfighter with KG-12 grip ( very few buttons). New MCG grip will add many more buttons, currently scheduled for sometime in December. ( I have one on pre-order). The gimbal has a dry clutch mechanism allowing one to fine tune the feel/tension of the stick. You can get a desk top VKB stick or a Pro version of the Gunfighter which has an extension and stronger springs. ( would still need a way to mount to desk).

 

Virpil - Boutique mfg, newest entry. They did a very good job with their initial offering, much like the VKB setup. All metal gimbal, independent x and y axis. Comes with different cams and springs to fine tune the feel. Rather than a dry clutch, has two screws exposed on top of base cover that can adjust spring tension for both pitch and roll axis  to get a different feel especially around center. That feature works very well.

Very smooth stick, zero sticktion. Availability is good on the Virpil setup.

One caveat - The Virpil is not a desk top solution, and can not be used that way. Designed to be center mounted, their optional desk mount and extension set is quite good at a reasonable price.

 

The VKB and Virpil offerings are the more pricey options, especially considering one would still need a throttle. Virpil has announced a throttle and hopes to have it available by the end of the year. Alternatively you can always buy a Warthog throttle by itself.

 

I have not done any flying with my VKB Gunfighter yet as I was waiting on the new MCG Pro grip for it. Based on how it feels just playing around with it, I would put the Virpil and VKB offerings very close together in quality and feel. 

Edited October 25, 2017 by dburne

[Sokol1]

Warthog - Monster Tech offers table mounts ( I have one ), that works quite well but a little pricey. 

 

Warthog can use too VirPil deskmount, two cost ~ one Monstertech, as well VirPil have the more affordable extension kits.

Edited October 25, 2017 by Sokol1

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

Got my extension from Sahaj BTW. He had several offerings for length. Pretty quick on the delivery to the US.

[dburne]

Warthog can use too VirPil deskmount, two cost ~ one Monstertech, as well VirPil have the more affordable extension kits.

 

How can the Warthog use the Virpil deskmount? That would definitely be ideal but the Warthog bolts from the bottom and the Virpil from the front?

Got my extension from Sahaj BTW. He had several offerings for length. Pretty quick on the delivery to the US.

 

Yeah I got mine from him as well, in black which looks great with the Warthog.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 25, 2017 by dburne

[VIRPILControls]

How can the Warthog use the Virpil deskmount? That would definitely be ideal but the Warthog bolts from the bottom and the Virpil from the front?

 

We sell adapter plates so you can use the TM Warthog Base and Throttle with our Desk Mounts!

 

https://virpil.by/en/shop/tmw-mounting-plate-base-vpc

 

https://virpil.by/en/shop/tmw-mounting-plate-throttle-vpc

Edited October 25, 2017 by VIRPILControls

[dburne]

We sell adapter plates so you can use the TM Warthog Base and Throttle with our Desk Mounts!

 

 

 

 

 

Ah guess I missed that bit of news, good to know.

[Lusekofte]

It all depends on the budget, there are better sticks out there than all options above, just a bit more expencive. If you fly WW2 simulators warthog is not ideal. If you fly DCS planes not choppers it is ideal, considering they got a F 18 grip for it also. 

I have great belief in Baur base , and Virpil look amazing. I think you need to use your gut feeling on this, Herr Murf is not alone being satisfied with warthog

[TRRA15]

I guess it's all in the timing..."woulda' coulda shoulda"

 

I wish this thread came up several days earlier than it did because I had just hours earlier got a Warthog HOTAS delivered to my door step. When I picked the box up I thought maybe they shipped me an engine block instead. Beefy unit(s) to say the least, though I have no illusion the innards, especially the multitude of switches, will be as stout. After reading this thread I immediately unboxed and assembled the stick to get a feel to see if it has "sticktion" that was spoken of upthread. None noted, but I haven't hooked it up yet either.  Am waiting for my order of rudder pedals to arrive. When I get it all hooked up I'll post my impressions. Crossing my fingers that the good reviews will be my experience too.

 

I too reached my limit of patience with my Saitek X-52 Hotas. My 3rd unit. Good unit on paper and works OK but I'm getting fed up with the constant need to recalibrate. Also tired of missing what should be "get-able" shots or jitters denying me well aimed sight solutions due to the lack of smoothness on center or the twist rudder imparting unwanted motions on the other axes.

Edited October 26, 2017 by TRRA15

[MacLeod]

Have one for a few months already and have basically two suggestions:

1. Get or build yourself one extension and center mount the joystick somehow. There’s a lot of options out there for this. With this it becomes a completely different beast!

2. The trigger on mine is really hard, so my trigger finger is starting to get hurt, don’t know if other people have had this, but I would advice using the trigger intercalating the trigger and middle fingers, or maybe both at once!

 

It’s a great unit, but as stated above, there are very interesting alternatives to it now!

[No_85_Gramps]

While I do love my warthog, I miss the X55 throttle with it's rotaries. Also, a 10cm extension on the stick makes a big difference. May have to approach the CFO after looking into the Virpil offerings. 

[Finkeren]

Extension is not going to be an option for me. I have only a small corner of the living room for my gaming rig, and i definitely need a stick that sits on the desk.

 

Thanks for your answers all.

[No_85_Gramps]

Extension is not going to be an option for me. I have only a small corner of the living room for my gaming rig, and i definitely need a stick that sits on the desk.

 

Thanks for your answers all.

Since my desk has drawers I set it up this way. Can still move stick out of the way if necessary.

[ST_Pirato]

It is only my opinion,but I think with the stock Warthog stick you will not get happy. The lack of fine adjustments around the center makes it really hard to aim well, even if it isn't plaqued with the stiction issue. The "bump" in the center and the relatively strong spring should make it hard to control most plane with precision. Best is,if you can,try the stick in some store.

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

^^. Definitely not my experience.

[dburne]

If one has been flying with CH, Logitech, Saitek, then the Warthog will be a great buy ( assuming not a horrible gimbal). Throw an extension on it and center mount, it will transform it to an even greater stick. Joystick bliss.

 

Until try a Virpil or VKB, then that joystick bliss will be at a whole new level. For those that like to tinker and get under the hood, both are excellent for that and fine tuning adjustments.

 

Just depends how much one is willing to invest in the hardware and how long they intend to stick with the hobby.

[Archie]

If I was looking for a stick now it would definitely be a Virpil or VKB. I've had my CH set up for over a decade though and the stick still works like it did on day one. We should be happy that such a niche hobby has such great peripherals on the market!

[Sokol1]

Extension is not going to be an option for me. I have only a small corner of the living room for my gaming rig, and i definitely need a stick that sits on the desk.

 

In this case, desktop use scratch Virpil, is not made for desktop use, require deskmount, and Warthog, look for VKB's.

 

Gladiator PRO + KG-12A grip (2 physical buttons + 6 "virtual" buttons + POV HAT) or Gunfighter base+ MCG grip (2 models available + twist "Next Generation" optional) - this when became available in the traditional "two weeks, be sure"™. 

 

Or for spent less Gladiator Mk.II "vanilla" is good option, their damper gimbal will help more in WWII fight main purpose - put the gunsight piper over the bandit than Warthog "stiction" and heavy to move gimbal.

 

BTW - Despite VKB EU comercial "imbroglio" Gladiator Mk. II "vanilla" is actually available in flightsimcontrols (Netherlands).

 

On low cost side T.16000M worth a try, but require the

to make the grip (4 buttons + POV HAT) more usable. Edited October 27, 2017 by Sokol1

[Finkeren]

I would definitely consider the VBK gladiator. Seems quite affordable and with a good amount of buttons.

 

What is the advantage of getting the “Pro” version instead of the regular one?

[BOO]

Metal gimbal but no twist axis

 

I think you can swap grips with the MCG on it which you cant on the regular one (I may be wrong)

Edited October 27, 2017 by BOO

[Finkeren]

Metal gimbal improves durability obviously, but does it affect smoothiness?

Edited October 27, 2017 by Finkeren