Sticks & Gamepads
Recommended
Logitech Extreme 3D Pro
Great choice for a first joystick to try before you spend hundreds of dollars!
Xbox or PlayStation gamepad
You may already have one! If not, a third-party 8BitDo gamepad costs around $20.
See Tuuvas’ setup guides:
Winwing Ursa Minor Fighter Joystick
A budget clone of the VKB Gladiator with more buttons and a vibration motor. Made from a cheaper-feeling plastic compared to the Gladiator. Has a fairly short throw.
VKB Gladiator NXT EVO Space Combat Edition Premium
Best value!
Winwing Orion 2 ViperAce EX (formerly F-16EX)
Virpil Constellation Alpha grip with WarBRD-D base
VKB Gunfighter Modern Combat Edition Ultimate
Recommended with Reservations
Thrustmaster T16000M FCS
Widely available. Commonly develops problems with axis sensors. Button layout is difficult to use while keeping hands on the HOTAS. Overall similar to the Logitech 3D Extreme Pro, but costs more.
VKB Gladiator NXT EVO Space Combat Edition Standard
The Premium is worth the extra $30 for the extra hat, trigger and analog stick. However, the Standard may fit within import de minimis limits in some European countries.
VKB Gladiator NXT EVO WWII Combat Edition
Good choice if you only play WWII simulations.
VKB Gladiator NXT EVO F-14 Combat Edition
Good choice if you only play DCS: F-14 Tomcat
Virpil VPC VFX grip with WarBRD-D base
Good choice if you only play DCS: F-14 Tomcat
Thrustmaster AVA base with F-16C or F/A-18C grip
Significantly more expensive than an Orion 2. Only consider this if shipping and import fees make it cheaper than a Winwing.
RealSimulator F-16 side grip with FSSB-R3 base
For serious F-16 enthusiasts with very high budgets.
VPForce Rhino
For serious DIYers with extraordinary budgets and patience. Grip not included, requires custom assembly
Not Recommended
CH Products Fighterstick
This used to be Recommended with Reservations as a used option, but the Winwing Ursa Minor is now a significantly better option in that price range.
Turtle Beach Velocity One Flightstick
Badly designed. Has an inverse force curve making precise inputs and aiming extremely difficult.
Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog Flight Stick
Poor gimbal quality, stick is too heavy for the base, you can get much better sticks for less money
Winwing Orion 2 NavyAce (formerly F/A-18 Hornet)
More expensive than the ViperAce grip for fewer buttons. Even if you only play DCS: F/A-18C Hornet, you should get the F-16 grip since you’ll want extra buttons for communications. If you play DCS: F-15E Strike Eagle, the ViperAce grip is recommended instead to provide an analog input for the WSO’s Hand Controller Unit.
VKB Gunfighter Modern Combat Edition Pro
The MCE Ultimate fixed a number of criticisms over the MCE Pro and is worth the cost difference.
Throttles
Recommended
VKB STECS
Customizable, best value!
💡 The Mini version is intended for use with a separate mount; The Mini Plus/Standard/Max versions can be used as desktop devices out of the box. You can make a desktop plate for the Mini from some scrap wood.
Winwing Orion 2 NavyAce (formerly F/A-18)
Winwing Orion 2 StrikeAce EX (formerly F-15EX)
Recommended with Reservations
Virpil VMAX Prime Throttle
Great quality, but is expensive compared to competition such as VKB STECS and Winwing Orion 2.
Virpil VPC MongoosT-50CM3
Great quality, but is expensive compared to competition such as VKB STECS.
Virpil VPC CDT-VMAX
Smaller version of the MongoosT-50M3. Great quality, but for most users the VKB STECS is the better value.
Thrustmaster TWCS
Widely available. Has stiction issues, which can be fixed by replacing the lubricant or replacing the slider. Commonly develops issues with the thrust and paddle axes.
Winwing Ursa Minor Space Joystick
A budget clone of the VKB Gladiator Omni Throttle with more buttons and a vibration motor. Designed for space simulation, but can also be used as a serviceable flight simulation throttle. Made from a cheaper-feeling plastic compared to the Gladiator.
VKB Gladiator NXT EVO Omni Throttle
A great device for space simulation, which can also be used as a serviceable flight simulation throttle.
Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog throttle
Throttle grip and axis is good. The switches on the base are overly specific to DCS: A-10C Warthog. Can be found used for a decent value, but VKB STECS is almost always a better choice. Units made before late 2022 have a poor quality slew control which benefits from a third-party replacement. All versions benefit from the third-party firmware.
Winwing Orion 2 ViperAce (formerly F-16)
If you mostly play DCS: F-16C Viper, DCS: JF-17 Thunder and Falcon BMS
Thrustmaster Viper TQS
If you mostly play DCS: F-16C Viper, DCS: JF-17 Thunder and Falcon BMS and you live somewhere this is cheaper than a Winwing Orion 2 F-16 throttle
Winwing Orion 2 StrikeAce E (formerly F-15E)
If you mostly play DCS: F-15E Strike Eagle. Notably, it has a speedbrake switch which the StrikeAce EX grip lacks.
VKB GNX WWII Throttle
If you mostly fly WWII aircraft, early to mid cold war aircraft, and/or DCS MiG-29/Su-25/Su-27/Su-33
Not Recommended
CH Products Pro Throttle
Worse than a modded Thrustmaster TWCS.
HOTAS (Stick & Throttle Bundles)
Recommended
Winwing Orion 2 HOTAS MAX
Bundle of the Winwing Orion 2 ViperAce EX Viper stick and Orion 2 throttle. Choice of replica F/A-18, replica F-15E and fictionalized F-15EX throttle grips available. A close match to the real controls of an A-10 or F-15E.
Recommended with Reservations
Thrustmaster T16000M FCS HOTAS
Bundle of the Thrustmaster T16000M FCS stick and TWCS throttle
Winwing Orion 2 HOTAS ViperAce
Bundle of the Winwing Orion 2 ViperAce EX stick and Orion 2 ViperAce throttle. A close match to the real controls of an F-16.
Not Recommended
Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS
Designed for game consoles. Too few buttons for simulation use
Logitech/Saitek X52
Commonly develops axis jitter issues. Production quality seems ti be severely declining, with users who purchased units in the 2020s reporting issues in less than one year.
Logitech/Saitek X52 Pro
Similar problems to X52
Logitech X56/Saitek X55
Stick is not terrible but the throttle is very stiff. Worse for the price than buying a VKB Gladiator and Thrustmaster TWCS separately
Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog
Bundle of the Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog flight stick and throttle. See issues with HOTAS Warthog flight stick
Hori Flight Control System for Windows
This would be fine if it was $200, but Hori is charging $500, and it’s not competitive at that price.
Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightdeck
Stick has an inverse force curve making precise inputs and aiming extremely difficult. This might would be fine if it was below $200, but Turtle Beach is charging $400, and it’s not competitive at that price.
Rudders
Note: Rudders are not mandatory. They are strongly recommended for most helicopters and very useful for WWII aircraft and some Cold War aircraft like the Tomcat, Phantom and Scooter. For modern aircraft, a twist stick is fine.
Recommended
VKB T-Rudders
Single axis, no toe brakes
Virpil WarBRD/VPC ACE Torq
Single axis, no toe brakes.
MFG Crosswind V3
Slaw Device pedals
Recommended with Reservations
Winwing Orion Metal Flight Rudder Pedals
Included spring is slightly on the strong side. Otherwise very similar to the MFG Crosswinds, but more expensive and with less customization. May be a good choice for shipping to some regions.
CH Products Pro Pedals
Can be found for a good price used. Very narrow.
Virpil VPC ACE
Similar to the MFG Crosswind V3. Might be a good choice if you’re buying other Virpil products and can bundle the shipping
Thrustmaster TPR
Expensive, some reports of reliability issues
Not Recommended
Logitech/Saitek Pro Flight
Very poor build quality
Thrustmaster T.Flight
Very poor build quality