1
00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:06,720
so joysticks are a category of products that i haven't really gotten into much

2
00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:11,360
the last time i bought one was back around the release of the first hawks

3
00:00:08,559 --> 00:00:16,400
game since i'm more into arcade flight than sim flight incidentally it was a

4
00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:19,359
seitak aviator zero zero one and it ended up being the main reason i didn't

5
00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:23,680
really get into that game because it felt like such a shoddy piece of kit

6
00:00:21,359 --> 00:00:28,000
compared to my old thrustmaster top gun the only other joystick i've ever owned

7
00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:33,760
which i only actually replaced because it requires a game port but with elite

8
00:00:31,359 --> 00:00:39,360
dangerous being dangerously fun and star citizen coming eventually we hope i felt

9
00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:47,040
like it was time to jump in and jump hard with the x55 rhino the top of the

10
00:00:42,079 --> 00:00:47,040
line flight some accessory from satech

11
00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:59,199
Corsair's hdi gt and h100i gtx

12
00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:04,320
all-in-one liquid coolers improve both the appearance and cooling of your pc

13
00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:06,080
click my face to learn more

14
00:01:04,320 --> 00:01:11,840
so let's get this out of the way this puppy not cheap it costs more than the

15
00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:13,600
moto e 2nd gen cell phone review that

16
00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:18,560
i'm working on well it doesn't cost more than the review it costs more than the phone but you guys get the point and

17
00:01:16,479 --> 00:01:23,280
while it certainly packs a wallop in terms of features my initial impressions

18
00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:26,720
of it actually weren't entirely positive opening up the package i was greeted by

19
00:01:25,119 --> 00:01:31,280
environmentally friendly paper-based packaging the separate flight stick and

20
00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:36,640
throttle units that together make up the hotaz or hands-on throttle and stickness

21
00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:40,400
of the device some documentation and three optional springs which combined

22
00:01:38,479 --> 00:01:44,079
with the one that comes pre-installed and the option to go bareback gives the

23
00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:47,439
user the ability to adjust the tension of the stick to five different levels

24
00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:51,520
without any tools or special modifications the stick assembly was

25
00:01:49,759 --> 00:01:55,680
easy just pop it in place so the contacts line up and tighten the ring

26
00:01:53,759 --> 00:01:58,799
plug in the two usb cables install the software from the satex site and you're

27
00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:03,920
ready to rock sounds good so far Linus what didn't you

28
00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:08,080
like well honestly the biggest thing is that for 200

29
00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:13,120
i expected something a little more substantial feeling i can forgive the

30
00:02:11,039 --> 00:02:17,440
noticeable clunk that exists when centering the

31
00:02:15,599 --> 00:02:22,800
stick thanks to the spring tensioning system but the flex that even my weak

32
00:02:20,879 --> 00:02:27,200
hands can detect in the plastic of the stick shaft and the sheer

33
00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:32,319
lightweightness of the unit just don't feel like i just spent 200 on something

34
00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:35,519
honestly satech probably could have impressed me by simply putting lead

35
00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:39,599
plates in the bottom of these because then at least i could actually use them

36
00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:43,840
at all without bolting them to my flight cockpit or desk something that's not

37
00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:47,599
convenient for everyone but

38
00:02:44,959 --> 00:02:51,360
all of that above stuff was for the most part feelings and looking at this

39
00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:56,160
objectively i don't see any better options on the market at this price

40
00:02:53,280 --> 00:03:00,720
point with more premium feeling hotaz units like the wartog from thrustmaster

41
00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:04,720
costing about twice as much so let's see if i can get over

42
00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:10,239
these feelings and appreciate the functionality of the x55 rhino because

43
00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:14,319
boy does it ever have a lot of it the software is a touch on the buggy side

44
00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:18,800
and crashes from time to time even when doing something completely unrelated to

45
00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:22,480
the stick like writing this review but it never happened in game and it's

46
00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:26,560
pretty easy to use allowing everything from universal dead zone configuration

47
00:03:24,879 --> 00:03:31,040
and response curve adjustments to remapping buttons to macros that can

48
00:03:28,959 --> 00:03:35,120
include keyboard and mouse inputs on the aforementioned buttons did i mention

49
00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:39,040
buttons buttons buttons buttons button button buttons buttons did i mention

50
00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:43,280
buttons let's start with the stick excluding the twisty rudder control

51
00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:46,720
something that i wish had a simple lock for games that don't support it that

52
00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:52,560
would be nice but including the four-way hat switch this mama has 18 discrete

53
00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:56,400
inputs about two-thirds of which i can reach without too much effort while

54
00:03:54,239 --> 00:04:02,480
flying in spite of my baby-sized hands and the decidedly grown man-sized stick

55
00:03:59,599 --> 00:04:06,720
they're trying uh desperately to handle the sheer number of inputs combined with

56
00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:10,640
the good to excellent tactile feel of the switches across the board is a

57
00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:14,720
definite selling point of this stick even without the throttle you can bind

58
00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:19,359
almost anything you'd need to do in an arcade style game to the stick alone

59
00:04:17,840 --> 00:04:22,240
which i guess leads us over to the throttle my favorite piece of this

60
00:04:21,280 --> 00:04:29,840
product unlike the joystick i didn't find the throttle's construction disappointing if

61
00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:32,560
your air or spacecraft has separate engines on each side the left and right

62
00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:36,080
portion of the throttle can be controlled independently or you can lock

63
00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:40,400
them together the tension of the throttle can be adjusted via a dial on

64
00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:44,240
the side and while it was too stiff out of the box after about five minutes i

65
00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:48,080
was able to get it configured just right for me which brings us to buttons again

66
00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:52,160
omg button button button buttons truthfully

67
00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:58,080
i may have lost count at some point because with all the toggles and buttons

68
00:04:54,160 --> 00:05:01,520
i counted 34 discrete inputs plus the

69
00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:03,360
five rotary inputs plus the three

70
00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:07,600
separate modes that can be accessed with the switch at the bottom left i mean

71
00:05:05,280 --> 00:05:13,360
landing gear counter measure silent flight mode seat belt no smoking light

72
00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:18,240
if your craft has a function the chances are excellent you can find a button on

73
00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:23,120
the x55 to bind it to which leads pretty well into my general

74
00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:25,199
impressions of using the x55 as expected

75
00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:29,520
without the stick or throttle bolted or stuck to anything they slip all over the

76
00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:34,000
place but once they're secured boy is it a lot of fun to fly with this thing it

77
00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:37,680
makes my aviator look like a toy and once i'd quickly studied the default

78
00:05:35,840 --> 00:05:41,919
mappings for elite dangerous had me pulling maneuvers i simply couldn't on

79
00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:46,639
my top gun which i've actually since obtained a usb adapter for thanks to the

80
00:05:44,639 --> 00:05:50,560
nearly unlimited number of inputs that i could bind to individual thrusters

81
00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:54,960
energy rerouting weapon systems etc etc etc i never once felt like accuracy was

82
00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:59,919
an issue during my use of the products so i guess their 16-bit hoop-de-doo

83
00:05:57,759 --> 00:06:03,680
granularity on the x and y-axes is paying off and the backlighting

84
00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:08,720
particularly on the throttle where it's a bit more prominent is a godsend when

85
00:06:05,919 --> 00:06:13,840
you're fumbling for a switch in the dark so i guess it's conclusion time for all

86
00:06:11,039 --> 00:06:18,400
my griping the x55 is a really great choice for folks who are after bang for

87
00:06:15,840 --> 00:06:22,639
the buck most of what i didn't like was a minor annoyance and i feel like all of

88
00:06:20,639 --> 00:06:27,199
the deficiencies i mentioned can be overcome one way or another the included

89
00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:30,800
bolt through holes on each unit allow it to be installed on a weighted base if

90
00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:33,919
you don't want to permanently mount it somewhere the fact that i couldn't

91
00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:38,160
conveniently reach a lot of the buttons was overcome by the sheer number of them

92
00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:42,080
and thankfully if you're like me and you love one of the pieces but not the other

93
00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:45,360
they each use a separate usb cable so you can mix and match with something

94
00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:50,639
else if you really want which leaves the one real criticism for 200 i think the

95
00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:55,039
plastics in the stick especially should be heavier and more solid feeling or

96
00:06:53,280 --> 00:06:58,960
satech should at least take advantage of the fact that it's removable and offers

97
00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:03,360
some alternative sticks for folks who have smaller hands because i found this

98
00:07:01,280 --> 00:07:07,199
one a little on the uncomfortable side or for folks who want something that

99
00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:13,599
feels more premium but it's still a darn good value if you get a good one because

100
00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:16,800
many online accounts while my unit had

101
00:07:13,599 --> 00:07:19,280
no issues do point to the qc on it not

102
00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:24,479
being exactly perfect speaking of perfect this is a perfect

103
00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:25,759
segue to audible.com which of course it

104
00:07:24,479 --> 00:07:33,599
isn't but don't worry about it it wouldn't be the first time i screwed up a segway they've got over 150 000 audio

105
00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:35,520
books and with their audible membership

106
00:07:33,599 --> 00:07:40,000
you get one audiobook per month with discounts on additional ones as well as

107
00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:44,160
a slew of other benefits but why would you want an audiobook you might ask well

108
00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:47,280
because maybe you want to oh i don't know read but you don't have the time to

109
00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:52,479
actually set aside and stare at a book like if you're in the car or you are a

110
00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:54,080
forklift driver or you you know really

111
00:07:52,479 --> 00:07:58,000
really hate you know dinner with your family and

112
00:07:56,400 --> 00:08:01,759
they don't notice that you have like your headphones on or but anyway the

113
00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:04,479
point is they've got all kinds of different audio books even stuff that

114
00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:08,720
you can listen to with the kids like winnie the pooh by a.a milne

115
00:08:06,639 --> 00:08:12,639
i had no idea they had that on there the membership is affordable and if you sign

116
00:08:10,479 --> 00:08:15,680
up now at audible.com Linus which is linked in the video description the

117
00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:20,720
first audiobook is 100 free cool beans there are no beans just

118
00:08:18,879 --> 00:08:24,639
audiobooks so guys thanks for watching like this

119
00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:28,240
video if you liked it dislike it if you thought it sucked leave a comment on the

120
00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:31,840
Linus tech tips forum which is linked below if you'd like to well comment on

121
00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:36,000
the video and you want to avoid the cesspool of youtube comments uh also

122
00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:40,080
linked in the video description is a place where you can buy a cool t-shirt like this one give us a monthly

123
00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:43,360
contribution if you love what we do and you want to support it and a place where

124
00:08:41,919 --> 00:08:48,080
you can change your amazon bookmarked one with our affiliate code so we get a small kickback whenever you buy oh i

125
00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:53,360
don't know this product or something else we cover on the show or something completely unrelated thanks again for

126
00:08:51,519 --> 00:09:06,249
watching and as always don't forget to subscribe