Saitek X-55 Rhino HOTAS System Review

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INTRODUCTION

If you were a teenager in the 90's then you probably know that compared to that time combat flight and space simulators are almost non-existent today mainly because this particular genre doesn't have as many fans as it used to (perhaps age has something to do with that). You see back then we had the joy of playing not one but several space simulators like the entire Wing Commander series (I/II/III/IV/V/Privateer), Frontier: Elite II and Frontier Wars, Tie Fighter, X-Wing, X-wing VS Tie Fighter, Starlancer, Freelancer and Decent: Freespace I/II along with many regular combat flight simulators like Strike Commander, F-14 Fleet Defender, Jane's ATF, Jane's IAF: Israeli Air Force and of course Falcon 4.0. Fortunately game developer legends like Chris Roberts (creator of the Wing Commander, Starlancer, Freelancer and Strike Commander games/series) and David Braben (creator of the Elite Frontier series) have returned and are currently working on two separate massive space simulators called Star Citizen and Elite Dangerous. Alone these two may not be just enough to "even" things between now and then but with the help of other upcoming and not as "known" space simulators like No Mans Sky gamers may actually have something to keep them busy for a long time to come. To enjoy these games however in all their glory gamers are not only required to own high-end systems but also need to have a Joystick capable of giving them the edge they need like the X-55 Rhino HOTAS system by Saitek.



Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. (“Mad Catz”) (NYSE MKT/TSX: MCZ) is a global provider of innovative interactive entertainment products marketed under its Mad Catz® (gaming), Tritton® (audio), and Saitek® (simulation) brands. Mad Catz products cater to passionate gamers across multiple platforms including in-home gaming consoles, handheld gaming consoles, Windows® PC and Mac® computers, smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices. Mad Catz distributes its products through its online store as well as distribution via many leading retailers around the globe. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Mad Catz maintains offices in Europe and Asia. For additional information about Mad Catz and its products, please visit the Company’s website at www.madcatz.com



Roughly 5 years ago Saitek introduced the revolutionary X-65F, a very high quality HOTAS system which basically combined a force-sensing flight stick identical to the one used in the F-16 (although the force-sensitive technology is used in the F-22A and newer jets) with a dual throttle. Some small issues however along with its hefty price tag made the X-65F a weapon of choice mostly for flight enthusiasts thus "forcing" Saitek to do the next best thing which was to work on a brand new model placed closer to their very successful X-52 Pro HOTAS system. So just like the X-52 Pro (and unlike the X-65F) the X-55 Rhino makes use of a single spring to simulate the force needed to move the stick and since not every person has the same hands Saitek supplies not one but four different springs of varying resistance which the end user can quickly swap. The X-55 is also the first HOTAS system by Saitek to feature two individual USB connections so if you just want to use the flight stick or the dual throttle you can only use that and save space on your desk. Sounds interesting? We feel the same way so let's move forward with our review of the X-55 Rhino HOTAS System by Saitek.