Any thoughts on Logitech-branded X56 Rhino longevity/durability?
-
Hi,
As per title, how’s the longterm user experience with Logitech branded X56s? I’m looking to replace my stone age old, DYI fixed X45 with something new. What worries me Rhinos sill use traditional pots for throttle and the rotaries and I haven’t seen any HAL sensor based drop in replacements for these parts. Saitek made Rhinos had really bad rep, with issues of all kind. How do Logitech made ones fare in long term use?
-
It’s fair good, IMHO… I bought mine almost five years ago, and I’m using it one hour or even more three or four days a week since then.
Maybe I was lucky once in my life, but it’s still.
With best regards.
-
Cougar in its death throes, where can I find a Logitech X-56 Rhino?
-
Hhmmm… apart from e-Bay or Amazon, am I guessing right, dear Mower?
If so, I have no idea about ATM, I’m afraid. Sorry for that.
With best regards.
-
Cougar in its death throes, where can I find a Logitech X-56 Rhino?
Mower, check out Logitech.com. On occasion they have stock and charge a reasonable $249 USD, including local US Shipping.
If you are considering a Warthog throttle, they are available here for $329 USD with free US Shipping:
-
I’ve been disappointed with my X56. I’ve got a lot of Logitech stuff and it’s generally very good. The X56 was dissappointing right out of the box. The joystick has a wobble in the neutral position of a couple of degrees. I had to fix that with a dead spot. There was also one rubber foot missing which meant that the thing is never stable on my desk. There is a knob that is supposed to vary the resistance of the throttle but it never worked.
From a longevity point of view it’s also dissappointing. First up, one of the throttle buttons started to fail. A press would register about 50% of the time. This was after a couple of years of daily use but it was not a button that I used that often. Now the trigger and pinky button are doing the same thing. Very often the action is registered a second of so after the press and sometimes the up action fails leaving the button pressed. That’s really frustrating. Getting a gun solution is hard at the best of times and very often the opportunity is fleeting. When the button sticks down, you are out of ammo very quickly.
In addition to the individual buttons failing, a problem with the stick has emerged. All of the buttons on the stick are now intermitantly failing at the same time. The main axes of the stick still work but none of the buttons do anything. It failure might last from a few seconds to 10 or 15 seconds and can happen 2 - 3 times in a 15 minute period.
From a comsmetic point of view the chrome on the toggle switches started to rub off after about 6 months and the surface of the plastic on the throttle is peeling.I would not recommend an X56 until there is a major new version with a significant improvement in build quality.From a comsmetic point of view the chrome on the toggle switches started to rub off after about 6 months and the surface of the plastic on the throttle is peeling.
I would not recommend an X56 until there is a major new version with a significant improvement in build quality.
-
Good info, thanks Quaker.
Yeah I dont want plastic regardless but the Warthog is more expensive and very hard to find right now.
-
Thanks for the input guys, it seems to be a mixed bag. I recovered my old X45, with throttle pot replaced, pov hat and pinky switches resolered from cheap thustmaster flight stick it kinda works, but internals are horrible. Short cables running randomly over PCB, making any repairs a gamble, mouse/radar cursor hat is a bad joke. Saitek was good just beacause it was cheapest fully featured HOTAS (imho Thrustmaster T-Flight X and T.1600 are just basic sticks with separate throttle), but quality was below of what is todays el cheapo chineese vendors standards.
I’ve got the feeling there’s not enough vendors in joystick business targeting midrange price tag.
Damn I wish somebody did sub 300$ HOTAS that matches F16 stick/throttle count of axis/hats/buttons even if the look would be way off. With proper cabling in groves (all in all it cost nothing, except some engineer time to shape parts properly), pcbs connected via plug/socket, pots input filtered for stable results. HAL sensors for main axis (x,y, throttle) would be a bonus. Good quality, relatively easy to get as spares analog pots would be ok too, as long as sane voltage is used, so it wouldn’t be too difficult to swap it with HAL sensor based ones.
But I guess it’s too much to ask for -
well i been talked out of a x56 and good thing.
-
I agree that the mid range market is pretty poor at the moment. I thought that Logitech entering with the Sitek purchase would be a good thing but they seem to have just changed the sticker on the outside. I’ve just been past the Logitech Gaming web site and there’s nothing new there.
The actions seems to be in the high end with Virpil and VKB. Winwing has the F-18 stick and throttle which might be worth a look if you’ve got the desk space. Right now the best bet seems to be the Virpil but that comes for 850 Euros which (for me) is roughly 3 times the X56.
-
Saitek/Logitech quality is a lottery. Luck vs No Luck.
My X55 throttle died a slow death within 2 1/2 years. 100 refund due to extra warranty. after all a cheap deal
Logitech’s service is good. Got a new x52 pro replaced within a few months and did not had to send in the defective unit.
The new unit is butterly smooth, must be fabricated on a different planet. -
I am hearing mixed reviews from users with the newest version (all grey), mainly ghosting in throttle due to poor wiring, and too much flop in the stick. Also the use of pots in the throttle rather than Halls.
-
Has anyone tried the Hori Ace Combat 7 sticks? They look like a pretty good fit for the viper, and are similarly priced to the X52, but there aren’t many about…
-
Purchased the Logitech x56 in July 2019. Zero problems, use it nearly every day. Except from September-December of 2020 as my old computer cratered on me.
-
Purchased the Logitech x56 in July 2019. Zero problems, use it nearly every day. Except from September-December of 2020 as my old computer cratered on me.
Good to hear, since I cant afford a Warthog and they are hard to find at any price right now, and I will likely have to get a x56…anyone else have an user opinion on the x56 please.
Side note, I hear the Warthog stick suffers from the same stiffness that the Cougar did, such that over sustained flight your arm will get tired…and no I dont have the money to mod it.
-
Has anyone tried the Hori Ace Combat 7 sticks? They look like a pretty good fit for the viper, and are similarly priced to the X52, but there aren’t many about…
They’re GARBAGE! Read some reviews. It’s just poor quality and I’ve heard that half the buttons don’t do anything.
It would be so awesome if these were actually decent, even if they cost 100 bucks more.
-
They’re GARBAGE! Read some reviews. It’s just poor quality and I’ve heard that half the buttons don’t do anything.
It would be so awesome if these were actually decent, even if they cost 100 bucks more.
Thanks! The reviews I found were mostly of folks who clearly don’t do sims like BMS etc, so I couldn’t work out what the balanced view point was. Shame they’re rubbish - they look like a perfect fit!
-
This isn’t specifically about the X56, Cougar, etc. but about the Extreme 3D Pro…… if my cash (trickle) allows it, I’m likely to avoid Logitech flight gear altogether… the twist/yaw section of the X3D seems to be deliberately assembled to fail in mere months. I’m on my 4th in 2 years. I’d actually come to this topic to see if anyone mentioned the ridiculously short life of the X3D yaw axis and if it is also the case on “superior” sticks? Other than the yaw breakage, it’s a pretty decent stick.
Didn’t intend to commandeer the topic… it appears some on board have taken the re-soldering approach. -
I have been using an X56 for over a year now and I have nothing bad to say about it, except it’s not a Cougar… But it’s not a bad HOTAS and mine has lasted.