19.12.2015

The Speedlink Black Widow is one of the best value Joysticks I have used and I believe it is excellent value for money.I have recently owned the “Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X Joystick (PC/PS3)” and the “Saitek Pro Flight X-55 Rhino” and though I think the X-55 is ultimately a more capable joystick, the Black Widow is excellent in the “Just works” category.My joystick use goes back to the days of the Microsoft Sidewinder Pro. Sadly I had the early version that did not have the USB connector or I would probably still be using it (Check out the prices for a second hand USB Sidewinder Pro).All that said, the Black Widow is as good as the Sidewinder Pro.In my humble opinion it is better than the T-Flight Hotas X which seemed to have a large dead zone in the centre.In construction terms it seem well built with just the caveat that it does feel a bit light and I wonder how well it would stand up to a lot of abuse but it will not get that from me. It has a centring system that controls the bank and pitch separately, rather than the single spring arrangement that is even used on the X-55. The buttons have a nice feel and are well spaced out. There are also plenty of them and it has a full “hotas” stick setup but with only a single stage trigger (again, even the X-55 only has a single stage trigger). I really like the “rudder” controls on the throttle, their implementation seems a lot better than those on the T-Flight Hotas X. Considering it has a separate control for the throttle it is a nice compact unit, the smallest I currently own and excellent for putting to one side when not in use and then quickly picking up when needed, in game.In use the Black Widow is excellent. There seems to be a direct relationship to use of the controls and what happens in game. I have mainly used it with ArmA 3 to allow me to fly helicopters and it is pretty much the only Joystick I have really been happy with in ArmA. Here the rudder controls are excellent for allowing you to swing the tail round at low speed. The only issue I have is there is no centre “notch” on the throttle control so you know when you are going from no lift to lift and to generally give some feedback about throttle position. Despite being light it is very stable and does not slide on my desk.Issues: I do miss the notch on the centre point on the throttle control. I am unable to switch off the “Vibration” function in the Flightstick properties (I tick the “No vibration” check-box but it has no effect and does not seem to remember the setting); that said it does not seem to interfere with me flying helicopters in ArmA 3 and I'm getting to enjoy the feedback it gives me about when the engines are up to speed. There is the obvious issue that it is a right hand only like most joysticks. However I don't believe these issues are worth the Black Widow losing a single rating star.In conclusion I find it hard to believe there is a joystick that will give better performance at this price. It could be argued the X-55 would be more capable but it needs working on and I am sure if I went back to playing Flight Simulator X I would spend the effort setting up the X-55 (with its many controls, and twin throttles, ultra programmability). However in simple joystick terms the Black Widow is just as good and undoubtedly better value.I have thought of buying this joystick for many years and now regret not having taken the plunge earlier. S

15.2.2014

As something of a veteran gamer, having enjoyed this hobby through my early Spectrum days, then a step up to my much loved Amiga, a few consoles along the way and finally a high-spec PC, I've got through a great many joysticks in my time. The Speedlink Black Widow flightstick is, without a doubt, the best joystick I have ever used.First impressions are that it is a very sizeable unit, measuring some 10" x 6" (25cm x 15cm) and the joystick itself stands around 10" high. Its sheer mass means it's reasonably stable on your computer desk, but add the four twist-in suction cups and you have a truly solid platform. The joystick and throttle have a partially-rubberised finish,

6.12.2011

I am a British licensed private pilot, and I wanted to try this because I intend to learn to fly on instruments properly, in cloud if necessary - which I am not legally allowed to do at present. With flying lessons costing about 150-200 pounds per hour depending on the craft flown and a minimum of 15 hours to fly to complete the course, it makes a lot of sense to practice instrument procedures, approaches, etc on the ground. That way, I can achieve my goals with the minimum hours possible spent training.I use FS2004 for this, mainly. I had a Logitech Wingman Force Feedback joystick for ages that I used to use with it, but I could never get the smoothness that I can get in the air.

20.4.2013

I bought this for MS flight sim 2002 and will upgrade to MS flight sim 2004 or X later on.My primary reason was using the keyboard was woefully poor for control and found landing near impossible.I was looking at the Thrustmaster Joystick, it is on Amazon for around £15 and it appears to have all the features this has apart from rudder controls.I bought this solely on the reviews and I would like to add to the rave reviews as this one is absolutely amazing!The joystick itself is well packaged, with instruction booklet and driver CD. I decided not to install the drivers from the CD as other reviews suggested ms flight sim wont let you allocated buttons with the drivers on the disc.

19.1.2012

I bought this joystick solely for use with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 (FS9), but it would of course work equally well with FSX and other flight simulators. It is very well built and is a good size for a small desk configuration, with monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc. It has a decent finish and feels fairly sturdy in the hand. The package includes four optional suction feet which enable you to fix it firmly to your desk. As other reviewers have written, the weight of the item and the permanently attached small rubber feet mean that these additional suction cups are not necessarily required. Unless you are really thrashing it around (perhaps for use with a combat style simulator/game)

18.8.2011

Received this today and I'm very pleased with it so far. Build quality is excellent and the rubberized finish on the stick and throttle lever is nice. There is a small hand rest area on the base of the stick. The stick is not too sensitive but adjustments can be made to suit your own needs. The throttle lever is very resistive but I think with more use this will change. The buttons are ideally placed. You don't twist the stick for the rudder. There is a rudder rocker on the throttle which is original and makes it easier IMO. It's pressure sensitive too! The buttons on the stick are well placed. My last joystick did not have a hat switch and after using this function for 10 seconds,

23.10.2013

First off - a disclaimer: this review is based on my very first impressions. I'll probably post more views in the future when I've had a chance to see what the stick's like long term.This stick feels capable of the tiniest of movements which are necessary in combat flight sims like Battle of Britain 2. The throttle has a nice chunky feel to it and it has a little resistance, so feels fairly realistic. Instead of a stick twist, this controller has a sort of 'rocker' on the throttle, which is what you use to control the rudder. I haven't used it much yet, but I think it'll turn out to be a lot better than any stick twist, which is something I've never really been able to get used to.Not sure yet about what the vibration brings to the game.

26.1.2011

Got this as I wasnt feeling up to splashing out on a saitek joystick. What can i say, the design is taking some getting used to, when in a pitching and banking action there is a certain bounciness of which i am not accustomed too just yet but its nothing over exaggerated like the centring spring on my last saitek....which i had to cut a piece off cos it was just that tough.. The unique rudder control on the throttle is very sensitive on filghtsim, but can easily be adjusted in the sensitivity settings within the game (still gonna take some getting used to though). All in all this stick appears to be a great choice for a tight budgeter, its very light but seems durable in a sense that if you don't drop it,

9.4.2012

I bought the BlackWidow as it seemed to have everything I needed in one control device. Namely throttle control and flight stick in one.I needed such a device as I have just decided to take up flying a real C42 microlight and wanted to practise on MS FSX.What made it stand out was the additon of a rudder control on the throttle stick.All of these functions have worked just as I hoped.PROS:What I hadn't appreciated, until it arrived, was how well placed all the extra buttons are.Not just the four large buttons along the front, two of which are used for flap control, but also buttons on the stick roughly where they are on the real C42 stick,

17.9.2008

I have had several joysticks over the years. I was tempted to stick with Saitek, despite their calibration weaknesses. However, I decided to take a chance and buy the Black Widow Flight Stick.I'm so glad I did. It's superb and fantastic value-for-money!It is solidly built and feels weighty. I don't need the optional suckers to keep it firmly on my desk. It's far more impressive than the images suggest.The buttons are nicely placed and have a nice "feel" to them. There is a trigger and three buttons on the stick (+ hat switch). There are also four large buttons on the base of the unit. No buttons are placed where they can be pressed in error.The throttle lever is a meaty affair with a satisfying drag.

7.1.2011

I bought this stick because I needed one with a USB connection but didn't want to spend too much. It was definitely worth the investment. Installation is as simple as plugging it in, I didn't even need the software disk that game with it. It's sturdy and weighty, feels like good quality. The throttle gives more sense of realism, and the rudder controls are definitely worth paying a bit extra for - they take a bit of getting used to but much better than the usual twist rudder. Lots of buttons mean you can set everything you need on the stick without having to ever touch the keyboard. I found the vibration irritating however because it vibrates every time you move the stick out of it's neutral position but you can change how much it vibrates or turn it off altogether easily enough.

25.4.2014

UPDATE:Now used on Win 10 with X-Plane flight sim, it works instantly, no hassles, no CD drivers needed.Highly recommended---------------------------------------Lovely feel; well made and easily installed.Bought for Rise of Flightwhich is actually impossible without a joystick - now I can land the ruddy aircraft.Huzzah.Weirdly the vibrating function does not function and I have installed the latest drivers too (v4) and on Win 7No matter - I was going to turn them off anyhow; I get enough vibration from my Bosch sander thank you very much.Its probably a thrill for spotty teenagers stuck to their chair; but for real men - its a pain (really).The stick doesn't fully function with Microsoft on-line

7.11.2011

So I spent ages looking around for a joystick compatible with BF3 as flying jets and choppers with a mouse and keyboard seems impossible, however I couldnt get any confirmation on what works/what doesnt. So I took a chance with this as it just uses F buttons and works fine, I can map all the buttons and even the thruster thing works (note: im not a flight sim guy). Worth mentioning that I unbinded all joystick buttons in game prior to mapping the joystick for jets and choppers. Anyway after all this effort I dont think the game is great with joysticks AT THE MOMENT... needs abit of tuning as its more suited for xbox controllers, but im sure it will improve. So to conclude,

7.5.2013

The only negative remark I will make about this product is that the manual which comes with it is almost useless. It doesn't explain what the buttons actually do or how to change the options for them. However, these can be changed, if required, via the simulator settings area. The Flightstick itself is a pleasure to use. I have been using the Microsoft Precision Pro for years and found it to be pretty good. But it had a serial connector and I could only use it on my desktop. I wanted to now run my flight sims on my laptop. Searched the reviews on the web and decided on the Black Widow. It is a much nicer stick to use. Great rubberised feel to it. The buttons are more conveniently placed and the throttle is an absolute joy to use.

22.9.2012

This is an ACE game controller for FSX. I read many poor reviews by Win7-64 users, and especially about the drivers not working. There is something really wrong with your OS installation. What do you want? The control is heavy enough, accurate and precise. I too wanted the vibration feature, and Speedlink sent me a new Driver which enabled this on WIN7-64. It works, but once tested, quite honestly it is unrealistic, and you don't need this. The best ever was Microsoft's Force Feedback Joystick.I love "Flight Simming", and this is the ideal partner to FSX. Just one complaint. I asked Speedlink to come up with an auxillary control for flaps, views, and a host of other things, and they did not respond.

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