The X-56 is the newest addition to Logitech’s line of flight control products. Toted as the “new version” of their X-55 this HOTAS features dual throttle control, 7 two-way switches, 4 rotary knobs, 7 buttons as well as multiple thumb sticks and hat switches.
Since purchasing this HOTAS earlier this year I’ve put close to 100 total sim hours on it with X-Plane 11 and it has been an absolute blast. My previous control set up featured the T16000m offering from Thrust Master and to put it simply it was a much needed upgrade.
I’m going to be fully honest when I say that my prior experiences with Logitech and their former subsidiary Saitek have not been the more favorable, I had previously had issues with one of their flight controls and was not overly impressed with the company as a whole. This product has changed my opinion entirely.
The feature I like the most so far is the ability to change the spring on the stick. In my sim I often go from GA to airliners fairly frequently and its nice being able to change the tension on the stick without much hassle (so far the longest spring change took me 3 minutes total).
The next feature I’d like to touch on is the dual throttle control which is ideal for both single GA planes and twin-engine jets. Currently for my GA flying I have one of the throttles set for mixture and the other set as…well throttle (bet you didn’t see that coming!).
Now comes the few issues I have had with the product, as we all know nothing can be perfect. In my few months of owning the X-56 I’ve noticed a slight bit of play in the stick that wasn’t present in my T16000m after a year of use. There is also a bit of play in the 2-way switches but that could very well be just the unit I received. The last issue I’ll mention is that the mechanism that locks the throttles together is very tough at first and requires quite a lot of force though that has become easier to do with time.
In conclusion if you’re in the market for new controls and have the money to spend on the X-56 I can say your money will be well spent.
This review is not sponsored by the manufacturer. All products mentioned were purchased by the author.
