Customer Reviews

Logitech WingMan Extreme Digital 3D Joystick w/Throttle

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I have used the Wingman force feedback joystick and this stick and, for the money, I'll take this stick anyday.

The handle fits my hand well. The overall feel is one of durability yet fluid movement. The return to center is quick and strong. The button location is good overall, but the hat switch could be better designed. A minor point, but your finger can slip off the switch during fast gameplay, due to its shallow, somewhat slick design.

One feature I really like is the handle twist. Really nice for rudder movement on flight sims and good for looking from side-to-side in first person shooters.

Add to this the great trigger response and cool base design and you have a winning package.

I bought this as a replacement for my LogicTech Extreme Digital which stopped working after I upgraded my machine (grumble...grumble). Just as well, this beautiful USB/gameport joystick is fun to use. I primarily use it for flight sims like Flight Unlimited 3 and Jane's WWII Fighters (and !SOON! MS Flight Sim 2002!!!). It set itself up for Descent 3 and after some minor tweaking with the sensitivity settings it worked better than any stick I've ever used. It just feels right. The buttons are all conveniently located and the hat switch was a simple rake of my thumb. I had a CH Flightstick years ago with a huge knob for a hat switch. I like this Wingman hat much better. The rudder control was a nice surprise! Just twist the stick to & fro and the rudder flaps back and forth (I've never had a rudder before...rudder virgin?). The stick looks awesome on your desk too! The foot is stream-lined and the front trigger has those striking holes like a revolver. My only disappointment was that the Logitech ensignia at the base of the stick did not light up like I thought it would (bet I'm not the only one...ha ha). Logictech includes good software for the stick to set it up how you like for your games. Highly recommended stick!

NOTE: I have had problems with USB on my system so the option to use the gameport was appreciated. Not so lucky with the Gravis USB gamepad.

We all love the feel of the Logitech Sticks.
However it is 99% guaranteed that they will start to drift or jump at the slightest twist or touch.
For some reason the potentiometers gets dirty real fast.
Make sure that your USE 91% rubbing alcohol, all other things will ruin your stick.
Be careful with the potentiometers they are very fragile.



To fix the twist.
Take the handle apart and drop the twist pot into 91% rubbing alcohol and turn it a few times and dip it again and turn it.
Put it all back together.
Four screws and a clip.

The Base.
Take the handle apart.
Remove the twist spring.
Pop the lid with the imitation Allen-screws with a flathead screwdriver.
Unscrew the screws on the bottom of the base.
Remove the throttle.
Remove the pots for the x and y axis and give them the rubbing alcohol treatment.

I have been playing Unreal Tournament with this stick, and have found it quite easy to maneuver the halls, and to switch weapons with the POV. The trigger works exceptionally well, and with the aid of mouse targetting have worked through tournaments quickly and effeciantly. The base is quite heavy, and setup was a snap wiht the usb interface. A real steal for the price.

Overall, I'm very happy with this stick. A few things you might consider before buying:

- The palm rest at the base (where the butt of your hand lands) is a little low, making it a little difficult to reach to top buttons on the topside of the stick. However, at least this stick has such a thing (the Sidewinder does not).

- The two buttons and the slider on the base are very useful for controlling things like boost and braking, which are hard to use sometimes if they're on-stick, especially when you're trying to fire at the same time.

- The twist for the Z-axis becomes very natural, and is a GREAT way to control rudder (yaw) or roll.

- The base is big and heavy (good), but no suction cups on the bottom.

Works great for the two games I've currently tried:
- Star Wars Starfighter
- MS Combat Flight Simulator WWII Eurpoe Series

So far, very happy with the purchase. Works fine on XP. Get the latest drivers from http://www.logitech.com/cf/support/logitech_wingman_soft.cfm and install before attaching the joystick to your system.

This joystick is a piece of technological art. It performed well for me in a variety of space SIMS and can be programmed for just about any game. It's eightway directional POV switch is great for switching angles of view. It also has a programmable throttle (all movements are programmable), but I do not use it. The only downside to this joystick is the software drivers. They are very buggy, even after I downloaded an update from Logitech. I would recommend this joystick to any gamer who does not need force feedback. The added flexibility of USB or serial is a bonus. Overall, it is a very good joystick.

This stick used to work in prime condition. But after having it for 1.5 years its starting to show its true colors. If you read other reviews about the "Logitech WingMan Extreme: Digital 3D" Model Number J-ZA10, you will find one thing in common. It works like a charm for the first 3 months to a year and then shows a common and re-occurring symptom/problem/error. The sticks Y axis and Z axis will get more and more heavier on the left side until the stick is unplayable. I see this all over other review, It has happened to me, my brother, and my brothers friend who all have the exact make and model (the only variation being a minute color difference). An additional problem that I have encountered is the speed control will un-calibrate easily. I suggest that you get this joystick only if you accept that after prolonged use you will need a new one. If you think Microsoft's game controller recalibration software will do you any good it will only make things worse. I give it a 7/10 for features 9/10 for ease of use but a 2/10 for its reliability. However this joystick still beats Microsoft's Sidewinder into the dust.

The CALIBRATION PROBLEM can bee seen in ALL of LOGITECH'S JOYSTICK Products (as of 02/16/2005). My suggestion is look at Saitek or other joystick manufactures (besides Microsoft).

It's overall a great joystick. I use it mostly for Mechwarrior, but it's good for any flight/space sim as well. It has a good, heavy base that doesnt slide around much, there is a lot of resistance in the stick, which makes maneuvering easier, and the programmable buttons are amazing. Set one of them as the shift button, and you have twice as much functionality. My thumb tends to get tired when I have to switch back and forth between the two sets of buttons on top of it, but that's only after a couple hours, when I need to see sunlight anyways...

After some considerable research and review of available products to replace my old Sidewinder 3D Pro (couldn't get it to function any longer with Windows 98SE after long hours trying everything Microsoft's website had to offer) I picked this joystick to work with Flight Simulator 2002 Professional Edition. The stick's software loaded simply and perfectly the first time. All buttons were effective with no adjustment necessary. In all, it took about five minutes to get it up and running. Solid stick with great feel! I highly recommend it for flight applications.

I wanted to do a quick followup review of this stick. My first impressions were quite good. The stick had all the buttons I wanted. Throttle and rudder controls. It worked great. Looked great. That was 2001...how time flies! But I still have this same stick and I've used the heck out of it. So how does it work in 2003 (almost 2004)? Well, just exactly how it did when I first bought it. Amazing stick!