Home > Consumer Reviews > Saitek Cyborg Evo Force PC Flight Stick ( PS27 )

I've used joysticks for gaming since the Atari age in the good ol' days, and I know many different models and what they can (and can't do), and this one most definitely takes the prize of the best joystick ever. Not only it's well designed (the base won't flip over as in many other models I know) but it also looks way cool!. Besides, the smart design of the stick makes it fully adjustable -and comfortable- for both right and left handed (I'm left handed and I constantly feel discriminated by the so-called "ergonomic" designs). The force feedback feature is also another highlight in this model, as it can truly kick you off from your seat if set to full power. Don't be afraid, as you can tweak the intensity to your liking. A must for true flight simulators, when you want to "feel" the plane.

Before buying it I was afraid it would be too fragile to support my wrath after being shot down, or it wouldn't support the strong evasive actions when fighting to dodge bullets, but I was definitely wrong. The metals and plastics used in this one are high-quality and quite strong, despite how fragile it might look.

Deifinitely recommendable.

Yes, It's adjustable
Yes it has pretty blue lights.
But that's it on the "pro" list.
This stick has one very very major drawback if you are using it as a "Flight-stick":

The deadband around the neutral point is HUGE.

So, starting with no pressure on the stick - you make a fine correction by pushing / pulling and......nothing happens.
So you push / pull a little more and......nothing happens.
By now you've moved the stick-top a full 1cm, and THEN you get a reaction, or rather an over-reaction. By now it's too late.........

I've tackled Saitek at length about this issue, but they insist that it's normal. There are other issues like the wandering rudder, which can be cured in the short-term by editing the registry, but this excessive deadband has no fix.

If you fly flight/combat simulators I suggest you avoid this stick at all costs.

Force feedback could have been a little stronger...I also noticed that even though it's supposed to be self calibrating it tends to ride very slightly up and to the left when centered...I compensated for this by increasing my null zones in my flight sims...very good product overall though.

I purchased this to replace a Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback Pro, which was not compatible with my new PC. I am very satisfied with the new joystick and its realistic behavior when used with FS2004.

After extensive searching for "just the right" joystick for Flight Simulator X, I settled on the PS27, mainly because of its Force Feedback feature.

The first surprise came when I noticed the AC power supply packed in the box. The manual states that "in order for your Operating System to recognize your joystick, please make sure it is plugged in before connecting the USB cord".

Once you have AC and you plug the PS27 into the computer, the setup is rather easy. Windows XP recognizes the PS27 right away and installs the proper drivers for it. The PS27 comes with its own driver CD, but the instructions state it is not necessary unless you want to install the optional programing software.

I opened the Control Panel and opened the Joysticks to calibrate the PS27. I found that everything worked except moving the joystick to the right. It would not register. I moved the joystick to all four axis, and after a couple of times doing this, it moved all the way to the right. Throttle and rudder worked great. Then, after a couple of seconds, the right would not register again.

I launched FS X and found that the same problem occured in the game. Turning left - no problem. Going up and down - no problem. Turn right - problem. Now, if my intent was to travel to the left during the entire game, this would have been fine. But landing requires both directions, so I read the instructions some more. I also found a separate sheet packed in box which apparently was left out of the manual. The sheet said that the PS27 has "Dynamic Centering". This means that it does not have auto-centering like most joysticks. It suggests that before launching the game, you move the joystick all the way around a couple of times, move the throttle up and down and twist the handle a couple of times in each direction (rudder action) THEN launch the game. It should be noted that this applied only to the PS27, which has Force Feedback.

So I did this and then launched FS X again. Same results as before - left, up, down, throttle, rudder, no problem. Right, problem. Now, the problem can be fixed from within FS X by moving the joystick all around during flight a couple of times. It will then move to the right, but after a few seconds goes back to not turning right. This is fine at 2000 feet, but when you get closer to the ground, it can cause issues, such as losing control of the aircraft.

I updated the software and drivers from Saitek's site, repeated the process and came up with the same results.

It is my opinion that the joystick was deffective, however I don't know this for a fact. The look, feel and features of the PS27 are great. The Force Feedback can be turned off, which I did, but the results were the same. Some adjustments can be made from within Control Panel, which are suggested by Saitek, but again, the results were the same.