Several weeks back, we took a look at Saitek’s X36F USB Flight System controllers and were blown away. It had everything a flight sim player could want, including a zillion buttons, and programmability that would allow you to have more functions available than most games have to be defined. While this has to be the most cherry, trick rig I’ve seen to date, sometimes you just don’t need THAT much control, or are unwilling to sacrifice that much deskspace.Enter the new Cyborg 3d GOLD USB: 8 programmable buttons, an 8-way hat switch, lever-type throttle assembly, and 3D-twist type Z-axis rotation.

 For the LIGHT flight sim, arcade style flight/action game, or in combination with a controller like PCDash for even more programmable buttons, this stick is laden with features.

 It’s construction is SOLID, utilizing many METAL/ALLOY components in it’s construction, including the grip. ALL major ergo points are user adjustable: tilt/height for the thumb buttons, the palm-rest height, even the ability to switch out all of the resting points and the throttle lever, to accomodate the left-handed gamer. The throttle lever works SMOOTHLY, allowing you to gracefully slowdown or accelerate to ease up behind the enemy before matching speed for the kill.

 Like the X36F rig, the Cyborg 3D GOLD USB ships with SGE, Saitek Gaming Extensions. This software package allows you to program command sets for the games you play into configuration files which auto load into the joystick when that game begins.

 Unlike the larger squarish X36F units, this single stick fits nicely on ANY desktop, and has a very small footprint. Due to the tension setting on the stick being set to a medium stiffness, I found I didn’t NEED the suction feet to stick it to the desk, it stayed right where I placed it, unless I pulled up on the stick and moved it. Tension for the 3D-Twist feature allowing rotation of the player, or for banking left/right in flight games, was also very well balanced. I found I was quickly able to manage following enemy aircraft rolling into position and pushing/pulling on the stick as appropriate, for barrel rolls, split-s’, and other complex flight manuevers.

 Truly, this is a “Jack-Of-All-Trades” controller, that not only can be an arcade stick, but also a serious flight stick at the same time.That, coupled with it’s comfort factor due to the adjustability, makes this stick a true winner in anyone’s book.

Verdict: 98%
The Good:
– Tight, well-balanced controller
– Adjustable hand size
– Adjustable Thumb-length/angle
– Can be switched over to FULL Left-handed usage
– Adjuster tool included

The Bad:
– Bad? WHERE?

The Final Word:
A solid, well-built joystick and so much more. It’s configurability, smoothness of action, and overall high quality of design and construction, make this stick a seriously bad-ass weapon of war. I’m on your six, I’ve got tone, I’m pushing the button and that stick you’re using just ISN’T cutting it.