Space gear database

Every product, decoded — specs, honest ratings, pros and cons, and a plain-English verdict. 10 products covered.

Button boxs

Elgato · 9/10

Stream Deck XL

The pragmatic fix for the single biggest pain in modern space sims: the 200-plus-bind problem. Star Citizen and Elite Dangerous have more functions than any stick has buttons, and the Stream Deck XL turns 32 customizable LCD keys into a labeled, icon-driven panel for power triage, weapon groups, shield pips, landing gear, comms and macro chains. Each key shows a custom image so you never hunt for an unmarked switch, and folders let one button open a sub-page of more buttons for effectively unlimited binds. It maps to keyboard shortcuts via the Stream Deck app (and community plugins for Elite), works on PC and Mac, and is rock-solid streaming-grade hardware.

~$250

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Controllers

Microsoft · 9/10

Xbox Wireless Controller - Carbon Black

The honest controller-first space-sim recommendation for EVERSPACE 2 and No Man's Sky. Its native XInput layout, familiar twin sticks, triggers, D-pad and broad Windows support remove the binding tax that can make a HOTAS feel like work in an action-first game. It is also the lowest-risk way to prove a space-game habit before buying mounts, trackers and a cockpit full of USB devices.

~$64.99

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Hosass

Thrustmaster · 8/10

SOL-R 2 HOSAS Space Sim Duo

Thrustmaster's purpose-built dual-stick space-sim package, aimed directly at Star Citizen, Elite Dangerous, and six-degree spaceflight. The SOL-R 2 puts a left and right SOL-R stick in one box with Hall-effect X/Y/Z axes, detachable grips, RGB lighting, a huge button count, and TARGET software support. The appeal is obvious: a complete HOSAS without waiting for boutique stock or assembling a VKB/WinWing/Virpil cart. The caveat is just as obvious: big desktop bases, early ecosystem review volume, and the usual binding/profile work that turns night one into a setup session.

~$270

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Hotass

Thrustmaster · 8/10

SOL-R 4 HOTAS

The throttle-crossover sibling to SOL-R 2: one SOL-R stick plus Thrustmaster's SOL-R throttle. It is the better pick for pilots who split time between Elite Dangerous, DCS, MSFS, and space trucking because the 80 mm throttle travel, detents, and throttle-side controls feel more natural for cruise, power, and aircraft habits. It is less pure for six-axis dogfighting than dual sticks, but it may be the more comfortable all-around cockpit box for people who do not want to learn left-hand strafe on day one.

~$350

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Turtle Beach · 8/10

VelocityOne FlightDeck

Turtle Beach's PC-only all-in-one HOTAS with a touchscreen/HUD fantasy, a large input count, and a very different vibe from Thrustmaster's SOL-R line. It is not an Xbox product despite the VelocityOne family name. The pitch is clean: one stick, one throttle, lots of mappable controls, modern lighting, and software-driven customization. The catch is that it remains a PC cockpit appliance rather than a space-native HOSAS, so Star Citizen dogfighters still need to decide whether a throttle is the right off-hand control.

~$400

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Thrustmaster · 8/10

T.16000M FCS HOTAS (stick + TWCS throttle)

The budget HOTAS gateway: the ambidextrous Hall-effect T.16000M stick paired with the TWCS throttle, which slides linearly on rails like a real fighter throttle rather than rotating. Together they give 9 axes, 30 buttons and two 8-way hats — generous for the money. It's comfortable beyond its looks and accurate, with the headline caveat being a stiff throttle and a setup curve (you map inputs individually). For space, many still prefer twin T.16000M sticks, but this is a solid air-and-space starter HOTAS.

~$170

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Thrustmaster · 8/10

HOTAS Warthog

The prestige mainstream HOTAS — an all-metal 1:1 replica of the A-10C Thunderbolt II's stick and dual-throttle, with weighty construction and a vast array of programmable buttons and switches. It's a benchmark for build quality and longevity. The catch for space sims is that it's aircraft-shaped: there's no twist axis on the stick, so it can't natively reach all six degrees of freedom the way a HOSAS or a twisting stick can. It's a poorer fit for pure space than for DCS/atmospheric flight, but it's superb hardware.

~$500

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Sticks

Thrustmaster · 8/10

T.16000M FCS (Stick Only)

The mass-retail gateway stick and the classic cheap HOSAS building block. It uses Thrustmaster's H.E.A.R.T Hall-effect magnetic sensors for 16-bit (16000x16000) precision that won't drift over time, and it's fully ambidextrous — three removable components reconfigure it for left or right hand, so two T.16000Ms make the standard budget twin-stick rig. You get 16 buttons with braille-style markings, an 8-way hat and four axes including twist. The trade-off is a plastic build and a lighter, simpler feel than the boutique sticks.

~$80

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Turtle Beach · 7/10

VelocityOne Flightstick

The rare licensed Xbox-compatible flight stick, explicitly marketed for air AND space combat — and the default answer for console pilots who can't use PC-only boutique gear. It packs an OLED data display, 27 programmable buttons, an ambidextrous-adjustable design, a built-in touchpad and an integrated mini-throttle, all over a single USB-A-to-C cable. Reviewers like the feature set and value but flag a very stiff, non-adjustable centering spring, small throttle levers and a light base that tips easily. It's better on PC, but it's the Xbox option that matters.

~$130

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Panels

Thrustmaster · 7/10

MFD Cougar Pack (2 panels)

A long-running, affordable pair of physical cockpit panels — replicas of the F-16's Multi-Function Display bezels — that flank a screen or monitor to add tactile button real estate. Each panel rings a display with 20 push buttons plus four selector switches, for 48 programmable controls across the pack, all over USB. In a space sim they make a cheap, sturdy way to offload MFD-style functions (targeting, scanning, power, comms) onto labeled hardware around your monitor, and the included brackets and feet let you stand them on the desk or screw them to a rig. They're dated and purely digital (no analog axes), but the value-per-button is hard to beat.

~$110

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