Before the analog stick or directional pad, there was the joystick. These primitive rudders might seem simply by today’s standards, but it’s the granddaddy of all modern control schemes we have today. Over the years joysticks have delineated into several different types of controllers including your standard gamepad, flight sticks and fight sticks, and joysticks have even made their way into specialized gaming mice and PC keypads.
The right joystick can make you feel like Maverick in Top Gun, or perhaps Kara Thrace in Battlestar Galactica. Other implementations of joysticks offer a surprising amount of innovation with some devices like vertical mice and fight sticks giving people better and more customizable ways to play. Whatever you are looking for, we've rounded up and organized the best PC joysticks below.
And be sure to check out the end of the article, where we’ve put together a buying guide that highlights what you should keep in mind when you shop for a controller outside of our recommendations – and click here to find them in the UK
TL;DR – These are the Best PC Joysticks
- Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog PC
- Hori PS4 HOTAS Flight Stick
- Logitech Extreme 3D Pro
- Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition
- Thrustmaster T16000M FCS
- Honeycomb Aeronautical Alpha Flight Yoke
- Lexip Np93 Alpha
- ZLOT Vertical Gaming Mouse
- Mad Catz Ego
- Razer Tartarus Pro
1. Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog PC
Best Flight Sim Joystick
For the ultimate flight simulation, you need the ultimate flight joystick. That happens to be Thrustmaster's Hotas Warthog PC joystick. You won't find cheap plastic or fake buttons added just to give it an authentic look. Instead, you're getting a joystick with almost a complete metal construction. As far as authenticity goes, the Hotas Warthog PC joystick is perhaps predictably modeled after the A-10C Warthog.
On the joystick and throttle, you'll find 20 controls split up between switches, hats, and triggers. And, all of those controls are made not only to look like those found on the A-10C Warthog but also to feel like them. Each is programmable as well, so you can get your flight setup tweaked just how you like it. When it comes to the actual flying, you'll get fine control through the joystick's magnetic HallEffect sensor. So, if you want to rule the skies, this is a worthy ally.
2. Hori PS4 HOTAS Flight Stick
Best Midpriced HOTAS Joystick
Hori has just what you need to get deep into your favorite flight sims or space dogfighting, and it doesn't charge an absurd premium to get you there. The Hori HOTAS flight stick, as the name suggests, isn't just a joystick but also a throttle, letting you get both hands fully in on the action.
You'll find this flight stick particularly well suited to games that have been ported from console, as it has been made for PlayStation. It has all the typical controls you'd need spread out between the joystick and throttle and will work with your PC. Since buttons and controls are only part of the experience, the Hori HOTAS Flight Stick also includes rumble, so you can feel when you're under fire from enemies in your game. The throttle will also let you dial in the resistance while the joystick lets you tune sensitivity, so you can get the controls operating just how you like.
3. Logitech Extreme 3D Pro
Best Budget Joystick
Not everyone needs an authentic flight stick – if you just want to jump in the cockpit and start flying without mastering dozens of controls, a budget stick like Logitech’s Extreme 3D Pro is just what the doctor ordered. Even so, it offers a dozen buttons and an eight-way hat for controlling your ship without resorting to the keyboard.
The focus here is on simplicity, so the trigger features a rapid-fire mode, you get a manageable number of programmable buttons, and the z-axis rotation delivers simple rudder control. The whole thing sits firmly on a very wide base to prevent tipping and sliding during gameplay.
4. Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition
Best Flight Sim Joystick
If you've got a bit of wiggle room in your budget, you can move up to the Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition. This joystick really has it all, and that's because it's practically real. Thrustmaster has modeled this after the sidestick and quadrant in the Airbus A320. It's actually a 1:1 scale replica, making it perfect if you're looking to go deep into Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Between the joystick and quadrant, you're getting a ton of control. The joystick features 17 controls and the quadrant has 16, so you'll be able to map a ton of functions to be easily within reach. You can also swap out a number of the head buttons on the joystick to suit your needs. For nuance and feel while you're flying, the joystick uses a Hall Effect sensor. You'll also be getting rudder control thanks to the joystick's ability to twist, and the quadrant offers a reverse thrust mechanism, so you're definitely getting more for your money.
5. Thrustmaster T16000M FCS
Best Joystick for Lefties
Another solid budget-priced joystick made of the same DNA as Logitech’s Extreme 3D Pro, this model uses Hall Effect magnetic sensors for precision, which is great in a budget-priced stick. It also features 16 buttons, an eight-way hat switch, and z-axis rotation.
The best feature, though, is a gift to left-handed gamers. The joystick is fully ambidextrous; by swapping around three components, you can play it with either the left or right hand.
6. Honeycomb Aeronautical Alpha Flight Yoke
Best Flight Yoke
You don’t have to feel like you’re flying a fighter jet or starship if you don’t want to. The Honeycomb Aeronautical Alpha Flight Yoke gets you geared up for a bit more realistic flying experience. Actual pilots and aerospace engineers developed it and even used aerospace-grade internal components in its production. The yoke-based controls are also meant for use with FAA-approved sims. Therefore, the design mimics that of actual aircraft, so you’ll get a feel for flying large commercial or smaller private planes.
The Honeycomb Aeronautical Alpha Flight Yoke centers around a yoke sitting on a steel shaft with dual linear ball bearings. It features a 180-degree turn radius that self-centers for good resistance, consistent sensitivity, and smooth control. In total, there are 13 different switches and buttons that are all customizable. You can set those controls up for multi-engine control or have it operate flaps or propeller pitch. Another convenient feature is the adjustable cockpit backlighting, which lets you be immersed in the atmosphere of a flight. The system is also hefty enough, so you won’t need to worry about screwing it down before getting up in the air.
7. Lexip Np93 Alpha
Best Mouse Joystick
The Lexip Np93 Alpha is there for you when you need some of the control of an analog joystick while still demanding the precise control offered by a mouse. The Lexip Np93 Alpha looks like your typical gaming mouse with flashy RGB lighting around its base and on its palm rest, but when you peek at the side of the mouse, you’ll find an analog thumb joystick below the two thumb buttons.
That analog thumbstick can give you controller-like movement or aim — perhaps while flying a jet — but you’ll still get to use the 12,000 DPI optical sensor in the mouse when you need it. You can also set up the analog stick to work for macros or button assignments. The whole mouse can glide around smoothly on special ceramic skates, which ought to last a while with higher durability than the teflon found on other mice. And the braided cable for this mouse should be able to hold up to some abuse.
8. ZLOT Vertical Gaming Mouse
Best Vertical Gaming Mouse Joystick
It might seem odd to put a joystick on a gaming mouse when they’re designed to be pointing devices in the first place, but the ZLOT Vertical Gaming Mouse makes good use of its stick. You can think of the joystick on this peripheral as more of a four-way toggle than a true joystick. Sure you can set each of the cardinal directions as WASD, but you won’t get the diagonal movement control of a true joystick. Still, you can use the stick here for quickly switching weapons, activating character abilities, and putting other commands.
Joystick aside, the vertical tower design in the ZLOT Vertical Gaming Mouse reduces stress on your wrist and fingers and improves reaction time while eliminating fatigue. Despite being easy on the budget, the ZLOT mouse uses a Pixart PMW3325 IR sensor with five adjustable resolution settings from 1,500 to 10,000 DPI, and includes 11 programmable, macro-capable buttons (including the thumbstick), with the settings stored in the mouse’s internal memory.
9. Mad Catz Ego
Best Fight Stick
Sure, your regular controller or gamepad may work fine with fighting games like Mortal Kombat, but you’re going to have the best possible experience when you play these games using a fight stick. The Mad Catz Ego is a phenomenal fight stick that’ll give you an edge over your opponents. You can just hook it up to your PC via a USB, but it’s also compatible with Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch via controller syncing, so you’ll get tons of use out of this hardware.
The Mad Catz Ego offers a solid, compact build with easy access inside to mod out the fight stick with your own customizations. You’ll get eight responsive buttons as well as an eight-way reliable joystick to make fighting a breeze. So, if you’re looking for a competitive-grade fight stick or are just an arcade fan, this is a strong option.
10. Razer Tartarus Pro
Best Gaming Keypad
The Razer Tartarus was already a pretty nifty accessory. It provided you with some dedicated keys for gaming while also giving you a handy directional pad for your thumb. Now, with the Razer Tartarus Pro, the capabilities are going even further, letting you get closer to joystick-like control.
The Razer Tartarus Pro still has a set of twenty keyboard-style buttons with per-key RGB backlighting. But, this time around, those keys have analog optical key switches that can detect how far they've been pressed. This allows for analog input through the keys rather than the typical binary input you get from keyboards. In addition to the pressure-sensitive response, the keys can be set to register at different actuation points or even have two actuation points that each trigger a different action. Besides the keys, the Razer Tartarus Pro includes a clickable scroll wheel and an eight-way direction pad, giving your thumb a lot more to do than just jump.
Where to Get the Best PC Joystick in the UK
Are you still marvelling at the brilliance of Microsoft Flight Simulator? Well, maybe it's time to up your game and invest in a brand new joystick for the PC. There are plenty of brilliant options to choose from, with our favorites including the lovely mid-priced Hori HOTAS Flight Stick, or the Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition.
What to Look for in a PC Joystick
Joysticks aren’t run-of-the-mill gaming accessories. They’re specialized gadgets with their own lingo and features. Right off the bat, for example, you should decide if you just need a stick, or also a detached throttle control. HOTAS (Hands on Throttle and Stick) configurations try to authentically simulate aircraft and, more fantastically, spaceships. For sure, having your hands on both throttle and stick can feel authentic and significantly increase your immersion.
Bonus points: Some throttles also split to let you separately control two engines. On the other hand, you can sacrifice realism with a less pricey joystick that includes a rudimentary throttle lever integrated into the base.
The quantity and configuration of buttons is also critical; more controls add up to more realism and fewer reasons to ever touch the keyboard in-game. But 30 buttons with three programmable modes each can mean 100 or more different commands, which may be a lot more than you have the patience to learn as a casual gamer. If that sounds intimidating, you might be happy with a simple keyboard with a dozen buttons and switches.
Once you get past those basics, there are a lot of smaller details that distinguish joysticks. Stick tension is important to the feel of the game, and that’s something you can really only appreciate by trying out in person. Some joysticks err on the side of being too stiff, but that’s probably far preferable to a joystick that’s too lose, which feels cheap and inauthentic.
Some joysticks twist from side to side – this is referred to as “z-axis rotation” and lets you easily apply rudder or yaw. As a general rule, you’ll want this, particularly in flight and space simulators. And don’t forget that in the heat of combat, it’s good to have a joystick that stays put. Some joysticks ensure stability through sheer mass. Others have suction cups to keep it from sliding.
Dave Johnson has been writing about gaming and tech since the days of the Palm Pilot. See him shout into the Twitter void @davejoh
