Futuristic looks
In the design of the X52 you can see Saitek have ironed out many of the bugs and grumbles us pilots had about the X45. The spring tension in the base of the stick has been lessened a great deal (I ended up cable tying the springs on my X45 to try and relieve the arm-ache a long flight would invariably bring about)
The ‘rocker’ style rudder button mounted on the underside of the throttle handle has gone to be replaced by a twist rudder on the main stick… but in case you don’t like this, you can pull a little plastic knob and lock the rudder off. The grip on the joystick has been improved too, so there’s more to rest your hand on, relieving wrist fatigue. The grip itself has been enlarged as well, to accommodate bigger hands, and is now adjustable too, with the pinkie switch moving up and down with the rest of the grip allowing you to get the most comfortable position for you.
All the contact surfaces of the throttle and stick are coated in non-slip black rubber, so those sweaty palm slips are a thing of the past to some extent. The overall styling of the stick has had an overhaul since the X45 too, with everything finished off in brushed steel and black plastic. Throw in bloo led lighting as well and you get a far more futuristic looking bit of hardware that wouldn’t look out of place in a Star Trek spin off.