1 
0 Thrustmaster has been releasing flight sticks since its first launch in 1991. And as each year passes, the sticks got better and better. With some absolutely heavy-hitting sticks, such as the Warthog and the Viper, it was only a matter of time until space exploration was at the forefront. With the Sol-R you get exactly that. A stick specifically designed with space in mind. Let’s see what it’s all about, then, shall we!
Space, But Not As You Know It
Now, don’t get me wrong, it isn’t a cheap setup, retailing at £299.99 for the duo, or £159.99 for a solo stick. At this price point you are going to have to be an avid flight sim or space sim gamer. It’s an investment, though, right? Getting a decent flight stick is the same as spending money on a brilliant GPU. Invest in your setup and it will repay you tenfold.
Design
When the box got delivered for the Thrustmaster Sol-R 2 HOSAS Space Sim Duo I thought that it looked a little small, so I was a little concerned. However, opening the box and seeing the boxes within and their little illustrations, I was at ease. Thrustmaster have done a great job with the packaging, making sure you know just what is included in the box.
Unboxing the sticks and base separately and going through the setup was a doddle. Neatly illustrated quick start guides were included, but honestly, I didn’t need them. Then, plugging the sticks into my PC and seeing the lights come alive was awesome. A nice blue glow around the middle mini stick and around a number of buttons on the base. Joyous.
Coming in a nice clean white finish, with black inlays. The Sol-R looks like it’s come straight out of a sci-fi film. Built with ergonomics in mind, the sticks are precise as well as ambidextrous. Inside the box are a number of plastic pieces that allow you to change from right-handed to left. If you are worried about turning violently on the sticks, and the stick moving around. You shouldn’t, because included are 4 stability supports for each base, ensuring that you don’t lose any control through your gaming sessions.
Features
This section is where the Sol-R sets itself apart. My previous favourite HOTAS was the Logitech X56, which came with 31 programmable buttons. The Sol-R has 44 programmable buttons just on one stick and base. Not the stick and throttle as per the Logitech offering. If you are lucky enough to have the Space Sim Duo setup, then you will actually have 88 buttons to map.
That isn’t all, though. Each stick has 2 triggers, 2 hat switches, a mini stick and a thumbwheel. Giving you so much freedom to map them for your perfect setup. Not to mention the 3 axes of movement, meaning you can pitch, roll and yaw with ease. Each with HallEffect AccuRate Technology, or H.E.A.R.T. This is a trademark of Thrustmaster, ensuring that the movement of each stick is constant and precise. As well as some other magic at work.
Thrustmaster have also made it so that you can mix and match some of the most popular sticks. The Sol-R flightstick is compatible with an AVA base. But also having the popular Viper and Hornet grips compatible with the base. Just plug and play.
Gameplay
When I got these sent through, I was excited. After getting them set up on my desk, I wasn’t disappointed. Firing up Elite Dangerous to start the Sol-R sticks was a joy to use. Flying through space using the sticks was immersive beyond belief. I think it could have only been made better if I put on my VR headset as well. Maybe next time.
It was a bit fiddly to get the sticks working in parallel at first. But thankfully, Thrustmaster have made it straightforward to get the drivers. You just need to do some assigning of buttons in the settings, and away you go.
Next up on the testing phase was Star Wars Squadrons. A fast-paced game that meant I could try out the rapid movements and see how those stability stands worked. You’ll be pleased to know that the sticks did not move a millimetre. Honestly, I thought that flying my X-Wing around, taking down Tie-Fighters was going to be the downfall of the supports. Nope, it stood firm.
Finally, I went onto Microsoft Flight Sim. A game that I absolutely love to play. After assigning a few controls, I took to the skies. With the Sol-R having such great control and precise movements, it was incredible to fly a little Cessna around local landmarks. Getting as close as possible to them whilst still keeping control.
Final Thoughts
The Thrustmaster Sol-R HOSAS Space Sim Duo might be a little overkill for some people. So if this not going to be an everyday peripheral, I’d recommend just picking up the Sol-R 1 Flightstick. It’s a whole bunch cheaper and gives you the same awesome flightstick. With the precise control and a comfortable grip, you can use this for those extended gaming sessions in space.
The only negative that I can give to the set is that I need to send it back!
The Thrustmaster Sol-R HOSAS gets the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Disclaimer: A sample loan was received to write this review.
YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Discord | Podcast
About Author
Love the review, and I too agree with what was written. I would have to say the only frustrating part of these HOSAS is the setup in game. Being that they are new, I am having a hard time getting my elite dangerous game to recognize them. I followed the setup on Thrustmasters site, added the profile, but still doesn’t see them. I’m sure I am missing something. I also don’t like the T.A.R.G.E.T. software. With Star Citizen, I found that the keys that were suppose to do certain things just didn’t work, so I turned off the TARGET software and went without it. I was happy to see that SC sees both joysticks and I was mapping away. So far, I am really loving these and being able to change the color of the LEDs helps me keep my keys organized for different things. Ill be doing my own vid on these after playing with them a little more. One thing that I really love on these are the number layouts. When in game, like SC, if I hit button 16 for something in game on stick 2, SC says button 16 input 2. There is no guessing what buttons I assigned for what. Get set of sticks.