Best Cyborg V.1 Flight Stick Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020:

The cheapest model in the Mad Catz range of joysticks, the Cyborg V.1 Flight Stick is aimed at low-budget players who still want to enjoy the comfort of such an accessory in games that are more arcade-style. Sold for just thirty euros only, is it worth a look or is it better to stay on a more classic joystick?

Best Cyborg V.1 Flight Stick Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020

1. Cyborg V.1 Flight Stick

2. Cyborg V.1 Flight Stick (Cyborg? V.1 Flight Stick)

3. Mad Catz V.1 Stick for PC (Renewed)

4. Mad Catz V.1 Stick for PC

Construction

Exit the soft touch plastics of its big brother the FLY 5, the Cyborg V.1 must be content with hard plastics which are much less pleasant in the hand. The grip remains correct, however, and the assembly appears sufficiently robust.

On the other hand, the appearance of this model will certainly not please everyone, halfway between the snake (for the handle) and the scorpion (for the base).

The controls offer five buttons on the thumb, distributed around a multidirectional hat. In addition to the inevitable trigger, a sixth button finds its place at the bottom of the handle, for manipulation with the ring finger, or even at the index for small hands. This last button seems to us unfortunately badly placed, since it is triggered very easily, as soon as one tightens the fingers a little.

The strong point of this model, its symmetry ensures a suitable use for both right and left-handed people, which is rare enough to be reported. The Thrustmaster T.16000M goes one step further with its repositionable rubber inserts, but it is almost twice as expensive.

On the base, a handle allows to manage the gases. It should not be expected to be very precise, but its handling is easy.

A word on the blue lighting integrated at the head of the sleeve; it is particularly troublesome since it is reflected in the screen. It is also perfectly useless, since it does not light up the buttons. You cannot deactivate it in the pilot.

Installation and settings

With its six non-slip pads, including two very large located at the front, the Cyborg V.1 does not slide on a desk and that is good, since it does not offer any other fixing system (suction cups, holes for screws …).

No settings are available to adjust the spring tension, but this should work for most players.

Regarding the installation, on Windows only, just install the driver and connect the joystick to a minimum USB 2.0 port. You then access a configuration panel to test the controls and adjust the dead zones.

Smart Technology software allows you to create profiles for different games and assign macros to each key.

Stake

We did not expect much from the precision of a joystick at less than € 30 and we were right not to have any illusions. With recognition on only 8 bits (256 x 256 values), this model will only be suitable for undemanding arcade games. Better to forget the flight simulators or even the spacesims which will undoubtedly be more easily playable with the mouse.

In practice, the entire area up to half of the maximum inclination is subject to a great lack of precision directly linked to the base of the handle more than to the sensors. Indeed, we clearly notice notches in the four diagonals and the start of the tilt is too abrupt, so much so that it would already be difficult to be precise, even with another set of more efficient sensors. Not enough to scream scandal on a device so inexpensive, but better be warned, you will not put forward your piloting skills with the Cyborg V.1.

STRONG POINTS

• Throttle lever pleasant to use.
• Correct grip, ambidexterity.

WEAK POINTS

• Imprecision.
• Blue LED that lights forward, cannot be disabled.
• Average base stability.
• Button behind the handle too sensitive.

CONCLUSION

Unsurprisingly for a joystick sold for less than € 30, the Mad Catz Cyborg V.1 does not shine with its precision. It may just be suitable for very arcade games, but do not hope to express your piloting skills with such a basic model.

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