Great headsets offer virtual surround sound, a comfortable headband and earcups, and audio customization that lets you tweak the sound to just how you like it.īut really, the best headset to augment your Flight Simulator experience depends on your personal preferences for headset style, whether you want a wired or wireless headset, and your budget. While real-life pilots need a great headset for crystal clear communication with ground control stations and their co-workers in the plane itself, Flight Simulator pilots need a great headset to appreciate all the gorgeous work that has gone into the game’s sound design.įrom accurate renditions of the planes’ engines to the bump and rattle of takeoffs and landings, to the patter of rain on the windscreen and chassis it can all make a big difference to the game’s overall immersion. But, for big money Flight Simulator controllers, you might want to consider some of the more advanced options below instead. If you have a bigger budget or want something higher quality, you could opt for a more capable joystick.
It gives you 12 programmable buttons that put all of your plane’s toggleable actions within easy reach, as well as a built-in throttle.
While they aren’t what most actual plane pilots use (see below for more real-world flight controls) they are much closer than either a mouse and keyboard combination or a console gamepad.įor a great entry-level joystick, the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro is a classic for around £45. Joysticks also offer analogue control, allowing for nuanced inputs for yaw, pitch, and roll, which gives you much more subtle control of your plane. This frees up your other hand for the throttle or other controls. They give you immediate three-axis control with a single hand, where before keyboard and mouse were required in tandem.
One of the easiest ways to upgrade your flight simulator experience is to purchase a joystick.