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Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet: One-minute assessment
For those who’ve learn our Thrustmaster Viper TQS Mission Pack assessment, you’ll know that flight sim tech is getting nearer than ever to turning your setup into one thing plucked proper from a fighter jet.
The Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet follows on that very same line of considering, dovetailing fantastically with its sister product whereas providing a implausible flight stick in its personal proper, full of enter choices and loads of settings to tweak the sport really feel to your liking.
It’s ludicrously costly, although. The assessment unit we’re testing is fashioned of a number of modular sections, with the corporate’s AVA base, a flight stick, and a base plate. These all mix in a nifty bundle for $579 / £450 (cheaper than shopping for them piecemeal) nevertheless it’s undoubtedly an funding for a flight fanatic.
It’s nonetheless onerous to not be impressed. It’s a hefty stick, one that will really feel proper at dwelling doing loop-de-loops within the sky, and it’s completely full of inputs with switches, buttons, and triggers throughout it.
For those who’re seeking to take your flight sim expertise to new heights, it’s onerous to look previous, however don’t overlook that the HOTAS X is a way more inexpensive, entry-level mannequin that comes with a throttle – one thing the F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet doesn’t have within the field.
Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet: Value and availability
- Listing value: $579 / £450
- Obtainable worldwide
- Provided in components however this bundle is less expensive
For those who do wish to choose up every a part of the setup we’re testing right here for the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet, you may anticipate to spend a good quantity extra, with simply the baseplate alone coming in at $25 / £25.
That makes the bundle the best way to go, and fortunately it’s straightforward to place collectively. It took me round 5 minutes to get every little thing attached, and the burden is a lifeless giveaway that it’s constructed to final, weighing in at 7.6lbs / 3.5kg as soon as it’s put collectively.
The bundle contains the offset adapter, too, letting you tweak the angle at which the stick rests, both for realism or simply for consolation.
Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet: Specs
Value | $579 / £450 |
Dimensions | 5 x 6.7 x 13.4 inches / 128 x 170 x 341 mm |
Weight | 7.6lbs / 3.5kg |
Platforms | PC |
Throttle included? | No |
Buttons | 19 buttons together with 3x Hat Switches |
Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet: Design and options
- The bottom plate may do with higher toes
- Feels nice to make use of
- Satisfying inputs
As with the Viper TQS Mission Pack, it’s onerous to not be in awe of the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet when you unbox it.
It’s straightforward to place collectively, with a number of screws attaching the AVA base to the bottom plate, and the stick mainly screws on with none strenuous effort. It’s very easy to get began, too, because you simply must plug in your USB-C cable (included within the field) and also you’re away.
In comparison with the T Flight HOTAS I’ve been utilizing for years, there’s an actual weight to any motion on the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet, and it makes flying really feel extra genuine because of this.
Button-wise, there’s a trio of hat switches. Two are on the prime, whereas one rests underneath your thumb, and if the sport you’re taking part in helps all of them you’ll have extra buttons than you already know what to do with. Two are four-way, whereas one other is eight-way, and mixed with bodily buttons you’ve a whopping 19 on a stick that basically doesn’t waste any house in any respect.
All the things feels nice to press, and there’s sufficient effort wanted to hit issues just like the rear buttons so that you just gained’t end up unintentionally hitting them too usually.
Particular props ought to be given to the set off, too, which registers full pulls and half pulls in case your sport helps that, and at all times feels nice to tug whether or not you’re taking part in one thing extra grounded or extra fantastical.
Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet: Efficiency
- Plug and play
- Customizable innards
- T.A.R.G.E.T. software program is mainly only for drivers
As with the Viper, Thrustmaster recommends utilizing its T.A.R.G.E.T. software program, however you may actually simply use it for the drivers and little else. I discovered every little thing was detected properly in Home windows’ personal management panel for enter gadgets, and that was a greater spot for fast testing of deadzones and the like.
Flight sim followers might lean on it for preloading layouts constructed to approximate actual flight controls, however as I’ve talked about earlier than, I fancy myself extra of a Han Solo than an airline pilot, and the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet helps fulfill these dogfighting desires splendidly – when you map controls.
For those who’re utilizing this and the Viper, video games ought to swap to make the latter the secondary enter, nevertheless it’s price noting I bumped into some hassle as sure video games mapped capabilities to the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet that it doesn’t have entry to, resulting in a weird countless spin within the likes of Elite Harmful and Star Wars: Squadrons. Remapping buttons did the trick, however should you’re apprehensive you’ve obtained a dodgy unit, relaxation assured it’s a minor situation.
That apart, each video games really feel nice when utilizing the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet. (Intentional) barrel rolls and locking onto TIE Fighters turned second nature, even with out utilizing the Viper, and I discovered myself tinkering with the inside chassis simply to get issues dialed in.
The AVA base may be opened up with ease, letting discerning pilots regulate resistance, journey, and extra. It’s simply finished and provides a stage past easy button remapping that consultants will little question have an terrible lot of enjoyable with.
In reality, the one actual grievance is that within the warmth of the second, as I pulled again on the stick, I discovered the toes on the baseplate didn’t give fairly as a lot resistance as I had hoped. That may very well be all the way down to me and having a comparatively smooth-feeling desk, nevertheless it’s one thing to contemplate.
Ought to I purchase the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet?
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
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Nonetheless not bought on the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet? Right here’s the way it compares to 2 related merchandise.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet | Turtle Seaside VelocityOne | Logitech T Flight Hotas One |
Value | $579 / £450 | $122.99 / £119.99 | $99.99 / £89.99 |
Dimensions | 5 x 6.7 x 13.4 inches / 128 x 170 x 341 mm | 6.46 x 8.54 x 9.07 inches / 164 x 217 x 230 mm | 10.43 x 10.39 x 9.53 inches / 265 x 264 x 242 mm |
Weight | 7.6lbs / 3.5kg | 1.81lbs / 821g | 5.73lbs / 2.06kg |
Platforms | PC | PC, Xbox | PC, Xbox |
Buttons | 19 buttons together with 3x Hat Switches | 27 | 14 |
Axes | 6 | 8 | 5 |
Throttle | Sure | No | Sure |
How I examined the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet
- Examined over a interval of months
- Used on a gaming PC with an RTX 4070 Ti
- Examined with Elite Harmful, Star Wars Squadrons, and Microsoft Flight Simulator
I’ve been testing the Thrustmaster F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet for a few months, however the aforementioned remapping points meant issues took slightly longer to settle than I’d care to confess.
As soon as that was sorted, although, it was off to the races (or airport?). I examined it with Microsoft Flight Simulator for some trans-Atlantic journeys, however as I discussed above, I principally used it for dogfighting in Star Wars Squadrons or hauling house cargo in Elite Harmful.
First reviewed February 2025
