Advanced fliers need efficient alternatives to using their mouse and keyboard. If you are one of them, our Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Hotas Review will be helpful on your part.
We will discuss the T.16000M FCS Hotas. It is an all-inclusive Hotas setup consisting of a joystick and throttle controller with buttons. The product has a throttle slider on its joystick, plus other legacy quirks of its initial solo controller design.
Our Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Hotas Review will discuss additional product details, including its features, design, performance, etc. And first, we will look into its packaging and contents.
Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Hotas Packaging
Our package for this Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Hotas Review arrived in a rather big cardboard box.
The front displays an image of the T.16000M FCS Hotas, the company and product name, plus its main features.
Flipping the box gives you its rear, which displays more product features. These are written in different languages to cater to all of its customers.
Once you start unboxing, you will immediately see the joystick and the throttle in a massive white foam for protection. Other items inside the package are the joystick manual and the throttle manual.
Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Hotas Review – Design and Functionality
To continue our Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Hotas Review, we will discuss the design and functions of the Hotas. In this section, we will focus on the throttle, its joystick, the base of the Hotas, and its build quality.
We categorised these in their section to better discuss each.
The joystick houses four buttons which are specifically three buttons and a trigger. It is also home to a single hat switch on top.
Its base features a slider plus 12 buttons where the latter sit in groups. These come with braille-like markings on their surface to help you distinguish them easily.
Aside from the standard roll and pitch movements, the joystick also allows twist movements. It is an ideal setup, which is compatible with the T-Flight Rudder pedals, MDF Cougar Systems, and TARGET software.
When we learned the joystick was hard plastic-made, we expected it to feel cheap. Instead, it felt durable and premium with a fine grip in our hands. There were no annoying creaking plastic sounds while manipulating the product.
Interestingly, it also felt comfortable despite hours of using the product. Plus, all its buttons had an even distribution, so even if you have large hands, cramping issues will not exist.
Another excellent aspect of the joystick is it is ambidextrous. So both right and left-handed users can use the T.16000M FCS Hotas. Additionally, the stick uses the 16-bit magnetic sensor (HEART) from Thrustmaster, allowing it to avoid friction.
The joystick features an 8-way POV hat switch, four axes, plus 16 action buttons, and these are a lot. Pressing its buttons gives you that feel of a membrane keyboard instead of a click.
Despite that, you will receive positive resistance, and the buttons are not easy to mistakenly press.
On its base is one remodelled slider at the centre. Additionally, it is smooth and does not feel like it is catching on anything.
The throttle is fantastic, and its action is linear rather than circular. As a result, instead of pushing it around points, you slide it forward. However, there are no buttons on the body except on the throttle handle.
Resting beneath your fingers are three hat switches, two rocker switches, three buttons, and an analogue rest. The hat switches act more like a gamepad thumb stick.
While writing our Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Hotas Review, we noticed how the throttle perfectly fits the left hand. And the nice thing about it is it puts plenty of controls at your fingertips.
All three standard hat switches and one button rest beneath your thumb. Then, your remaining fingers will deal with the rest. The analogue hat switch stays under your index, letting you move better.
If you think about it, these are a lot of buttons for one hand to manage. With everything within reach, you do not need to remove your hand from the throttle, so it becomes second nature.
Generally, the analogue hat is perfect for lateral thrusting, allowing more preciseness than with a standard digital switch.
You will find holes on the base of both units that let you attach them to something. Ang generally, their quality and construction are good.
The joystick trigger felt slightly fragile, but we did not experience issues during our tests. We will discuss more of these later in our Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Hotas Review.
When you look at the T.16000M FCS Hotas, you can tell it has an incredible build quality, as expected from Thrustmaster. Its outer parts are moulded plastic, and the moving parts are metal-made. It is why the T.16000M FCS is quite heavy.
Being slightly heavy is not always ideal for gaming peripherals. But for joysticks that do not require lifting and changing positions, having extra weight is beneficial.
Its buttons also have a firm and tactile feel, giving you adequate comfort and response. These give you a feeling that you are driving a real plane.
Overall, the build quality is solid. When you grip it, you will feel how premium it is. The texture of its external plastic is not cheap, and it is more durable than expected.
Note that the buttons also feature braille, which helps you know which buttons you are pressing.
Key Features of the Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Hotas
Discussing the features of any product that you plan to purchase is vital. Knowing what it offers is best to help you determine if it is perfect for your needs. Also, it will let you know if it is worth the purchase.
HOTAS Control of All Cockpit Elements
Thrustmaster dedicated 25 years of experience in flight sim controllers to meet the growing demands of flight and space simmers. And the company came up with an excellent solution in the form of a mid-range Hotas joystick.
The T.16000M FCS Hotas is for advanced flyers who want comprehensive, realistic controls instead of a mouse and keyboard.
It consists of the T.16000M FCS flight stick and TWCS throttle. Also, the Hotas is compatible with a PC via Windows Vista, 7, 8, and 10 (32-bit and 64-bit).
TWCS Throttle of the Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Hotas
The Thrustmaster Weapon Control System or TWCS Throttle has a lower position than quadrant-based systems to provide unparalleled comfort. You can increase your combat speed and manage your jet fighter or spaceship.
Since it has 14 buttons and an eight-way PoV hat switch, you can enjoy total control. Combining it with the joystick gives you five axes, two eight-way PoVs, and 30 buttons. Plus, you can take advantage of three additional axes using the optional TFRP rudder.
SMART (Sliding Motion Advanced Rail Tracks) Technology
SMART Technology is a unique system of slide rails offering seamless throttle sliding motion. It is comfortable, precise, and has an 80mm travel range, which improves precision when manoeuvring.
You can adjust the throttle friction level using the tightening screw according to your preference.
Thrustmaster Advanced Flying Ecosystem
The T.16000M FCS Hotas is part of the Thrustmaster peripherals for flight simulation. You can use it with other products under the same line.
When using multiple Thrustmaster peripherals, you can form a comprehensive ecosystem. These products also work with the TARGET advanced programming software.
TARGET Software – Advanced Programming of up to 256 Buttons
TARGET (Thrustmaster Advanced Programming Graphical Editor) Software is the utility suite for configuring Thrustmaster peripherals. Here, you can access all settings for the T.16000M FCS Hotas and other Thrustmaster devices. The software allows loading and creating particular mapping profiles for different games to improve your gaming experience.
Aside from configuring settings, you can share your configurations with other users in the Thrustmaster community.
We also used the software when we did our product tests for this Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Hotas Review. We will further discuss the available settings to give you an idea about the interface.
Ergonomic Design for Precision and Comfort
The design and ergonomics of the T.16000M FCS Hotas allow you to be more accurate and efficient when gaming. It provides better access to flight controls, which is vital for an immersive flight experience in VR-compatible games.
With this product, you can enjoy the most natural and intuitive flight experience.
Specifications
The T.16000M FCS Hotas is a simple product. It measures 27.2 x 22.9 x 26.4cm (LxWxH) and weighs 2100g.
This product works with Windows and MacOS. Plus, it connects via USB and uses a standard receiver.
Hands-on with the Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Hotas
This Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Hotas Review will discuss our hands-on experience with the Hotas. We tested it for a week to better see how well it performs in different scenarios.
But before looking into how it works and functions, let us discuss its TARGET Software.
TARGET Software
Thrustmaster offers its TARGET Software for users who enjoy tinkering with settings etc. It has setups like joystick sensitivity curves, assigning macros buttons, and other advanced settings.
Advanced TARGET Settings
Here is a list of the advanced settings for this TARGET Software:
- Multiple Axis Arrangements
- Drag and Drop Controls
- Multiple Programming Levels like Basic, Advanced, Script
- It gives the capacity to combine the throttle with other joysticks from the company. It allows the identification of controllers as single USB devices.
- It provides access to advanced profiles from the Thrustmaster community.
Using the T.16000M FCS Hotas
Using the stick was fantastic since it was smooth and responsive. We were pleased with how premium it felt, and we also loved its handrest that provided support. Despite being a plastic-made stick, its build was solid and sturdy.
It provided excellent throttle action and could do away with the standard central pivot instead of a forward/backward motion. At first, it felt slightly odd, considering we use classic throttle designs. However, it quickly becomes natural with continuous use.
However, it felt slightly out of place when we tried using the Hotas with traditional flight sims.
The action was smooth and allowed us to make rapid adjustments throughout the range. It is good to note that there are no detents for determining the throttle centre or other points.
Resistance was adjustable, yet the means of doing so was a little hidden. What we did was slide the throttle to its 100% forward position. Then, we flipped the unit over.
From there, we found a hole with a screw inside, which we tightened/loosened accordingly.
We loved the satisfying clicks when pressing the digital buttons. It was the same for its POV hats when we pushed them around. These had different textures to make them easier to identify, even if we were not looking.
Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Hotas Review Summary
The Thrustmaster T.16000M Hotas has many to offer for its asking price. It is a well-constructed product that performs excellently and has many button inputs, allowing for better gaming performance. Plus, it does not feel cheap or flimsy, and its ergonomic design makes it comfortable for long periods of use.
While testing the product for our review, we noticed its accuracy and smoothness, which allowed us to perform better. We did not experience any issues and took advantage of all available buttons, which made our gameplay more convenient. Plus, the option to add rudder pedals makes it even better.
Having many controls makes flight simulation more enjoyable. However, these can be useless if the joystick and throttle cause discomfort while playing. Unlike most similar products, the T.16000M FCS Hotas changed our experience thanks to the easily accessible controls.
Aside from having good build quality, design, and ergonomics, it has a user-friendly software interface. TARGET Software offers many advanced features to improve your user experience with the T.16000M FCS Hotas. The settings are not difficult to tweak, and you can even share your configurations with other users.
Overall, the T.16000M FCS Hotas is a high-quality throttle with an excellent joystick. We highly recommend this product to gamers who want to enhance their experience playing their favourite flight simulators.
Visit the official product page of Thrustmaster to learn more details about the T.16000M FCS Hotas.
