VKB Gladiator NXT EVO F-14 Combat Edition + STECS Throttle System review

There's a brand name that comes up fairly often on flight sim forums when discussions turn to controllers, and it's VKB. Its modular approach to flight sim peripherals means you can swap in and out various bases, grips, throttle controls and add-ons to create a plethora of potential flight controllers, and as a result, it's a company that has become highly regarded among those who take this sort of thing seriously. Difficult customers to impress, no doubt.

What I found truly impressive, however, was the size of the box that reached my door when I asked to review one. Rather than receiving a basic model, I was instead astonished to unbox a dizzying array of components that are designed to fit together in different ways for different sim experiences.

Rather than writing the longest review in PC Gamer history, I've decided to focus on what I reckon is likely to be the most popular combination for flight sims. For the stick itself, that'd be the VKB Gladiator NXT Base Module in combination with the F14 Tomcat Grip (VKB will sell you this as a bundle, called the Gladiator NXT EVO F-14 Combat Edition, for $175/€181) and the STECS Throttle System, a single/twin engine control system available for $279/€286. 

That's a total of $454 (minus shipping) for a set of flight controls that should get most people going in the wonderful world of flight simulation. Not cheap, I'll grant you, but the unboxing experience immediately lets you know that you're dealing with some serious kit. Beautifully presented packaging, with heavy-duty foam. Individual little Ziploc bags, clearly marked with screws, springs and components. So many individual bags, in fact, that I prepared myself for the long haul when it came to putting it together.

Type: Flight stick, twin throttle control and optional mounts
Connectivity: USB Type-A
Stick + base controls: (Stick) Lockable rudder axis, direct lift control, 1 x hat switch, 1 x dual-stage trigger, 1 x four stage ammo selector, 4 x programmable buttons.