Manufactured By:  Saitek

Retail Price:      $29.95

Review Date:  11-14-99

Ever go shopping, see the perfect coat and try it on only to have it not fit?  At least with apparel you have the chance of looking further down the rack and finding that same perfect coat- in your size.  When it comes to game controllers you need to find one that fits and accept its features, quirks and function.  Your other option is to find one with all of the features and functions you desire and deal with its not so perfect ergonomics.  Either way its a compromise.

 Saitek designed the Cyborg product line with different individuals in mind.  Small hands, big hands, short fingers and long, and left and right handed people.  Rather that making a symmetrical, ambidextrous design they integrated a set of adjustable features that accommodate everyone.  Besides the Cyborg 2000 the product line includes a gamepad and more advanced joystick.

The Cyborgs are reminiscent of the Transformer toys of the early 80's.  They look very high tech and have many hidden features making them appropriate for different situations.  In this case the situations are different users.

The Cyborg 2000 is an entry-level controller with a few extras.  Of course the adjustability is a huge extra but the stick also has a throttle and 4 way hat switch.  I also paired up the Cyborg 2000 with a set of rudder pedals and external throttle.  The Cyborg 2000 has great expansion possibilities.

• 4 buttons
• Throttle Lever
• 4 way hat switch
• 4 adjustable features
  - Throttle on left/right
  - Hand rest for left/right and height
  - Head pivot
  - Head angle

• Flight Sims (MS FlightSim 98, CombatSim, Fly, etc.)
• Racing Games (Need For Speed, Powerslide, Midtown Madness, etc.)
• Space Sims (Descent Freespace, Forsaken, Mechwarrior III, Incoming, etc.)

The stick was used with a variety of games.  The joystick is still the most versatile controller and can be used with driving, flying, space and other games.  I used the Cyborg 2000 with a couple space sims first.  Only having 4 buttons was the only drawback to the stick.  Racing games didn't suffer from the button issue as much.  The throttle offers superb, accurate control.  It has a long throw and a large lever allowing you to be very precise with its control.  

The stick was used with many flight sims also.  Microsoft FlightSim 98 and 2000, Flight Unlimited II, CombatSim, Airwarrior III and WWII Fighters all played well with the stick.  In addition to using the stick alone I also did some testing with a Suncom SFS Throttle and SIMPED-vario Rudder Pedals.  When paired up with the external controllers the Cyborg 2000 was a great centerpiece to my flight setup.

I consider the button issue to be minor.  Considering the stick is an analog control (which limits the number of buttons), the very low cost and spectacular overall performance along with its expandability possibilities the Cyborg 2000 is a great stick.  When in a crunch for button functions you can always use the 4 positions of the hat switch for things other than views.

Overall performance of the Cyborg 2000 is above average.

Setup 95% -
Setup is a two part task; being more involved that with most controllers.  However, this is a good thing and well worth the investment.  The first and standard setup procedure involves plugging in the joystick, starting the system and setting it up in Windows.  In the game controller applet select a custom setup with 4 buttons, 3axis and hat switch.  The newly created setup can then be named "Cyborg 2000" for future reference.  Run the calibration and its set for use.

That is unless you want to customize the stick itself for your comfort.  Using a hex tool that conveniently stores on the back side of the base you can make quite a few adjustments to the joystick layout.  The first adjustment you should make is to the hand rest.  A single hex bolt secures the hand rest on the stick.  Remove the bolt flip the base to accommodate either your left or right hand and return the rest to the stick at the most comfortable height.

The second adjustment to make is the position of the throttle lever.  The lever can either be placed on the left (default) or right hand side of the joystick base.  Again, hex bolts hold the throttle in place and can be removed with the tool.  The last adjustments made are to the head of the joystick where the buttons and hat switch reside.  The hex bolt on the front of the stick can be loosened and the head pivoted from side to side, adjusting the angle of the head.  The head can also be pivoted from front to back.  Overall, it took me under 5 minutes to get it just right.

I threw the stick and the instruction card to my fiancé's so she could adjust it to her liking.  A few twists of the hex nuts and she had it to her liking.  Again, in under 5 minutes.  

The Saitek website hosts a large array of information, downloads and helpful documents.  Each product line has its own section and the help section is fairly comprehensive.  Cyborg specific information includes product details, Faq's, downloads, etc.  One of the most helpful files available from Saitek is a utility that removes unneeded joysticks from the selection list in the game controller applet. 

The Control Center highly recommends the Cyborg 2000.  Left and right handed users will be delighted with its comfort and function.

• Great features at an affordable price
• Highly adjustable
• Accurate throttle control
  

• Only 4 buttons

1 Stick  - Not Recommended
2 Sticks - Functional            
3 Sticks - Recommended with some issues 
4 Sticks - Recommended
5 Sticks - Highly Recommended!

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Buy the Cyborg Stick 2000