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Saitek has built up quite a reputation in the world of game controllers. Many of you have probably heard about Saitek’s successful Cyborg range, so look out for our upcoming review of the latest flagship model, the Cyborg Evo.

For now though, let’s take a closer look at the budget end of Saitek’s range where the Saitek ST90 happily finds itself. Priced at an impressive £12.33, I have to say that I had my doubts. There aren’t too many joysticks available at such a low price and those that you can find are often as useful as a stick of the wooden variety.

That said, first impressions are good, but is that because of the price and the stylish packaging I wonder? Well maybe, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, or should I say the gaming? Anyway let’s say goodbye to the fancy see-through plastic capsule and welcome the ST90 to my desk.

If you haven’t already guessed from our images, this joystick doesn’t conform to the typical design, in that the legs of the base can be retracted upwards for more convenient storage, which makes it ideal for stowing away in your desk drawer. Equally, when the legs are unfolded and secured into place using the orange locking disc, they create a surprisingly stable platform from which to yank the stick to and fro. Furthermore, the feet are fitted with foam pads that help protect the desk surface and minimise slipping during rapid movements.

At the other end of the two-metre cable is a USB interface, and upon connection to my PC, setup is simply a case of Windows detecting the ST90 and auto-installing it under game controllers in the Windows control panel. From here you can calibrate and test the stick as you would most gaming devices – simple.

Ok, so what’s it like to use? Well, ergonomically it feels comfortable to hold and there’s enough support from the hand rest to accommodate the largest of mittens. After firing up Crimson Skies and entering straight into a dogfight, I found that the motion was fluid and responsive which is largely down to the spring mechanism in the base. Pulling up, banking, rolling, and diving could all be accurately executed, although rudder control isn’t catered for with the lack of a twist action.

The ST90 also features a digital throttle controlled by the plus and minus buttons positioned on the head. These are well placed for the user’s thumb and offer four levels of acceleration as designated by the four green LEDs. Furthermore, holding down either button will instigate a smooth and continuous increase or decrease in acceleration. As for the rapid-fire trigger, this works fine, while the two remaining fire buttons can of course be assigned different functions depending on the game that’s played. The only negative aspect is the overall plasticky feel of the buttons, but considering that the ST90 is suitable for both left and right-handed users and won’t cost you an arm or a leg, overall I can’t complain.

Verdict

The ST90’s features are all well and good for the beginner, but serious gamers will need something a little more sophisticated. However, I must remember the price and for that kind of money it’s a great buy, especially if want to store it in a drawer or if you’re after more than one joystick for the kids.

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