Brief comparison of VKB STECS and Virpil CM3

I mention a Virpil CM2 in the video, but it is a CM3.

[@teun0het]

Nice to finally see someone moving all the buttons and showing what type of buttons they are. Thanks for making the video!

[@jubuttib]

Important to keep in mind that 5 of the switches/buttons on the right grip are modules, which can be 5-way, 3-way, or a simple button. Huge amount of tweakability for layout.

[@jubuttib]

@@s7r49 The mini from what I can remember comes with 1x5-way and 4 buttons installed, and no extras. I think adding at least another 5-way and a 3-way goes a long way in most games/planes. EDIT: Thinking like one 5-way for mic, one for coolie, and 3-way for air brakes or something, at least.

[@jubuttib]

@@s7r49 Ah gotcha, might more easily get away without them on those old birds. Have fun, regardless. =)

[@khaledassaf6356]

Been using the Virpil for almost a year, extremely solid option, and the customer service is top notch. The VKB looks like it's a solid contender as well. I'd say you can't go wrong with either choice.

[@SIMRIG412]

Vkb definitely feels cheaper! Sold the vkb for a Virpil

[@JohnnyTwos]

Thank you for making this. No one ever goes through all the control surfaces and this video is exactly what i was looking for! I think im falling in love with VKB looks like the value you get for the cost compaired to virpil is insane!

[@1SaG]

I've been using the Virpil for about a year now (came from a WHT), and I absolutely love it. However: I bought it during a end-of-year sale and I think it took well over two months for it to finally get delivered. A few months after I got it, VKB came out with the STECS and, as luck would have it, a squaddy of mine managed to get his hands on one of the first ones and brought it with him to our squad's annual meet. I didn't except much from the VKB, simply based on pics and technical specs, but when I had it in my hand... this thing was pretty freakin' awesome. Had it been available back when I bought the Virpil, I would've had a very hard time not grabbing the VKB. Would've been convenient, since I am using a Gunfighter Mk III, but that wouldn't have been the main reason for me. It just is that good, IMO, even when compared to the Virpil. And that's pretty high praise, since I consider the Virpil the best throttle I've ever owned.. :)

[@FFFraiser]

Great firt look. I like that you can change some of the buttons on the VKB so easy. Also that the whole system ist "modular".

[@b34k97]

I think this is now the first official video review for this bad boy!

[@AdamD19D]

I've got the virpil mongoose cm3 and love it. My only complaint would be the hat switch on the side with the rotary knob around it seems to have a little too much play to it where sometimes it registers a direction i didn't mean to engage, say i want to go up but accidently bump it left. I always use the 3 way on the front left as my speed brake and that slider right next to it as my zoom view. The slider works great for zoom. You go into Axis settings, check the slider option, and set a negative curve of usually -25 or -35 so when it goes to the little detent it has at center, your view in the aircraft is perfectly set where you can see all of your cockpit but also have a great view of outside

[@xOPER8Rx]

Waiting on mine to get here... thanks for making this.

[@terry7342]

Great comparison better than most other videos. Thank you for posting.

[@Darrylx444]

Mine's coming in 2 days.... thanks for posting!

[@catsooey]

How’s the STECS been so far? Would you recommend it? I’m trying to decide between the Virpil CM3 and the STECs. Virpil would have been my first choice until the STECS came out. I didn’t know that much about it at first, but a friend of mine (who owned both) couldn’t say enough good things about it. He said it was the next generation of throttle design and after seeing several of the reviews it looks like it might have Virpil beat!

[@Darrylx444]

@@catsooey It's been great so far, although I've taken a bit of a break from flying recently. Powerful software for customization, and solid hardware that is also quite customizable. Light years ahead of my old modded TWCS, but slightly bulkier to grip than that was (despite my large hands). I've never tried the Virpil but it has a lot of fans too. I don't think you would regret either one.

[@jubuttib]

Worth noting that the single button on the thumb section of the STECS is also a module, so you can get 3x5-way there if you want. Same for the button module under the middle finger, that can be a 5-way as well, for a total of 5 (STECS Standard comes with 2 mounted and 3 extra packaged). And yeah the front side (finger, not palm) triggers are also buttons, with the palm ones you get 4 total. The thumb wheel is analog, the other two on the left grip are encoders. You also missed the analog slider on the Virpil. =) I think I count 26 "buttons" (excluding the mode switch) on the Virpil base, and 25 on the STEM module (so ignoring the two buttons and mode switch on the throttle itself). And of course since the STECS is compatible with the NXT modules, you can add a lot of different buttons and a couple of axis to it...

[@thistledown]

I've already swapped the 3 way to the 5 way. I haven't decided if I will swap out the middle finger button. Thanks for verifying the thumb wheel is analog. I did miss the Virpil slider. I forget about that one as I never use it. I believe it has a center detent on it, and it doesn't have enough resistance for me.

[@RocketToTheMoose]

@@thistledown Seems like that would be what you might want to use for zoom.

[@jubuttib]

@@thistledown I'm probably gonna go with 3x5-way under my thumb, coming from a TWCS that feels like a decent idea. The middle finger button will probably become a 3-way. The triggers and two permabuttons are going to have to suffice for just straight up buttons (6 of them is probably enough), rest are going to be various hats.

[@4IN14094]

​​​​@@thistledown I believe the analog mini stick can swap positions as well？I know many people like it on the index finger because they are used to it too. EDIT: OH wait, no, I saw other comments, the analog stick is a of a different size, not ideal, but maybe too much to ask for to begin with.

[@thistledown]

. @jubuttib I went ahead with another 5-way castle in place of the middle finger button.

[@Taipan303]

Thanks for the Comparison. 2 years ago I benefited from your VKB MCG Ultimate vs Pro, so I expect in another 2 years VKB should release something cool as well and I'll come back here to check :)

[@andreyzhavoronkov6746]

I guess you're the first to review it. Thanks! :)

[@thistledown]

That wasn't my intent, and this is far from a review, but I know I would have wanted to see an initial look at it.

[@maximilianrockefeller8854]

THis is the hero we needed.

[@amadeusdemarzi2]

You have the Virpil CM3 throttle? The CM2 didn’t have detents

[@jonwood8648]

on the vkb the buttons can be switched out and swapped. i switched a two way switch with no press with a 4 way ans press. lots of customization opportunities are possible. quite easy to do and gives you access to quite a bit more functionality than what comes setup from the factory.

[@pip07200]

Thanks for sharing, mine is on its way. Almost got CM3, but hope the wait is worth it.

[@OLIV3R_YT]

Thanks for this overview! I kinda don't know how to feel about the TDC at the back not being an analogue stick. Every other throttle I had would have the TDC to be the analogue one.

[@falxonPSN]

It seems like the Virpil is sized more for those with fatter/wider hands, versus the VKB which is sized for average or narrower hands. That alone can make a big comfort difference depending on your hand shape.

[@richardPalmisano]

can it be right or left handed i need it to be right handed if that makes any since lol thanks

[@JohnConservative]

me too, hope someone answers

[@dcsunscripted]

Rough but informative. STECS is my first mid-to-high level throttle and I haven't realized that some throttles need to be open to adjust the tightness. I often just tighten or loosen it just to make it feel right at the moment, it's probably not a deal-breaker, but I'm glad it is so easy on STECS! After a few months I can say that the detents are incredible, switchable modules as well (but that you'll likely do just once), the precision is great, hand sits on it nicely... but Virpil has more real axes on the grip. That's the only pitty with STECS. Otherwise it works great and the Standard version is a great option.

[@SIMRIG412]

Stecs is mid grade! Not mid-high grade. There is like 1-5% of metal in a stecs when Virpil is 98% metal only plastic buttons

[@fa-ajn9881]

Can you give another review now that you have some time on the stecs I assume

[@ealtar]

is .. NO one going to tell him the detents are reight there under the colour swaps for the detent slide ???

[@Darrylx444]

You can change rotary encoders into axes in the VKBDEVCFG software, if desired.

[@SIMRIG412]

lol same on Virpil!

[@andrewmiller4753]

How are either for using a yaw function? (I dont like pedals or sticks with twists)

[@silasanderson7202]

TKS

[@generic_luke]

Hey, might be a dumb question, but its it possible to move the thumb analog stick to the index finger position? Not a deal breaker for me, but Id much prefer it personally, especially when it comes to left/right movements.

[@steeltribe3967]

Thanks, appreciate the effort.

[@utley]

im surprised at how small that thing is....I have a T50CM and a T50 that are both bigger than that CM3, and that STECS is small compared to the CM3.

[@paristo]

One big difference that everyone should notice, is that what kind a buttons, switches etc either one use. Like look at the Virpil base. It is one big box, and every switch, button etc hole is drilled straight to it. And then the switch/button is mounted through that hole. Just as it is basically done by all the electronics cheaply (you have specific hole diameter, and then you have nuts to tighten them on the surface). With the VKB the mounting is different. The base is molded so that there is under it the own mount to hold the buttons, and then the base has the hole, but the button is not mounted in that hole but the platform under the base. These bases are then in own separate covers that are mounted on the base, like you can see two own separate parts on base, one for Encoder 1 and 2, and other for SW1 and SW2 etc buttons. The VKB goes through different design to get all look more neatly, where Virpil just has a box to make holes and mount all in to that.

[@RW-zn8vy]

I don’t think Virpil does anything necessarily cheaply minus a few things I mean I don’t really hear about their stuff breaking but the stecs seems pretty solid for it’s price.

[@paristo]

@@RW-zn8vy Virpil users has reported more problems than VKB users. Time will tell about TECS, but it looks solid. Virpil has been required to redesign their throttle four times, that revealed some problems and fixed some. Not that anything of these are ground breaking like Warthog stick gimbal or TDC hat, or TM16000 Z axis in stick or Logitech X56... It is so nice we have finally options... Quality ones.

[@RW-zn8vy]

@@paristo oh yes for sure! Winwing vkb and Virpil makes it really hard to choose and you can’t go wrong with any of them imo. I guess im lucky I haven’t had issues with my cm3 yet and hopefully not for awhile if ever!

[@PaddyPatrone]

I have the Virpil CM3, it`s as solid as it can get. Calling it cheap is ridiculous!

[@JV44HeinzBar]

Nice review. Quick question: Where did you get your detents for the CM2? I have an early version of the CM2 w/o detents and would like to add some. Thanks.

[@PaddyPatrone]

It`s a CM3, not a CM2. He probably just misspelled

[@AdjudicatorBrbal]

Do u use these for star citizen or a different throttle set up than a traditional one?

[@BCSchmerker]

+thistledown *The Virtual Engineering Bureau NPO and VIRPIL Controls have differential advantages.* The ST>ECS I find superior in accuracy of engine quadrants, the Control Panel #2 superior in accuracy of corner-console assemblies. For my F-14 Echo contingency, I'll divert the ST>ECS Standard gear switch to the Refuelling Probe; the L- and V-detents make a "catapult" notch practicable, whereas a "catapult" notch is tricky to pull off on the MongoosT-50CM3 Engine Quadrant.

[@artswri]

Stecs is far more customizable than shown here!!!

[@jakefowler8522]

Can’t buy vkb in uk unfortunately

[@adr1uno638]

Looks cool but to bad they change the lifts for buttons :(

[@Trankiller]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@BettyMartinez-l2x]

6687 Stan Garden

[@SIMRIG412]

The Virpil wins hands down over vkb. Anything Virpil beats vkb!

[@sn1p3s29]

The stecs is modular so if you want the thumbstick to be on the forefinger you can move it

[@somerandomperson8282]

It was a really bad choice for VKB to use that really light grey/white plastic on the device dials, it looks cheap and nasty. They should have used darker grey.

[@ighicedeamon]

Virpil looks better (and seems more solid) but VKB seems more to have a better overall design to me. This is tough. I use VPC ACE Torq and MCGU + Cosmo omni for flying in space sims. I dont think I need a throttle but I want one lol.

[@neguritabco]

I'm new to flying, right now I'm flying with a thrustmaster 16000 and a buttonbox(from my racing rig), so not ideal. Initially(like 3 weeks ago) I was looking at the Virpil and Winwing but as soon as I've seen VKB throttle I opted to wait, and I'll wait a bit more to see more feedback from people but as of now, VKB takes my money.

[@NihilisticZebra]

I hope mb1 can be analog

[@marcquintin7855]

Never tried the Virpil but seriously, the Stecs wins, $200 less