Gunfighter Mk3 SCG by VKB

[@d4rtarius]

After seeing many reviews, I got myself a Gladiator NXT two years ago and recently upgraded it to the EVO with the upgrade kit. After owning various HOTAS in the past such as Saitek's X52, X65, X56, I can safely say that the Gladiator NXT is a night and day difference. The build quality is beyond any of the other sticks I owned. I do miss having a throttle unit; I am waiting for the VKB TECS throttle to be released but also am considering the Gladiator NXT OMNI Throttle. In the future I intend to play Star Citizen a lot more and think that for anyone who doesn't want to spend an insane amount of money on solutions such as VIRPIL or even VKN MK3, the Gladiator NXT are very durable, great accuracy IMO and will last you a long time. I'm not saying the VIRPIL or VKB Mk3 are bad at all, however if you consider the value you get with the Gladiator NXT, it is an excellent price / performance ratio IMO. I'm certainly very happy with the stick so far.

[@bender222]

you can attach 2 springs to each cam. That is the reason for the spring sleeve as it is not needed otherwise. There is a chart that some body kindly made showing the exact spring tension of all the springs compared to the stock. Something notable is that 2 #10 springs is not the same as 1 #20;. or a #10 + a #20 is not the same as a #30, There are alot of combinations to get the tension just right

[@rhoastabotch]

Thanks for the information man. I bought the Gladiator NXT set and honestly was a little unhappy with the precision of the when trying to make little adjustments. Just staying on target felt harder than just using a mouse, which is what I was used to. Thinking that upgrading to the gunfighter base maybe just what the doctor ordered. Pretty friggin cool that it's an option.

[@MrKarolinger]

Nice review 🖖🤗

[@Zethez]

Another very through review. Thanks!

[@marek.lochki]

Thanks for another great vid.

[@cococookie2511]

Gunfighter Mark 4 was released 2023July28

[@lordfraybin]

That's pretty awesome they asked you to review these sticks. Excellent review, as always. I'd seriously consider the MKIII - but you already convinced me to buy multiple virpil sticks. :)

[@Bland-79]

I would love virpil sticks but probably out of my price range for the foreseeable future. Also not 100% sure my hands are big enough for them. The sticks in this video sound like my only affordable option and definitely not to big for my hands. Still haven't decided what to get. I will not have money for anything until next year when my car is paid off and it really depends haw bad inflation has gotten by that time.

[@lordfraybin]

@@Bland-79 No rush. Took me 2 years to save up for my 1st virpil. Other long term plans then paid off and made the 2nd a much easier purchase. Note - 2nd and 3rd, were because their product was that good, I felt they were worth it. Not trying to knock VKB. The original gladiator was one of my top contenders when I was saving money.

[@Bland-79]

@@lordfraybin I wish I could be sure my hands where big enough to reach all the buttons and have a good grip with those. Sounds like they are pretty big.

[@Beyzonevideos]

If you buy the nxt evo with scg Can you upgrade to the gunfighter gimbal And upgrade the socket on the scg to work with it ?

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

If you are going to pay that sort of money, might as well just pay the extra 30$ and get new grips as well.

[@-Ambos-]

Would you get this or a similar virpil equipment?

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

There really isn’t something “similar” in Virpil. Virpil are still better and more expensive so it’s hard to answer that question blindly without knowing if you are on a limited budget

[@-Ambos-]

@@NOOBIFIER1337 Thank you so much for your answer. Here in Germany I would pay the same for a VKB Gunfighter Pro Stick + Base as I would for a Virpil Stick (Alpha or Mongoos) and the WarBRD. I want to get my first good equipment and it´s very hard for me to decide without having experience with either

[@-Ambos-]

@@NOOBIFIER1337 which of the two mentioned combos would you prefere?

[@Kezmatic1]

i just wish there was a way to get around shipping costs to the US. it negates sooo much value.

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

They have a US store

[@Kezmatic1]

@@NOOBIFIER1337 yeah shipping costs $158, therefore making the value of such a great controller kind of moot.

[@Kezmatic1]

It puts it in a higher price tier. $50 i could see. But $158 seems overkill from china. Ive ordered many items from china, and never encountered such a inflated shipping cost. Great video btw. I always trust your reviews!

[@pickelskin9848]

I guess Trip is no longer the guru. Good job

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

You know, there can be more than one right?

[@pickelskin9848]

@@NOOBIFIER1337 there can only be one

[@dhgfffhcdujhv5643]

I remember games being for kids and teenagers ...

[@MitchellKT]

I have large hands and found that removing the palm rests made the sticks comfortable for me

[@Hanger42]

I enjoy that the VKB has a lower profile and can sit comfortably on my desk without being screwed in. It allows me to be flexible from work to play.

[@mukechiltmal]

as an additional information: you have even more spring choices since you can use up to two springs per cam

[@diminios]

I have the older GNXTs, the left one with OTA. I'm planning on upgrading the sticks to the next tier eventually™. The biggest downside I see atm is the loss of a few buttons that I use - the ones on the base of the GNXTs. Also, I don't know what exactly I'd need to buy. I'm assuming two Mk3s, an adapter to replace the current stock mounting point in the right stick, an adapter (same one, I think?) to replace the current OTA mounting point in the left stick, as well as the left-stick-OTA itself... Plus to change the mounts to support Mk3s instead of GNXTs.

[@AlniyatSco]

I really love VKB! ❤️

[@dougbillings]

Dangit… wallet just ran away again! Darn you Noob!!!! Lol

[@TruckManThings]

the SCG grip is exactly the same as the GNXT SCG grip. the EXACT SAME GRIP. the only difference between the gunfighter SCG and GNXT is the gimbals and the adapter for the two different gimbals.

[@legatusnavium7060]

I'm using dualstick vkb gunfighter mk iii scg premium with stronghold mounts- amazing game experience. Sticks are sturdy and well made. absolutely love them😀

[@lostnwalmart9110]

One thing I didn't see mentioned is that the gimbal allows for a double spring setup up to 100lbs per axis. This can be very useful for extensions and the extra weight of the MCGU. Overall great review of a product I have enjoyed and it resembles my impressions as well. Patiently awaiting your opinion of the MCGU. Edited because I cant spell.

[@Vivicect0r]

Its nice to see your reviews for VKB products. We don't have much of those "proper" aerospace sim equipment manufacturers around. Basically I am only aware of two and they both deserve a good word.

[@nicolaskrinis7614]

Been waiting for more than a year for a GF base. Been like this for years. Mickey mouse company.

[@verdigris3122]

I've been using a pair of these for about six months now. Have absolutely loved them, and have had zero buyers remorse.

[@Tainted-Soul]

thanks for the review nice to see what they are like

[@aaronnelson7702]

I use the WWII version of thier product. It's the best, most well made stick I've owned.

[@drsev61]

Waiting for VKB GF MKIII SCG's to be back in stock. I've decided to get a pair based in a large part on your review and opinion. I'm that guy with the T-16000M and Saitek Extreme 3D Pro sticks. The saitek served me well for many years. It's finally showing its age. The precision isn't there. And like you said....I deserve better. 😁

[@snaggletoof1927]

I appreciate you taking the time and effort to make this video! This is another nudge to move me in the direction of picking up a pair of these for SC.

[@MoleUK1]

When I first got the NXT I definitely didn't love the feel of the SCG stick, though I have gotten used to it. I do think they should sell a wrap for the stick, either leather or faux leather, as that would likely help that "feel" quite a bit. Very happy with the GF MK III too, though I agree that being able to adjust the dampening without having to disassemble it would make a very big difference. Currently it's a bit of a pain to access.

[@kbkeehl]

Thanks for this review. I've been looking at the Gladiators as my next set of sticks, but this hammered home everything that I needed to hear about the SCGs and the Gunfighter base--it seems to be the perfect option for me.

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

there is a promo code in the video description . Thanks for watching

[@doifeellucky]

Thanks for this. Great insight as always. I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts on the MCGU as I think this shape would suit me better than the Alpha Prime. Feedback on the MCGU with the 200mm extension would be appreciated, particularly if you feel it’s a bit too heavy even with the strongest springs. Thanks.

[@MoleUK1]

Yep, would like to see a size comparison too. As someone with smaller hands, the SCG is perfect. So i'm a little 50/50 on upgrading to an MCGU given the size increase.

[@stepasidecitizen3747]

thanks for the review, waiting for a joys comparison!

[@mem0ryfoam]

Great review once again. I currently use the next evo premiums, and I find them to be great sticks for the cost. Certainly well and above the old thrustmaster sticks I was using. I also really like that, if I feel certain I plan on really digging into the space/flight Sim world again as I had in the past, I can simply upgrade to the premium gimbal with some easy module swaps. I appreciate this modularity that is granted via vkb's products, and I personally really enjoy the feel of the grip in my hand. The omni adapter also adds to this by allowing my wrists to be in a very comfortable neutral grip position, so much so, that I will likely also get the adapter for the right stick as well. Cheers, and keep the quality content coming

[@nathanforrester5140]

I understand that I can take my NXT stick and move it to a Gunfighter base. Then latter down the road pick up a gun fighter stick. I am not sure if this is a good idea or not so while you have both sticks can you see if this works well?

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

I personally don’t understand why you would want to move the grips to a new set of gimbals. Doing this would save money, but it would also leave you with two gimbals that can’t be used. Doesn’t seem to make sense

[@nathanforrester5140]

@@NOOBIFIER1337 It would probably just be better to buy a gun fighter then just sell Nxt.

[@ShaighJosephson]

Got the Warthog stick for $199 on the right...and a Razor keypad for $49 on the left... Use the keypad for rudder because the Warthog has no twist... Works very well for far less...

[@ocean911]

Just a big thank you, noob! I have been following VKB for at least 2 years now and it seems they are stepping up their game. I am wanting sticks for DCS World and SC. They seem to offer value for a moderate/serious sim player for the price.

[@MCP2002]

VKB, imo, makes the best sticks/bases around period. I wouldnt place VKB in the "moderate/value" category, that would be Thrustmaster, imo.

[@BCSchmerker]

+BrianMP5T *The Virtual Engineering Bureau MPO has the closer control grips to the Esterline originals in the USN / Boeing AF-18 Foxtrot and EF-18 Golf than VirPil Controls.* The Gunfighter MkIII SCG-P Desktop approaches the WSO controllers reasonably closely.

[@WoodGeorgia]

Perez Larry Williams Michael Young Nancy

[@or10nsharkfin]

I will eventually get to that point where I will just bite the bullet and upgrade my Kosmosimas up to the Gunfighter gimbals. But my god the cost of upgrading is way out of my budget x_x

[@tripperdan]

Thanks Noob. Considering the pricing verses investment in the game compounded by the actual time I am "allowed" to play, I'm leaning towards the entry level EVOs for my next step. I'm still ok with the Yugo (car) quality that Thrustmasters bring to the game, but now after two years of using those it's time to retire them for the next step up. Your reviews and attention to detail and guidance has been awesome. Was there a VKB affiliate link? I didn't see it in the description. (update, found it "hidden" on the first line, LOL)

[@mithrix5131]

Details and clarity. Excellent review just as all of the other ones I have countlessly rewatched to assist in my decision-making process have been. I very much appreciate the consistency of perspective and flow throughout all of your reviews.

[@b34k97]

It's nice to see that you and VKB have finally worked out whatever issues you were having. The 3 and a half year review blackout was definitely felt by the community.

[@zeroxception]

I didnt notice a "blackout" at all....neither did VKBs sales records

[@UnholySeoul]

Around the same time Noobifier had issue is when I also purchased my Gunfighters. Idk if it was a quality control issue at the time, if I was simply unlucky, who knows? But my experience was constant issues. Button feel/sound between left/right stick did not match, return to center axis on one stick was off, had to put in several tickets/discord chats/etc for assistance. Was told I may have been given old stock for one stick even though I purchased both at the same time. I returned both, swapped to the lesser expensive NXT and no issues whatsoever. I know it's not technically as good but I have had zero issues with the SCG NXT thus far. I purchased the EVO upgrade as it's a spec'd improvement so we shall see. Almost afraid to upgrade it due to the whole, "if it aint broke, don't fix it" mentality. But I know it's better.

[@DerpMcDerp101]

For SC i didnt really like the space cam and use double springs oddly enough.

[@HiddenPrior]

We really need a new joystick fight video to summarize your opinions on all of the joysticks when compared to eachother

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

This is happening soon

[@doifeellucky]

@@NOOBIFIER1337Any update on this? Thanks.

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

@@doifeellucky yes, it’s still planned. There are new sticks releasing in a month which I will add to the fight

[@doifeellucky]

@@NOOBIFIER1337 Great, looking forward to it.

[@johnnytrongaming]

Do you know Will the mk3 gimbal work with the Omni throttle for the nxt evo?

[@tvliquidGG]

👀these look great!! thanks for the review!!

[@VulcanXIV]

Oh shoot, I didn't know they released the gunfighter-spec Omni throttle mount! I was waiting for their usual post on Reddit, but that's ok cuz I'm on my yearly SC hiatus and am also broke, lol

[@fnunez]

Even better, there are left and right hand omnithrottles. Having your wrists almost horizontal makes the sticks very comfortable.

[@Red-V-SB]

And still, far outside my price range

[@darrenganz1]

Do you have a video about the combat ultimate grip

[@asifdomo500]

how is it compare to virpil alpha ?

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

Alpha grip is cast thick and due to my many hours of using Alpha, the SCG seemed cheaper than they should be. Alpha is superior.

[@asifdomo500]

@@NOOBIFIER1337 thanks for the clear answer! Much Appreciated

[@CaseyBartley]

Like others have said, you missed the ability to tune with dual springs, 5 levels (5th with the extensions) in two positions gives for a very wide range of tuning. It's not screw adjustable with like any of the MT50 versions, but it's going to be able to get pretty close with that many combinations of spring type. I do appreciate that you mentioned that the real difference between the competition (new MT50CM3 or Orion 2) is really quality of life in tuning, even though you missed the amount of tuning you can do with the GF3 gimbal via dual springs per axis.... The additional programs (tools really) are not necessary for the majority of users, just VKBDevCFG. This flashes the firmware, I think there is some missed oportunity on what is going on with the SCG grips under the hood. The modularity of the grips themselves for example. The premium grips have 3 palm rests, the ability to have analog hat or digital hat module in A1, button or 5 way hat on C1, rapid fire trigger or not, or any mix of any of them. The SCG grip has received multiple upgrades over the last year or so, including metal stems on the hats vs plastic stems, beefed up rapid fire trigger. The finish of the grip is also improved, with a harder plastic than the previous versions.

[@gsacavin6897]

I'm very glad you reviewed VKB's gunfighter MkIII. I own one and I am very satisfied of this gimball. Your level of precision when it comes to hardware is very appreciated, now I know for sure that my MkIII is not far from virpil's warbird. Thanks a lot !

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

Its very close. If they were to actually "Mill" the edge of the cam, it might be that little push to make it top dog. They are all very good at this price range.

[@Olivier.Colonna-Comedien]

@@NOOBIFIER1337 i have often see that vkb mk 3 is better that warbird,its the 50 cm3 who are in concurrence with mk3, and this base virpil is little better than mk3. Cause now virpil add damper and clutch in they re most exepensive base.

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

@@Olivier.Colonna-Comedien I would say the Mk3 is not better than WarBRD at all actually. It is comparable.

[@Olivier.Colonna-Comedien]

@@NOOBIFIER1337 ok i understand , different feeling? i thought that it was the mongost cm3 the comparable product, with clutch and damper. But alpha is a better grip that scg ( and not the same price). thanks for your answer.

[@eltreum1]

I have owned the dual GF3's/SCG Pro combo for over a year and love them. Virpil is still top shelf but these are very close and were available where I live when I was able to buy, no regrets so far. Like Virpil they expect you to open it and tune it and sell upgrade kits and replacement parts for things that wear out which is nice. A note about the SCG Pro edition grip. It comes with parts that let you reverse/swap the analog JS for a regular hat, remove the flip trigger, and downgrade the thumb hat to a single button. It is better for smaller hands and you might need to sand down the plastic ridge below the red button as larger thumbs rub that corner as you reach for it and one direction feels as sharp as a wood planar and chafes. The twist grease loosens up as you use it but some replace it but remember its thick so it does not ooze out of the assembly into the gimbal. The SCG is 98% perfect for anything out of the box and far superior to any cheaper grip IMO. The software is intimidating at first but its powerful and can have layers if you assign a layer shift button so you can max out DirectX inputs. If you have the VKB pedals you can combine them with the black box of either of your grips to save a USB port, but you have to flash the firmware of the box to enable that mode. Left sticks and right sticks have separate firmware names and USB hardware IDs so windows never randomly reverses them like my CH HOTAS and pedals did all the time. I use the stock Avi-S cam/springs for right stick to feel like aircraft. For left I use soft center space and stock spring but now that I have the Omni throttle adapter I am switching to the hard space center because of the better leverage I have now and more decoupled flight skill. I am considering ordering it for the right stick and go dual Omni grip, the ergonomics are solid for me.

[@j.d.4697]

"Comparable to Virpil" Damnit... I am still no closer to figuring out what to get and why, once I upgrade into the enthusiast class! 😄

[@Jawnwickkk]

I wish VKB would make a left hand MCG.

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

Correct

[@baronvonschnellenstein2811]

Thanks for this review. Will be very good context for the MCG review. Also: Appreciated the comparison b/w these grips and the Virpils (esp the follow-up to a commenter) -> small, but very important detail :)

[@falcon758]

would be keen on a direct comparison with the Virpil's

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

That is coming

[@rrad3926]

Dude's got 4 hands @4:20. We've found our alien guys. Good review NOOBIFIER.

[@PresidentMikeJohnson]

when they stopped making the green thrustmaster t16000's and started making the orange ones several years ago, i got a pair for like 25 dollars each and now they are like 80 dollars each, they actually still work lol but i need to get new ones

[@Olivier.Colonna-Comedien]

Hey nice review, Base mk3 seems wonderfull. very wonderfull and long life. Do you think that buy in second hand this base, is a risk? Someone who juste change one time the cam for space sim and never open after. The cam , cluch, damper etc... is difficult to use? ( He buy it in november 2020, and it seems in very good condition with all packages and option.) Or i buy with your promo code. The second hand is 310 euros with shipping cost ( with scg right hand premium). And i have already the nxt scg premium, idea is to seel after the nxt. Otherwise, i buy the base and adpater for my scg, but i ll have à base nxt unsellable lol.

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

Second hand could be fine. It might just be easier to buy new?

[@Olivier.Colonna-Comedien]

@@NOOBIFIER1337 Its a good question, i try with your code for 5% reduction and the difference between price second hand i have in my region is not big. 310 euros for MK3 + SCG premimum and 380 for the same in news on VKB market. And i precise i have already the NXT premium ( but need adpater for SCG on MK3). Project is buy ine 6 month the MCGU ( so sell the nxt to help). But i love too scg. Virpil too much expensive cause for have same quality on base, need the CM3.... I play elite dangerous and DCS and i have warthog trhottle. Thanks for your answer and great quality all your vidéo i watch since few years ^^.

[@aminen5316]

Changes tone after receiving a free review unit

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

What tone are you referring to. (Be specific)

[@vanlaar2655]

Would you then prefer these or the Virpil Alpha's?

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

Money no object, Primes are superior.

[@vanlaar2655]

@@NOOBIFIER1337 That's what I figured as I try to justify the MK3 Space Combat edition being all I need 😅

[@PacosTube1]

@@NOOBIFIER1337 should we wait to your comparison flight stick video. Planning to buy and my first idea was NXT EVO till SC is released and then upgrade to enthusiasts sticks. In my focus are: VPC Alpha Prime with CM3 and the rudder I think VKB T-Rudder Pedals MK.IV instead of VPC ACE Torque Pedals, but unsure at moment. Missed VPC christmas deals, what is more lifes love to me :(

[@krasimirkrastev6375]

Discount code doesnt work in European store of VKB...

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

I’ll ask about it

[@krasimirkrastev6375]

@@NOOBIFIER1337 thank you, i have L&R nxt, think to upgrade right base with gunfighter III :)

[@VKBSim]

It works, I just verified. Please try again.

[@krasimirkrastev6375]

@@VKBSim still no

[@krasimirkrastev6375]

"It is not applicable for accessories. You can apply it for complete flightsticks, grips or pedals" the answer from VKB...

[@TomMAF4]

Great video thanks! Once you feel like you’ve done enough reviews of various grips and bases I’d be very interested in a good comparison video (mainly the virple vs VKB stuff)

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

Comparison will be next

[@TomMAF4]

@@NOOBIFIER1337 🙏

[@TravelingAnvil]

I've had these for a year now and I agree on all points. 10/10 review.

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

Thanks very much for the support

[@Patrick-uj2jq]

Yes I love mine dualset

[@fubarace1027]

As an Virpil owner, the one thing I heard that I like is the dampened twist. Hopefully Virpil plays with one and adopts this feature as well. Good video! I've been curious about the VKBs forever...

[@TheLambinal]

What about how the grip connects to the gimble? It looks the same as my space kosmosima which looses grip connectivity due to flexing between the grip and gimble connection. Edited due to auto correct changing gimble to gamble.

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

Add more tightness the connection returns

[@MoleUK1]

They have something that can be tightened up, no problems there.

[@fubardad8892]

@noobifier - In regards to grip thickness, how does Virpil Alpha feel vs the vkb? Is it thicker? I personally think the SCG feels very cheap in comparison to the MCGU. My second complaint is that the SCG Premium feels so "skinny"... especially if you have larger hands.

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

Alpha grip is cast thick and due to my many hours of using Alpha, the SCG seemed cheaper than they should be.

[@fubardad8892]

@@NOOBIFIER1337 Have you created a video with the button layout between Virpil alpha vs VKB MCGU/SCG? I dont know if its proper to ask you which one you prefer but I interpret your videos/comments that you are heavily leaning Virpil? Would you lean virpil for button layout? For big-hands (aka grip thickness?) I feel the cams and springs are by the persons individual tastes... but I dont even use all the buttons on both my LH SCG and RH MCGU. I sincerely thought about purchasing a single LH virpil alpha since I really dislike the feel of the vkb scg on my LH.

[@NOOBIFIER1337]

@@fubardad8892 there is a good reason Alpha is a bit more expensive..

[@smrubelmedia]

I saw some updates. your channel has no more views, comments, etc. I will promote your channel worldwide. I will promote all social media sites with your video link. If you want to grow your channel, I will help you. Then you can increase your channel day by day. If you have any questions, just ask me. Thank you