The Thrustmaster Sol-R breaks free from Earth’s atmosphere in style, with a fantastic stick for space fans
Why You Can Trust Techradar
We spend hours testing every product or service we review so you can make sure you buy the best product. Learn more about how we test it.
One minute comment
Thrustmaster is arguably the game’s top priority when it comes to flying sticks, so it’s not surprising that the company is now playing for the Sim Gear in space.
The Sol-R series has a cute name, but don’t let you fool you – it’s a serious stick (or pairing) for anyone who spends a lot of time (for example) Elite Danger.
If you don’t play a lot of space games, it may not be attractive and has a higher, more comprehensive nature thrustmaster f/a-18 super bumblebee Still our best choice for flying sticks. Still, if your game has many annoying toggles, mapping them into Sol-R’s switches, buttons, and dial arrays feels like magic.
Before the release, it is worth noting that things are not fully dialed in, so for the time being, you can expect to spend a lot of time tweaking buttons and mappings, but if you are looking for what you want on your next voyage, this is a booth for $200/£200.
I was sent a duo package that includes the right-handed and left-handed Sol-R Sticks, which will cost you more ($389.99 or £299.99). Nevertheless, with a lot of inputs per package, even a single rod may be ideal for your setup.
Price and availability
- Price: $199.99/£159.99, or $389.99/£299.99
- Available worldwide
- Bookings will be available on March 19 and April 16
While each stick in the Sol-R series will make you $199.99/£159.99, they are much cheaper than competitors like the Saitek Pro Flight, but a little more than Thrustmaster’s own competitors T. Flying Hotas One.
You can book from March 19 and they will ship from April 16, 2025. Although the throttle is not included, you can use the thrust slider in front of the base.
That pricing makes it more expensive than the T-Flight Hotas One, which is still an entry-level model for Thatmaster, but doesn’t include as many buttons, switches, or LED lighting. In fact, it’s priced similar to that of Turtle Beach speed Relatively similar in terms of feature sets.
Specification
|
price |
$199.99/£159.99, or $389.99/£299.99 |
|
aspect |
9.72 x 7.71 x 7.71in / 247 x 196 x 196mm |
|
weight |
2.86 lbs/1.3kg |
|
platform |
Wireless (2.4GHz and Bluetooth), wired (USB Type-C) |
|
Does the throttle include? |
PC, Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS |
|
Button |
N/A. |
Design and Function
- A large number of customizable inputs
- The flexibility of two sticks
- Beautiful lighting
When I was sent the “duo” configuration of the Sol-R Stick, it included two sticks and bases for you to use, but anyone who bought a single single is unlikely to feel a brief change.
Each stick is easy to screw but can be firmly screwed onto the base, but it’s worth taking the basics themselves even before doing so. Each has eight buttons, two dials, a thrust slider (with lighting) and a quarter switch.
Move to the stick with a subtle button near the base, a main trigger at the still height of the thumb, and an additional trigger. Then there are two hat switches, two buttons and a thumb, all of which combine to make menu navigation easier.
Speaking of which, you can actually use the F/A-18C Bumblebee grip or the Viper grip on the base, giving your setup plenty of flexibility.
The blue lighting around the base and top of the stick is also nice, adding to the futuristic space travel feel.
There is a pleasant resistance to the dial and thrust slider, but I hope the stick won’t be that swaying. The included stabilizer clicks easily and does a great job of minimizing the way the base leans toward each side, but it’s still not perfect in those fierce melee.
These dials are not just input either. They are actually used as modifiers, so you can trigger different effects of any button, trigger or toggle depending on where it is. This allows 44 custom inputs per rod.
If you’re a left-handed pilot and don’t want to invest in these two sticks, then this is good news – you can swap the included ergonomic support to make Sol-RR Ambidextrous. And, if you are looking for the Z axis, you can find it by twisting the grip.
It is also worth noting that my hands are relatively large, but the sol-R fits well in both hands with the thumb fixed in perfect position.
Performance
- Map for “Universal Stick”
- Reward tinkerers
- Target downloads are still very suitable for drivers
I want to test Sol-R with one of my favorite games Elite Danger. When I did use more traditional flight Sims tests, Elite is a game about exploring space in your own way, which means it’s a great way to test everything from struggle to space cargo transportation.
This is also Sol-R’s build game, and has made a lot of tweaks and mapped controls – wiped in it.
Since Sol-R at least in the pre-release stage is identified as a “universal joystick” in compatible games, you can expect a lot of customization to make it right in the game of your choice. For example, the elite recognizes these two sticks, but I have to manually map each button.
This may be ironed when launched, but on the plus side it does allow you to adjust when you see the right situation. In my tests, I got to a very good place where the thrust slider adjusted my speed while the various buttons switched power to various systems on the virtual ship.
The hat switch and scroll wheel allow me to check in-game messages, and I can use the toggle switch for landing gear. Is that going to be hard for me if I set a button mapping layout that defaults to “good enough”? It’s hard to say.
It also performs well for the flight Sims. The huge button is like a blank canvas Microsoft Flight Simulator So you can set a button for altimeters, anti-ice, etc., and the fact that Sol-R is a universal stick means you can tailor it like anyone else.
I’ve played, too Star Wars Squadronbut the game doesn’t require a lot of input, so a single shot is actually more fun. However, pulling away tight turns and loops does highlight the base’s tremor.
Thrustmaster’s target software is still basic, and although you can download presets, you can’t use SOL-R before launching – but I’m curious to see how players can adapt to the tools provided. The goal is really just to get your driver installed otherwise, it’s a simple centralized hub.
Unlike the T.Flight Hotas One, the Sol-R 1 is just a PC, so you won’t be able to use it on your PS5 or Xbox console.
Should I buy Thrustmaster Sol-R?
If…buy it
if…
Consider it too
Still not for sale in Thrust Captain 1? This is how to compare two similar products.
| Line 0 – Unit 0 |
Thrust machine solution |
Turtle Beach Speed |
Thatmaster t hotas |
|
aspect |
9.72 x 7.71 x 7.71in / 247 x 196 x 196mm |
6.46 x 8.54 x 9.07in / 164 x 217 x 230mm |
10.43 x 10.39 x 9.53 in / 265 x 264 x 242mm |
|
weight |
2.86 lbs/1.3kg |
1.81 lbs/821G |
5.73 lbs/2.06 kg |
|
platform |
Personal computer |
PC / Xbox |
PC / Xbox |
|
Button |
21, plus thumb wheel |
27 |
14 |
|
axis |
6 |
8 |
5 |
|
throttle |
No (but there is a slider) |
No |
Yes |
How do I test Thrustmaster Sol-R
- After several weeks of testing
- Use on gaming PC with RTX 4070 TI
- use Elite DangerStar Wars Squadron, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
I spent most of my time (about 15 hours of testing) Elite Dangersimply because it has such a large number of things that can be triggered by Sol-R input.
I also exploded the fighter plane Star Wars Squadronand also took some transatlantic flights Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – But it’s best for an open experience Elite Danger There you can interact with a range of systems with a large number of input options.
I tested it on a gaming PC rig and recently I tested the F/A-18 Stick and Viper TQS Mission Pack, as well as the T. Flight Hotas One.
First reviewed March 2025
