Logitech has been doing its part in this quest to make the IT world a tidier place with the Freedom 2.4 dragging the humble joystick into this era of invisible cables.
The days of the underside of your computer desk looking like a nest of pythons are finally coming to an end. Thanks to the wonders of RF connectivity we now have wireless keyboards and mice, wireless monitors and even wireless speakers to help banish the cabling nightmare forever. Logitech has been doing its part in this quest to make the IT world a tidier place with the Freedom 2.4 dragging the humble joystick into this era of invisible cables.
Using a 2.4GHz radio transmitter, this device will work within 20 feet of your PC -- not that you'll be able to see anything on your monitor from this massive range. We usually aren't too fond of using RF input devices for gaming, as the relatively slow update range between the mouse and the transmitter causes a lagging sensation, especially within first person shooters. However, flight sims are a different kettle of fish; due to the much slower rate of movement within these games, so an uber high update rate isn't necessary. When we fired up the benchmark of flight sims, IL-2, we weren't surprised to see that there was no perceptible difference between this joystick and our trusty Microsoft SideWinder.
As well as the standard joystick functions, with ten buttons and a shift key to assign each button a second function, the Freedom 2.4 also incorporates a small metal throttle lever matched by rudder functionality via the twisting of the main stick. This rudder functionality is either a good or a bad thing, depending on your preference in joysticks. The main trigger on the front of the joystick is constructed from metal, and button layout is for the most part easy to reach. Unfortunately the ever-important number two button is a little awkwardly placed, but due to the fact that this isn't used too much it shouldn't be a problem. Three AA batteries provide 50 hours of continuous use, so this thing won't cost you an arm and a kidney to run.
The software included with the Freedom 2.4 is a total cinch to use: during installation it automatically searches for games installed on your PC and you can then assign each button a command specific to each of these games, all from the Windows setup application. For example, the software allowed us to assign buttons to actions specific to IL-2, such as moving the pilot's seat to the gunnery position.
With the convenience of its lack of cabling, wide range of functionality, ease of setup and affordable price, the Freedom 2.4 is our new favourite joystick in the medium price range.
Issue: 133 | February, 2012