Logitech Freedom 2.4 cordless joystick review: Logitech Freedom 2.4 cordless joystick

Logitech has significant street cred as a maker of gaming peripherals, and its Freedom 2.4 cordless joystick cements that reputation with its wireless connectivity and all-you-could-want control set.

The Freedom 2.4's solid construction--silver metal, black rubber, and plastic--exudes cool and gives the stick a pleasantly substantial feel. The ergonomic design and placement of the 10 buttons (4 on the base, 6 on the handle) allow easy access for big or small hands. A throttle wheel and an eight-way directional hat switch top off the comprehensive controls. The handle also rotates to serve as a rudder control. Left-handed users will feel left out, however; the stick is designed for righties only.

The stick feels tight and controlled, with superb response time. On our test unit, however, one of the base buttons malfunctioned after about a month of heavy use. In our replacement unit, a different button became sticky after roughly the same period of intense play.

The unit comes bundled with a USB receiver that transmits on the 2.4GHz channel within approximately a 20-foot radius--far enough for any reasonable play scenario. Three AA batteries provide power; Logitech estimates at least 50 hours of life per set, a claim that we found to be accurate.