Saitek was located down in the dpeth of Kentia Hall, fondly known as "the dungeon". While well off the beaten path of the circus going on upstairs, Kentia Hall offers a quieter atmosphere where you can actually talk (and hear each other) and view exciting new products. Saitek was showing off a dizzying array of new products for PC and various consoles ranging from wheels and gamepads to innovative new joysticks like the new Cyborg EVO coming out later this year.

GCM will be reviewing most of Saitek's new controllers in our expanded Game Gear section over the next few months, so I will briefly cover a few of the highlights of the Saitek booth.

SP550 Pad and Stick Fusion (PC)
Winning big points for innovation is the SP550 that merges a gamepad and joystick into one highly functional and stylish joystick, but can also be separated with the side section becoming a surprisingly comfortable gamepad.

This unique hybrid auto-detects and configures itself between stick and pad and uses the convenient USB interface for easy plug-n-play installation. Both the stick and the pad feature a full compliment of buttons, triggers, with a slider throttle and 8-way hat on the stick and an 8-way D-Pad on the gamepad.

P3000 Wireless Pad & Docking Station (PC)
Tired of cables stretched across your desk knocking your Coke over onto your keyboard. Saitek's answer is the new P3000 wireless gamepad using RF technology so there are no LOS issues or infrared sensors to worry about.

As a gamepad in and of itself, the P3000 has six well-placed buttons, twin analog sticks, and large D-Pad, two shoulder triggers, and uses rechargeable batter backs. Just put the gamepad on the stylish pedestal when not in use and it will stay fresh and ready for your next game. A LCD screen on the controller shows remaining battery life and any custom macros you may have programmed.

RX600 Wireless Wheel (PS2)
Now that Saitek has cleaned up your desk how about your living room. Tired of cables stretching from your PS2 to the couch. Now you can play your favorite racing and driving games from up to 30-feet away using the latest 915MHz technology. Four AA batteries will keep you driving for up to 50-hours - that's pretty good mileage.

This wheel is very cool with conveniently placed buttons and D-pad so you can navigate menus and perform non-driving functions without ever taking your hands from the 10-2 driving position. The RX600 doesn't come with pedals, but it doesn't really need them. You can mount the wheel to a desk or table or use the lap-mount. All of the controls are integrated right into the wheel for one of the most compact and functional wheels you can buy for your PS2.

Cyborg EVO (PC)
Saitek has preserved the features that gamers love about the Cyborg, perhaps the most popular joystick of all time. The Cyborg line launched in 1998, as the flight sim games were taking off in popularity with PC gamers. The revolutionary Cyborg came with an adjustment tool that let PC gamers set handle size, switch throttle and palm rest for true left-handed play. In addition, the original model allowed the head of the stick to be moved in four directions for the ideal gaming position for hours of play.

The Cyborg Evo replaces the adjustment tool with finger adjustable worm gears for personalization of head and palm rest. In addition, Saitek moved the fixed throttle to the front of the base for convenient control with the left or right thumb. Symmetrical base buttons are fingertip accessible, meaning no loss of control. Look for this amazing new stick coming this Fall.