MSFS — Head to Head

Virpil Controls VPC Throttle MT-50 CM3 vs Winwing ORION2 Throttle F/A-18 Handle Max

Virpil Controls VPC Throttle MT-50 CM3

Full Virpil Controls VPC Throttle MT-50 CM3 review →

Winwing ORION2 Throttle F/A-18 Handle Max

Full Winwing ORION2 Throttle F/A-18 Handle Max review →

Comparing performance for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 · Scoring: 45% CPU / 40% GPU weighted

Virpil Controls VPC Throttle MT-50 CM3 vs Winwing ORION2 Throttle F/A-18 Handle Max for MSFS: Identical scores, different toolsets.

Both throttles score 70.5/100 on our model-derived scale, making raw performance a non-factor — the decision comes down to what axes and buttons your cockpit workflow actually demands. The MT-50 CM3's 12 axes give civil sim pilots the binding depth to map mixture, prop pitch, and cowl flaps simultaneously during a complex VFR cross-country in a twin-engine GA aircraft without running out of inputs. The ORION2's 80-button layout edges ahead for pilots flying fast-jet profiles in MSFS 2024, where quick-access bindings for avionics modes and weapon system analogs during high-workload departure sequences out of dense photogrammetry airports like KLAX reward dedicated hat switches and button density over axis count.

Virpil Controls VPC Throttle MT-50 CM3

Choose Virpil Controls VPC Throttle MT-50 CM3 if you fly multi-engine GA or airliner profiles in MSFS 2024 and need 12 axes to cover throttle, prop, mixture, and secondary controls without a second USB device.

Winwing ORION2 Throttle F/A-18 Handle Max

Choose Winwing ORION2 Throttle F/A-18 Handle Max if your MSFS 2024 sessions center on fast-jet or carrier-ops profiles where 80 buttons and authentic F/A-18 handle geometry matter more than broad axis coverage.

Our take:

The score gap is zero — buy on price tier: the MT-50 CM3 is the stronger value at the budget tier for civil sim pilots who need axis depth, but if your cockpit is fast-jet focused, the ORION2's button density justifies its position at the same tier.

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Quick Take: Virpil Controls VPC Throttle MT-50 CM3 vs Winwing ORION2 Throttle F/A-18 Handle Max

Lever Count

Tied

Best Value

Virpil Controls VPC Throttle MT-50 CM3

Physical Detents

Both

Virpil Controls VPC Throttle MT-50 CM3 scores 70.5/100 while Winwing ORION2 Throttle F/A-18 Handle Max scores 70.5/100 for MSFS. They are closely matched performance-wise.

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