Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo wheel: Test

  • Thread starter cdcdude
  • 436 comments
  • 85,804 views
oqvist
If it was unclear a 20-25 % performance hit using the Fanatec wheel... Not sure if I understood your post correctly you get no performance hit with the 911 Turbo wheel?

Your opinion is fine of course I know several that is with you thus I feel like I am almost alone which totally loves the feel and force feedback of this wheel :). Don´t know why but the more I race with the 911 Turbo wheel the more the G25 rattles, the looser the grip get, the ffb gets weaker and weaker and the bigger the deadzone...

Is there any anti fanboy pills this I am getting a fanatic fanatec fan it seems or I was just a G25 fanboy before ;)
But I still hate the pedals so yin&yang ;)
Click to expand...

Sorry i thought you said you had a performance hit with the g25.
I did not notice a performance hit with the fanatec wheel.
While i agree with you that the fanatec wheel is smooth i still think that the pedals and gearchange are no way as good as the g25s.
The pedals to me are very important as they are likely to get more heavy use than the wheel and are more likely to break.
 
Then you have read really lousy reviews ;).

Edit: "I used the Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel extensively on my PS3 with Need for Speed: ProStreet."
ignore this review and any comments about force feedback non racer alert ;)
 
Delphic Reason
This is a decent review. Compares the G25 with the Fanatec wheel:

http://www.i4u.com/full-review-384.html


From all the reviews I've read, it seems the G25 is a far more realistic setup, and offers better force feadback. I know where my money is going.



;)
Click to expand...

LOL, did you happen to read the comment on that review? ;) By the way G4 did a so called review on this thing and they even screw the spec up......did those people actually "review' the thing? or they just open the box, look at it and start writing.....:nervous:

Here is my tester review for the Fanatec 911 turbo Wheel:
http://rocketpunchautoblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/review-fanatec-porsche-911-turbo-gaming.html
 
Rocket Punch
LOL, did you happen to read the comment on that review? ;) By the way G4 did a so called review on this thing and they even screw the spec up......did those people actually "review' the thing? or they just open the box, look at it and start writing.....:nervous:

Here is my tester review for the Fanatec 911 turbo Wheel:
http://rocketpunchautoblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/review-fanatec-porsche-911-turbo-gaming.html
Click to expand...
typical g4 review, im starting to look into buying a wheel instead of building one, and the 911 one looks like where my money is going.
 
Very few professional sites seem to have people with enough experience and knowledge to review this stuff... Personally I just go with what the communities say really.

Autosimsport generally have very high quality and extended reviews but I was amazed how poor the Fanatec 911 review they had where. Read it for yourself :(.

Otherwise IGN is quite good with hardware but again not sure how well they would do with this. Swedish PCGamer had a nice review on the G25 I felt was quite accurate would hope they would give this a shot. Racing communities is for already bitten sim or console racers ;)
 
Only one thing in that review caught my eye... personally I have yet to witness "lag" and hear "horrible gear banging noise" from the G25 and it's been in almost daily use since last July. And I'm not too gentle with it. Something doesn't add up here.
 
Grey cap if you turn your G25 you will hear it´s indead gears turning the wheel not belt drive :). ffb lag you would notice if you have used previous logitech ffb wheels. As for the noise well I wasn´t disturbed by those... Horrible is a bit of an exaggeration but yeah you can hear that the 911 is a belt drive and the G25 is a gear drive wheel so to speak.

For me it doesn´t make much of a difference though though I agree it´s a bit annoying to here the gears in the G25 for some silly reason lol. But really you soon get used to it and it´s not an issue for me.

If you still wonder what it´s check this video
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wW-lXxaGUN0

Wheels is kind of stressed maximum here it don´t sound that bad in actual games :)
 
oqvist
Delphic reason and others I have found a review made by Rocket Punch that is just about perfect in any sense of the word... Everything makes total sense for me and it´s very well structured and written

http://rocketpunchautoblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/review-fanatec-porsche-911-turbo-gaming.html
Click to expand...

Well, that review just pointed out the few things that I have issue with the Fanatec wheel. The shifters look, feel, and only attaching to the wheel itself (a huge drawback, in my opinion). Like other reviews I have read (and comments on forums), the pedals on the Fanatec are said to be a bit too tight together, and feel a bit loose and cheap compared to the G25 setup. Of course I haven't tried them, but this seems to be a common complaint among testers. I can understand that not everyone has a spot to clamp an external shifter, but for the money, I think most people will have dedicated setups, like myself, with a place to clamp the shifter. These two problems alone really make me wonder if it's worth the extra money over a G25. The belt drive is a nice addition, and I'll hold out judgement until I can actually feel if it's all that much better in this application, and as previously stated "worth the extra money".

Not a bad review, really. Informative regarding what the wheel is, its materials, functionality. Not a whole lot of detail on the actual feel, which is more what I am looking for. Although, it did help further cement some of my thoughts on the matter, and actually teach me a few things I did not know. Good review, Rocket Punch!

LOL, did you happen to read the comment on that review? By the way G4 did a so called review on this thing and they even screw the spec up......did those people actually "review' the thing? or they just open the box, look at it and start writing.....
Click to expand...

It is by no means a GREAT review, and obviously this guy is not a SIM racer. However. The review is short, sweet, and points out a few key things I have not seen in some of the more 911 fanboy reviews I have read (I'm glad your review did not fall under that category, as well).

Only one thing in that review caught my eye... personally I have yet to witness "lag" and hear "horrible gear banging noise" from the G25 and it's been in almost daily use since last July. And I'm not too gentle with it. Something doesn't add up here.
Click to expand...

I have a number of friends with G25's (a few on this board), and none of them have mentioned such activity. I have heard of pedals braking (sorry, bad pun), and H shifters breaking (something that seems to be a possible future problem for the Fanatec wheel as well), but none of the loud gear noises. Some amount of lag is common with all FFB wheels I have ever used, so that's nothing new. Definitely an area where a belt drive would improve things.

So far, things just don't weigh in the Fanatec's favor, for my purposes. The belt drive sounds nice, as does the LED interface, and the adjustable FFB on the wheel itself (does the G25 not have this? I'm uncertain), but the shortfalls far outweigh the advantages, in my opinion..... So far. I'm still waiting for the actual release, to see if they have fixed any of these problems, as Fanatec says they are doing. We'll just have to wait and see. Not to mention, the posibility of a new G25 style Logitec wheel (w/belt drive)... Who knows.



;)
 
EDIT: Removed by Moderator: Reason = Unnecessary Badgering

Did you watch the video then you have heard the gear banging noises ;) But well with my G25 I was so used to the gear driven logitech wheels before so all the issues that now annoy me to hell I was actually never noticing before. It seems to be the same for most G25 owners. Though was at least one or two that noticed the ffb deadzone on the G25.

As for a new G25 it depends quite a lot on how the 911 sells I suspect. Logitech have claimed it´s not possible for them to make a belt-driven wheel... I suspect it´s simply due to costs. They have kind of a monopoly in this market so could afford to go cheap here I guess.

One nice thing with the G25 is that there is a mod (900 euro mod though) that makes it belt driven. Wonder if it fixes the ffb lagg though. A bit to much money for my wallet though.
 
The mass produced wheel goes on sale April. 👍 They've made many fixes. i've uploaded the list here for those that are interested. I'm pretty sure that I'm going to buy the new wheel. I'd like to see how it does with gran turismo prologue and gt5:tup:

here's the document; its an xml w/ details on the fixes as well as pictures of modifications to the pedals and clamping etc.

http://www.badongo.com/file/8367883
 
the clamping of the wheel onto the desk for the current system works fine for me, i've never had the wheel come off of my desk or even budge while driving. the shifter, on the other hand, moves around a bit.
 
I still can't see why they have the shifter attached to the wheel. That just kills it for me. The belt drive sounds great, and the pedal mods sound great. I just can't see why they didn't make the shifter separate to the wheel. Anyone buying this will either have a dedicated cockpit, or having clamped the wheel to a table, can easily clamp the shifter to the same bloody table, and at any distance away from the wheel they like. It just doesn't make sense, in my opinion. However, I am still very interested in getting my hands on it, to feel the resistance in all the elements, since ultimately that is of most importance. I'm still not fully sold on the looks either. It looks too much a "Playschool's mY FiRsT PorScHe" racing wheel.




;)
 
they are making some type of device so that the wheel doesnt have to be attatched to the wheel.

well, it looks almost identical to a porsche wheel i posted pics of in this thread, or maybe another.
 
Gabkicks
they are making some type of device so that the wheel doesnt have to be attatched to the wheel.

well, it looks almost identical to a porsche wheel i posted pics of in this thread, or maybe another.
Click to expand...

I certainly hope the wheel stays attached to the wheel.
The shifter though, that should come off. :)
 
Gabkicks
they are making some type of device so that the wheel doesnt have to be attatched to the wheel.
Click to expand...

If that's so, I'll be a lot more interested.

well, it looks almost identical to a porsche wheel i posted pics of in this thread, or maybe another.
Click to expand...

My buddy Andy has a 996 Porsche 911 GT3, and a 911 Turbo. It looks like a cheap knockoff, in comparison. Unfortunately, this will always be the case with facsimile reproductions. The original it will always be compared to, and the original will always be better.


;)
 
Fanatec_
With the new clamping system you can screw the shifter holder to the wheel or to anthing else (like a chair).

Thomas
Click to expand...

Really? SO I could hook the shifter to my shifter mount for my Obutto Ozone? Or, a Playseat?

If that's so, and the pedals aren't too close together anymore (A common complaint in reviews), I may finally be into buying one. Not sure about the extra $100 + over the G25, but things are looking better and better for the Porsche wheel. If only there was somewhere where I could try it. I have a hard time forking out $350 for a wheel I've never tried.

Do you have any comment on the number of reviews that state the pedals are loose and a bit flimsy when compared to the G25? Also, a comment regarding the feel of the shifter (some reviewists stated the feel was also a bit cheap in feel)? I'm not trying to call you out or anything. One just likes to be sure of something before shoveling out the dosh to acquire it. Especially when that something is $350.




;)
 
Delphic reasons I can tell you are a PC racer :).

The reason they do this is for the lap drivers... G25 is not made as a console wheel as a PC wheel only... PC racers mostly race by tables and some in cockpits. I will give Logitech an eloge for giving the finger to all lap drivers since all their wheels can´t be usen as such without mods not even the DFP or even their low budget 360 wheel the Drive FX :)... It ruins the force feedback, You get no real control and scare many kids away to their old and trusty gamepads instead.

The MS FFB wheel it´s designed for in your lap drivers, the 911 also comes with lap wings. Okay on the MS FFB wheel because that hardly has any ffb it does at least work but marginally. But I guess to be able to sell to the console crowd this increases the audience a bit... Not everyone has wives that allows cockpit installments in their fine living room and such so there is an issue for console racing. Though I have a hard time seeing in your lap drivers wanting to spend that much on a high quality wheel anyway. I would myself look for a non force feedback option if so.

But anyway this is the one and only reason for this design. There is no advantages at all with this solution. Great to see they offering a solution though it would have been best if it was shipped with it of course.
 
oqvist
Delphic reasons I can tell you are a PC racer :).
Click to expand...

I hope to be soon. However, I am a console racer. I have owned the Logitech GT Force (GT3 wheel), Driving Force, Momo Force, Driving Force Pro, and the MS Wireless FFB Wheel.

G25 is not made as a console wheel as a PC wheel only
Click to expand...

That's actually incorrect. When they were designing it, they focussed on making the wheel compatible with the Playstation 2/3, so console sim racers would finally have a decent wheel. Big props to them for that.

The reason they do this is for the lap drivers...
... PC racers mostly race by tables and some in cockpits. I will give Logitech an eloge for giving the finger to all lap drivers since all their wheels can´t be usen as such without mods not even the DFP or even their low budget 360 wheel the Drive FX :)... It ruins the force feedback, You get no real control and scare many kids away to their old and trusty gamepads instead.
Click to expand...

I completely understand what they are trying to do with that design (or were before the alleged changes). The fact remains it's an incredibly misguided design choice, and I think everyone can agree with that. The truth is, no one buying a $350 wheel, with clutch and shifter, is going to use the bloody thing in their lap. Obviously, Logitech have heard this argument, and thus are fixing the problem.

But anyway this is the one and only reason for this design. There is no advantages at all with this solution. Great to see they offering a solution though it would have been best if it was shipped with it of course.
Click to expand...

We definitely agree there.👍



;)
 
I think I'm going to wait to order my updated wheel, till I see what others think about the improvements.It is a good deal that they are offering @ 2 for 1.I was really hoping for a update in software that had some adjustment in it.Also the new clamping system is still in the proto-type stages they say.
 

Similar threads

Q
Fanatec Clubsport Porsche 911 GT3 Wheel with Drive Hub unit for PS Elite CSL Inquiry
Replies
1
Views
1K
super_gt
super_gt
I
Fanatec wheel and base and QR2 question...
Replies
5
Views
1K
Ian JB
I
A
Did anyone get their Fanatec DD+ to work on PS5 ?
Replies
4
Views
4K
super_gt
super_gt
M
Is CSL Elite LC pedal set compatible with older Porsche 911 GT3 RS V2 wheel?
Replies
4
Views
2K
MettaV
M
istiaq2379
Adapter between Logitech G Pro wheel and Fanatec H Shifter
Replies
4
Views
7K
Sturdy
Sturdy

Latest Posts

Back