The Thrustmaster T500RS Thread

  • Thread starter TomN
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I starting to think there will be a lot of disappointing Fanatec fans if this wheel turn out to be great. I have no connections with Logitech or Fanatec so if this wheel gets good reviews I'm thinking about getting this wheel. I'm real interested in those pedals.
 
9000Gs
And that is exactly why I say it's a bad analogy. Once again, I get your analogy, but it just doesn't go with what's going on with the T500RS and Fanatec's/Logitech's wheels.

First of, you don't know if it's only "slightly better", and second, from the info we have, on paper it's definitely not just "slightly better".

You need to follow your own advice, wait for the final product and see for yourself before jumping into conclusions.

Could be 10x better, could be "slightly better", could be the same, could be worse. It all comes down to if it's worth the 600 bucks or not.
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From the specs, the WHEEL definitely doesn't seem like it could be more than just a little bit better.

As for the pedals, I don't know, it really depends. I think one of the items pushing up the price is the brake.
 
I don't understand why some people feel threatened by this product and have to jump in and hate on it for no reason at all.

do you guys own stock in Logitech or Fanatac or something? :confused:

product is not even out yet! :lol:

I will say this though... coming in at $600 with no shifter included would be a mistake.

it's going to be a hard sell at that price. (epecially for console players)

I'm definitely interested, as I'm in the market for a new wheel, but at 6 bills with no shifter even,...... well......

I'm going to keep an open mind and wait for the reviews. if it's good, maybe I can catch it on sale.
 
RedSuinit
From the specs, the WHEEL definitely doesn't seem like it could be more than just a little bit better.

As for the pedals, I don't know, it really depends. I think one of the items pushing up the price is the brake.
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Even Fanatec Belt FFB is not that smooth and could be greatly improved as you can hear what sound and feels like the motors spinning very faster when you pull again the FFB motor. It seems like the Fanatec FFB motor has to spin more per resolution than even G27 wheel. It's possible this wheel's FFB is better than Fanatec but probably not a good as ECCI expensive wheel.
 
Can you imagine if the gear stick is made as tough and heavy duty as the rest of the wheel/pedals - i've heard the G25/7's gear stick is sloppy and like trying to change gear with a screw driver stuck in a tub of lard.
 
I would estimate the shifter at least around 79,99 or so. (Euro or Dollar, doesn't matter anyway)

It has to be, because otherwise they could have included the shifter right from the start. The only reason not doing so must be a significant price for that thing. So, we end up with around 700 dollar / 600 Euro.

Nice.
 
Zoom!Zoom!
Even Fanatec Belt FFB is not that smooth and could be greatly improved as you can hear what sound and feels like the motors spinning very faster when you pull again the FFB motor. It seems like the Fanatec FFB motor has to spin more per resolution than even G27 wheel. It's possible this wheel's FFB is better than Fanatec but probably not a good as ECCI expensive wheel.
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Based on a wheel to wheel comparison between the Fanatec GT2 and the T500 look like this.

Thrustmaster:

ONE 65W FFB motor that produce 150mNm of torque, and spins at a rate of 9000 rpm.

GT2:

THREE 60W FFB motors that produce 60mNm of torque EACH, and spins at a rate of 15300 rpm.

These two facts alone are very telling, and (at least on paper) make them look very comparable.
 
Dfgt is the entry level wheel and this is their premier one. It is not supposed to be ultra affordable. The tech and experience came before price with the t500rs and it's the opposite for dfgt.
 
RedSuinit
Based on a wheel to wheel comparison between the Fanatec GT2 and the T500 look like this.

Thrustmaster:

ONE 65W FFB motor that produce 150mNm of torque, and spins at a rate of 9000 rpm.

GT2:

THREE 60W FFB motors that produce 60mNm of torque EACH, and spins at a rate of 15300 rpm.

These two facts alone are very telling, and (at least on paper) make them look very comparable.
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What is the comparison of the rate of motor spin per wheel resolution for each wheel? What is the dead FFB motor resistance between both wheels?
 
Zoom!Zoom!
What is the comparison of the rate of motor spin per wheel resolution for each wheel? What is the dead FFB motor resistance between both wheels?
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Dead FFB for the Thrustmaster, I don't know. The dead FFB for the Fanatec is 300nMn for each motor. I looked up the specs since they list the specific motor they used for the Fanatec GT2. The other two aren't listed on either wheel that I know of.
 
I expected the 2 motors out of the 3 on the GT2 fanatec to just act as vibrations motors...

the main motor being the Mabuchi RS 550 Motor

"-Powerful Mabuchi RS 550 Motor as used in RC cars delivers extra strong Force Feedback effects.
-Additional 2 Force Feedback actuators in the wheel simulates motor vibrations."
 
DarinSRT
I've been told by our Thrustmaster rep that we'll be getting one of these to review very soon. Also looks like the official release per their Facebook is now January 5th in the US.

We'll give you guys the unbiased / in depth after spending some time with it. We'll also post a first look video within a day or so of us receiving it.

Happy Holidays ! :dopey:

Darin Gangi
Inside Sim Racing
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awesome! At this moment I am leaning toward the Fanatec Porsche GT2 because it is compatible with my PC, PS3 and Xbox360. I have RACE Pro but never played it because I am a failure at driving games using a gamepad.
 
porsche 9146
I've never used a quality thrustmaster product, but I've used some of their older wheels in the past. needless to say, I was far from impressed. as for the "features the competition doesn't", the clubsport pedals are 100 percent aluminum and reversable. besides, let's not forget that the G27 and fanatec both have PC support, which this supposedly does not, the logitech has more programmable buttons, and you can buy the fanatec with xbox 360 compatibility.

I'm not exactly sure 600 dollars is exactly a budget. it sounds like they just threw money at the project and want to break even. I assume they were in the board room and said "so the logitech wheel has a realistic 900 degrees of steering" "okay, let's make it 1080" "well fanatec wheels have belt driven force feedback" "okay, add TWO belts!" and other attempts to basically just one-up the competition on paper, until they realised just how expensive it was becoming.

again, I haven't used this wheel, but I'm familiar enough with the other two wheels that I'm confident that no wheel can make a similar jump to the one they've made on things like the DFGT for only 600 dollars.

edit: as for my analogy, what I'm trying to say is that this is the equivalent of an inexperienced economy car producer trying to create a sports car that competes with the best, but marketing at a price closer to a supercar.
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well stated possible limitations of the Thrustmaster T500RS.

I, too, was unimpressed with the older Thrustmaster ferrari wheels. I do have an use two Thrustmaster flightsticks which I do think are good products for the low price.
 
Gran Turismo News has a post on its front page regarding the wheel!

Two Steering Wheel Controllers Now Officially Compatible with GT5

Two force feedback steering wheel controllers are now officially compatible with Gran Turismo 5.

Guillemot Thrustmaster T500 RS
Release Date: January 5 2011

The Thrustmaster T500 RS, developed specifically for Gran Turismo 5, is a high end steering wheel that pushes the limits of power and precision.

The sheer weight of the controllers is indicative of the care Thrustmaster took in developing a premium product, with the steering weighing in at 10.1lbs, and the pedals 16lbs.

The sturdy 30cm diameter steering wheel is reinforced with metal spokes and a 16 bit magnetic sensor with a 65536 step resolution which detects the controller's position, providing maximum precision and steering control.

Force feedback is provided by, an industrial motor with 150Nm torque and 65w output which quickly and accurately delivers steering feedback.

The innovation behind this controller is also evident in the all-metal pedals. The pedal layout consists of three pedals including a durable footrest. By changing the footrest position, a "floor-mounted" F1 style, or a "suspended" GT pedal configuration.

The brakes also offer incredible touch. With a foot pressure "weight" of 157N, the T500 RS brakes allow precision braking control.
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Copied word for word, including the various grammatical errors :D
It then goes on to talk about the DFGT, but we already know all about that wheel.
 
Patrocles
well stated possible limitations of the Thrustmaster T500RS.

I, too, was unimpressed with the older Thrustmaster ferrari wheels. I do have an use two Thrustmaster flightsticks which I do think are good products for the low price.
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Thrustmaster makes high end stuff for flight sim too, they know how to make enthusiast products like the Warthog, Cougar MFD with lcd screen,... It's just a matter of price range, the Ferrari wheel is a cheap one for mainstream.
Im very confident with this wheel. The build quality really seems great, can't wait to try it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yQ9zz5mnQk&NR=1
 
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waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much for a wheel. Console gamers won't buy in a stampede. I won't spend 600 on an accessory for a gaming setup.
 
As far as this wheel has PC support or not , If I'm not mistaken DFGT when it first came out only claimed to be a PS3/GT5 wheel. While it did work for the PC it didn't get full PC support (all the buttons and knobs) until a few months later. I don't why anyone would question if this is going to work on the PC since all it would require is a driver. It would be crazy to build a $600 wheel and not have some kind of driver for the PC.
 
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The price won't go down because some say it's "too expensive". High end products are usually bought by the "I got the $$" crowd but, time will tell, if in fact, it is a "high end" product.
 
Dracwolley
Gran Turismo News has a post on its front page regarding the wheel!

"The sheer weight of the controllers is indicative of the care Thrustmaster took in developing a premium product, with the steering weighing in at 10.1lbs, and the pedals 16lbs."

Copied word for word, including the various grammatical errors :D
It then goes on to talk about the DFGT, but we already know all about that wheel.
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The UK news update on GT5 says it is 10kg and 16kgs. Looks like the UK spec is more hardcore! :sly:
 
scir16v
waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much for a wheel. Console gamers won't buy in a stampede. I won't spend 600 on an accessory for a gaming setup.
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It's not really that much, $600 will just get you a good set of tyres for your car, and you have to get a set of those every year if you drive like i do. At least the idea behind a steering wheel/pedals kit is that it should last a few years.
 
blaaah
It's not really that much, $600 will just get you a good set of tyres for your car, and you have to get a set of those every year if you drive like i do. At least the idea behind a steering wheel/pedals kit is that it should last a few years.
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Also it's a lot cheaper than real racing. There are those who complain about how expensive Iracing is yet it's the cheapest way to race other people in a serious sim.
 
Zoom!Zoom!
Also it's a lot cheaper than real racing. There are those who complain about how expensive Iracing is yet it's the cheapest way to race other people in a serious sim.
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Yes, but real racing is a lot more fun. The motion that you feel in a real car is what makes all the difference. I've thrown a 240sx into the first chicane at gateway raceway at 80+ mph. The thrill of going that fast with the actual sensation is worth way more than the thrustmaster wheel could ever be.
 
Stones
The price won't go down because some say it's "too expensive". High end products are usually bought by the "I got the $$" crowd but, time will tell, if in fact, it is a "high end" product.
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Actually with stuff like this it tends to come out priced high and drop pretty significantly within 3-6 months. The initial sticker price is to capture the profits from the "I got $$$" crowd but then shortly after it drops to a more reasonable price to catpure the bulk market.

the G27 was quickly close to the $200 range in many places (although still MSRP 300). I think we will see this TT wheel drop $100 or so in six months to the point where the shifter and wheel set is the price of just the wheel now.
 
scir16v
Yes, but real racing is a lot more fun. The motion that you feel in a real car is what makes all the difference. I've thrown a 240sx into the first chicane at gateway raceway at 80+ mph. The thrill of going that fast with the actual sensation is worth way more than the thrustmaster wheel could ever be.
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The argument is that racing with the Thrustmaster is cheaper than driving for real. Which it is.
 

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