Thrustmaster T598 Direct Axial Drive Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Haitauer
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Dragonwhisky
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- the land of green, hills, rocks & whiskey
- Dragonwhisky
- 31
- Germany
And how does the 10nm (or so) overshoot Thustmaster advertizes compare to a 10nm holding torque wheel - I would be curious about ...
Also - the proof in the pudding that is yet to come - Logitechs true force VS Fanatecs FullForce (which is still no where to be seen, and a pretty bad look for PD & Fanatec that this is not a thing, nearly a year after release of the 'official' GT7 wheel...) VS Thrust masters Harmony (or whatever it was called).
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- 955
As this seems to be an budget friendly, entry-level DD, dunno if some of the bigger content creators that use high-end DDs will be putting much attention to this.Anything else you guys would like to see covered in a review? Assuming we were to review it, of course...
But at this point, any review on general impressions would be appreciated! The feeling of the DD, the size of the base, the heat generated from the base and cooling needs (I don't think there's a fan and I live in a warm environment), Thrustmaster's new DD tech, as well as these Raceline pedals (which seem to be a bit of an unknown at this point).
As a T300RS user looking to get into the DD world at a reasonable price, this seems to be right up my alley!
- 4
- United Kingdom
Keep updating loads of websites to see any reviews, Came across this. He seems mightily impressed with it. Bit gutted now i missed the UK pre-orders.
They said the wheel will be available in their usual retailers. I'm guessing they took advantage of the pre-orders and will have stock available in retailers to help them market the product. Meaning, you will most likely be able to buy it when it's released anyway.
- 3,256
- Canada
The price really is a head scratcher, the wheel, base/motor and pedal set are like $100CDN more than used Fanatec DD GT Pro base alone, with no warranty. That's wild.
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- 3,256
- Canada
Can a German speaker please post the bullet point pros and cons from what looks to be a VERY through review.
- 4,891
- Bulgaria
You can activate automatic English translation but it is not very good.
A full summary here:
traxion.gg
Thrustmaster T598 review: Punching above its weight
Does Thrustmaster's sub-£450 T598 represent the ideal gateway into direct drive-assisted sim racing? Find out in our comprehensive review.
traxion.gg
- 9
- gelagmeierter
Hi,
his conclusion is:
on ps5 for this price its without competition right now.
FFB strength wise he compares it to the fanatec dd pro without boost kit. Pedals are like the stock fanatec ones, good that they are fully metal but due to no loadcell on the break nothing special.
Quality of the included rim is, for this price, pretty good.
His main point though is the axial drive, he says that in the low torque realm of wheels (gt dd pro w/o boostkit, tgt2, smaller mozas etc.) the difference in feel is ... almost... transformative. No noticeable notches due to the magnets or, in case of the tgt the rim/gears, and therefore even the slightest ffb effects come through clear and sharp.
(he talks about alot more, but i condensed it down to the important stuff)
I am currently on tgt2 with tlcm and after the reveal i was pretty sure i'll stick with the tgt2. after seeing his review i am tempted to switch to the t598 if one can buy the base separately.
Edit...
Forgot his cons:
Bulky housing of the base and the way you bolt it to your rig was his main concern.
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- 4
- United Kingdom
- 3,256
- Canada
OK reading the reviews my only real concern is the height. I use a TV, it is NOT adjustable as it is wall mounted low by modern standards (about 3 feet from floor to the bottom of the tv). I do not have a rig yet but fear this unit may impact my view and I am unsure how to check this.
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- 408
- Vancouver
- NosOsH
I hear what your sayin' and I have the same issue. But considering the value prospect I think it's a non issue.
If you think about it, the height only matters as the radius from centre of the wheel. Cause you set the wheel height generally based on your seating position. So if the wheelbase is 10" tall, it only sticks up 5" above the center of the wheel. So divide the height difference between other bases by two.
It's not perfect, but I don't think it's worth worrying about, unless you wanna spend 3 times as much money on a dd pro or + or g pro
If you think about it, the height only matters as the radius from centre of the wheel. Cause you set the wheel height generally based on your seating position. So if the wheelbase is 10" tall, it only sticks up 5" above the center of the wheel. So divide the height difference between other bases by two.
It's not perfect, but I don't think it's worth worrying about, unless you wanna spend 3 times as much money on a dd pro or + or g pro
- 24,400
- United States
- GTP_Jordan
- GTP_Jordan
This is the discussion thread for an article on GTPlanet:
Thrustmaster T598 Review: Is Direct Axial Drive the Future of Sim Racing?
This is the Thrustmaster T598, and it’s one of the most interesting and unusual sim-racing wheels to come out in quite some time...
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- 24,400
- United States
- GTP_Jordan
- GTP_Jordan
Review is up! (Double posting because any edits to the article will overwrite the one above automatically, and I'm sure there will need to be edits.) I wasn't able to hit the embargo because of some logistical issues on my end, but it's here now.
Overall, it's a solid wheel and a great value. I was disappointed by the quality of the rim, and the height of the base could be a problem. I think the high-frequency vibrations and "controlled overshoot" somewhat mask a lack of mid-range grunt.
This is what my view looks like. I can't change the TV height and can't get the wheel any lower in the rig, so I'd be pretty much stuck with this.
I've tried to get (and give) a general sense of how the wheel performs — or would perform — with any game, now or in the future. These wheels are investments and I'm assuming people will be using them for years to come with a lot of different titles, so I think (and hope) that is the most useful feedback to provide.
Overall, it's a solid wheel and a great value. I was disappointed by the quality of the rim, and the height of the base could be a problem. I think the high-frequency vibrations and "controlled overshoot" somewhat mask a lack of mid-range grunt.
Measure 12.6 inches or 320mm with a ruler or tape measure to see if that will block your view.
This is what my view looks like. I can't change the TV height and can't get the wheel any lower in the rig, so I'd be pretty much stuck with this.
Despite all the plastic, it's pretty sturdy. I'd be more concerned about the weak mounting points.Can you test what happens if you pull the steering wheel up or down? (something kids might do)
With a relatively high wheelbase like this one I think it might cause damage on the wheelbase or the mounting points
(It's totally possible that I'm overthinking it
I've chosen to stop going into specifics about particular games for that reason, having been burned with my Logitech G and GT DD Extreme reviews in the past. FFB is a moving target for all wheels these days, so I don't think it's worth it to go into great depth comparing and contrasting specific games in reviews. That might be a good separate piece of content, but it won't have a long shelf life.
I've tried to get (and give) a general sense of how the wheel performs — or would perform — with any game, now or in the future. These wheels are investments and I'm assuming people will be using them for years to come with a lot of different titles, so I think (and hope) that is the most useful feedback to provide.
- 31
- Germany
Thanks a lot for the detailed review/impressions!
Re this from the article:
"The positive is that this allows the wheel to deliver some excellent high-frequency harmonic vibrations, a feature which Thrustmaster appropriately calls “HARMONY”. I’m a big fan of higher-frequency force feedback, and the T598 delivers plenty of it. Although it’s not the most sophisticated implementation I’ve used — Logitech’s TrueForce still has the edge there, in my opinion — it’s very pronounced and well-executed."
Does that mean Thrustmasters Harmony system already works in GT7 ?
If that s the case - and there was nothing in the games last release notes iirc' - this would mean there's no custom sdk required (like Logi s Trueforce nor Fanatecs (cough nowhere to be seen...) FullForce) and is working with / generated from telemetry data directly ?
Any idea by chance ?
Re this from the article:
"The positive is that this allows the wheel to deliver some excellent high-frequency harmonic vibrations, a feature which Thrustmaster appropriately calls “HARMONY”. I’m a big fan of higher-frequency force feedback, and the T598 delivers plenty of it. Although it’s not the most sophisticated implementation I’ve used — Logitech’s TrueForce still has the edge there, in my opinion — it’s very pronounced and well-executed."
Does that mean Thrustmasters Harmony system already works in GT7 ?
If that s the case - and there was nothing in the games last release notes iirc' - this would mean there's no custom sdk required (like Logi s Trueforce nor Fanatecs (cough nowhere to be seen...) FullForce) and is working with / generated from telemetry data directly ?
Any idea by chance ?
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- 5,961
- Finland
Bolded the ridiculous part. Not your fault mind, it's his words. I've had a T-GT II for the entire time GT7 has been out and I really don't understand what people want from their wheels if that's low torque. I run it at 3/10 in GT7 and there's already a risk of thumb injury in hard hits or spinouts, and that's indeed roughly a third of what it has to offer.
I've tried 10/10 and it was far stiffer than any kart I've ever driven, including "real" outdoor track models, or a Volvo 240 with broken power steering. Either the often quoted ~6 Nm for the T-GT isn't true, or GT7 is overdriving it by some serious amount on high values. It's also worth remembering that Robert Kubica drove F1, and still drives Hypercars, basically one handed. Even the T-GT on full force is borderline impossible without two hands as any spike will rip the wheel off your control. Not to mention that many real life GT3 drivers are senior gentlemen with a lot more money than physical fitness, and they manage them just fine without having their arms swapped for noodles at the end of the stint.
Having said that, I'm certainly interested in the T598 if it's sold as a base only. All the old peripherals should work, I've been looking for a new rim anyway, and the height isn't a problem as I'm not going to have my eyes as the wheel top level.
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- 3,256
- Canada
Really appreciate this review and the direct feedback to questions raised.
I see height is a legitimate, not imagined, concern. May I ask the reviewer how high the base of your tv is off the floor and what rig you are using? I am beginning to have concerns I will have issues regardless as my tv is just too low, I do not have a rig yet and have been using a controller and a t150 on a tall foldable stand where I sit on a regular chair so I have no reference point.
I see height is a legitimate, not imagined, concern. May I ask the reviewer how high the base of your tv is off the floor and what rig you are using? I am beginning to have concerns I will have issues regardless as my tv is just too low, I do not have a rig yet and have been using a controller and a t150 on a tall foldable stand where I sit on a regular chair so I have no reference point.
- 24,400
- United States
- GTP_Jordan
- GTP_Jordan
Unless I've missed something, none of the material I have from Thrustmaster suggests that "HARMONY" is a proprietary SDK like TrueForce or FullForce, and the lower-end vibrations appear to be equally prominent in multiple games.
I'm more of a light-weight-FFB guy like yourself, and I feel that a lot of higher settings are completely unrealistic.
Having said that, I think I understand what he's getting at. There is a difference in using a 5Nm wheel compared to an 8, 10, or 12Nm wheel even with lighter settings. It's kind of hard to put into words but having the extra overhead makes all of the sensations more pronounced.
That's kind of what I'm talking about with my mid-range comments on the T598, though it's kind of hard to articulate. Its overshoot is so strong that at first you think the wheel is more powerful than it really is. Once you try to dial that back, it starts to feel more like a 5Nm wheel.
I'm using an Obutto R3volution cockpit with its accompanying TV stand and a 43-inch TV. Viewing distance is just over 4 feet (around 1.4 meters).
The bottom of the TV is 31 inches (78cm) above the floor. The top of the T598's housing is 37 inches (93cm) above the floor, and the top of the wheel rim is 40 inches (101cm) above the floor.
- 24,400
- United States
- GTP_Jordan
- GTP_Jordan
That's a tough question. It's hard to say if it would be worth it (that will be subjective to everyone), but I'm a big fan of Logitech's TrueForce implementation and it has a much stronger motor without the ergonomic issues.
I'll put it this way: if you can afford it and are willing to spend that much money on a wheel and you bought the Logitech, I don't think you would regret the decision if you later had the chance to try a T598.
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