Fanatec CSR Elite Review

Product Reviews December 10th, 2011 by Jordan

With former steering wheel market leader Logitech resting on its laurels, there’s been a flurry of activity fill the mid-to-high end range of steering wheels over the last few years. For Gran Turismo 5 players, the licensed Thrustmaster T500RS was generally considered one of the best options – until now.

Fanatec has significantly raised the bar in the higher end of the market, according to one of the first reviews of the wheel by famous GT insider and sim-racing enthusiast Amar212.

Amar was given a pre-release version of the Fanatec CSR Elite more than six weeks ago, and has been busy testing the wheel with a wide range of different titles, including GT5 and Forza 4. Read his complete review here, which he conducted with the wheel mounted to a Rinoseat GTR.

The CSR Elite will be shipping worldwide soon – visit Fanatec’s website for more information about securing one of your own. Thanks to Amar for sharing this great review in our forums!

Want More?

You should follow GTPlanet on Facebook, and on Twitter @GTPlanetNews. You can also get GTPlanet's news by full-text RSS feed, or delivered via email, straight to your inbox every day.

Tagged

99 Comments

Newest comments are displayed first.

  1. January 8th, 2012 at 6:25 am - #
    GeertL

    I want it with a Momo logo on it…!
    Price is of course what is still putting this on hold for the time being.
    For now I’ll keep up with the Logitech GT wheel.( toy wheel compared to this of course)

  2. January 2nd, 2012 at 1:13 pm - #
    AntDX316

    well Race 07: GT Expansion is best.. iracing suffers from some delay and steering problem which I watch replays when I crash and the wheel is completely in the wrong position than where it is actual in real life, I should make a video.. game is bad

    shift 2 still has the delay so therefore its not real

    Race 07: GT Expansion isn’t real cause when u do a long burnout and turn the wheel slightly it goes out of control

    in real life that does not happen

    still nothing is as real as real life but Race 07: GT Expansion is as close as it gets..

    can’t forget Live For Speed cause that is also realistic

    I think LFS is most real than the rest cause of the steering wheel and positions is always nearest actual..

  3. December 28th, 2011 at 8:33 pm - #
    M_thoroughbred

    This is crazy Thrustmaster last year released their wheel ($600) and got a bashing for the price the wheel was announced to sell with no shifter. Now Fanatec releases their premium wheel for $550 and that’s just the wheel no shifter and even worst no pedals and you guys praise them. Let’s do the math that’s $550 wheel+$199 pedals and $79 for a cheesy gearbox and if you want to use the pedals of your Logitech you have to pay $10. Talk about over priced. This is what the call nickel and dime you for everything. I’m not bashing the wheel I’m just trying to make a point on some of you giys comments when Thrustmaster announced their price for their wheel without any of you giving the wheel a test run. I’m not trying to start a pissing match here I own the Thrustmaster T500 rs with the shifter and I wish I could also get this but I’m really happy with my purchase.

    • December 29th, 2011 at 2:17 am - #
      AntDX316

      u can only get what is out at the time

      when they said they put sensors and stuff in the right place for closer realism it’s true

      I can truly feel the corner

      T500RS is like sim but CSR Elite is like real

  4. December 26th, 2011 at 5:47 pm - #
    AntDX316

    to be honest the only game where Momo is awesome at is Toca Race Driver 3 and DFGT is totally like power wheels

    G25 is like geary
    GT3RS is a step up huge and is great cause of the belt
    T500RS is a step up above the GT3RS very good but not perfect, huge delay in iracing
    CSR Elite is a step up above the T500RS to the point where the feel is like close to real life but still very small delay but smaller than the rest so this is the best wheel to buy

    but I have to say the feel in the corners seperates this wheel from the other wheels.. havn’t tried Frex wheel but the cornering feel in iRacing is amazing as well as Shift 2 theres like no delay compared to the T500RS

    highly recommend no one buy the Momo and DFGT to use for racing simulation

    they r like wheels u would use on an arcade u would play at an amusement park

  5. December 26th, 2011 at 5:09 pm - #
    AntDX316

    almost forgot about LFS, all the wheels r great on it except DFGT and Momo but CSR Elite truly takes it to the realistic level

    like authentic genuine realistic level instead of sim feel

  6. December 26th, 2011 at 5:05 pm - #
    AntDX316

    I have this wheel

    had Momo, G25, GT3RS with CSP, DFGT, T500RS, CSR Elite wheel with CSR Elite pedals

    always always wanted pure realism but non really gave that total realism feel, all the other stuff feels like a simulator but this feels like real life

    u can really feel the corner instead of just holding a corner and like really not much feel

    every wheel I used for iracing it didnt feel realistic like at all but this it’s totally realistic

    GT3RS = GTR2/TDU
    T500RS = GT5/Race 07 expansions
    CSR Elite = iRacing

    if u get the CSR Elite and use it on iRacing u will know what I’m talking about

    I don’t really need to explain but those who drift know precise realistic steering angle is highly important.. this isn’t really spot on but its closer than all the other wheels

    theres a slight delay but very small, noticable but good enough

    still tho I feel the corner like really feel it instead of just glide through it which to me is pure realism

    the others dont give that.. that’s all I have to say

  7. December 26th, 2011 at 4:41 am - #
    rjcraft16

    T500RS sorry

  8. December 26th, 2011 at 4:31 am - #
    rjcraft16

    is the T55RS compatible with any shifter you may buy somewhere else? please explain

  9. December 16th, 2011 at 10:41 am - #
    teamvrc

    I doubt this review is all true. Fanatec has always been disapointing and way overrated. Why ? because the owner of Fanatec is nice guy and at he is a real person… comparing to the other brands, that you dont even know how owns it.That helps.
    I dont say they are bad wheels..at least the GT3RS and 911 GT2 from this year.

    My point are :
    1 Fanatec wheel dont last. Their buttons are not made to be pushed so many times.
    2. they make noise. You have to turn them off if you dont want to hear it.
    3. The shifters are really bad.
    4. you have to be a genius to tune them… Or if you leave it stock, you just want to throw the wheel away.
    5. and their gearbox is really not well designed to be installe on a rig.

    So why nobody is writing about that.
    I never make bad reviews but if this one can help to have the reviewer point out these questions. I did not read one thing about the topics above..

    Dont tell me they improve all that at once…
    I am from Germany and I bought their wheels since the Fanatec Speedster 3…
    So I know pretty much about the subject. And i stll use a Fanatec wheel.. so I am not against at all. I just think the reviews should be a bit more honest.

  10. December 13th, 2011 at 1:01 pm - #
    mobiletone

    i have a Logitech Rally Wheel, cost me £13, does the jiob just fine.

  11. December 12th, 2011 at 5:55 pm - #
    PS3LUV3R

    Wow, so many arguments in the comments!

    On topic, the wheel doesn’t visually appeal to me, but I’m sure it performs fantastically, would buy one if I had enough cash to dish out for one :p

    But now it’s a question of this vs. the T500RS. Which one’s better?

    • December 13th, 2011 at 9:33 am - #
      superbike81

      The consensus so far is that this wheel is significantly smoother and faster than the T500RS. Also, the force feedback feels much better on the Fanatec (although supposedly the T500RS has a stronger single motor). But the price is obviously more expensive since you still have to buy a set of pedals which will run $150+ (unless you get low-end pedals, but why would you with such a nice wheel?). Note: I haven’t experienced any of this, just summarizing what I have read on the reviews.

  12. December 12th, 2011 at 2:05 pm - #
    mk1xr2

    I av had 2 dfgts they are good but my t500rs is the muts nuts and the pedals come with it!!! Dfgt pedals are weak t500rs pedals are spot on just waiting for the H shifter

    • December 12th, 2011 at 10:32 pm - #
      superbike81

      The T500RS pedals are terrible. Well I guess they are good compared to DFGT pedals, but don’t even stand a chance against the CSR Elite and Clubsport pedals.

  13. December 12th, 2011 at 6:30 am - #
    pay2021

    Forza wheel? Heresy!!!

  14. December 12th, 2011 at 4:05 am - #
    rac260565

    I don’t know what they mean by “shipping worldwide soon”. Fanatec, although they manufacture goods in China, don’t ship to India. I think the statement needs correction.

  15. December 12th, 2011 at 12:57 am - #
    CromaTurboIE

    Thrustmaster T500R is 10 times better than Fanatec!

    • December 12th, 2011 at 3:49 am - #
      LogiForce

      On what is that comment of yours based?
      Technically the CSR Elite has the advantage, but only by a small margin by the looks of it. So I am curious why it’s 10 times better.

    • December 12th, 2011 at 7:20 am - #
      FyreandIce

      Because the superior CSR elite is Forzas official wheel and the T500RS is GTs official wheel. The GT fanboys will come up with any excuse as to why anything forza related is bad, you know, out of jealousy of the superior product :)

  16. December 11th, 2011 at 10:01 pm - #
    Elitekilla29

    This wheel looks ok. I dont have a wheel but if i can choose a wheel it will be logitech steering. It will be odd playing gt5 with a steering wheel that has a forza logo on it.

  17. December 11th, 2011 at 7:59 pm - #
    MÜLE_9242

    I still don’t trust Fanatec as a company. I’ll stick with my G27 for now, tyvm.

  18. December 11th, 2011 at 7:56 pm - #
    MONSTAR-1

    Who’s to say 1 wheel is better than any other wheel?
    My point is that. $100 wheel or a $2500 wheel won’t make you any faster than the other. If your best lap in say a Super GT @ suzuka is 1:56.7xx with a G27 don’t think for 1 second that if you pay $500 for this fantec that you will shave .1 or more off your time.

  19. December 11th, 2011 at 5:21 pm - #
    chriz00

    My DFGT work’s fine thanx … :)

  20. December 11th, 2011 at 5:12 pm - #
    bermudakid

    never considered the thrustmaster T500RS the best choice..