'Fast' wheels & 'slow' wheels discussion

[Shaggy Alonso]

When comparing steering wheels, all that seems to be discussed is the relative specifications of each wheel, yet what seems like something of a taboo subject is that certain wheels simply produce better lap times than others, depending on the game (or to be more accurate, allow you to consistently access better lap times), and this doesn't necessarily correspond with how much you're paying for the wheel or which wheel is better on paper.

What i've noticed, and this may or may not be a genuine trend, is that often the cheaper wheels are actually quicker to race with than the more complex hardware. For instance, the G25/G27 wheels seem to be consistently inferior to the DFGT with Codemasters F1 games, even if they have better feedback in terms of a visceral enjoyment of the handling.

And then allegedly the G25 has much better FFB in F1 2012 than the technically superior G27. I've yet to try this for myself, but will be doing so shortly as I own both wheels, but naturally you don't expect the older wheel to be the quicker one.

Has anyone else experienced anything similar in the case of GT5?

Discuss.

 

[oqvist]

G25/G27 is placebo.

Anyway otherwise dunno about those budget wheels but if we go to the better wheels like the T500RS if you bump up the ffb strength so you occasionally actually have to fight with the wheel you do risk going a bit slower. In theory I think you should be fastest with a non force feedback wheel as that would give you the highest precision and you can disregard what the wheel is telling you easier . If it helps consistancy I don´t know though.

I am as fast with my G27 as with my T500RS it´s pedals that can really make you more consistent or possible faster.

 

[HBR-Roadhog]

On GT I was a tiny bit faster with the DFGT so long as I use ABS. The reason is likely the brake pedal has no resistance and you can just slam it with ease and release. On Forza of course the DFGT doesn't work at all and if it did the brake would be an issue due to the way the ABS works there.

I used a TurboS with standard pedals for a while but now use a CSR Elite with club sport pedals and that is the best wheel and pedals I have used to date. Haven't used it much on GT so can't compare lap times there but on Forza 4 it is definitely faster than any other wheel you could use so long as it set ir right.

 

[RReed43]

One big advantage of the Fanatec wheels in regard to actual lap times is the adjustable sensitivity of the wheels. Road cars perform best when you have 900° of turn angle. F1 or Redbull need much faster turning such as 240° or so.

I would never have completed the Vettel Challenge or find F1 2012 fun if it wasn't for the adjustability of the CSR-E which I use.

 

[Mahnegold]

For T500 users, GT5 does this adjustment for you. So you don't have to worry when switching from Formula GT to a MX-5. The same with G27.

 

[Shaggy Alonso]

G25/G27 is placebo.

Anyway otherwise dunno about those budget wheels but if we go to the better wheels like the T500RS if you bump up the ffb strength so you occasionally actually have to fight with the wheel you do risk going a bit slower. In theory I think you should be fastest with a non force feedback wheel as that would give you the highest precision and you can disregard what the wheel is telling you easier . If it helps consistancy I don´t know though.

I am as fast with my G27 as with my T500RS it´s pedals that can really make you more consistent or possible faster.

Can you elaborate on what you mean about the G25/G27 being a placebo? Do you mean the only differences in speed are in your head?

I'd like to draw your attention to the following conversation I had with someone on the issue of G25 vs G27, this was a couple of years ago racing in F1 2010:

Well my new G27 arrived today and i've really mixed feelings about it. The construction of the wheel itself is great, feels much nicer than before. But the FFB doesn't seem to simulate any sense of cornering forces like my G25 did, at least in F1 2010. This makes it hard to gauge by feel how much speed can be carried into and out of a fast corner. For example turn 1 at Suzuka or Spoon corner feel more difficult than before to get consistently right. The FFB over the kerbs is the same as with the G25, but cornering forces are gone, which makes it feel very 'gamey' and cold - less immersive

I might actually revert to the G25 for the rest of this championship as i'm more confident with it, and save the G27 for F1 2011 where i'll need it for kers and DRS. I really hope that this is fixed for F1 2011 👎

i know exactly what your saying,might be one reason why I'm not consistent.i have both g27 and fanatec gt3 rs2 with clubsport pedals,and the ffb and feel with the cars is terrible the g27 being better for this game but still crap and fanatec best for all other Sims.i ve started playing gt5 again just to see and the feel is much much better you can feel every bump and know exactly what to do and expect.ive now realised how poor the physics and ffb are with this game.before anyone says it yes I do have the latest firmware for the fanatec and its still not good enough.i too am hoping this is sorted for 2011.

I found it easy to drive consistently fast in F1 2010, slightly less so in F1 2011 but MUCH less so in F1 2012. Hitherto I put it down to the game's changing physics, but actually, it's more likely that it's to do with the fact that I played F1 2010 with the G25, and since then have used the G27 for 2011 and 2012, and despite being the 'better' wheel, it is an inferior tool with which to drive fast seemingly.

 

[oqvist]

The only real difference is that the G27 uses helical gears. The feel or resistance is not much different from them they are very similar. Have the same sized rim and just about the same pedals as well. You won´t go faster on either one unless you got a bad apple of either the G25 or G27.

As for Codemasters none of their titles have good force feedback so I would never use that for reference

 

[HBR-Roadhog]

For T500 users, GT5 does this adjustment for you. So you don't have to worry when switching from Formula GT to a MX-5. The same with G27.

It does that with the Fanatec wheels as well. I drive GT5 with the sen set to OFF and let the game handle it. works fine.

If memory serves the same is true with the DFGT as well.

 

[oqvist]

Still it´s better to be able to adjust on the fly for personal preferences. Mostly it´s just a case of adaptation though . But it´s great if you don´t have to adapt

 

[LeMansAid]

I would never buy a wheel with much consideration going in to how it would fare in a lap time sense. It's just not what I am in it for. I suppose some (including me) are experience, rather than goal oriented.

 

[Saidur_Ali]

It could be your wheel FFB is broken and not working as intended. I bought a new G27 and that would appear to be fully working but after being used to good FFB with DFGT, I thought something was wrong as certain information was lacking from the FFB effects. Got a replacement and it was working as good as my DFGT did. Same fault has now happened again with my G27, even though it looks and functions and still has some FFB effects, certain FFB effects have gone, ones you describe, the cornering feel is the one that is affected the most. I am in process of getting it replaced now, heard there is a new revision with some internal changes, hopefully that fixes issues with FFB going off so quickly.

 

[Dean]

For T500 users, GT5 does this adjustment for you.

Does it? I guess I've never really paid attention to it then .

 

[Brend]

Like many, I buy my wheel for the experience. Well, within my price range.

I use a DFGT and find myself to be as fast with that as with the G25.

 

[Saidur_Ali]

The experience can be hampered by poor FFB though.

 

[HBR-Roadhog]

The experience can be hampered by poor FFB though.

That is one of the great things about the CSR Elite wheel, The FFB is very strong and smooth. You can basically get however much FFB you want up to the max which is stiffer than any real car I have driven aside for maybe a few where the power steering belt/pump was broken

The fact that it also works with the 360 is a nice bonus as well for those of us you like to play Forza too.