Wheel buyers guide for Forza Motorsport

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Darkmiss

Darkmiss

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Darkmiss
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TK7078
The question of what wheels work with the Xbox 360 gets asked quite a lot.
The choice now is much better than just over a year ago...
So here is a quick guide to wheels that work for the Xbox 360 and Forza Motorsport.

If people would like to submit their reviews on any of the wheels they have and how it works with Forza 3 & 4, please do.

microsoft_speed_wheel_wireless.gif

Microsoft Wireless Speed Wheel (No force-feedback)
Avarage prices:
UK - £39:99 from Amazon.co.uk
US - $59:99 from Amazon.com

180482061.jpg

Microsoft Licensed Racing Wheel EX2 (No force-feedback)
Average Prices:
UK - £54:99 Various stores
US -

xbox-360-wireless-racing-wheel-wheel.jpg

Mad Catz Wireless Racing Wheel (No force-feedback)
Avarage prices:
UK - £99:99 from Amazon.co.uk
US - $159:99 from http://store.gameshark.net/

madcatz-force-feedback.jpg

Mad Catz Officially licensed Wireless (Force Feedback) Wheel
UK - £186.40 from Amazon.co.uk
US - $269:99 from Amazon.com
Forza Planet user review by StarFirebird

Thrustmaster-Ferrari-458-Italia-Racing-Wheel.jpg

Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Italia (No force-feedback)
Avarage Price:
UK - £69:99 from www.Amazon.co.uk
US - $89:99 from Amazon.com

GT2PSD.jpg

Fanatec Porche 911 GT2
Price:
UK - €249 (pedals sold separately) from Fanatec.com
US - $249 (pedals sold separately) from Fanatec.com

csr.jpg

Fanatec CSR
Price:
UK - €249 (pedals sold separately) from Fanatec.com
US - $249 (pedals sold separately) from Fanatec.com

csrelite.jpg

Fanatec CSR Elite
Price:
UK - €499 (pedals sold separately) from Fanatec.com
US - $499 (pedals sold separately) from Fanatec.com

Peddles for the Fanatec wheels are $149 and $199

Here is a 360 buyers guide from InsideSimRacing.com if you would like a little more info
http://www.insidesimracing.tv/videos/view/587/0/Inside-Sim-Racing-Episodes
 
Hopefully I'll have a CSR Elite by the end of they year. That looks like a fine wheel.


Parker
 
Since you have the discontinued MS wheel up there then you should also have this.

Fanatec 911 Turbo S
297307s006.jpg
 
Granted it's new at this point, but I seem to be having a hard time confirming one particular point about the new Thrustmaster 458 Italia.

Is it force feedback or not?

There's an awful lot of flashy marketing language in the Amazon description that seems to deftly avoid the point, which makes me think it isn't......
 
Do they still distribute the 3rd Microsoft wheel you have posted?

I'm looking for a decent wheel,but i don't want to break the bank.
 
zr1chris
Since you have the discontinued MS wheel up there then you should also have this.

Fanatec 911 Turbo S
297307s006.jpg
Click to expand...

Actually I wasn't aware that the MS wheel had been discontinued.
That's why I left the price blank for now, and explains why I couldn't find any prices just yet.

So as much I wish that the Turbo S wheel wasn't discontinues, I'll pull the old MS wheel out of the list.

Thanks Chris
 
I'm a bit curious about the New Mad Catz Wheel that will be out on November 1st of this year.

It says it has 2 different rumble modes?I just wonder if it's like the ones in the Logitech Driving Force GT Wheel.If this new Madcatz wheel feels like the Driving Force GT then i will buy it on day one.

The cost will be $249.99 for those who are wondering.
 
Amish
Why spend $249 for that when you can spend the same for a Fanatec wheel? Sure pedals are extra but worth the extra cost.
Click to expand...
This. When I saw a Madcatz wheel with FFB, I first thought, hey that might be a decent wheel for people new to racing with a wheel, then I saw the price.................:banghead: Unless this thing is out-of-this-world, which I doubt, I'd hold off until someone around here takes one for the team;).
 
Amish
Why spend $249 for that when you can spend the same for a Fanatec wheel? Sure pedals are extra but worth the extra cost.
Click to expand...

Everytime i go to the Fanatec site the Porsche Wheel is always on backorder.I heard it was a great wheel,but if i ordered one would i get this century?

I'm not sure who else to purchase one from as Fanatec seems to be the only distributor?
 
Darkmiss
Actually I wasn't aware that the MS wheel had been discontinued.
That's why I left the price blank for now, and explains why I couldn't find any prices just yet.

So as much I wish that the Turbo S wheel wasn't discontinues, I'll pull the old MS wheel out of the list.

Thanks Chris
Click to expand...

👍
 
MuchoJimbo
This. When I saw a Madcatz wheel with FFB, I first thought, hey that might be a decent wheel for people new to racing with a wheel, then I saw the price.................:banghead: Unless this thing is out-of-this-world, which I doubt, I'd hold off until someone around here takes one for the team;).
Click to expand...

You know what i'll take one for the team.I've done some thinking and i went to Best Buy this morning.

I asked the lady in the gaming department to look for the wheel i mentioned.It's not in there system as of yet,but since it's an officially backed microsoft product she said they would have it eventually.I then told her i'll keep a check online and see when they are going to get the wheel.Once the wheel is shown i'll come back and reserve it.

The good thing is with best buy you can bring it back within 30 days.I just did that with the crap MC2 wheel by madcatz.I know Madcatz makes some crap,but maybe since Microsoft is backing them, it might be halfway decent.

Here is the overview or specs on the wheel for those who are wondering.

Officially licensed Wireless Force Feedback Wheel for Xbox 360®
 
I was at Best Buy earlier tonight and they had Forza 4 hooked up to a sweet big screen with a standard controller and that speed wheel. I tried the speed wheel and it was way easy and intuitive. I had zero issues using it and in a matter of one race I realized that it's a fantastic alternative to a wheel. And it's so light that I didn't even get tired. At home it would be even better since you are sitting down. I'd like to add that there was virtually no learning curve at all.


Just thought I'd toss that out there.
 
Amish
Why spend $249 for that when you can spend the same for a Fanatec wheel? Sure pedals are extra but worth the extra cost.
Click to expand...

Because the Fanatec wheel doesn't come with pedals. By the time you invest money in a Fanatec wheel and compatible pedals we've almost doubled the price to $400 to $450. There's a lot of people that enjoy games like Forza or GT enough to spend literally hundreds of hours with each new release and yet who can't justify the expense of even a $150 wheel and pedal combination. The higher that price gets, the fewer people that are willing to pay it. $150 is a lot less appealing than $0 (not getting a wheel at all), $250 is even less appealing, and $400+ turns away just about everybody.

To help people understand, much of the population doesn't live in big urban areas. More rural areas like my home county don't have the same sort of pay scales found in more densely-populated areas. Here, something like 97% of the available jobs are at or below $12 an hour, and most of those are $10 or under. Many of the folks who do hold a job around here don't see forty hours in a week either, and not for lack of trying. So, almost nobody around here can sleep at night having spent $400+ on a racing wheel, and probably have a hard time accepting $250 for a wheel and pedals. What seems perfectly reasonable for some folks isn't as much so for the entire gaming community.
 
StarFirebird
You know what i'll take one for the team.I've done some thinking and i went to Best Buy this morning.

I asked the lady in the gaming department to look for the wheel i mentioned.It's not in there system as of yet,but since it's an officially backed microsoft product she said they would have it eventually.I then told her i'll keep a check online and see when they are going to get the wheel.Once the wheel is shown i'll come back and reserve it.

The good thing is with best buy you can bring it back within 30 days.I just did that with the crap MC2 wheel by madcatz.I know Madcatz makes some crap,but maybe since Microsoft is backing them, it might be halfway decent.

Here is the overview or specs on the wheel for those who are wondering.

Officially licensed Wireless Force Feedback Wheel for Xbox 360®
Click to expand...


I wouldn't count on that seeing as MS' own wireless wheel was the worst AC powered wheel ever made. Spend your money on Fanatec and you'll only need to spend it once.
 
IceMan PJN
Because the Fanatec wheel doesn't come with pedals. By the time you invest money in a Fanatec wheel and compatible pedals we've almost doubled the price to $400 to $450. There's a lot of people that enjoy games like Forza or GT enough to spend literally hundreds of hours with each new release and yet who can't justify the expense of even a $150 wheel and pedal combination. The higher that price gets, the fewer people that are willing to pay it. $150 is a lot less appealing than $0 (not getting a wheel at all), $250 is even less appealing, and $400+ turns away just about everybody.

To help people understand, much of the population doesn't live in big urban areas. More rural areas like my home county don't have the same sort of pay scales found in more densely-populated areas. Here, something like 97% of the available jobs are at or below $12 an hour, and most of those are $10 or under. Many of the folks who do hold a job around here don't see forty hours in a week either, and not for lack of trying. So, almost nobody around here can sleep at night having spent $400+ on a racing wheel, and probably have a hard time accepting $250 for a wheel and pedals. What seems perfectly reasonable for some folks isn't as much so for the entire gaming community.
Click to expand...

Thing is, you can spend $250 on a wheel, that might or might not work after a few months time (Mad Catz). OR you can spend $250 on a wheel that will last or get replaced within 2 years (Fanatec).

If you are strapped, do I what I did. Save up. I also purchased the standard pedals ($30) for the Fanatec wheel, until I saved up again for the CSR Elite pedals.

All in all you get what you pay for. I would rather spend $280 on a proven product than $250 on a wheel made by a company that is known for shoddy products.
 
IceMan PJN
Because the Fanatec wheel doesn't come with pedals. By the time you invest money in a Fanatec wheel and compatible pedals we've almost doubled the price to $400 to $450. There's a lot of people that enjoy games like Forza or GT enough to spend literally hundreds of hours with each new release and yet who can't justify the expense of even a $150 wheel and pedal combination. The higher that price gets, the fewer people that are willing to pay it. $150 is a lot less appealing than $0 (not getting a wheel at all), $250 is even less appealing, and $400+ turns away just about everybody.

To help people understand, much of the population doesn't live in big urban areas. More rural areas like my home county don't have the same sort of pay scales found in more densely-populated areas. Here, something like 97% of the available jobs are at or below $12 an hour, and most of those are $10 or under. Many of the folks who do hold a job around here don't see forty hours in a week either, and not for lack of trying. So, almost nobody around here can sleep at night having spent $400+ on a racing wheel, and probably have a hard time accepting $250 for a wheel and pedals. What seems perfectly reasonable for some folks isn't as much so for the entire gaming community.
Click to expand...

Just get the cheapo $30 Fanatec pedals and upgrade them later. With Fanatec you get the option of upgrading parts on the MC you don't. You can also use Fanatec on any platform because their xbox wheels have both XID and HID circuitry. With MC it's Xbox 360 only (it may work on the PC like the MS wheel using the PC wireless adapter, but without FFB) .

If you ask me you actually get much better value with Fanatec's flexibility and the cost is only $10 more + shipping. Also, ask yourself what your time is worth when you have to travel back to Best Buy to return it because it is nowhere near the quality of a Fanatec that cost $10 more?
 
I assume the standard Fanatec pedals are out of stock. They aren't on the US shop.

How limited is the the CSR? I'd like to order a steering wheel package, but I probably won't get to order one until later in November.
 
I still think the Mad Catz Officially licensed Wireless (Force Feedback) Wheel will be a good wheel.250 dollars is steep(i paid $149.99 for my DFGT) so you know it should be good for the price it costs.

I'm not too worried about having to take it back if I have to.Best Buy is only 15 minutes from my house and plus if it's nice out I can just go play some Disc Golf.

It comes with a two year warranty,so if it does have that DFGT feel and I keep it,i'll know if anything goes wrong with it I can get it replaced in that time period.

I'm still going to get it regardless.I promised you guys a review when I got it and I intend to stick to it.
 
All "officially licensed" means is that they paid the fee to MS for the security chip and passed certification. Have you ever seen an Xbox 360 peripheral that wasn't officially licensed outside of China? If the MC drives like a DFGT then it is far below Fanatec and the $10 difference isn't saved.
 
I played Forza 4 with the discontinued FFB Microsoft 360 Wheel and wow - it was absolutely fantastic - the force feedback is incredible and you can tell everything the car was doing !

By far the best experience with a wheel/pedals combo on console i've ever used and i've used a G27 with GT5 !!

So yesterday I bought one on ebay - just need to find a decent stand now ! For just over £100 with a couple of games in the auction its a bargain.
 
12thgear
Disc Golf! Star (plastic) Firebird! Got it!
Click to expand...

Yup.You got it man.

I've been playing for 12 years now.

LickitySplit
All "officially licensed" means is that they paid the fee to MS for the security chip and passed certification. Have you ever seen an Xbox 360 peripheral that wasn't officially licensed outside of China? If the MC drives like a DFGT then it is far below Fanatec and the $10 difference isn't saved.
Click to expand...

If the Madcatz Wheel drives like the DFGT then i'll be a very happy man.I've had my DFGT for a little over a year and i love the thing.
 

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