Fanatec showed us a new line of steering wheels a few months ago, including a review of one of its best-sellers, the BMW M3 GT2 wheel. Fanatec recently sent us this wheel, and we’ve already had a few hours of use with the base CSL DD, which is enough to describe how we feel about this review.
Features
The steering wheel, which is officially licensed by BMW, comes in the classic Fanatec ClubSport packaging, very well protected in the black foam bed, and with a cover to protect the steering wheel when we want to store it.
It is fully compatible with all Fanatec bases, both new and old, and is completely PC compatible. It is not compatible with Xbox, and some of its features may be limited on the Playstation. They state that it is dependent on the firmware, the operating system, and the specific game.
The steering wheel is exactly the same as the previous version, right out of the box: buttons, LEDs, screen, funky, shape, material, etc., everything is in the same place and with the same shape.
Even when you pick it up, despite being 30% lighter, it is not perceived as such. This weight reduction is the result of a revision of the internal structure and materials, which allegedly helps to strengthen it as well as improve its weight. This should result in improved steering feel because the base shaft will require less force to turn the steering wheel.
In terms of material quality, it is a wheel in which the only thing that is plastic are the heads of the buttons, which is very robust and well finished. Without a doubt, the sensation is vastly different and far more realistic when compared to, say, the McLaren GT3 wheel, despite the fact that they are two complementary steering wheels in their use and, due to the price difference, not comparable in quality. But they are the ones we have tested with the CSL DD base so far.
The main differences are visible when we turn it over and notice the new magnetic paddles and some minor changes to the casing. The difference in paddles between the first version of this wheel and this V2 is abysmal, but the feel of the magnetic paddles is fantastic. The improvement in travel and precision is astounding.
And, because not everything was going to be good news, another distinction is the loss of a function, the vibration. The first version of this steering wheel includes a small motor that causes the steering wheel to vibrate in certain situations such as ABS, slippage, a certain percentage of maximum engine revolutions, and so on. We believe that removing this function will contribute to the flywheel’s weight reduction. The usefulness of this function would undoubtedly spark debate, but we must admit that the vibration would alert you when it was time to shift gears. Many times, the gear shift lights are not visible, so that little warning was helpful.
Configuration, tests, and feelings
One of Fanatec‘s greatest strengths is its ease of configuration; once again, the steering wheel requires no additional configuration once connected to the base and detected by the system. It is completely plug-and-play. However, we always recommend that you press and operate all of the individual buttons and functions of the equipment in the configuration software to ensure that the entire system is working properly.
We used a CSL DD base with the 8Nm boost kit, inverted V3 pedals, a handbrake, and a Fanatec shifter for testing. The simulator has primarily been iRacing, but it has also been tested with Assetto Corsa Ultimate and Assetto Corsa Competizione. All you have to do is connect and configure them.
It is a large steering wheel, measuring 32 centimeters in diameter, but it lacks a thick grip. This grip, while not ideal for large hands and in need of something thicker, is very nice and secure. The ring’s alcantara is of high quality and feels great to the touch. Nonetheless, it has always been used with gloves, as this is the best way to keep the alcantara in the best condition possible and thus extend its life.
As previously stated, the cams are the main innovation in this ring, and they have truly become its great strength, which was a weakness in its first version. They are very precise, noisy, and provide a satisfying sensation when activated.
The steering wheel has 11 push buttons and single function buttons that are spaced out. Because of this, in order to use some of them, one of the hands must be removed from the grip, and not all of them are useful.
You must carefully consider which functions to assign to each one. The strange switch on the right works flawlessly and has a good and direct touch, making it difficult to make a mistake in the function you want to activate. The left joystick button is usually set to look to the sides, and its function is to be pressed.
The display and LEDs complete the wheel’s functions in the information section. They function exactly the same as in the previous version and can be configured to display different simulator metrics. They primarily display the gear we are in, whether we have activated the pit lane speed and speed on the display, and whether we are approaching the maximum revs with the led indicator.
Conclusions
This is a remarkable wheel in terms of quality, features, and price, despite the latter having been raised in a recent price revision. Despite this, it remains appealing.It is One of Fanatec’s star steering wheels. It is one of the fundamental wheels to have in the Fanatec ecosystem.
The addition of improvements and updates to the product ensures that it remains at the forefront of the Fanatec catalog, representing the other Bavarian brand par excellence, BMW. You can read the entire document here.
It costs 349.95 euros and can be purchased directly from the Fanatec store by clicking here.
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