Fanatec Podium DD Review: Is This Fanatec’s Best Wheel Base?

I’ve got a little smile on my face. After all, we’re once again taking a look at Fanatec, which is one of the leading brands in the sim racing market and has a huge following. Being able to test their products again is important for us, and the fact that it’s with the flagship of their new Podium generation makes me happy.

Introduction

Fanatec has gone through a turbulent period over the last couple of years. We won’t get into arguments about who or what was to blame, but the company has gone from German hands, personified by Thomas Jackermeier, to the American corporate ownership of Corsair. The process has been neither friendly nor pleasant to watch, but many things had already been going so-so before this “change” took place.

From day one, Corsair has put all its effort into making Fanatec the best in sim racing. They want to make the most of their investment, and the first priority was to fix the multiple trust issues the brand was suffering on all fronts. Restoring the brand image and regaining consumers’ affection is not something that happens overnight, but it seems they are on the right track.

The main projects the company had underway have continued, and replacing the Podium range was mandatory after the bases launched more than half a decade ago. The Podium DD1 and DD2 had plenty of quality and software issues that were not fully resolved until well into the 2020s. It was clear Fanatec had to replace them with new models that would bring new features and, if possible, make full use of all the know-how and connections of the new management team.

Last year, we saw that the first two Podium products were the base and the pedals. And a single base, because you do not need anything else.

Packaging

I never received a product from the Podium series, so unless I go back and watch an old unboxing, I am not going to be able to compare. What I can do, however, is compare it with products from other brands in a similar category. This packaging is in line with what we see in other models, even adding some small differentiating touches.

The box is huge, mainly because the base is big and the power supply is even bigger. The box has a handle and some stoppers that supposedly support the weight of around 15 kg. I do not want to test whether that is true. I will trust it.

A 10 cm shaft is included so you can place the base behind a monitor or match the distance used by the company’s older bases.

Materials

I have to say that everything gives a very high-end impression. Its price already suggests that, and once you have it in your hands, you can see that the aluminium finish is top quality. When you power it up, you can tell that the same philosophy has been followed internally.

The base includes the QR2, which has solved so many problems for the German brand. The power supply is a beast at 480 W, which is supposedly there to feed this monster so it can deliver 25 Nm continuously while generating peaks of 33 Nm. As you can see, the numbers speak for themselves.

• Direct Drive servo motor, custom-designed in Germany
• Optimized thermal management with passive cooling
• Reinforced electronics and heatsink
• Patented FluxBarrier technology for improved efficiency and smoothness
• Optimized rotor skew angle to further reduce cogging
• FullForce technology, blending high-fidelity vibration effects with core force feedback for unmatched immersion

Mounting

In this case, I chose to mount the base on a standard Next Level Racing tray. The base has rails for T-nuts, which makes it easier to attach in many different positions.

Using the T-nuts, and with a bit of care, you tighten four M6 bolts (not included) firmly, making sure their insertion into the base does not exceed one centimetre in length. With that, it is secured to the cockpit and ready to use its multiple connections.

Since I do not have any other Fanatec hardware in this case, I only need to plug in the 4-pin PSU and the USB-C connection that goes to my PC. In addition to the ports for shifters, pedals, and the handbrake, there is also a mysterious CAN port for future compatibility. I have no idea what Fanatec has planned for the coming years, but it will be there when it is needed.

Software

The new Fanatec app replaces the old software system Fanatec used for its devices. It brings everything together, from drivers to firmware management and device configuration. It has a few minor bugs in the guided tours that show the different sections, but nothing serious that would interfere with smooth operation.

Once powered on, the base is detected without any issues. We can update the firmware of the base and other Fanatec devices, and the software can be closed once the necessary changes have been made.

The configuration Fanatec recommends for the Podium DD varies slightly depending on the title selected.

Hands On

We need to note here that the feel of the base changes slightly depending on which wheel rim we use for testing. A 330 mm round wheel is not the same as a smaller formula-style rim. I think that, at this point, our typical reader already knows there are slight variations in the force or aggressiveness you feel. Nothing that would change our overall opinion.

The first impression the base gives is that it is incredibly powerful. The raw power it seems to have is just insane. That raw power also feels like it is delivered with fewer filters and less damping than on other bases, but either way, it is impressive.

It is also worth highlighting the headroom the base has, and not just on paper, because you can actually feel that margin somehow. It is not only about how violent it can be or how fast it can rotate, but how easily the motor delivers that. Its surprisingly quick reactions can lead to the odd nasty scare if you happen to have an incident on track.

After repeated tests I gradually turned the strength down, far more than I expected, until I found a point where I could work the steering without fearing for my own safety, and without the effort becoming a barrier to optimising how I turn the wheel. It is exactly as I describe it: an exquisite smoothness accompanied by sudden and violent reactions.

Since it is now competing in a high-end league, it is worth saying that, while barely noticeable, there are slight differences versus competing bases in terms of lateral load. This means you need to adapt a bit to how it feels when you turn the wheel. Nothing that could not be refined with a future update.

Overall, it feels much stronger by default than the competition. Special mention goes to the kerbs and surface irregularities, which can really catch you off guard if you are not expecting that kind of kick.

Note: I used MAIRA‘s in iRacing. I recommend it to everyone.

FullForce

One of the standout features of this base compared with previous DD models is the inclusion of Fanatec’s proprietary FullForce technology. This tech, which we first saw from Logitech as TrueForce and which has equivalents from several other brands, adds an interface to read what some simulators already output as WLFE effects. These additional telemetry effects come through the audio channel and add extra immersion to the driving experience.

In this case, what we can feel are things like engine vibrations, tyre friction on the asphalt (which makes everything feel more believable in some situations), and different chassis effects such as gear changes or any other effects we may have configured in platforms like SimHub. It is similar to what you send to buttkickers, haptic pads, or other peripherals, but routed through the wheel base to feed more information into the steering.

On the downside, it tends to add some noise to the operation of the base. Because of this, many people who already have other devices to reproduce and feel those effects usually disable it, without losing too much immersion.

It is definitely a plus that it is supported, although in my opinion, it is not a decisive factor when it comes to upgrading or buying one.

Final Thoughts and Conclusions

We have reached a point of maturity where all products in this range are incredibly similar. They all offer very high minimum quality standards, and the differences in terms of feel are very marginal. Choosing one or another is increasingly a matter of purely subjective preference or affinity with a given brand’s ecosystem.

There is no point beating around the bush. This is an amazing wheel base and probably the best thing to come out of the German factory in recent years. This model finally puts an end to the discussion about whether Fanatec can compete in the most elite segment of sim racing. It absolutely can, and this is a brilliant way of proving it.

This base is cheaper than the previous DD1 and DD2 models while being much better than those. Firstly, that shows the market has evolved, competition is tougher, and the technology has become more affordable. Secondly, it shows that Fanatec now faces very strong rivals in many price brackets offering products with very similar features, which will push them to keep improving this base through software. And there is plenty of headroom in the hardware to do just that.

Given its price below “professional” bases, we can expect a very slightly different level of detail in the force feedback. At least that is the case for now, because as I said, the software will keep evolving to close that gap and bring it closer to products that sit above it in price.
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As for whether it is worth upgrading from a Fanatec ClubSport DD or Fanatec Clubsport DD+ , I honestly do not know. I have not had the chance to test them and see whether there is that much of a difference. My gut feeling is that it would not be strictly necessary, especially considering the 15 Nm of the CS DD+, but if you are a Fanatec ecosystem enthusiast and want the very best the brand has to offer, this is your chance.
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If, on the other hand, you are new to all this and do not want any complications, Fanatec is one of the options on the table. Its ease of use and compatibility with practically every PC title make everything very straightforward. You just power it on and drive, without wasting time on configuration or troubleshooting.
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To wrap up, congratulations to Fanatec and Corsair for raising the bar with this Fanatec Podium DD.

You can buy this Fanatec Podium DD with shipping included at the official store:

• Europe: €1,099.95
• United States: $1,199.99
• Canada: $1,699.99
• Australia: $1,799.90
• Japan: ¥170,000