Fanatec CSR Wheel, Elite Pedals and Shifter review

Fanatec CSR Wheel review

Playing Forza Motorsport 4 on a controller is like watching grainy standard definition video on a state of the art HDTV - you're not unleashing the full potential of what it was principally designed to do.

In the case of Forza, its aim is to accurately simulate the sensation of driving a car, a feat that's practically impossible with the limitations of buttons and an analogue stick.

Steering wheel peripherals have therefore become a necessity for serious racing fans, offering increased immersion and an extra level of precision crucial for shaving those vital seconds off a lap time. But unfortunately for Xbox 360 owners, there has been little in choice when it comes to quality steering wheels.

It's a different story for PS3 owners however, thanks largely to Logitech who have continually supported Sony on every console. Every new iteration of Gran Turismo led to me purchasing the latest Logitech wheel, from the budget Driving Force for GT3, the Driving Force Pro )notable for being one of the first wheels to include 900 degree steering) for GT4 and more recently the high-end G25 for GT5. Well, in actual fact I purchased it for GT5 Prologue thinking the final game wasn't far away. How wrong I was. 

So here lies the problem: my G25 stubbornly refuses to work for the 360, thus rendering Forza practically obsolete in my eyes. Thankfully, German peripheral manufacturer Fanatec has come to my rescue.

Racing Fanatecs
Fanatec made a name for themself with their Porsche 911 GT2 Wheel, which worked magnificently for Forza Motorsport 3. Its sequel Forza Motorsport 4 has since set the standard for racing simulations, and so Fanatec has sought to update the GT2 with the new CSR Wheel and its accompanying CSR Elite Pedals and Shifter peripherals.

Assembling the unit is a time consuming but relatively simple process, though the flimsy desk clamps attached to the underside don’t do it any favours. Attempting to clamp it to a table never felt completely secure and resulted in noticeable wheel wobble, so we recommend screwing it in to one of Fanatec’s available racing stands.

Once fully set up, it’s a simply a matter of connecting it to your Xbox 360 wirelessly. In what is undoubtedly an attractive selling point, it can also be hooked up to a PS3 or PC via USB and a few button combinations to change to the corresponding mode - aside from Fanatec's GT2, no other wheel on the market can currently offer this convenient compatibility.

Oh, and don’t be too alarmed by the persistent high-pitched hum of the fans when you first switch it on. It’s fair to say they are a tad on the noisy side, so you would probably do well in cranking up the volume to drown it out. Not that you should need an excuse to hear Forza’s sublime engine sounds at full blast.

Behind the wheel
The CSR’s construction is built with the impeccable level of quality you come to expect from a German manufacturer. Brushed aluminium dominates the face of the wheel, while the proudly displayed central Forza emblem constantly reminds you you’re handling a piece of kit fully endorsed by Turn 10, which is complimented by the matching black and red colour scheme of the base unit.

All the standard Xbox 360 face buttons are located within easy reach on the right  along with a slightly twitchy analogue stick nub on the left. Its chunky flappy paddle shifters, made from aluminium, feel satisfyingly solid and move with the wheel, producing a pleasing audible click when pressed.

Aesthetically, the most obvious difference to the 911 GT2 is that the CSR’s distinctly aggressive shape resembles that of a race car rather than a road car. While this allows for sharper turning, I found it felt less natural to turn the full 900 degrees from lock to lock when drifting for example compared to the 911 GT2 and Logitech G25, but it’s much more ideal in a game such as F1 2011.

While the wheel is built with an unquestionably high standard of build quality, there is one niggling little blemish. The rubber and alcantara-coated grips situated on each side make it extremely comfortable to hold in the 9 and 3 o clock position, but the cheap glossy black plastic surrounding the top and bottom areas of the rim let it down slightly when it's clearly meant to be a premium product, particularly as you can spot the seam where both parts have been joined together.

Fortunately, the force feedback is nothing short of sensational. You can constantly feel ample amounts of feedback being delivered yet it doesn’t feel too overpowering, resulting in a smooth experience that makes playing Forza Motorsport 4 an altogether more realistic and immersive drive. Even the motors that power the force feedback aren’t too loud when compared to its competitors – in fact, the aforementioned fan is considerably louder.

It responds remarkably well to your actions thanks to its sharp steering devoid of any deadzone, as every ferocious flick or gentle nudge of the wheel is registered in Forza with pinpoint accuracy in-game. You can literally feel when the car is on the verge of losing grip and the shuddering Shock Vibration does its job when you inevitably smack into an opponent or veer off the track.

Various settings such as the force feedback strength and sensitivity can be adjusted via a frontal LCD display on the fly, with the option to program five different presets. There is also a drift mode which decreases the strength of the force feedback to allow for more rapid turns of the wheel, though this makes the wheel behave in a much less realistic manner.

Pedal to the medal
The CSR Elite Pedals match the wheel’s exemplary build quality and are a significant step up from Fanatec’s standard CSR Pedals. Polished metal dominates the absolutely mammoth base, while the reassuringly robust pedals are lavished in aluminium with a design that reinforces the wheel’s racing style cosmetics.

Each pedal mimics the same levels of resistance you would find in a real car. Whereas the throttle is super sensitive and light allowing you to accurately feather your acceleration, the brake utilises some clever load cell technology to gauge the pressure you’re applying. Most pedal peripherals measure this by simply how far you press the pedal in, but here there’s a tactile difference between light and heavy braking that’s perfectly translated in-game.

At first I found the brake pedal to be uncomfortably stiff, but this can be altered by adjusting the spring tensions. Clutch control is also second to none in Forza Motorsport 4, which, while many probably won’t bother to utilise it, offers an even greater level of precision in conjunction with the wheel and cannot be downplayed for those who take a pride in their lap times.

In a smart move on Fanatec’s part, the CSR Elite pedals can be swapped with any existing Fanatec pedal set - a cheaper but more plasticy alternative to the Elite is also available along with the higher-end Clubsport set. What’s more, Logitech G25 and G27 pedals are also compatible through the use of a separate adaptor, which is useful for those like me who already own a separate wheel setup for PS3.

Top gear
Installing the optional gear shifter is accomplished by feeding two stainless steel poles through the wheel’s base which are then locked by twisting two coin screws before fitting the shifter into place.

Consequently, this setup doesn’t give the shifter an awful lot of support as it tends to shake under heavy usage, but it works well for the most part. It’s just a shame you can’t screw it in like you can with Logitech’s G25 and G17.

Both a sequential, i.e. shifting only up and down akin to a race car, and traditional H-pattern shifter are included in the package. If I’m honest, they look a little plain when compared to Logitech’s leather-embossed shift set, instead completely coated in a solid shade of metal that sits on a base with the same glossy plastic found on the wheel.

When put in use however, they feel profoundly more tactile in comparison to Logitech’s, and are noticeably larger than the GT2 making the gear fit perfectly in your palm. There’s a decidedly mechanical feel to it too, since you can hear it audibly click when shifted into gear.

Pricey package
Of course, all of this high tech equipment comes at a cost, though this probably won’t deter ardent racing fanatics. The main drawback however is that each component has to be purchased separately, which is where the costs start to add up.

Buying a CSR Wheel will set you back 249.95 euros (around £215 when converted), while the CSR Elite Pedals are an additional 149.95 euros (around £129 when converted) and the Shifter set is another 59.95 euros (around £51 when converted) on top.

In total, that’s a wallet-munching 459.39 euros for the set (around £395 when converted), and that’s without factoring the Rennsport Wheel Stand also available for 119.95 euros (around £103 when converted). A luxury CSR Elite Wheel encased in carbon fibre is also due for release soon, so expect it to retail for considerably more than the standard CSR Wheel. You can probably now see why using existing Logitech pedals may be a wise idea if you have some available and you’re on a tight budget.

Compared to other wheels of the same calibre, it falls in between the Logitech G27 which you can buy now for around £200 and the Thrustmaster T500 RS which is currently available for £370. Don’t forget however that, unlike the Logitech, the CSR is compatible for all platforms and the additional shifter for the Thrustmaster still isn’t available in the UK. The fact remains that racing sim peripherals are a costly hobby, so be prepared to fork out regardless.

Overall, the Fanatec CSR is without question the best wheel for the Xbox 360 available on the market today, and the fact it supports both PC and PS3 puts it at a clear advantage above the rest. It’s just a shame, then, that only a select few will be able to play Forza Motorsport 4 the way it was destined to be experienced due to its high asking price.

Words by Martin Bigg (Twitter: @drivinggamespro)

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