Steering wheel conundrum

[JBroad]

I've been searching around for a steering wheel for the PC. Only articles i can find are dated to 2002 and since
i have found help in this forum before i thought i should consult you guys once more. I'm in the market for a
steering wheel in the price range of 50-70€. However, if you suggest something that goes a bit higher price-wise
but it is worth it i will consider it. What I'm looking for is a decent wheel, as precise as it can be in that price range.
I don't really care for a gear stick(paddles are fine for me) and of course no clutch is required. My main concern is
that i will switch to windows 7 x64 in the -not-so-distant- future to capitalize on my ram and from a little research
it seems that some wheels have problems with x64 drivers and some manufacturers seem reluctant to bother.

So, to sum up,
- Price Range: 50~70€
- As precise as possible
- Compatible with windows 7 x64

 

[andy_93]

Hi,i know this is a little more money but i have to say i had one for a number of years and had a lot of enjoyment from it,then got a G25,and in all honesty i should not have botherd.Dont get me wrong the G25 is good but just not the leap forward in performance i was expecting.It does not have a clutch but does have a gear stick,but you will probably find that most do have the gear stick tbh.This should work with Windows 7 as well,i had mine running on Vista 64 and as Windows 7 uses Vista drivers it should work,but just ask before you buy. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00005MH9Q/?tag=sale.hot.deals-20

 

[i_like_pie]

Well, I know this wont help you much being that it is more than you want to spend, but I have the Logitech G27 running on win7 64 and it is an awesome wheel. You can feel every bump on the road in Dirt 2. Force feedback is amazing on this wheel as well. I had the logitech momo wheel and it was good, but the G27 is blows it away with its feel, truly an awesome wheel. http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-941-000045-G27-Racing-Wheel/dp/B001NT9TK4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1273719557&sr=1-1

 

[JBroad]

I've seen the two logitech models but I'm not that much of an enthusiast to go that far (price-wise) although i appreciate your answer. Based on andy's post i did some more research and found this Thrustmaster for roughly 90€. Anyone has any thoughts on that?
Also I've been suggested with this Saitek which is spot on my budget but is it worth it? Haven't searched for a wheel before and i don't know the market.
A thing i forgot to mention is that I'll mostly use it on the NFS titles, maybe some DiRT2, but definitely F1 2010 (IF and when it actually comes out for the PC and IF i have free time by then). Another suggestion was to wait a couple of months for the new lines to pop out but my free time will decrease substantially come August so I'd rather enjoy a wheel while i still have some time.

Thanks for your responses and looking forward to more.

 

[andy_93]

The NFS titles are more arcadey i find,while the likes of Dirt 2 and the forth coming F1 2010 are more towards the simulation.I tend to play NFS with a pad but the rest i play with the wheel,Dirt 2,GTR Evolution.I have tried clicking on the two links but it says that windows cannot display the web page,i am not sure if putting up the full link will make a difference.

 

[JBroad]

For some reason i couldnt edit my post.
Anyway, these are the links:
http://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Ferrari-Forcec-Feedback-Racing/dp/B001S0RTUA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1273760196&sr=8-1-catcorr
http://www.amazon.com/Saitek-R660GT-Force-Feedback-PW12U/dp/B0013F6NBG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1273760495&sr=1-1

 

[andy_93]

The only way i can edit is click the "quick edit" tab,try that.Right out of those two i would go for the Thrustmaster.I have heard that the ferrari wheel is very good but i will add that i have never used one my self,just going from reviews,plus Thrustmaster do have a good name when it comes to forcefeed back peripherals.As for the Saitek i really cannot comment,but looking at the pedals i should imagin that your feet would start to ache after a while with them being in that high set up.

 

[andy_93]

Here is a review of the Thrustmaster wheel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lwfSUKnmqI&feature=fvw

 

[SolidlyStated]

I must agree with i_like_pie. I purchased a G27 as my first wheel ever and it was certainly the right move.

Obviously price is important to you, and you can find the G25 new at a good price. Similar but not quite as nice. New improvements like the helical gears in the steering wheel make the G27 more awesome.

I myself am not a fan of simulation and prefer a more arcade experience. The real racing snobs (that's a term of endearment) always talk about Fanatech wheels. Those cost an arm and a leg and I doubt most people who tout it even own one. I paid $250 for my G27 at a retail store while a big sale was going on, and I still consider that a hefty investment.

It really is awesome, though. Real leather, real metal, 6 spd shifter+reverse, paddle shifters, RPM lights, crazy force feedback, smooth mechanics, and plenty of extra buttons on and off the wheel. I think it's biggest draw for me is the build quality. Every time in the past when I bought a peripheral, it was always kind of cheap feeling. This is why I rolled the dice and bought this nice G27.

I actually did a multi-page article about it on my website, with a focus on non simulation gaming. You can check it out at http://solidlystated.com/hardware/logitech-g27-racing-wheel-for-casual-gamers/. I cover full G27 settings and setup for the layman and then cover NFS Shift, NFS Pro Street, NFS Undercover, Race Driver: GRID, Burnout Paradise, and the ole' Test Drive Unlimited.

I hope that, whatever you decide, you are happy with it.

 

[JBroad]

wow andy thanks a lot. Really helpful review. From what I've seen I'm leaning towards the F430. Seems a bargain for its price though i will keep searching a little more so if anyone has any more suggestions feel free to post 'em. SolidlyStated i really appreciate your answer and it was a nice review but price is really important for me and as i already said I'm not that much of an enthusiast to get a G25/27.

 

[andy_93]

You are more than welcome JBroad,if you need any more help just ask.

 

[SolidlyStated]

SolidlyStated i really appreciate your answer and it was a nice review but price is really important for me and as i already said I'm not that much of an enthusiast to get a G25/27.

Definitely understand that. I went to our local Fry's electronics last weekend and they had a couple other wheel options which were out on display so you can get a feel for them.

 

[JBroad]

So i finally went for the Thrustmaster F430 wheel. Got it for 90€, a bit over my original budget, but it seems to be worth it. I've only tested it on NFS Shift for now and i agree with the review andy provided me. Soon I'll install Dirt 2 but racing seems funnier already. Of course i still have to get used to it instead of the keyboard and although i don't have any previous experience with wheels this one seems very good. I've played a 2hour straight stint and it was surprisingly non-wearying. Wheel and buttons have a nice feel and the metal paddles and pedals add a little something. Thank you all for your input and i hope more people find this useful.

 

[pequot10]

All of this iinformation is definately useful for me. I'm looking for a wheel (my first) and I had no idea what to choose. I don't want to spend a lot of money either, especially since I"m not sure what use I will make of it. For starters I'll probalbly use if it for some of the trucking simulators and some racing games; I've not used either of them yet. I have two 4 year old grandsons that I'd like to entice away from the TV and I'm thinking some driving games may interest them. Come to think of it though, a wheel will be great for my Ship Simulator.
So, I'm thinking seriously about getting the Thrustmaster F430, although I'm still looking at what's out there. I see it advertised on Amazon for $110. I like the idea of the pedals with the wheel. But, I'm thinking I don't need a clutch, although I like the idea of shifting it's hard for me to imagine that a clutch would add much to the experience. I'd like a wheel and pedals some that are solid feeling, acurate and fairly durable. So, any suggestions that don't exceed about $140 are welcome.

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey