LABS TEST / RACING WHEELS
T
hisisthemostexpensivewheel
bundleThrustmastersells,and
it’stheresultofa collaboration
betweentheperipheralfirmandrealracing
companySparco.Thatmeansyougeta
realSparcowheelonthisrig,andit’sa
stunner.The310mmdiameterwheelisthe
largestintheLabs,andit’stheonlyone
that'sfullycoatedwithsuede.It looksthe
part,andit feelsgrippyandcomfortable.
Thewheelisn’tjusta littlelargerthan
theequivalentontherivalFanatec– at
1.03kg,thewheelisalsoslightlyheavier.
TheP310’swheelisalsomoreangled,and
it sitsfurtherback.Dependingonwhere
you’reinstallingthisrig,it maymakethe
Thrustmastermorecomfortable.
Thebaseunitislarger,heavierandmore
eye-catchingthanFanatec’sofferingtoo,
thankstoitsredfinish,brushedmetaland
carbon-fibre.
TheThrustmasterusesa brushless
servomotorwitha dual-beltsystemand
delivers6.4nmoftorque.It providesan
excellentdrivingexperience,withstrong
andversatileforcefeedback.Thatforce
feedbackisa littlemoreaggressive
thantheFanatec,though,andthe
Thrustmaster’sdrivingoffersa bitmore
friction– atlowspeedsespecially,it’sjust
aboutpossibletofeelthenotchesonthe
internalbelt.
Whenplayinggames,theextrafriction
isn'thugelynoticeable.It justtranslates
THRUSTMASTER TS-XW
RACER SPARCO P310
/£630inc VAT
SUPPLIER box.co.ukto the Thrustmaster wheel feeling a bit
heavier and more combative compared with
the lighter Fanatec. The aggressive tone
is augmented by the Thrustmaster’s fan.
Neither the Thrustmaster nor the Fanatec are
silent, and a headset or speakers will drown
both out, but the TS-XW is louder.
Behind the wheel you’ll find two paddle-
shifters. Handily, they have two positions,
so there’s a greater chance they fall into a
comfortable position for you. They’re also
lighter than those on the Fanatec, but a little
flimsier too.
The Thrustmaster can’t compete with the
Fanatec on features: it doesn’t have a rev
counter or an on-wheel display, and it has
fewer buttons – and those buttons are more
awkward to use.
The included T3PA pedals kit does include
a clutch, though, so it improves on the
Fanatec. The pedals have different height,
angle and spacing positions, and they have
pre-drilled holes, so they’re easier to attach
to cockpits. In use, they’re good – but slightly
weaker than Fanatec’s pedals. External build
quality isn’t as good either. Also bear in mind
that Fanatec’s kit can be augmented with the
extra load cell brake, which delivers a better
third pedal at no extra cost compared with
the Thrustmaster.
Thrustmaster’s kit tends to be easier
to build than the Fanatec gear, which isn't
surprising when Thrustmaster otherwise
offers more mainstream hardware. However,
the downside to this position is a less
interesting ecosystem. The Thrustmaster
can be augmented with different wheels,
pedals and shifters, but there are fewer
options. On the flip side, Thrustmaster’s
software is a little better – it has more
options for testing different force-feedback
scenarios in particular.Conclusion
The inclusion of a real Sparco racing wheel
adds kudos to this kit, and there’s no denying
the quality. The wheel is also joined by a
base that offers powerful force feedback
and aggressive driving. Elsewhere, the T3PA
pedals are very good but not great. The
TS-XW is good, but it feels like the Sparco
wheel has inflated the price. It’s worth buying
if you want an authentic experience, but the
Fanatec is a better all-rounder.VERDICT
An excellent wheel and generally good quality
elsewhere, but fewer features and a high
price put it slightly behind its competition.
SPARKLING
+A verygoodSparco
racingwheel
+Powerful,satisfying
forcefeedback
+Decent,^
adjustable pedals
SPARKEDOUT- Pricier than Fanatec’s
moreversatilekit - Fewerusefulfeatures
- Noticeable fan noise
DESIGN
33 / 40FEATURES
32 / 35
VALUE
18 / 25OVERALLSCORE
83 %%
SPEC
Force feedback Brushless dual-belt
servomotor, 6.4nm torque
Rotation 270-1,080 degrees
Pedals Clutch, brake, accelerator
Materials Aluminium, plastic, suede
Wheel diameter 310mm
Wheel weight 1.03kg
Base & wheel weight 5.6kg
Base & wheel dimensions 310 x 365 x 310mm
Pedal dimensions 335 x 390 x 200mm
Pedal weight 2.4kg
Extras Table clamp, Allen keys, button stickers
Warranty Two years return to base