T
heDriftO.Z.is oneofthecheapest
wheelsonthemarket,soit’s
understandablypositionedasan
entry-leveloffering,forgamersseekingtotake
theirfirststepintotheworldofracingwheels.
Asif tolurethoseunlearnedminds,it sports
aneye-catchingdesign.Thesofterplastic
gripsusedonthe270mm-diameterwheelare
finishedinbrightorange,andthere’sa ringof
ridgedplasticinthemiddlethatmimicsmetal.
Itsrockbottompriceisn’ttheonlything
thatappealswiththeDrift.It’stheonlywheel
intheLabswitha gearstick,althoughit’sa
sequentialunitratherthananH-patterndevice.
Meanwhile,thefaceofthewheelhasfifteen
buttons,includinga D-pad,andtwouseful
shoulderbuttonsthatsitroundtheback.
Buildqualityofthemainbodyisn’tbadatall,
consideringit’sentirelyplasticandsocheap.It
can’tholda candletothelikesoftheLogitech,
buttheDriftis reasonablysturdy.
StarttousetheDrift,though,andit becomes
clearwhythiswheelcostsjust£44.It attaches
toyourdeskusingsuctioncupsratherthanaSPEEDLINKDRIFTO.Z./£44inc VAT
SUPPLIER scan.co.ukclamp mechanism, so if you have a smooth,
clean surface then the suction cups have just
enough strength to hold the wheel in place
but if the surface isn’t perfect or you get a bit
carried away, it easily comes unstuck. Indeed,
it’s a system that only works at all because of
the almost complete lack of meaningful force
feedback – if this wheel was fighting you like
the others do, it would always come unstuck.
Also, that sequential shifter is wobbly, and the
two paddle-shifters on the rear of the wheel
feel just as weak.
There are problems on the inside too. The
Drift only has a maximum rotation of 180
degrees, which is far less than any other wheel
here. That doesn’t grant a huge amount of
precision and movement – not enough to
properly drive cars in any serious racing games.
Beyond the 180 degree rotation, the wheel only
uses 8-bit movement, so only 256 different
positions are available – hardly enough to
ensure pinpoint accuracy through corners.
The force feedback is also incredibly
weak, with hardly any subtlety – it’s often
barely noticeable, and there are hardly any
differences in how different driving conditions
are portrayed.
The Drift comes with a small pedal set that
has brake and accelerator pedals but no clutch,
and the entire unit is made from flimsy plastic.
A panel folds out from the underside to providesome extra foot support, but it’s too small to
make a difference. The pedals themselves
are poor. They only have 128 degrees of
movement, which is low, and the brake pedal
has no resistance – so it doesn’t feel realistic.
The software, at least, is straightforward –
it has plenty of options and easy menus that
allow for testing and customisation.Conclusion
The Drift only has enough precision and ability
for casual racing games, perhaps, if you want
a wheel for your kids. If you’re even remotely
serious about your driving, even in titles that
aren’t simulations, then look elsewhere.
If you save up some extra cash, a sub-£200
wheel such as the Thrustmaster T150 offers
more rotation, better force feedback and
adjustable pedals. If money is a concern, we’d
also recommend buying a second-hand wheel
or sticking with a control pad instead.
It’s tempting to see the Speedlink as an
affordable entry into racing, but you’d be better
off waiting until you can afford a better model.ERDICT
ewfeatures and an underwhelming driving
xperience make this a bargain to avoid.TO KYO D R I FT
+ Very cheap
+ Lots of buttons
+ Includes a
sequential shifterGLACIAL DRIFT- Poor rotation
and sensitivity - Insipid force feedback
- Uses suction cups
DESIGN
18 / 40FEATURES
17 / 35
VALUE
20 / 25OVERALLSCORE
55 %
SPEC
Forcefeedback Dual motors
Rotation 45-180 degrees
Pedals Brake, accelerator
Materials Plastic
Wheel diameter 270mm
Wheel weight N/A
Base & wheel weight 1.45kg
Base & wheel dimensions 70 x 330 x 275mm
Pedal dimensions 230 x 180 x 150mm
Pedal weight 0.54kg
Extras Gear stick
Warranty One year return to baseV
Fe
ex