Hybrid
06-14-2007, 04:33 AM
Ignore the "ratings" please, they are strictly for gamesFirst Impressions
After seeing how great a game Forza 2 was, I decided to purchase this wheel. I was deciding to go with the Logitech DriveFX but then decided to purchase the official wheel. Why?
It's made by Microsoft, I rarely buy 3rd party items
The whole thing looks more durable
You can choose to put the wheel on your lap or attach it to a desk/table. With the Logitech DriveFX, you must attach it to a table or desk. Since I have nothing that will work, that would be a problem
I've read reviews that the Logitech pedals slip and slide easily on carpet, which I have. Otherwise, it'll stick like glue on any hard surface.
I've also read that the accelerator and brake pedals feel the same, which is kind of unrealistic. The brake pedal is more stiffer than the accelerator.
There are less wires, even though it's "wireless," the official wheel still has wires connecting the pedal and wheel and optional AC adapterBuying the wheel
The $129.99 pricetag was a bit shocking to my price range. However, I had a few giftcards for Best Buy ;). I went to Best Buy, saw the wheel. Best Buy had the promotion that if you buy Forza 2, you get a $10 giftcard. I was going to buy Forza 2 anyways so I decided to buy it first then use the giftcard to purchase the wheel along with other certificates. So I bought it, put it in my trunk, and drove home.
Unboxing
When I got home, I immediately unboxed it. I was in for a surprise! The packing is very strong. It took me about 3 minutes to uncover the first 2 flaps. Then I took off the tape and tried to open it, I was trying not to tear the packaging. Opening the box took another 3 minutes to figure out. When it was finally open, there was a piece of plastic covering the wheel and lots of cardboard holding the content. I removed the plastic and had a tough time removing the other stuff, that took a while. When I finally got it, this is what is included:
Wheel
Pedal
RJ-11 cable (for connecting the pedal to the wheel)
Table clamp
AC Adapter
Manual, warranty information
Batteries
Project Gotham Racing 3 game. This is so you can install the drivers and play the game :DSetting it up
I needed to put the PGR3 disc in the tray to install the drivers, that only took a few seconds. I connected the pedal to the wheel which was easy and connected the AC adapter. I did not have a table to clamp it on so I just set it on my lap which was very comfortable. Next, I synced the wheel to the console and I was ready.
Using it
The first game I tried was PGR3. I did some street racing to get a feel for it. When I first started, I was totally zoned out. I kept crashing and doing 360s, lol. Then suddenly the force feedback came into play. The wheel was jerking left and right which made it more realistic if you were out of control. The accelerator pedal seemed right but the brakes were very sensitive. You could go to 60-0mph with a little force on the brake which is very unrealistic lol. Overall, it was a crazy experience, but PGR3 is not a simulator, so maybe that is alright.
Next comes Forza 2. I did some free racing once again and by the way, the graphics are great. Forza 2 seemed more realistic than PGR3 because it's actually a driving simulator. First the force feedback was coming in when I went from 0-100 in a Formula 1 car, lol. It was really realistic, sharp turns required you to break and turn at the right angle just like a real car. In Forza 2, the turns with the wheel were VERY realistic and the force feedback was great. I was using 1 foot for the pedals, which felt weird compared to my real car. The pedals were closer spaced. Overall with Forza 2, it was like the real thing. This wheel by far is easier to use than the controller in my opinion.
Overall
This wheel is a great addition to racing fans. I was not a fan of racing games until Forza 2 and the wheel. The turns are smooth, force feedback is great, build quality is very well, and the experience is great.
Price: 8/10, I feel it was fairly priced, but some might stray away from it.
Gameplay experience: 9/10, the experience with the wheel has been almost as real as reality.
Functionality: 9/10, the turns are smooth and the force feedback is pretty well done, I wish the pedals were more real. The brake should be a little more stiff.
Overall: 9/10, this wheel is a great addition to any racing game supported.
After seeing how great a game Forza 2 was, I decided to purchase this wheel. I was deciding to go with the Logitech DriveFX but then decided to purchase the official wheel. Why?
It's made by Microsoft, I rarely buy 3rd party items
The whole thing looks more durable
You can choose to put the wheel on your lap or attach it to a desk/table. With the Logitech DriveFX, you must attach it to a table or desk. Since I have nothing that will work, that would be a problem
I've read reviews that the Logitech pedals slip and slide easily on carpet, which I have. Otherwise, it'll stick like glue on any hard surface.
I've also read that the accelerator and brake pedals feel the same, which is kind of unrealistic. The brake pedal is more stiffer than the accelerator.
There are less wires, even though it's "wireless," the official wheel still has wires connecting the pedal and wheel and optional AC adapterBuying the wheel
The $129.99 pricetag was a bit shocking to my price range. However, I had a few giftcards for Best Buy ;). I went to Best Buy, saw the wheel. Best Buy had the promotion that if you buy Forza 2, you get a $10 giftcard. I was going to buy Forza 2 anyways so I decided to buy it first then use the giftcard to purchase the wheel along with other certificates. So I bought it, put it in my trunk, and drove home.
Unboxing
When I got home, I immediately unboxed it. I was in for a surprise! The packing is very strong. It took me about 3 minutes to uncover the first 2 flaps. Then I took off the tape and tried to open it, I was trying not to tear the packaging. Opening the box took another 3 minutes to figure out. When it was finally open, there was a piece of plastic covering the wheel and lots of cardboard holding the content. I removed the plastic and had a tough time removing the other stuff, that took a while. When I finally got it, this is what is included:
Wheel
Pedal
RJ-11 cable (for connecting the pedal to the wheel)
Table clamp
AC Adapter
Manual, warranty information
Batteries
Project Gotham Racing 3 game. This is so you can install the drivers and play the game :DSetting it up
I needed to put the PGR3 disc in the tray to install the drivers, that only took a few seconds. I connected the pedal to the wheel which was easy and connected the AC adapter. I did not have a table to clamp it on so I just set it on my lap which was very comfortable. Next, I synced the wheel to the console and I was ready.
Using it
The first game I tried was PGR3. I did some street racing to get a feel for it. When I first started, I was totally zoned out. I kept crashing and doing 360s, lol. Then suddenly the force feedback came into play. The wheel was jerking left and right which made it more realistic if you were out of control. The accelerator pedal seemed right but the brakes were very sensitive. You could go to 60-0mph with a little force on the brake which is very unrealistic lol. Overall, it was a crazy experience, but PGR3 is not a simulator, so maybe that is alright.
Next comes Forza 2. I did some free racing once again and by the way, the graphics are great. Forza 2 seemed more realistic than PGR3 because it's actually a driving simulator. First the force feedback was coming in when I went from 0-100 in a Formula 1 car, lol. It was really realistic, sharp turns required you to break and turn at the right angle just like a real car. In Forza 2, the turns with the wheel were VERY realistic and the force feedback was great. I was using 1 foot for the pedals, which felt weird compared to my real car. The pedals were closer spaced. Overall with Forza 2, it was like the real thing. This wheel by far is easier to use than the controller in my opinion.
Overall
This wheel is a great addition to racing fans. I was not a fan of racing games until Forza 2 and the wheel. The turns are smooth, force feedback is great, build quality is very well, and the experience is great.
Price: 8/10, I feel it was fairly priced, but some might stray away from it.
Gameplay experience: 9/10, the experience with the wheel has been almost as real as reality.
Functionality: 9/10, the turns are smooth and the force feedback is pretty well done, I wish the pedals were more real. The brake should be a little more stiff.
Overall: 9/10, this wheel is a great addition to any racing game supported.