Reviewed: June 6, 2000
Reviewed by: Mark Smith

Manufacturer
Microsoft

Type: Steering Wheel and Pedals
Rating: 8.0

What's in the box

The Microsoft SideWinder Precision Racing Wheel is basically a low budget version of their force feedback model released last year. Now please don't confuse "low budget" with "cheap" as this wheel is still just as sturdy and well built as its predecessor. Microsoft has just removed the motor and made a few design changes to get the cost down to a more consumer-friendly price.

The design and look of this wheel and pedal combo is identical to that of its motor-driven force feedback cousin, but with the absence of the motor comes a much lighter wheel chassis. You also eliminate the giant AC-power brick and an extra (power) cable that you have to string up to your desktop. A few subtle changes have been integrated into the new 2000 model but these are mainly cosmetic. The grainy textured grip of last year's wheel has now been replaced by smooth ribbed plastic. Personally I liked the grainy feel, as the smooth plastic tends to make my palms sweat. The wheel hub still features the 6 buttons, which are within easy reach, plus 2 additional flipper buttons, which serve as your shifters (or whatever function you assign to them). All 8 buttons are fully programmable using the SideWinder software. The lack of a stick shift may be cause for concern for some racers, but I was able to live without it.

The wheel still features the same single-lever clamping mechanism, which allows you to lock-down or remove this wheel from your desk in under 20 seconds. Plus the centrally located clamp ends up between your legs unlike most of the other wheels on the market that seem to position their clamps exactly where your knees would like to go.

The pedals are identical to last year's model and still offer smooth motion and just the right amount of travel. They are still attached to a lightweight base, so make sure you have something behind them to keep them from sliding back under your desk. Even on carpet, the pedals can slide around when the driving gets too intense and be careful trying to pull them back forward with your toes - the molded plastic edges of the pedals are very sharp and can rip through socks and/or toes if you aren't careful.

Hooking up this rig is as easy as it gets. The wheel connects to your computer using a standard USB cable and the pedals connect to the wheel using a small cable with RJ45 phone connectors on each end. Once the SideWinder software is installed your computer will detect the wheel whenever it's plugged in and add itself to your Game Control options in Control Panel.

Normally when you calibrate your X and Y-axis on a steering wheel you will see the crosshair in the center of a box. Moving the wheel left or right moves the crosshair sideways and pressing the gas and brake pedals move it up and down. This method severely reduces your braking and acceleration control by reducing your ratio of acceleration and braking to half the travel-distance of the axis plus eliminating your ability to brake while accelerating (aka trail braking).

The Precision Racing Wheel splits the gas and brake into two unique axis giving you a much greater and precise level of control over both functions plus the added ability to tap the brake while accelerating to maintain a constant RPM while you brake around turns.

I had no pack-in titles with my review copy of this wheel so I used the driving games I already had installed on my PC to put this wheel through its paces. First off was Need for Speed: Porsche Unlimited. Prior to obtaining the Precision Racing Wheel I had been playing this game using the force feedback model, but very often I would disable the force feedback functions making the wheel very loose and sloppy. The Precision Racing Wheel was extremely accurate with little dead zone and a smooth motion and a snappy return-to-center. The new trail braking ability took me a few laps to get used to but once I did I was turning record laps and breaking all of my previous scores.

Grand Prix Legends was next on the agenda. Normally I used the Madcatz Andretti Wheel when playing this game but the Precision Racing Wheel easily equaled if not exceeded the performance of that wheel. If you can stand to play the ultimate in realistic racing sims without a stick shift and without force feedback then this is the wheel for you. The ability to tap the brake in those high-speed turns really improved my cornering and shaved valuable seconds off my lap times.

Finally I loaded up Breakneck which is part sim - part arcade racer. The convenient buttons on the wheel made mapping and using the various weapons and other game commands as easy as ever. The wheel offered precise control over the car and once again the split-axis pedal control added additional control that I had never realized I was missing - especially on those dirt tracks.

You can find the Microsoft Precision Racing Wheel for anywhere from $70-90 in stores or on the Internet. While this may seem expensive for a non-force feedback wheel keep in mind that their force feedback products are generally higher-priced than the competition. Microsoft takes hardware seriously and they offer a quality product that can take a beating. My SideWinder force feedback wheel is still going strong after 18 months of heavy use and I'm sure the Precision Racing Wheel will last even longer since there are far less moving parts.

Only a few minor flaws keep this wheel from getting a perfect score. If they add some weight to the pedal-base, put the texture back on the wheel, and add a stick shift, Microsoft will have the perfect wheel. As it stands, the Microsoft Precision Racing Wheel has made it to the top of my non-force feedback wheel list and I anxiously await their second-generation force feedback wheel.