Reviewed: August 8, 2008
Reviewed by: Mark Smith

Manufacturer
Fanatec

Type: Wheel & Pedals
System: PlayStation 3 & PC

Rating: 9.7

Features

The Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel couldn’t have come at a better time thanks to the recent release of games like Gran Turismo 5 Prologue and GRiD. But Fanatec does face some stiff competition from Logitech who has also recently released their Driving Force GT wheel specifically made for GT5. Logitech seems to be the favored child of Sony and their wheels have always had amazing support across generations of systems, multiple game titles, and PC cross-compatibility.

The Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel appears to be equally designed with the PC and the PS3 in mind, and Fanatec has added some pretty awesome features that we’ve all been wanting in our racing wheels, even if we didn’t realize it until we got it.

Full Features Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel:

• Original Porsche 911 Turbo steering wheel design
• Licensed by Porsche Lizenz- und Handelsgesellschaft mbH
• Authentic metal Porsche logo on wheel
• Hand stitched leather wheel manufactured according to Porsche quality standards
• Compatible with PC and PlayStation 3 (all games which support Force Feedback wheels)
• 6+1 Speed H-pattern gear stick with realistic shifting feel
• Additional exchangeable sequential gear stick included
• Wireless pedals with + 100 hours battery life time (low battery warning on display and optional power supply cable for simulators)
• Realistic clutch pedal with declining resistance
• Pressure sensitive brake emulation with soft-stop
• Diameter of wheel is 300 millimeters
• Gear sticks are interchangeable and can be mounted on the left or right side
• Turning angle can be adjusted in the wheel to 900°, 360° or 180° or in 1° steps by software
• For PC: Strong table clamps with quick release, special non-slip rubber pads, and Velcro strips on the pedals keep everything in place. Integrated nuts allow the strong fixation on a gaming cockpit
• For PlayStation: Attachable lap wings and the attachment of the gear sticks to the wheel allow comfortable gameplay in the living room without the use of a table
• Illuminated button symbols switch automatically between PC and PlayStation
• Powerful Mabuchi RS 550 Motor as used in RC cars delivers extra strong Force Feedback effects
• Additional 2 Force Feedback actuators in the wheel simulate motor vibrations
• Extra smooth and silent belt drive without mechanical dead zone
• High resolution wheel sensor
• Tuning functions with LED display
• Saves up to 5 wheel set-ups
• Adjust Force Feedback strength during game play
• Adjust sensitivity independent from the game

Installation – 8

The Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel is the first wheel I’ve ever had to assemble out of the box. It’s not a terribly difficult assemble – only a few steps really, but it was a bit of a shock considering that for the past decade I’ve opened a box and was racing within minutes. Part of the reason for this extra assembly step if the freedom the designers have given you in setting this wheel up. You can choose between a table clamp or lap mount system. You can choose between a sequential or H-shifter knob and you can even choose which side of the wheel to mount it, or you can leave it off entirely and just use the paddles on the steering column. The shifter assembly attaches to the wheel base with a short cable and a longer cable is provided to attach to the pedal base if you choose not to install the batteries and go wireless.

For serious racers who prefer cockpit setups, you’ll find drilling templates and additional mounting plates and hardware that will allow you to permanently mount this wheel into a dedicated racing environment. I take my racing seriously but not that seriously, but I'm sure plenty of hardcore race fans will appreciate the installation kit.

You’ll find two USB devices that come in the package, both cleverly designed as Porsche car keys – bonus style points awarded for this extra touch of elegance. One “key” is the wireless receiver you can plug into your PS3 or your PC’s USB port. Dual LED indicators tell you when the wheel and pedals (if being run wirelessly) are synched to the receiver. The second “key” is a 1GB jump drive that replaces a conventional start-up/driver disk. The software on this storage device will allow you to install and calibrate your wheel on your PC.

Plug the wheel into the wall using the power supply and generously long cable and the wheel will auto-calibrate. It's actually quite impressive to see the wheel literally light up with PC and PS3 button labels that are normally invisible until backlit. The wheel will spin around in both directions to calibrate maximum distance and center position and you are ready to race.

Aesthetics - 9

There is no denying that half the appeal of this wheel is the Porsche name, and Fanatec has gone the extra mile to bring you the ultimately designed official Porsche experience. I mean; we’re talking the exact same leather stitched in the same factory where the real Porsche wheels are made. Just that first whiff of leather when you take the wheel out of the plastic bag will transport you to the Porsche showroom, and you can pretend you are climbing in a 911 for a test drive.

The large 300mm diameter leather-wrapped wheel has all of the required buttons for both PC and PlayStation gaming concealed in the three stems connecting the wheel to the column. The PC indicators light up in white while the PS3 are a deep red. The lower stem is home to the Start, Select and D-pad buttons used to navigate menus. Paddle shifters are integrated into the back of the wheel near the steering column.

At the top of the column is an LED display and a tiny button. Using this and the D-pad you can navigate through several menu layers to configure the wheel settings outside the game. You can change the rotation sensitivity of the wheel, adjust the force feedback settings to your liking then save up to five wheel presets.

If I had to sum up the look of this product in a single word it would be “elegance”. This is the cleanest and most attractive gaming peripheral in existence. The silver and black design with the official gold Porsche emblem on the wheel, the chrome accented pedals, and even the stylish design of the USB devices to look like a car key really helps to sell the illusion. The Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel will quickly become the showcase peripheral in your gaming room, even when it’s not in use.

My only real complaint with the looks of this wheel is the way they chose to attach the shifter. While I realize this design allows for left and right orientation, as well as the ability to easily switch out sequential and H-shift knobs, there is just something that looks wrong when you see the shifter hovering out in space 6-12 inches from the wheel base connected by twin chrome rods.

Durability - 10

Everything about the Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel exudes quality, not only in its looks but in its functionality and durability. The wheel and pedals all have a solid feel and substantial weight about them. The pedal base digs into most styles of carpeting and locks in place. All of the components like the shifter and the two chrome bars it attaches to are tight after assembly, easily adjustable, and remain solid during aggressive use.

The wheel offers some impressively violent force feedback thanks to a powerful Mabuchi RS 550 motor. Two additional motors simulate engine vibration, activated when you push down on the accelerator. The belt drive system not only allows for extremely smooth steering, it also eliminates that dead zone normally associated with mechanical drive systems. I've put the Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel through about 30 hours of rigorous testing and the wheel was just as solid when I was finished as when I had removed it from the box.

The detachable lap wings offer a viable alternative to mounting the wheel to a table or desk. Personally, I just can’t drive with a wheel in my lap – it just feels way too unnatural and unrealistic. If you are seeking the realism this wheel offers it needs to be mounted to a table or better yet, a permanent cockpit.

Performance - 10

The list of PS3 games that will work with the Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel is fairly short, but then again, this is a new wheel for a new system that only has 3-4 racing games that could be considered simulations. It does take a bit of finagling to get the wheel to work on the PS3. You have to manually switch to PS3 mode and some PS3 games require your controller to be assigned to port 1. Since the wheel has no PS button you cannot access the PS3 system menu and change this setting. You have to make sure the wheel is the only controller activated when you start a game like GT5 Prologue.

The force feedback effects are astounding, easily the best and most powerful effects of any console racing wheel I have ever used. Often, force feedback is a term used to inaccurately describe simple rumble effects that have no bearing on the gameplay. The Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel actually responds to the physics and the driving conditions so you feel every bump in the road, every impact, and even a variable amount of resistance sliding around turns at different speeds. In GT5 Prologue you can watch the lateral G-Force indicator on the screen and feel the wheel responding to those forces.

The one thing I didn’t enjoy (and this is purely personal preference) is the additional rumble associated with the engine. This causes the wheel to vibrate to the point of distraction simply by pushing on the gas pedal. If I am driving a half-million dollar Ferrari I would hope the engine would be smoother than that. Thankfully, you can adjust or even disable this added level of vibration if you don’t like it.

The pedals are easily some of the best I’ve ever used. The clutch not only offers an added level of immersion to the experience of driving a manual transmission, the declining resistance of the pedal feels just like it would in a real car. The same can be said for the pressure sensitive brake pedal that will allow you unparalleled control over the trickiest cornering and braking maneuvers.

The wheel, or rather the dongle is upgradeable; a fact I learned just about the time I sat down to write this review. A recent patch for GT5 Prologue caused my 911 wheel to stop working. Thankfully, tech support had already identified the problem and released a patch that can easily be flashed to your dongle by plugging it into your PC.

Value - 8

You know you are serious about your racing games when you even start to consider a wheel that costs $350. That’s almost as much as a next-gen console. It’s also $50 more than its only real competitor, the Logitech G25 that still sells for $300 years after its release. So who is actually going to spend that much on a wheel?

Well, if you are a seriously dedicated racer then you might want to buy this wheel. If you are a Porsche fanatic then you will definitely want to consider this wheel. The unique and flexible design of the shifter attachment also allows you to emulate European designs by having the shifter on the left side of the wheel. This feature alone may be enough to seal the deal for GT5 Prologue fans who are enjoying the new cockpit view and want to match the experience with the visuals.

If you are considering this wheel solely because of GT5 Prologue then you have a harder choice to make. While not nearly as cool in concept or design, Logitech already has a wheel specifically engineered for this game with unique functionality and at less than half the price.

But bottom line, if you are looking for a sexy, stylish, durable wheel that smells as good as it looks and performs even better, and don’t mind spending as much for a “pretend wheel” as your next car payment then the Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel is a pretty sweet peripheral with a luxury price tag. It might just take a whole lot more driving before you see that return on your investment.

Overall – 9.7

The Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel is easily one of the best wheels currently available for the PS3 or the PC. PC gamers will likely find far more racing titles accessible to them and this wheel, but regardless of the system or the games you are playing on it, the 911 Turbo Wheel will enhance any racing game you use it with.

The only thing that exceeds this wheel's polished and professional design, intuitive button and control placement, and fine craftsmanship is its outstanding performance. If you are serious about your racing and want to capture the look, feel, and smell of driving a Porsche 911 without all the expense of owning one, then slip behind the Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel and live the fantasy.