switchface

For anyone that is interested, RaceRoom is having a FREE weekend on Steam. All content will be 100% free to try, so if anyone would like to try a different sim than the one they are used to, now is a great time.

The GT3 collection is vast and each is quite different, but my favorite in the game are the DTM '92 cars.

GT3_Driver

Thoughts on Fanatec ClubSport Wheel Base V2.5 vs SimXperience AccuForce Pro V2 (DD)

Not much difference in price with a wheel.

About to pull the trigger

ProCoach

Yep, that's the key, "with the wheel."

While I think there are some great pros to the DD setup (and am working on a new sim with the Simucube 2 Pro), I've been using the last three releases of the belt drive Fanatec for a good long while on the main rig.

I LOVE the Fanatec wheels, just bought a GT3 Cup wheel with all accessories, had the 918 and sold it and use the BMW GT2 regularly. I think, for the money, the Fanatec products are a better value.

The immersiveness of the sim is not hurt by picking the CSW 2.5 over the V2, IMO.

mlct

The Accuforce is a direct drive wheel that competes with Fanatec's DD1 and DD2 direct drive wheels. A Clubsport (have had two of their wheels) is a great belt driven wheel. It is a very nice wheel but direct drive wheels give better feedback. They had better given their higher costs.

As to a DD1 or DD2 vs an Accuforce it is hard to determine. I got my Accuforce some time ago before the Fanatec wheels were out. The Fanatec's are more expensive but have stronger maximum force feedback. I am very happy with my wheel but likely would have purchased a DD2 Fanatec if they were out sooner. Also some other direct drive wheels out there.

Good luck

Wrote this before I saw Peter's comments. As always he is spot on.

More expensive pedals are a great upgrade as they feel more like our real cars. Fanatec's are nice but if you want to spend more that is where to invest your money..

brake dust

Direct drive is superior in every way. Accuforce will be more immersive and provide better feedback then a belt driven wheel.

ProCoach

I’m not a fan of the Accuforce, but that dates back. I am a fan of a good belt drive wheel like the CSW 2.5, which is much better than the original CSW. The Fanatec DD1 and 2 are ok, but I love the Simucube 2 Pro. I’m driving on a G27 at home, and other than the gear noise, it’s fine.

It’s hilarious, I see people debating the relative merits of DD versus a good belt driven wheel base, an ultrawide versus triple 144 Hz monitors versus Rift or HP Pro, incremental differences within the same GPU family, all in sims that will be lucky to see 25 hours on them before the world gets back to normal. It’s JUST LIKE CAR MODS!

Like data acquisition systems that people load up on sensors they never write maths to use, beyond a certain point, the incremental performance gain is harder and harder for a casual sim user to see and feel a benefit, much less one that results in a tangible performance improvement.

Just my experience over the last twenty-two years of sim racing on my own and helping others.

mlct

Certainly just like car mods! Not buying new tires right now so looking to upgrade the sim even thought it is another State right now. Wouldn't want to save the budget. I only use it in the winter, as you point out will happen for many of us, and ignore it once I can drive for real. Great for learning a new track.

Love that Villeneuve was competitive using a controller! As you have written many times it is the driver not the equipment.

peterp

To clarify, are you saying you prefer the CSW 2.5 to the DD1/2, or just that the difference to the DD1/2 is not as significant as you would expect given the price difference?

Also, it would be great to get more "color" on what you find preferable with the Simucube vs DD1/2. I've seen several people say that they prefer the Simucube, but haven't seen a ton of info about what specifically makes it better.

I would guess that the performance differences between DD1/2 and Simucube is probably more dictated by firmware than the hardware itself (both are powerful direct drive motors), so I wonder if Fanatec DD1/2 will improve over time with firmware updates.

tanger

on another twitter post, his "cooling system" is a bowl of ice with a desk fan LOL


#1 Oval racer on iRacing... fast on track in real life too

ProCoach

I love it!

ProCoach

Yes, to your first question.

Hard to say, will write more after I spend a few dozen more hours on the Simucube 2. Sure like the packaging better.

The big issue with all of these is that, just like a high end data system, most people have to spend MUCH MORE TIME learning and configuring and tweaking it to get it where they like it and can drive for hours at a time. Plus, with all of the configuration options come more questions, instead of answers. Stock, they all come too high in force and feedback, IMO.

The cheap stuff like the Logitech or medium stuff like the CSW 2.5, out of the box they're both close enough so that people can get a good feel, get going for weeks/months (sometimes never feel the need to upgrade) and do well WITHOUT dicking around with ALL of the myriad of settings in the DD/Accuforce V2 and Simucube 2 Pro provide. Fanatec has always been a little behind the curve in introducing hardware before the firmware is even mildly mature. Been that way since the first CSW, one of which I still have lying around up at VIR.

You don't want to make it like work. It has to be reasonably fun or people lose interest. This is too much money to spend on stuff that gets used less than a boat, on average!

Fumes

fwiw I got a simucube 2 pro and there are lots of forums and videos for configuring the software, which is pretty easy to use. i treat my sim like my setups - 100 ppl online have already done what i need to do and helpfully posted a video about it. ymmv of course but a much easier entry than trying to do all the wheel config for diff cars. the miata vry different than the 718 both way diff from ferarri gte etc etc

this way you get the pro-sumer kit and tech w closer to consumer usability

only downside to simucube is only works for pc racing

LuigiVampa

I just sit in my race car and cry a lot. I keep the trailer door closed and the lights off.

ProCoach

Another post that needs a “sad” button. When does the alcohol start? Eleven minutes?

LuigiVampa

I start late otherwise I am asleep on the couch by 630 and my wife and daughter call me an old man.

I've actually been driving on Xbox since I don't have an iRacing setup right now. I'm hoping to get into a real car soon but have been reading this thread and thinking about plunking down some $$$ fro a system.