Review of Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback Wheel (USB)

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I have had this wheel for over 2 years, and it has been terriffic. It has gone from windows 98 to XP and is just as compatible as ever. It gets used and abused playing all types of games from the dirt track racing series, to formula 1, to nascar 4. It just keeps delievering the realism. I paid 150 bucks for mine, and would pay it again, but now the price has dropped.The forces are as real as it gets, buy this wheel now, you won't be dissapointed.

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I bought this wheel mainly because I wanted my buddy to be able to race with me. He did not have a wheel, so I sold him the one I had and bought this one. Let me tell ya, very good investment. Not to knock Logitecs Wingman Formula Force that I had, but this wheel accells that one by leaps and bounds. It is more precise in control and in the FF mechinisum. I have found only one downfall. Although the clamping mechinisum is solid and hold under extreme forces, it requires a lot of room between your desktop and the top of your keyboard. Over 4". So if you have a desk that has this kind of room..., get it. If not, modify your desk. Or get the Logitec..., it's my second choice.

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The value you get from this product will depend upon your dedication to race gaming.

I bought it for my sons who would be using the machine for an hour or two a day. Whilst initial enthusiasm was expressed by all the reality is that the computer is still used as much as it was, but this wheel has not been out of the closet since April. Here are the facts (at least according to us):

a) The base of this unit is huge, so when attached to a fairly standard computer desk with sliding keyboard drawer there is no room for the keyboard too.

b) The unit has three different wires which come from the back of the unit, so these either have to be threaded over the back of the desk each time, or wrap around the front getting caught up in the kids legs.

c) On many of the games we tried the force of the force feedback was much stronger than in typical arcade games, too strong for my 7 year old to handle. (Some games allow this to be altered, but not all)

d) Most games require the wheel to be re-callibrated for each use, perfect for perfectionists but again it means significant 'daddy intervention' when the kids want to switch games.

e) The power transformer is directly welded into the plug prongs, so this beast takes up three slots in a normal power block, thus requiring its own power block.

Now, on the up-side. When I use the properly installed wheel you can callibrate things so that it does handle like a real car. So if you can set things up properly, and leave them set up, then I suspect this is a very good piece of kit.

But for the casual user, too bulky, too messy and too much like hard work to be used frequently.

Honest reviews on Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback Wheel (USB)

This wheel is great and has sold upwards of $... in the past. With the rebate, this becomes a very affordable force-feedback wheel without sacrificing any quality. The force feedback really adds to the quality of the game play so pony up the extra few dollars and get this one as opposed to a non-force-feedback or a cheaper quality force-feedback one.

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let me just say first off that i have not used any of the competing wheels, so i'm not speaking comparatively here.

i have owned this wheel for a long time now and it has seen a ton of use. i use it for F1 Challenge, and i've probably logged something like 100 hours of use on it. if you're serious about your steering wheel, and you probably are if you're spending $100 on it, then don't get this one. microsoft has stopped supporting it with software/drivers, and the way it is now, it can not be set up to have a separate gas and brake. this means no trail braking, which means you can't drive seriously. i'm not really into left foot braking, so i still have it. my other big complaint with it is the pedals. currently i have them pushed up against a 2x2 i screwed into the floor, and on top of that i have them taped too the floor so they dont move. this is still insufficient. they weigh all of like one pound, and theres nothing stopping them from sliding on carpet. also, the clamp that holds it on the desk is too weak. it sometimes slides around and in the heat of a race it can be extrememly aggavating. also, the gear-shift buttons sqeak at times, and double shift. the wheel cant be taken apart, so after weeks of struggling with it, i just sprayed a ton of WD40 in there and luckily it fixed the problem. my one last complaint is a large dead zone. it sucks, but maybe all the other wheels are the same. dont know. things i like: the feel, the feedback, the grip, the look.

verdict: buy something else