X-Box 360 Steering Wheel

[Polygon]

With Forza Horizon coming out shortly I want to get a wheel for my 360 for a Playseat. However, I can't seem to find a decent wheel for sale for the 360. I wish the G27 worked for the 360, but just the PS3 and PC. Any suggestions?

[Leo_A]

The only decent wheels for the 360 are the Fanatec products.

http://www.fanatec.de/

And a feature comparison to tell you what's compatible with the 360.

http://www.fanatec.de/html/pw_overview.htm

With Microsoft locking down their platform this generation, only licensed accessory manufacturers are allowed. That has left the 360 with a long discontinued and overpriced entry level wheel from Microsoft themselves that had several common problems even right out of the box, the Fanatec products, Microsoft's new handheld wireless motion wheel which is basically a more advanced version of Wiimote tilting (Hardly Playseat material), a single Logitech product that was recieved poorly from the early days of the system (MS didn't even allow them to make it be force feedback), and pure garbage that should've never been allowed to be sold from companies like MadCatz, Thrustmaster, and Hori.

Developer's don't have the ability to support any USB wheel accessory for a PC that they desire like PS3 developers are able to. So high quality sim products from companies like ECCI are unsupported (Not that the PS3 is any better in that regard, but that's the fault of developers rather than an underlying issue that makes it impossible) as are mid to low range options that are widely supported on the PS3 like Logitech's various PC accessories and Thrustmaster products from recent years.

Playseat's don't come cheap though, so I imagine you won't object to paying a comparable price for a mid-range wheel/pedal set from Fanatec. The problem more comes when a gamer is playing on a 360 and goes looking for their first wheel. If there isn't a decent option in the $100-$150 range, they tend to just stay away and never become wheel converts. Worse yet, they buy garbage like the the Hori wheel for $30 and just get turned off on the whole idea when their poorly designed and constructed wheel/pedal set doesn't come anywhere close to matching their expectations.

[The 1 2 P]

The official Microsoft wireless wheel is currently being clearanced at my Kmart for $25. If you have any Kmart or Sears around you check them out.

[Leo_A]

That could be one of two different wheels...

The Wireless Racing Wheel was discontinued years ago and clearanced out. While you never know with Kmart since old electronics sometimes linger there, I suspect what you saw was the Wireless Speed Wheel. And that's just a fancy version of what you get when you tilt a Wiimote in a plastic Mario Kart wheel. Not the type of thing someone that owns a Playseat would be interested in.

Microsoft Wireless Racing Wheel


Microsoft Wireless Speed Wheel


I suggest staying away from the first since it really isn't that great of a product. If you could get one for $25 new (Which would be very lucky since they seem to go for significantly more than that just on the used marketplace), it's okay in a pinch until you get something better from Fanatec. And option 2 would be just about pointless to use with a Playseat although it's a neat accessory for someone gaming from a sofa or recliner where a traditional wheel/pedal set isn't practical.

[The 1 2 P]

Yes it's the speed wheel. I haven't used it myself(I prefer using the game pad) but the OP said he was looking for something affordable and I figured $25 was a pretty decent deal for what it was.

[Leo_A]

Yeah, but he also wants to use it with a Playseat. And the entire point of a Playseat is that it forms an easily movable cockpit for racing games with a seat and integrated mounting points for pedals, a wheel, and other accessories like H pattern shifters. The Wireless Speed Wheel pretty much defeats the point of using a Playseat even though there's certainly nothing stopping him from sitting in one and using this accessory if he wanted to.



So at the very least, I assume he'd want an actual wheel and pedals rather than something he'd just hold in his hands and rotate in the air. The Wireless Speed Wheel is more aimed towards the casual racing game fan (And I assume he's more than just a casual racing game fan if he owns a Playseat) and really is meant to use while sitting on something like a sofa or recliner where a traditional wheel/pedal setup simply isn't practical to use.

Just in case it isn't clear that the earlier shot wasn't just of the wheel with everything else edited out, this is all there is with the Wireless Speed Wheel. It's a standalone unit that isn't mounted to anything, lacks force feedback, doesn't have paddle shifters, and lacks pedals.



It's basically a glorified Mario Kart Wii wheel shell with a Wiimote. It certainly has its place and I hear it works surprisingly well, but it's not really something I think he'd be satisfied with when he owns a Playseat and has had experience with true wheel/pedal setups for gaming.

[Polygon]

The only decent wheels for the 360 are the Fanatec products.

http://www.fanatec.de/

And a feature comparison to tell you what's compatible with the 360.

http://www.fanatec.de/html/pw_overview.htm

With Microsoft locking down their platform this generation, only licensed accessory manufacturers are allowed. That has left the 360 with a long discontinued and overpriced entry level wheel from Microsoft themselves that had several common problems even right out of the box, the Fanatec products, Microsoft's new handheld wireless motion wheel which is basically a more advanced version of Wiimote tilting (Hardly Playseat material), a single Logitech product that was recieved poorly from the early days of the system (MS didn't even allow them to make it be force feedback), and pure garbage that should've never been allowed to be sold from companies like MadCatz, Thrustmaster, and Hori.

Developer's don't have the ability to support any USB wheel accessory for a PC that they desire like PS3 developers are able to. So high quality sim products from companies like ECCI are unsupported as are mid to low range options like Logitech's various PC accessories from recent years.

Playseat's don't come cheap though, so I imagine you won't object to paying a comparable price for a mid-range wheel/pedal set from Fanatec. The problem more comes when a gamer is playing on a 360 and goes looking for their first wheel. If there isn't a decent option in the $100-$150 range, they tend to just stay away and never become wheel converts. Worse yet, they buy garbage like the the Hori wheel for $30 and just get turned off on the whole idea when their poorly designed and constructed wheel/pedal set doesn't come anywhere close to matching their expectations.

This is PERFECT!

Thanks a ton. I've never heard of this company. I'm sure most would call it expensive, but when you consider the fact that it works with the PC, PS3, and 360 I really think it's a bargain. It would cost you more to get the mediocre X-Box 1st party wheel and the Logitech G27 which I would have to do since I play GT5 as well. I also love the fact that you can invert the pedals. Thanks a lot for the suggestion. It's a perfect solution and that was a lot easier than I thought.