Massive ecosystem with native console support
Fanatec offers the most extensive sim racing ecosystem on the market, with wheelbases, wheels, pedals, shifters, and handbrakes spanning entry-level to high-end. Their tiered product lines—CSL, ClubSport, and Podium—cover a broad range of needs and budgets, though recent hardware like the ClubSport DD and DD+ has started to blur those lines by outperforming older Podium gear in key areas.
Console compatibility is a major strength, Fanatec are a clear stand-out when it comes to native console support for both PlayStation and Xbox. However, their closed ecosystem approach comes with caveats—force feedback is locked unless a Fanatec-branded wheel is attached, adding cost and complexity for those wanting to use third-party wheels.
So is Fanatec the best Sim Racing brand for you? Our detailed reviews and product guides will tell you everything you need to know to find out!
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Latest Article
Fanatec Podium DD Wheelbase – Detailed Review
The Fanatec Podium DD enters the high-end direct drive wheel base market at a time when competition has never been fiercer. What was once a niche dominated by a handful of premium options is now crowded with capable hardware at nearly every price point. On paper, it replaces the older Podium DD1 and DD2. More importantly, it lands at a price point that sits uncomfortably close to Fanatec’s own Clubsport DD+ 15 Nm wheel base
Fanatec Podium DD Wheelbase – Detailed Review
The Fanatec Podium DD enters the high-end direct drive wheel base market at a time when competition has never been fiercer. What was once a niche dominated by a handful of premium options is now crowded with capable hardware at nearly every price point. On paper, it replaces the older Podium DD1 and DD2. More importantly, it lands at a price point that sits uncomfortably close to Fanatec’s own Clubsport DD+ 15 Nm wheel base
FANATEC Product Reviews
FANATEC CSL Elite Pedals Loadcell Kit – Installation & Full Review
You’ve come across a pretty outdated article here! Check out our Fanatec Buyers Guide for the latest up-to-date info on Fanatec Gear! Today we continue our series on building a budget sim racing cockpit as we take a detailed look at the FANATEC CSL Elite Pedals Loadcell Kit to see
Budget Sim Racing Cockpit Build – Part 2 – FANATEC CSL ELITE First Drive Impressions
I’m back in the budget sim racing cockpit today for my first drive and to give you my impressions on the level of immersion, realism and fun factor compared with my every-day usage rig which cost more than 10 times as much. As you saw in our previous video, this
How to install the Fanatec Quick Release on McLaren GT3 Steering Wheel
Just a quick video today to show you how to install the Fanatec Quick Release Adapter on a McLaren GT3 Rim. I also have a bit of a talk in this video about some of the issues that have been discussed in various forums and groups regarding the GT3 rim
Building a Sim Racing Cockpit on a Budget – Fanatec CSL Elite Unboxing
It’s been almost a year now since I made the decision to dive headfirst into Sim Racing. While I have been in the very lucky position to receive a lot of the upgrades I’ve done in the past year for free, I still made an initial investment of well over
FANATEC PODIUM Advanced Paddle Module – Installation – Software Setup & Review
The wait is finally over! FANATEC are now shipping out the long-awaited PODIUM Advanced Paddle Module! I pre-ordered mine on announcement day, so I was lucky enough to be one of the first to receive mine. The PODIUM Advanced Paddle Module gives you two hand controlled analog axis which can
FANATEC ClubSport Tuning Menu Settings Explained + My F1 Settings
In this video, I take you through all of the Fanatec Tuning Menu settings available on ClubSport Wheels (V1 and V2), explain what each of the settings mean and how they impact realism. I also take you through the settings I use for various games, as a detailed overview of
FANATEC ClubSport Formula V2 Wheel – Unboxing, Setup, Testing & Review
Well it’s been a long 3 months waiting, but the FANATEC ClubSport Formula V2 wheel I pre-ordered way back at the start of December has finally arrived! In this video I’ll unbox the FANATEC ClubSport Formula V2 wheel for the first time in front of you, then get it all
My FANATEC Customer Service Experience
If you’ve been watching my Twitch streams lately, you will have seen I was using my Fanatec BMW wheel instead of my Formula Carbon. The reason for this was a snapped pin on my ClubSport Formula Carbon wheel. I recently made a video talking about my strong objection to YouTubers
FANATEC Pedals V3 Damper Kit – Installation and Quick Review
A few days ago we took at look at the Pedals V3 Brake Performance Kit and were very impressed with the result. Today we take the plunge (no pun intended) and install the V3 Damper Kit on top of the Brake Performance Kit. In this video I show you how
FANATEC Pedals V3 Brake Performance Kit – Installation and Quick Review
The FANATEC Pedals V3 have a pretty respectable feel and adjust-ability straight out of the box, but lack the hydraulic and progressive stiffness of a real race-car brake pedal. But if you want to take it to the next level, you’ll need the V3 Pedals Brake Performance Kit! The kit
Logitech vs. FANATEC – Does High End Simulator Gear make you Faster? – Part 2
Logitech vs. FANATEC – Does High End Simulator Gear make you Faster? – Part 1
FANATEC Pros and Cons
Pros
- Extensive ecosystem that covers a variety of needs and budgets
- Natively console compatible (PlayStation & Xbox)
- Ability to tune force feedback and driving settings or switch profiles directly from the wheel
- Excellent game compatibility and game level integration (Many games already have presets baked in, etc)
- Excellent consistency in the driving experience between different games
Cons
- Historically have had customer service issues
- Software on PC is outdated compared to competitors
- Force Feedback locked out unless you use their wheels or hub adaptors
- Uncertainty in product development following acquisition by Corsair
- Not the stand-out value proposition it used to be for entry-level Direct Drive