One of the main strengths of Fanatec sim racing gear is their huge selection of wheels. Spread over three tiers of price brackets and covering just about every style of driving you can think of, there is a lot to consider when choosing the best Fanatec steering wheel for your sim rig.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the different options from their entry-level CSL range, the mid-level ClubSport range and the high-end Podium range of sim racing wheels, to see what will bring you the best value and experience for your specific needs.
Note: Fanatec are currently experiencing financial difficulties as well as issues with logistics and customer support which may impact your experience. Check the official Fanatec blog here for updates.
How it works:
Compatibility:
All current Fanatec wheels are compatible with all current Fanatec wheel bases provided you have the same generation of Quick Release on both your wheel and wheel base. Just keep in mind that if a wheel has the QR1 Simplified or QR2 Lite wheel side quick release, you will be limited to 8 Nm of torque on the ClubSport DD/DD+ and DD1/DD2 wheel bases.
All wheels are PC-compatible and PlayStation-compatible if you have a PlayStation-compatible wheel base such as the GT DD PRO or ClubSport DD+. For Xbox compatibility, you need to choose an Xbox-specific wheel, which will then give you Xbox compatibility on any wheel base.
If this article has helped you decide what the best Fanatec Wheel is for you, by using the links on this page you can help support Boosted Media at no additional cost to you!
Note: US Prices listed on this page do not include Shipping and Taxes.
If this article has helped you decide what the best Fanatec Wheel is for you, by using the links on this page you can help support Boosted Media at no additional cost to you!
Note: US Prices listed on this page do not include Shipping and Taxes.
The Range of wheels:
Within the Fanatec steering wheel range, you’ll find a selection of All-in-one Wheels, Wheel Bundles, Wheel Rims, Button Modules, Shifter Modules, Hubs and Quick Releases. So what does all this mean, and what do you need to get on track?
All-In-One Wheels
For the sake of this article, I am referring to Fanatec’s complete steering wheels which have integrated buttons and are purchased as one single item as “All-in-one wheels”. The CSL range of All-in-one wheels comes with the simplified original quick-release which on the current V2 generation of CSL wheels can be upgraded to the metal ClubSport QR1 or any of the new QR2 wheel-side quick releases. If you opt for the QR2 upgrade you will also need the QR2 base-side quick release installed on your wheel base.
CSL All-In-One Wheels
For the most simple and cost-effective way to get up and racing in the Fantec ecosystem you might like to consider some of these options for complete All-in-one wheels in the CSL range.
Cheapest Fanatec wheel
Versatile design for all driving styles
Telemetry display on rim
PC and PlayStation only
Full-scale McLaren GT3 replica
300mm diameter
Very comfortable and ergonomic
Analog clutch paddles
Magnetic rocker shifter
Easy-to-reach buttons and encoders
1″ OLED display
Xbox compatible
Officially licensed by the World Rally Championship
300mm diameter
Xbox compatible
Genuine Alcantara® grip
Removable paddles for use with ClubSport Static Paddles
ClubSport All-In-One Wheels
The current range of ClubSport wheels gives you a noticeable step up in quality and the option of Formula and GT style wheels. All these wheels come with nice snappy magnetic shifters and the option to upgrade to the Podium Advanced Paddle Module for “dual magnetic paddles” (i.e. two paddle switches on either side) and “dual-clutch” (i.e. one analog clutch on either side which can be used as separate inputs or in a bite point dual-clutch setup.)
The ClubSport wheels come standard with the metal QR1 quick-release or can be upgraded to the new QR2 system.
270mm Formula style wheel
5mm thick carbon fibre front plate
Aluminium shifter module (upgradable)
9 multi-colour LED rev strip
2 X 3 LED flag lights
Up to 67 input functions
2 X thumb encoders!
OLED display
Podium All-In-One Wheels
There is only one “All-in-one wheel” in the Podium range, the Podium Steering Wheel BMW M4 GT3. This is the much-hyped real-life race car wheel homologated for GT3 racing. The luxury of being able to move this wheel directly from your sim rig to your real-life BMW M4 GT3 comes with a hefty price tag but you are getting a very well-built wheel that looks and feels the part.
Beyond this, the Podium wheel range consists of bundles and individual components which we’ll go over now.
308mm GT style wheel
Ergonomic button layout
Customisable button backlighting
Well placed thumb encoders
Forged carbon construction
Push/pull magnetic shifters
1″ OLED display
Individual Wheel Components
Fanatec’s modular system for steering wheels is a great way of being able to customise a complete wheel for your specific needs. This could even mean using a different brand rim if you wish to do so (provided it has the correct bolt pattern). So what are the different parts you need to get up and driving?
Rims:
Starting with the obvious, the wheel rim is the bit you hold on to. A standalone rim does not contain any electronics and has a standard bolt pattern to get you connected to a button module or wheel hub (which we will explain soon).
One of the big advantages of the Fanatec ecosystem is the huge range of wheel rims to suit just about every style of driving you can think of. Most of the rims fall into the ClubSport tier, but you are really looking for the rim that suits the driving style you are doing rather than upgrading build quality. We have spent time with just about every rim in the Fanatec range and have found all of them to be perfectly adequate in build quality, they are rigid, well finished, and the different grip fabrics used are comfortable and durable.
Fanatec Sparco Rims
Fanatec has released a range of Sparco replica wheels that aim to utilise their existing button…
Most Versatile Fanatec Rim
For maximum versatility, I am personally looking for something that is not too big for Formula cars (anything over 300mm is starting to get a bit too big and vague feeling for a snappy F1 car), not too small for street cars (anything under 300mm starts to feel too snappy for some cars), with a round shape so it’s also suited to Rally or Drifting.
Unfortunately, there is not a round 300mm wheel rim available, which actually makes the entry-level All-in-one CSL P1 V2 (or CSL BMW and WRC Wheels) the most versatile of all the Fanatec wheels for my preferences. But if you want the upgrade in rigidity and potential functionality of button modules and upgraded shifters, you’ll want to consider the ClubSport Wheel Rim 320 as the closest fit. The other option would be the ClubSport Wheel Rim Round 1 which is 270mm and is fantastic for older F1 cars like the Lotus 98t.
If you’re not likely to go drifting, it’s worth considering the new ClubSport Wheel Rim SPARCO® GT. This 310mm rim is a replica of the Sparco P310 and as with the rest of the new Sparco replica rims, is well contoured for a very comfortable grip. An alternative to this would be the Podium R300 which is more expensive than the Sparco but does not have any contour in the rim, which I personally find far less comfortable.
Hubs:
What is a Hub? And do you need one?
Fanatec Hubs are the central component of Fanatec’s modular steering wheel system which connects the wheel Rim or button box to the quick release and houses the required electronics for the Fanatec software to recognise that there is a Fanatec wheel connected. So yes, you do need one, but there are some options.
Note: All hubs come with a wheel-side quick release which is upgradable.
CSL Universal Hub V2
The CSL Universal Hub V2 includes everything you need to get from your wheel rim to your base-side quick release. It comes standard with a Simplified QR1 quick release which can be upgraded to the metal QR1 or any of the new QR2s. The Hub has integrated button islands for a total of 8 push buttons, a 2-way rocker switch, two 2-way toggle switches, and a 7-way FunkySwitch™ with rotary encoder functionality. The hub includes spring-loaded shifter paddles and a three-digit LED display for Tuning Menu functions and telemetry data. The CSL Universal Hub V2 offers good ergonomics across a range of wheel rim sizes due to its adjustable width. It can be used with any rim with a 6 x 70 mm or 3 x 50 mm bolt pattern provided the rim does not block the buttons.
ClubSport Universal Hub V2
The ClubSport hub comes with the Metal ClubSport QR1 which can be upgraded to QR2. It also comes with adjustable button clusters and magnetic shifters which can be removed for a clean look, or upgraded to the Podium Button Endurance and Podium Advanced Paddle Module. While some people might not like this hub’s spider-like appearance with the button clusters installed, it is a very practical hub that will give you a huge amount of options for use with different rims and button configurations. The 3 Digit LED display can even be laid down flat so it it not in view if you’re after an ultra-clean look.
The ClubSport Universal Hub V2 also comes in an Xbox-compatible version.
Podium Hub:
The Podium Hub despite being the top tier of quality, is the cheapest of the Fanatec Hubs because it does not include any buttons or paddles like the ClubSport and CSL Hubs. This makes it a perfect choice if you’re building a wheel that doesn’t need any buttons or paddles. Such as rally, drift, or classic street cars. It can also be paired with the Podium Button Module Endurance and Podium Advanced Paddle Module for ultimate functionality and build quality, or with the ClubSport Button Cluster and ClubSport Magnetic Shifters.
You could also use this hub to mount a complete third-party wheel, provided they have their own connectivity back to your PC (USB, Bluetooth etc.).
Button Modules
A button module is an additional unit that mounts onto your Hub, it does not replace a hub. For anyone looking to maximise the functionality of their Fanatec wheel, you’ve got a few options for adding buttons to your Hub and Rim combo.
This full-scale Replica GT3 endurance button module is built with a carbon fibre faceplate and metal internals for a solid a sturdy construction. It can be used with the Podium Hub or ClubSport Universal Hub and is ideally suited for the 300mm and 320mm GT-style wheels. The 2.7″ OLED Screen does a great job at displaying telemetry information beyond what any of the other Fanatec wheels can do. You also have LED lighting for revs and flag alerts which are easily customisable.
While it has a solid offering of inputs, without thumb encoders I wouldn’t say it has everything you’ll ever need.
This button module was designed for the 2022 and 2023 Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1 WRC cars and hence offers fantastic ergonomics for Rally driving along with some really handy features for Sim Racing. It mounts to the front of wheels with a 6 X 70mm Bolt pattern which means it is compatible with all sorts of shapes and sizes. It connects to your Podium Hub or ClubSport Universal Hub V2 via a DataPort-C connector.
The stand-out feature for me is the 9 high-quality push buttons with customizable RGB Backlighting.
Shifter Paddles
If you’re looking at the CSL Universal Hub you do not have the option to upgrade shifter paddles. The ClubSport Universal Hub V2 comes with Magnetic shifters which can be upgraded to the Advanced Paddle Module, and if you go with the Podium Hub, you have the choice of the ClubSport Magnetic Paddle Module or the Podium Advanced Paddle Module. There is also the ClubSport Static Shifter Paddle Module which attaches to the wheel base rather than the Hub. This keeps the paddles in a fixed position as the wheel spins, as found in some Rally and Drift situations.
The Podium Advanced Paddle Module is also an optional upgrade for some ClubSport All-In-One wheels as discussed earlier.
Aluminium construction with strong magnets for solid and purposeful gear shifts. Adjustments are made through extension plates and spacers which makes quick position adjustments difficult.
Compatible with a range of ClubSport Wheels (paddles come with the wheel anyway) and the Podium Hub which does not come with paddles.
Can be used as an upgrade for ClubSport Wheels (check specific wheel compatibility), ClubSport Hub, or for the Podium Hub.
Improved build quality over ClubSport Paddles but the main benefit is for those who want the additional pair of magnetic paddles and analog clutch paddles. Clutch paddles can be used as individual analog inputs or configured as a bite-point dual clutch.
If you want to try out paddle shifters for rallying or drifting with a round wheel, this is a handy shifter option. Paddles mount to the wheel base rather than the wheel hub keeping them static as the wheel rotates. Compatible with all wheels and bases and can be used in conjunction with shifter paddles mounted to your wheel hub. Note: I have not used these myself.
Steering Wheel Bundles
Once you have figured out which individual components you are after, you’ll likely be able to find the exact setup you want in a complete bundle. Fanatec has a huge list of bundled wheel packages, which will reduce prices compared to buying the individual components.
Here are our top picks from the CSL, ClubSport and Podium ranges:
ClubSport Wheel Rim Round 1 + CSL Universal Hub V2
Individual Price: US$279.90
ClubSport Wheel Rim 320 + ClubSport Universal Hub V2
Individual Price: US$429.90
Podium Wheel Rim Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Suede + Podium Hub + Podium Button Module Endurance + Podium Advanced Paddle Module
Individual Price: US$679.80
If this article has helped you decide what the best Fanatec Wheel is for you, by using the links on this page you can help support Boosted Media at no additional cost to you!
