For those who, like most Fanatec users, have been eagerly anticipating the release of a Formula-style F1 Sim Racing wheel with an integrated dash, Leoxz has stepped up and provided a solution with their XF1-Sport wheel. Could this be the perfect sim racing wheel for F1 23?
This 275mm rim, boasting all the features and build quality you might expect from a much more expensive wheel such as the Cube Controls CSX-3, is compatible with any wheelbase, including Fanatec, without the need for a Fanatec Hub! This is all possible through their wheelbase-specific quick-release adaptors and Bluetooth connectivity. Meaning the wheel is powered up and data transferred without the need for any additional cables running to the wheel!
NOTE: This wheel is only PC Compatible. Consoles are not supported.
Too good to be true? Let's find out!
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Leoxz XF1-Sport Features
- Compatible with all wheel bases including Fanatec WITHOUT a Fanatec Hub
- Can be connected to PC via USB or Bluetooth
- Supports 15 inbuilt dashboards
- 275mm diameter
- Polyurethane grips
- Anodized CNC machined rear cover
- 5mm thick carbon fibre face and 3mm paddles
- 12 fixed colour RPM LEDS
- 6 RGB Flag LEDs
- 4 RGB Status LEDs
- 4.3 inch 480×272 IPS screen with 60Hz refresh rate
- 15 push buttons
- 1 x 5 way switch
- 3 x clickable encoders with metal knobs
- 2 x metal thumb encoders
- Magnetic paddles
- 70mm mounting pattern
- Option of 4 Additional Analog Paddles
Connectivity:
Leoxz has created Quick Releases to suit all major Sim Racing Wheelbase brands, including Fanatec without the need for a Fanatec Hub! This unlocks the full torque on your wheelbase, which has only been possible with a Fanatec hub or Fanatec wheel and provides power to the wheel through from the wheelbase. Input and telemetry are then sent to the wheel via Bluetooth, eliminating the need for any additional cables going to your wheel.
In our experience with the Leoxz XF1 – Sport, this worked flawlessly. After some firmware updates the Leoxz wheel was about as close to plug-and-play as possible on our Fanatec GT-DD Pro. With Simhub driving the telemetry via Bluetooth, you are not able to customize the dash screens, but the included dashboards are detailed, aesthetic and useful to many driving styles.
Build Quality:
The Leoxz XF1 – Sport is punching well above its weight when it comes to build quality at this price point. With its 5mm carbon fibre face and anodized CNC machine rear cover, the XF1-Sport has very minimal twist, less than some much more expensive wheels of this shape and size.
The 15 push buttons have a tight and snappy feel, quite similar to those on Cube Controls wheels, and the rotary encoders have metal knobs giving them that nice high-end cool-to-the-touch feel.
While the rotary encoders feel high quality, they are quite easy to turn, with light detents. I would prefer the thumb encoders to be slightly stiffer, making it harder to make accidental inputs, particularly when wearing gloves. They are stiffer than what you get on the Fanatec Formula wheels, but significantly lighter than those on the Cube Controls wheels.
Driving Experience:
At 275mm this wheel is primarily suited to formula-style cars. I would prefer a slightly larger diameter to have a little more versatility. While it is okay for GT cars, a larger diameter wheel would be ideal. This is because smaller wheels have less of a dampening effect on the steering system, resulting in a more agile but sometimes twitchy feel.
At 1.18KG including the optional paddles and Quick Release fitted, the XF1-Sport is quite light compared to many high-end wheels, which is particularly handy if you are on a lower-powered wheel base such as a Fanatec CSL DD or GT DD PRO. A heavier wheel can dampen the force feedback effects, but you will definitely not have that issue on this wheel.
The grips are a very nice smooth but grippy texture which I personally really appreciate. They are not the tacky style that you find on many wheels which can pick up dirt and debris very easily. There is a good amount of squish to them which makes for very comfortable driving. They are outstanding for use without gloves, and also work well with gloves.
The shifter paddles feel a little cramped to me, and my hands are not very big. So if you have particularly large hands, that could be an issue, but for most people I think you will get used to the shifter position just fine. Some adjustments to move the shifter paddle out from the wheel grips would be nice.
The buttons are positioned well and are very easy to use while driving. Thanks to the raised button shrouds, it’s also easy to feel the location of each button, which is great when you want to make quick adjustments without taking your eyes off the road, or for driving in VR. It would be nice if the rotary encoders were slightly stiffer for use with gloves.
The dash screens are really well thought out, and although you can’t customize your own screens, I think they’ve done a great job at giving you everything you need. I also appreciated the ability to make adjustments to LED brightness, optional paddle modes and clutch bite point from the wheel itself via a GUI rather than having to Alt_Tab out of the game to make adjustments in software.
Conclusions:
Above all I think where this wheel really shines is its ease of use and plug-and-play design. They’ve obviously spent a lot of time getting everything well-refined and it’s a joy to use as a result. The inbuilt dashes cover just about everything you need, with the only thing really missing being a leaderboard if that’s something you like on your wheel. and not having to mess around with SImhub for hours to get the dash and LEDs working was very appreciated.
Even in the looks department, I think this wheel does a really good job. It’s not over the top or toy-like in appearance. And while it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of some more expensive wheels, Its rather bootleg look actually feels quite authentic. Wheels in real-life race cars are often very similar.
For the jump in price from the Fanatec formula wheels for example, you really are getting a lot of added value with both functionality, build quality, and in my opinion appearance. When you then consider the price of something like the Cube Controls CSX-3, you can really see that the Leoxz XF1-Sport is very good value. In particular due to its ergonomics and design, if you are playing on PC and looking at the ideal wheel for F1 23, I think this is a very strong contender.
Has this review helped you decide that the Leoxz XF1-Sport is right for you? By purchasing from Race Anywhere using this link, a small commission from your purchase will come back to us to help support our work at no additional cost to you!
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