Some of our most frequently asked questions regarding Fanatec Sim Racing Gear are:
- What are the best Fanatec products for a starting point?
- What are the best value Fanatec products and bundles?
- Is Fanatec worth it?
- How does compatibility with different wheels and bases, as well as PC, PlayStation and XBOX work?
So let’s go through it all in detail, and take you through everything you need to know to make the right choices when it comes to buying Fanatec gear specifically.
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Where to start with Fanatec gear: READY2RACE Bundles
For someone new to sim racing, or upgrading to direct drive for the first time, browsing the Fanatec website can be a little overwhelming and there are many decisions you need to make before submitting your order. So here is my recommendation for if you want a everything you need to get up and running without the confusion of piecing together individual items.
The Ready2Race bundles are the best place to start. Starting at US$599.99 you’ll get pedals, a wheel, and the wheelbase. Which is everything you need, but there are still a few decisions to make when purchasing a bundle.
Note: Fanatec have been changing up their bundle options lately particularly when it comes to the inclusion of the new QR2 quick release. The prices mentioned here were correct at the time of writing this article and I will do my best to keep them up to date. But there is a chance prices may not match once you get the the Fanatec website.
1: 5Nm or 8Nm
The CSL DD provided in the Ready2Race is available with 5 Nm peak force or 8 Nm peak force with the upgraded power supply “Boost Kit 180”. You can purchase the Boost Kit 180 at any time if you decide down the track that 5Nm isn’t enough. At US$100 more for the same bundle with the Boost Kit, it’s a fairly significant cost, but will save you US$50 over deciding to upgrade down the track.
For me, the Boost Kit 180 is a worthwhile upgrade, which ads immersion and realism to the experience if budget allows. But the CSL DD at 5Nm still provides everything you need to have fun and drive fast.
2: Compatibility
All Ready2Race bundles are PC compatible, the Gran Turismo DD Pro bundles are PlayStation and PC compatible, and there are a couple of Xbox compatible bundles.
It’s important to remember that PlayStation compatibility comes from a security chip in the wheelbase. This means you can add any other Fanatec wheel or pedals to your collection and it will still work on PC or PlayStation.
Xbox compatibility comes from a security chip inside the wheel. This means you need to be on the lookout for Xbox compatible wheels if you want to add more to your collection and retain Xbox compatibility.
There is no other benefit to getting the PS or Xbox compatible bundles unless you particularly like the design of the Gran Turismo wheel or one of the Xbox compatible wheels.
3: Which Wheel?
If you aren’t sure, the cheapest bundle is an excellent choice because it comes with the most versatile wheel, the Fanatec P1 V2. At 300mm in diameter it is a great size to cover all bases. It will work fine for formula 1, be ideal for GT3, and as it is perfectly round will also be great for Rally and Drift. There is also the BMW Bundle which is essentially the same wheel with the BMW design. If you need Xbox Compatibility there is the WRC bundle which also has a round 300mm wheel but has alcantara grips rather than the rubberised material on the P1 and BMW.
The McLaren bundle with the GT3 style wheel is great value for GT and formula style driving, it is a little bigger than the F1 wheels and offers a huge set of features making it great for more complicated cars that you might want to make changes to brake bias, engine map, trigger DRS, etc. while mid-corner.
4: Extras
You are given the option to include the CSL DD Table clamp for US$29.95. This table clamp works really well, so if you are looking to drive from an office desk and don’t want to go down the dedicated cockpit path yet, this is something you will need.
On the same page you are offered the CSL Pedals Load Cell Kit. This is in an upgraded brake pedals which gives you more feel and accuracy in your braking. If you want to really hone in your skills and develop proper techniques, it is a worthwhile upgrade at US$139.95. Adding this kit to your order will free up the original brake pedal allowing it to be used as a clutch pedal.
At the time of writing this, it is no more expensive to buy the Load Cell Kit on it’s own down the track if you don’t want to worry about it for now.
5: Additional Wheels
You will need to choose a QR2 as the Ready2Race bundles come with the QR2 base side adaptor. Some wheels will have the option for the “QR2 Lite Wheel-Side” which is cheaper Carbon fibre-reinforced composite is still very sturdy and perfectly fine on the 5Nm or 8Nm wheel bases. You then have the Standard QR2 Diecast Aluminium which is what you need for their stronger wheel bases, so is somewhat unnecessary here, but does look nice. Then the QR2 Pro (which is US$199.95) is CNC Machined aluminium and meets FIA standards which is complete overkill but does look very nice.
Product Range and Compatability
Fanatec
CSL Range
This represents their “Entry Level” or “Budget” options, although it should be noted that this range is still quite a step up from the entry-level offerings from competitors such as Logitech and Thrustmaster.
Fanatec
Clubsport Range
Consists of their mid-range gear which offers a significant upgrade from the CSL range across the board. With the new technology introduced in the ClubSport DD and DD+ Wheel Bases, they are now the top performing wheel bases in the Fanatec Range.
Fanatec
Podium Range
Consists of Fanatec’s high-end equipment. This range is rapidly expanding, with a good selection of wheels available, however no pedals just yet, and the Podium DD1 and DD2 wheelbases are somewhat outdated now.
You can mix and match your gear from any of the Fanatec ranges, meaning a Clubsport Steering Wheel will work with a CSL Wheelbase for example via the universal Quick Release system which is present throughout all three tiers. Any Fanatec pedal set can be used in conjunction with any Fanatec Wheelbase and steering wheel.
If you are after a specific style of steering wheel, you may find it is only available in one product range. For example the Formula style steering wheels are all in the clubsport range and there is no option for a cheaper CSL range formula wheel.
Fanatec Console Compatibility
Importantly, across Fanatec’s range, PlayStation compatibility is achieved through the wheelbase itself, whereas XBOX compatibility is achieved through the wheel you attach, so when you see “XBOX Ready”, it means you need to attach an XBOX compatible wheel for the wheelbase to work with XBOX. Likewise when you see “PS Ready”, it means you need to use the wheel with a Playstation-compatible wheel base for it to work with PS4 / PS5.
Best Picks from the Fanatec CSL Range:
CSL Wheel Bases:
Aside from the discontinued belt-driven CSL Elite wheel bases which offer a great experience if you can find one second-hand, there are two current wheel base options in the Fanatec CSL Range. The Fanatec CSL DD and the GT DD Pro. These direct-drive wheel bases are essentially the same as each other however the GT DD Pro offers Playstation compatibility. Both have 5Nm of peak torque as standard or can be upgraded to 8Nm with the Boost Kit 180.
The CSL Direct Drive wheel bases have several benefits over the older belt-driven units which give you good value for the additional cost. Most noticeably Direct Drive wheel bases are almost silent in operation compared to the rattling and clunking of belt or cog driven bases. There is also a significant increase in the fidelity of force feedback getting to your hands as there are fewer moving parts that could dampen the details of force feedback.
CSL DD – Direct Drive Wheel Base
The CSL DD offers far superior performance to the discontinued CSL Elite models that pop up from time to time in the second-hand market and cheaper entry-level cog-driven wheels like the Logitech G923.
It offers 5 Nm of peak torque with the standard power supply and 8 Nm of peak torque with the optional Boost Kit 180. If you opt for the 5Nm option, you will not be missing out on much when it comes to force feedback detail, and more strength will not necessarily make you drive faster. This makes the 5Nm CSL DD a great starting point as you have the option to upgrade it to 8Nm with the Boost Kit 180 if you think a little more strength is needed.
Even at 8Nm, if you get really serious about sim racing you may find you want more power, but for many people, the CSL DD with Boost kit 180 will offer plenty of power to give a detailed and immersive experience.
GT DD Pro
Mechanically identical wheel base to the CSL DD with the addition of PlayStation compatibility, bringing Direct Drive technology to the PlayStation ecosystem natively under $1000 US Dollars for the first time. The GT DD Pro is available as a bundle with the CSL Pedals and Gran Turismo Licensed wheel. As with the CSL DD, it is available with the standard power supply providing 5NM of peak force or the Boost Kit 180 for 8NM of peak force.
The CSL DD and GT DD Pro offer outstanding value for money, particularly with Fanatec’s Current deals:
CSL Pedals:
There are three models of pedals within the CSL range. The CSL pedals, the older CSL Elite Pedals, and the new CSL Elite V2 Load Cell Pedals. The latter utilises a Load Cell brake pedal and magnetic hall effect sensors for clutch and throttle. The CSL Pedals and older CSL Elites both have optional Load Cell upgrade kits.
We recently tested the new CSL Elite V2 pedals and were really excited by the huge upgrade from the original pedal set. They provide a very authentic feel that can rival much more expensive pedals and have become one of our favourite value-for-money bits of Fanatec gear!
Good quality pedals are the most important bit of gear for improving both speed and consistency, so this is the one thing you want to spend more on if you can above all other components, including your wheel and wheelbase.
The CSL Pedals are a great start if you are looking at the cheaper bundles, they also offer a load cell upgrade kit which is a valuable upgrade. But if your budget can extend to the CSL Elite V2 Pedals you will be very satisfied for a long time as you progress with your Sim Racing.
Fanatec CSL Elite V2 Load Cell Pedals – DETAILED REVIEW
For a long time, the Fanatec CSL Elite V2 pedals were widely regarded as the benchmark for best value load cell pedals in sim racing.
Fanatec CSL Elite Porsche Vision GT Wheel – Detailed Review
Today we’re taking a detailed look at the new Fanatec CSL Elite Porsche Vision GT steering wheel, a real-life incarnation of the wheel found in
Fanatec CSL DD Review 2025: Is It Still the Best Entry-Level Direct Drive Wheel Base?
When the Fanatec CSL DD launched, it redefined expectations in the entry-level direct drive segment. Offering up to 8Nm of torque with the optional Boost
CSL Wheels:
Fanatec has a huge range of wheels for various driving styles including some great value versatile round wheels such as the CSL Steering Wheel P1 V2. This wheel in particular is a great place to get started before entering into some more specialised (and expensive wheels).
Best Picks From The Fanatec ClubSport Range
Clubsport Wheelbases:
There are now three wheel bases in the ClubSport Range, the ClubSport Wheel Base v2.5 which has been discontinued but could be a good find in the second-hand market, and the newly announced Fanatec Clubsport DD and DD+ wheelbases.
The Clubsport DD 12Nm Direct Drive Wheelbase and Clubsport DD+ 15Nm Playstation Compatible Wheelbase offer a significant boost in power over the CSL range but also host some interesting new technology that provides even more detailed feedback to your hands. Check out our first look at these wheel bases to get a good idea of what you can expect. However, the new FullForce Force Feedback Protocol has not yet been fully implemented. We will have a detailed review of these products once it is.
Clubsport Wheels:
This is where your choices open up. Fanatec offers a huge variety of different wheels within the ClubSport range depending on your needs and budget.
The most important question to ask yourself here is what style of driving you intend to do primarily. For Drifting and off-road, Rally, etc, a round wheel is necessary to allow you to easily slip the wheel through your hands. A round wheel also offers the most versatility in terms of the types of cars you can drive. There is no problem driving a GT or Formula style car with a round wheel, but if you try to drift with a Formula wheel, you’re in for a bad time. So if your selection is limited to one wheel, give this some consideration.
The size of the rim will also be important as the leverage it creates will impact the handling of the car significantly. A larger rim will dampen the Force Feedback effects as well. With this in mind, my opinion is that 300mm is the ideal rim diameter for versatility. Much smaller becomes too twitchy for GT, Street Cars, Rally etc. and much bigger becomes too dampened for high downforce formula-style cars.
This makes the new Fanatec Gran Turismo DD Extreme wheel the most versatile in the ClubSport Range. But unfortunately it is only available in the bundle package with the DD+ Wheelbase.
Other than the DD Extreme wheel, you have the option of stepping up to 320mm with the ClubSport Steering Wheel RS, or down to the 270mm ClubSport Round 1 V2.
Formula Style Wheels
If you’re also looking at a Formula Style wheel, It’s hard to go past the ClubSport Formula Steering Wheel V2.5.
The Formula V2.5 includes an OLED display for easier menu navigation and telemetry display as opposed to the Formula Carbon’s triple seven-segment display, but more importantly, adds rotary encoders which are a game-changer when driving any car that requires frequent adjustment to settings such as ERS, Engine Maps, Fuel Trim, Brake Bias, Differential Bias, etc. The ClubSport Formula V2.5 can also be upgraded with the Podium Advanced Paddle Module, which replaces the factory spring-loaded microswitch shifters with 4 hall effect sensor magnetic switches and two analog paddles.
ClubSport Pedals:
As with the Elite range, the ClubSport Pedal range consists of one primary model, the ClubSport Pedals V3. This was my first set of Fanatec Pedals and I absolutely love them. They offer a 90KG load cell brake pedal, as well as hall effect sensor throttle and clutch pedals for great sensitivity and reliability.
In addition, there is also an inverted model available which hangs the brake and clutch pedals from the top. This more accurately simulates the characteristics of real-life cars which are often configured this way, but in my experience, I find that as long as your seating position is set up correctly, there is not a whole lot of difference between the two. Conversely, if you’re sitting at a desk or using a wheel stand with a more upright seating position where you need to use your ankles rather than thighs to depress the pedals, inverted pedals can be difficult to use.
In addition to the base pedals, Fanatec also offer a “Brake Performance Kit”, as well as a hydraulic damper kit that can be added to either the brake or throttle pedal to give a more realistic feel as well as more adjustability.
In my experience, the Brake Performance Kit is a must, and for relatively low cost is a no-brainer. However the Damper Kit is a harder sell. I didn’t find it really added anything significant over the top of the Brake Performance Kit, and while it did feel nice on the throttle, I found it added a slight delay to the pedal retraction when lifting off. This impacted my throttle accuracy despite being on the lowest setting.
So my recommendation here for most people would be to get the standard V3 pedals with the Brake Performance Kit.
ClubSport Bundles
The Gran Turismo DD Extreme includes a 300mm round wheel designed in conjunction with Polyphony to provide seamless integration with Gran Turismo. It is also the most versatile wheel from Fanatec and is well-suited to just about any driving style you can think of. This makes it an interesting choice even if you do not play Gran Turismo. The wheel is not available to purchase individually.
The ClubSport Racing Wheel F1 Bundle introduces a Special Edition F1 Licensed version of their ClubSport Formula wheel. The differences are the F1 logo and colour scheme, the PlayStation button caps, and the removal of the vibration motors in the wheel. This has been done because the wheel is only available as a bundle with the DD+ which will have FullForce. This should make the vibration motors redundant.
ClubSport Racing Wheel F1® + CSL Elite V2 Ready2Race Bundle
Current Price
Have our Fanatec reviews helped you decide what the best sim racing gear is for you?
Please consider using the links on this page to make your purchase.
By doing so you’ll be supporting Boosted Media at no additional cost to you! This option is available for a huge range of Sim Racing gear.
Best Picks From The Fanatec PODIUM Range
Fanatec Podium Wheel Bases:
Fanatec offers two Direct Drive wheel base models in their Podium Line-up, the DD1 and the DD2, and have previously had a PlayStation-compatible version of the DD1 which was sold as a bundle with a limited edition formula wheel. Note that the standard DD1 and DD2 are not PS compatible.
While initially, the DD1 used a different motor to the DD2, the design was later revised and the DD1 adopted the same outrunner motor as used in the DD2, albeit with restricted torque output.
The DD1 offers a Peak Torque of 20NM, whereas its bigger brother offers a Peak Torque of 25NM. Other than peak torque, the only other differences are in the finer details and cosmetic differences. The DD2 offers an extended 5-year warranty which may or may not be worth considering depending on your local consumer protection laws, as well as an external emergency cut-off switch (which can be purchased separately for use with a DD1).
In my experience, the 20NM offered by the DD1 is more than enough for the vast majority of people. Most real-life race cars don’t exceed around 12-14NM of torque through the steering under normal driving conditions (not crashing), so really the choice is yours. If the additional warranty, torque, and cut-off switch are worth the extra cost, go with the DD2, otherwise, my recommendation is the DD1. Remembering of course that you’ll need the PlayStation compatible DD1 variant if you’re wanting to use it with a PlayStation. Podium Direct Drive Wheel Base DD1 :
Fanatec Podium Racing Wheels:
In addition to the Podium Racing Wheels, Fanatec also offers a Podium Hub, which lets you connect your own third-party steering wheel with a 50.7mm or 70mm PCD.
The Porsche 911 GT3 R wheel remains a solid option, but the standout in Fanatec’s flagship line is now the BMW M4 GT3 Podium Wheel. This is the exact same, FIA-approved homologated wheel used in the real-world BMW M4 GT3 race car, coming off the same production line as the wheels installed in GT3 cars. At 310mm, it sits right in the sweet spot for GT-style racing and carries an unmistakably premium feel thanks to its forged carbon construction, IP65 dust and water resistance, and rubberized grips
Podium Steering Wheel BMW M4 GT3
Current Price
- 308mm GT style wheel
- Ergonomic button layout
- Customisable button backlighting
- Well placed thumb encoders
- Forged carbon construction
- Push/pull magnetic shifters
- 1″ OLED display
Shifter:
I have personally used a Fanatec Shifter SQ v1.5 on my sim rig for many hours of racing. Sure there are other more high-end products out there, but I personally love the versatility it provides by being able to switch between sequential and H-Pattern shifting modes on the fly with the flick of a lever. It can also be directly connected to your Fanatec wheel base for ease of set-up, or via USB with an optional adapter.
On the subject of shifters, for those who aren’t happy with the performance of the factory spring loaded shifters that ship with most ClubSport wheels, the ClubSport Magnetic Paddle Module is now available as an optional accessory, giving us a cheaper alternative to the Podium Paddle Module. This offers the same quality and feel of the more expensive Podium Paddle Module, but removed the additional paddles and analogue inputs for those who don’t need or don’t wish to pay extra for the additional functionality.
Handbrake:
Fanatec’s ClubSport Handbrake V2 marks a significant leap over the older V1.5, introducing a precision load cell–based system that delivers far more nuanced, force‑based input—ideal for rally or drifting enthusiasts who need accurate modulation of braking force.
The unit is built with a sturdy cast aluminum chassis, offers minimal flex, and can be mounted vertically, horizontally, or alongside the Fanatec shifter, depending on your cockpit layout . It’s pleasantly adjustable, allowing you to tailor preload, lever angle, and travel making it one of the best natively compatible handbrakes for Xbox and PlayStation users—but PC users without a Fanatec wheel base must purchase a separate Fanatec USB adapter to connect it .
Have our Fanatec reviews helped you decide what the best sim racing gear is for you?
Please consider using the links on this page to make your purchase.
By doing so you’ll be supporting Boosted Media at no additional cost to you! This option is available for a huge range of Sim Racing gear.
