An Honest Review Of The Thrustmaster TS-XW Sim Racing Wheel

[@Doge36064]

i swear you are so underrated keep it up i hope you get the views you deserve!!

[@PutsOnSneakers]

Your swearing has cost you -10 points for your request to access heaven. Keep swearing and I wont cancel the reservation I've made for you in hell.

[@profitpluto]

Agreed

[@TheCarDoc1]

You guys are far too kind 🥹

[@slaphead90]

I went from a TS-PC (same wheelbase essentially) to a Simucube 2 Pro, and while, yes, the Simucube is better, it's not a night and day improvement. Knowing what I know now I'd still be happy with just the TS-PC.

[@Darchful]

With 25,6NM you don't notice a difference? So you have the unit wrongly adjusted.

[@75yomu]

@@DarchfulDid you even read the comment? He said there’s a difference but not “night and day”.

[@kondor99999]

I “upgraded” from a TSXW to a CSL-DD 8nm, and tbh the TSXW is just as good, just a bit less powerful. The only place where the DD is much better is in drifting. The wheel pretty much counter steers itself, which isn’t exactly realistic. You have to add so much dampening to the DD that it starts to feel like belt drive again!

[@andyr421]

I own this wheelbase and im impressed. I think its a very good option for getting a bit deeper into sim racing.

[@Enjoy2Ride250]

How does it hold up?

[@andyr421]

No problems so far So i would say its pretty durable

[@saffakanera]

Great video, doc, the technology is matured, it's built like a tank, I'm a fan of buying the best and last revisions of the old (All the kinks worked out and updated hardware wise, so reliability is greatly increased) vs buying into the "new" kid on the block (Direct Drive). When Logitech and Thrustmaster release their second Direct Drive iterations, I'll start having a look.

[@tednicholl7025]

What a terrific review and pretty spot on in my opinion. Coming from a T300 a year ago, purchased a used TS-PC Racer from Amazon and what showed up was a very old, used and filthy T300, older than the one I already had! Amazon refunded me and I decided to go for a NEW TS-XW Racer instead so I have warranty and can guarantee I'll get what I paid for. It cost me $500 Canadian for the wheelbase alone. Already having Sim Jack Pro pedals, USB shifters, a few Thrustmaster wheels and a simple but modified wheel stand, I didn't want to go with direct drive costing a lot more money in the end. Plus the fact that if I need a replacement I can get one locally and don't have to send my wheelbase away for potentially months on end. To me it made more sense and 6.2Nm is plenty of force for most people, myself included. Direct Drive has its' merits for sure with the smoothness, detail, power etc. But where do we draw the line? I'm thrilled to have one of the best belt drive wheelbases (with enough detail that I feel no reason to upgrade even though there's better) and now have six wheels to change between including my T300 rim on a generic 3D printed screw hub, T300 button box hub used with a custom Duralumin GT3 rim, deep dish 350mm round, Ferrari SF1000, Ferrari 488 GT3 and EVO Racing 32R Leather. Staying at this level allows for so much more attainable upgrades such as wind sim, pedal haptics, button boxes etc. ZERO regrets. Again, great review, I've seen a bunch, Liked and Subscribed. Cheers

[@alozzola]

And you just sold me on this. This is my first and I didn’t want to go cheap due to wheel lag input but also not over the top as I don’t need that. I love this it’s perfect in the middle and has changeable wheels. I think I’m going to get the metal pedals for more strength and durability too

[@TheCarDoc1]

It's a fantastic wheelbase!

[@alozzola]

@@TheCarDoc1 may I ask if you recommend buying and third party quick release attachment? Or stick with what is given in the box and it’s reliable enough?

[@huestom]

The quality of your videos man, wow, you have a bright future !!

[@HelmutSenpai]

Got mine for $340 new open box, I’m just waiting for the tm open wheel. It’s gonna be perfect with my TLCMs. Upgrading from a TMX, so I’m super excited. This video helped me make my decision, love the videos! You can keep this sub 👍

[@TheCarDoc1]

Thanks for the lovely comment, I glad I could help!!

[@mattswain9174]

I just ordered mine and i'm upgrading from a tmx as well, if you've recieved your open wheel, would love to know what you think of the difference between the two!

[@HelmutSenpai]

@@mattswain9174 nice! I’ve loved every second of racing EVEN MORE since the upgrade. The level of detail on the road and ffb strength has made me even more consistent. Very happy with the set up, racing is so much more enjoyable now! You’re gonna love it!

[@chrisdeyo5392]

I ordered and received my tsxw base, I have been waiting weeks for the 383 wheel. I also have the tlcm pedals, I'm currently using the tmx patiently waiting on my new wheel. Did you notice a big difference from the tmx to the tsxw.

[@khabsss]

Bought one used pedals wheel and base for 430. Coming in this week, first time trying sim racing too :D Your video quality and content is amazing. Earned my sub

[@TheCarDoc1]

Thank you!! I appreciate it! More coming soon :-)

[@Bhavlina]

Great editing and passion! You are definitely under rated. x

[@billcranston3882]

I have this wheel with the Sparco P310 and T3PA pedals (bleh). I just placed an order earlier today for the Simagic Alpha Mini and GT4 wheel. After watching this video I had a tinge of buyer's remorse, but a few things not touched upon in this video made me realize it is worthwhile to upgrade to DD: * the wheel itself is ok. The buttons aren't great. The paddles are loud and have a mushy engagement. The 31cm size is nice imo. * the wheelbase is loud. The fans are almost always on when you are driving. * the QR system isn't really QR. Also for me the wheel becomes loose after a few hours of use. Buying an aftermarket locking mechanism and using thread tape around the part the wheel screws onto solved this. * the belts do "move" inside the base as different FFB effects are applied - this can be a bit distracting as you feel the "thumping" of the belts and cogs as they operate. * belt-driving wheelbases are notchy. Good video otherwise. The conclusion to buy this used is I think correct, but otherwise there is better value in getting a lower end DD wheelbase,

[@TheCarDoc1]

Agreed, its a great used purchase but not brand new in this age of ever cheapening DD wheels! Thanks for your comment!

[@SIPEROTH]

@@TheCarDoc1 I know you said brand new is not a good deal but i got the same set as the user above brand new for 620 euro(euro to dollar right now are pretty close so is like 635-640 dollars) with taxes and shipping all included. I live in a small island in the middle of nowhere on planet earth, everyone throws shipping at me, sometimes shipping cost more than the products so even used i might have payed like 50 or more for shipping so bare that in mind, not to mention import taxes. So basically if i found it 400 used you can still at another 120 minimum at cost. So bare all that in mind do you think i still made a bad decision of getting it brand new for that price or due to my conditions is rather a good purchase?

[@0AFonseca]

2020 wheel* actually instead of 2004. That Ferrari wheel you talked about.

[@jhallock]

Thinking of picking up this kit for my XBOX Series X, any owners on XBOX that can share any feedback please? Curious if all the buttons are supported on ACC and F1 22 or not. Want to use left foot braking with the clutch pedal and be able to customize the feel of that pedal as well, I'm assuming you can use the included brake pedal rubber adapter on the clutch pedal as well? Thanks

[@arkashrampadarath9118]

Always love watching your videos. Sadly I can't afford a good wheel at the moment.

[@TheCarDoc1]

Thanks man I do appreciate that, I hope you can in future! I may do a giveaway at some point soon so keep your eyes peeled :)

[@arkashrampadarath9118]

@@TheCarDoc1 Many thanks brother. Would be awesome 👌

[@kaiomfanfarraum]

straight to the point... excellent vid.. I just miss the info about the pedals in comparisson with moza´s (R5) and other mid range wheels

[@tonyyimbo]

Just got another sub my brotha , great content and good energy !

[@TheCarDoc1]

Thanks so much 😊

[@philclarke7712]

This review is spot on. I have one. But having just seen the first review of the T818, I'm sorry, its gonna have to go!

[@TheCarDoc1]

I will be reviewing a T818 very soon :D

[@philclarke7712]

@@TheCarDoc1 sweet!

[@steveybiggunzgaming8118]

I wouldn’t call the tsxw their flagship, but the best one they have on Xbox, while the tgt2 is their best on PlayStation. That red tho, I like it alot

[@xXxBo5sANaCxXx]

Its amazing wheel/base combo, i dont feel like upgrading as i have noodle arms

[@jn1211]

lol i stg my new wheel has started giving me muscle mass because of that extra ffb strength

[@TheCarDoc1]

This is the thing, the wheel has enough power to keep most entertained, 6nm is pretty decent!

[@neocai90]

I feel like I am a idiot that I just purchased the TS-XW bundle for around $1200 here. now I am gonna sell it and buy a DD system instead 😢

[@Donesyboy]

Love my TSXW! It even works great in Gran Turismo 7 on PS5 (w/ DriveHUB) I'm just waiting for the T818 to come out in the US 🤞🏿🤞🏿

[@proxybedrivin]

Just replaced my modded g920 with this. And let me tell you, what a difference. Glad to have pucked it up as these are a little harder to come by rn

[@proxybedrivin]

Still looking for that sparco wheel!

[@poppahomage7492]

the r383 ?@@proxybedrivin

[@vlodeck1]

Thrustmaster TS-XW noisy fan. I changed the factory fan to NOCTUA 40mm NF-A4X10 FLX 5V. It's good.

[@realkodeman]

Just subbed! Great videos

[@Ankhrea]

"We don't use these wheels based on how good they look" Me with my Ferarri F1 racing wheel:

[@TheCarDoc1]

Amen brother 🤣

[@andymcguigan7238]

Im updating to this wheel from a thrustmaster TX , probably use the ts-pc for a bit then go onto direct drive once i get thr funds happy sim 🏎️🏎️🏎️

[@gutzu265]

My t300 just died. Managed to get one of these wheels (no pedals) for 330

[@daviddewin7398]

ur so underrated bro

[@TheCarDoc1]

Thanks David you’re too kind 😀

[@LeMamour]

This wheel look so Nice, i bought the t248 last year. i am thinking about future upgrade, between the Ts'xw or the T818. The only downside is that im used to change the settings on the fly directly on the t248 screen.

[@benc_9838]

Have you upgraded your wheel yet I’m also looking to upgrade from the t248 wheel

[@NachoRacingTV]

Great video bro! New sub!

[@TheCarDoc1]

Thanks a lot :)

[@SerialDriver]

First, this is not their flagship of belt drive, the tgt2 is. Second they are just late on revealing their DD. No doubt they will stop high end belt after they release their DD. Third and most important it makes no sense in 2022 to buy a brand new high end belt drive. Either you are new, just want to tey a first wheel and you buy something cheap. Or you go directly to DD

[@TheCarDoc1]

Exactly, which is why I say this should be a used purchase really in this age of DD 😊

[@stalliondan1]

Or you still want to play on console with the TM ecosystem.

[@alec7568]

I've had one of these for a few years now and I love it. However someone recently crashed into my real life car so I'm going to fix it myself and use the insurance money to get a better wheel for my pretend car

[@TheCarDoc1]

Damn, hope your car fixes up well!! What wheel are you planning on getting?

[@alec7568]

@@TheCarDoc1 it's just a modest car so it will survive and troop on. I've just ordered a moza direct drive base with their formula wheel and a normal wheel rim. I'm so excited.

[@Esprits4s]

Great review, thanks!

[@TheCarDoc1]

Thanks Gary!

[@lukewaidmann3678]

Again, good content.

[@ChrisAssogna]

Hey mate I currently use a tx base and sf1000 wheel and tlcm pedals, looking at goint to csl dd fanatec or this TS-XW Base? any advice?

[@dwaynewalstrom7588]

I bought a Thrustmaster (forgot the model), and it crapped out on me in two days. With "quality" like that, I'll stick with my Logitech until I can afford a Fanatec setup. To be fair, it was a decent, smooth-driving wheel.

[@TheCarDoc1]

Thats a shame that you had that experience, as its a decent wheel, but yeah fanatec is next level!

[@levro7367]

I've had a my tx for 7 years still going

[@terry9468]

Hi, what monitor harm are you using. What a great ideal to use with a wheel stand. Can you send me a link to it please. Many thanks

[@xenonny]

how it is in comparison to Cammus DD? is the difference vs DD really so huge? I've just got my hands on TS-PC for 440$ new, just wondering if upgrading it to DD is worth the price.

[@lil_lemonade_03]

Yea it is

[@poppahomage7492]

no it's not @@lil_lemonade_03

[@Motorsportvidsyt]

Got mine for 540€ used with pedals and wheel good price??? (It was hardly used)

[@Swift41]

i get mine tommrow im upgrading from a g29 hope its worth it lol

[@TheCarDoc1]

It totally is worth it! You’ll enjoy it for sure 😁

[@xenonny]

how it is compared to g29?

[@loganwhite6173]

It's def worth. I just did this upgrade. Huge improvement in my opinion. I love my tsxw

[@Swift41]

@@xenonny really good i really i thought it was going to be shit but being able to catch a slide is next LVL and this can do it.. I don't think I will upgrade for a long time there no need and all i play is acc in gt3 cars so it works good for that and I've seen people use this for drifting some of the best YT drifters use this

[@tigerbalm666]

$700+tax= $770...OUCH! I just ordered Moza R5 fuill setup for $560 total cost....

[@thedistractedcanadian4355]

Does anyone know the bolt pattern of the 6 bolts on the rim

[@jn1211]

on a side note with the thrustmaster line, the compatibility of the tgt2 is kind of atrocious on pc. I've resigned myself to using my drivehub to play certain games. thankfully the ffb translation is absoluty perfect so i don't really mind missing out on a few buttons on the wheel because they aren't on the t500[the wheel the drivehub is emulating in my situation]

[@TheCarDoc1]

Oh really! I did not know that!

[@jn1211]

@@TheCarDoc1 I actually refunded automobilista 2 the other day because it was just way too much bs to get setup as a custom controller. I remembered I had the drivehub which i got when forza horizon 4 came out and never used lol. i just threw on project cars 2 when i found the thing and it's working flawlessly, so I'm sure i could have played ams2 just fine. all that being said, with enough fiddling, I'm sure it'll work as a tgt2 with most anything but how much fiddling are you willing to do?

[@jn1211]

@@TheCarDoc1 in this never ending frustrating as hell search for a good modern day CARpg title had me even trying out Need for speed heat which now has wheel support..... the tgt2 plops hard even with the drivehub. granted, nfs is arcade as all hell, but i was hoping it could keep me entertained even just for a day. the fact that I just can't get the damn thing working imade me hit that uninstall button. I'll chalk this up to the game itself, but out of all the EA PLAY racing games I've tried, dirt rally 2.0 is the only game that WORKS like it should with the tgt2

[@SunriseSolutions-u5s]

I have tv so can I connect it with my console

[@Miguel-th3wx]

What do you mean apart from Thrustmaster? Thrustmaster is releasing their Direct Drive in nearly 2 Week.

[@60000L]

but its still not out yet, so the point still stands

[@mervyoung5397]

Is this a worthwhile upgrade from a Logitech G29 setup? I have an opportunity to buy this TS-XW with the Thrustmaster SF1000 Fearri wheel for a pretty good price, second-hand, and much cheaper than an entry level Fanatec CSL DD setup.

[@TheCarDoc1]

Yep, totally is! Its a completely different experience to a Logitech G29. The level of detail and realism will be a good jump, especially with an SF1000, which I also own!

[@mervyoung5397]

@@TheCarDoc1 Awesome! I'm sure I'll be happy with it. The G29 feels like a clunky toy! Lol!

[@mervyoung5397]

@@TheCarDoc1 I picked up the TS-XW yesterday, and WOW! What a major difference to my old G29! So much stronger FFB and finer details. So much quieter too! Love it!

[@andrea7696]

Does it work on xbox serie x? Will be a good choise spend this money as first set up?

[@Darchful]

I have a TS-XW, where recently, due to the rise in prices of things, I have decided to invest in some more steering wheel for the base. But I know that in the future I want to move to a DD, but is the change worth it?

[@poppahomage7492]

invest in pedals..

[@Darchful]

@@poppahomage7492Thank you, I currently have some TCLM, I'm considering investing in some ClubSport Pedals V3 or CRP MOZA.

[@Burnerisbrowsing]

The sf1000 is from there 2020 car... the ferrari sf1000.

[@PK_King1406]

Anyone knows how much torque has thrustmaster tmx pro? I can't find it anywhere and I want to know how big difference is between it and tsxw. It is weird that manufacturers tell us only about how much torque has DD wheel, not other

[@TheCarDoc1]

I believe it has 2NM, so the TSXW will feel like quite a jump 😊

[@poppahomage7492]

More like 8@@TheCarDoc1

[@_hopg_2587]

Should I upgrade my g923 on this one? Is it still good in 2024?

[@TheCarDoc1]

If its bought used, yes, otherwise there are better options

[@levro7367]

My one is only a few weeks old and feels clunky and not smooth

[@Lacrosse78]

Hej Simracers. Because literally Nobody (in the reviews I found) is mentioning the loud noise of the fan at the rear of the TS-WX, I must have a faulty new one... The fan during a race is louder than my whole PC running full power. Or everybody is wearing headphones with loud enough game sounds and don't hear the fan 🤔 Is yours also noisy or whisper silent during and after a race or after plugin the USB cable to the PC?

[@TheCarDoc1]

Not whisper silent but certainly no noticeable fan noise 😅

[@TheCarDoc1]

Sounds to me that you may have a faulty device!

[@Liuc98]

Is the Fanatec dd pro better?

[@driftingbrandonc.6480]

Yes

[@GTPressure]

I’d this wheel better than the tgt 2?

[@mikeprime81]

It's the same but the tgt2 is for pc and playstation, ts-xw is pc and xbox

[@dudeitsgood]

Has anyone figured out the loss of ffb mid race while being on the latest firmware, or should I just throw mine out?

[@joeyr8740]

Late response, but it could be due to heat If the motor gets to hot it, the system will give it less voltage to protect the motor By lowering the feedback to 80% should fix it

[@dudeitsgood]

@@joeyr8740 hey, thanks for responding. Found out the Amazon seller shipped me the 240v EU version to my North American address instead of the 120v NA version. It just required way more power than our outlets are rated for so would cut out. I returned it and ordered directly from Thrustmaster who sent me the correct one. Been working like a charm ever since. Thanks for following up.

[@joeyr8740]

@@dudeitsgood nice, very happy for you that it was just that simple Btw, can you help me? I want to buy the TS-XW But I need to know how much cm/inch the base servo bit takes up in depth I want to mount it on my desk, with I reinforced so it could take the 6NM But my monitor needs to fit behind, thats why I need to know the depth when clammed

[@dudeitsgood]

@@joeyr8740 just the base is 9inches back to front. With the space wheel it’s 13inches total depth. Let me know if that helps!

[@conorsheridan2998]

I can either grab a moza r5 or this I’m split

[@TheCarDoc1]

I’ll be testing a Moza R5 very soon so I can let you know then. I think the FFB detail is very good with the TS-XW. As far as I can assume the R5 will be smoother, quieter and possibly provide smoother details. I dont think you’d notice the 1nm torque difference. If its new for new, go for the R5 in my opinion, if the TSXW is used and significantly cheaper, go for that!

[@ES-REDROT]

@@TheCarDoc1 what’s better now that have you used both steering’s wheels ?

[@exponentialbet6292]

Do yourself a favour if you're considering Thrustmaster, just skip the ecosystem completely, and especially a belt drive wheelbase. Save your money for something better if you can. The new TM DD looks pretty, but it has poor button design, and mounting compatibility issues with most rigs, which about sums up TM for me. Good ideas, poor execution. That's my experience with their hardware. I had this wheelbase, and after the honeymoon period it just fell short on every front, noisy fan, weird clicking sounds, and then started developing other faults within just months of using it. The start up sequence itself is ridiculous. It literally throws the wheel left and right full lock and full blast. Forget trying to turn it on quietly at night if the kids or missus are asleep. Then there is that screw you need to tighten when changing the wheel. It's terrible. Do what you want of course, it's all subjective, and I'm not treading on this video or content, but with sim racing being so expensive already, don't waste your money on TM is my advice. Plan for long term instead, and it will save you time you should be spending on track racing, and money you will lose reselling your TM set up further down the line. That's my advice from an ex full ecosystem TM user, take it or leave it.

[@TheCarDoc1]

Sorry you had such a bad experience! A lot of people love thrustmaster, so theres certainly some good in it - it comes down to preference with a lot of things but I certainly wouldnt put them on the bottom of the pile, altho my TM DD arrives shortly so maybe i'll change my mind when it arrives 🤣

[@exponentialbet6292]

@@TheCarDoc1 I agree, definitely not bottom of the pile, but not much of an upgrade from the Logitech G29. My point is, if you can afford it skip the TM ecosystem. As it is very quickly outgrown due to its limitations and build quality. Like you rightly say it's subjective, and I formed my own opinion when I bought into it, but with hindsight I wish I'd skipped the TM phase completely. I'd have saved time and money. Btw, I used to have the NLR GT Track, it's a cool rig. You get a sweaty bum though after hours of racing on the PU leather. :-) I've recently got the NLR HP8 that's getting a lot of attention at the moment. If you haven't already I'd recommend getting one to review, but using Simhub instead of HPS software, it's very good when set up in SH. Take care, and thanks for the reply, good to see you read your comments. 👊

[@TheCarDoc1]

@@exponentialbet6292 thats a fair point, I appreciate constructive arguments that are via lived experience which you have! I actually released a video on the HF8 on launch day on my channel, its my latest upload haha 😅

[@exponentialbet6292]

@@TheCarDoc1 Haha there you go, you're on the ball. 👍 Just watched it, very good. Left a comment about Simhub usage. I wish you well with your new channel mate. I'm sure you will be a huge success.

[@NWA_1919]

Well yeah, if you can afford simucube and heusinkveld, you should skip all the cheap stuff like logitech, thrustmaster, fanatec, moza, etc. But tbf, they have a market for a reason.😆 The high-end stuff is pretty hefty investment, for someone that wants to start this hobby to see if they enjoy it.

[@jonnytoast]

😊😊😊😊

[@tibortatrai2318]

Does this worth £350?

[@TheCarDoc1]

Not in 2023 no

[@tigerbalm666]

It's fine for most casual racers.....but once you go DD....

[@verdisquo97_arts]

You don't go back

[@vlodeck1]

noisy fan

[@dieterronsberg5970]

If you`d just speak a little bit SLOWER, you might even get much more views from people outside the UK...... my english is normaly not too bad to understand almost any english spoken review here, but your motor-mouth gets me to my limits......

[@TheCarDoc1]

Fair point! Not the first time ive heard this.. i’ve attempted to slow down in my more recent videos

[@SunriseSolutions-u5s]

I have tv so can I connect it with my console