Fanatec CSL DD | Experienced Reviewer Tries Fanatec For The FIRST TIME!

[@AlexanderMielchen]

The small dots on the McLaren GT3 v2 are for the included stickers, marker to align them properly, it is a nice implementation of markers, as you cannot see them if you don't specifically look for them. A job well done by Fanatec.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

oh wow that's good to know! thanks man!

[@OGZxK1LL3R]

Had my V1 for years and always wondered what that was. Wish I knew then haha.

[@PhilH919]

I went from Logitech 923 to this setup and am very happy with it. I upgraded the shifters on the McLaren wheel to magnetic shifters, as I thought they were noisy and not very positive, this made it even better in my opinion. Lots of other wheel bases have come out since I got the CSL DD, but I'm happy with this one.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Yeah I think it's a great setup. An excellent upgrade from a G923

[@mattheweast5339]

Shifters on the McLaren GT3 wheel are magnetic.

[@BigBawMcGraw]

There should be a screw to tighten down the QR, which ironically takes the Q out of QR. Solves the rattling. Fiddle with the settings and you'll like the overall FFB. Had mine since its release and never had a problem with it.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Yeah I’m using that screw now. It only really needs to be used with the wrc wheel for me

[@88Nikoli]

No, it doesn't it still is quicker than removing a wheel on a car without a q.r. so it is still a relatively q.r. but nowhere near as quick as a real q.r. on a race car. Luckily, with a sim, the fire risk and danger of being hit by other cars doesn't really exist . Screw is better than the shaky wheel without it, though . I'm in no great rush to change wheels. Ten seconds more to loosen a grub screw ain't too bad compared to old days with one wheel bolted permanently and no replacements without making adapters yourself !

[@ag7891]

I've been pretty impressed with my mclaren wheel except for the plastic qr. Fanatec really needs to step up their game in this area!

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Yeah I got the metal QR but am trying to get my hands on the plastic QR too for comparison

[@wwjnz9263]

If there is anyone who'll rip the CSL-DD a new one, its you, Lawrence. I never thought you'd get one. Lets get into it! That chattering is definitely the QR1. I hear it a lot on one of my QR1s.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Hahaha yep. I’m excited about it. I need some fanatec experience

[@kszytok]

That firmware update issue is reoccurring for most users . I had it first time I update it and it cause a PTSD for me as I had terrible issues in the past with firmware update attempts fail . Thankfully restart helped .

[@seebarry4068]

I bought this McLaren wheel and an old csw 2.5 and i can't wait for them to arrive as an upgrade from my old faithful G29. I primarily race the FF1600 so i hope this will be a good fit.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

I’d prefer a round wheel for ff1600 but the McLaren is great too

[@seebarry4068]

@@LaurenceDusoswa I feel you Laurence and in time I will get one. Just knowing which way to go really. I suspect the next thing I'll look for is a universal hub. Baby steps though, everything I buy now is more expensive than the whole Logitech system 😆

[@seebarry4068]

@@LaurenceDusoswa you were correct Laurence, the McLaren while nice isn't an all round solution. Dirt rally was mildly terrifying. I need a round wheel.

[@seebarry4068]

​​@@LaurenceDusoswaI now have a p1. McLaren is great but not versatile.

[@michaelpickford7298]

I love the mclaren wheel so much that when I upgraded to a VRS base it was a no brainer to convert it to usb, hasn't missed a beat.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

yeah I can see why that's such a popular conversion now

[@michaelpickford7298]

@Laurence Dusoswa I've changed the magnetic shifters and added a custom skin, feels a custom wheel now for a fraction of the cost of anything else with it's functionality. Definitely better wheels out there but for a price.

[@phelanpritchardgaming6194]

I thought you had already done the first impressions of this and I watched it 😂 Maybe I'm loosing it in my old age😢 Hopefully there will be more Fanatec products coming your way for review. If the QR2 ever arrives I'll get the wheels I get sent straight to you for reviewing 👍🏻

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Hahaha thanks man. There will definitely be more fanatec products in future

[@phelanpritchardgaming6194]

@@LaurenceDusoswa hopefully with the QR2🤞🏻

[@JallyTee]

I now know why they put "my limit is a little bit further than others" it's a mantra for patience when you almost brick the base when loading new firmware haha, just kidding. This is why I like your reviews Laurence, you don't hide the issues you run into.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Hahaha yeah I’ll definitely highlight any issues I have along the way

[@jzmmm]

I just got one of these. Your wheel looks super wobbly. Mine's toit as a toiga.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

I used a fixed camera to film is and I HUNG off it. Also I wasn’t using the little screw in the QR

[@DanBlake3rd]

@@LaurenceDusoswa I've never used the extra bolt and my Fanatec wheels have no play in them. I have the think that something else is not tight. Also, if you go in the Fanatec forum, there are recommended settings for both the wheel and sim. If you begin here, your experience will be much better. Having 5 profile slots on the wheel makes changing between sims a snap.

[@Smartie40.]

I swapped from my DD1 to SC2 mainly for that knock when transfering quickly from one side to the other. Not doing the products donw here just giving feedback. It drove me mad, but I know a few people that it does not bother or who do not get the knock. But I think they either have a better fitting quick reliese or do the locking nut up very tightly.

[@l4x3rj]

I solved it with a piece of electrical tape in the groove on the shaft. Takes up the slack and eliminated the knock immediately. Zero interference with QR. that’s with the plastic hub tho

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Yeah it’s a bit annoying for sure. Not really a deal breaker for me

[@RonaldKools]

The new QR2 fixes that issue completely.

[@ScaRlaK319]

The comedic relief of your cat was amazing... lol But awesome informative video that i will definitely save and look at later when i need it.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Hahaha that cat loves her 5 seconds of fame 😂😂😂

[@user-yj2xo5oo1q]

I’m trying to play f1 with my friends and still wondering what I should get, great to see Fanatec finally has stock ❤

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

I'm not too familiar with F1 but I always say to people to buy the hardware you can afford

[@tunod-]

Problem is I can afford anything I want. But Im responsible with my money. Im not just looking at prices but also resale value, CS, country of production, etc.... I want to get into sim racing but almost anything is overpriced for what you get. Just look at the CSL DD that everyone praises even though it doesnt take much to realize youre being scammed.

[@Techn9cian123]

Got the csl dd 5nm, csl pedals and load cell bundle, WRC wheel, and next level racing wheel stand 2.0 all for about $1000 US. I’m only gaming on Xbox series X because I don’t have a pc and wish it had better wheel support.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Nice! Congrats!!!

[@richardsracingmad]

I got a DD 8nm, CSL P1 V2 wheel ( the no frills version of your no frills WRC wheel😂), and V3 pedals on the way from Fanatec😄. Upgrade from a trusty TM T150, can’t wait I’m busting!

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Nice! You’ll love it!

[@AlexanderMielchen]

Fantastic video, as always. The Fanatec ecosystem is great, and the CSL range is just pure value for money, especially the McLaren GT3 v2 wheel.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

I knew it was good value and I've used them loads. I thought that this was going to be a bit of a formality but honestly I see great value, good performance for the price point and an excellent option for those looking to get into direct drive.

[@garnettslick1458]

Great video bro keep it up 💯 💪 👌 👍

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Cheers

[@Krawallkind]

So happy that I decided to buy the Alpha Mini instead of the CSL DD :D

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

The alpha mini is a great buy

[@gulfcoaster210]

Gonna be quite the switch coming from the alpha u. I have the u and my buddy has the csl dd 8nm and I’m always surprised by the difference when I drive his rig. The alpha u is simply in a different universe.

[@JallyTee]

That's good to know, I'm considering the upgrade from my alpha mini to the alpha ultimate.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Yeah it’s a crazy crazy difference for sure. But also one that’s easy to over sell to people. It’s a difficult one to explain to people.

[@OhItsThat]

I always had issues when it came to updating drivers and FW on my CSW V2 and DD2. No such issues in the last 2 years with my SC2 Pro.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Nice

[@terencedunn]

Great first impressions video. I wonder how it will compare to my alpha mini. But come on, you should have cone all in and got some pedals. Lol. Thanks as always Lawrence

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

It’s not as good as an alpha mini. Definitely not. But great value still

[@trevz1048]

I'm happy with my csl dd good watch this thankyou oh and use that screw it's supposed to eliminate play

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Yep I have been using it since I filmed this video :) thanks for the commebt

[@trevz1048]

@@LaurenceDusoswa no worries 👍

[@adriancuevas1587]

Have had my csl dd with boost kit since it released and have had no issues other than the clamp for the shaft coming loose with vibration on wrc. Put some blue locktite and its been good.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Mine has been pretty ok so far

[@dennisblackie73]

Damn...I m watching any unboxing video of the base as I m waiting for mine to be delivered...cant fucking wait!!! I wanna see if I improve going to this from a g29...

[@he11sy]

just need to put the screw in, seems some of the QR are loose! I've had it for nearly a year now and going from a t500rs i had for 10 years it was night and day. Plus Fanatec have a page for all the settings for games. Just have a google!

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

the WRC has play without the screw but the GT3 V2 is pretty solid :D I do have the metal QR so that also helps

[@danielmalka8884]

I want to upgrade for dd the prices are valid for my country so please refer to the price . My options are: moza r9 and gs rim- 1114€ Simagic mini and gt4 rim- 958€ Logitech g pro 1100€ thank you for all the reviews

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

For me it’s the Simagic that wins. Good price. Great form factor and mounting options. Gt4 rim is really nice. I will be comparing them in the near future. You won’t be disappointed with any of them but Logitech doesn’t have wheel rim options right now.

[@danielmalka8884]

Thank you

[@MrMikap74]

I think you gonna like the fbb more after racing different styles of cars. For some reason, the CLS DD isn't as strong and detailed driving Formula cars in AC. I think you gonna love driving the Mercedes-Sauber C9 1989 for example.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Will give it a try. Some of those older cars have the ffb gain cranked right up though

[@derodge]

Fanatec has good products and support is Okay at best. But, if they don't get their supply chain straighten out. Moza is going to continue to eat their lunch!!! Plus, they could gain some of their market share back from true Sim racers, if they fix that ridiculous Quick Release!!! Thanks to you Laurence!!! I switched to simagic from Fanatec.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Yeah moza is really closing that gap. Excellent products

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

I’ll be getting one for review but only when they have their final production version ready

[@davidcupra4913]

What’s your thoughts on the Logitech g pro?

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

GREAT ffb. Really really good. a LOT better than the CSL DD. It just has a bit of a bulky form factor and it lacks steering wheel options.

[@supercededman]

I have both the DD Pro 8nm (with LC) and the G Pro. Two rigs, different locations. The G Pro's Trueforce is the biggest difference. As good as the DD Pro is, the Logitech is hands down better. The lack of wheel options MAY be an issue for some ppl, but Logi obviously designed the base WR with future wheels in mind. The standard wheel is very good, imo.

[@davidcupra4913]

@@supercededmanbought the gt dd pro happy enough with it. No wheel options was a big let down. For me with Logitech. I bought a butt kicker also.dd1 beats the Logitech Iv heard.

[@supercededman]

The DD1 is a level up from the DD Pro?

[@Eskoxo]

i guess i don't have either one but does f1 esports v2 not seem higher quality over this mclaren one for only $20 more?

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

I haven’t used or reviewed that so can’t comment on it unfortunately

[@Bmxchrome]

How is this compared to the Simmagic mini ? I can't decide what to get

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

If you can afford the mini, do it! It’s a step up from this

[@Bmxchrome]

I just saw the end where you mentioned the Alpha mini, lol. My bad ;D

[@wallyedmonds8199]

Mini

[@NSRT3954]

I received the Simagic Alpha Mini and GTS steering wheel I bought on Taobao on Thursday last week. I have played with them for about five days and they are really good. Greetings from Taiwan ❤ *Translation by Google Translate

[@mariozig1078]

Going from a Logitech wheel. Would you go for a fanatec or moza r5?

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

It depends. In the 5nm range I would go for the CSL DD as you can upgrade the power with a power supply in future. But you would be very happy with either one

[@MrKrampyHands]

I'm ready to see what you think of fanatec gear I almost went with this package but ended up going with MOZA R5 bundle with a added clutch hgp shifter which is good tier good an MD a cs wheel and a ebay handbrake but plan to get the hbp handbrake so my whole roof is Moza

[@danut05]

I have the same setup but with the original plastic QR on the GT3 wheel. On hard direction changes it does feel like something is loose inside the wheel... I did tighten that ring a lot. Will you post your settings for ACC and DR2 ? Thanks a bunch!

[@equi]

You said you had the boost kit but werent going to use it yet but then when driving you said it was the 8nm one - so you did connect the boost kit?

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Yep I ended up focusing on just the boost kit at 99% of owners end up upgrading anyways

[@equi]

@@LaurenceDusoswa gotcha. My 5nm kit comes monday. Im new to sim racing however and ive only ever used a logitech g29, which i sold after 1 use because i expected the wheel to be close to the size of an actual car hahaha. Nope, it felt tiny and like a toy. I just couldnt do. Being that i have no experience, im hoping the 5nm will be enough until i can sneak in another purchase that my wife disapproves of. We shall see.

[@PageCrowes]

How the sneak in purchase go my friend? I just did one myself. Do you like the wheel? Is 5nm enough for you?@@equi

[@equi]

@@PageCrowesid say that i could see myself liking a bit more but given that its the only one ive used, i havent been spoiled and therefore dont know what im missing. Overall i am pleased. Only downside is the plastic QR system - makes some creaking occasionally and has a slight bit of play. I will eventually upgrade to a clubsport wheel. Much better than the logitech.

[@PageCrowes]

@equi That dreaded play I noticed in the first 10 minutes of higher ffb in the corners going left to right. Noway, can I stand that for what I just paid. It's that silver slot on the shaft my friend. Just put a single layer of electrical tape on that slot and no more play. It will go away if we get the metal qr. I'm going to get the qr2 later on and do away the entire qr1 system. No slop or clicking with the tape there. Fanatec even says to put it there themselves. I was so upset with the purchase because of the slop I didn't want to play anymore, and I just got the gt dd pro with 8nm boost, Mclaren and wrc rims and load cell pedal. The tape picks up the tiny bit of slop in the channel on the shaft. Seems like a tolerance flow that was never fixed. It will be fixed when I update to the qr2, but it's expensive

[@jbeeches1]

Hi great video, getting first DD wheel what would you get Fan Dd or Moza R9 ? Cheers

[@tobiasfurst-n4d]

Hello if you want the best bang for the buck go with fanatec its much much cheaper and its a blast. If you dont look on money get the Moza they have expensive ahhh evosystem but they are great the only reason i would go for the moza is the fact that they have nicer GT style wheel then fanatec. But the CSL DD you have 8nm for 350$ if bought with any pedals of choice and any wheel of choice.

[@ncokicsi]

I have CSL DD 8nm + McLaren GT3 / Formula 2.5 (combined with VRS pedals), looking forward to your opinion whether/when it's worth going up to simucube/asetek/vrs 20nm bases. What should be considered.

[@azamat19]

I had the csl dd 8nm and "upgraded" to a simagic alpha mini. This was a huge upgrade in every possible way i can think. Much stronger and solid ffb, absolutely no flex and a far superior and much cheaper qr.

[@AndreMiguelLopes69]

If you want an upgrade, and don't want a DD1, you better went straight to Simucube Pro and call it a day.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Yes, 100% worth the upgrade if you can afford it

[@EvanKearns]

Shock horror they didn't send you the plastic QR 😂

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Hahaha I’m gonna borrow some :)

[@MrKrampyHands]

Lucky him they didn't want to look bad in a review that was my biggest deal breaker with Fanatec all e plastic included in most of the products it's literally the reason I went with Moza I feel like you get more for your money everything is made so well and next to no plastic and possibly the best QR in sim racing it's incredible

[@slavplaysgames]

So why pros use fanatec ? You .. a random knows better then champions bro shut t f up .. moza is bellow fanatec regarding everything ? ​@@MrKrampyHands

[@catnipherb]

19:54 You're not the only one that gets interrupted by kitty. 🐈 😂 Random Callsign, Sim racing corner, thea musante and Jonathan clifford all have the same problem as you!

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Cats love air time 😂😂😂

[@MrKrampyHands]

From what your saying in this video I'm very glad I went with Moza it does not rattle or make funny noises it's built to a level of quality that's unheard of at it's price point from what I have seen so far the QR on moza wheels is allot nicer as well the barrier to entry is higher but any mods and upgrade options are cheaper and nicer than the competing brand at similar price points like the cs wheel the one wheel that fanatec has the club sport rs cost $100 more than the cs and the fanatec is half plastic and there's no carbon fiber paddles the Moza cs is all metal and carbon fiber is a much nicer wheel and it cost less around 35-40 percent less in so let glad I got Moza instead the Fanatec is never in stock and my microcenter has Moza gear in stock and I get to you h and see it it was kinda a no breakfast

[@keyserni]

I avoid firmware updates at all cost and stick to Fanalabs. I run my screen just in front of csl dd, the chamfer of the unit gives you a bit more space to get screen really close.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

yeah hahahaha I knew there were dragons before I hit 'update'. I'll probably install a dash on this too soon

[@AndreMiguelLopes69]

I have a DD 1 since June 2020. Already update the base, the motor and the wheels firmware, maybe half a dozen times. Never had a issue !

[@AlexanderMielchen]

I do the oposite, I activaly look for updates and install them the second I see there is one. :D Never had an issue.

[@jentjedragonfly]

@@AlexanderMielchen Do you disconnect your pedals and steering wheel first or do you update it with pedals and steering wheel on it.

[@AlexanderMielchen]

@@jentjedragonfly everything connected

[@just_ppe]

So which one would be better - this or Moza R5 bundle?

[@Thomas_Aslaksen]

Just a litte info. I would never install new firmware while CCleaner is running. CCleaner have bricked alot of my equipment before. You should really just uninstall that spyware. Other than that wonderful vid. Love from Norway

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Yeah good point. It could be the cause here

[@shadesshutter]

When recording videos try and use double the shutter speed compared to the fps 24 try and stick with 1/50 30fps do 1/60, if this is too dark up the iso of course, If your scene now is overexposed take down the iso to the lowest and then up your aperture. This will give you better motionblur and make the video feel less "jittery" in the movement. I'm very picky but it was the first thing I noticed when I started watching.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Yep I suck at settings. Thanks for the tips

[@GoSu2KL]

in my case run fanatec as administrator solve problems when updating firmware like everything is ok and when normal run sometimes weird things happen

[@slaphead90]

Splat is always welcome.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Hahah she literally adds colour to my videos

[@zeekalcibar4875]

What would you recommend for ps5 bc it’s very limited and sometimes 100 to 200 more than Xbox for the same product

[@taxi615]

You get the power supply you order so boost or no boost thats all. I've been running this for 5 or 6 months but I have an Alpha on the way. It's good but being locked to Fanatec is a pain. Also in Canada Fanatec is no were near a budget option it's actually more expensive to get this with a gt3v2 wheel than what I paid for the Alpha and gt1 wheel. The value is in the US and Euro market anywhere else I would buy something else with all the options since they released this DD. The software is a pain to use. I think Fanatec is a tad overhyped and are being outclassed by almost every company the lack of new stuff or innovation is clear. If they didn't dominate for years they wouldn't be doing as well. Just my opinion I expect some fanboy hatred but that's my view on a user moving away from them.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

great comment! That's amazing about the prices in Canada yeah. I think they're really providing value with this setup though

[@taxi615]

Yes I was really happy since I was on consoles before so it made sense for me to get this base but now I'm on PC only doing DR2 with you lol but I need more amd I also want to get other brand wheels for me the podium hub is another 400$ just to get other rims and you need a conversion kit another 200 euro just to get the FFB working. With the Alpha all I need is a QR lol We just got a new update for all the gear so yeah best way to do it is start with the base and then add each wheel when prompted like you did the second time. I never got a failed msg but it's very commun That screw you didn't know what it did is for the QR1 I never got one with mine and it still works fine but in certain games I do get a small clunk when forces are high. I came from thrustmaster so a screw was annoying and don't understand why they still use it. I should get my Alpha in new couple weeks so looking forward to that thump sound with the QR simagic uses. See you on stream for Greece!!! I still need to finish my stages

[@richiemedeiros2571]

Moza r5 or fanatec csl dd 8nm

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

CSL DD for me. the moza is higher quality. But the Fanatec has more power.

[@88Nikoli]

The nuts slide out because you should attach the t nuts to bolts on rig loosly qnd then slide wheel base on and tighten , they've got the spring detents now in the dd + for people like you without a clue lol

[@th3orist]

i had the mclaren gt3 v2 wheel and i have to say its properly feeling cheap in the hand. If it was 99$ then just maybe, but at 200 its overpriced for the quality. the material used for the grip is super uncomfortable to hold, your hand gets hot in a second and it feels sticky and the shifting paddles are very unsatisfying to use. i would definitely NOT recommend this wheel to anyone but instead suggest they put some more money down and get the, admitedly, more expensive Clubsport Formula V2.5 (non-X). Its honestly a night and day difference and to me it justifies the higher price tag. The perforated leather grip is very comfortable, the whole build quality is superb and the shifter paddles are very very satisfying to use. It's only downside is really that it is a bit smaller than the mclaren wheel, but for me it was not really a problem. Otherwise i would suggest one of fanatecs round wheels in the 300-350$ department.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Wow I really think your expectations are completely unreasonable. My experience is also very different.

[@th3orist]

@@LaurenceDusoswa they are reasonable for me and thats all that matters. I simply offered my insight.

[@DanBlake3rd]

I've had a different experience. I've been racing with this wheel since release and it's been a solid investment. The size is perfect as well. It's had the best ROI of any piece of sim gear that I own, and I have 3 other wheels at 2.5 x the cost.

[@th3orist]

@@DanBlake3rd are you racing with gloves?

[@GeorgeFoulerRacing]

Fanalab software allows better granular control of the drivers.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Yeah I'm messing with that too. I didn't want to cover too much detail in this video as it was already a bit long

[@phillismable6303]

Bought my Fanatec DD GT3V2 and CLS Pedals this weekend, to replace my older Logitech G27 Shifter and pedals setup. Got everything set up on a new Next Level Racing Stand, and then got everything upgraded to the latest drivers and configured everything for racing. And after 8 hours of use I can say this video is very misleading as there is minimal change in the FFB feeling from my existing G27 setup, I did spend a few hours many years ago adjusting various bits n bobs on the G27 to reduce slop and movement. And my Logitech pedals with the basic brake mods are on par with the Fanatec offering, granted they are only CSL pedals but they feel good. While I'm happy with the new kit and it feels great in hand, there really is not that much difference between the two rigs to make me rave like this video made you rave. For the money if the kit lasts for 5 years I will be happy so it's a good investment, but it's not totally mind blowing it's just a step up in the evolution.

[@GuppyMilk334]

I used to like fanatec, but nowdays i just feel their ecosystem is just way too expensive for quality you get. I understand if you are playing on console, but that is their only bonus in my eyes.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

The quality is definitely lacking but the experience so far for me is a lot better than expected

[@funtodovr5501]

Only boost kit power adapter, so fanatecy :) :) :)

[@elsobrio]

Fanatec Quick Release is crap, literally... I used Fanatec for 5 years, tired of putting the famous bolt to have no play on the QR... CSL Elite, CSW 2.5, CSL DD... the McLaren GT3 steering wheel looks great, the grips are good, but it's plastic, and it feel plastic... it creaks at every turn... the sound is annoying. I know it's ok for the price, but it doesn't really feel right. A year ago I bought the Simagic Alpha... what a change in quality, the GT4 steering wheel is of exceptional quality, there is no comparison with the McLaren GT3 that looks like a simple toy next to it. Just look at the Quick Release... it's a pleasure every time you switch between wheels, whereas with Fanatec it's a pain in the ass. And the base is simply incredible... you have infinite options to leave the FFB to your liking, while with the Fanatec software you only have 5 options to move, totally insufficient. After a year of using Simagic, I would never, ever... even if they paid me... I would go back to Fanatec. I would choose Moza a thousand times over Fanatec if I had to change my Simagic... but Fanatec never again. The only advantage that Fanatec has is the compatibility with consoles, but if you are from PC, please forget about Fanatec.

[@azamat19]

Reviews like this made me go to csl dd with wrc and mclaren rim. All i can say is don't buy it. I had nothing but trouble. Now with simagic alpha mini, no comparison. The good news is i could sell my fanatec stuff for good money so didn't really had to spend a lot on simagic.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

That’s interesting. What issues did you have. I agree that the CSL DD is not near as good as the alpha mini but I know many owners who have never had any bother. If you share your experience here it will help others to make a decision

[@azamat19]

@@LaurenceDusoswa i had quite an Odyssee. I have to admit that the csl dd brought me to pro level in irx. I have changed the wrc wheel which flexes like hell on the qr and with in the rim itself, to bmw gt2 rim which is very heavy nut was an tremendous upgrade from wrc. Then i have started with road racing and bought the McLaren gt3 v2 rim. First it worked great, then the qr cracked. I could still use it but it could crack completely any moment and leave me with broken pins. Fanatec sent me a new qr and that worked until it didn't. It started losing connection randomly but constantly. So im racing and in the middle of the race the buttons stopped working and i lose ffb. I have contracted Fanatec about this, and they told me to unmount the shaft which is mounted by a plastic holder. What a mess, after that the McLaren still didn't work. Bought another qr, but still the same. After a research in the internet i have found dozens of people with exact the same issue. Solution: buy the metal qr. I also had problems with the shifter, mine got stuck several times, and the need so much force that after an hour in an endurance race my fingers started to get sour. So to make this piece of crap be useable, i would have to invest another 250€. This is a complete plastic rim. For 400€ you can get something like a polsimer and with a little bit more you can get cube controls f core. Fanatec has ZERO open rims for gt3 except mclaren and the ultra expensive bmw which isn't even available. So i bought a podium hub and a polsimer rim. Sold my carbon formula and McLaren rim but..... Now i couldn't use my bmw gt2 for rallycross anymore because with the podium hub the distance to the wheelbase is completely different. The polsimer rim was perfect though. Never experienced such a nice rim before. So now I had two options, sell bmw gt2 and buy another rim/buttonbox with a podium hub or buy a qr system to mount on top of the podium hub to safe money. I have bought turn racing quick hub, omp rim with ascher racing buttonbox. The shaft on the csl dd was ultra stressed with the huge leverage it had now. Sold the csl dd, bought 2 cheap chinese qr for 28€ and the simagi mini. Guess what? No flex, no isssues, lots of powered and just spend 20€ to do the upgrade. Fanatec is a weird company. Forces you to use a podium hub which is insane, flexes, the worst qr system ever, no open rims for gt racing and poor quality overall.

[@simonjones93]

Hello I have a Logitech g923 is the CSL DD £199 with any wheel and pedals or is it more than £199.

[@darwinLee81283]

Fanatec= German Marketing Company + "Inferior" Chinese Products to Sell at Large profit margins! It's the Ikea Model IKEA = Swedish Marketing Company Sells Chinese Made Furniture and homegoods Nothing Wrong with Chinese Companies.. I use the Full Simagic Ecosystem! Top quality Gear.

[@JallyTee]

It's even more frustrating when you live in New Zealand where fanatec is not available and to import it from Australia costs only slightly less than a simagic mini with GT1D at launch when I got one. so I'm glad to be in the simagic ecosystem too.

[@darwinLee81283]

@@JallyTee Laurence has stated that Simagic is Better also. So congrats

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Yeah I know what you mean. Fanatec definitely do a good job for their market but Simagic is a different league

[@MrKrampyHands]

Oh man the Moza ks is a extremely good value and it's nicer the ham n the McLaren wheel and the cs is far nicer than anything fanatec makes at it's price an MD the wheel the hat is nearly as nice cost $100 more than the cs

[@nanoverse]

Why use a car and track that you haven’t used before.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

I always use this car and track. What I say in the video refers to the fact that I haven't used them with that hardware. If you look at all my first impressions videos, I use this car and track combo ;)

[@AdhamHossam165]

Finally!!

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

I KNOW hahahahaha

[@pmacnz]

Fanatec has stock availability issues, average support, terrible logistics unless you live in the EU. And they have been surpassed by a lot of others now. Their wheels a lot feel plastic and the quick release is junk. Moza gives better value for money overall has more local retailers in more regions of the world.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

I will definitely be doing a comparison video in the near future

[@hughxthexhand]

Logistics in Australia is fantastic from fanatec, I've never waited longer than 2 weeks for a delivery and have had replacement parts also quickly sorted.

[@supercededman]

​@@hughxthexhandLogistics is just OK, but after-sales is terrible. I had a bricked throttle pedal on delivery. It took ages to get any response from 'support'. Just awful. Fanatec user forums attest to this. I'll never buy another product from them :-(

[@pmacnz]

So this is a sponsored video? 🤔

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Not at all. Feel free to check out my other videos. I was actually pleasantly surprised after all the negativity I had heard about this base, that my experience has been pretty great so far, especially for the money. Surely if it was sponsored I would have cut out the bit where the firmware upgrade bricked :p I appreciate the concern though. It's your job as a viewer to keep reviewers honest. And if I don't tell the truth as a reviewer, people will see straight through that in the long run. Feel free to check out my terms of review, you'll see that I'm one of the most ethical reviewers out there: www.laurencedusoswa.com/about

[@MrAdamgw1]

Fanatec has been the go to DD wheel for sim racing 5 years ago... Nowadays there are way better DD wheels and a lot more affordable thanks to China.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

For sure. The price for quality ratio is definitely higher from the Chinese companies now. But fanatec is very very relevant

[@farquaf.4417]

I just got R9 so your review Came in a little to late

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

honestly, right now, I can't say which is better but I can guarantee that you wont be unhappy with the R9

[@jamesbailey8449]

I was gonna go for a csl dd but due to availability and shipping and import fee cost I went with a moza r5 instead and it is fantastic so far.

[@nanoverse]

Installing Fanatec always a scare. Also the whole logics are off, like a dinosaur programmer had his say.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Hahaha it was a little scary for sure. But it recovered well

[@georgegalea1937]

If your thinking of getting into Fanatec DONT. I made this mistake just before other brands came out with other direct drive and load cell options. I purchased the McLaren wheel and CSL load cell brake pedal. Both failed multiple times due to design flaws confirmed by Fanatec. I was so desperate I had someone else with the right qualifications repair them. Never will I recommend Fanatec. Don’t be fooled by their exposure in motorsports.

[@supercededman]

Spot on regarding hardware failures. See my comment above.

[@frankdill1370]

fanatec no thank you have you been hearing all the horrible customer service

[@wallyedmonds8199]

Did not like it 😇

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

You didn’t?

[@wallyedmonds8199]

@@LaurenceDusoswa yes I don’t like the Csl dd it’s not enough it’s missing something lol

[@crocnockerable]

Used to love Fanatec, all my sim gear is Fanatec.`but cause of there new quick release system, they seem to have abandoned their older equipment in their latest software application. Which means I can only run older software. So because of this, I will be ditching Fanatec and going with Moza.

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

That’s a pity :( yeah it’s tough to support so many products :p

[@SIMRIG412]

The gt dd wheel base is better being it works on ps5,Xbox and pc. While the csl dd on works on Xbox and pc

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Yep I will cover that in the full review.

[@slavplaysgames]

RIP CRAIG BREEN !

[@LaurenceDusoswa]

Legend