FANATEC'S ULTIMATE FLEX? - Real/Sim Racing BMW M4 GT3 Wheel Review

When Fanatec announced they were releasing a wheel that could be used in both your real-world BMW M4 GT3 Race car and your Fanatec Sim Racing wheelbase, 2 people thought it could be handy. The rest of us started to debate what this real-world racing wheel would cost for Sim Racing, and why you would want this luxury item! So let's take a look and find out!
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TIME STAMPS:
Intro: 0:00
Important Information: 0:45
This works in a real car?: 1:34
Pricing: 3:25
Wheel Overview: 6:23
Driving Experience: 18:18
Using with other Wheelbases: 22:20
Conclusions: 24:09
#fanatec #gt3 #bmw

[@momorious]

11:37 It's true that you can not put stickers on the buttons or replace the caps, however, you can replace the entire button and there is a separate bag with additional buttons with different labeling (and even completely blank ones) included in the packaging so you can still customize what buttons you want to have placed on which position ;)

[@joshjmilli]

I have this wheel, it came to around £1000 + £200 import fees. And I have to say as expensive as it is, I have no regrets. I will never need to upgrade this wheel again being cross compatible, and it’s built like a tank. Although it’s technically not the highest quality wheel you can get for the money, is still absolutely solid. Additionally, people always bang on about functionality and want 100 different buttons on their wheel, I personally feel the M4 wheel has the perfect amount of buttons, paddles and encoders. It’s all I’ll ever need. Another factor that obviously helps is being a big BMW fan to begin with, so it’s a bit of a novelty to see the wheel in game and also have the real thing in my hands. But as Will said, the viability of this wheel depends on who you are and what you want.

[@MrVency]

I have it also and absolutely love it , problem is 1.5 year later still no QR2 :) but its what it is

[@filipivan5125]

“Never upgrade again” if only this was possible in Tech universe 😅

[@joshjmilli]

@@MrVency as long as we get it at some point and for free as they promised

[@MrVency]

@@joshjmilli I started to doubt already ... :D

[@mulltit.assking]

I'm tempted but spend too much time on my round drift wheel to justify another D wheel. If it would fit my irl 218 it would be an instant sale 🤣

[@karloy123]

I have the wheel and it took me a year to convince myself to buy it. since I received it and started using zero regret. Especially in VR this is mindblowing to feel the exact physical wheel you see virtually.

[@maximemignot2530]

Did you tried the McLaren GT3 wheel in VR?

[@chuckystang]

The ability to shift up and down with just one paddle is a massive help and should be included on other Sim wheels, especially helpful for long endurance races when you may need to use another hand to grab a drink or adjust a button box, etc. The size is perfect and really made me realize how the 270-280mm size rims feel quite toy like for GT3/ 4 race cars. Thumb encoders are the best I certainly have ever tried. They only spin one click at a time with the flick of a finger unlike that of say Cube Controls, etc. Is it worth the money? Yes I believe so. I grew up playing basketball and the pinnacle for any kid or adult for that matter was when you could go and purchase and run with the same exact sneaker as your favorite NBA player. I look at this wheel as no different. Is it necessary, no, but it is absolutely the jam for anyone obsessed with motorsports and wants the most authentic experience!

[@Mason_Courtney]

A BMW wheel without blinker buttons, SHOCKER!

[@makguy1280]

😂

[@jasonfederici]

Why would you need blinkers on a GT? 😅

[@trackracingenjoyer]

​@@jasonfedericiyou can still use them to facilitate an overtake if youre lapped

[@josiahfarrow6770]

I’m guessing the plastic on the rotary knobs is purely a weight-savings thing for the irl car. Why use heavier aluminum when you can use lighter plastic and save some weight? Means less of a high-end feeling for us sim racers but, I guess that’s one of the costs of buying a real-life wheel :)

[@mike_budny]

Hey Will! Great walk through! I have had this wheel for a little over a year now and it is my primary wheel for all GT3 and GT4 racing so it gets used quite often. Absolutely no noticeable wear and tear whatsoever. The only issue I have had is on the fanalab side, since the latest version came out the wheel no longer displays button colors properly for the “in pit lane” variable. Fanalab is picking up that data properly but isn’t transmitting it to the wheel for some reason. It is the only telemetry issue and only overall issue I have had in over a year of use. It’s a fantastic piece of gear and worth every penny in my opinion.

[@giuseppetorelli8489]

The push and pull on both side of the shifter is actually a really nice feature. In a real life pilot need this feature especially when they are out of pit a need to adjust the seatbelt, they can stil change gear with one hand. I use it quite a few time.

[@bmwM3M5M6]

The most important thing and point to buy is your last point about connection with other wheelbases because I like the wheel for my DD2 but I’m also thinking to move to SC2 PRO at one point and then this wheel would be useless but with this solution I can buy it now and when I move to SC2 PRO I can still use this wheel which is just perfect. Very thanks that you mentioned it because didn’t know it was possible. 🏁👍

[@LeakyWaders]

Just got to say. Always love the transparency you always do on these reviews. Much respect.

[@1337Hans]

the encoder caps if you pull one of them are extremely light, so my guess this being a real wheel is it was a double win for them of saving weight and keeping costs down

[@RiXtn.]

I really don't know why Fanatec needs so much time to bring us the QR2. Thanks for the time you invested to bring us this detailed review of the wheel ❤ I have the Fanatec DD1 and I like it but they need to bring more high end wheels. Most of them feel and look like toys. Best wheels I've seen are from precision sim engeneering but they cost double the amount 😅 Greetings from Cologne, Germany.

[@Dmac996]

Hey will! I’d love to see a review of the Simagic ecosystem (pedal’s specifically) if at all possible. I feel like they haven’t been visited in a while and could be worth a look!

[@bystander85]

Great looking wheel. Thanks for the review. In future wheel reviews, please comment on button placement (how accessible are buttons without moving your hand). Some wheels have buttons which seem accessible easily with thumb but in practice aren't quite in the ideal spot. I really hope QR2 comes out soon and that Fanatec offers some sort of trade-in and recycling program (offering a discount) for users upgrading from QR1.

[@Nick_Kearney]

I think its really cool we are seeing FIA homologated wheels for sim racing. I'm personally really looking forward to finding out more info on the Cube Controls Merc GT3 wheels.

[@jerryjones4786]

😂 Will!! Where was this review 6 weeks ago! I was going back and forth between this wheel and the GSI Hyper.( Im running a dd1.) I ended up with this wheel and a Simcore UD2-J ddu ( lovely dashboard) im so happy with this set-up! I already had a button box so there was a lot to consider.

[@jerryjones4786]

Bottom line...love it. Next up...VRS pedals!

[@BigMeanyVids]

Well, glad to hear QR2 is still actually planning to release. So far after a few years I've had no issues with QR1 but I can't say I love it so I'm willing to upgrade if it's at least a somewhat reasonable price.

[@mwa3476]

@bigmeanyvids I'm with you. I don't really feel the issue with the movement while I'm driving all that much. Certainly not when actually racing. I'm kinda focused on other things. Ha ha. It often feels like complaining to have something to complain about for a lot of people. That being said, it could be better for sure, and if the QR2 comes in at the right price point I'll likely buy it for all my Fanatec wheels.

[@LeoDavidson]

Same. I don't change wheels enough for it to be a deal breaker, but every time I do it's way more hassle than it should be. (Mainly due to trying to work out how much force to use without it flying into my face or pushing/pulling the rig around.) I'd certainly buy a few QR2s if they're better and not too expensive. At the same time, I do like Fanatec's ecosystem (on the whole; has some issues) and stuff like the wheel being wireless with no rotation limit (beyond what software programs in). Not tempted to switch brands due to the QR, but would welcome improvements.

[@JSmith73]

Finally!! Ergonomically this wheel looks absolutely amazing, would love to add it to my collection. Thanks for a great review!

[@Gizfreek]

Good to finally see this wheel reviewed by you, I'm really hoping for the Bentley wheel to come out soon as well since it's the first Fanatec wheel with a proper integrated screen that hopefully will trickle down to more affordable Formula and GT wheels.

[@MrWalshy73]

It's out isn't it?

[@nickt5957]

Hopefully all though this definitely won’t be the case I hope it’s more affordable

[@DeadMTrigger]

Great Wheel Review Will! Can't wait for the Porsche Wheel Review 😉

[@FATHERNTIME]

Nice video, love the wheel. Also btw, which sim cockpit would you guys choose TR trx or NLR fgt elite 160. Looking for a hybrid system. Can you do a review on those too btw please? Cheers!

[@boostedmedia]

Reviews of both are in the works. :)

[@G82_M]

I have one which I got recently and I have zero regrets. Absolutely love it. I also had the M Performance wheel on my M4 CS. That’s also an awesome wheel.

[@brandonduley]

I love the wheel!! Been looking forward to this review

[@jodyestevens9911]

was curious if you managed to get the shift lights in the buttons working, i haven’t managed to get mine to work with any consistency

[@andrewgoldsmith9764]

will, great review again but that's out of my price range but wow! 1question thou are you still doing a fantastic boosted media Gran Turismo 7 fanatec 8nm dd pro review,i am interested in your options for this,also LOVE your race video's nobody does them as good as you! keep up the good work,also im in the UK just for your info.also do you have aan affiliate link with fanatec please, cheers👍👍👍

[@TheAndy009]

Great video as always Will, I think you will find that the all the buttons and thumb encoders and multi position switches are all plastic to save as much weight as possible hence the reason for the forged carbon as well because weight in a real race car weight is so important whereas the other sim wheels don't really need to worry about the overall weight as much

[@boostedmedia]

For sure. But I’d personally rather have metal touch points on a wheel I’m buying for use on a simulator and I’m sure plenty of people would agree.

[@TheAndy009]

@@boostedmedia Definitely I agree with you fully but this is more of a niche product, I would want more features and buttons in wheel especially at that price

[@cretzjohnny]

If the switches were made of metal you could burn your fingers in a real car after the baking the wheel in the sun for a while.

[@LJSR07]

Always love your ontros. Excellent AF

[@chadog]

Managed to test this bad boy a month early and I must say its not a replica. The firmware adapter is kind of a quirk but the feel and the size fits perfectly for gt style racing. Would like bigger flappy paddles but i'm sure the aftermarket support would make up for it :)

[@ShootsVal]

Interesting. What is your opinion on Esportsim Formula wheel? It seems to be in the price range of Fanatec BMW wheel, but offers a lot more buttons, screen and console compatibility when paired with Fanatec or Thrustmaster wheelbase. I wonder why no one seems to have heard about it?

[@Eason-lb5kl]

Hi Will, I've been eyeing the Podium Steering Wheel BMW M4 GT3, and noticed it was available on Fanatec's Australian website as of April 20th. However, by April 22nd, it seems to have sold out. Do you know if it will be restocked soon? Any tips on how to stay updated about restock times would be greatly appreciated. I'm quite disappointed as I really love this steering wheel. Could you please shed some light on whether this is just a temporary shortage or if they've stopped producing it altogether? Thanks a lot for your help!

[@Andymh5]

Hey Will. Just a heads up. I have this wheel and can confirm it came with interchangeable button caps. Otherwise, great video.

[@boostedmedia]

Yep. I've trimmed that part of the video and added a pinned comment while YT processes the edit. Looks like either we lost them or they weren't in our box. Have already discussed with Tom and from now on we will be writing down everything thats in a box when we open it so we don't miss anything.

[@Andymh5]

@boostedmedia Great work Will. Thank you.

[@headshotke]

I'm now waiting for over a year to buy a DD wheel, I wanted this wheel but with the QR2, not only because I think there are plenty of better options, also just knowing an update was coming. But now 3y later it's still not there, THREE YEARS! Just hate companies making promises they don't keep, so I'm going to buy VRS or simucube now...

[@LeMamour]

8:10 do you think the New clubsport DD 12nm would be sufficient for the FFB to be responsive with this wheel ?

[@Netrole]

21:50 absolutely called the QR2 release lol. It really did release exactly a month after

[@CC-tb8mn]

I just got my wheel today and just drive some laps, I did used to have the paddle modules before they updgraded them before with the 3/5mm comment on the thickness of the paddles, only thing I took from it is that it must be full motorsport carbons they used, like you could imagine mass producing the paddle modules the carbon quality and materials used be completely different structure, these feel like metal almost its that strong considering the thickness

[@STOKIE-]

Unfortunately I can't find the link to the fanatec podium VRS Hub

[@ethanbarford]

is there going to be a GSI Hyper P1 review?

[@Pzero619]

You actually get extra buttons. The layout you get is just the official one. I have this wheel and its probably my favorite atm for GT3!

[@boostedmedia]

Yep. Check the pinned comment. I've edited the video to trim the error out but YT will take a while to process it.

[@Pzero619]

@@boostedmediaregardless an another amazing review! “Another one”-Dj Khaled 😂Stay up my man!

[@hellomenopee]

Comes with some extra buttons. Including blinkers. ;) I wish they included more.

[@PetterHegevall_]

I've had this for 1,5 years, and it's the best wheel i have ever touched and i have 21 of them, for my Racingrig. Phenomenal. Way better to drive with than the Grid or Asher Racing-wheels i would say.

[@miyagiracer]

do you run it on fanatec base or other ?

[@SimQuips]

I'll be honest I thought this wheel was purely a gimmick at first, and I'm glad you addressed the reality of moving it from a real car to a sim rig. But yeah it seems like it might actually suit me pretty well as I've been looking for a high quality fanatec wheel that's somewhere between the tiny 270mm V2.5X wheel and the overly large 330mm GT wheel that they do (the mclaren wheel is actually a great size, but I just hate the paddles on that thing so much)

[@fastforward7670]

Replace the paddles with the SimMakerZ. They are awesome.

[@ivangomez8067]

The biggest thing that impressed me when I first used the wheel where how great the buttons/switches felt. Everything was rock solid and tactile in response. No other sim wheel that I've tried, ascher, gsi, other fanatec wheels even comes close. It makes other wheels feel like toys to be honest. Hoping other wheels follow suit in the future.

[@davidcupra4913]

I think I’ll have to order the gt3 fanatec wheel it’s more in my budget and is also a replica of the gt3 650 real life wheel. Is this qr2 ever coming at all. We’re all holding out on buying qr1 for this reason it’s frustrating.

[@doug339]

Nice to see the rotary encoders are useful (of course not surprising since this is a real wheel). The rotary's on my Fanatec F1 style rim are worthless, they rotate too easily and unpredictably.

[@T.K.9]

I guess the reason for the harder buttons is to avoid accidentally bumping it while driving in a race and triggering or activating something you were not meant to be doing.

[@MrRamoSzz]

As it is an actual racing wheel, each gramm is counted and plactic is more light than aluminium :D

[@FlannelGuy_1978]

Terrific Video! I'd really love to have those illuminated buttons; I was reading that with products like Sim hub you can theme those button illuminations to match RPMs which is a nice feature.... but for the price I'll just have to keep using the Mclaren GT3 wheel.

[@ianrodgers6190]

This video looks interesting to me!

[@the_stig_90]

wherer is the QR2

[@GeorgeFoulerRacing]

The truth is the new QR2 is shit and still in QC testing. And the wheel base changes need to be managed

[@ruijikisu]

i think while its not exactly a reasonable purchase for most, i just think this is super cool

[@Atis-race]

Hi Will. I plan to buy a bmw m4 gt3 steering wheel this week. Fanatec's website shows that the steering wheel is with qr2 pro, but I saw an unboxing video last week that the steering wheel came with qr1, and that person was angry because it should have been with qr2 pro. I tried to contact fanatec support before buying but no one answered me! Maybe you can help with information? If I buy a BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel and if it comes with the qr1, do I have to buy the qr2 pro separately? I hope you can help me with some information, thank you!

[@boostedmedia]

I’m not sure how it currently ships, but I do know that if you buy one you’re entitled to a free QR2 Pro. This has been the case “when available” since the product first launched. So you should theoretically be safe.

[@toutpt]

does the SRM conversion kit now support bit point on dual clutch ?

[@d4nf6]

SRM's instructions for its 6x Conversion Kit indicates that with firmware 5.10 Beta "There is Clutch Bite Point that is saved even if you remove the wheel from USB."

[@peermancolin]

nice review.

[@weirdomonkey]

This is a beautiful product, and the QR2 is way overdue. At this point, I can't see myself upgrading my base to support it. I was keen 18 months ago, not so much now. The QR1 just doesn't annoy me enough.

[@smithp573]

I do have to ask why the delay on the QR2? It really doesn’t make any sense at all unless there’s something else going on, that Fanatec don’t want to discuss.

[@Sile]

I'd want a screen built into the wheel for that price honestly. The Simagic FX Pro is $1,399 AUD and is much more appealing to me personally.

[@2amProFilms]

I switched from Fanatec to Simagic and couldn't be happier, the software needs some love from simagic but they are working hard on their software to be more stable and user friendly so I would say it's worth the switch right now. Their wheel selection is perfect from simagic and quick release system is amazing! Their FX PRO wheel has to be the best F1 wheel on the market IMHO, blows Fanatec out of the water. Fanatec is just out of touch and a dinosaur at this point.

[@optiononemarketing]

100% agreed!

[@ryanoconnor8506]

A lot of wheels in the $1k-$1.5k range don't have screens. The simagic fxpro is an OK wheel, but make no mistake, quality isn't as good as other wheels.

[@jdwil8118]

BMW didn’t want a screen.

[@tarushdei]

Doesn't need one because the car has a dashboard right behind it. Most, if not all GT3 cars from my knowledge don't have screens on their wheels (except some of the older ones I think, but those are just older style LCD displays). This is a niche product for a very particular group of people (and I hate the fact I'm in it).

[@trevz1048]

Grid wheel would be my preference looks good

[@mignotmaxime2409]

Wait untill QR2. It iis supposed to remove any flex left on this steering wheel.

[@whiteandnerdytuba]

When you get to the point of the wheel being the actual size of the real car as a negative you may need to reconsider your priorities. The closer to being real the better whether it’s pedals, steering or motion seats

[@thomasjackermeier3343]

Using metal just makes it more heavy and this is a no go in racing and even in simracing is extra weight a negative. Demanding the use of metal just to make it more bling bling is questionalble. The wheel has won the 24H of Spa so build quality should be sufficient for a simracer.

[@BadWallaby]

Quick release is kind of a weird place for sim racing. The need for it is VERY limited yet everyone wants it. I feel I would much rather have a standard mounting system among manufacturers than all of them having their own version of something I rarely use or need.

[@nathanroussin803]

Speaking of the qr2, Fanatec needs to make extensions!

[@loophole3526]

Carbon absorbs vibrations as well.

[@desperado1265]

woohoo first comment haha... i dont see a reason to get this wheel personally, the size and look is no where near appealing for me to justify the price.

[@counterclockwise1162]

Maybe a new review with QR2?

[@cloosat]

Which get released first, Star Citizen or QR2?

[@racevision]

At this time BMW will design a moon vehicle which will also be buyable in Start Citizen with a physical QR2 as bonus to attach a joystick like steering wheel.

[@TheJuliusFord]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@71mb0]

It’s an absolute joke that fanatec STILL have not released the QR2!

[@testthepest6259]

Little correction the forged cabonfiber is just the top layer

[@mignotmaxime2409]

What is it made from then? Pre-preg?

[@bmwM3M5M6]

How you know ? Did you cut it in half ?

[@sjorsrozendaal218]

Do you have a link to that emulator"

[@craiggallagher4461]

Definitely a niche product within an already niche market.

[@tarushdei]

"My" GT3 car is the M4 GT3. I hate that this exists because I will forever want one but never be able to afford it (it costs about as much as I'll ever have to spend on sim gear).

[@b9bot148]

$1500.00!!! Holy moly! You can get a whole direct wheel and pedal set for that price. Really have to be a totally dedicated sim racer.

[@TheGabberworld]

that money you can get already 20nm base, i hope that wheel self is made from gold

[@TheGabberworld]

@@MessiClearOfPenaldo i not wait, i better buy myself a Moza, fanatec already disappoint me

[@FordEntertainmentGroupFEG]

Definitely not the ultiiimate wheel....but in a time where alot of us have 20,000 rigs (myself included) I wouldnt say its a pointless flex. Id say its an expensive hobby that we enjoy. No more pointlless than buying a 1200.00 pistol when the a 250 pistol does the same thing! Buy what you like!

[@jradicals87]

I'm going to be the odd one out here - I bought this wheel and ended up selling it. First one I got, one of the shifters worked loose and wobbled...very minor, but for the price you shouldn't have a wobbly shifter. Sent away for repair under warranty and they sent me a brand new one, so obviously not easy to repair. I do really love the look of it and couldn't fault how quickly they sent me a brand new replacement....but in the end the ergonomics just didn't work for me. The shape forces you in to more of a 10-2 grip and I just never got comfortable with it in my driving position. Went back to my previous GT wheel. I debated long and hard selling it, but it was just too much money to have sitting on the shelf looking pretty.

[@miyagiracer]

what wheel do you use now ? i‘m before the decision of the m4 wheel or the simracingbay gt3 ( r8/lambo gt3 replica ) do you have bigger hands ? are you sitting in a more upright or more in direction f1 ?

[@jradicals87]

@@miyagiracer For GT racing I went back to my Cube Controls GT Pro Zero which I already had. I don't think I have big hands. I sit close to the wheel with the wheel quite high, more upright position but the wheel sits close, high and angled flat like a formula style position (I play more formula racing than GT). So what I've found since thinking about it more, is the palms of my hands rest a little below the 9-3 position and I use the top hand to 'push' the wheel when I turn (so turning left, my right hand 'pushes' the wheel rather than left hand pulling). With the M4 wheel this just felt awkward to me, as my 'push' hand felt like it was positioned around past centre. It's a very specific thing to me, and other people may be able to adapt their style to suit the wheel - the M4 wheel is beautiful and it may be perfect for you, so I don't want to try and talk you out of buying it if you like it. It just made me think about my technique which I had never done before. I look at that SRB wheel now and think that would suit me, as the shape would have my hands low and able to push the wheel.

[@miyagiracer]

@@jradicals87 i know what you wanna say with the technique, this is a thing what i consider. on some wheels i have the same problem, but at the most in right turns when the right hand goes to the seq shifter, i can‘t say if i had that „problem“ with the bmw, because there the both hands stay on the wheel. it is really hard to make choice, but any way thank you very much for your answer and point of view !

[@miyagiracer]

@@jradicals87 sometimes it is a little thing who is disturbing the feeling, a bit more or less wheel angle, distance seat to wheel,….

[@Cereal_Killr]

I'm a huge sim racing fan< but I can't ever seeing paying that kind of money for a sim racing wheel...especially with the other options that are out there. The McLaren V2 is what I been using and for it's price it's hard to beat. I mean hell, Im almost certain this wheel has the same exact OLED screen as my McLaren wheel lol! Yeah it's not as nice as this...but is still truly great! At least for me anyway. I see no reason to buy this other than pure bragging rights lol.

[@T3H8]

i hear “flex” with Fanatec and I get worried 😅

[@boostedmedia]

😂 not that type of flex. 😂

[@andylee2174]

Well the reason why button caps and rotary encoders arent aluminium, because its a racing wheel! Fact is that plastic is lightter than aluminium! That is also the reason why paddles are thin as possible. The wheel itself cant be light to pass FIA rules, so it is heavy, but everything else must be lightweight because of the race car! Every gram they can get out of the car, is bonus! If you can get car under regulation weight, you can put more weight where you need it! Welcome to the real racing world!

[@boostedmedia]

Sure. But how many people are buying this to use in a real life race car? As I said in the video if you’re after the real thing and the cool factor that comes with that, sure. But for everyone else it’s fair to compare against other options.

[@andylee2174]

@@boostedmedia Agreed, but if they would put aluminium rotary encoders and caps for only the simwheel, it would be hell of a lot more expensive!

[@vaenii5056]

@@andylee2174 Also what is the point of buying the real deal if you don't like what real racecar wheels are like. Some people will appreciate the fact that the wheel is completely authentic and some people want a product that is more catered towards sim racing and satisfies their aluminum knob fetish. People have different priorities and preferences.

[@noelmanastyrski5825]

Thamk you very mush . I think You Right On Cost After Cost To Canada there a Add of $1.35 x cost plus Shipping plus a Canada Sur charge of $ 108.00 that is told us After it Get To My Door Of My home . So I order The Fanatec dd Ps 5 Dase it cost me Total Of $after said done Is $3595.95 with i send Back and Got Back $2795.95 I did not the just in That .

[@vulcantuminello1127]

$1500 is absolutely ridiculous for what it is, this thing should be $1k tops. I just bought an O-Rouge Cold Fusion actively cooled seat for $900 shipped new (Sim Race City is the US distributor) the one you recently reviewed and I also bought a PS5, PSVR2 for $1K, to keep things in perspective. A Simucube 2 Pro can be found on the used market for $1k and be purchased brand new for less than this wheel! Fanatec are out of touch! This thing should be $1k absolutelu tops, actuall closer to $700.

[@Sierra-rx9ke]

Will, it would be super good if you be more concise when you make statements such as that you believe that there are other wheels at lower prices and higher build quality - I dont see any reason why you cant be concrete and name these options since you make a review and comparison. Thanks!

[@boostedmedia]

I thought I had covered it pretty clearly earlier in the video. Out of what I have tested, I’d rate Grid MPX and Ascher wheels slightly higher than this in terms of build quality and materials.

[@Sierra-rx9ke]

@@boostedmedia apologies in that case - seems like I missed it! Cheers & keep delivering!

[@michaelnrbygaard3227]

This wheel are looooovley!

[@EPiQ_cR]

I just wish Fanatec would be more transparent about the QR2 delays and estimated timing. I'm totally fine with delays if they're properly communicated...but they've had a LOT of their stuff "coming soon" for 2 years now. Its one of the only factors that makes me have regrets about going Fanatec vs someone else like Moza. It feels like Fanatec is dangling their progressive features like a carrot, then simply never delivering them.

[@migmfreitas]

Fanatec is losing so much people over the quick release... For me, my whole ecosystem was fanatec and I was just waiting for QR2 to upgrade to a direct drive. I'm happy that at the beginning of this year I got tired and moved on to the superior SC2 and the amazing GSI wheel.

[@georgma87]

You are 100% right. Im so close to move the ecosystem to Simucube or Asetek although i have the M4 GT3 since the beginning of the year. I think even if Fanatec comes with a new Lineup, the trust is gone

[@volkarach0293]

@@georgma87go for it. Sc2 all the way😃

[@NoDepth]

Same here, been in the Fanatec ecosystem for so many years, but they have dropped the ball hard the last couple years in both communication and setting expectation. We are a few months away from the next sim expo and Fanatec will have provided zero info regarding all of the products shown at last year’s conf. Including the QR2! I very likely will be selling it all off for an SC2 before end of year, already been shopping around for rims and thinking of grabbing an Active Pedal.

[@ryanoconnor8506]

​@georgma87 not an opinion, but SC2 is objectively the best in the business as of now.

[@Smyven]

Same here, couldn’t bare anymore notching. All fanatec gear sold last month.

[@wakosfliptable]

Fact is you can't simply put this wheel as is on a GT3 car, Fanatec got burned in comments when they attempted to mislead in one of their reel/tiktok video. What it does though is exposed how over-priced racing car hardware is IRL, the M4 GT4 wheel is now 5 to 6 times more expensive than the M4 GT3 wheel. So this is probably a once in a life-time collaboration. 🤪

[@jptafeur]

Nice review, it was not some random simracing wheel, you missed it, you reviewed it like a simracing wheel, but it's not, it's not a toy, this is the real deal, a real GT3 wheel. They don't try to replicate reality, this is reality. There is nothing like this on the market even the best replica, even the grid Porsche RSR wheel is still a toy, when this wheel is a real one. Treating this wheel like others is a choice, but I don't think that you buy this wheel for his utility, you buy it for what it is, a real GT3 Wheel, not a toy, even if it is to play with it like if it was a toy. I can imagine displaying this wheel, not a McLaren replica ...

[@s13dad82]

I have this wheel and it is too big and heavy for my liking, the shifter paddles are also too far, I think they were made for a very tall driver with octopus fingers. First time I used it, put it back in a box and posted to sell.

[@internetcarson]

still no QR2

[@azilko]

Pffttttttt - get back to me when you review the $10,450 Porsche 911 Cup Sim Wheel. It's "Limited Edition", so it must make sense at that price point. (I posted this before getting to the point in the video where it's mentioned lol)

[@Jpowellsuckballs]

Porsche like to treat their fans like cash cow idiots....milk them for all they got, they will take it no matter what

[@azilko]

@@Jpowellsuckballs TBH, I've had a good experience with Porsche (I've owned several now, current one is a Cayenne Turbo GT). And, the wheel is a real OEM wheel that I think is $8k directly. Not sure why it's so much, but maybe it's not cheap to make due to low yields or something. But yeah, $10,500+tax for the wheel isn't something many will probably want to do. I do like my Grid 911 RSR wheel though.

[@Jpowellsuckballs]

@@azilko Well, fanatec as much as the hate they get for certain thing came out with a real GT3 M4 wheel for 10 times less goes to show how much profit margin reaps from their loyal fan

[@azilko]

@@Jpowellsuckballs Sure, but BMW also makes a lot more cars, and the wheel might be made to a different set of standards. Hard to say, but if Porsche only has a very few number of wheels made for the cup car, it could cost a lot more to ramp production when they do. OTOH, there could also be a lot more margin in it all. Just comes down to what you ultimately want I guess. Personally, I'd rather drive the Porsche (and pay the extra to do so).

[@albey1816]

Fanatec should have made a much cheaper version of this wheel alongside this one, with the build quality and pricing of say the: Clubsport Formula v2.5 - For most people who will never own the real thing.

[@matta2738]

Have you seen the wheel Porsche are releasing? Its from there Supercup car, and can be yours for only £8000

[@boostedmedia]

Yep it’s mentioned in the video

[@fuchssteinert2017]

10.000 Dollars for the Porsche GT3 wheel 😂 Is that a new world record?

[@Carlovfx]

Marketing shenanigan and an expensive one too.

[@kOBR4one]

What happend to the subtitles? 😅

[@boostedmedia]

There was an error in the video which we had to trim out so it's reprocessing now. Subtitles should be back in the next few hours hopefully.

[@kOBR4one]

@@boostedmediacheers!

[@craiggallagher4461]

I don’t understand, literally one of the selling points was you could take the wheel and plug it into your real BMW M4..

[@volkarach0293]

Fanatec does fanatec things…blablabla

[@ryanoconnor8506]

Fanatec just needs to bite the bullet and go to the same QR apmsot everyone else is running (SC QR). remember when apple wanted to us a proprietary charge port? Yeah, that didnt work well and now they are using the universal usb c like everyone else.

[@WardenOfTerra]

The entire reason that they've used plastic is for weight saving.

[@grayzedynamics]

Lol. Dead skin cells... Places hands in gloves that haven't been in the wash for a few weeks. hahaha. Good review overall and nice wheel coming from Fanatec. However, with that being said, there are too many wheels cheaper than this wheel, that give Sim racers more functionality. The allure of a real wheel sounds cool, but I am a sim racer and a real wheel with no funky switch makes no sense at all. I love those type of grips b/c I hate wearing gloves myself, but honestly, save the additional money and get the MPX, GSI X-29, or any other GT style wheel for much less.

[@bartvy]

I bought the McLaren wheel and put a custom made forced carbon sticker over it. Bought BMW logo and coloured buttons from fanatec and basically recreated this wheel for about €350,-. Worked out so much better then I expected.

[@iwillEraceU]

Logitech take note make a 3/4 Pro wheel !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@wwjnz9263]

So even at their best, Fanatec's wheel is middle of the road? If nothing else, I hope 2 things comes of this. First, I hope Fanatec can build a wheel that meets the expected quality of its asking price again. The McLaren GT3 wheel was Fanatec's best value for dollar product ever. I expected this wheel to surpass the McLaren despite it's $1400 asking price but, its not quite there. And that is ignoring the quick release. Second, I at least hope features on this wheel filter down to the rest of Fanatec's products. Backlit buttons, push/pull magnetic paddles, good detants on the thumb encoders, buttons on the back of the steering wheel... All of these features should appear on Fanatec's future wheels. Hopefully they are finally back on track with R&D and production. Since the chips shortage, Fanatec has been quiet. Too quiet, in my opinion. Thanks for the review Will. Now I know that I am not missing much if I never get Fanatec's BMW M4 GT3 wheel.

[@boostedmedia]

Middle of the road is probably a bit harsh. Its very close to the same quality as the best of the best and you also have to consider that it's designed for use in the real life race car where weight saving is more important. Im sure if they wanted to make it a "replica", they could easily use thicker carbon for the paddles and aluminium hats for the rotaries. Id say the sacrifices are made because of what it is, rather than because it's the ebst they can do.