Product Review: Logitech’s PS3 Driving Force Wireless Wheel
Posted by Ramon Aranda on 09.23.2008
Put your hands on the wheel and get to driving!
Racing games have always been one of my favorite genres and with more than handful of quality racers that appear year in and year out, there’s no need to put the controller down. But of course there’s nothing like throwing on your favorite racer with the addition of a dependable racing wheel. There’s a few wheel’s out there that generally range for about $149.99 including Logitech’s own GT wheel but they’ve also got a more affordable model out there – the Driving Force Wireless Wheel.
Having unpackaged the wheel from its box, the Driving Force WW has a straight forward, one-piece design that doesn’t bother with batteries, or foot pedals. The gas and break pedals are built-in to the rear side of the wheel while featuring an expandable lap rest for big and small gamers. The wheel uses 2.4GHz wireless technology that gives you about a range of 30 feet, requiring only that the unit is powered up through its AC adapter and that you have connected the included USB adapter. The steering wheel itself is pretty sturdy and though the whole thing isn’t heavy, it has a good amount of weight to it so that it doesn’t move around all over the place.
So how does it play? Well to help me with my test drive so to speak, I picked out a couple of compatible games in Burnout Paradise and Ferrari Challenge though I spent more time with Ferrari Challenge only because we’ve got a review of it coming up so it was double duty. During the extended period of time that I played, I came away pretty impressed with the overall feel of the wheel. As the name suggests, there is force feedback so my wheel was rumbling and twitching when I would drive off-road. Though the wheel can be turned every which way before the game begins, once the race starts, the wheel locks on and becomes much stiffer as you’d expect it to. As I mentioned before, the gas and break pedals are attached to the back of the wheel where you would see your light or windshield wiper bars in a real car. It threw me off only momentarily as I’m used to using a pedal but after about 10 minutes or so I became accustomed to having them in that location. In fact, it became a little easier to use since all of my focus was on what was on my lap (no pun intended). The wheel also includes all of the buttons that you’d need on a standard control and then some. Navigating the game with the wheel was not difficult and I didn’t come across any glitches or hitches during my playtime with either game.
The 411: The Logitech Driving Force Wireless Wheel is a worthy addition to the PS3’s accessories list. The wheel worked effortlessly and although some players may want pedals or even a shift knob, the $99.99 price tag puts it about $50 cheaper than other wheels on the market and that may be enough to persuade prospective buyers into dishing out cash for a wheel. Though it would have been nice to use the wheel without having to be tethered to the AC cable/plug, the Driving Force wheel was comfortable, easy to use and enjoyable. If you love racing games and you’re sick of using standard controls, then you may wanna give take this one out for a drive.
For a full list of compatible games, you can gohere.
Graphics
8.5
Comfort: Could have been a tad heavier but the steering wheel felt great.
Gameplay
9.0
Location of the gas and break pedals worked just fine and the response was accurate. Force feedback was a welcomed addition!
Sound
9.0
Value: AT $99.99, it's cheaper than most quality wheels and it doesn't feel cheap.
Lasting Appeal
9.0
Nice and sturdy. You should be able to play with this one for a while.
Fun Factor
9.0
Definitely made playing a racing title that much more enjoyable.
So how does it play? Well to help me with my test drive so to speak, I picked out a couple of compatible games in Burnout Paradise and Ferrari Challenge though I spent more time with Ferrari Challenge only because we’ve got a review of it coming up so it was double duty. During the extended period of time that I played, I came away pretty impressed with the overall feel of the wheel. As the name suggests, there is force feedback so my wheel was rumbling and twitching when I would drive off-road. Though the wheel can be turned every which way before the game begins, once the race starts, the wheel locks on and becomes much stiffer as you’d expect it to. As I mentioned before, the gas and break pedals are attached to the back of the wheel where you would see your light or windshield wiper bars in a real car. It threw me off only momentarily as I’m used to using a pedal but after about 10 minutes or so I became accustomed to having them in that location. In fact, it became a little easier to use since all of my focus was on what was on my lap (no pun intended). The wheel also includes all of the buttons that you’d need on a standard control and then some. Navigating the game with the wheel was not difficult and I didn’t come across any glitches or hitches during my playtime with either game.
