Being a recently PC converted Xbox gamer I was really excited to compare my 2 year old legendary Logitech MOMO PC Wheel against it’s Xbox 360 counterpart, the Logitech DriveFX Wheel.

Tearing the box open, first impressions are good, the wheel itself has a real solid feel, the rubber grips are comfortable and all the buttons are easily accessed from the standard driving position. The pedals are also great, nice strong plastic with a good firm feel with grips underneath supporting either carpeted or smooth floors.

It’s all about design

One unfortunate design blunder is the clamp placement. Like the MOMO wheel this wheel has two clamps placed on either side of the base which could make table suitability an issue. I certainly don’t have a desk in front of my TV at home, nor does my coffee table have a compatible overhanging edge.

The clamps can be removed if you intend to play from your lap, but this can be uncomfortable and the sliding around frustrating especially when you need to perform quick manoeuvres around a tight racetrack.

Setup and Game Play

Connecting the device is simple enough, USB cable between console and wheel, serial cable between wheel and pedals, and external power adapter provides juice to the powerful force feedback motors. Once all linked up however, I wished that Logitech had considered a wireless option, because even though the USB cable is long I’m paranoid about cables running between console and table, especially if you share your house with animals or clumsy people.

Dashboard and in-game navigation is a breeze, as the wheel includes a full d-pad there is no need to switch to the regular Xbox 360 controller, and games I tested provided the ability to remap each button, pedal and paddle to almost any function.

The Forza 2 experience was definitely very engaging, the ability for the wheel to communicate the very limits of grip to the driver adds a level of realism lost when playing with the twiddly controller joysticks.

However, I’m not convinced that the driver is provided any real advantage over a joystick player, as I certainly could not beat any of my previously set hot lap times (nor felt any more competitive against online players) - but given enough game time with the wheel may be proven wrong.

Also, partially due to my jury rigged table/wheel/pedal setup, longer gaming sessions felt far more painful as my back, arms and knees began to seize up, but this is obviously something that could be avoided by creating a more human-friendly driving position.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Logitech DriveFX Wheel is an awesome part of any serious gamers arsenal of accessories. It’s certainly not the most practical thing to lug around your house, and there is a good chance it will end up taking a permanent spot at the back of your linen cupboard.

It is a pity about the lack of a lap mounted option and lack of wireless, but comparing the price of the DriveFX vs. the Official Microsoft Xbox 360 Wheel it really comes down to what is most important to you.

Written by Tom Wells.

Pros

• Price - at least half the price of the Microsoft Official Racing Wheel
• High quality rubber grips, plus small form factor

Cons

• Inflexible clamp design, no lap or table top support
• Too many wires!

Price and Availability

Price: Between R600 - R700.
Available from: The Logitech DriveFX Axial Feedback Wheel should be available from most gaming stores. You can also find it online from WantItAll.