It's almost like the CSL DD was designed to be used with an 8nm power supply, and Fanatec intentionally made a 5nm power supply that makes the user feel the wheelbase is slightly inadequate. But that's ok... the customer is getting a good deal. They can always "upgrade" to a CSL Elite Laptop power supply...lol For 150.00...no biggie Marketing geniuses.
5Nm is perfectly adequate for all the folks for whom it'll be their first DD wheel. The people complaining are those that come off of 20Nm DD wheels. But a 350 wheelbase is not exactly targeted at this crowd imo. Btw instead of complaining about it just appreciate the fact we're getting DD tech at bargain prices and secondly Fanatec has been kond enough to the community and left the door open for DIY solutions. Nothing is stopping you from making your own PSU for less than 1/3 the cost.
@@75yomu definitely this I have a 10yr old CSR with 3NM torque and with a desk clamp it wobbles Also a 180W tested and proper power supply is around ~50 USD retail Having a 3x markup for an ‘official’ part isn’t that bad. Think about warranty claims. If your $30 Amazon PSU spectacularly fails there goes your wheel
Back in the 80's, I raced Formula Atlantic for a couple seasons in a Cosworth powered Ralt RT-5, and I purchased the Fanatec DD Pro for my PS5 and GT7 with the 5nM power supply combined with the CSL Elite Pedals V2. I can honestly say that although there is no Ralt RT-5 in GT7, the feel of the wheel and the pedals is really pretty fantastic and very close (not technology-wise but feeling-wise) to feeling like actual racing in a REAL Formula car. Pretty neat how technology has advanced over the past 40 odd years............................
The CSL DD is in my opinion the best of the Fanatec DD wheelbases. The 8Nm version has the most precise feeling ffb Fanatec offers. For me the 8Nm is spot on, I've used more powerful units and ended only using half the available torque (approx), I've been lucky enough to have had some track experience in a couple of Lola's (no power steering) and the CSL DD 8Nm is the closest I've come to recreating that feeling. Unless your vehicle of choice is something very old I think the CSL DD 8Nm has got you covered, all at a very reasonable price. Wheel choice limitation maybe my only reservation, I use mine with the WRC wheel, (for track cars, i find a wheel i like and stick with it) chosen for it's light weight, it's a 300mm wheel about a kg. Heavier wheels or larger diameter may not feel quite the same (i don't know but I'd recommend trying before buying) One thing I would suggest changing on the CSL DD is the runout clamp on the shaft, a two piece, twin bolt version will work much better. I also have had excellent results with the QR1 Lite, unlike the more expensive aluminium QR1 there is zero wheel movement on the shaft. This is a rare product, one that Fanatec got absolutely spot on, bravo Fanatec.
I have the CSL DD 5Nm. I have made my own PSU to get the 8Nm which works great and was easy and cheap to do. Coming from CSL Elite I'd say this: The 5Nm will be enough for 90% of people. Especially if you're coming from gear/belt driven wheel you'll be pleased with the immediacy of the feedback and the ease with which you'll catch those slides you always thought you should be able to but wasn't allowed by the friction of gears/belts. For the price of 350 it's a real steal and you won't be disappointed. Notice that all the opinions that say the 8Nm is a must or is transforming the wheel are coming mostly from people that already raced on stronger DD wheels, so their view is skewed IMO. Yes the 8Nm is better. But it's like 15% better, not a game changer by any means. My advice: if you're on a budget get the 5Nm and enjoy it for what it is - you're not missing out. Down the line either get the Fanatec 180W PSU or get one of ebay and make your own PSU (it's easy and I have no electrical knowledge to speak of - google is your friend). It's certainly the best wheel for the price by a country mile and frankly it being a DD there's no competition atm.
@@ualreadyknoitsyaboi People that want to be smart asses on the internets usually have a problem with reading with understanding, I noticed. I specifically wrote "15% better", so clearly I wasn't talking about the torque number (cause, you know torque isn't good or bad), but qualitative improvement. BTW if the wheel gets 60% more torque than by the same logic all the whinning about the power pack pricing is unfounded ;-)
Biggest advantage of the boost kit 8nm over the non boost kit 5nm is even if set at the exact same ffb level is the extra headroom to prevent clipping of the signal of the 8nm kit. Hence what is coming through the wheel to the driver will be a pure clean signal for the ffb. At under $500 the CSL DD with the boost kit included is still the best overall deal currently for a DD wheelbase.
Dude love ur review.i just tested the csl dd without boost kit so I had the same feeling in the corners.Glad to know boost kit fixes all those problems. :) Thanks.
Nice detailed review, I went for the 5nm and happy with it indeed. I basically have the 'boost kit' laying here as it's the same power brick I used for my CSL elite but with a different connector. Will probably look for a 3rd party PSU along the line as spending 150 on an adapter feels a bit like being screwed.
150 for a simple PSU is simply a scam! I'll be getting the fanatec GT DD Pro and I'll probably make my own PSU if 5nm isn't enough, though it might be enough as I come from a 2nm G29... Though I do think having the overhead would be nice.
People always assume that any company bigger than a few guys in a garage has some evil motivation for everything they do. Like they did it this way just so they could screw people on power supplies. I really doubt that. A more likely scenario is that it was designed to be 8 Nm from the start, but they really wanted to hit that $350 price point because that puts them into direct competition with entry level offerings from Logitech and Thrustmaster. And it's also been a goal of theirs for years to make DD wheels affordable. I'd guess that the 5 Nm kit is being sold at a very slim margin (or even a loss) with the idea being that it gets people in the door. Once they are in the "ecosystem" Fanatec knows they will at least buy a rim (where they probably make most of their money) even if they don't end up getting the 8 Nm booster pack. So, no, the 8 Nm power supply is probably not worth $150, but it's not because they are trying to rip you off. They are just trying to balance that $350 offer on the books. They are a company, not a charity. They don't owe you anything. They owe their employees job security and a decent wage, and I'm sure a lot of their profits go toward R&D for future products. Nothing is free and Fanatec has done a lot of good for the sim racing community, so try not to be so cynical, ya salty basement dwellers! (I say that with love and affection, as I am currently in my basement, "working" from home. Cheers!)
Agree 100%. Moreover Fanatec has actually left the door fully open for DIY solutions - there's no handshake taking place between the base and the power supply, so making your own PSU is pretty trivial. I've done it and it works like a charm. Cost? Around 50€ total (less in my case since I had cables lying around already).
@@petervansan1054 Sorry. Am I hurting your victim mentality? The big bad corporations are all out to get you, right? Don't be afraid, child. It'll be ok. If you study really hard, maybe one day you'll understand how businesses work too.
It's a niche market still. But I still think the profit margin on this is insane. I understand their other products being expensive as hell, they're good quality. But a power supply? Just seems like an insane cost for something so basic. There's no R&D involved, they didn't design the PSU from the ground up or anything - it's likely made by FSP too. Gonna be doing a DIY solution instead, just can't warrant buying it from fanatec when you can grab a FSP PSU for a third of the cost. Nice that they allow you to do that though and don't limit it, you're right.
I remember watching this a year ago when I was looking to upgrade from the g29. Looking back at this now I'm glad the review is so detailed and thorough because I LOVE playing assetto on my xbox with My fanatec setup. Kudos to you and your team!!
The “boost kit” is exactly the same PSU as the Clubsport PSU with a ATX connector. Funny enough Fanatec were selling off all their Clubsport PSUs cheap just prior to the launch of the DD CSL. €40 I believe the price was. So yes it’s a rip off. I bought a used Clubsport PSU from eBay for £19 and put the 4 pin connector on it. Works a charm
No one seems to comment on this, but my desk (I have a wife, no rig possible) may struggle to handle 8nm comfortably so have just gone for 5nm. It also uses less power, 180W for quite some time is quite a bit of power to pay for if you're on a budget. I know these things are not on everyone's mind, but for those with boring regular lives I'm hoping the 5nm is going to be aenough if a step up from a G29.
This is a very valid point! Nobody NEEDS the 8NM, it's still an amazing package with 5 and definitely will be a big step from an entry level wheel. I personally still use a G29 on a desk at home, but when I am able to upgrade I would only get something this powerful if I also had a rig or wheel stand to go with it. 8NM is a lovely luxury if you can have it, but nothing wrong whatsoever with the 5 🙂 - John
That is absolutely not how that works, just because an electronic device has a 180w PSU it doesn't mean it's drawing that much, and DEFINITELY not all the time. I'm willing to bet that the PEAK power draw would be considerably under 180w and the average draw would be substantially lower again. The power draw of your PC, monitor/s and audio would dwarf what the wheel uses, upgrade kit or no.
@@HeretixAevum yep I get that it's not drawing 180W all the time. It's more the relative power consumption compared to smaller wheelbases. I owned a CSL DD and it drew significantly more during a session than after I switched to an R5.
It for sure sounds like the difference between reacting to what the wheel is telling you rather than just lifting from previous knowledge and muscle memory to get you through a mid-corner loss of traction. Just not sure if the value is there for the vast majority of people on a strict budget.
i just bought mine last night and went with the 5nm one cause ive been using a t300 rs gt for about a year and that has 3.9 (which was enough for me) hopefully the wheel feels good without boost kit
@@FreakCanal cause csl DD is miles ahead of the t300. It's so smooth and even with 5nm it still has more power than the t300. I've been using it for 2 weeks now and it's just superior. Also I definitely will be modding a PSU for it cause with more power, I feel like it's gonna be even more detailed
@@FreakCanal but I definitely recommend the upgrade. It's far better for only 300 more, and that's not even counting how much it costs to get an upgraded wheel that's as nice as the csl one you can get with cal dd
Before even watching the video... my answer is yes it is worth it for a couple reasons. One, the CSL DD with the boost kit is in stock, I bought one two days ago and it will be here next week. The 5 nm version is out of stock with no date to be in stock again. Two, I have a Thrustmaster T500 wheel that does close to 5 nm already. I want an actual upgrade in power. Also, there's a cheap chinese knock off boost kit selling on eBay for over $60. I would not trust one of those to power my shiny new DD wheel base so the extra money is worth it, although way over priced for a simple power brick.
Looks like an of the shelf 24V 7.5A PSU with a standard ATX 4 pin connector (similar to the 12V Mainboard/GPU connectors) will do the trick... About 50€ and 5 min work. I like that Fanatec encourages their customers to set their house on fire with makeshift PSU divices... Is there any other handshake mechanism in place? Edit: spelling
It basically is ,you could just buy a 200-300w 24v Psu and a cpu 4pin moles extension and just wire it the same way as the boost kit . Please check the wireing diagram it is different from the cpu wireing e.g positive are in diagonal and negative are diagonal in fanatec and the connector will go in to the fanatic no problem
I have done it. It's easy and it works. It's a quick job and will cost you approx. 50€. The wheel base itself and the 5Nm PSU stay intact so in case of warranty claims you'd still be ok.
I'd love to jump in with the CSL DD and its boost kit but the price to switch to fanatec is prohibitive. For a decent CSL DD + wheel + 3 set pedal, you're already spending more than a grand which is not possible for me yet. And I'm not including a change of cockpit as my playseat challenge will surely be too weak to handle this wheel.
I have a DD1 and for track racing I'm peaking around 18Nm i the tougher corners, I like when I have the weight to lean on. But for WRC for example I lower it quite much to really get the agility and reaction
Take a 5 mn setup first. Get it home and try out with your needs. If you like a higher boost with 8 nm, then get the boost kit. I got DDPro with 8 nm but only like use 35 to 40 FFB in kind of all my setups.... Overkill for me, YES.... And with DD Pro, I only got the big powersuply, not both....
iRacing? Might as well stick with a G 29 for iRacing. Yes it's worth the extra, not for 💥 More 💥 Power 💥 but for the subtleties. I previously had a 5Nm wheel base but when researching the CSL DD and test driving them whichever had the boost PSU on (blind testing of course) I was able to pick out the 8Nm unit every time, from the greater detail.
Of course it’s not. The fact they’re charging $150 for a $10 power supply is an insult to their customers. I get the motor and wheel is budget but you don’t punish you’re customers on the back end cause you price your product competitive. These shouldn’t be more than $40
I can't understand how managers thought this would be a good marketing strategy. It would have been so easy to make the base just 400€ and with the 8nm psu 450€. Yes you lose your 350€ market price but a DD wheel for 400 is already untouchable for any competitor at the moment. And even then, the majority would pay the 50 bucks more easily - which they poker right now as well. But if you have to spend 100-150 more (which is around a thrid of the actual price lol), people are willing to make their own psu and take the "risk" - so fanatec not profiting at all
Yeah, it's actually not that hard to do if you are familiar with wiring electronics. Just buy a 24V 200W power supply, 4-pin ATX CPU power cable, and do some crimping and cutting/stripping to connect it all together. Definitely costs less than $100.
@@matthewbyrd398 Depends. I know what I'm doing so I am confident that I will not ruin it. I would recommend most people to just go with the boost kit. I am DIYing it because I like to mess with electronics as a hobby.
Not all power supplies are built with the same quality. This could be an issue, when the DD is definitely using and abusing the power supply constantly while racing. I would like to know if they have a higher end power supply then some of the cheaper power supplies with same specs.
the difference between the csl dd 5nm and 8nm is the power supply? which you can buy separately? but on fanatec's website they have the 8nm DD base and are out of the 5nm DD base? sounds fishy... EDIT: or maybe they're out of the smaller power supplies
So what if I’m coming from the csw and I never have FFb turned up past 50-60? I feel like the 5 should be sufficient right? Also I the csl elite was 5mn. That’s what I remember when I purchased the csw
I have started using IRFFB in iRacing, based on your review would you say when I receive my CSL DD with boost kit that the feedback will be improved when near grip limit to make IRFFB redundant?
IRFFB wont be rendered redundant, I run a DD1 and I cant race without IRFFB. Telemetry based suspension effects and the SOP effect can't be replicated in Iracing settings or in Fanatec settings. just my 2 cents.
I agree with the other guys. I run a Simucube SC1 and irFFB is a godsend. While the stronger motor gives me more prominent minor sensations (like bumps, suspension deflection, and curb ripples) it can't add what's not in the FFB output of the sim. For some reason iRacing hasn't added SOP to their FFB, but I really hope they'll just make irFFB part of the sim at some point. I'd like to see them add the understeer effect too, but I can't even get that to work in irFFB.
i upgraded my csw2.5 to the csl dd *without* the boost kit. the csw2.5 psu is the exact same psu as the 'boost kit', just different connectors. could sell the csw2.5 for ~ $400, or should i keep it as a backup wheelbase + modify the psu connector to use with the new csl dd?!
My power block for my CSL elite V2.5 Is the exact same as the boost kit one it’s the exact same specs 180w 24V 7.5 Amps, my CSL elite is a lot stronger than 6NM I’ve hurt myself with my wheel before, maybe it’s the more common V1.1 wheelbase that is the 6 NM one
When do you hit the point of dimishing returns e.g. going from 5nm to 8nm to 12nm to 20nm, when have you hit a wall where the higher nm no longer really makes a differance?
Difficult to say as every base is different, but most would argue around the 10nm mark. More powerful bases may be able to provide more detail and cleaner delivery with their extra headroom and stronger parts, but it will depend on which base. People often run their bases so that they peak around 4-6NM (even if they are capable of much more), but having that little bit extra (going from 5-8 in this example) generally gives you a bit more wiggle room so that it can be perfect for you, rather than always at 100% of it's capabilities. Beyond that, it comes down to the quality of the feedback rather than simply the NM figure. Hope this helps a little. :)
@@TraxionGG Hope this helps a little. :).....It does help, and thank you for replying to 1 year old video. Most content creators wouldn't bother, I was already a Sub but if I wasn't I would be now. Your efforts are appreciated.
Hi! Thank you for that - made it very clear whether we should use/get the 8nm kit or not! Question: 01:50 - could you share the brand/where I can buy this steering wheel stand kit (pink) please??? Thank you!!
can you just get a power brick of the same specs and just cut the connector and sold it to the newer one? i mean i know this whole thing about the different adapters is the propietary connector, so that way the force people to overpay for something so common.
You need the power supply to output exactly 24 VDC and at least 7.5 amps and it'll work with a 4-pin ATX cable. PC power supplies only have 12 VDC available (at least the ones I've seen), so it's not exactly as easy as you hoped.
I am on that dilemma myself. At the price of the boost kit in sim demon £160, I can add £40 and get the GT3 Mclaren wheel... But as to your review. It seems like the csl dd is a proper 8nm wheelbase. And then they just sold a lesser psu to have that 5nm option. Ahhh
@@TraxionGG Thank you, I'll see if they can just sell that piece. I have a GTR Simulator GTA-F cockpit, and they use a flat wheel plate that cannot be tilted, this seems like would work really wheel + add side mounting.
In most games, down the straights and in low effort turns I feel some bumps and rumble, but once I turn in it just feels like a constant pressure. I have never driven a race car so I have no idea if that's what I'm meant to feel or not. Ah yeah fuck it, I'm ordering it since my other living expenses are low anyway
I got the dd pro and a few different wheels which all have the q1 quick release. Don’t ride with the plastic bull shit quick release. If your gonna spend hard earned money save yourself the grief. I slapped that beast on a trak racer rig and now it sits in the middle of my leaving room, my wife loves that the new hobby takes up so much space lol.
You mean the wheelbase? You can get the CSL DD on preorder, it's the exact same as the GT DD Pro, just without the PlayStation support. Supposedly they will release the GT DD Pro wheelbase standalone eventually
Hey, I wanted to buy the csl dd and I don’t know if I should buy the McLaren gt3 or the formula V2.5x or maybe wait for the formula V2.5 which will release in January. Can you please help me? Thank you!
Hello! It comes down to what you like driving. If you mainly race GT cars then the Mclaren rim makes sense but if it's formula cars then the Formula rim makes sense. They are both pretty awesome rims, so it comes down to personal preference and at the end of the day, you can always pick up alternative options down the line if you wanted to 🙂
Sure! It's a Simplexity V12 that was used in this video. Really solid rig and looks great! You can find out all about it in our full video review: th-cam.com/video/sTcATd_YeWY/w-d-xo.html You can also check out the written version here: traxion.gg/simplexity-v12-traxion-gg-edition-review/
The wheel and motor are designed for the gran turismo playstation combo system, why did'nt you test that? The people how are going to invest in this model are going to use it for that....
Make sure you only get the boost kit after getting the base package otherwise it is a massive rip-off. Check the prices carefully and you will see why.
It's quite unbelievable that fanatec made an 8nm unit, which can be regulated to lower ratings in software, only to release it with a lower power supply cutting it down to 5nm. The word "con", comes to mind, the profit margin on the larger power unit must be enormous but, they are producing 2 power units for one wheel, that's the carbon footprint increased for no reason other than greed. It's like buying a four door car, but you only get 3, but for an extra £900, you can get a fourth. No one seems to have picked up on this. It's as if the younger generation think it's cool to pay for stuff that should already be included. It reminds me of DLC'S and the excitement users have at being able to pay for upgrades. I remember assasins creed, can't remember which one , but chapter 13 was missing but you coukd buy it seperate, to me this seemed like legalised robbery, but lots of people thought it was great, I dont get it. Anyway, end of rant. Good review.
Aye, Fanatec are a very greedy company. Simracing is still a very niche market, so they can do shit like this and get away with it. I'm the younger generation, just bought this wheel, it's stupid that they've limited the power of this wheel. Could have made it so much better for an extra €50 on the base price, but instead they charge €150 extra. Realistically you can just buy a FSP power supply for €50 and change the connector to the 4 pin molex. It won't brick the wheel.
Agreed, and now that the base Fanatec GT DD Pro is sold out, you have to get the bundle version with the boost kit if you want to play Gran Turismo 7 with Direct Drive. That combined with the shoddy aesthetics and craftsmanship on the rim feels pretty scummy. And I’m not even a sim racing vet; I own no peripherals yet and have just been doing research on the whole hobby. It’s a bit exhausting to be honest…
The boost kit is a flat out rip off. It is AU$250 here in Australia. Considering the 750w PSU in my PC only cost AU$120. What I would like to know is how dose it compare to the clubsport v2.5 wheel base? Would it be a worthwhile upgrade? Thanks for sharing 👍🏻👍🏻🙃🙃
Tip: The CSL DD wouldn't cost 350 if the 8nm PSU was cheaper than what it is. It's a marketing decision. The base DD costs less than what it should, the boost kit covers that margin. Like it or not... it's not about the actual price of the PSU.
@@Manuel-9- Like it or not it is about the price of the PSU. Because that is what this conversation is about. Get off your high horse. Tip: Nobody is in business to sell shit at a loss. They make a nice profit of the CSL DD with the 5Nm PSU. & then con you with spin & make you feel like you need to spend extra to upgrade to the 8Nm PSU. If you believe any different you are a fool. Fanatec don’t give a shit about you me or anyone else. It’s all about mega profit. The 8Nm PSU is a flat out ripoff.
Yet someone else that doesn't understand business at all. If they made separate units for the 5nm and 8nm wheelbases, it would cost them a lot more than if they just made the 8nm wheelbase, and have the price markup in the PSU rather than the base. If they charged the base manufacturing price for the PSU, they wouldn't have the wheelbase prices that low as their profit margin would be too small. It's good for the consumer because they get a choice of 5 or 8nm for reasonable prices, and cheaper for them because they only have to produce one type of wheelbase which costs less money.
@@maxswatchbuilds8129 Bull shit. Fanatec make a decent enough profit off the CSL DD. This stuff is made in China not Germany. This has got stuff all to do with business it’s about knowing when someone is having a lens of ya.
@@TraxionGG if I could get the spec, il just make one. Plus that motor can handle a lot more so you could make it 10-15nm if you ran it straight from the distribution board
I will just make my own boost pack. Easy with a led driver Around 200W with 24V. When imported from china it will be like 40$ and when bought here in sweden it will cost me 90$ for a 320W power source at 24V with a molex microfit contact. Fck that overpriced turd. It just a gimmic to raise the price.
Csl DD + Boost kit... 480 euro for 8 nm and tied to the Fanatec Universe. Sorry, trapped in the Failtec Universe. Go Simagic Mini. 600 euro, 10nm and you can use any third party wheel.
I had a G29 before I was forced to sell it. 2nm of torque, and it killed my shoulders. I will never understand the whole, "More torque more torque!" thing. I was really happy with my G29, would still be using it even now if I had it. I feel like 5nm would be just a bit too much for me, with 8 being way too much.
This type of stuff makes me mad. A freaking PSU is a "boost kit"? Why didn't it just come with that and then you could turn it down or up from there, i expect this from 3rd parties to bump up power, but from the oem it's just a rip off cash grab. And I don't want to hear how the oem had to spend so much more for this unit and that it would increase the cost of the wheel, that's horse crap and would cost way way less then 150 plus more shipping and waiting to "unlock" your product.
It's almost like the CSL DD was designed to be used with an 8nm power supply, and Fanatec intentionally made a 5nm power supply that makes the user feel the wheelbase is slightly inadequate. But that's ok... the customer is getting a good deal. They can always "upgrade" to a CSL Elite Laptop power supply...lol
For 150.00...no biggie
Marketing geniuses.
Maybe with the boost kit it'll make some desk wobble?
@@75yomu lol
5Nm is perfectly adequate for all the folks for whom it'll be their first DD wheel. The people complaining are those that come off of 20Nm DD wheels. But a 350 wheelbase is not exactly targeted at this crowd imo. Btw instead of complaining about it just appreciate the fact we're getting DD tech at bargain prices and secondly Fanatec has been kond enough to the community and left the door open for DIY solutions. Nothing is stopping you from making your own PSU for less than 1/3 the cost.
Thankfully it isn't hard to make your own PSU.
@@75yomu definitely this
I have a 10yr old CSR with 3NM torque and with a desk clamp it wobbles
Also a 180W tested and proper power supply is around ~50 USD retail
Having a 3x markup for an ‘official’ part isn’t that bad.
Think about warranty claims. If your $30 Amazon PSU spectacularly fails there goes your wheel
Just sitting here on my logitech g29 waiting for my November 8 pre order and watching hundreds of reviews lol
Same here, but I have the DFGT.
Check your order with Fanatec. Mine was originality 8th Nov, but it's got shifted forward a month to 8th Oct.
@@combatwombat71 mine was for 23/11 then changed to 19/10 and now it went back to 02/11 due to shortages. I got an email this morning.
@@combatwombat71 my order just says order in process atm. Where do you see expected shipping date?
same here, once it goes live selling it and making room for this dd wheel
Back in the 80's, I raced Formula Atlantic for a couple seasons in a Cosworth powered Ralt RT-5, and I purchased the Fanatec DD Pro for my PS5 and GT7 with the 5nM power supply combined with the CSL Elite Pedals V2. I can honestly say that although there is no Ralt RT-5 in GT7, the feel of the wheel and the pedals is really pretty fantastic and very close (not technology-wise but feeling-wise) to feeling like actual racing in a REAL Formula car. Pretty neat how technology has advanced over the past 40 odd years............................
The CSL DD is in my opinion the best of the Fanatec DD wheelbases. The 8Nm version has the most precise feeling ffb Fanatec offers. For me the 8Nm is spot on, I've used more powerful units and ended only using half the available torque (approx), I've been lucky enough to have had some track experience in a couple of Lola's (no power steering) and the CSL DD 8Nm is the closest I've come to recreating that feeling. Unless your vehicle of choice is something very old I think the CSL DD 8Nm has got you covered, all at a very reasonable price. Wheel choice limitation maybe my only reservation, I use mine with the WRC wheel, (for track cars, i find a wheel i like and stick with it) chosen for it's light weight, it's a 300mm wheel about a kg. Heavier wheels or larger diameter may not feel quite the same (i don't know but I'd recommend trying before buying) One thing I would suggest changing on the CSL DD is the runout clamp on the shaft, a two piece, twin bolt version will work much better. I also have had excellent results with the QR1 Lite, unlike the more expensive aluminium QR1 there is zero wheel movement on the shaft. This is a rare product, one that Fanatec got absolutely spot on, bravo Fanatec.
I have the CSL DD 5Nm. I have made my own PSU to get the 8Nm which works great and was easy and cheap to do. Coming from CSL Elite I'd say this:
The 5Nm will be enough for 90% of people. Especially if you're coming from gear/belt driven wheel you'll be pleased with the immediacy of the feedback and the ease with which you'll catch those slides you always thought you should be able to but wasn't allowed by the friction of gears/belts. For the price of 350 it's a real steal and you won't be disappointed.
Notice that all the opinions that say the 8Nm is a must or is transforming the wheel are coming mostly from people that already raced on stronger DD wheels, so their view is skewed IMO.
Yes the 8Nm is better. But it's like 15% better, not a game changer by any means.
My advice:
if you're on a budget get the 5Nm and enjoy it for what it is - you're not missing out. Down the line either get the Fanatec 180W PSU or get one of ebay and make your own PSU (it's easy and I have no electrical knowledge to speak of - google is your friend).
It's certainly the best wheel for the price by a country mile and frankly it being a DD there's no competition atm.
Thanks for the comparison, I’m coming from an elite so I feel better about holding off now.
@@basedindividual22 increase in what?
@@roseben5737 I'm glad to help 😃
@@ualreadyknoitsyaboi People that want to be smart asses on the internets usually have a problem with reading with understanding, I noticed.
I specifically wrote "15% better", so clearly I wasn't talking about the torque number (cause, you know torque isn't good or bad), but qualitative improvement.
BTW if the wheel gets 60% more torque than by the same logic all the whinning about the power pack pricing is unfounded ;-)
Obviously if you come from shit, a dirty paper seems to be clean but... as many users have tested stronger DDs... yes. GO 8nm.
Biggest advantage of the boost kit 8nm over the non boost kit 5nm is even if set at the exact same ffb level is the extra headroom to prevent clipping of the signal of the 8nm kit. Hence what is coming through the wheel to the driver will be a pure clean signal for the ffb.
At under $500 the CSL DD with the boost kit included is still the best overall deal currently for a DD wheelbase.
Dynamic Range.
For assetto at least i bet a lut file on the 5nm would help alot
Dude love ur review.i just tested the csl dd without boost kit so I had the same feeling in the corners.Glad to know boost kit fixes all those problems. :) Thanks.
Great to hear!
Nice detailed review, I went for the 5nm and happy with it indeed. I basically have the 'boost kit' laying here as it's the same power brick I used for my CSL elite but with a different connector. Will probably look for a 3rd party PSU along the line as spending 150 on an adapter feels a bit like being screwed.
150 for a simple PSU is simply a scam! I'll be getting the fanatec GT DD Pro and I'll probably make my own PSU if 5nm isn't enough, though it might be enough as I come from a 2nm G29... Though I do think having the overhead would be nice.
You cand find alternative psu for 60bucks on eBay. But damn they look rough
@@fruitycoconut Yeah need something that won't burn down the house haha
Its even worse if you get it as part of a so called bundle.
@@misterdog7 yeah the $150 is basically because it comes with regulations and won’t F your warranty
Most 24V power supplies seem pretty sketch
People always assume that any company bigger than a few guys in a garage has some evil motivation for everything they do. Like they did it this way just so they could screw people on power supplies. I really doubt that. A more likely scenario is that it was designed to be 8 Nm from the start, but they really wanted to hit that $350 price point because that puts them into direct competition with entry level offerings from Logitech and Thrustmaster. And it's also been a goal of theirs for years to make DD wheels affordable. I'd guess that the 5 Nm kit is being sold at a very slim margin (or even a loss) with the idea being that it gets people in the door. Once they are in the "ecosystem" Fanatec knows they will at least buy a rim (where they probably make most of their money) even if they don't end up getting the 8 Nm booster pack. So, no, the 8 Nm power supply is probably not worth $150, but it's not because they are trying to rip you off. They are just trying to balance that $350 offer on the books. They are a company, not a charity. They don't owe you anything. They owe their employees job security and a decent wage, and I'm sure a lot of their profits go toward R&D for future products. Nothing is free and Fanatec has done a lot of good for the sim racing community, so try not to be so cynical, ya salty basement dwellers!
(I say that with love and affection, as I am currently in my basement, "working" from home. Cheers!)
Agree 100%. Moreover Fanatec has actually left the door fully open for DIY solutions - there's no handshake taking place between the base and the power supply, so making your own PSU is pretty trivial. I've done it and it works like a charm. Cost? Around 50€ total (less in my case since I had cables lying around already).
Please simp for company more
@@petervansan1054 Sorry. Am I hurting your victim mentality? The big bad corporations are all out to get you, right? Don't be afraid, child. It'll be ok. If you study really hard, maybe one day you'll understand how businesses work too.
It's a niche market still. But I still think the profit margin on this is insane. I understand their other products being expensive as hell, they're good quality.
But a power supply? Just seems like an insane cost for something so basic. There's no R&D involved, they didn't design the PSU from the ground up or anything - it's likely made by FSP too. Gonna be doing a DIY solution instead, just can't warrant buying it from fanatec when you can grab a FSP PSU for a third of the cost.
Nice that they allow you to do that though and don't limit it, you're right.
Lol do you work for Fanatec?
I remember watching this a year ago when I was looking to upgrade from the g29. Looking back at this now I'm glad the review is so detailed and thorough because I LOVE playing assetto on my xbox with My fanatec setup. Kudos to you and your team!!
Great to hear! Glad you are enjoying the setup 😄
Motors have a sweet spot and an 8Nm motor is unlikely to perform its best when it is capped at 5Nm.
The “boost kit” is exactly the same PSU as the Clubsport PSU with a ATX connector. Funny enough Fanatec were selling off all their Clubsport PSUs cheap just prior to the launch of the DD CSL. €40 I believe the price was. So yes it’s a rip off. I bought a used Clubsport PSU from eBay for £19 and put the 4 pin connector on it. Works a charm
Great answers to the questions I had. Thanks for the video
I've just received my Alpha mini. 10nm peak torque. They chucked in a power supply for free!
How much was it with wheel?
@@nanoverse I bought just the base unit because I had the M10 before it. It cost £450 just the base on its own
Its not 10 nm peak torque only its constant 10nm
@@izhangt3787 thanks for clearing that up.
No one seems to comment on this, but my desk (I have a wife, no rig possible) may struggle to handle 8nm comfortably so have just gone for 5nm. It also uses less power, 180W for quite some time is quite a bit of power to pay for if you're on a budget. I know these things are not on everyone's mind, but for those with boring regular lives I'm hoping the 5nm is going to be aenough if a step up from a G29.
This is a very valid point! Nobody NEEDS the 8NM, it's still an amazing package with 5 and definitely will be a big step from an entry level wheel. I personally still use a G29 on a desk at home, but when I am able to upgrade I would only get something this powerful if I also had a rig or wheel stand to go with it. 8NM is a lovely luxury if you can have it, but nothing wrong whatsoever with the 5 🙂 - John
That is absolutely not how that works, just because an electronic device has a 180w PSU it doesn't mean it's drawing that much, and DEFINITELY not all the time.
I'm willing to bet that the PEAK power draw would be considerably under 180w and the average draw would be substantially lower again. The power draw of your PC, monitor/s and audio would dwarf what the wheel uses, upgrade kit or no.
@@HeretixAevum yep I get that it's not drawing 180W all the time. It's more the relative power consumption compared to smaller wheelbases. I owned a CSL DD and it drew significantly more during a session than after I switched to an R5.
@@HeretixAevum but yep, you're right. It's not a kettle or oven running on max power continuously.
It for sure sounds like the difference between reacting to what the wheel is telling you rather than just lifting from previous knowledge and muscle memory to get you through a mid-corner loss of traction. Just not sure if the value is there for the vast majority of people on a strict budget.
BEST REVIEW on this subject. Thanks for your great work!
This video helped so much, saved me tons of money, couldnt have described any of it better, if i could give a vid a 5 stars i would. 💯💯
Thanks very much!
There is a psu that allows for the 8NM and it only cost me $55 AUD , Wheelbase detects it as the boostkits and functions perfectly.
the boost kit is way too expensive for a power supply that probably costs fanatec $20 to make
China make them in factory for 2$
@@SolidSL510 shipping and logistics and RND and customer support probably costs them $20 per item
Agreed but I think that's one of the ways they've been able to make a DD wheelbase affordable so I think they can be forgiven a little.
@@ab8jeh no they cannot be forgiven.
@@elitesennabubble well who else is making a direct drive wheelbase for 400 euro? Or anywhere close.
i just bought mine last night and went with the 5nm one cause ive been using a t300 rs gt for about a year and that has 3.9 (which was enough for me) hopefully the wheel feels good without boost kit
So why do you buy a DD wheel? It is very easy and cheap to adapt a third party PSU. Even 8 nm is not so much power.
@@FreakCanal cause csl DD is miles ahead of the t300. It's so smooth and even with 5nm it still has more power than the t300. I've been using it for 2 weeks now and it's just superior. Also I definitely will be modding a PSU for it cause with more power, I feel like it's gonna be even more detailed
@@FreakCanal but I definitely recommend the upgrade. It's far better for only 300 more, and that's not even counting how much it costs to get an upgraded wheel that's as nice as the csl one you can get with cal dd
Before even watching the video... my answer is yes it is worth it for a couple reasons. One, the CSL DD with the boost kit is in stock, I bought one two days ago and it will be here next week. The 5 nm version is out of stock with no date to be in stock again. Two, I have a Thrustmaster T500 wheel that does close to 5 nm already. I want an actual upgrade in power.
Also, there's a cheap chinese knock off boost kit selling on eBay for over $60. I would not trust one of those to power my shiny new DD wheel base so the extra money is worth it, although way over priced for a simple power brick.
Amazing video, a great analysis and you described things perfectly
Insightful, valuable review.
Looks like an of the shelf 24V 7.5A PSU with a standard ATX 4 pin connector (similar to the 12V Mainboard/GPU connectors) will do the trick... About 50€ and 5 min work.
I like that Fanatec encourages their customers to set their house on fire with makeshift PSU divices... Is there any other handshake mechanism in place?
Edit: spelling
It basically is ,you could just buy a 200-300w 24v Psu and a cpu 4pin moles extension and just wire it the same way as the boost kit . Please check the wireing diagram it is different from the cpu wireing e.g positive are in diagonal and negative are diagonal in fanatec and the connector will go in to the fanatic no problem
I have done it. It's easy and it works. It's a quick job and will cost you approx. 50€. The wheel base itself and the 5Nm PSU stay intact so in case of warranty claims you'd still be ok.
I'd love to jump in with the CSL DD and its boost kit but the price to switch to fanatec is prohibitive. For a decent CSL DD + wheel + 3 set pedal, you're already spending more than a grand which is not possible for me yet.
And I'm not including a change of cockpit as my playseat challenge will surely be too weak to handle this wheel.
Check out the new 400 dollar bundle!
Excellent review. Coming from the CSL Elite, I think I'll stick the extra cash in and get the DD1/2. Currently using Xbox Series X for F1 2021.
Don't waste your money to play that game....
@@FreakCanal may as well get a simucube for need for speed
@@RatRacer Sure...what else? Ultimate of course....
I have a DD1 and for track racing I'm peaking around 18Nm i the tougher corners, I like when I have the weight to lean on. But for WRC for example I lower it quite much to really get the agility and reaction
Take a 5 mn setup first. Get it home and try out with your needs. If you like a higher boost with 8 nm, then get the boost kit. I got DDPro with 8 nm but only like use 35 to 40 FFB in kind of all my setups.... Overkill for me, YES.... And with DD Pro, I only got the big powersuply, not both....
iRacing? Might as well stick with a G 29 for iRacing. Yes it's worth the extra, not for 💥 More 💥 Power 💥 but for the subtleties. I previously had a 5Nm wheel base but when researching the CSL DD and test driving them whichever had the boost PSU on (blind testing of course) I was able to pick out the 8Nm unit every time, from the greater detail.
What happens if you connect the DD1 power supply in the CSL DD?
That's Fanatec's next wheel, the Clubsport DD.
Probably similar scenes to the Dallara at Lime Rock?
Of course it’s not. The fact they’re charging $150 for a $10 power supply is an insult to their customers. I get the motor and wheel is budget but you don’t punish you’re customers on the back end cause you price your product competitive.
These shouldn’t be more than $40
I can't understand how managers thought this would be a good marketing strategy.
It would have been so easy to make the base just 400€ and with the 8nm psu 450€.
Yes you lose your 350€ market price but a DD wheel for 400 is already untouchable for any competitor at the moment.
And even then, the majority would pay the 50 bucks more easily - which they poker right now as well. But if you have to spend 100-150 more (which is around a thrid of the actual price lol), people are willing to make their own psu and take the "risk" - so fanatec not profiting at all
Ok, I'm getting the DD Pro but there's a limit to what my wife will put up with money-wise. Should I get the 8nm kit or the McLaren wheel??
Interesting.. I wonder what would be the difference with the GT DD Pro compared to this CSL DD base version?
thank u sir ! you guys are the best
Maybe look for a much cheaper 3rd partyboost kit?
Yeah, it's actually not that hard to do if you are familiar with wiring electronics. Just buy a 24V 200W power supply, 4-pin ATX CPU power cable, and do some crimping and cutting/stripping to connect it all together. Definitely costs less than $100.
@@vinny9152 but, is it worth possibly ruining it, AND voiding the warranty?
@@matthewbyrd398 Depends. I know what I'm doing so I am confident that I will not ruin it. I would recommend most people to just go with the boost kit. I am DIYing it because I like to mess with electronics as a hobby.
Not all power supplies are built with the same quality. This could be an issue, when the DD is definitely using and abusing the power supply constantly while racing. I would like to know if they have a higher end power supply then some of the cheaper power supplies with same specs.
@@vinny9152 fanatec implemented software in the CSL DD to only recognize their PSUs so good luck
CSL DD with formula v 2.5 wheel or the t818 ferrari edition? I have no idea what to buy.
Whats that rig? like the idea of the both sides fixing.
the difference between the csl dd 5nm and 8nm is the power supply? which you can buy separately?
but on fanatec's website they have the 8nm DD base and are out of the 5nm DD base?
sounds fishy...
EDIT: or maybe they're out of the smaller power supplies
So what if I’m coming from the csw and I never have FFb turned up past 50-60? I feel like the 5 should be sufficient right? Also I the csl elite was 5mn. That’s what I remember when I purchased the csw
Great review.
Glad you enjoyed it
I have started using IRFFB in iRacing, based on your review would you say when I receive my CSL DD with boost kit that the feedback will be improved when near grip limit to make IRFFB redundant?
IRFFB wont be rendered redundant, I run a DD1 and I cant race without IRFFB. Telemetry based suspension effects and the SOP effect can't be replicated in Iracing settings or in Fanatec settings. just my 2 cents.
IRFFB is absolutely essential imo. The SOP is the main reason, but as Nathan mentioned above, other effects too
I agree with the other guys. I run a Simucube SC1 and irFFB is a godsend. While the stronger motor gives me more prominent minor sensations (like bumps, suspension deflection, and curb ripples) it can't add what's not in the FFB output of the sim. For some reason iRacing hasn't added SOP to their FFB, but I really hope they'll just make irFFB part of the sim at some point. I'd like to see them add the understeer effect too, but I can't even get that to work in irFFB.
Do you actually need the quick release system, or can the wheel attach onto the wheel base straight on?
Good video thanks. What is the wheel mounted on? It looks really sturdy.
Hi Can you let me know what rig you're using in this video?
ordered express kit on friday lets see if it gets shipped out tomorrow , monday fingers crossed.
i upgraded my csw2.5 to the csl dd *without* the boost kit. the csw2.5 psu is the exact same psu as the 'boost kit', just different connectors. could sell the csw2.5 for ~ $400, or should i keep it as a backup wheelbase + modify the psu connector to use with the new csl dd?!
Just sell the base and make the cable for dd
Its very clesr this thing has more power then some say because it was yanking you around haha.
Still cant decide, 5 vs 8 its like £85 difference, im only going to be using the clamp on my desk though
Get the 5Nm and add a £30 after market PSU later on.
My power block for my CSL elite V2.5 Is the exact same as the boost kit one it’s the exact same specs 180w 24V 7.5 Amps, my CSL elite is a lot stronger than 6NM I’ve hurt myself with my wheel before, maybe it’s the more common V1.1 wheelbase that is the 6 NM one
When do you hit the point of dimishing returns e.g. going from 5nm to 8nm to 12nm to 20nm, when have you hit a wall where the higher nm no longer really makes a differance?
Difficult to say as every base is different, but most would argue around the 10nm mark. More powerful bases may be able to provide more detail and cleaner delivery with their extra headroom and stronger parts, but it will depend on which base. People often run their bases so that they peak around 4-6NM (even if they are capable of much more), but having that little bit extra (going from 5-8 in this example) generally gives you a bit more wiggle room so that it can be perfect for you, rather than always at 100% of it's capabilities. Beyond that, it comes down to the quality of the feedback rather than simply the NM figure. Hope this helps a little. :)
@@TraxionGG Hope this helps a little. :).....It does help, and thank you for replying to 1 year old video. Most content creators wouldn't bother, I was already a Sub but if I wasn't I would be now. Your efforts are appreciated.
Hi! Thank you for that - made it very clear whether we should use/get the 8nm kit or not!
Question:
01:50 - could you share the brand/where I can buy this steering wheel stand kit (pink) please???
Thank you!!
You are very welcome! This is actually part of the SimPlexity V12 Cockpit, which Rich reviewed in this video: th-cam.com/video/sTcATd_YeWY/w-d-xo.html
Great review! Tks
Thanks for watching!
can you just get a power brick of the same specs and just cut the connector and sold it to the newer one? i mean i know this whole thing about the different adapters is the propietary connector, so that way the force people to overpay for something so common.
I'll be testing this soon
Where did you get your CSL DD mount (the red bits) from? Looks great.
They are actually part of the simplexity rig!
Just got my 8nm Fanatec DD Would have to agree 100% with dirt rally 2.0 and it being way too much for counter steering on dirt and gravel.
Didn't test the CSL DD without boost kit... but especially for ACC on Xbox Series X, I think the boost kit is worth the money... I love it
Umm, ok.
what if you plugged in a 4pin/6pin PCI cable into a PC power supply say 850-100 watts? will that increate Torque NM or will it kill the wheel?
And tested?
You need the power supply to output exactly 24 VDC and at least 7.5 amps and it'll work with a 4-pin ATX cable. PC power supplies only have 12 VDC available (at least the ones I've seen), so it's not exactly as easy as you hoped.
Is the difference between 8nm and 20/25nm in the dd1/2 very noticeable? And would you actually ever use the full amount in the dd1/2?
is your question if three times the torque is noticeable?
@@benfrese3573 🤣🤣
I am on that dilemma myself. At the price of the boost kit in sim demon £160, I can add £40 and get the GT3 Mclaren wheel...
But as to your review.
It seems like the csl dd is a proper 8nm wheelbase.
And then they just sold a lesser psu to have that 5nm option.
Ahhh
In simple terms, yes the CSL DD is a 8Nm wheel base, and the 5Nm version has a lesser power supply, the boost kit allows it to reach its full power.
That's a really nice wheel side rail mounting kit, can you tell me who makes it?
It’s all part of our Simplexity rig, you can see it in action here! - th-cam.com/video/sTcATd_YeWY/w-d-xo.html
@@TraxionGG Thank you, I'll see if they can just sell that piece. I have a GTR Simulator GTA-F cockpit, and they use a flat wheel plate that cannot be tilted, this seems like would work really wheel + add side mounting.
In most games, down the straights and in low effort turns I feel some bumps and rumble, but once I turn in it just feels like a constant pressure. I have never driven a race car so I have no idea if that's what I'm meant to feel or not.
Ah yeah fuck it, I'm ordering it since my other living expenses are low anyway
I got the dd pro and a few different wheels which all have the q1 quick release. Don’t ride with the plastic bull shit quick release. If your gonna spend hard earned money save yourself the grief. I slapped that beast on a trak racer rig and now it sits in the middle of my leaving room, my wife loves that the new hobby takes up so much space lol.
Sorry my ignorance but what this boost Kit does what is for someone can explain thank you
It's just a more powerful power brick
can you buy that wheel by itself or is it just in the D1 playstation F1 combo
You mean the wheelbase? You can get the CSL DD on preorder, it's the exact same as the GT DD Pro, just without the PlayStation support.
Supposedly they will release the GT DD Pro wheelbase standalone eventually
@@SakiDG no I want the formula 1 wheel
@@mwade1263 yeah, you have to wait if you want to use it for PS4/5 and want a different wheel. Not selling it standalone atm
I see a cheap Knock off boost kit 8nm on EBay for $45.00 is it worth it?
are you asking if the thing only you saw is worth it?
Got my 180 power supply off Ali express for £31 bargain all 5 star reviews off SIM racers aswell
What should I search for to find it?
Hey,
I wanted to buy the csl dd and I don’t know if I should buy the McLaren gt3 or the formula V2.5x or maybe wait for the formula V2.5 which will release in January. Can you please help me?
Thank you!
Hello! It comes down to what you like driving. If you mainly race GT cars then the Mclaren rim makes sense but if it's formula cars then the Formula rim makes sense. They are both pretty awesome rims, so it comes down to personal preference and at the end of the day, you can always pick up alternative options down the line if you wanted to 🙂
I both the v2.5x. the mclaren one looked too basic for the price. the v2.5x feels so premium in your hands and its really well built.
Should Fanatec give the option of de-selecting the standard psu if you buy the big boi at checkout? I think yus
If you choose the boost kit, you don’t receive the standard one in the box anyway.
They remove the standard PSU and Give you $30 off when you look at the CSL DD with Boost kit bundle on the website.
@@Shelboooooo nice, I hadn't checked since 1st reviews came out & it didn't happen then 😀
Can you tell me about your sim racing rig?
Sure! It's a Simplexity V12 that was used in this video. Really solid rig and looks great! You can find out all about it in our full video review: th-cam.com/video/sTcATd_YeWY/w-d-xo.html
You can also check out the written version here:
traxion.gg/simplexity-v12-traxion-gg-edition-review/
The wheel and motor are designed for the gran turismo playstation combo system, why did'nt you test that? The people how are going to invest in this model
are going to use it for that....
Hi there, this video was produced before Gran Turismo partnered with Fanatec and the DD Pro was announced 🙂
Remember this comment when you hit 100K subs. I'm telling ya this channel will explode one day.
Will this work on the PS5?
It does work with the new DD Pro base, but the CSL DD specifically isn't compatible with PlayStation.
can you advise if the DD1 power supply is the same as the boost kit?
are you blind?
@@willwastaken nah just lazy
@@inditube2 the dd1 psu is literally twice the size... i think that says enough
Hmmmmmmmm wheel, or 3 minutes of iRacing?
I don't know why I'm watching this with an DD1 next to me, but still interesting xD
Haha nice
I think you can diy an old PC power to boost this wheel base.
Make sure you only get the boost kit after getting the base package otherwise it is a massive rip-off. Check the prices carefully and you will see why.
Sooooo......its down to game designers implementation, if RF2 shows you don't physically need it.
It's quite unbelievable that fanatec made an 8nm unit, which can be regulated to lower ratings in software, only to release it with a lower power supply cutting it down to 5nm. The word "con", comes to mind, the profit margin on the larger power unit must be enormous but, they are producing 2 power units for one wheel, that's the carbon footprint increased for no reason other than greed. It's like buying a four door car, but you only get 3, but for an extra £900, you can get a fourth. No one seems to have picked up on this. It's as if the younger generation think it's cool to pay for stuff that should already be included. It reminds me of DLC'S and the excitement users have at being able to pay for upgrades. I remember assasins creed, can't remember which one , but chapter 13 was missing but you coukd buy it seperate, to me this seemed like legalised robbery, but lots of people thought it was great, I dont get it. Anyway, end of rant.
Good review.
Aye, Fanatec are a very greedy company. Simracing is still a very niche market, so they can do shit like this and get away with it.
I'm the younger generation, just bought this wheel, it's stupid that they've limited the power of this wheel. Could have made it so much better for an extra €50 on the base price, but instead they charge €150 extra.
Realistically you can just buy a FSP power supply for €50 and change the connector to the 4 pin molex. It won't brick the wheel.
Agreed, and now that the base Fanatec GT DD Pro is sold out, you have to get the bundle version with the boost kit if you want to play Gran Turismo 7 with Direct Drive. That combined with the shoddy aesthetics and craftsmanship on the rim feels pretty scummy. And I’m not even a sim racing vet; I own no peripherals yet and have just been doing research on the whole hobby. It’s a bit exhausting to be honest…
short answer: yes it is.
The boost kit is a flat out rip off. It is AU$250 here in Australia. Considering the 750w PSU in my PC only cost AU$120.
What I would like to know is how dose it compare to the clubsport v2.5 wheel base? Would it be a worthwhile upgrade?
Thanks for sharing
👍🏻👍🏻🙃🙃
Tip: The CSL DD wouldn't cost 350 if the 8nm PSU was cheaper than what it is. It's a marketing decision. The base DD costs less than what it should, the boost kit covers that margin. Like it or not... it's not about the actual price of the PSU.
@@Manuel-9-
Like it or not it is about the price of the PSU. Because that is what this conversation is about. Get off your high horse.
Tip: Nobody is in business to sell shit at a loss. They make a nice profit of the CSL DD with the 5Nm PSU. & then con you with spin & make you feel like you need to spend extra to upgrade to the 8Nm PSU. If you believe any different you are a fool. Fanatec don’t give a shit about you me or anyone else. It’s all about mega profit. The 8Nm PSU is a flat out ripoff.
Yet someone else that doesn't understand business at all. If they made separate units for the 5nm and 8nm wheelbases, it would cost them a lot more than if they just made the 8nm wheelbase, and have the price markup in the PSU rather than the base.
If they charged the base manufacturing price for the PSU, they wouldn't have the wheelbase prices that low as their profit margin would be too small.
It's good for the consumer because they get a choice of 5 or 8nm for reasonable prices, and cheaper for them because they only have to produce one type of wheelbase which costs less money.
@@maxswatchbuilds8129
Bull shit. Fanatec make a decent enough profit off the CSL DD. This stuff is made in China not Germany. This has got stuff all to do with business it’s about knowing when someone is having a lens of ya.
It works like DLC. It's up to you whether you pay to unlock it or not.
It's an essential upgrade. It's dumb it's a seperate item. It should be stock.
Buttttt what actually is the BOOST KIT
An alternative, more powerful, chonkier supply. That’s about it😂
@@TraxionGG if I could get the spec, il just make one. Plus that motor can handle a lot more so you could make it 10-15nm if you ran it straight from the distribution board
0:41 lmfao
if you but the bundle you don’t save nothing… 20 dollar less but they don’t give the normal supply
Why would you want the normal one if you have the better one 😂
Fanatec canceled my order and took my money $941.42
Not worth it thru Fanatec. Buy an equivalent PSU off eBay for ~$55 USD. If you can even get a CSL DD 5nm unit to begin with.
I will just make my own boost pack. Easy with a led driver Around 200W with 24V. When imported from china it will be like 40$ and when bought here in sweden it will cost me 90$ for a 320W power source at 24V with a molex microfit contact. Fck that overpriced turd. It just a gimmic to raise the price.
And do you do it?
@@mariowayner2965 yes i did it! Molex connection from an olf computer and a led driver. No problems
Csl DD + Boost kit... 480 euro for 8 nm and tied to the Fanatec Universe. Sorry, trapped in the Failtec Universe.
Go Simagic Mini. 600 euro, 10nm and you can use any third party wheel.
Boost Kit name in germany is scam kit
I had a G29 before I was forced to sell it. 2nm of torque, and it killed my shoulders. I will never understand the whole, "More torque more torque!" thing. I was really happy with my G29, would still be using it even now if I had it. I feel like 5nm would be just a bit too much for me, with 8 being way too much.
I don't think it's worth it. I don't think the whole csl dd is worth it in my opinion.
While it may exceed your technical capabilities, it is super easy to measure a power supply and they are also cheap to manufacture. Electronics 101.
for sure not necessary for ps5 gt7
Fanatec the Master of Add-Ons...what a Scam...
don't buy then 😂
(Don't buy then)...No, buy if they have something you need... Just know that after thoughts at this Company come at your COST....
This type of stuff makes me mad. A freaking PSU is a "boost kit"? Why didn't it just come with that and then you could turn it down or up from there, i expect this from 3rd parties to bump up power, but from the oem it's just a rip off cash grab. And I don't want to hear how the oem had to spend so much more for this unit and that it would increase the cost of the wheel, that's horse crap and would cost way way less then 150 plus more shipping and waiting to "unlock" your product.
€149.95 for extra 3Nm its a joke..... jajajajajajajajaja
Should never have been an option, only Fanatec could come up with this shit.
Sry but the question itself is dumb af. 150€ for a power supply
If you just want to have fun with your mates on a racing game, save £600 and just get the g29