Driving never felt so
real!
There are certain games
that play better when you use a certain peripheral. For example, when playing a
flight simulation game it always feels like you have more control of the
aircraft when you are using a flight joystick. The majority of First Person
Shooter games feel better with the use of a mouse (there are several that work
perfectly with controllers though: Halo, Golden Eye, Time Splitters, ect).
Driving games are a mix bag, some games play perfectly by using just a
controller, but when you hook up a steering wheel and gas/brake pads, a new
level of authenticity is born. Saitek has released one of the best PC racing
wheels I have ever had my hands on, the name of the wheel is called the R440
Force Feedback Wheel. Get to know that name, because you will want one of these
beauties while you are playing a PC racing game.
First thing that needs to be said is the installation for this controller is
extremely easy. There are three cords to plug in. First plug the power in an
outlet then plug that in the wheel. The pedals use an RJ-45 cable and then
connect that to the wheel. The wheel connects to the PC using a USB cord, once
you plug that in pop in the driver CD, and you are all set up in less than 5
minutes!
To hook it up to your
desk, all you need to use is a plastic screw that comes with the wheel. Once you
tighten that into place, the controller will not move unless you loosen it.
The game used to test the
Saitek R440 Force Feedback Wheel was: Electronic Art’s
Need for Speed:
Underground.
This game is an intense arcade game that requires alot of turning, fast
acceleration, and many other factors that put this wheel to the test. Since the
controller has six customizable buttons you can map things like the emergency
brake, reset car, car views, and even nitrous oxide on them. Putting the nitrous
oxide on the red button gives you a total reenactment of a scene in the movie:
“The Fast and the Furious.” It gives you a total rush!
The steering wheel is extremely durable and has nice grips on it so when your
hands get sweaty you will still be able to hold on to the wheel and make nice
sharp turns.
After putting it though a racing marathon with several people, the controller
held out and was ready for more. No matter how hard it was jerked around it
would beg for more and give you the total sensation of driving. The brake and
gas pedals are another thing of amazement, no matter how hard they were pushed,
stomped on, kicked, they kept putting out their best!
What makes this wheel so much better is the force feedback it gives you. While
making sharp turns, drifting, and crashing, the controller will give you some
rumble feedback that feels so real that you feel that you are almost driving a
real car for a second. What is even better is that you can tell the difference
between some of the cars and the feedback the wheel provides, which gives an
extra sense of realism.
One of the biggest reasons to get this controller is that it is extremely
affordable. The cost will only set you back less than one hundred dollars. This
is a great deal for the quality and durability of this product.
Pros:
The controller doesn’t take up a lot of space and is very durable. A group of
people and I had a mini marathon on it and the controller and pedals never gave
out. The grips on the controller helps prevent any slipping around the
controller which helps gamers avoid any accidental crashes.
Cons:
There is nothing wrong with this controller in any sense. But if I had to choose
something I would have to complain about the wheel not having a realistic gear
shifter. You have to rely on using two gearshift pedals on either side of the
wheel. This is only a minor thing that is not even a big deal, except for those
“purists” out there.
Verdict: 9.5
The Saitek R440 Force Feedback Wheel is one of the best steering wheels that I
have ever had a chance to use. The control on it is extremely responsive, it is
very durable, and the force feedback it gives is great! If you enjoy
playing racing games on your PC then I highly suggest that you pick this device
up, you will wonder how you ever played a racing game without it!
