Take This VERY Seriously! | Thrustmaster T818 Hands-On Review
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- čas přidán 15. 12. 2022
- This new sim racing wheel base offers 10Nm of force feedback, a supposedly unfiltered approach and compatibility with the existing Thrustmaster pedal and steering wheel ecosystem. Here, we try it with the Ferrari SF1000 steering wheel, but also tested it with the Leather 28 GT and Open Wheel add-on.
We also try the cockpit and desk mounting kits, plus the new quick release system and adaptor.
We found it belies the torque output, due to the lightweight components, and delivered something truly unique despite stiff competition.
The T818 costs £599.99 for those in the United Kingdom, €649.99 for buyers in Europe, and $649.99 in the US. The first Europe-only pre-order batch has been allocated, a second will happen before the end of 2022. US buyers will be able to purchase from March 2023.
Wheel used in the video: Thrustmaster SF1000 Edition Wheel Add-on
Pedals used in the video: T-LCM Pedals
Cockpit used in the video: Next Level Racing GT Track Cockpit
Thrustmaster T818 written review: traxion.gg/thrustmaster-t818-...
Watch our Thrustmaster SF1000 wheel review: • A REAL F1 Wheel For Ga...
Read a range of sim racing hardware reviews: traxion.gg/tag/hardware-review/
Full disclosure: This product was loaned by the manufacturer for review purposes. Here is our review policy: traxion.gg/advertising-affili...
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#Traxion #T818 #ThrustmasterDirectDrive - Hry
![Thrustmaster T818 [REVIEW/TEARDOWN] 🤔 IT'S GOOD! But I can't recommend it! WATCH TO FIND OUT WHY?](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/lFAwt1tlVN0/mqdefault.jpg)
Do you have any questions about the Thrustmaster T818? Let us know in the comments below and we'll try to answer them!
I'm worrying about the plastic steer shaft can't handle 10Nm ffb power😅
Will they be available on retail stores sometime in the future?
@@NSRT3954 thats why Logi is far better
@NSRT (Nakiri Sim Racing Team) of course it can or they wouldn't have used it.
@Drazen Budis said no-one in the last 10 years. Logitech is for 13 year olds. This is sim racing pal, not Rocket League.
Video is well done and glad TM have come to the DD market. One thing I would say though, this feels more of a marketing video rather than a balanced review.
You can smell the shill a mile away. Recommending buying extra adapters because of the cumbersome procedure involved and the mounting plate without any criticism of it. Ridiculous. The lack of any robust comparisons on price/performance and neglecting criticisms of flex in the steering and the cheap plastic build. Another youtuber reviewer that I would never trust.
@@Substance2020 logitoy cope
It's still a tough pill for me to swallow financially. $440 for the Moza R9, $500 for the CSL DD w/ booster kit. But, over $600 for the T818 with a plastic quick release? I know Thrustmaster has loyal customers who will buy them, but I struggle to see the value proposition.
It's going to come down to availability at general retailers, plus those like me who have 5 TM wheels. Now I can go DD without having to start over. That said if I don't want to have to keep swapping the adaptor around I have to purchase multiples of those. So definitely not a perfect solution
From what I'm hearing, they just smashed Moza and Fanatec etc...people will pay for that. Sounds like while it competes on torque it's whooping them on horsepower....the speed rather than the force in which it reacts. Nobody ever measures that for some reason.
I'm in the Thrustmaster eco system already so my upgrade path is clear.
Moza has extremely high shipping prices (for me the R5 bundle had 200 dollar extra for shipping) and Fanatec has no units to sell. They will stock up on their wheelbases but until then the thrustmaster would have been sold quantitatively. Thrustmaster not only has the upper hand on shipping and stock but also on retail sellers such as Amazon.
Also on top of what the others already said, the wheels you can buy are cheaper than the ones you can get for Fanatec and Moza
Those prices are without shipping. The T818 includes shipping (at least in Europe so far). Also, if you already own TM wheel rims the T818 is a better option than switching to another ecosystem starting from scratch. I considered doing that with Moza but seems good things come to those who wait, after all. We'll see after 6 months of use how it holds up all together. Mine should be here next week. :)
When I first saw anything about it I got excited, then I saw the new quick release and my excitement dropped instantly. Then I saw the adapter and my excitement came back. This is what I will get so I can continue to use the wheels I already have.
I have invested into the Thrustmaster ecosystem, so it's good to hear from these early reviews that TM has been able to deliver. I think a lot was hinging on this being good considering they promised the DD in 2021. So considering how long it's taken them to finally get a product out, it's giving me some reassurance about making the step up from my TS-PC. Will likely end up getting some Asetek Forte or the mid-tier Moza pedals to pair with it until TM announces their higher-level pedals.
This is a good first look at Thrustmaster's DD. I primarily play GT7 in PS5, so the T818 is just not for me at this time. But I really want TM to release a PS5 compatible version soon! I am knee deep in the TM ecosystem, so I don't necessarily want to jump brands right now.
But at $800 for the base alone, it's still a tough sell. Mostly because my T300 on GT7 feels "good enough". I do want more torque as I can easily overpower the T300 when I'm really going for it, but I still question wether it is worth it just for GT7.
And for the people that will attack me for playing in console, I do play on PC too. But for me, there is no contest between the simplicity of turning on my PS5, turning on my monitor, and sitting down in my cockpit and I'm already in game; as opposed to turning on my PC, going through my game list, picking a game, making sure I remember what every button on the wheel does, having that particular game not be able to be navigated with the wheel on its own, dealing with the mouse and keyboard. It is just plain easier on console, and the racing itself is pretty satisfactory.
With the wheel adapter fitted, does it sit further away from the base when compared to an existing TM base? It looks like it does and could potentially be a stress point over time especially being made of plastic.
It finally arrived!! Hopefully they would release these close to retail on brick and mortar stores on the Asian region
Thanks for the great video. Since 6 months I am a happy owner of a Tx300 and I think this T818 will be an interesting upgrade in the future as I can use current pedals and wheel. Later, step by step I can further improve.
Glad you liked it! Absolutely, it’s a great time to be an existing Thrustmaster customer I think. All the best!😊
When using the older F1 wheel, do you still need to go into the settings everytime and change it to advanced mode to use all the buttons?
Just managed to order one today. Can't wait to try it out.
I've not long had the TGT-2 with TCLM's. Got a couple of TM wheel's aswell. I love the whole lot but when this becomes compatible with PlayStation then I will seriously consider moving to DD. Provided though that the reviews are good.
This review put my mind at rest, getting one soon as the console version is available. I'm already in the Thrustmaster echo system so its a no brainer for me. will not be splashing out on another brand. HELL NO!! very glad they took their time. glad I was patients. sure I have to wait a little longer but boy was it worth it. My TS XW is serving me very well for now. great review.
I like that it only has 2 sliders to "play" with. One for overall ffb strength and one for damper. Nothing else. Hope it feels good too!
Oh yes. More adjustability is always bad.
@@regibson23 not everybody cares about 10 menus filled with 10 sliders each, Rob. DD is not just for pro level drivers searching for consistency and that last tenth, DD provides a much better but also more immersive experience for sim racing, and "immersive" is what everybody is searching for. Thus some people don't care about fidling with sliders, they just want that immersivity and here is where the current software is great. It would be awesome if Thrustmaster would introduce a "Pro" section in their software, to add more advanced options of tunning the wheel base feeling though, but as it is now is a great start.
Nice review mate!
Great review, mind blowing though this has been released without console compatibility. Such a big player base being overlooked, hopefully at some point they rectify this but wouldn’t imagine that’s going to be any time soon
Unfortunately that's just a reality of playing games on such a locked down platform. Sony and Microsoft charge perifial makers fees to support third party perifials meaning for more neich products it's often unfeasible to support consoles
@@danieljay8009 that makes sense although you think with such a large eco system that is spoken about they would take this into consideration and that by making it pc only it’s going to alienate a whole group of people. I have the t300 and am happy with it but my next step with be a DD wheel and ultimately of thrustmaster aren’t able or prepared to offer that then I will need to look elsewhere
@@Reece67Racing I'm in the same boat as you. Let's hold out hope we don't need to switch eco systems
to be completely honest just watching these reviews make me want to be a sim racing gear reviewer lol, great review as always
Like many, this is my clear upgrade path from my current the t300 RS+T-LCM+Shifter and open wheel add-on. My issue is that I hope I can at least temporarily mount it to a playseat challenge while I hunt for a new rig. Maybe possible without unlocking the full torque. I guess I have to figure that out in Canada anyway
I'm also curious if the open wheel add-on would be better for it since it's already so light
t300 and t-lcm user here too, when console compatible, i'm in.
Check out Rock Solid Rigs if you want a wooden rig. Bought mine a year ago for my Thrustmaster set up and I couldn’t be happier. Lots of customization and you can always drill extra holes. Shipping from England to the States wasn’t bad.
@@roderickkennedy2192 guessing the T-LCM's are staying?
How much of an angle upward for the Desk mounting kit is it? i am a little worried since i mouting it on a flat surface. Just wondering how much it raises the rim upward.
Thanks for the review. Will most likely upgrade eventually to this DD wheel. Glad Thrustmaster took their time with it and also made it so I only have to buy is the base. Very impressed and hope it sells like hotcakes.
Great review John! Looks like a great offer for those who are already in the TM eco system especially as they can keep their old rims. Is there an issue with the F1 rim and RF2? Or is it just not compatible yet as I noticed no screen or LEDs there but there was on ACC
Thanks Calum! I think you are right, for existing Thrustmaster customers this is an ideal option for stepping up if they choose. You just want a strong rig, pedals and steering wheel to accompany it so that you can utilise its full potential.
Good spot, the SF-1000 screen isn’t supported yet by rF2 I don’t believe, but is by ACC.
Now I can't wait for my unit to arrive 🥳
Great review. I for have been waiting for TM to bring this wheel to the market. And was gutted when it was announced that it wouldn't have console support. Being someone that is on ps5 and currently has a number of TM products this would make the most financial sense for me. Fingers crossed they don't take to long bringing console support.
drive hub means console support.
Is the base compatible with older games? Or how does it work ? A game like F1 2012, for example, would the game recognize the base or do I have to change some files to get it ?
Good job on the review. I'm ready now but looks like I'll have to wait until it hit the US. I'm hoping they have better pedals than what is shown at the web site.
The prices look very inviting and hope they hold up for the US release.
If you still have the base for testing I'd like to hear what you think about using it without force feed back. I'd like to see more on the software also. I'm not a bug fan of "G" software.
Nice Review!!!👍
I have no ffb with rf2. I solved an issue with steering pull but no ffb. I have the car specific in negative 70 but still no ffb. Any advice on how you set up the t818 with rf2 would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
When will it be available in the US? Seems like getting direct drive wheel stuff is impossible in the US...
I got mine on the 22nd December to replace my old faithful TX, my goodness it's powerful &, as you rightly describe here, visceral; I think I might need to borrow Popeye's arms to run it at full strength. In short I love it, really smooth yet brutally powerful. Great review!
Glad to hear it!
I pre-ordered this the day it came out. And today I finally got an email to say it's being shipped soon
Fingers crossed it's a quick delivery for you.
What does raw and unfiltered mean? Are the others filtered?
If i pre order the base today will i get it before christmas?
It says that it will be shipped before christmas but since it day pre order i’m confused
Good review. I wonder at 5KG is this okay for a Wheel Stand Pro including the drill holes without an adapter, as I don't have space for a permanent rig setup. Currently using a TS-PC with T3PA and 2 TM rims. There were references on Reddit to the standard rims being shook to bits given the >6 NM force, I assume not though?
Should be ok enough. I used an Alpha Mini on a wheelstand pro for while until I got a proper rig and it was surprisingly ok.
@@mrspangles932 You don't need to drill extra holes for the mini, right?
@@madcapx Sorry, it's been a while and I'm not sure if I had to drill all 4 holes, but I did drill at least 2.
However, since moving to a simlab GT1 I only use 2 of the bottom mounting holes, so check your wheelstand to see if there are 2 holes about 78mm apart. If so, it'll be solid and you're good to go. If not, you'll have to drill, I'm afraid.
Those two holes should be there, as they're basically the Fanatec pattern.
Very nice review, I’ve been wanting a direct drive base, and I’m already in the a Thrustmaster eco system with 5 other rims, I waited for a Christmas deal, and I was able to get one direct from the Thrustmaster eshop for $550, been using it now for about w plus weeks and a great upgrade from my TS-PC. Hard to explain the difference but it is just smooth, my only issue is not being able to get more quick release adapters, I need more. Another note is if you get the new Thrustmaster app you can make on the fly adjustments,.
I currently own a TS-PC and love it. I find it to be a powerful and fun wheel but when the T818 releases in USA/Canada I am buying it as soon as they release it.
Great video by the way!
Thanks for watching and all the support
.. so did you buy it? I own a G29 and it's still doing the job, I'm finding it hard to put up the money for these DD's when it's like equal to roughly five G29's. Saw a video of TS-PC and it seemed to be a day and night difference from the G29, would be interesting to hear the difference between TS-PC and T818.
Also a bit torn if it's more worth with the Fanatec stuff for about 500 euro more (clubsport dd) when you are already up there at this price class.
Does this have a shifter input or not? Cause if it doesn't thats a big step backwards from the tsxw
Big question, it seems that the handbrake or shifters aren’t compatible with this servo, completely different female plug???
Been thinking about getting a direct drive wheel for some time now. But always put it off because i would need to buy everything new. But with this i only need the base because i already have, pedals, rim and shifter. It just makes sense to buy this so might finally make the jump
Hey, I have T300 and play in Gran Turismo 7, is DD worth buy for this game? I know that is worth for Assetto Corsa or other sims, but what about semi sim GT7?
I'm currently mostly running in the Thrustmaster ecosystem (T300RS, no additional wheels), T-LCM pedals and the shifter and I'm looking for DD upgrade. Which in your oppinion is the better option: Moza R9 + one of the moza wheels or T818 + one of their current wheels?
I have several TM wheel bases and rims (and the TLCMs) so to me it made more financial sense to simply get the T818 as an upgrade to what I already have, than jumping into another ecosystem, having to buy everything from scratch (and I considered Moza's R9 with the CS wheel and SRP pedals). If the T818 does not live to my expectations I will... but I have to give it a proper chance first. ;)
If you're already in the TM ecosystem I don't see why you would switch now especially if you have a bunch of peripherals. I love my Moza R5 and my buddy's R9 is impeccable. But, that's how I would think about it if I were in your position.
TM will be a better option than Moza, it's a more refined product from a more established brand and looks like it's more of a competitor with the Logitech Pro and Fanatec Podium bases than the R9 or CSL DD, judging by the response times and detail with low filtering cited in this review.
@@electropneumatic Unfortunately if it's nowhere near as good as what Moza of Fanatec does, it's a reason to switch for me
For now, the mixed review I'm hearing about the T818 makes me think about switching to Fanatec even though I got 4 TM wheels (and it really pains me)
i have a few wheels for the T300 and I think this is the DD that's going to get me to upgrade.
Thrustmaster said in their reveal first preorders will receive bases before Xmas. Well mine still hasn't been sent out for delivery and Xmas is very near.......
I feel for you! Hope it arrives soon😬
SOOO glad i preordered on reveal day!! im already all in with the TM eco system so really excited to play ACC, iracing and defo dirt rally 2.0 on the extreme settings!!!
its now waiting and waiting till we get them i think they ship it next week
Does the T818 have a physical rotation limit like they did on the Logitech G pro? Or is it limitless rotation when powered off?
1080 shows this video.
@@RacingSzuper This video shows Thrustmaster settings, it's not the same as rotation with power turned off. For example, Moza R9 supports up to 2000 degrees of rotation in software, but when turned off you can rotate the wheel infinitely and there's no physical stop.
Thrustmaster just knows how to use ffb aggressively. They understand we want to feel the weight. They somehow made a dd wheel have the weight of a belt while having the smoothness and detail of dd. Its amazing.
Been waiting or this 🙌
fantastic review, quick question is it night and day over the TSXW which I currently own?
Thanks Peter! The TS-XW is a really solid base from my own experience, we used to use it for many videos in the past. But I have to say this is very much a step up. The reality is it won’t make a big difference to lap times or anything like that, but the feeling is amazing.
@@TraxionGG Thanks for your quick reply
Does the base support older games? Or all racing games ?
Got to be honest i feel like i didn't learn anything about this wheelbase in this ''full review'' that you called a first impression in the video. no comparison to any other wheelbase on the market besides logitech, how exactly is it different from fanatec or moza, simagic or simucube, how ''raw'' is the feeling in comparison to those other bases in which a few of them can go from feeling extremely raw with no interpolation to smoother and more refined with some interpolation. How does a wheelbase with effectively no customizable settings compare, how smooth is the rotation etc
I just dont know anything about the base from this it just smells like a sponsored video and all im hearing is its good. On top of that the wheelbase looks like its moving all over the place in the review so that mounting solution looks terrible. Its all very amateur, ill wait for a boosted media review i think.
The alarm bells rang for me when there were no other reviews and after 4 days, there are still no other reviews.
This points to the channel doing a deal with Thrustmaster to drop the video before the embargo.
Then the phrase "don't bite the hand that feeds you" also rings...
If this Channel wants exclusives they've got to play "ball" with these companies.
so good to see a real solid product from TM. amazing!
hello guys. from where can i order it?? i cant reach it somewhere to order it :(
Yes, but which DD system should I buy? It seems there are suddenly (in the last couple years) too many choices.
For intro DD stuff.. I think Simagic alpha mini > fanatec csl dd > rest. Mainly because those 2 are fine tuned, and well tested. Also if you want to get different wheels, those 2 have lots of options or 3rd party options.
I have had the CSL DD for almost year and it’s great. A few flaws (QR), but we’ll worth the price.
I have a DD pro with boost kit, coming from a t300 I have to say I'm extremely happy. But for your choice I would say get what you can afford and make it your own.
Mine is arriving on Wednesday.... can't wait
the day after i got the t300rs gt i see this but got it for 210 as my first wheel how long before i should make the switch to direct drive?
That's a good price for that set. When to go DD? Whenever your wallet and gut-feeling say it's time. The T818 is currently out of stock on their EU shop so you have time to give your T300 a good test drive. I had that wheel before and it's good for quick, steady laptimes.
Had the opportunity to test it at the Paris Motor Show, didn't get as much time with it I would have liked because I had a train to catch but I really liked how it felt, and you're describing my sensations well, except I didn't find it to be that extreme, but I had just spent a week working with Simucubes on the Alpine rigs and only had time to run the 60% power profile (they offered to switch it to a 90% setting but I prefered to let my colleague have enough seat time with it). The 60% profile was nice, extremely quick reactions, felt a bit power steering like to me regarding idle resistance (which I'm stating as an observation, not a negative), I'd be curious to hear how you think that compares VS a 90 - 100% power setting. Anyway, I agree it's a shame console compatibility is not a thing yet, because I think the T818 would shine in that environment.
One thing though, you keep mentioning fans: it doesn't have any. I know because the test unit they ahd there was vibrating a bit and immediately thought out loud "the fan is a bit noisy and has a weird vibration", to which they replied "there's no fan in it" 😂 Apparently that noise / vibration was just due to the prototype being hand built, with the actual production units not having that issue - and it seems like the unit you tested was fine in that regard.
What sort of input lag were you getting looks like a fair bit from the video clip and watching your arms and hands ?
B-Roll + Footage for this video is shot in our lounge area - so there is input lag on that particular TV. We perform most of our testing with an AORUS FO48U Gaming Monitor however due to renovations we couldn't record in that room.
🏁Hi, do you recommend the t818 if you don't yet have a direct drive, or is it better to choose another ecosystem like simagic for example?🤔
I think important questions are: what is your budget? And how often/serious will you be simracing? And the platform question as well (PC/console?) Being completely honest, if you are starting from scratch jump straight into the Moza / Fanatec / Simagic ecosystems. You will find something you can afford and will be set for the long run, especially if you will be using your gear often. I believe the T818 is a good choice if you already are financially commited into the Thrustmaster ecosystem (like I am) and can't afford or don't want to jump into a new ecosystem all together.
@@Dzul74 Thank you very much for your answer and your frankness, it really helps me a lot.👍
@@funhobbies You are welcome... the best decision is an informed decision. :)
Unless you are Jean-Marie Balestre of course ;) czcams.com/video/1jxSjt3wU3s/video.html
it's compatible consoles with Drivehub ? time to have firmware update for console ? thank you
@TraxionGG Do you have some kind of noise minimize Thing at your shifters? I think i saw some red caps in this Video at the sf1000.
Back to topic, good Reviews. I think the t818 is at the beginning for all which have already Thrustmaster Hardware for racing. The only thing, i think there are a little Bit to late. Some of my Friends are already going to fanatec...
I don’t think we do to be honest! And thanks, I do agree that they will have missed quite a few potential users who will have already committed to another ecosystem. But there are so many good brands out there making great products I think the most important thing is that sim racers are spoilt for choice! This base is great news for existing Thrustmaster customers who would consider an upgrade 😊
I just purched this wheel. This is a new awesome wheel and base (the SF 1000). I play all of the Formula One that I can take!!! And it is compatible with PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, AND XBOX SERIES X/S AS PER FIRMDATE 5.72.
The T818 has software issues but it has the SF1000 rim. The Logitech G Pro has better software but it only has 1 rim. What do I do? Help!
Thrustmaster was founded in Oregon in the 90s, Guillemot Corporation bought it in 99. I wouldve liked to have heard that, never a bad thing to know your Sim History. ;)
Last year Fanatec CLS DD /GT Pro was a gamechanger, than Moza R9, this year Logitech DD Pro with their TrueForce and now Thrustmaster has invented the (dd) wheel(base) again? Does it really respond quicker than the very lightweight carbon fibre composite motor shaft of the CLS DD, or is this just marketing? I feel TraxionGG could have done a better job making a well balanced review. Why not showing the woodscrew you still need for the adapter? And why no close up's of the QR?
Waited patiently for a year. Now waiting patiently for March '23
For a proper cockpit style rig like mine, the base is just WAY too big imo. I'd have to raise my monitors 4"+ to be able to keep them at the same distance I currently have them at for this base to fit under them. I also HATE the safety stop button location. You want to try and reach around an F1 rim whipping around at 600RPM to try and hit that tiny button? There's a reason they're remotely mounted, so you can hit it with a knee or foot if hands are injured.
That’s a fair reason, it is a little awkward. The FFB kill switch gave me the same concerns, but when I tried it I realised it was nowhere near as bad or as risky to press whilst driving as I expected. The problem would come in a situation where your hand was stuck or badly injured or something, so I guess in an emergency (which is what it’s sort of there for), it might not be the best location😬
@@TraxionGG Good to hear it isn't as bad as it looks in photos/videos, would still like to see a remote for it, even as an optional extra. EDIT: I hate my use of the word "proper" in my original comment, but I can't think of another word to go there lol.
Is there any reason for using table clamp for your rig and not real stuff for cocpit they are selling? Thanks bro, waiting for console version so I can upgrade from t300.
I love it.
Definitely enjoyed my tspc racer but it is upgrade time .
I keep hearing that the T818 is not that great compared to the G pro or the csl DD
I already got a few TM wheels (sparco r383, 599XX wheel, and the cheap F1 like wheel + the one I got with the T300RS) and now I'm wondering if I should go for it
In some shots in the video, the screen & LEDs of the SF1000 wheel don't work, how come?
Their screen isn’t supported by rFactor2, but it is by ACC, hence why sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t 😊
@@TraxionGG oh did not know that! Such a shame. 1 “flaw” for the SF1000 after all 😁. Thanks!
It's looking good, informative vid. I really want one, but it must be compatible with PS5. I'd like to see them put out a QR system that would work well with the T300 or TGT.
Does the thrustmaster shifter work with this base? If so how do you connect it
Directly to the PC via USB.
Guessing you can't get more than 1080 rotation? Is it a physical stop like the logitech wheel? Or is it purely software related?
It's a software limitation. Just got my T818, and that was the first thing I tested when I got it out of the box, since none of the reviews so far had mentioned it. If there is a hardware limit it's bigger than what I could be bothered to spin it for, so >10 full rotations.
@@abc_def-55 That's good, then. In the review by Sim Racing Garage you could see a cable going to the inside of the motor which made me think the rotation will be limited in hardware to 1080* like it used to, but if what you say is true, then that's great, can't wait for them to make it go higher than that
@@Sithhy Yeah that cable in the review confused me too a bit, but doesn't seem to be an issue. Possibly cable is connected to a rotating connector of some sort. If there was a limit, I'm confident TM would have done a hard lock like Logitech did, rather than deal with RMA after yanked cables.
The software is the worst part of TM, you should be able to change things without exiting the session
I was expecting TM to have the T818 being able to use their HEART software, to fine-tune the FFB and create profiles the least. Maybe in the future, I hope. It will make a big difference compared to that native Windows CP, especially if you can do it on the fly.
You absolutely can change things in the control panel on-the-fly; the review by Sim Racing Garage has shown that
@@Sithhy Yeah, but it forces you to keep it open, if you close it you cant re open it because you loose FFB, on the t300 it happens like that
So you have to open it everytime you start the computer or otherwise you cant open it and change things ingame because of the loss of ffb that you can only recover when you reopen the game
I genuinely feel that there should have been a single, removable adapter to support the existing wheels. But, new wheels would come with the new QR. One adapter per wheel is a bit of an unfortunate cash grab in my opinion. They likely made their own as the French do not like relying on other countries for terms, brands, designs, etc. They also don't have to license or contract with another supplier.
I, personally, am excited for this DD and was quite confident that TM would bring something solid and more broadly available than most other brands given their current distribution which had to be considered. If you don't like it, you have options. Cheers!
It is removable. If you're used to swapping wheels on current TM wheelbases the effort is basically the same, except you can do it with the wheel and adapter off the wheelbase instead of reaching between the wheel and base to twist the ring and unscrew the locking screw. Buying multiple adapters is necessary only if you want them all to have the convenience of the new quick release instead of swapping the adapter between wheels.
@@abc_def-55 It looks like you are way ahead of me. Big thanks. 👍🏼
The problem for me, being on a fixed income, is that for 1,000 usd I got the Moza R5 bundle and a cockpit but if I bought the T818 and a cockpit and pedal set and wheel I would most likely be over 1,500 usd. The Moza setup setup will be miles better than the Thrustmaster T248 I was using.
The R5 is only 5Nm, the T818 is 10 Nm (so you can't compare)
@@davidwild8932 It is only a comparison of money for entry into DD wheel setup. Being the only DD base for Thrustmaster it is their entry into DD and it is more expensive than other companies entry DD bases.
@@exjw8623 that's completely wrong what you are doing here. No matter if the T818 is the only DD wheelbase TM offers or not you still have to compare it to the Moza R9 Wheelbase or other wheelbases with around 10 Nm. And than the price all in all is cheaper if you take the T818 or the same depending on the wheel you buy for it
It's a fair concern for somebody not deep in the TM ecosystem already. But ya, the R5 isn't what I would be comparing to.
@@simracingwithhandicap502 It is only wrong to you not to me. I could not afford Thrustmasters only entry to DD so I bought the much less expensive starter DD from Moza and was able to get a cockpit as well. Therefor to me it is a good comparison. Most of the people who buy higher NM output bases dont even use the whole amount of force their wheel has but from all the reviews I have watched I will be able to use all of mine with no clipping and have a good time with my first DD wheel.
Too late i bought the Logitech G Pro base, wheel pedals desk clamp free shipping and a further £50 off in a Logiday sale total bundle arrived in 4 from the Netherlands to the UK £1212.48p and it's premium and solid.
And it was in stock had it around 3 weeks now i love it.
Console support too.
Glad you enjoying it! I don’t think there are many bad options at this stage, just more and more competition bringing out the best in each company 😊
Lol not premium or solid 😂 Logitech is all plastic garbage the same as thrustmaster. Plus Logitech new pedals are still mostly plastic in 2022/2023 plus Logitech price you still can’t even hook up h pattern shifter yet what a joke let’s bring out a wheel base for sim racing but no shifter support.
@@SIMRIG412 Pedals are all metal the foot rest area is not but you do not own one to see i'm guessing?
Great review! Where on 2024 but still no signs this beast is coming to consoles? Also there’s no ports for shifters?
Thank you!
Is the base still compatible with the T series wheels and TLCM pedals?
Yes, compatible with both wheels and pedals
@@danieldulberg2167 oh cool so if you already have the wheel and pedals all you need to is purchase the DD base?
@@prezzie1 one wheel adapter is included, so you can start off with your existing wheel and pedals. Be aware that the T818 has unique measurements for its mounting holes. So depending on your setup, you will either need to drill holes into your rig/table, or you buy one of their extra mounting kits (cockpit or table). You'll find both these kits on their website. If you have more than one wheel you can either swap the qr adapter from one wheel to another, or you can buy additional qr adapters.
I'm Australian so it will be end of 2023 until I can get one. I have several DD bases from fanatec, simucube, Logitech, moza and accuforce. I honestly had zero intentions of getting the T818 because the rest of there ecosystem is just lackluster, the only time Thrustmaster produced quality products was with their early flight Sim sticks, pedals and thruster controls in the late 90's and early 2000's.
I have been seeing positive things about the T818, I will probably get one BUT their current wheel ecosystem needs be be stepped up to a more premium feel.
In terms of the FFB giving every detail of the surface, I found that the CSL DD over pronounced bumps at max FFB with minimal filters to a point where it was distracting. Is it the same feeling on the T818??
8:29 why is the desk mount angled so much? I need that for my desk, but the wheel would be pointing upwards rather than straight out. The only reason it looks straight-ish in your video is because the rig you’re using is slanted, unlike a desk. @traxxion
Looks promising the only thing was a bit disappointed about was only 1080 degrees of rotation. I dont just race when I want to chill I play American Truck Simulator and trucks have over 2000 degrees lock to lock 😕 be nice to have unlimited rotation. Think some other DD wheels do that.
Yes I think you aren’t alone with that one. Is a shame and probably enough to turn away those who play a lot of TS.
It's a software limitation, so could get increased in a future update if enough people request it. Not a hardware limitation like the Logitech.
Looks awesome. Plenty enough power but both logitech and thrusmaster need to work on their software for their "serious" racer wheel bases. They have 1 or 2 things to change in their software. Just for reference in Moza you can change:
( Besides steering angle)
Road sensitivity
game force feedback intensity
Max wheel speed
wheel spring strength
Wheel damper
Max output torque limit
Natural Inertia
wheel friction
speed dependent dampening
and start speed of the dampening.
You have no clue what to set it up to? Its ok.. there are presets for drifting, formula1, Gt rally..etc
I mean, as far as I know, the VRS Driving Force Pro also has about 5 settings to play with in their control panel yet I haven't seen people complain about; sure, more options can be better, but you need to have some kind of limit before the amount of options to play with becomes overwhelming & can actually make your experience worse instead of better
This will be the perfect upgrade for my T300RS cockpit next year!
The only thing that i'm not liking is the base mounting situation... i really want to mount directly to the rig!!! (I also have a Next level Racing cockpit)
For me that is a very important aspect and is a very bad decision from thrustmaster... they just want to capitalise on the accessories IMO!
I ordered mine with the rig mount, the one that's flat but has a similar broader base so, should be more stable.
make new holes into your rig, anyways that base is gonna kept there long time
You can just mount it directly to your rig without the rig mount or table clamps. You might just need to drill some new holes to fit the spacing.
The rig mount just extends the spacing on the holes so it is more likely to fit pre-drilled holes on your rig. And obviously the table clamps are required for desk mounting.
Whether or not that plastic QR will hold-up for 2 years or more is hard to determine. Plastic can degrade and is more prone to wear and tear.
Do not like the plastic QR, too plastic
It is not regular plastic. Sim Racing Garage posted his own review & said it's more like nylon infused with some kind of fibers which makes it almost feel closer to aluminium than plastic in terms of stiffness & strength
Will my Playseat Challenge hold it without bending? (now with TSPC)
It might short term, but I imagine it will bend long term.
Really happy w my r5 bundle (upgraded from g27)
Glad you are enjoying it!
I think the biggest downside I see is the limitations to 1080. Sure sure most who sim race won’t use it, but sim drifting is a growing market, being able to recreate the degree of steering of your actual car in your sim can have actual benefits. It’s not necessary but it would be nice
I agree. You should be able to set it to anything. For sim trucking I use 3200 and its awesome. I had no clue it had a limit of 1080.
It's a software limitation, so it could possibly get increased in the future. Not a hardware limit like the Logi DD has. Was the first thing I tested when I got it out of the box, since none of the reviews specified if it was just the software or the hardware.
@@abc_def-55 I hope they increase it, or someone way smarter than me makes some program that that opens it up. It’s not a deal breaker, just would be nice
@@abc_def-55 After watching the review by Sim Racing Garage, I don't think they will be able to make it go more than 1440 or at the very best 1800* of rotation as the wheelbase, like their previous offerings, has a cable running through the middle of the motor shaft to the connector at the front; in the previous wheelbases it was coiled so it could *technically* stretch out without issue, but they had a physical limiter that prevented the wheelbases going farther than 1080*, however, the cable in the T818 seemed to be just a straight cable, not coiled or anything so it most likely will not be able to give you much more rotation, even if they do decide to increase it
@@Sithhy I have it 10+ turns during my test and everything is still working properly. I was slightly confused by the cable in SRG review, but there was a moment where the cable seemed to flip around rather fluidly (wihout being twisted) so it might be connected to a freely rotating connector. If it wasn't free to spin infinitely, I'm sure TM would have done what Logitech did and set a physical hard lock to the rotation, so people don't end up RMA'ing their bases due to yanking an internal cable loose.
oke, I got mine , and ... IT IS STRONG af! nice!
now trying -and searching for - different settings. for now performance mode is already too much for older tracks with bad road surface in AC. On `normal`racetracks or in AMS2 it is easier to set up..
I’m glad you are enjoying it!
Crazy this does not work on consoles.
14:40 compared to the logitech direct drive? It feels significantly stronger than that?
As said multiple times in the video it's not only about the force, but also about the details and especially how fast it reacts. Nearly nobody is driving with more than 10 Nm irl. But yes it does seem to feel stronger than 10 the other competitors. You also have to keep in mind that it has a constant torque of 10 Nm, which means the peak torque is definitely higher. But the other manufacturers give you the peak torque, which means they aren't stronger than that number
Yeah that sounds very strange, either he must have meant gear driven Logitechs, or this base just reinvented direct drive systems.
@@drazenbudis7881there’s a lot of questionable things he said, but I think he was referring to the Logitech having a lot of smoothing/filtering. It could just be the wheel is unnecessarily noisy (processing wise) and he’s interpreting that as better? Either way he’s on iracing and as someone that is on iracing religiously, it’s fbb detail isn’t great. Idk how he would notice that much difference between 2 DD bases on there lol. Maybe if it was rFactor I could believe him lol
@@josephbargo5024 Umm, it clearly WAS rFactor 2, not iRacing, as you can see for example in 10:50 from the HUD.
Good review. I do feel Thrustmaster are missing a massive market by not having console compatability from the off. This would make the most financial sense for me, I have Thrustmaster pedals and 3 wheels already, would just need the base and a couple of adaptors..... But no, not console compatible!
Any word on dates for a console version? Not desperate for dd and only a casual player so don't fancy splashing out best part of £1k on fanatec.
Currently PC only, but Thrustmaster have said they will release a console compatible DD in the future
I will consider purchasing if and when my two T300 bases fail eh!
Check. Added to the list of new products that has no stock and wont be available for months at best.
When will it also be for ps4/5?
Is that a plastic quick release?
Looks like an expensive toy instead of a cheap toy like usual. Great video though, great channel. Thank you for making this video.
Awesome review!
Can't wait to have it ion my hands.
strategic release, right before christmas
Tbf I was expecting it to be an abomination, I'm pleased its a solid piece of kit. It's just the low end plastic wheels that would put me off
almost all of their add-on wheels are made with brushed aluminum.
@@bobbyDD yes it appears I was wrong, there wheels are pretty good these days. Just need them to offer some real high end wheels tocompete with other manufacturers of mid to top end sim equipment. I'm impressed though