My FANATEC Clubsport Wheel Base CSW V2.5 Review
I bought the FANATEC ClubSport Wheel Base V2.5 instead of CSL V1.1 and DD. I’ll write why I purchased this and my impression.
Before showing the review, I’ll introduce the articles on how I fixed the CSW V2.5.
When I was interested in FANATEC, the first product I tried to buy was different from the one I’m reviewing. I had tried to get CSL V1.1.
Why I had been interested in CSL?
・ Clearly higher torque than G29
・ If I import and buy PS4 compatible products, resale looks good (because they are not sold in Japan).
However, my final decision was CSW V2.5, which is not compatible with Sony PlayStation4&5. (The unit that I am holding in the top photo)
The reason why I bought CSW V2.5
・ If you really want to connect to Sony PlayStation, you can connect with a product, called Drive Hub. (Unofficial, but already confirmed to work on PS4 by multiple ancestors)
・ If I import the CSL to Japan, it is troublesome to send it back to the home country (EU or US) to repair it if breaks.
・Japanese people who have purchased CSL often change to higher grades(CSW, DD, etc.) one after another. (There must be some reason!)
・ If I add around $200 on CSL cost, I can get CSW V2.5, which some Japanese SIM training gym uses.
・ DD (direct drive from $1200) is too expensive for me!!!
・ Looking at the above and considering other people’s reviews comprehensively, I thought that if I get CSW V2.5, I would be able to play SIM for a long time.
As for the CSW V2.5, both the US, EU, and Japanese versions are not compatible with Sony PlayStation. So, it’s enough for me to buy from the official website in Japan.
The impression after I got CSW V2.5
・ Considerable torque. If you are running an oval, lactic acid builds up in your arm and your muscles get sore.
・ When I hit a wall, my arm will be moved violently.
・The sound during the steering wheel rotation is quite quiet, and it seems that the gimmick inside the CSW V2.5 is moving smoothly.
・The fan noise is loud, but it doesn’t bother me because it is drowned out by the engine noise from earbuds.
・ The feeling of twisting of tires is transmitted whenever the racing car stopped or running. Especially if the car has no power steering, you will feel the steering wheel is really heavy.
Before I build my sim cockpit, I used it by settling on my desk below without using the official clamp. please check it!
<Official Clamp for the CSW, CSL, DD>
As I have owned only CSW V2.5. I will introduce the video.
First, I confirmed the difference between CSW V2.5 ($550) and Podium Wheel Base DD (DD1: $1200 & DD2: $1500). Here is a video of DD2 ($1500) and CSW. You can check the behavior of the two controllers.
What you can see in this video & impressions
The DD2 seems to have a sharper FFB than CSW. It’s obvious that the original torque is strong.
However, my sense of money, that $1200& $1500 is expensive for the SIM wheel-base motor at that time, prevented me from considering shopping this. So I couldn’t choose DD.
This article is a result of my research on the 2 Podium DDs.
Also, I compared the CSW V2.5 with Podium DD2
And finally, I bought the DD1, actually. I compared DD1 and CSW below.
Comparison video of CSW and CSL
This video is in Japanese, so I summarize it in English below.
What you can see in this Japanese video
The Author of this video conduct experiments to measure the force in various situations.
・Obviously, there are big differences between the CSL series and CSW V2.5. The differences are not only the machining accuracy and materials but also the numerical outputs. (The continuous force and the instantaneous force).
・Compared to CSL, CSW V2.5 seems to be able to output a sharper output force, for example, for sudden inputs on the road surface.
This Japanese page is also very helpful. The reviewer (not me!) wrote about CSW V2.5 very precisely. Though the page is in Japanese, it’s worth using a translator. This page should be read by more people.
However, there is a budget balance, so I can’t say what is good. (I think that CSL is enough if it is not compared with other high-end models, so I do not intend to deny the choice of people buying CSL or G29, etc.) However, I bought CSW V2.5 for the above reasons and am satisfied with my decision.
Can CSW be compatible with PlayStation?
With the unofficial product, Drive Hub, you can make the unlicensed FANATEC wheelbase (CSL, CSW, DD, etc.) compatible with PlayStation4. Also, PlayStation5 seems to be used by a method below.
Caution of the CSW V2.5
Pay attention to the type of outlet plug!
When looking at my Japanese Twitter followers, there are a lot of people who can’t play games soon even though they received CSW V2.5 because outlet type in Japan is not well compatible. Some Japanese have to wait till they get the converter.(They tried to play it and they noticed about the plug. But at that time, it’s the night! and shops have closed!)
Fortunately for me, the matching? outlet was in my room like below, so I bought nothing.
Since it has a ground terminal, countermeasures are required. There was a follower who noticed in the middle of the night and pulled out the round ground terminal without waiting to get the conversion plug the next day.
Some followers do not use genuine cable. They bought the shorter and softer cable. And they recommended it instead of buying a conversion plug. Please think carefully about the types and length before making your own decision.
Bolts are included, but hexagonal type!
Do you have a hex wrench? I checked the inside of the CSW package, but the hex wrench was not attached. The bolts that come with the Fanatec CSW V2.5 are definitely M6 pitch 1.0. (Actually confirmed) The attached bolts are less than 1 cm in length, and only 4 bolts + spare bolts are included. You may need other bolts depending on your situation. According to the below diagram, up to 12mm bolts can penetrate Fanatec CSW V2.5.
