Sim racing is currently at its greatest peak with only more growth to come. The ability to hop on a virtual track at a much deeper discount than purchasing a car and doing actual race days has opened the door for anyone and everyone to get involved. Even more so, if you’re that fast in the virtual world, it seems to have transitioned well over to the real world to the point that race teams are looking at eSports racers for seats. One game that’s due to come out is Gran Turismo 7, which continues to release information to make the game more realistic than ever. Developer Polyphony Digital has worked with Fanatec to design the Gran Turismo DD Pro Racing Wheel, and it’s as immersive as you can imagine.
While the release of the wheel is meant to coincide with the release of the game, Fanatec is currently taking pre-orders and it will release after the launch of GT7. It is designed to work with the PlayStation 5, but also works for PlayStation 4 and PC as the wheel has specific modes tied to each. There’s also a compatibility option for older titles, if need be. The wheel is also labeled as Xbox ready, so compatibility isn’t an issue no matter the platform.
The DD in the name stands for Direct Drive, which is the latest generation of force feedback that is felt in the motor that drives the wheel. The housing is smaller in comparison to other Fanatec setups, but it packs more of a punch. The review unit came with the additional Boost Kit 180, which adds even more force feedback with 8 nm of torque. The Pro version includes this and the unit even offers five presets, including an automatic preset that caters to specific titles. This means customization via the menus on the wheel itself are possible to cater to different racing styles.
The motor within the housing is German-designed and includes the patented FluxBarrier technology. Force feedback is precise with this wheel and picks up even the smallest of nuances. Coming from the Logitech G923 was a major jump in not only force feedback, but also wheel rotation. The steering wheel actually connects to the housing, much like other Fanatec wheels. I was expecting somewhat of a bigger steering wheel, but the results quickly dissipated those concerns. Working the wheel on the track and driving cars to the limit requires strength, much like a real car. I found that correcting oversteer was much more precise due to how well the wheel snapped back and forth. The Gran Turismo DD Pro is one of the most immersive racing experiences there is.
The pedal setup that’s included is lacking a clutch out of the box, but the durability of the entire pedal base is fantastic. The brake and gas pedal can be moved via screws to different slots to help cater to your driving preference. It also features a large platform to hold your feet at the base of the unit. The default pedal covers are plastic and can be slick if you race with socks, though. These steel pedals are linear and responsive, but more brake pressure or resistance for braking would have been preferred. Fanatec has added stiffer spring to this brake pedal along with a foam dampener that improves brake progression, so the brake pressure feel may just be more of a personal preference.
The wheel may be smaller than expected, but this was also designed by Polyphony Digital directly for Gran Turismo 7. It also works withGran Turismo Sportwith four sets of joysticks to help alter your racing options during the race. Brake pressure, traction control and more can be easily adjusted without having to go in and map things. With the Gran Turismo logo embedded in the middle and a small OLED screen for checking the wheel options, it’s a great-looking wheel. The paddle shifters are solid enough, but it does lack what Logitech offered in that G923. They’re small but get the job done. The wheel also features a RevLED strip for visual cues on engine RPMs and knowing when to shift and it adds more life to the steering wheel.
The L2/R2 and L3/R3 are also face buttons placed at the top and the bottom for easy access. The traditional PlayStation face buttons are located on the bottom right. Polyphony and Fanatec decided to not include a D-Pad and rather went with another joystick, which leaves me mixed. Menu navigation with a D-Pad would be simpler and early on, I found myself getting this confused with other joysticks on the left. The actual wheel is wrapped in black rubber for comfort and grip with the lower interior of the wheel featuring a brushed silver plastic.
The amount of force this wheel provides is immense with the included Boost Kit 180, which can provide a specific few another set of problems. With a setup featuring the DXRacer cockpit that housed the Logitech wheels perfectly, the same can’t be said with this Fanatec setup. The instructions on setting up this wheel aren’t the best and lack context, but having to go to the hardware store to try and find proper screws and bolts was aggravating. Drilling is recommended, and not everyone is going to want to go that route. The pedals can work with carpet, but when you have a dedicated setup already and the screw placements don’t align, you have to work with what you got.
The wheel and motor housing tend to stay loose with the screws provided by the seat manufacturer as Fanatec did not include any type of universal screw kit to assist and while it isn’t their responsibility, for the price of the wheel, this would have been helpful. There is a table clamp included, but I found this quickly slipping off the platform of my seat setup due to the weight distribution. The table clamp also moves the wheel closer to you by about eight inches, which can affect your turning based on the individual’s body type.
I did time trial testing across four games for the Gran Turismo DD Racing Wheel and the results speak for themselves. These were in comparison to the Logitech G923 that uses its TRUEFORCE technology. Choosing to do Monza and ten lap sessions to produce the fastest time netted impressive results. The first game that was tested was Gran Turismo Sport using the Mercedes AMG GT3 and with the Logitech, the time was a 1:47.515. I was able to achieve a 1:46.532 with the GT DD, almost a one second improvement. This wheel allows for pushing the limits so much more and it works fantastically with GT Sport.
Assetto Corsa Competizioneon PC was the next choice, and it was nice that the game immediately assigned button mapping. This game is currently the most immersive experience I had while landing a 1:52.474 on the GT DD as compared to a 1:53.565 with the Logitech. The car that was used was a GT3 Lamborghini.F1 2021saw an improvement of over a second with a 1:22.181 on the GT DD compared to a 1:23.585. The last game tested wasProject Cars 2on PC, and while this doesn’t provide the best force feedback for any wheel, there was a slight improvement in times. Throwing the Ferrari 488 GTE into corners made the game more enjoyable with the GT DD. The time on the GT DD was a 1:47.676 while the Logitech netted a 1:48.450.
Closing Comments:
Fanatec has been where the big boys play for a while, and the entry price for these wheels back this up. The Gran Turismo DD offers a base price of $699.95 and with the Pro version and the Boost Pack, it jumps to $849. The base level goes for about $300 more than Logitech’s next generation wheel, but the difference is noticeable and the rewards are satisfying. This wheel provides a workout for endurance races. The only real issue lies on an individual’s setup. The problem is Fanatec allows users to buy all these other kits and accessories if you feel like you’re missing out on something you may have had previously. You can purchase a clutch kit, a straight-line (not six-speed) shifter and other things, but you’re already forking out quite a bit. This is on the entry-level side for Fanatec as the other setups are close to $2,000. The Fanatec Gran Turismo DD Pro Racing Wheel offers everything you need out of the box and should be perfect for Gran Turismo 7 as it already is for GT Sport.
