Fanatec might not be the world's most recognised company when it comes to hardware and accessories for gaming consoles. However, those who are familiar with them, will already know just how great some of their most popular accessories are. Instead of providing gamers with cheap, tacky and fragile hardware, Fanatec pride themselves on delivering high quality, authentic products. The Porsche 911 Turbo S wheel is no exception. Licensed by Porsche-Lizenz themselves, one can imagine just how authentic this piece of gadgetry really is. Combine this phenomenal wheel with the RennSport Wheel Stand and you have something extraordinary that will prove just how much of a hardcore racing fan you really are.

We were fortunate enough to receive the review product in its full form. Without having to construct the individual parts, we were able to get straight into the action with the wheel already attached to the RennSport stand. However, with a bit of research on the Internet, you will find that the original packaging. You can tell a lot about how great a product will be by the packaging, and it's great for the Turbo S wheel. For maximum protection, the box is very thick, as if there were boxes inside boxes. As you open each flap, messages are displayed on top such as 'Take A Deep Breath…', and 'Not Yet!' The messages simply add to the excitement that any gamer would have when unpacking such an item.

Once the item will be unpackaged, you will not help but realise the strong build of the wheel and separate parts. Those who have used the Microsoft Wireless wheel will find out how awful it is compared to the Turbo S, in almost every way possible. The looks, features, size, authenticity; all of these make the Porsche Turbo S wheel worthy of purchase, instead of the Microsoft wheel. Granted that the price of the Turbo S might be higher, but you get what you payed for. The wheel itself is smaller than most other steering wheels, but don't let this fool you.

If you have any other racing peripherals such as a Playseat, then you will be happy to know that you can mount the wheel to it too. You might need to drill a couple of holes, but once attached, it will sit comfortably.

The pedals are very well built. Mounting the Fanatec pedals cannot be easier, especially with the velcro lining underneath. However, when used with the Rennsport stand, there is a metal plate at the bottom of the stand which ensures that the pedals don't get pushed further back.

Comparing the Turbo S wheel to the Microsoft Wireless one wouldn't be fair. The Turbo S wheel is by far the better product and that is evident by comparing the price tags. Another popular wheel would be the Logitech G25 wheel. After having tested both the G25 and the Turbo S, it is clear that the Turbo S wins hands down. It handles better, there are more configuration options, it feels better, the pedals are sturdier and the shifters gear up and down more realistically.


The force feedback in the Turbo S is a lot more powerful than the G25. You can configure all of these options to suit your needs. If the FF is too much, then you can lower it or turn it off. Just to emphasise how strong the FF is on the Turbo S, if the FF is turned down to about 33% on the Porsche wheel, that equates to the amount of force on the G25 if that was on full FF. Many games will require you to turn the FF down because the strength of the wheel is so strong that you cannot control it fully.

If you want to reassign the gears, then you can configure that too. The wheel comes with a 6-gear shifter as well as a standard one where you simply click the gear up to shift up and down to shift down.

The wheel vibrates perfectly. It's not as if the whole steering wheel moves out of place or vibrates to the point where things slip out of your hand. The amount of vibration is just about perfect. If you feel it is too strong or too weak, then once again, you can configure the wheel accordingly.


There are many adjustments that can be made to the wheel. Shock feedback, Force feedback, Sensitivity, gear recognition e.t.c. Thankfully, this can all be done through one menu. On the wheel, there is a button that brings up the configuration  menu. You can have five different sets of configuration too. So if you prefer playing Burnout on full Force feedback and Forza 3 on low, then instead of changing the settings every time, you can store them in separate configs. This is by far one of the greatest features that doesn't exist in any other wheel.

The buttons on the wheel are positioned perfectly and they light up according to what console they are linked too. If you link it to the PS3 via the provided USB dongle, then the buttons will light up to match the PS3 controller. You don't need a dongle for the Xbox, since you can link it wirelessly without an adapter. There is also an Xbox button on the bottom left section just behind the wheel. You can use this to access the dashboard or switch off the console. It acts like the Xbox button on a standard controller. It's amazing how the buttons and controls work so beautifully with both major consoles; this is something that more hardware creators should be aiming towards.

A lot of today's popular racing wheels do not come with decent shifters. However, the Turbo S wheel shifters are brilliant, and they work exactly as one would expect. The popular one would be the 6-gear shifter, which takes some getting used to, especially since the reverse gear is in the top left. Nonetheless, you can even configure the wheel so it recognises the Reverse gear as bottom right. Once you have played around with it enough, then shifting becomes very smooth. At times it might get a little stuck, but it is certainly a lot better than other wheels, including the G25. As you shift through gears, you will hear a loud clicking noise. It doesn't feel as if the shifter is breaking, but it certainly doesn't sound like a realistic gearbox. When playing games, you won't notice it much, especially after having gotten used to it.


In many games such as Forza 3, you have the option to race automatic, manual or manual with the clutch. If you prefer racing manually with the Turbo S, then you can use the paddle shifters to gear up and down. The shifters are located behind the wheel and act as the 'shoulder buttons' of the wheel. There are two paddle shifters, one for gearing down, on the left, and one on the right for gearing up. The size of these paddle shifters is just about right. Too small would make it difficult for big-handed people to find the shifters. If the paddles were too big, then it would look hideous.

When most people receive their wheel, they will most likely want to mount it onto a platform. Whether it is a racing seat, table or a stand such as the RennSport Fanatec one, you have plenty of brackets to mount your wheel. As mentioned before, you might need to drill some holes, but if you have the RennSport Wheel Stand, then you won't have any problems. The RennSport stand really makes things a lot easier since it is made by the same company, Fanatec, who make the Porsche wheel. The stand can be folded up neatly so it can sit against a wall or a large wardrobe, although it is a heavy piece of equipment.

Those who purchase a Porsche 911 Turbo S wheel should really be looking to purchase the RennSport stand, simply because it is the one stand that is truly made for your wheel. The stand is very strong, made entirely out of metal with adjustable bolts that allow you to reposition the height and angle of the wheel. You will need to build the stand however it does come with some detailed instructions and all necessary parts to make it, including the screwdriver!

Connecting everything else will be simple since cables are colour-coded. The shifter can be distanced from the wheel at your convenience. Obviously you can't have it a metre away, but you do have a few inches leeway. The shifter mounts on two long rods. These go right through the base of the wheel, so no matter how much force you might apply on it, the shifter won't break off.

Once everything has been set up, it is time to actually test it. The moment you plug the wheel in, it swivels around for a second or so as it tries to calibrate itself. Once this is done, you can begin playing. You need to set it a specific mode so that the wheel knows what to pair itself up with (the PS3, 360 or PC). Reading through the basic manual will teach you how to synchronise it to the right console.


The wheel was tested on three different games: Forza Motorsport 3, Gran Turismo 5: Prologue and Burnout: Paradise (PS3). Testing the wheel on FM3 was simply amazing. The sensitivity at first wasn't high enough however this was changed by configuring the wheel through the menu. After that, the response times and the movement was perfect and the Force feedback was just about right for a game of this type. Playing automatic is always a breeze, however manual with the paddle also worked just as well. Forza 3 also works with the clutch and gear stick. The gear stick needed to be calibrated properly. This takes a matter of seconds. However, once it was done, the racing experience became almost as realistic as driving a real car. The wheel vibrates more on rough surfaces. The car stalls and jerks if you aren't in the right gear, or you shift gears without the clutch down. Everything that you would expect in a real car is very accurately translated in the wheel and game.

Playing online also works very well with the wheel. Granted that it might take some time to get used to it but after a few races, you will begin to keep up with those who are playing with standard controllers! Navigating through the menus is very simple. At the bottom of the wheel there is a D-Pad, as well as a Start and Back button. So all of the buttons on the controller are also on the wheel. You can use the buttons on the wheel to look right, left, behind you e.t.c. If you aren't moving in a race and you accelerate without the clutch down, then your car jerks for a second. It will then begin  to move, but you have had a terrible start. As you play the game, you start to feel just how authentic the wheel is. The leather lining which is hand-stitched looks beautiful and the Porsche logo in the middle is genuine. Once you have played the game with  the wheel, there is no chance that you will go back to using the controller. The wheel becomes an addiction.

The next game that the wheel was tested with was GT5: Prologue. To connect the wheel to the PS3, you need to insert a USB dongle to the PS3. This comes with the wheel. Once connected, you can easily synchronise the console with the wheel. As expected, the wheel worked brilliantly with GT5 too. The clutch works perfectly and the shifters are responsive. The sensitivity is spot on and hardcore PS3 racing fans should not be looking elsewhere for a wheel if they want the best product in the market.

Finally, a different type of racing game, Burnout: Paradise was tested. This game was chosen since it's completely the opposite of the two racing simulators before. When playing B:P, you will notice just how powerful the wheel really is. The FF is absolutely mental and when you crash, it feels as if the wheel has a life of its own. If it's too strong, then you can turn it down. Playing B:P with a controller is enjoyable but when playing with the Turbo S, things rise to a whole new level. Turn the view to first-person and you will genuinely be frightened when racing at full speeds. Add to that, the X button which sits nicely where your thumb is placed. This button boosts your car to travel even faster. Playing the game on an HD screen with surround sound, a Porsche 911 Turbo S wheel docked onto a Rennsport Wheel Stand is a feeling that one must experience.

There are constant driver updates on the Fanatec website so you can update your wheel frequently. The wheel also has a brand new 'Drift' mode that allows it to turn freely so you can quickly drift from side to side. When practicing this in Forza 3, it becomes clear that a feature like this on the wheel is a must have especially for games such as GRiD and Burnout.

In conclusion, the Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo S wheel, accompanied with the RennSport Wheel Stand, is by far the best racing equipment that any console gamer can have, in a house that won't be able to fit a fully sized cockpit! There are only 10,000 of the Turbo S wheels, with each wheel specially laser engraved as a mark of authenticity. The wheel is inspired by the real 911 Turbo, the material used to make the wheel is genuine leather and the emblem is the real deal. The pedals are brilliant and the shifters are almost perfect. There are so many features integrated within the wheel, and the sheer accuracy and power of the wheel makes it vastly superior to any other wheel in the market. The fact that this is compatible with all major racing games both on the PS3 and Xbox 360, as well as PC, makes this a must buy for anyone who is a massive racing fan and wants the best racing wheel, and wheel stand in the market today.

ConsoleGaming Rating:

Build Quality: 10
Performance: 9.8
Packaging: 9.5

Overall: 9.8

Note: For more information about the wheel, please visit the official retailer www.fanatec.de.