Fanatec CSL DD review

“Direct drive for a broader audience” – that’s how Fanatec describes its new CSL DD. Is Fanatec right? And is a direct drive wheel at the prices asked worth it?

The sim racing world appeared to be turned on its head earlier this year, when Fanatec released information about their new entry-level direct drive wheel. The internet went crazy, many proclaiming that all other manufacturers must now release direct drive wheels or they’ll be finished as a business.

Buy the Fanatec CSL DD (8Nm) from Fanatec.com for EUR 479,95
Buy the Fanatec CSL DD (5Nm) from Fanatec.com for EUR 349,95

Then, a few weeks later Thrustmaster announced the T-GT 2 – a wheel that would typically have been launched without too much of a buzz. But just a quick look through social media comments about the wheel revealed that pretty much all posters were slamming it because “It’s not direct drive” and “It’s too expensive”.

I haven’t driven the T-GT 2 yet, but at some point I hope do so. I have had the opportunity to drive the predecessor, though, which I liked a lot, and from what I’ve read and watched, this wheel is even better.

The CSL DD does put other manufacturers in a bit of a predicament, though.

Whether the CSL DD is any good is something we’ll get to – the fact that for as little as 350 euros you can now buy a direct drive wheel seemingly makes it difficult for the likes of Thrustmaster and Logitech.

Whatever wheels they bring out in the near future that are similarly priced to the CSL DD will be instantly compared to it, and for many, if the new wheels aren’t direct drive, they won’t be good enough.

This should be a good thing for you and me, the consumers. For quite a few years, the entry to mid-tier section of sim racing hardware has mainly been consistent. Yes, products are refined and new features come with the next iteration of a wheel, but in the main, they have looked, felt, and driven the same way.

This could of course be a flash in the pan, and anyone looking to buy a sub 500 euro wheel sometime in the future may not have direct drive in mind at all. But right now, in 2021, it seems that all wheels should de direct drive.

Overview​

The CSL DD is compatible with the Xbox and PC and comes with several options.

Parting with 350 euros will get you the hub in 5nm form and that’s just about it – you will still need to purchase pedals and a steering wheel.

The great news is that the CSL DD is compatible with all Fanatec wheels – so if you’re on a budget, you can use a secondhand wheel or borrow one from a friend.

For 480 euros, you get exactly the same hub but with the booster kit – which is essentially a larger power brick, providing the hub with more power and unleashing the wheel to its full potential of 8nm.

It’s important to note that the table clamp is an additional accessory and costs 30 euros.

If you decide to part with 350 euros and purchase the booster kit later, you can, but it will cost you more – the booster kit costs £150, making the combined purchase 30 euros more.

If you already have Fanatec pedals, a shifter, and/or a handbrake – great. The CCSL DD allows you to plug them directly into the back of the hub.

If you purchase the table clamp, it will fit tables between 5mm and 60mm thick, and there are some T-nuts supplied in the box that allow for easy mounting to pretty much any rig.

It’s not the prettiest hub I’ve ever seen, but you get used to it, and in some ways, it does share some characteristics with the Fanatec dd1 and dd2. However, the way it looks is deliberate – the hub is fanless, using aluminium fins to passively cool itself. At this point, I should say that during my testing of the CSL DD, it never felt hot or even warm to touch.

5nm Review​

I’ve decided to review the 5nm and 8nm variations separately because there is a difference, and I want my thoughts and feelings on both options to be clear.

The first thing you will notice is the smoothness of this wheel. If you’ve never driven a direct drive wheel and are used to gears and pulleys, you will be blown away by how this wheel feels even without it running in a sim. There’s no grating from cogs or friction from pulleys, just direct drive smoothness.

At the time of this review, I have tested the CSL DD with Assetto Corsa and Assetto Corsa Competizione. I will test in other sims, but this review will be based on my experience from these two specifically.

I’ve also tried to place myself into the minds of different consumers, who may have different expectations of the wheel. I’ve thought about the wheel from the perspective of someone coming from an entry level one, and I’ve also considered someone who’s had experience with a direct drive wheel.

So let’s get the latter out of the way first – if you’ve had experience with other direct drive wheels, you are going to be let down by the CSL DD in its 5nm form. You’re used to 18nm or higher, and with 5nm, there’s simply no comparison.

However, if you are moving over to the CSL DD from an entry-level wheel, you’re likely going to experience a wave of different emotions about this new Fanatec hub.

I’ve already mentioned how smooth it is, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how punchy a direct drive wheel can feel. The way the hub communicates with you is totally different to any entry-level wheel. You will feel the bumps, kerbs, track deviations, and the tyres loading up far more than you’re used to.

I would also say the CSL DD in its 5nm form is great for desks and entry-level rigs. You get many of the characteristics of a direct drive wheel but without the huge torque from other wheels that would simply rip apart entry-level rigs and turn any desk into firewood.

However, I’m sure there will be a time while experiencing these emotions that you wished you had gone with the 8nm option.

At 5nm there’s an apparent lack of detail at a granular level. Whilst you get the feeling that I mentioned earlier, it feels distant from the cars I was driving, and in some ways it feels numb. I kept going back to ffb settings and Fanalab, trying to extract more and more out of the hub to no avail.

There’s the cost to consider, too.

If you start to add up the cost – hub, wheel, and pedals – and opt for purely Fanatec gear, you will be parting with £630.

For just 350 euros you can purchase the Logitech G923, which admittedly has approximately half the amount of torque of the CSL DD but comes with TrueForce, which interprets in-game sounds and physics information and converts that to additional force feedback.

And for 700 euros Thrustmaster offer the T-GT 2, which produces a similar amount of torque but comes with its own technology that delivers an extra layer of driving feel.

The point that I am trying to make here is that just because the CSL DD is a direct drive wheel, it does not automatically entail a better driving experience.

8nm Review​

It might be just 3mn more, but this is the equivalent of slapping on more power than any entry-level wheel to the 5nm or torque the CSL DD produces in its cheaper form.

At 8nm, you can expect all the benefits that I described in the 5nm review and far fewer drawbacks.

There is so much more feel. As a driver you feel the bumps more and the texture of the road, and at high torque moments, you will be fighting with the wheel. All these benefits enhance the emersion you will experience with the additional booster kit. Catching slides will be even easier than before, and finding the limits of your tyres will come more naturally.

Whilst 8nm won’t snap your arm like more powerful hubs, I’d recommend letting go if you get into a spin or you will have bruised thumbs!

I’m not trying to tell you that this wheel can compete with the dd1, dd2 or other even more expensive direct drive wheels, because it can’t. At 8nm this hub has a third, sometimes even less, of the power of other direct drive wheels.

There are other things to consider though: with higher torque wheels, you will need a high-quality rig. For this review and my daily driver, I use the Thrustmaster Challenger rig, and at 8nm, it feels like it’s at its absolute limit.

Though the table clamp is an option for the CSL DD, you will need to turn the force feedback right down to be able to use it with 8nm.

I am extremely impressed with 8nm of torque. I’ve found it very easy to get back on pace with this hub, and I could see this variation of the CSL DD being one I would purchase myself.

Bits I Don’t Like​

Nothing’s ever perfect, and there are a few things about the CSL DD that I don’t like.

I’m not a fan of the massive power button at the front of the hub. Not only is this a power button, but also it allows you to cycle between PC and Xbox modes – twice I’ve hit this button as I’ve been driving, which completely ruins the race. Having this button at the front makes no sense to me. Yes, it might be easier to switch between modes as you don’t have to reach around the back, but is it that much of an inconvenience to reach around and how many times are sim racers going to be switching between the two different modes?

I’m also not a fan of the plastic end caps – I understand the wheel has to be made with a budget in mind, but picking at it with my finger, the end caps remind me of instant ready-meal trays.

Buy the Fanatec CSL DD (8Nm) from Fanatec.com for EUR 479,95
Buy the Fanatec CSL DD (5Nm) from Fanatec.com for EUR 349,95

Final Thoughts​

Whether this wheel is for you or not is a decision you alone must make. For 5mn, there’s a good argument that other wheels may provide a better driving experience. However, for 8nm, I believe this is the best option in this price range.

I will say this though: Fanatec have put the cat amongst the pigeons with a direct drive wheel for under £500, which hopefully means everyone else steps up their game in the coming months and years, making sim racing even better for us all.

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