Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Ferrari 458 Italia Edition review

[Jari Vinnari]

Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Ferrari 458 Italia Edition
Background:
Well...im old...ancient someone would say. My first contact with simracing was Geoff Crammond´s excellent Formula One Grand Prix in 1990´s and since then I have driven numerous driving games with Assetto Corsa being the latest one. I have owned and destroyed several wheels from manufacturer´s like Microsoft, Logitech and Fanatec so I would call myself as a experienced driver with average driving skills.
I have been relatively happy with my Fanatec CSR wheel and Clubsport V1 setup but sometimes you just want to try something new and hopefully better. Fanatec Clubsport Wheel would have been one good choice but it was just too pricey and possible future warranty issues made me look elsewhere. Thrustmaster T500 RS is nice but the newer design, brushless motor and better belt system convinced me to buy 458 Italia wheel. Having owned and destroyed a Logitech G25 in my previous life the newly released Thrustmaster TX 458 for 300 Euro´s was the only real choice for me. Luckily it was Christmas so Santa Claus helped me get this wheel. Thanks Santa, I owe you one...or two.

First impression & some numbers:
"What the .... Why in earth did I buy this piece of toy wheel" was my first thought after opening the box and lifting the unattached wheel. The two things that really striked out badly was the yellow Ferrari logo and the 2-way Manettino switch which really makes the wheel look cheap. The wheel rim building material looks and feels almost the same as found in early 90´s Nissan dashboard´s. Luckily appearances can sometimes be deceptive as the wheel "quality" will grow on you.
The wheel rim weight is approximately 730 gramms and its 28 cm in diameter. The power supply is inside of the base unit which weight is about 3,9 kg compared to Fanatec´s 2,9kg including the wheel but without the external power supply. In PC-mode you have total 13 buttons and a D-pad in your disposal.

Gas and brake pedals are made of metal,base from light plastic and the total weight is approximately 1,36kg. Brake has progressive resistance and the gas pedal feels quite stiff. Pedals connects directly to wheel base and they are not USB compatible.

Wheel can be attached to table/cockpit with good clamping system or more permanently with built-in screw threads. After attaching the steering wheel and making the required firmware update for PC I was ready to Rock´n Roll.

Driving impression´s:
I could feel big difference between the CSR and Thrustmaster TX as soon as I accelerated out of the pits with my rFactor 2 Corvette.In straight line the 458 Italia will give you much more information about the car suspension movement and the bumps on the road. In corners I could feel the change in grip much more clearly and earlier stage than I did with Fanatec CSR. Steering response feels faster, more direct and FFB in whole felt much better. CSR has small FFB deadzone where you dont feel any feedback but with TX you feel the FFB almost whole range of wheels turning range.

With Assetto Corsa the difference between the wheels was smaller but Thrustmaster still feels superior of these two. Again the Thrusmaster feels so accurate,direct and fast to react drivers every steering input. Driving BMW Z4 GT3 with CSR feel´s just little bit boring but the TX wheel made the car more enjoyable and exciting to drive.
Gear leavers are made of strong metal and have nice solid feel to them. They are quite short to allow easy access to back buttons so I needed some time finding right position for my hands and fingers. That ugly Manettino switch works but they really shoud have used better quality switch in that one. Other buttons feel OK but for me the Fanatec has better buttons and the wheel rim in whole feels better. Pedals look and feel quite cheap but surprisingly they work much better than their appearance might suggest.

Conclusion: Connect the dots
FFB quality and the base unit are definitely the best part of this wheel . Driving with this wheel is true pleasure because FFB is strong, detailed and fast. Thrustmaster really should have used better quality materials with the rim and the pedals. Luckily you can always use Thrustmaster T500 RS add-on wheels and pedals or use USB pedals from another manufacturer. Thrustmaster plans to release improved T3PA pedals which includes a clutch pedal. I think this package is OK starting point for newcomer but I would definitely buy new pedals if I was serious about simracing. Im relatively happy with the rim so currently I have no plans to buy the 100€ Ferrari 458 GTE wheel add-on which should be much better in quality wise.

The GOOD:
+ FFB is very good
+ Base is made of strong, good quality plastic
+ Many buttons, even behind the wheel
+ Accurate and reacts fast to drivers input
+ Good clamp that will stop the base from moving.
+ Gear leavers are made of thick metal and changing gear feels quite good
+ Ability to use add-on wheels and pedals

The BAD:
- Pedals are light weight,looks and feels cheap. Surprisingly they do work moderately well
- Wheel rim looks cheap and the build quality should have been better. It does work & feels better than first impression might suggest
- Loud fan under stress
- No power switch
- USB cable can't be removed
- No clutch pedal

05.02.2014 UPDATE:

My Thrustmaster TX is dead so rest in peace my friend...you will be sorely missed.
But luckily his twin brother has arrived.

One morning about 10 days ago my wheel went completely dead, no lights or any wheel movement at all so the electronics must have failed.
I contacted my local dealer and they replaced my wheel in 10 days . Whole process could have been 2-3 days shorter but they didnt have the wheel on stock so Im very happy how fast they replaced my wheel. I also e-mailed Thustmaster twice and both time they replied in 24 hours so no complaints about their reply speed.
According to my local dealer over 10% TX wheels have been returned back for warranty repairs. Other users have also experienced wheel failures so there seems to be slight quality problem with first batch of the TX Wheel.

I still like the wheel very much.

 

[Terry Rock]

I'm interested in purchasing this wheel primarily because of the AC brush-less motors and belt drive.
I am a bit hesitant at this stage because I'm hearing stories about 10% failure rates.
If true, that's really high...especially at this price point.
I already have a set of Clubsport v.1 pedals and would probably get the 458GTE rim.
As the reviewer stated... maybe it's time for TM to offer it as a modular system and get any possible QC issues sorted.

 

[Pär Öqvist]

Well most serious hardware manufacturers do enhance their products over time they are loosing money on every returned TX wheel afterall but they will probably not announce these changes. T500RS has at least 5 revisions.

TX is modular I am not sure what you mean with that lack of static paddles?

 

[drivatar]

I guess he means paddles in the base (ala T500) instead of the wheel rim...

My first TX was one of those failing but I contacted the tech support here in Spain and in 3 working days I had another base at home, and that one has been running like clockwork since then...

On the other hand, I have been waiting for the t3pa pedals to be released and have found a couple of places where you can order them at last...

http://shop.thrustmaster.com/en_gb/t3pa.html
http://shop.thrustmaster.com/fr_fr/t3pa.html

I probably will get them sooner than later.

Cheers! ;-)

 

[Pär Öqvist]

Sim Racing Review's initial review of the TX wheel.

That "review" is hardly worth a click

He recommend rims he has no experience with because he thinks they are better based on what internet? He say he thought the 458 rim would be good based on what the gamepad people say. Didn´t he learn anything from that? The F1 rim has painted buttons and just as much plastics so prepare to be disappointed again . GTE has cheap buttons also and a generic D-pad though much better then the F458 D-pad and they all have hard rubber grips.

So he won´t review the base before he get heavier rims on it that is not so lightweight.

 

[Terry Rock]

TX is modular I am not sure what you mean with that lack of static paddles?

By modular, I mean the option to buy just sections and custom-tailor (i.e... buy the base and then choose what rim and pedals you desired).
It's kind of a waste to buy the thing with pedals and a rim you'll never use..
In the end it'll wind up costing you as much, if not more than the T500RS when you order pedals and a decent rim anyway.
If Thrustmaster wanted to be smart with their marketing, they'd go with the custom option.
They'd make lots of money because the accessories cost quite a bit more than the default stuff.
If they sold the base for let's say $250, by the time you ordered the F1 rim and pedals you'd be pushing around $550-575.
They'd make their money and the simracer would get exactly what he/she wanted.
I call that a win-win for all.
Maybe it's a licensing agreement which prohibits them from breaking up the set.
My other concern is that TM doesn't seem to have a presence in North America.
With the high failure rate reported, if I happen to be unfortunate enough to get a 'lemon'...I'd be screwed.

 

[Blkout]

I have owned the Turbo S. It´s a nice wheel. I can´t do a 1:1 comparison since I sold it quite some time before I got the T500RS but yes I am quite sure I would preferr the T500RS or TX over it if only for the fact I can use real rims not just Thrustmasters rims. They are generally very functional though minus the GTE rim which is just way to heavy for me. I havent tried the stock 300 mm rim on the T500RS. The Turbo S is very smooth but higher internal resistance then G27/TX.

The noise of my TX was a bit more today but yes it´s possible it´s just the trafomator and not the fan.

Now we got more in if you guys wiggle your TX left and right you get no visible movement of the rim? I can easilly see and feel it but it´s okay for race unless it get worse.

If I hold the wheel still and try to only move the rim, it will move very very slightly left to right, its so small though that I can't really say its noticeable unless I'm actually looking for it. Its within the tolerance I'm sure of every nut and bolt that holds the wheel together. Really feels more like a slight flex in the plastic steering column.

 

[Blkout]

By modular, I mean the option to buy just sections and custom-tailor (i.e... buy the base and then choose what rim and pedals you desired).
It's kind of a waste to buy the thing with pedals and a rim you'll never use..
In the end it'll wind up costing you as much, if not more than the T500RS when you order pedals and a decent rim anyway.
If Thrustmaster wanted to be smart with their marketing, they'd go with the custom option.
They'd make lots of money because the accessories cost quite a bit more than the default stuff.
If they sold the base for let's say $250, by the time you ordered the F1 rim and pedals you'd be pushing around $550-575.
They'd make their money and the simracer would get exactly what he/she wanted.
I call that a win-win for all.
Maybe it's a licensing agreement which prohibits them from breaking up the set.
My other concern is that TM doesn't seem to have a presence in North America.
With the high failure rate reported, if I happen to be unfortunate enough to get a 'lemon'...I'd be screwed.

I don't think its a high failure rate, certainly no higher than Fanatec and people still buy their products. For those that have had problems, I've read nothing but good comments about TM's support, even those that live in the US which is primarily TM's customer base even though they are based overseas.

 

[Terry Rock]

I don't think its a high failure rate, certainly no higher than Fanatec and people still buy their products. For those that have had problems, I've read nothing but good comments about TM's support, even those that live in the US which is primarily TM's customer base even though they are based overseas.

I realize that Fanatec did in fact have a level of failures in the beginning and to some extent, still do occasionally.
While not based here in NA, they at least have Endor representatives on the west coast for replacement parts.
My concern in reading reviews online for the TX, is the number of guys who've reported two or three failures in a very short time frame.
That's scary...if true.
Do you personally know of anyone who's had a failure?
How did TM handle it...(i.e...shipping cost, replacement time, communication, etc...)?

 

[Blkout]

On the iRacing forum, I know of one person that had a TX failure, and it happened with the first week. He got a replacement and it has been since then. I don't know if he returned it to the store or how he got it replaced. While I don't doubt that some TX's die, everyone I've read about seems to have gotten theirs replaced. What I can say is that if you're worried about it, buy it from Amazon. They have a no question asked return policy and you will get a full refund or replacement. From what I've seen, most TX's fail within the first week or two if you have a defective one.

The OP that created this thread had his TX fail and got a replacement.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

@Mark Reynolds Do you by any chance have a Fanatec Porsche wheel (GT2 or GT3, I reckon they are pretty identical?) to compare the TX with?
I'm using a GT3 RS v2 these days and have been pondering a upgrade for quite a while, would love to know if it's a big upgrade or not from someone who's actually tested both. ^^

In terms of feel both wheels are a cut above the GT2/3 , they feel like they will take a pounding without breaking, it is only the micket mouse standard rim on the TX which lets the side down really.

FFB wise the TX or the T500 is a good update, both those wheels feel solid compared to the GT2, I have one of those here as well (GT3 is almost identical)

If you want a full solution out the box (on a budget) it has to be the T500, simply because it has everything already.

If you want smoother FFB but are aware you need to spend a little more overall, take the TX, but then budget for some decent pedals on top, a DSD adapter and an aftermarket rim etc, the std TX rim is not what I would call a sim racers dream lol, for me at least

Then you have the Fanatec high end stuff, yes yes I have seen all the threads about reliability and I wont enter debate on that as it would not be right for me to, but wow, what a lovely setup, FFB is a cut above the TX in the way it delivers things, it managed to give some subtle extra's you don't feel with the TX or T500, and as a Fanatec customer you will already be aware of the onboard options which you can tweak in real time which can make a great instant change if needed when swapping between titles etc, the look and feel of that kit is gorgeous, I have the full whang bing bong kit here and its gorgeous, SQ shifter, Base, BMW, F1, CSV2, etc...

Does that make the TX a lesser wheel ?? absolutely not, it just depends how much you want to spend I guess, the fact I spend equal time between my highly modified TX and the Fanatec is a testament to how much I still rate the TX, it's an honest wheel, and a fantastic price point, However, the more I use the Fanatec and the more I start to dial in settings the more I am enjoying it, with all the recent announcements I can see me spending more time with the fanatec in the future probably, the Fanatec is certainly a wallet stretcher tho

How would I spend my money.....honestly that is a super tough one, really is not an easy decision, this is made even tougher by the recent product announcements by Fanatec, some seriously cool stuff coming from those guys lately, really really cool stuff.

The SQ Shifter is an insta buy from my POV btw, and again it doesn't mean the TH8RS is bad (which I also have), that is great too, but wow the SQ is just stunning a cut above and well worth the extra money IMHO, I love that thing dearly

 

[Blkout]

Stop it Mark, now you're making me want all Fanatec gear.

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

In terms of feel both wheels are a cut above the GT2/3 , they feel like they will take a pounding without breaking, it is only the micket mouse standard rim on the TX which lets the side down really.

FFB wise the TX or the T500 is a good update, both those wheels feel solid compared to the GT2, I have one of those here as well (GT3 is almost identical)

If you want a full solution out the box (on a budget) it has to be the T500, simply because it has everything already.

If you want smoother FFB but are aware you need to spend a little more overall, take the TX, but then budget for some decent pedals on top, a DSD adapter and an aftermarket rim etc, the std TX rim is not what I would call a sim racers dream lol, for me at least

Then you have the Fanatec high end stuff, yes yes I have seen all the threads about reliability and I wont enter debate on that as it would not be right for me to, but wow, what a lovely setup, FFB is a cut above the TX in the way it delivers things, it managed to give some subtle extra's you don't feel with the TX or T500, and as a Fanatec customer you will already be aware of the onboard options which you can tweak in real time which can make a great instant change if needed when swapping between titles etc, the look and feel of that kit is gorgeous, I have the full whang bing bong kit here and its gorgeous, SQ shifter, Base, BMW, F1, CSV2, etc...

Does that make the TX a lesser wheel ?? absolutely not, it just depends how much you want to spend I guess, the fact I spend equal time between my highly modified TX and the Fanatec is a testament to how much I still rate the TX, it's an honest wheel, and a fantastic price point, However, the more I use the Fanatec and the more I start to dial in settings the more I am enjoying it, with all the recent announcements I can see me spending more time with the fanatec in the future probably, the Fanatec is certainly a wallet stretcher tho

How would I spend my money.....honestly that is a super tough one, really is not an easy decision, this is made even tougher by the recent product announcements by Fanatec, some seriously cool stuff coming from those guys lately, really really cool stuff.

The SQ Shifter is an insta buy from my POV btw, and again it doesn't mean the TH8RS is bad (which I also have), that is great too, but wow the SQ is just stunning a cut above and well worth the extra money IMHO, I love that thing dearly

Thanks for sharing Mark, you hit the nail on the head there as I've been going back and forth between getting a CSW and a TX/T500 for quite a while now and the choice really ain't easy! I've already got the CSR Elite pedals so I'm good on pedals for now.
I've been looking at modding the TX with the DSD adapter and an after market rim but to get a decent one with shift paddles and some buttons will bring the total price close to the CSW with BMW rim.
The two major reasons I consider the TX (and the TH8) instead of fanatec right now is the fact that I'm still racing at my desk (no room for a cockpit) and the price would allow me to take it step by step and thus upgrade wheel sooner. I suspect the CSW is a bit big, heavy and strong to be used with a table clamp on my poor desk

 

[Mark Reynolds]

In terms of raw FFB power I don't think there is a whole lot between them tbh, size and weight, well yes, the Fanatec is heaviest, but a similar size to the T500 and TX, TX being the most compact of the three.

The other bonus of the TX is that you can play with it on the Xbox One, which means Forza 5, and there is much fun for any car racing game fan to be had with that title if your willing to put the stigma aside, some seriously fun cars in that game

The TH8 is def more desk friendly, the SQ would be near impossible to setup for a desk, the clamp on the TX for a desk would be adequate if you do not swing around off the wheel like a 5yr old pulling a Great Dane on a lead.

My TX has the T500 paddles, T500 pedals and an SLI-Pro with DSD Adapter, Sparco Mugello rim and full switchgear for the backplate wired into the SLI............total cost, hmm around £800 I guess ? Swap out that fancy rim with a cheaper copy from the Bay you could easy reduce that by £150, and like you said, once you have the TX you could upgrade it to your needs as money allows

 

[Daniel Green]

Great review Ive not herd one bad thing about the operation of the TX wheel apart from the look of it but herd that the ffb is best about herd from someone that is really into sim racing he rates it better than the T500 he has both but says he uses the TX more just likes the FFB just a bit better so defo think it will be my next upgrade.

Hahaha just read some of the other post that someone was Mark

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

In terms of raw FFB power I don't think there is a whole lot between them tbh, size and weight, well yes, the Fanatec is heaviest, but a similar size to the T500 and TX, TX being the most compact of the three.

The other bonus of the TX is that you can play with it on the Xbox One, which means Forza 5, and there is much fun for any car racing game fan to be had with that title if your willing to put the stigma aside, some seriously fun cars in that game

The TH8 is def more desk friendly, the SQ would be near impossible to setup for a desk, the clamp on the TX for a desk would be adequate if you do not swing around off the wheel like a 5yr old pulling a Great Dane on a lead.

My TX has the T500 paddles, T500 pedals and an SLI-Pro with DSD Adapter, Sparco Mugello rim and full switchgear for the backplate wired into the SLI............total cost, hmm around £800 I guess ? Swap out that fancy rim with a cheaper copy from the Bay you could easy reduce that by £150, and like you said, once you have the TX you could upgrade it to your needs as money allows

So, trying to read behind the lines and simplify what you're saying I've concluded that what you're getting across is this:
Get the TX! (but I like the CSW more, it's just more expensive)
Am I wrong on that?

While I won't rule out the possibility to race on a console, that won't sway my decision in any way or form, I'm a PC gamer through and through.
Did you consider the optional table clamp when saying that the SQ is near impossible to setup for a desk? I mean, are there other reasons why it will be hard?
Where did u get the backplate for your wheel btw? I contacted Sam Maxwell and while the stuff he produces looks proper awesome it is fairly pricey as well. The wheel I was looking at would set me back $637 ex shipping, though that was with a original OMP rim, could save some on a ebay copy ^^

 

[Mark Reynolds]

If you can afford the Fanatec and factor in the possibility of other considerations already extensively mentioned then the Fanatec is my choice.

If you on a budget, want to mod the wheel to your exact taste and want something which works on an XBOX one as well then the TX is the best choice IMHO.

Not seen the table mount for the SQ, cant comment, my view is purely on the weight and bulk of the thing, I had to fabricate and weld a special arm to hold the thing to my rig so it didn't flex the standard mount while in use

Backplate was from Derek Spears and was around $35 iirc ? was not expensive at all, real easy to make your own tho with very little effort.

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

Ahh nice tips on those DSD plates, $30 incl shipping worldwide is a steal!
If I go for a button only setup I guess I could get away pretty damn cheap. Though, do you know of a place in sweden to buy some proper buttons?

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Leo Bodnar.....and they do quality buttons which are proven and not that much more than the nasty tat you can get from ebay, less risk that way, they also supply some of the more specialist hard to find stuff like 4 way hats etc. I personally used a mix of Bodnar, eBay and Maplin for my setup, and an old hat from a Saitek X52

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

I realised shortly after posting that I need more than just buttons, there needs to be some electronics too, and a cable tthat needs to be fixed somehow..... ><

 

[Jari Vinnari]

Though, do you know of a place in sweden to buy some proper buttons?

You can find the same Nikkai buttons and some other needed stuff that Leo Bodnar sells from-> www.elfa.se