Fanatec CSL Elite RW Review

A competent wheel system with good FFB power.
Intro: 0:00
Closer look: 0:45
Look Inside: 15:30
Driving: 33:18
Final Thoughts: 37:01

Help support the Sim Racing Garage!

PayPal Donations:

Help support the Sim Racing Garage!
Donate, or purchase an official
Sim Racing Garage T-Shirt.
SRG T-Shirts are available at the
Sim Racing Garage Store:

[clintcarter]

32:47 "There isn't anything I have ever seen that didn't have something I didn't like about it". Explains the awesome rig in the garage, combined with the lack of a wedding ring. Good man! Great review, as always!

[ITProjectManagerMan]

You deserve every like and subscriber you have and more. Simply the best at in depth reviews and impressions. I have purchased items you have reviewed and found your input invaluable and spot on accurate. Thank You for what you do better than anyone else!

[Sweaty__Sheep]

This is the type of in-depth finger-tip analysis that you can't find in web articles. Really, truly excellent.

[prrypm]

Okay, this guy is so thorough and presents the appearance that he is very knowledgeable (not a slight at all, I don’t know enough about these wheels to say for sure, but I believe he knows what he’s doing)… So the logical question here is...

WWDBU (What Wheel Does Barry Use)?

[thebigdustin]

That slotted wheel with a sensor is called an Optical Encoder Wheel. Old Ball mice used these to tell which way the mouse ball (and therefore the mouse) was moving. They are very sensitive to dust and dirt.

[frazk]

This guy is brilliant at these reviews.

[shadyhawklive]

I really appreciated your in depth explanation of the disassembly. Knowing those tiny front plate screws were 2.5 hex helped a lot. The explanation of how the sensor works also helped me diagnose a problem with my base. Thanks Barry!

[alexaustin]

29:50 Looking at the 3 big resistors on the edge of the board, and how the wires go into the motor, I'm pretty sure that's a brushless motor, and the position sensor is used for high precision commutation feedback into the controller. In case you're wondering, that's a very Good Thing(tm).

[u]

One feature that stands out on this wheel that wasn't referenced directly, is its ability to tune independent of the game or console. I play a lot of GT Sport and it has literally no adjustment to the FFB outside of two sliders. The Fanatec method of adjusting the wheel base and particularly the brakes (with the load cell setup) come in extremely handy for applications like mine. I would prefer a little more finite adjustment on some settings (10 points out of 100 is the norm) but the available adjustment is welcome as it is.

[Quazi-Moto]

Can't thank you enough for sharing your knowledge with clueless folks like me.
You're my go-to source for all things sim racing. Any and all future products I buy will be thoroughly vetted by you before I even consider adding them to my setup.
Thanks again, Barry... you da man!

[bombebomb]

I know this videos not up to the second new, but for anyone who cares the wheel description on site now says..

"Wheel rim covered with genuine Alcantara® and an eye-catching red cross-stitched seam"

I gotta say, I came for a basic review, and got so much more!

[apexpredator]

Al-can-tara😉 love the great videos👍 keep up the awesome work! Top notch all around👌

[josephblommel]

Just wanted to say thanks for this video. I had to RMA this wheelbase because of a faulty USB port, and it returned with the belt off, and thanks for showing how to get this fixed

[NoTechDrama]

thanks to this review I've just updated my order from a regular base to the PS4 version!

[MrTimdtoolman]

As usual a very well done review Barry.

[henryliu]

Very nice dissembly video. Id like to see the replacement of those two plastic pulleys with ball bearings.

[wayne]

Really good in depth reviews, just subcribed :)

[DMAX_DIY]

Yeah I bought one.. Thanks for the review! Big upgrade for my motion sim from the 'Logitech driving force' wheel I bought in 2010. I really like it and it seems to work for me! DMAX

[reddeadjournals]

WHy are these things so expensive?
I was expecting metal body and metal connection parts... but so much plastic.

[mesfigas]

ty for video mate :)
i also learned a new english
it fits well when speaking about pcars2 ffb indeed
cheers