Notre avis sur le volant Xbox One Thrustmaster F458 Spider

On Xbox One, racing wheels are not very numerous at the moment. That said, with the advent of Forza Motorsport Z, Forza Horizon 3 or F1 2017, the competition should be increasingly tough. One of the first wheels to have seen the light of day for the Microsoft console is the Thrustmaster F458 Spider.

Not too expensive , with a super cool look, it already makes many users happy. It is still on sale and is not aging too badly compared to the competition. What is it really worth? I tell you everything in this complete and detailed review!

Thrustmaster F458 Spider

Un volant efficace et pas cher

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Technical characteristics

• Compatible: Xbox One
• Adjustable steering sensitivity
• Rotation angle 240°
• Return to automatic center
• Two-pedal pedalboard
• Adjustable pedal tilt
• Integrated Kinet detection LED

Design and manufacturing quality

Thrustmaster decided to make a replica of the steering wheel of a Ferrari 458 Spider. Unless your thing is Fiat Panda or Renault Twingo, you should like the look of this steering wheel. The top and bottom are black, and the sides are red, and of course we find the magnificent black horse on a yellow background of the logo of the Italian brand.

The two gear paddles are made of metal, which gives a little extra charm to the whole thing. It’s definitely not the most discreet steering wheel in the world, but it has style! The replica is on a 7/10 scale, which is a 28 cm steering wheel all the same, which is really very good.

In terms of build quality, it’s entry-level, and so some concessions had to be made. The plastics are quite hard, which inevitably gives off a rather cheap impression, far from the world of luxury cars. The buttons on the front are reminiscent of those on a budget arcade controller. On the other hand, we love the metal gear paddles, which are very solid and more serious.

The mount under the steering wheel is made of plastic. It clamps the edge of a table or desk, a bit like a vice. The installation is very simple and it is quite effective. For a steering wheel of this type, without force feedback, it is in my opinion largely sufficient.

Finally, regarding the pedals, it is very simple, entirely made of plastic but quite correct for the price range. It seems really robust and those who get excited about pedals should not have any particular problem. On the stability side, we have already seen better, but the many rubber pads underneath keep it in place all the same.

Ergonomics and use

A very nice steering wheel

The steering wheel’s grip is really very good. Thumb recesses and the rubber coating are pleasant to the touch and prevent your hands from slipping. There is no force feedback or vibration, so you will have to significantly increase your budget to get more responsiveness. However, the return to center is quite effective. If you are looking for a force feedback steering wheel then the Logitech G920 Driving Force should please you, but it costs a lot more.

The buttons are well positioned, and so the ergonomics are quite satisfactory on that side. We can quibble a little by talking about the noise they emit in the empty shell, which adds a slightly cheap toy side, but once again, for this budget, we can’t expect better.

A directional cross is disguised as an engine start button. It’s red, it’s pretty, but not super practical, the directions are not perfectly marked. On the other side, a rotary selector gives us the possibility to adjust the sensitivity. We will turn the steering wheel less to turn our different vehicles. For some games like Forza 5, this selector allows you to change view. It returns to the center automatically, there are not really 5 choices like on a real Ferrari. We regret not having an indication of the current sensitivity, and we will have to try each time to modify to make sure we are in the right position.

Finally, on the gear paddles side, the click occurs halfway, and they are really very pleasant to use. The only small flaw, as for the buttons, is that they make a lot of noise. You will have to turn up the sound of the game so as not to hear our steering wheel too much.

An interesting pedalboard

We will be able to adjust the inclination of each pedal as we wish. However, this inclination will never be sufficient to play on the couch, especially since with this type of semi-reclined position, the pedal board will tend to slide. It is therefore imperative to settle on a table or a desk, and this is not necessarily great for a console steering wheel, and the images that scroll on the TV screen.

On the other hand, we appreciate the good progressive resistance of the brake pedal which allows us to gauge our braking well, and the accelerator is not too soft either. On the other hand, this resistance will still tend to make the pedals slide on a smooth floor. So, for as efficient use as possible, we will necessarily advise you to make a mounting base for the steering wheel and its pedals, in order to approach the TV comfortably, and to be able to let go while fully enjoying our games.

Game feeling and immersion

Without force feedback or vibration, you inevitably lose a little immersion. However, it’s still much nicer and more immersive than with a simple controller. The return to center applies a slight resistance to the rotation, which is already very good for gaining precision.

Precision is clearly there. As soon as you get used to the wheel, you immediately gain a few hundredths of a second on your best times. A few vibrations would have been welcome to simulate a skid, an understeer or a slight exit from the road, so this type of sensation is missing

The verdict: Our opinion on the Thrustmaster F458 Spider steering wheel

It’s not perfect, it will always lack that force feedback and vibrations that necessarily bring a surplus of soul and sensations to driving on a video game, but the pleasure is still there. For around €100, it’s hard to find better, and this large steering wheel, with its good grip, its aluminum gear paddles and its well-placed buttons really allow us to have fun while being more efficient.

At this price , it is without a doubt one of the best steering wheels for Xbox One, and I will have a hard time not recommending it to anyone who does not have a budget of at least €300 to buy a good force feedback steering wheel. If you are looking for not too expensive equipment for a reasonable purchase allowing you to put your controller down, then go for it, you will not regret this purchase!

Thrustmaster F458 Spider

Un volant efficace et pas cher

Voir le meilleur prix

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