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UsageYou probably already have a pretty good idea on how I feel about this wheel. And indeed it's quite good. To test it out I tried several racing games. All of them utilized the wheel without any problems. Though in most games you'll need to assign the wheel to it's X and Y axes. Steer left, turn the wheel left and so on. For the larger part of this test I've used F1 Challenge 99-02 as test software. I use it all the time and just love that racing sim. Gaming performance was good. The wheel is very precise, not perfect though. It responds very quickly to your actions. We set Force Feedback to maximum, personally I felt like it could have been a bit stronger in this game, yet it's game dependant. If you run off the track in Nascar 4 the collision is by far different than in this F1 game. What the R440 is good at is the mimicking of collisions, engine vibrations and even smaller things like riding over gravel as you can feel it in this wheel. The Force Feedback is strong enough and gives you even the lightest sensations such as gear shifting in Formula 1. Nothing overdone though, it is subtle and convincing. The wheel is equipped with rubber inserts so you have a firm grip on the wheel, very nice. The pedals take a little getting used to, but once you get to know them you'll love them. You need to find a relaxing position for yourself. Under the pedals we find rubber strips that makes sure they don't slide away from you. Once you've installed the pedal 'base' your feet will push the device down to the ground, securing them against movement. Spring tension of the pedals are good. You can very precisely adjust the level of throttle or your breaks.
Conclusion
The new Saitek R440 is a downright bargain, the force is strong in this one. For less than 80 bucks you'll own a great wheel that is very responsive and realistic in its behavior, it has very subtle Force Feedback. Now I have to admit, I installed this wheel a couple of days ago and it really does need to grow on you. I asked a friend to try out the wheel, he's quite picky when it comes to devices like these and after just a few minutes racing he was amazed on how precise the wheel was. Where he normally lost the F1 car in certain corners he now got through them far more easily. He instantly was confident that it was one of the best wheels he ever used. He raced onwards for an hour without noticing time.
All in all this is a nice product, as almost everything is right: the installation, the software and of course the gameplay it creates. You'll enjoy it without a doubt. Are there negatives ? Yeah two, although subjective. I've seen far better looking wheels but in all honesty I'll trade off the looks for the gameplay anytime, so the R440 wins in that fashion. Remember as an example, if you buy a Ferrari designed and logo'd wheel you will pay big-time for it. Secondly, the USB cable is just too short. Your wheel needs to be within a meter of your PC or you'll need to run off to the store to get yourself a USB extender cable. But those are the only two negatives I could find.
The price is downright acceptable for a product in this range. So overall the R440 is a nice controller living up to Saitek's good reputation. Two thumbs up.
Product Name: Saitek R440 Force Wheel
Price: $79.95
Company Info: Saitek Industries Ltd
Website: www.saitekusa.com
