On October 21, Thrustmaster will launch the brand new T248 model on the market, which will enter the economic range of steering wheels. Probably in the medium term the goal of the US manufacturer, managed by the French Guillemot, is to replace the historic T150, another excellent entry-level product that boasts discreet reliability combined with good performance, but for now it will limit itself to supporting it by giving all users a further alternative depending on the available budget.
The first impression once you have picked up the steering wheel lock is the extreme lightness combined with a clear sensation of solidity. The external part of the crown, fixed and unfortunately not interchangeable, is in leather that is not excessively soft but has excellent grip, while the internal part is in rigid plastic. The central area of the steering wheel is aesthetically surprising but at the same time fascinating: the shape is a sort of black T in the central part with the contour in silver-colored plastic and with the Thrustmaster logo in the center. On the spokes there is a plethora of twenty-five fully configurable buttons and small levers and finally a small LCD display in the upper part. The silver-colored shift levers rotate together with the steering wheel and are assembled from good quality hard plastic.
Continuing the unboxing it was understood why the package weighs so much, the T3PM pedal in fact, in addition to having a much greater weight than the steering wheel, immediately appeared solid and well made. Equipped with three pedals, accelerator, brake and clutch, it is made entirely of rigid black plastic including the arms of the latter, except for the heads, made of silver-colored metal. Finally, inside the box there are the various user and assembly manuals, a spare spring for the brake pedal and all the cables necessary to connect the T248 to the PC, PS4 or PS5 and to the electricity through a transformer.
Turning to the technical side, at the time of the product presentation, Thrustmaster announced that the engine would be of the hybrid type with belt and pulley system to ensure a smoother and quieter use but above all more powerful by at least 70% compared to the T150 thanks 96W of peak power and 48W of constant power. Our test could only confirm what was stated, the steering wheel has a force feedback far superior to that of the T150, the roughness of the track are faithfully reproduced as well as a jump on the curbs or a loss of grip. Certainly it does not reach the power of a Direct Drive system but compared to the price range in which it will be marketed the technological leap is clear and above all the quality of the force feedback intended as a definition of the effects is more than adequate for the expense.
Using the steering wheel controls and the LCD display, it is possible to modify and view a whole series of parameters in real time without taking your hands off and thus avoiding having to tinker with the specific software each time. By pressing the MODE key at the bottom left of the menu shown on the display, it is possible to navigate between five different setting levels. With the first you go to select the type of peripheral used, allowing the choice between PC, Playstation 4 or Playstation 5. The second provides general information such as the firmware version used rather than the model of pedal installed and so on.
The third allows the choice between three different types of force feedback: the FFB1 effect generates a linear force feedback, the perceived force is therefore totally proportional to the force required by the game while the FFB 2 effect is more concentrated on an ideal slip response. to give the player a better perception of skids. Setting number 3 generates an amplified force feedback, accentuating the perceived force compared to that required by the game; the fourth level of the MODE menu is a godsend and allows the choice of the steering wheel rotation angle between 270 °, 360 °, 540 °, 720 ° and 900 ° for those games where the rotation angle is not set automatically from the game itself, in particular arcades or simularcades where assisted driving makes large steering angles such as 900 ° unnecessary. Finally, the fifth level allows the choice of the pedal configuration between the INV mode, suspended from the floor or the FLOOR mode, effectively reversing the assignment of the axes between accelerator and clutch.
The functions of the LCD display do not end here, in fact, by pressing the DISPLAY button it is possible to choose, once again through five menu levels, which vehicle information to display between speed, gear engaged, RPM, position in the race, number of remaining laps, best personal time, current lap time and last lap time. The feature works with compatible games available on the Thrustmaster website.
The track test went on relentlessly for a month of intense use on games such as Automobilista 2, Assetto Corsa Competizione, F1 2021 and Project Cars which allowed to test the resistance, reliability and quality of this T248. No product is perfect and even the latest born from Thrustmaster has its pros and cons, starting with the grip of the hands on the steering wheel, in fact the leather on the outside guarantees excellent grip and the feeling of holding a premium product; the hard plastic inside, however, contrasts sharply with this sensation, not guaranteeing an optimal grip especially if you sweat a little, making it necessary to have a pair of driving gloves at least in long races.
We did not appreciate the choice not to completely cover the crown with leatherette: certainly it was a cost-related detail, but the perceived quality and the grip would have benefited enormously. The display, as mentioned, is a very welcome feature, as well as the possibility of changing the steering wheel settings on the fly without taking your hands off is a plus not just present on steering wheels of a very different level.
Beyond all the technical and aesthetic characteristics, the most important feature to analyze in a simracing steering wheel is obviously the feedback given while driving and in this the T248 is promoted with flying colors. The hybrid belt and pulley system accurately transmits the car’s behavior on the track with excellent response, in particular oversteer and understeer are rendered great allowing corrections in real time during which you really have the feeling of losing and then regaining control . In addition, 70% more force heralded by Thrustmaster compared to the T150 is felt all over, some sausage curbs taken recklessly rather than unfortunate racing incidents dispelled all doubts and left some pleasant soreness at the end of the session.
Another excellent feature of this T248 are the gearshift levers: easily accessible and with responsive feedback but perhaps a little too noisy but still satisfying. Slightly curved in the part in contact with the fingertips, they avoid unwanted slips and the fair amount of force they require to be activated minimizes the possibility of incorrect changes, for example with the formula when you have to go in rapid downshifting before low speed corners. They make a pleasant sensation of solidity and durability over time, as well as that of having complete mastery while driving.
However, the T3PM pedal was the biggest and most unexpected surprise of all. The magnetic technology used by Thrustmaster for its realization is called HEART and in addition to making all three pedals 100% magnetic, it also replaces the potentiometer used by the T3PA pedals in the brake pedal and the difference is nothing short of colossal. brake hardness is significantly increased as well as the feel of the accelerator and clutch. Let’s be clear, although this technology can not achieve the same accuracy and the same feedback as the load cell one, the performance increase compared to the potentiometer is enormous.
Braking is more natural, its dosage is intuitive and you get a lot closer to the sensation of braking with a real racing car. Also included in the package is a harder replacement spring than the pre-installed one, allowing a total of four brake hardness adjustments. We are not at the level of the TLCM we reviewed some time ago, but the performance is still more than good.
In the exchange between strengths and weaknesses that we have illustrated, we can say that Thrustmaster has done a great job overall. The hard plastic inside the crown greatly decreases the grip at the slightest hint of sweat on the hand and makes a pair of gloves almost mandatory for long sessions. The steering wheel is also a bit louder than stated by Thrustmaster, nothing shocking but it does not distance itself as much from the noise produced by the T150.
Overall, however, the final judgment can only be positive because the pros far outweigh the cons. The build quality is good and although it is almost totally made of hard plastic, the materials are of excellent quality and give a feeling of solidity and durability over time. The driving feedback of the steering wheel and pedals is excellent, the response to the commands is precise and driving in general is a pleasure, thanks to a timely engagement of the gears with a measurable braking, as well as adjustable in hardness thanks to the spare spring.
But above all, twenty-five configurable buttons are many and are very convenient, as well as the LCD display and configurations that can be modified in real time with the steering wheel controls that greatly simplify the life of the virtual pilot avoiding having to resort to button boxes or a keyboard even in simulators. more complex ones such as Assetto Corsa Competizione. We are at the levels of configurability on the fly guaranteed by higher level bases and this is the starting point that in our way makes it stand out clearly from the competition.
The T248 will be sold starting October 21 and its price up Amazon will be 349.99 euros. This puts it on a collision course with its direct competitor, the Logitech G923, which costs fifty euros less, but is equipped with an outdated pedalboard, without the same adjustment possibilities and with a pedal feel not even remotely comparable to that of the T248. It is also less powerful, louder, has fewer buttons, and lacks the integrated display.
Another consideration to make, looking at Thrustmaster, is that the same has on the market the basic model of the T300 with three pedals whose price is around 395 euros, and here another dilemma arises, because users could be led to think that for just 45 euros more you can take home the superior model. In reality, the reasoning is more complex because if on the one hand the T300 is a well-known, established model with unquestionable performance (double belt, more silent and with better feedback, the possibility of replacing the steering wheel) it is equipped with a definitely inferior pedal. for solidity and configuration possibilities.
In conclusion, it is up to you to decide whether the features of the T248 can tip the scales in a decisive way in favor of a product of an excellent level for the price tag that it exhibits in a price range, that of 300 euros, in which is concentrated 80% of PC and console users passionate about driving games.
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