SRW-S1

Many game steering wheels are designed to give you the Formula One or Indy Car racing experience, and the SRW-S1 does a good job of mimicking a professional wheel's actual controls and buttons. It really does look just like a real F1 wheel. This specialized wheel has taken the approach to focus on one aspect of a gaming wheel and masters it customization. While the wheel is lacking some standard features, like a stick shift and rumble feedback, the customization available with this PC-only wheel is amazing.

The features of the SRW-S1 are few and far between. The wheel is designed as a stand-alone peripheral, which means there is no stand to place or rotate your wheel. You have to rely on holding it up yourself. There are no pedals or stick shift to speak of. It is literally just the wheel, so gamers looking to drive using pedals, gear shifters and a mounted wheel will be disappointed. Additionally, there is no sort of vibration or force feedback.

As realistic as this wheel is in appearance, it's a huge negative to omit any sort of rumble, which gives you a feel for the road conditions like hydroplaning or driving off road. The SRW-S1 just doesn't match up to the handling and feedback a mounted wheel provides.

The design of the controls, at first impression, looks cluttered and difficult to maneuver. The SRW-S1 comes complete with 15 programmable buttons, adjustable dials and a D-pad. While it's overwhelming to look at, it's quite easy to turn the dials and customize in game. It is quite sturdy and can take some abuse. At under two pounds and with a width of 10 inches, it is also incredibly easy to store.

The customization of this PC steering wheel is great. The manufacturer, Steelseries, focuses on designing wheels that are fully programmable, and they excel with this controller. Using the first dial, you have the ability to adjust the steering sensitivity. The center dial allows you to adjust the ABS and traction levels. The third dial let's you change the camera view. Even the D-pad has a function, allowing you to adjust your perspective by moving your virtual seat. It's a small feature, but one that shows the level of care put into this controller, making the racing experience fully programmable and personal.

Steelseries provides a decent amount of help and support. They don't offer phone support, but do urge you to contact them by email. The main site has an online community where you can ask questions and seek help through forums, an advantage over many other wheel peripherals.

The SRW-S1 is uniquely suited for gamers looking for hardware that looks just like an F1 wheel. Unfortunately, it doesn't perform as well as other wheels in terms of design and handling, and because it's compatible only with PCs, not gaming consoles, it is useful to a smaller user base. This sturdy wheel works fine for F1 racers, but without rumble, feedback and pedals, it can't compete with the best game steering wheels.