There was no middle ground with this wheel. Every point was either "loved it" or "hated it." The RS
has many strong points that I wish other makers would copy, but there were also some weaknesses.
The Looks
Extra thick brown leather-like steering wheel with good looking pedals made this unit one of the
most attractive in the review.
Convenience
Getting this wheel clamped to my thicker-than-average desk was a struggle. The two clamps just
don't open wide enough to fit my desk. With a little creativity I got it in place for some serious
racing but be forewarned, if your desk is extra thick you may have trouble with this wheel.
Installation was a snap with the included software. Plug everything in, plug in the engine (more on
this in a minute) run the installation routine and away we go.
The Feel
The extra thick leather-like wheel was far and away the most comfortable wheel to hold. The pedals
were also at a nice angle.
But beyond comfort the Act-Labs RS starts to fall down. The steering wheel turned very easily and I
found myself turning the wheel too far and sliding the front tires in Bristol. Also, the pedals had
a plastic-on-plastic grind to them when moved in and out.
Update: After a few hours of use the belts that cause this "grinding"
loosen up and the noise stops. This is considered basic "breaking in" by ACT Labs and is not a concern.
The wheel calibrates dead on with no "twitching" at all and racing was precise (except for my
tendency to overturn the wheel.)
Other Features
Act-Labs racing products have one very unique feature. They can be used with nearly any gaming
product. Want to race on your PC? Plug in the PC interface cartridge and away you go. Have a
PlayStation or Nintendo N64? Just swap the interface cartridge (sold separately) and you can
use the same steering wheel and pedal unit with multiple gaming systems!
Overall
This interoperability by itself makes the Act-Labs RS the top wheel in it's class. Add in the comfort
and dead-solid-perfect calibration and this is a fine wheel at a reasonable price.
Update: The screw that clamps the wheel to the desk stripped after
approximately 3 months of twice a week use. May be a concern.
Pros
- Most Comfortable Wheel
- Works with N64 and PlayStation too!
Cons
- Does not work on thick desks
- Weak feel
Rating: 81/100
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