Name:  - R100 USB Sports Wheel
Saitek Description:
For those of you who have never connected a steering wheel to your PC before, your about to find out that no other game controller can stimulate the driving experience as well as a steering wheel/pedal combination. It's simply the perfect way to become part of the fast, furious world of racing, and your games will never seem the same again!
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Built to Withstand the Toughest RaceTrack!
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Ergonomic, Comfortable Grip
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High Stability pedals for gas and brake won't slip during play
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Neat and compact with a small desktop footprint
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2 Soft Touch Buttons
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Dual Formula 1 Style Shifters
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Convenient and Sturdy Quick-Release Clamp
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A PC Wheel and Pedals with shift paddles, buttons, and a USB connector all for under forty bucks? Now that’s what I’m talkin bout!
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$39.95
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12/7/2000 - Saitek's latest entry into the world of wheels brings to us the R100. Question is, can this budget wheel satisfy the driving beast in all of us? Or will it merely be just another one of those 'I don't know what to get little Jimmy for Christmas' type of gifts! Let's see what it has to offer.
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KOGGS Review Breakdown
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70
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| First Impression |
Looks pretty kewl, a 3 spoked black/red wheel with paddles, buttons, and ---AHHHHHHH! Look at them pedals...tiny lil' bugers ain’t they! ;o} |
6.5
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| Software Installation |
Seems Saitek scores again! Easy installation and a USB connection got me up and going in less than 5 minutes. Saitek's 'auto configure' icon was easily removed from the task bar - I just prefer it that way. :-) |
9.0
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| Software Controller Interface |
After installing the software, I rebooted, plugged in the wheel and tested the configuration. As I expected with the USB connection, the R100 was set up and ready to roll. The installation CD provides other information regarding the Saitek Gaming Extensions along with other manuals and related product information. --Yawn...I think they left it on the CD for a reason. :o) |
9.5
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| Game Included |
No games included. It sure would be nice to see one with this game or perhaps even a demo, although one must consider the price of which it is selling for, but, aren't demo's free?! |
4.5
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| Help Instructions |
The R100 comes with a standard user manual that covers everything from pulling it out of the box, installing it on your PC, and troubleshooting it if you happen to have problems. 18 pages of manual. Three of which are in English. Five different languages to choose from! --3 pages used out of eighteen!... ok, sorry, I just thought that was funny! -- The CD provided some information about the wheel but I didn't find any set-ups to import nor did I feel that this CD was exclusively for the R100. But hey for the money… |
5.0
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| Comfort |
Not too bad really. The wheel fit nicely and to my surprise, I was able to peel my fingers off of it long enough to bang some gears with them paddles! The 2 buttons on the wheel were conveniently placed where my thumbs came to a rest. Using them, for the most part, was a breeze. I did notice that the steering was a bit slow to react at the wheel configuration screen. Each time I turned the wheel full lock, the wheel on the configuration screen was just a tad bit behind. Hmmm, weird, but for the money...! Anyway, I found myself out on the tracks of Powerslide, where I must say I do control and dominate the competition --by the way, has anyone seen LAZ or LEW on them tracks? Yeah, that's what I thought. Okay, enough of my bragging! I found that after several hours of sliding that this wheel seemed to oversteer giving me the feeling of 'Complete Loser Syndrome' maybe that's the reason I lost my #1 ranking! Could it be that the latency I found in the controller configuration followed suit while circling the tracks? Dunno but I will say that I needed more than a few laps to iron out the crinkles. To it's credit though Viper Racing was quite pleasant to drive. The paddle shifters are a MUST in that game.
The pedals are small, as is the wheelbase and in a way, that's good since it takes up hardly any desk space at all. But I tell ya, them pedals are a bit too small for my manly feet and definitely lightweight. Saitek had a great idea in saving desk/floor space but in doing so, compromised on functionality. The pedals are positioned such that you have to push down or step on them to accelerate and/or brake. The idea here is to eliminate the pedal base from walking around while your driving. However, since it weighs about 1 1\2 pounds I was constantly trying to relocate it while flying around the tracks. I'm sure Saitek could find something to throw in the pedal base for some added weight...or heck, they could just call LAZ and borrow some of the lead from the car that he uses to race me! --Might help in making it more of a challenge for me. –Mu ah ah ah ahhhh! Another thing about the pedals is the amount of travel you have from the start position to fully compressed. About 5\8 inch to 3\4 inch travel. -Compared to approximately 2 3\4 inches to 3 inches of travel with the NASCAR Pro- You need more than 3\4 of an inch if want to keep from spinning out at the start of a race. My Viper GTSR was going sideways toward the wall unless I stepped off then back on the accelerator repeatedly. With some practice, one could fine tune that 3\4 inch range of motion but in doing so one might also end up with a serious leg cramp! |
4.0
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| Construction (Quality) |
I liked the fact that the wheel base was small and compact not using my precious desktop workspace, and by Saitek keeping the wires to a minimum certainly was a plus as well. The wheelbase, paddle shifters, and pedals are all likewise made of a solid heavy duty plastic. Two wires come from the wheelbase, one to the USB port and the other to the pedals. A nifty easy-to-use desktop clamp provided quick connection and disconnection. And the wheel tension -aka 'bungie cord!' was wound tightly enough to give you a sense of feel for the road, and when let go - centered nicely. I would have liked to see some padding on the wheel itself though. Any sweat from your hands can make the wheel a bit slippery. |
8.0
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| Looks |
Sometimes looks can be deceiving and when I first feasted my eyes upon this wheel, I saw a pretty darn good lookin wheel. However, after closer inspection, I found myself thinking yup definitely a lower end racing wheel! Again, one must keep in mind that $39.99 these days, doesn't get you much in the world of PC wheels. |
7.0
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| Value (price for what you get) |
The price says it all. If you want a decent wheel at a bargain of a price then look no further than this one. I even saw one at the local retail store for $29.99! That's unheard of! Go buy one, wrap it up for Christmas, and watch lil Jimmy's eyes fill with joy as he opens his present. You can even tell everyone you spent a fortune on it! |
10.0
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| Recommend to Others |
If your looking for an entry level racing wheel {and I emphasize ENTRY LEVEL} with some nifty neato features, Then the R100 is a fine choice. Just make sure and buy some of that non-slip padding to throw underneath the pedal base. --Or steal some of the lead out of LAZ’ race car! |
6.5
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RECOMMENDATIONS to the Vendor
KOGGS
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Check into and fix the sluggish steering response while in the Wheel Configuration Option.
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Add some weight to the pedal base.
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Increase range of motion on both the Brake and Accelerator pedals.
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Add a few demos to the Companion CD.
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