CH Racing Wheel Review

Price: $89.95
Vendor: CH Products
www.chproducts.com

CH Products, a long-time maker of sturdy game controller, has done it again. Its new CH Racing Wheel, an analog, four-button steering wheel, is just the ticket for racing and driving game enthusiasts who want to improve their lap times and still have a little cash left over for gas.

Setup of the wheel is straightforward and painless. The wheel attaches to most flat table surfaces with a pair of suction cups and a pair of clamps. It took all of five minutes to connect, configure the Windows 95 Control Panel, and be up and running in Interstate 76. You can change between “wheel only” and “wheel with pedals” modes with the flick of a switch on the unit. Wheel-only mode sets the buttons on the back of the spokes to emulate the joystick x-axis movement, allowing speed control without taking your hands off the wheel. If you happen to have a set of rudder pedals, all four buttons on the wheel become available for functions mappable by your game.

The Racing Wheel feels solid and doesn’t exhibit any rattle of looseness in the steering column. One curious exception: There’s no spring to center the wheel and provide resistance. The wheel doesn’t suffer tremendously due to the absence of a resistance mechanism, but I did blow a couple of starts by now bring centered when I “popped the clutch” as the light turned green. And while the CH Racing Wheel is an analog device, it held calibration well, with no perceptible drift.

The CH Racing Wheel is a solid controller that features easy installation, good performance, and a very reasonable price.

Appeal: Entry-level motorheads looking to upgrade their driving gear.

Pros: Inexpensive; good overall feel.

Cons: Lack of centering spring.