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Thrustmaster Releases First Direct Drive Racing Wheel – Thrustmaster T818
Thrustmaster has revealed their first direct drive sim racing wheel, the Thrustmaster T818. Here are all of the details about this racing wheel.
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Thrustmaster has been teasing their direct drive racing wheel for a little while now. We knew it was coming, and today, Thrustmaster has finally unveiled the curtain to reveal their first ever direct drive sim racing wheel, the Thrustmaster T818.
What is the Thrustmaster T818
The Thrustmaster T818 is a 10Nm direct drive wheel base designed to rival competitors Fanatec, Logitech and MOZA Racing.
Design & build
The design of the T818 takes the form of a hexagon, with a series of RGB LEDs on the front of the wheel base along with the new Next Gen quick release.
Under the wheel base are four attachment points which allow you to hard mount this wheel base to your sim rig. And with 10Nm of torque, you will certainly want a sturdy surface to mount to.
On the right-hand side there are a series of buttons to allow you to turn the wheel base on and off. And on the rear are the connection ports including a USB-C port to connect to your PC, and an RJ45 port for future peripherals.
The outer shell is constructed from metal plates which are designed to be interchangeable. This will allow you to swap the outer colour of your T818 wheel base to suit your room decor and style. There are 5 colours available at launch including orange, blue and black.
Direct drive force feedback
The Thrustmaster T818 features a direct drive motor for the first time in a Thrustmaster wheel. This motor is capable of up to 10Nm of constant torque. That puts it firmly in the sweet spot in terms of strength.
The motor has been designed to reflect incredibly detailed force feedback, allowing you to feel the finest details in game. The force feedback you receive from this wheel base will result in a smooth, yet powerful experience.
LED Strip
This wheel base features a hexagonal design with a continuous LED strip that wraps around the front face. This LED strip is completely customisable, being able to cycle through various colours.
Thrustmaster are also looking to use this LED strip to show real-time flag information from in-game. For example, if a yellow flag was thrown in F1 22, this LED strip could reflect this in real-time. This will be heavily dependant on each game supporting this feature.
Next Gen Quick Release
The T818 wheel base features Thrustmaster’s new Next Gen quick release system. This is the first time it has appeared on any Thrustmaster wheel base, and is the future of Thrustmaster’s quick release philosphy moving forward.
It is quoted by Thrustmaster to allow wheel changes in just 5 seconds, without the need for any tools. This quick release is constructed from both aluminium and plastic, and should form a strong connection between your steering wheel and this wheel base.
Compatibility
Right out of the gate, this T818 wheel base is compatible with all current steering wheels in Thrustmaster’s ecosystem. It also supports use of all pedals, shifters and handbrakes that are part of Thrustmaster’s current product lineup.
Along with the new quick release, the T818 also features an RJ45 port on the rear to allow for future compatibility options.
At launch, the T818 is only PC compatible, with no support for Xbox or PlayStation consoles. However Xavier Pieuchot, Product Marketing Manager for Thrustmaster has stated, “Don’t worry, we have a plan for console as well.”
How much does the Thrustmaster T818 cost?
One of the more important questions is, how much will this new direct drive wheel base cost? The Thrustmaster T818 costs £599.99 / €649.99 / $649.99.
That price will give you the T818 wheel base itself, along with a set of metallic blue outer shell plates and the Next Gen quick release adaptor.
When can I buy the Thrustmaster T818?
The great news is that pre-orders of the Thrustmaster T818 are live right away. From the 17th November 2022 you can pre-order the PC-compatible T818.
Unfortunately, console pre-orders haven’t started yet, so console sim racers will have to wait a little longer.
Delivery for those who pre-order right away will be shipped at the end of December, with an early January delivery targeted.
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How much is the Thrustmaster T818?
The Thrustmaster T818 costs £599.99 / €649.99 / $649.99.
When is the Thrustmaster T818 release date?
You can pre-order the T818 from today (17th November 2022) with the first deliveries targeted for January 2023.
Is the Thrustmaster T818 direct drive?
Yes! The Thrustmaster T818 wheel base is a direct drive racing wheel capable of producing up to 10Nm of force feedback.
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