Logitech Wingman Formula Force Review

Demanding 3D applications and titles such as Quake 3 and Unreal Tournament require tremendous amounts processor and graphics chipset abilities to run with acceptable framerates and high levels of detail. Of course this technology was not available a decade ago.

Now as we see games maturing with a good degree of realism, it is now time to take gaming to the next level. And what better way is there than having the gamer more involved with the game itself? Adding realism to the graphics and sound are just not enough anymore. And seeing that virtual reality as we want it (the kind depicted in movies) won't be a reality for quite sometime, "advanced" gaming devices were introduced to keep us satisfied for the time being.

In this review we will be taking a look at Logitech's offering which comes in form of a steering wheel, the Logitech Wingman Formula Force. Yup the same company that makes the mice on many a desktop has taken their swing at the gaming arena. So does the Formula Force provide its users with a realistic experience in driving simulations? Read on to find out more...

A first look / Installation

Upon opening the relatively large box that the wheel comes in, the first thing that caught my eye was the bright red rubber grip of the wheel. It adds a bit of life likeness to the hardware though the pedals left something to be desired, but more on that later. The unit connects and sets up quite easily. The power supply connects to the pedal base and there is one more Y-type cable which connects up to the steering wheel and the serial port. In case you do not have a serial port free, the Formula Force does include a serial-to-USB converter which allows to you connect it to your USB port.

The steering wheel mounts to your desk with the aid to 2 screw on clamps. By looking at these clamps, I didn't feel that the wheel would hold its place after some really hard turning. It turns out that the wheel doesn't even budge when you have to turn the wheel with a lot of strength. I have always assumed that steering devices for PC's would not deliver the force nowhere near what thousand dollar arcade machine would offer. But by judging the weight of the unit, my hopes were a bit higher and the anticipation rose greatly waiting to get the setup over with and start playing.

The steering wheel itself consists of 4 small silver coloured buttons which are positioned in such a way where accidental button pushing isn't possible while at the same time, all buttons are within thumb's reach. 2 green LED's are present on the wheel, one to indicate power to the Formula Force and the other indicates proper connection to the computer. The grip of the wheel is just perfect. Not slippery nor is it too sticky.