Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider
Advantages & Disadvantages
✅ Beautiful price for beginners
✅ Ferrari wheel replica
✅ Good grip
❌ No force feedback system
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As we all know, sim-racing debuted on PCs a long time ago, thanks to brands like Thrustmaster and Logitech. At the time, sinus was somewhat limited, but this has changed over the years, and today, we have highly immersive games, whether on consoles or PCs.
Sim-racing fans have specific preferences in terms of peripherals. If I don’t have a Direct Drive base, a swappable steering wheel, and a pedalboard with Load Cell in my setup, I won’t do any sim-racing for a long time. This setup is relatively high-end, but that doesn’t mean I don’t take the time to try entry-level products aimed at beginner sim racers looking to get started in the discipline.
There are many products like this, with a vision that differs from manufacturer to manufacturer. In what follows, I will introduce you to the Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider. SpiderThe Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider is an entry-level bundle aimed at beginner drivers looking for their first sim-racing experience.
Main features and technical specifications of the steering wheel
- 28 cm diameter wheel
- Bundle with crankset
- Ferrari wheel replica steering wheel
- Metal pallets
- Compatible with Xbox and PC
- No force feedback
- No vibration
- 240° rotation angle
Design
If you bring out a steering wheel replica of a Ferrari’s, its design is bound to be good. And the Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider honors the Prancing Horse marque. With an identical structure to the wheel of a 458, except for the scale, which is 7/10, the Thrustmaster wheel is sublime.
This wheel uses two colors: red and black. The first is on the sides of the wheel, while the second is in the center and base. In absolute terms, it’s very handsome, even if the choice of materials isn’t up to Ferrari standards. But no matter! This steering wheel costs a fraction of the price of the prancing horse cars.
As for the paddles, they’re metal and a good size, suggesting ease of use. As for the pedals and the entire steering wheel structure, it’s all plastic with a simple, sober design. Once again, the product’s price dictated the choice of materials and design.
Custom mounting
Assembly of the Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider The Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider is mounted on a table or desk using a clamp system that provides a stable, solid hold. Once in place, this steering wheel won’t budge from its setup.
As far as cockpits are concerned, the story is different. Some chassis provide mounts for the base of this steering wheel, but most of them are incompatible because this steering wheel is so essential. At the same time, it’s not the most crucial thing if you have a cockpit or are thinking of buying one—Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider, which will be your preferred choice of steering wheel. So…
Manufacturing and finishing
To judge the quality and finish of the Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spiderthe first thing to consider is its price. Once you have that in mind, you’ll see this steering wheel in a new light.
The finish of the Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider is pretty good as far as I’m concerned, with plastic and rubber for the wheel and metal for the paddles. It’s far from premium, but it’s still well-finished.
The whole thing is well built, in line with Thrustmaster standards. Admittedly, the plastic moves when you press on it, but this is not a problem and does not impact the driving experience. You’ll get some noise, but that’s all.
The parts of the base fit together very well, leaving no protruding edges. As for the crankset, it too is made of plastic with a good finish. It’s pretty heavy, giving it stability when in use. I wouldn’t go into brawling mode on it, but I think it should handle heavy braking with relative ease.
Handling the steering wheel
Although the Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider is an entry-level sim-racing steering wheel with an excellent grip, especially when compared with other Thrustmaster models—the rubber on the parts of the wheel where your hands rest combines comfort with a good grip. What’s more, these areas are pretty large, covering, I’d say, a good half of the wheel.
The buttons are surprisingly well placed, very close to the fingers. So you don’t have to take your hands off the wheel to use them. The paddles are also well positioned, close to the wheel, making them easy to use.
As for the pedals, they’re good to use. Its size is small, and I didn’t like that, just like the steering wheel, which is only 28 cm in diameter. However, you can change the position of the pedals to accommodate your feet. It’s just a plus and won’t in any way change the immersion or realism of this peripheral.
Sensations during play
Before considering anything, it’s essential to know that the Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider is an entry-level steering wheel and even the first in the entry-level list. As a result, in-game sensations are limited.
To put it simply, there’s no motorized force feedback system. The Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider uses a Bungee Cord mechanism to provide some resistance, which is linear throughout the rotation angle.
I find it a little better than running with a joystick, as long as the purchase price remains reasonable, and I’ll return to that just after. However, the steering wheel has no vibration motors, which considerably reduces realism and immersion. In other words, the steering wheel communicates nothing about what the car is doing, which is problematic for some sim racers.
The only positive points I could find in the Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider is is that the wheel returns to the center on its own, and the ergonomics are pretty good.
Compatibility
The Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider is compatible with everything currently on the market for Microsoft platforms, namely PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. As far as Sony consoles are concerned, this steering wheel is not compatible with them, as Xbox licenses it. So, if you’re looking for a steering wheel compatible with Playstation consoles, please click here.
As far as chassis are concerned, you should know that some of them do not consider the Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider which limits your choice of the cockpit. This is logical, given that this steering wheel is fundamental, and will only find takers among sim-racers with a limited budget who want to improve immersion just a little. Maybe you’ll be curious enough to look at my opinions on the different cockpits I’ve tested by clicking here.
Value for money
On Amazon, the Ferrari 458 Spider is displayed at € 129.99which I think is not too bad a value if you’re just looking for a little more realism than you’d get with a controller.
Let’s face it: an Xbox controller with a drum kit costs around €80, sometimes even more. So you might as well buy a Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider and sim-racing with greater immersion than the controller offers.
My verdict
Thrustmaster has still offered a much better product than the competition at this price, especially compared to those found in supermarkets. True, there’s no force feedback or vibration, but some players aren’t looking for that functionality for quiet sim-racing games.
I think this wheel is suitable for sim-racers on a minimal budget who want to get started in the discipline, but only until they have more money to afford a higher-quality wheel. The Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider is also ideal for young people who want to have fun on Forza Horizon 5. If you’re one of these two groups, I validate the Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider. But if you are looking for a higher quality steering wheel and have a lower budget, I strongly recommend you read my review on The 6 Best Steering Wheels for Sim Racing in 2023.
