Review Hori racing wheel Racing Wheel Apex

When in the course of the conference E3 2017 announced that the next game in the legendary series of driving simulators Gran Turismo comes out at the end of this year, I was seriously excited. The reason for the excitement was the fact that I didn't have any racing wheel compatible with Sony PlayStation 4 console. My old Logitech G25 with the PS4 to be friends flatly refused, which forced me to go to the store in search of an inexpensive but suitable for games testing alternatives. Almost immediately, I was lucky – I stumbled upon a budget the wheel of a Japanese company under the name Apex Racing Wheel.

The Problem of choosing a decent gaming steering wheel for owners of the PlayStation 4 recently very relevant. Regularly there are great games like Driveclub, F1 2016, , Assetto Corsa and others, and worthy of the rudders on the market virtually none. Logitech has done very artfully, pretending to implement support for popular models of the G25 and G27 on the PlayStation 4 is simply impossible. Supposedly the console Sony does not have the necessary processor and software to implement all of this does not work, as the team of engineers who developed these devices have long been disbanded. So let's buy our new steering wheel Logitech G29 25 000 rubles, and the old one can be discarded. Ugly all of it to consumers. Other handlebars on the market, or the ridiculously primitive, or sky-high expensive. Prices on some models reach 45-50 thousand rubles.

From the beginning, I had almost an impossible goal: to find a budget wheel is not more than 10 000. More just my pet toad to give well in any way is not allowed. New model of the company Hori has fit this requirement perfectly, because the average retail price of Apex Racing Wheel today is 7990, and in some stores and even cheaper. Of course, low cost is automatically deprives us of some nice bonuses, for example, expensive materials, remote transmission, force feedback with the player and so on. The budget device is immediately noticeable, however, it is ideal for beginners and fans of driving games who are not willing to pay for a new steering wheel a mountain of money. We have almost three times the price difference, if you compare this wheel with the more expensive models.

Box made in the corporate style of the company Hori, which is dominated by the color blue. In the eye catches the bottom right corner where there is a very important logo collection of the PlayStation. It means that the steering wheel was made with the approval of Sony's officially licensed and has passed all the necessary tests for compatibility with the consoles PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. Another important logo hiding in the top left corner just below the name of the manufacturer. When creating steering Racing Wheel Apex technology was used TouchSense famous company Immersion. And this, for a moment, the same guys who invented the dual shock vibration. In the world sold more than 3 billion devices using their development. The wheel integrated motors with an asymmetrical metal weights, simulating different types of steering wheel vibration car during the drive.

On the backside (sorry, I got the kit in a slightly dented box) we see a standard set of information about the configuration, warranty, manufacturer, and age restrictions. If you read the text printed here, you can see that the wheel is compatible with PCs running operating systems from Windows Vista and above. It supports XInput API, but other API does not support Microsoft — DirectInput. But most alarmingly, the warning States: "the Product does not necessarily function the way you want it, with all the games PS4". How to understand this sentence? I'll tell you below.

Externally, the steering wheel looks impressive. Pleasant to the touch matte plastic. Fortunately, it's not dirty from any touch Soft Touch, which I've got. Rubberized on both sides of the steering wheel with a diameter of 280 mm almost perfectly fits in the palm of your hand. Textured rubber eliminates slipping helm even from sweaty palms, which will definitely come in handy in the heat of an intense race against virtual opponents or other players online.

The base of the steering are pretty heavy, but light compared to the same Logitech G25. However, apparently the difference between rudders are almost invisible. Well, there's no leather braid. Yes, but why do I need it in video games?

In the Central part of the helm are the basic controls PlayStation. It is sad, but round the Central part of the steering is not pressed. And it would be great to install a button horn and with an air of importance to signal the rest of the participants. The other elements are pretty standard: d-pad D-Pad, four branded buttons "cross", "circle", "square" and "triangle", R1 and L1 bumpers, buttons R3 and L3, the PS button to call up the system menu and enable the controller, well and very useful Share button, and Options. No touch panel DualShock 4, but as far as I remember, in racing game it is almost never used. But there is one very important button ASSIGN, which is needed in the process of fine tuning the steering. Surely you are not counted in this list triggers R2 and L2. We will talk about them right now.

These triggers are made directly on the steering wheel and default in most games they are assigned functions of the gas and brake. Buttons are located in small depressions in the rubber of the steering wheel. And let me tell you, it's just disgusting from a design and engineering solution. I used to hold the steering wheel according to the standard rule for 10 and 14 hours, and in this position you accidentally click on the above button. The illustrations on the official website of the manufacturer showing that Japanese users have the wheel a little differently — at 9 and 15 hours. So that large fingers lying on the steering wheel just below the buttons and touched them. It took me a few days to re-educate your internal driver and give up a little lower. However, for some it will not be a serious problem. Also, the buttons L2 and R2 at any time to disable in the game settings.

Looks Very nice ring of bright red color in the center of the steering wheel. It is present not only for beauty, but also serves as a reference of how far you turned the wheel at the moment. Apex Racing Wheel has a maximum stroke of 270 degrees, which, of course, significantly less than the 900 degrees that we offer more expensive models. However, it is enough to comfortably play most racing game. If you want to get from the helm of the high sensitivity, can quickly switch to 180 degree mode is the Quick Handling Mode, and then the wheel will react to the smallest movements. This is very useful in fast arcade games (e.g., in ), where high reaction speed is much more important than skill and mathematical precision of a professional racing game.

In the upper part push button unit hid two very important switch. The first changes the operating modes between the steering PS4-N mode (game controller), PS4-S (booster mode) and PS3 (compatibility with PS3 console). The second toggles the d-pad located on the front of the wheel, between DP (D-Pad), LS (left analog stick) and RS (right analog stick). We need this in order to, if necessary, you could use both the analog stick of the DualShock 4 controller.

Complete with Racing Wheel comes Apex is not a traditional gear lever, so you have to settle for podrulevymi shift paddles or as they are called, "the shifter". They are made of plastic and pretty flimsy at first glance. However, I used the wheel for several weeks, and yet it did not fall off. And this is a very good sign.

At the rear of the base of the helm we see coming out USB cable that the device connects to gaming consoles and PC, as well as an input for a pedal.

The lower base surface is covered with rubber inserts in the amount of six pieces. Here you can see five holes in which to insert special suction cups supplied with the wheel. Frankly, I find it hard to imagine a person, who will entrust the steering mount to a flat surface of some suckers. During a particularly intense races so much I turn the wheel, even the table push. No suction cups will not save the situation.

That's why I advise everyone who decides to purchase the game booster, just pop the sucker back in the box. For fastening to the table, along with Racing Wheel Apex comes a kind of clamp consisting of a support frame and bolt with a comfortable grip. On the frame are fixed two moveable rubberized feet to avoid the slipping of the structure from the table or rack for the steering (which can be purchased on the Internet or make your own). I was incredibly pleased with the fact that the clamp allows you to mount the wheel even very thick tops. I have just such a case and even the legendary mount Logitech G25 was before my furniture helplessly. Hori and the company just took it and increased the maximum available clearance, pleasantly delighting its users.

The Pedal unit, though made of plastic, but both pedals strong enough, so don't be afraid to accidentally break them with their feet. Move the gas pedal is significantly more than the brake pedal. The sensitivity can be configured special key combinations. The pedal is tight enough, and they need to get used to, but here everything is done in order to simulate the controls of this car. It would be very strange, just go with pedals...