CSL DD
Why didn't they sell the 5nm as a "csl dd 5nm" and the 8nm as a clubsport dd 8nm. That would end the confusion and the complaints. Other than the detail felt in the wheel between the power supplies what is the difference between the power supplies and what do you get for the upgraded power supply other than detail.
Comments
It is the amount of force feedback that you get. 60% more? There are a couple of youtubers out there who were sent pre-production units that you can check out.
Thanks David.
I imagine they didn't brand one version CSL and the other as Clubsport because you'd have a BUNCH of people crying "it's the same thing with just a bigger power supply!". The way they did it seems more honest imo.
It doesn't help them justify the $150 bump for that bigger power supply though. If power supplies are so expensive why does a bundle only save me $20 when you're avoiding the hassle of making and sending me a 5nm version. They're pricing it like they're going to send you both, but I don't believe that's the case.
That being said, I still check the site every day waiting for them to drop the CSL DD PS Boost. That and the CSL Pedals w/LC bundle. Already ordered the V2.5 wheel. Coming from a G29 so I can't wait until October :)
The margins on the 5nm version have got to be seriously low compared to the 8nm. What Fanatec SHOULD do is push 5nm version delivery dates out by 3 or 4 months. That way more people will opt for the higher-margin model. As the consumer, I'd see more value in the $130 power supply if it also included a faster delivery date.
I can't imagine very many will buy the 5 N m version anyway - that's not a lot of power. The benefits of DD are power and fidelity. Although not everyone likes a lot of force, to maintain headroom needed to experience the benefits of a DD's fidelity over bumps and kerbs you would need to be running the wheel at less than about 70 - 80% to enable those bumps to be felt without the wheel running out of power and clipping. Fanatec know this - thats what the linearity setting is for (it may have been renamed in the soon to be released next beta). So that gives you up to 4 N m max of steering weight which wouldn't be a satisfactory experience for may new owners of DD wheels - at least not for long. I presume the bigger (proper) power supply will also increase fidelity enabling quicker response. Just speculation at the moment - will need to wait until people start receiving them and see how happy those with the small power supply are.
Now I'm hoping Fanatec doesn't push out the 5nm deliveries. I got impatient and ordered the 8nm power supply by itself yesterday. An easy way of breaking up the cost really. I end up paying an extra $20 plus shipping but I'll have both power supplies to compare. Also ordered the McLaren wheel too just before it went out of stock. I want the BMW wheel too but God only knows when that will ship. I'm going to have a lot of parts just sitting on the shelf waiting to see if they work.
I ordered the 5nm version. I'm coming from a Fanatec 911GT2, which, as far as I can tell, outputs roughly similar torque values (possibly slightly less). I tend to like a lighter wheel, so I'm fine with power similar to what I have now. It's the fidelity that I'm looking forward to. I'm not really worried about clipping from collisions or going over curbs or what have you, since really, how much fidelity do you need for that? I don't need it to rip the wheel out of my hands for it to feel authentic. I think if I can tune the settings (linearity or whatever it may be called) so that most of the 5Nm goes to road feel, steering force, rumble strips, etc., that'll be perfectly acceptable for me. Then as long as I get some sort of kick for the bigger things like collisions, even if it winds up clipping, I'm fine with that.
Sound like you'll be fine then. I think that Fanatec may have renamed the 'Linearity' setting as 'Fidelity' so users can understand better the choice between force and fidelity according to priority. I'm sure there will be many who want both though.
I think it is more a case of Fanatec going with a lower margin for the 5nm version to get more people into DD, and then, the natural course is to upgrade eventually. So not a case of the 8nm being a big bump more but rather their 5nm being a big discount given. 😉