Thrustmaster TS-XW P310

Our rating: 8.3/10

The company Thrustmaster is one of the market leaders in sim-racing for many reasons. The first is that the manufacturer embarked on this adventure over 20 years ago, which gives it a great deal of experience in the game. The second is that Thrustmaster’s product catalog is vast, covering mainly the entry and mid-range ranges, with peripherals often developed in partnership with Ferrari and Sparcobig names in the automotive industry.

The manufacturer has made a name for itself not only by selling sim-racing peripherals, but also by offering products for flight simulation. In fact, it all began with flight peripherals that enabled pilots to train better on simulators.

But that’s not the point. Today, we’re going to talk about TS-XW P310This is one of the many bundles offered by Thrustmaster, which aims to take on competitors well above its weight class. I’ll tell you about its strengths and weaknesses, and give you my opinion.

Main and technical features of the bundle

• Burshless motor providing 40 Watts of power
• 31.5 cm diameter wheel in official Sparco P310 Competition replica
• 3-pedal crankset included in bundle
• Double belt drive
• 1080° rotation angle
• Compatible with Xbox and PC
• Total weight 7.7 kg

Design

The great thing about Thrustmaster is that the company has many partnerships with motorsport giants such as Sparco or Ferrariand almost always comes out with official replica steering wheels. The TS-XW P310 is no exception, and it’s a sublime wheel, as is the base.

For the bundle, Thrustmaster has chosen noble materials for its TS-XW P310 metal, aluminum, suede and plastic. The wheel is made of anodized aluminum for the structure and suede for the finish, giving it a very nice look. As for the base, it’s made of plastic for the casing and is quite large in size, with red plates. It’s beautiful and has a premium feel. As for the crankset, it’s the T3PA, which is pretty basic in itself, but beautiful in design.

All in all, the TS-XW P310 is a beautiful product that will go perfectly with all sim-racing setups. As far as I’m concerned, I love the design of the TS-XW P310especially the wheel, which isn’t exactly round.

Customized assembly

Installation of the TS-XW P310 can be done on a table or desk, but also on a cockpit. In fact, if you’re going to buy this device, it’s best to have a chassis on which to mount it. Nevertheless, for table/desk mounting, you have Thrustmaster’s standard rear mounting system. As far as cockpits/chassis are concerned, you have slots for M6 screws on the underside of the base, and virtually all chassis on the market are compatible with the TS-XW P310.

Thrustmaster also offers an in-house QR system for swapping the wheel supplied with the TS-XW P310 with others from its steering wheel catalog. Well, the QR is not the most intuitive to use, but at least it allows you to secure the steering wheel to the base.

Manufacturing and finishing

The TS-XW P310 is intended to be a premium peripheral for the price it’s sold at, and I’ll come back to that later. As a result, Thrustmaster has used metal, aluminum, plastic and suedin for this bundle.

On the steering wheel, we have beautifully finished, premium anodized aluminum, with a suede finish for the wheel. Personally, I would have liked to have alcantara or leather as fabric, as the TS-XW P310 is still expensive, and the brand could have made an effort. Nevertheless, the finish is exemplary on the wheel, as it is on the base.

There are no manufacturing defects that I have noticed on any of the 3 devices in the bundle. The different parts of the base fit together perfectly, leaving only a small gap that goes unnoticed. The same applies to the steering wheel and its various controls. It’s a really well-finished product, meeting the expectations of riders looking for a premium peripheral.

Getting started with the bundle

So, the TS-XW P310 features a rather large 31.5 cm diameter wheel. Nevertheless, its grip is excellent thanks to its specific shape (rather square). The controls are well laid out, allowing you to reach them easily without your hands leaving the steering wheel, except for a few buttons on the base.

The Xbox buttons click superbly when pressed, but the directional joystick isn’t exactly precise. The paddles are quite large, made of metal and attached to the wheel, which means they will rotate with the steering wheel. They also click well when you use them to place a report.

The T3PA pedalboard is supplied with the TS-XW P310. All in all, it’s a decent product for an entry-level bundle, but it’s a little out of place on the one we have today. What’s more, T3PA is what holds the TS-XW P310 to stand out from the competition in its price range.

Sensations during play

It’s time to talk about the in-game sensations provided by the TS-XW P310. It’s worth noting that the base’s motor is 40 Watts of power, offering superb in-game sensations, especially when it comes to force feedback. During my test sessions, I noticed powerful force feedback from the base, excellent communication about what the car is undergoing and doing, and a superb feel on virtually every track.

The TS-XW P310 is powered by an excellent Brushless 2-belt drive with no dead zones, lag or anything else. It’s really top of its class, and has no trouble whatsoever titillating the Direct Drive engines – well, the less powerful ones (those with 5 nm of torque).

The sensations transmitted behind the wheel are pure bliss. You’ll feel vibrators, bumps, dirt, gravel, collisions, grazing and everything else that can happen during a sim-racing race, and all of it subtly or strongly, depending on the situation. It’s bliss, believe me. As for the crankset, it’s the T3PA, and, in my opinion, it’s a little out of place with this excellent base. The crankset is correct, offering pedal adjustments in terms of resistance, spacing and angle. But then, this is a basic pedalboard that will satisfy sim-racing beginners, but is far behind the direct competition.

Compatibility

The TS-XW P310 is compatible with Xbox and PC only in terms of platforms, which is a bit of a shame for Playstation racers not to have such a great bundle (except perhaps for the crankset).

As far as sim-racing titles are concerned, all those currently available on the market will work with the TS-XW P310on both PC and Xbox. So you’ve got Forza Motorsport, Asseto Corsa and everything in between. It is also important to note that all accessories and other peripherals of the Thrustmaster are compatible with TS-XW P310which is normal.

Value for money

Priced at €700, the TS-XW P310 is really expensive in my opinion and its value for money is not great, I must admit. Sure, you’ve got an official Sparco competition replica steering wheel, a base that’s very precise, communicative and with excellent force feedback. You also get very good build quality, whether for the steering wheel or the base, and a rather average crankset. But then, its price isn’t all that justified, and that impacts on value for money.

My verdict

I would really have liked to see the TS-XW P310 sold for less. But for €700, it’s hard to recommend it, especially as a bundle is currently available. Fanatec with the CSL DD, a CSL steering wheel and CSL Pedals for €400.

Make no mistake, the TS-XW P310 is an excellent bundle for amateurs, beginners and pro racers alike. It will give you an excellent feel for the game, whatever the title in front of you. It’s just that its price is lacking. In my opinion, this bundle should not exceed €450.