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Wireless Force Feedback Racing Wheel for XBox 360 - Mad Catz
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Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback Wheel - Microsoft

Side by Side Comparison of: Mad Catz vs Microsoft

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Mad Catz http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41kd3xA92cL._SL160_.jpg
Wireless Force Feedback Racing Wheel for XBox 360 - Mad Catz
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Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback Wheel - Microsoft
Rating info
eComparisons Score
eComparisons ScoreThe "Comparison Score" Is calculated based on the average number of times this item was compared with other items in this category by our users
7.2
6
User Rating (Amazon)
User Rating (Amazon)

Five Star Reviews:

39%
Awesome for the price range really brings forza 4 to ...
March 2, 2015
Awesome for the price range really brings forza 4 to anew level ! Very responsive and lots of metal so it didn't feel cheap
Fun for hours!
January 15, 2015
My son loves it! It works great even after several hours of play time. The gear shift is a little cheesy. It broke off not long after he got it. All in all, he enjoys playing Forza with it. Definitely worth 5 Stars!
Great Product
January 5, 2015
My 11 year old grand son absolutely loves it. The only problem is that his parents have to limit the time he is on it now Otherwise he would be on it all day.
Works good and great material!!
November 3, 2014
It works pretty good. Specialy with Need For Speed. In some games we do not gave the best experience, but We know this accessories does not Fit well to every game. OuR family is enjoing the wheel, that by the way is made in a very good material (ruber, metal, non slipery pedals...).
MadCatz is a TEN!
April 7, 2014
This wheel turns your desk or table into a car. Has a wireless connection to xbox 360 but produces NO LAG. Great force feeback effect makes driving easier in whatever race game your playing. Overall - awesome and goes beyond expectation!
Old Fart likes it!
February 20, 2014
This racing style wheel and pedal set (and I assume others, as well) is exactly why I waited until retirement to get an X-box. I'm an old pinball???? guy. I was around for Space Invaders when it first came out. Just got the box, and tried the hand-held wheel, pretty cool. Then I found this device. It seems to have been the last on Earth (I don't really know), too bad. It is great for the money, and that is said by a guy who thinks $150.00 IS expensive. I've slid the pedal assembly all over the carpet, trying to escape capture in NFS. I've death-gripped the wheel, also trying to allude. It's held up well. It's still pretty new, but the reviews I read seem to indicate a long life. Shipped pronto. If I'd had this in college in 1970, I'd still be in school. Congratulations to all gamers who graduated ( or even came close )!
38%
it is a great product but some games that are newer may not ...
April 19, 2015
it is a great product but some games that are newer may not be compatible with this steering wheel.
hot
May 26, 2005
this is the best of the best its like you are actually in the car!
Sidewinder wheel
June 20, 2000
Wow! I think this wheel is great! IF you play any racing games at all you should run out and buy this product. The force feedback is simply great and the wheel is of high quality material too.

Four Star Reviews:

18%
Pretty good
August 6, 2017
Did not really love it for the driving gmae but he liked it.
"I absolutely love this racing wheel
January 24, 2016
Bought this for my teenage son. He says,"I absolutely love this racing wheel. It is very realistic and the force feedback feels great. It is also very well weighted. Also, the REAL METAL paddle shifters feel amazing, like MadCatz sourced them directly off a real race car!I broke nearly all of my previous track records on Forza 4, Dirt 3, and Grid Autosport on the first or second try-- and I always try to put up very competitive times--that's just how good this wheel is!My only (minor) complaints are the pedals and shift lever. The pedals will slide a bit under hard acceleration/braking, and the shift lever, while fun for rally games like Dirt 1/2/3, is completely loose. When you up/downshift, the only way you know the gear has changes is what you see on the screen. The lever is just numb. Fun, but numb.However, these issues are nothing in comparison to the brilliance of the paddle shifters and the actual wheel. I would highly recommend this to anyone!"
A very nice wheel
September 9, 2013
I like the wheel. It is my first force feedback wheel, so take that into account. It probably isn't the best wheel out there, but for the price I'm very happy with it. I've played for about 30h now, and put 3000 miles on cars in Forza 4. Sensitivity is nice, and feedback is decent. As someone who actually does track my real car, I do miss the 'seat of the pants' feedback, but the wheel does a decent job of communicating the road back to the driver.The wheel physically has a good feel, and is a good size for me. I use the paddle shifters, not the stick shifter. So far I've used this on my lap entirely because I have nowhere to affix to a table. The stick shifter is mostly useless if you have this on your lap... there would be just too much shifting around. Otherwise, on the lap works well with the paddles.Would I buy it again? if I was on the same budget, yes. Otherwise, I might spend a little more and see if there is something even more realistic.Note, "wireless" in this sense means no wire connected to the console, you will still require a plug from the wheel for power (AC) and from the wheel to the pedals. Still, "wireless" does prevent a USB port on the console from being taken up.
Good wheel
July 30, 2013
This is a great racing wheel it feels great with the rubber grips and is very sturdy. The only issue I have with it is that it jerks very hard when it is slightly off center left or right. It seems to be pushing harder when it is slightly off center than it would when it is turned half way away from center. If I leave the wheel sitting it randomly jerks back and forth as if it is trying to move the wheel back to center. Other than that I have had no other issues and work recommend this wheel to others.
good entry wheel
April 27, 2013
this wheel works well for a basic user as long as your not to picky about racing wheels it works well for forza 4 forza 3 and need for speed most wanted and many other games the only con to this wheel is that when turning it really fast it makes a whining nose like the gears are having troubles keeping up with the fast turn other than that the wheel is great it provides nice feedback to the wheel and the shift paddels are nice but the paddels and the shift lever dont offer any feedback to "confirm" that the car has changed gears feels like the shifters are disconnected. the feedback consists of the vibration of the wheel as well as oposite force to simulate road conditions and other factors. the wheel also is well made i have had mine for a year now and it still works nothing has broken and nothing has gone wrong this wheel has never given me anytrouble
Quality Build. Very Fun.
February 25, 2013
A solidly built wheel that is a lot of fun. The driving games I have tested so far all supported the force-feedback (NFS titles such as Shift 2 and The Run, Test Drive 2). The force-feedback adds a lot of fun and feel to driving and I'm glad I spent the extra money on it. All of the buttons are very solid, better quality than even the standard XBox 360 controller.The force-feedback motor is fairly quiet. Due to the force feedback motor electrical requirements, there is no battery option for this wheel, so it can't be made completely wireless.The wheel shifter paddles and shifter handle share the left and right button functions, so one can't be re-assigned to something else unless both are re-assigned. With some driving games, such as Test Drive, where the sticks are used for off-track portions of the game, the wheel doesn't give full functionality. The wheel does not seem to have any right-stick functions or the left-stick button function. All other buttons and triggers are on the wheel and pedals (RT, LT, RB, LB, X, Y, A, B, D-Pad, Start, Back, Home).
25%
Use it regularly after 8 years of no use
May 2, 2014
Got this as a Christmas present when I was 6 (2001), used it regularly for a few years and then it became less involved in my life, so my mom put it away in the closet for 8 years. After getting into racing again I took it out and remarkably it works like new! The four star review is because on my f1 game the gears occasionally skip (3rd to 5th when you click the paddle once) but for how much use and the gap between use this wheel has, it is incredible how well it still works. Totally worth it.
No weakness' and very Robust
June 17, 2000
Its well worth spending more and buying a quality wheel. Of course you can spend hundreds on very expensive wheels, but in this price range the main contenders are the MSFF wheel, Logitech, and Act Labs wheel. These are all Force Feedback wheels which is a must feature now that games support it in a much more sophisticated way. Just feeling the bumps when you hit the curb or other cars, is not enough. If you're into racing sims, such as Grand Prix Legends, being able to feel subtle forces that let you know when the car is at the limit of traction, makes for a much more immersive experience and also makes you a better driver. I've used the MSFF for 18 months now, and it has it over other Force Feedback wheels in the following areas: 1) It has no weaknesses. Both the wheel and the pedals are good. Many wheels fall down in having poor pedals. Being able to apply delicate acceleration and braking is crucial. The Microsoft pedals have good travel and feel. In comparison a lot of Logitech owners have sunstituted their pedals for CH Pedals - which adds to the cost and hassle. 2)It uses an optical reader rather than potentiometers (Pots). Pots wear out quite quickly, the Microsoft Wheel has the same precision it did 18 months ago after hundreds of hours of use. Some people tend to be anti Microsoft which I feel have clouded their opinions when comparing the MSFF with the Logitech Wheel. I don't think you'll be disappointed with this wheel.

Three Star Reviews:

9%
Outdated, outclassed and overpriced.
December 2, 2015
I bought this wheel three years ago around the same time I bought Forza 4. From a gameplay point of view, it's an amazing wheel. The wheel fights you in the corners and tells you when the car is at its limit.If you want a longer description of how the wheel plays, read the other 5-star views.However, I think this wheel is way, way, way overpriced. Within the first year of use, the wheel started to show its age. When new, this wheel should turn 90 degrees to the left, then back to center, then another turn back to the right. I'm guessing this is an auto-calibration or something along those lines. When turned after the first year, it simply vibrates for a second or two, and then stops. The sequential shift knob stopped working on year two, that was a bummer (the paddles are fantastic, though, no complaints there). Third-year the wheel just doesn't wheel as lively as it once did. It doesn't fight or kick back as much. Even the resistance seems far weaker than it once was. If this was a $99 or even a $175 wheel, I would be fine with this. But this wheel was selling for over $300 at one point, I'd figure it'd last quite awhile.I'm now seeing wheels on the market that you can buy for around this same price point that come with a 6-speed manual shifter. With that in mind, I'm not sure why anyone would buy this one.
A good entry-level wheel, until it broke.
February 8, 2015
This is a great entry-level steering wheel. I don't know much about sim-racing and higher-end hardware, but this satisfied me. Up to a point. After about a month of heavy use, a tooth in one of the gears that controls the force feedback broke, completely ruining the force feedback. There's no instruction manual or guidelines as to how to properly use this, so I couldn't say if it was due to misuse, a factory error, or just the result of heavy use.I would say if you're looking for a cheap wheel, this is a great buy. If you're wanting to get into sim-racing, and are hardcore about it, skip this. The quality just isn't enough to suit you and without a clutch pedal and limited wheel rotation, you'll get annoyed very fast.
Nice wheel
January 23, 2013
For a budget simulator, its great. Force feedback is nice althought it tends to have some blind spots at time. I`ve used it on FM4 so far and have to say the experience is very different from the remote.I would have liked the wheel to be a bit larger.Other than that, so far good product.
Decent wheel, but way overpriced
February 15, 2012
The Mad Catz Wireless Force Feedback Racing Wheel for XBox 360 would be a decent wheel at a lower price point. At its MRRP of $250, I feel it's overpriced by $100. At a lower price point, I might have given it 4/5 stars. For $250, I just don't see the value or quality that I expect for that sort of money.For starters, it's 95% made of plastic (and I feel that other 5% percentage is being very generous!). For this MRRP, I expected a lot more metal (ie: quality and durability) given the 'part metal construction' claim. The only visible metal is the center face plate (where the buttons are), the F1 paddles, and the cap on the shifter. To be fair, there may be more bits of metal lurking inside that I can't see; I sincerely hope there are! Even then, this 'metal' is die-cast, and I'm just not impressed. Sorry.See my theme here? This wheel is way overpriced for what you get!WHEEL: 3/5 starsAll told, the wheel does have a nice feel to its steering movement. The button placement is good so that you can reach them all with your thumbs, and the F1 paddles are within easy reach of my fingertips. The sides of the wheel have a grippier covering than the top and bottom, so you won't slip while cornering with sweaty palms in a close race. The shifter is within easy reach, and, in a nice touch, is mountable on either the left or right side of the wheel, depending on your personal preference. It is, however, just a plastic shifter within in a plastic mechanism, and a die-cast cap on the end.I tested the Mad Catz Wireless Force Feedback Racing Wheel with "Forza 4" and "Dirt 3." The wheel has good force feedback and vibration (the strength of which can be set within the individual game), as well as a good road feel. I did, however, feel some vibration within the XBOX menus (ie: while not in a game) that was noticeable enough for me to mention it here. While not in a game, this wheel should be dead 'silent.'It's nice to be wireless from your Xbox, however you're still tethered to the power brick (which is too short; you'll need a power extension cord if you intend to sit more than 4 feet away from your Xbox) and the wire coming up from the pedals. This wheel is power only; it does not have a battery mode like the cheaper wireless Mad Catz wheel.PEDALS: 2/5 starsThe pedal design is great, featuring top-hinged accelerator and brake pads like a real car (no clutch). However, the construction of the pedals leaves a lot to be desired. They are constructed of 100% plastic, and not even heavyweight plastic at that. The whole pedal assembly feels lightweight and cheap. For this MRRP, there should be some metal here. After all, these are the parts that gamers will be stomping on! I predict the pedals will be the first things to break for many.The pedal footrest folds slightly (about 90 degrees) for storage purposes, or detaches completely for mounting in a racing frame/seat.MOUNTING: 3/5 starsThe Mad Catz Wireless Force Feedback Racing Wheel features two ways to mount--desk or lap. The lap attachments actually work better than I expected, keeping the wheel more sturdy that I would have thought. Lap mount has actually become my preferred mounting way, as well as making it easy to pack up and store it when I'm done playing. The two lap mounts screw into the bottom of the wheel, and have to be removed if you intend to use the desk mount, so really, you have to pick one way or the other, or risk stripping the plastic threads.The desk mount attachment is (again) all plastic, with a plastic nut. It hooks into the bottom of the wheel's base and then clamps down on your desk/racing frame. It seems to me that it would be incredibly easy to over tighten this and strip the thread completely.SETUP: 4/5 starsThe Mad Catz Wireless Force Feedback Racing Wheel easily connected with my Xbox 360 by pressing the sync buttons on the wheel and on my Xbox. The headphone jack on the back of the wheel is for the newer Xbox headsets with in-line mute. Old style Xbox headsets with the mute switch on the plug will not work.It's nice to have a firmware upgrade option. In order to upgrade the firmware, the wheel must be connected to a PC via a USB cable (not included).CONCLUSION:Overall, the Mad Catz Wireless Force Feedback Racing Wheel is not a bad wheel for the Xbox 360, it's just way overpriced. Given the 'mostly plastic' construction and the other points I mentioned here, I feel there needs to be some serious adjustment in order for it to appeal to the average gamer.On the other hand, serious racers will be expecting a lot more from the high MRRP, and the claims of 'part metal' construction, and thus (I feel) be very disappointed with what they get.The Mad Catz Wireless Force Feedback Racing Wheel for XBox 360 gets 3/5 average stars from me.
25%
it arrived a day late, it didn't come with ...
March 1, 2015
it arrived a day late, it didn't come with the software instillation disk for the wheel and as such many features weren't usable, and the box containing it had a large puncture in it although the device itself showed little to no signs of damage mostly just a few small scratches
Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback Wheel Review
October 10, 2009
I would have wanted to know details about the product-there was no product information, there was no installation CD, no instructions. Even though the box that it was mailed in was badly damaged, the product was in good condition; however it was incompatible with Windows Vista and was probably meant for PS3. Can I return or send it back? Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback Wheel

Two Star Reviews:

13%
5 Stars if I hadn't gotten this issue below
June 27, 2015
After around 40 hours of use the wheel started to spasm when making very slight turns. Because the wheel has Force Feedback, it has magnets; these magnets have an odd spot where it will flicker and rapidly change direction right where the magnets begin. This happens even when it's not connected to a computer/xbox. While extremely annoying, it can be controlled - that is until you get another wheel.The onset was sudden so it may get worse, but I've already ordered a G 27 to replace it.***On the other hand it may be just mine so what's good about this wheel? Everything else. - The wheel itself feels VERY sturdy. It won't snap, crack, or bend. - The solid construction still applies to the paddle shifters - The removable stick (which you can place on left or right) is flimsy and feels cheap. - The lap mount is stable and should fit most laps. It's secured with screws and not easy to remove and put on quickly. - The pedals are good without much force needed to press. Bare feet, socks, or shoes won't slip. - Foot rest is less of a rest and more for heels to grip onto while using pedals. - Desk mount and pedals all stay put. Mount can be screwed as tight as needed, pedals dig into carpet and stay put.It's a very very good lag-free solid wheel. But the spasms I experience are loud, cause you to stray off course, twitchy, and annoying. If I hadn't experienced this I would give it five stars.
ouch
December 26, 2013
Amazon price gouged at Christmas and charged a hundred dollars more for the same item I bought from them a week earlier, I e-mailed them about the price fixing for the holidays and they said ya we uped it since last week a hundred bucks and that was that, they change the price based on demand, more demand more money.
Fun While it Lasted
September 2, 2013
I have had this wheel for may be a year with occasional playing, logging may be 400 hours. Now the gears are stripped and feedback is no more. It started to act up several months ago, jerking back and forth erratically when it should be still, e.g., at menu selection. Now it just whines and no more feedback.Overall the unit performed well, giving feedback and rumble when appropriate. I like using the GTI, FWD. When starting the race, the feedback lets me know whether the front tires are spinning or not. Over the rumble strips, the feedback is nice. The steering goes light over grass, etc.If you're will to take the risk of it breaking prematurely, it's fun while it lasts.
Try out the force feedback system before you buy it
September 18, 2012
I have to say that my expectation on this controller was really high... until I start using it with Forza 4 and Formula One 2011. The finishing is okay as it is the overall build quality and materials. However, I got very disappointed with the force feedback system. As it is my first time using such a feature I must say that I do not have other product as a reference. So I don't know it the problem is of this model of controller, or with my specific unit, or even a characteristic of XBox itself. To summarize the feeling, the feedback is slow and non linear (with some unexpected bumps). It is impossible to have the right feeling when doing rapid over steering corrections. I tried to turn the feedback off but then you loose it completely as there is no spring whatsoever. I sometimes still play with my Microsoft wireless wheel.
0%

There are no reviews yet

One Star Reviews:

21%
Junk
June 16, 2015
Waste of money and time. Had trouble with this wheel just shaking and rattling around. Felt like you got all four tires loose and ready to fall off. It would jerk back and forth and couldn't drive in a straight line. The mounting screws stripped out of the bottom of the housing in week. Called for support and no answer, wrote for support and took forever to get back to me. No Help, just told me to adjust the settings. Didn't help. I found a old used Microsoft X-Box 360 wheel for a cheap price and it puts this MadCatz to shame. Wish there was a better choice of wheels to pick from for the X-box 360, but very limited. Good luck, Denny
Don't buy it
May 9, 2015
Didn't work waste of time and money
didn't work!
March 1, 2013
i brought this for my grandson, but it didn't when it come out the box. Had to send back and order him something else.
Waste Of Money!
January 24, 2012
This Mad Catz Wheel is a massive waste of money. If you want an honest review of this item, check the Inside Sim Racing review on YouTube. I agree completely with them. My main issue with this wheel is the cheap set of pedals! And those crappy gas and brake pedals are your only compatible option. My next issue is that the wheel is only compatible with Xbox360. It's not going to work with any PC or PS3, and there is no guarantee that it will work with the next generation Xbox. Xbox360 is nearing the end of its development cycle!My final issue is the price. I think Mad Catz has gone "Shutter Island" mad! Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars for this crap? For that money you could buy a Logitech G27, which I know is only for PS3/PC. But compare the quality. If you are mainly going to play on Xbox360, get a Fanatec CSR Wheel for $250. You are better having no pedals, rather than complete trash pedals. Use the "A" button for gas and "B" for brakes. That's less of a handicap. Plus the Fanatec CSR is compatible with Xbox360, PlayStation 3 and PC! Fanatec even offers a CSR Wheel and Pedal Combo Pack for $299, which is the best deal for any racer.Don't waste your hard earned money on this Mad Crap!
broken on after an hours use.
January 18, 2012
Bought this steering wheel and it broke less than an hour. The overall feel of the steering wheel is superb. It has quality build parts but it broke. The rumble broke and it would not center with motor mechanism because it broke. Returned it. It is the best steering wheel but why it broke is beyond me. used it for forza 4
great at first, disappointment later
January 5, 2012
This wheel was great when I got it. I played Forza 4 only and just 1-2 hours a day roughly. But it broke in less then a month!!! I don't think that this is unacceptable for a product that costs more then $250.00
12%
Check for drivers before buying hardware.
April 21, 2016
Wheel is obsolete in that there are no drivers for the hardware since before Windows XP. I now have an 80 dollar boat anchor.
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Pricing info
Old Price
Old Price
Price
Price
$249.88updated: Mar 16, 2020
from 1 sellers
$159.00updated: Mar 18, 2020
Features
Age Rating
Age Rating
Rating Pending
-
Answered Questions
Answered Questions
-
Article Number
Article Number
0728658030735
0093007896974
Binding
Binding
Video Game
Personal Computers
Brand
Brand
Mad Catz
Microsoft
Currency
Currency
USD
USD
Formatted Price
Formatted Price
$149.99
$159.00
Genre
Genre
action-games
-
Hardware Platform
Hardware Platform
Xbox 360;
-
Height
Height
488.2 in
472.4 in
IsEligibleForTradeIn
IsEligibleForTradeIn
1
-
Language
Language
Array, Array
-
Length
Length
574.8 in
649.6 in
Manufacturer
Manufacturer
MadCatz
Microsoft
Model
Model
MCB47502NM02/02/1
A16-00002
MPN
MPN
MCB47502NM02/02/1
A16-00002
Number of Items
Number of Items
1
-
Number of Parts
Number of Parts
MCB47502NM02/02/1
A16-00002
Operating System
Operating System
Xbox 360
-
platform
platform
Xbox 360
Windows 98, Windows 95
Product Group
Product Group
Video Games
CE
Product Type
Product Type
VIDEO_GAME_ACCESSORIES
COMPUTER
Publisher
Publisher
MadCatz
Microsoft
Quantity
Quantity
1
1
Release Date
Release Date
2012-01-09
-
Reviews
Reviews
Score
Score
6.6
8
Studio
Studio
MadCatz
Microsoft
Weight
Weight
46.7 oz
40.0 oz
Width
Width
566.9 in
559.1 in
Feature
Feature

Force Feedback Provides Realistic Resistance. Just like in a real car, the wheel reacts to what is happening on the racetrack and provides resistance when you turn. Enhance your gaming performance as you get in tune with the road.

Feel the Game with Vibration Technology. Feel what's happening whenever your vehicle takes damage or changes terrain. Drive over the racetrack's edge or trade paint with the competition and Vibration Technology kicks in to enhance realism.

Upgradeable Firmware via USB. A convenient USB port helps future-proof the racing wheel just connect the wheel to your PC to download firmware updates and get up-to-date. A convenient USB port helps future-proof the racing wheel.

Powerful Wireless Connectivity. Boasting a wireless range of 40 feet, enjoy lag-free gameplay from anywhere in the room.

Non-Slip Pedal Set. Reserve drifting for the racetrack - hit the gas or slam on the brakes and their non-slip surface helps the pedals stay put. Give your inactive foot a supportive break with the detachable foot rest.

Realistic driving experience

Proven technology and reliability

Powerful 16-bit, 25 MHz force coprocessor

Customizable with profiling software

1-year warranty

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