Fanatec CSL DD review
A hundred hours on a direct drive base sold for 379.95 euros. What it brings, the mounting it demands, and the limit that rules out PlayStation players from the start.
The CSL DD is Fanatec's entry-level direct drive base. It is rated at 8 Nm of maximum torque and sells for 379.95 euros on its own.
What is in the box
The base, a QR2 Lite quick release already fitted on the base side, the Boost Kit 180 that takes torque to 8 Nm, four T-nuts for the mounting rail and a USB cable. The wheel is not included, and without a wheel the base is useless.
The mounting is part of the price
Fanatec offers a table clamp that accepts desktops from 5 to 60 mm thick. At 8 Nm, a desk clamp flexes with every kerb strike, and the stiffness of the mounting decides part of what you feel. Budget for a proper mount with the base, not after it.
What it has inside
The aluminium housing acts as a heat sink and there is no fan, so nothing starts blowing during a race. The steering shaft is made of carbon fibre reinforced composite, and the position sensor is a contactless Hall sensor, the same as on the Podium series according to Fanatec. Rotation goes up to 2520 degrees, electronically limited and adjustable.
The settings menu is driven from the wheel, without going through the software. That is what saves the experience, because the Fanatec driver takes patience: firmware updates to chain one after another, and compatibility modes to know depending on the game.
The limit that decides for you
The CSL DD works on PC, and on Xbox provided it is paired with an Xbox-licensed Fanatec wheel. It is not compatible with any PlayStation console, and Fanatec states that no upgrade will make it compatible. If you play on PS5, you can stop here and look at the Gran Turismo DD Pro.
Compared with buying separately
The Ready2Race bundle at 379.95 euros combines this base in its 5 Nm version, the P1 V2 wheel and the CSL pedals. Bought piece by piece, the same set costs 539.85 euros, 159.90 euros more. The gap is wide enough for the bundle to be worth considering even if one of the three items only half suits you.
Scores
7.4/10
- Build 7.5/10
- Setup and software 6.5/10
- Force feedback 7.5/10
- Ecosystem 8.5/10
- Compatibility 6/10
- Value for money 8/10
Take it if you play on PC or Xbox and plan to stay with Fanatec: the QR2 rim catalogue is the widest on the market, and it resells well.
Look elsewhere if you are on PlayStation. No upgrade will change that.
In every case, plan the mount together with the base. A structure that flexes absorbs part of what you have just paid for.
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