According to Thrustmaster, the TS-PC Racer will consist of a new, brushless 40-watt motor backed by a quiet, embedded cooling system to keep it up to speed at all times. This system enables the motor to provide 50 percent more dynamic response, and four times greater stall force than what Thustmaster provides with its other Force Feedback wheels.
“The motor provides exceptional velocity (dynamic torque) which can be fully manifested in all racing conditions, from long stall curves (Stall Mode) to super-responsive zigzags (Dynamic Mode),” the company said on Friday. “The motor responds dynamically and swiftly to increased torque requirements, thereby offsetting and preventing losses in terms of power.”
The motor uses a new algorithm called Field Oriented Control (FOC) to boost the company’s HallEffect AccuRate Technology (HEART) system, which relies on special magnetic sensors (3D Hall Effect) used for precise movement detection. This system provides a 16-bit resolution detection-wise, which equates to 65,536 input values.
As for the “open wheel” design, Thrustmaster pushed to provide a highly realistic ergonomic design with easily accessible controls. There is a 3-position rotary selector with a push function in the central areas as well as six buttons. The wheel itself has a rotation angle that can be adjusted between 370 and 1080 degrees, and sports suede coverings on the grips and a metal faceplate.
Finally, the new TS-PC Racer is backed by an external “Turbo” power supply to keep the racing peripheral powered up, providing up to 400 watts of power when needed. The racing wheel is compatible with Thrustmaster’s entire line of racing devices including the following:
- Ferrari F1 Wheel Add-On
- Ferrari Alcantara Wheel Add-On
- T500 RS GT Wheel Add-on
- TM Leather 28 GT Wheel Add-On
- TH8RS shifter
- TH8A shifter
- T3PA pedal set
- 3PA-Pro pedal set
The new wheel is also compatible with other non-Thrustmaster USB pedal sets, and pedal sets based on a DBV9 connector.
The new TS-PC Racer peripheral for PC gamers won’t arrive until December 5. The price will be $500, which is $100 less than the Oculus Rift headset or Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card.
