ACT LABS FORCE RS

 ACT LABS FORCE RACING SYSTEM                         
                                          
 INFORMATION                                                     
Manufacturer: Act Labs                                       
Hardware: Force Feedback Racing Wheel
Reviewed by: Salman Siddiqui                    

FEATURES:

- Immersion I-Force technology
- Program custom force-feedback effects using our software
- Rubber steering wheel overlay
- 7 buttons on wheel face
- 8-way D-pad (mounted middle)
- F1 style gear shifter
- Gas / brake pedal system
- 270 degree turning radius
- 6 foot cable length
- Windows 95 compatible (Not DOS compatible)
- Pedal base : No tip, no slippage
- Vertical gas pedal
- Horizontal brake pedal
- Effective slider clamping system
- Cartridge system for multi-platform support

INTRODUCTION
It's been a few years now. All kinds of racing wheels have been released, some good, some bad and some ugly but by now most racing wheel manufactures have realized what the racing enthusiast want in a racing wheel. So, now that most manufactures have an idea of what the racing enthusiasts want in a racing wheel, they have moved into the next thing. In this case that thing is force feedback. Act Labs Force Racing System definitely has a lot to offer and there are not any major problems, which take away from the experience of using the Act Labs Force Feedback Racing Wheel.

INSTALLATION
The Installation of the Act Labs Force Racing Systeml is a breeze. The manual provides a nice description of how to install the wheel. If you already know much about computer hardware then the installation should take you no longer than five minutes. Act Labs also provides you their drivers that posed no problems in the installation process.
Score- 98

DESIGN
 The Act Labs Force Racing System is designed pretty well. There are eight buttons on the steering that can be programmed to use in a variety of ways depending on the game. Three other buttons are placed on the front base, which are just for show and do not seem to have a function. For shifting gears there are two small rods on the right and the left that shift up and down accordingly. The two rods that act as shifters are connected in between the steering and the base. Shifting with the Act Labs Force Racing System takes some getting used as for me it got quite annoying. What I mean by annoying is the constant clicking noise as you shift up and down. The steering its self is made out of a leather type material that is very comfortable and absorbs the sweat if you play a game too long. Another positive is that the Act Labs Force Racing System easily clamps down and it's sturdy. I have seen a few wheels that have had horrible clamping mechanisms that make playing games on them very difficult. In addition, the pedals are also very comfortable with a big base that lets you rest your feet. Both of the pedals are very well responsive and accurate. Lastly, the overall design is very good, however, I think that the base is too big and it takes up a lot of room in comparison to other racing wheel on the market.  
Score- 90

HOW IT PLAYS
My goodness! The Act Labs Force Racing System is fun to play with. I played several games such as Midtown Madness, Need for Speed III and Monaco Grand Prix Racing Simulation 2. The Act Labs Force Racing System is simply a blast to play with. Controlling your vehicle is very easy for the most part, particularly if you are used to playing with racing wheels. The force feedback is awesome. At the highest force feedback setting, I can say it feels like driving my friends old 1981 CJ -7 Jeep across the sand dunes of Arizona. A lot of skeptics often say it's impossible to capture such force feedback effects, well I disagree. I had to hold on to that steering for dear life!
Score- 95

VALUE
I know you can't get a better price for a force feedback-racing wheel. For $140 the Act Labs Force Feedback Racing Wheel is more than a bargain, it's a steal. The Act Labs RS flat out offers the best bang for your buck!
Score- 98

OVERALL
A few problems here and there, but nothing really detracts too much from the fact that the Act Labs Force Racing System is an excellent piece of hardware. Add to that a relatively cheap price and you got yourself an outstanding force feedback wheel!

OVERALL - 95