Nothing spoils the illusion that you're driving a multimillion-dollar race car like a janky, multidozen-dollar plastic controller. And though it's impossible to beat the thrill of the real deal, ECCI's Trackstar 6000 gets you close. Sheathed in two-tone leather, this plug-and-drive rig leaves other USB steering wheels in the dust. Slingshotting through a high-speed right-hander? The Trackstar's fluid damping system will add tire resistance so you feel asphalt pulling your slicks to the left. Swerving to avoid a hazard? The wheel's digital side — 1,000 points of rotation tracking — simulates a racer's ultra-responsive steering so you can zip around it with a deft flick. Controlling your virtual gearbox is similarly pro-caliber, with F1-style behind-the-wheel paddle shifters machined out of steel. This supercharged setup comes at a Ferrari price, but anything less would be like hitting Le Mans in a Geo Metro.
Review: ECCI Trackstar 6000
Nothing spoils the illusion that you’re driving a multimillion-dollar race car like a janky, multidozen-dollar plastic controller. And though it’s impossible to beat the thrill of the real deal, ECCI’s Trackstar 6000 gets you close. Sheathed in two-tone leather, this plug-and-drive rig leaves other USB steering wheels in the dust. Slingshotting through a high-speed right-hander? […]
James Day