With the abundance of brands and sim-racing peripherals currently available on the market, it’s more than easy to put together a setup to smash lap times on the world’s most legendary circuits. If we take the Fanatecwhich is probably one of the best-known brands in the sim-racing world, you’ll find absolutely everything you need for racing, from steering wheels and bases to pedalboards, bundles and other accessories.

But even if the brands in the segment offer a wide range of products, we need a certain knowledge of the field to know what to buy. Sim-racing equipment is like cars: you have specific needs and you need to look for the product that suits you best, whether in terms of feel, build quality, price and so on.

Just like motorsport, sim-racing, or at least the players in the segment, partner with world-renowned brands that are active in mechanical disciplines. Sparco is a major player in the automotive industry, with a wide range of equipment including bucket seats, steering wheels, shifters and much more. For the occasion, Thrustmaster has teamed up with this brand for some time and offers several officially licensed sim-racing peripherals, including the TS-XW P310. In what follows, I’m going to introduce you to this base and its steering wheel, and give you my opinion on it.

Main and technical features of the bundle

• 40-watt brushless motor
• Complete bundle with Sparco steering wheel, base and pedals
• Alcantara steering wheel finish
• Compatible with PC and Xbox
• Officially licensed Sparco steering wheel
• 3-pedal crankset including brake with rubber end stop

TS-XW P310 design

Thrustmaster peripherals are beautiful overall, and the TS-XW P310 is no exception. We have a black and red base, which is very beautiful by the way. As for the steering wheel, it’s the Sparco P310, taken straight from the automotive supplier’s catalog and placed directly on the Thrustmaster base.

On this wheel, we have alcantara all around, with an aluminum frame. Honestly, it’s a beautiful wheel, and I’d expect nothing less from an officially licensed Sparco.

The overall design of the TS-XW P310 is sober, and I really like the turbocharged power supply unit.

Customized assembly

The TS-XW P310 can be mounted either on a desk or table, or on a chassis. For desks and tables, we’re treated to Thrustmaster’s legendary clamp, which provides excellent attachment of the base to the furniture, and it won’t budge at all, whatever you use the bundle for.

When it comes to cockpits, virtually all brands and models support Thrustmaster peripherals, and this also applies to the TS-XW P310, so you won’t have to worry about that either. What’s more, mounting is also quick and easy.

Manufacturing and finishing

The watchword for the TS-XW P310’s structure is plastic, albeit with some aluminum. At least, that’s the case for most of the products delivered in the bundle. As far as the base is concerned, it’s aluminum with plastic, and I have to say it’s pretty well finished.

As for the wheel, it’s a Sparco and we’re treated to brushed aluminum for its structure, and it’s very beautiful. The build quality is simply motorsport, with an exemplary finish.

As for the crankset, well, it’s plastic, with metal pedal plates. It doesn’t look premium at all, but it’s still pretty well finished, I must admit. All in all, the TS-XW P310 is a good product, well made with a good overall finish, even if the asking price is a bit high for my taste.

Getting started with the bundle

The grip of the bundle is excellent, nothing to say about that since it’s a Sparco steering wheel. The wheel is 31 cm in diameter, making it perfect for many motorsport disciplines. The design is rectangular (flat top and bottom), with easily accessible buttons on the sides of the faceplate.

The TS-XW P310’s ergonomics are superb, with 10 controls directly on the steering wheel, 2 fairly good-sized paddles on the rear and a few other buttons on the base. Okay, the latter are out of place, as they’re directly behind the wheel and you’ll have to take your eyes off the track to see and press them. Nevertheless, you won’t use them that much, as they’re still the ignition and Xbox buttons.

As for the crankset, it’s the T3PA, and the grip is pretty good, with 3 horizontally and vertically adjustable pedals. You’ll manage to find a good position, comfortable to use, but the sensations aren’t the best, to say the least.

Sensations during play

The TS-XW P310 is based on the TS-PC, which means we’re on familiar ground. For this base, Thrustmaster has opted for a brushless motor developing 40 Watts of power with a double-belt drive.

On paper, it’s still a fairly old base when compared to the competition in the same price segment(CSL DD for example), but Thrustmaster has succeeded over the years in mastering its engine and technologies, and this base offers us excellent driving sensations.

The force feedback is precise and powerful, yet very responsive when transmitting feedback. I didn’t really feel any dip or hesitation when using the TS-XW P310, and this is also due to the steering wheel, which is just perfect, a credit to Sparco.

However, it has to be said that the TS-XW P310 is no match for more or less any 5 nm Direct Drive base. You can clearly feel the difference between the two drive technologies, especially the greater flexibility of DD bases. Also, belt drive is synonymous with a notched movement when the steering wheel is gently turned. It’s not as bad as it sounds, but you’ll notice it if you come from a DD base.

For the T3PA crankset: resistance is “present” thanks to the addition of a rubber end-stop for the brake. Is this enough to offer a certain realism? Not at all, and I’d frankly have preferred a Load Cell crankset at this price.

TS-XW P310 compatibility

The TS-XW P310 is compatible with virtually all Thrustmaster steering wheels, provided you have the patience to swap wheels. The QR is really outdated, and not at all quick to use.

As far as sim-racing titles are concerned, you have all those available on PC and Xbox, and the same applies to all platforms.

Value for money

Listed at €700 on the Thrustmaster website, the TS-XW P310 doesn’t offer such attractive value for money. Admittedly, the build quality is top-notch, the feel is very good for a belt-driven motor, and the steering wheel is simply sublime. But it’s still expensive, especially with a non-Load Cell crankset.

My verdict on the Thrustmaster TS-XW Racer Sparco P310

At this price, the TS-XW P310 isn’t worth it unless you’re a huge Thrustmaster fan, and even then, that’s asking a bit too much. If this bundle came with the T-LCM pedalboard at the same price, the pill would be easier to swallow and I’d be able to recommend this bundle.

Except that the TS-XW P310, as it currently stands, faces some pretty stiff competition on the market, and at less than €800 you can have an 8 nm CSL DD base, CSL Pedals in Load Cell and an F1-style steering wheel. Admittedly, this wheel isn’t perfect for every competition, but it’s still a better choice as far as I’m concerned.

The TS-XW P310 remains a good bundle these days, only slowed down by its pedalboard. So I recommend it only if you can afford to swap the T3PA pedalboard for a T-LCM.