Thrustmaster TH8A – Hardware Review
Recently we featured Thrustmaster’s TX Racing Wheel Ferrari 458 Italia Edition for the Xbox One and PC. The lovely replica proved to be a great asset for the real racing enthusiasts among us, be it simulation fans or those who rather have a game that has a more arcade feel to it. Whilst it the TX Racing Wheel was a great piece of hardware on itself, Thrustmaster might have something to rev the experience up by a gear or two. Today we are able to present you with our opinion of the TH8A gearbox add-on (or you can also use it separately on PC).
Design
Thrustmaster’s TH8A pretty much looks like a real gearbox, especially with the metallic finish. Whilst the color palette may not be the most complicated one, the black and grey metallic look make this gearbox look like an impressive whole.
The gear shift knob that comes with the device, also bears the black and grey look, thus adding to the whole. The rubber finished on the bottom makes it look a bit more design-ish.
Overall a fun, realistic whole to make for a more realistic driving experience.
Comfort
As for comfort, it’s pretty simple, namely the device feels like a real gearbox and thus comfort wise it is nearly the same as the actual thing. The rubberized bottom of the gear shift know makes sure you have a better grip and simply something softer to grip.
When playing with the H pattern layout, you will notice it also feels like the real thing, thanks to the solidness and how the metal pieces are constructed. Shifting feels realistic and to be honest, not that much more can said about the TH8A. The device feels like it should.
Just like the TX Steering Wheel, you’ll be able to mount the TH8A to a small table or seat thanks to the screw that is attached to the device. It is again a matter of finding a stable surface in order to provide extra comfort.
Specs
- Detachable gear shift knob
- Stick/gear shift know 13 cm tall
- Compatible with universal gear shift knobs
- 2 shift plates – H-pattern and Sequential
- USB and DIN connectivity
- PS3, PS4, PC and Xbox One support
Overview
Whilst this first feature may also be counted as comfort, it might be more than that for some users. As mentioned in the specs, the gear shift knob is detachable and it can be replaced with any other universal gear shift knob. This does not only add to the realism factor once again but it also creates the opportunity to customize the device to one’s liking.
Other customizable features are the ability to switch between the H-pattern shift lay out and the Sequential set up. This means that you can, once again, choose which racing style suits your fancy. Switching styles will take a short while though, seeing you will have to unscrew a few screws in order to take off the H-pattern plate and thus be able to switch to the Sequential lay out.
You’ll have the choice to connect the device through the means of USB or a DIN plug. Seeing we mainly tested the device with the TX Racing Wheel for the Xbox One, the DIN connection was needed. This mean you will have to plug in the TH8A in the TX Racing Wheel itself.
Thanks to the abundance of supported devices and platforms, you’ll probably be able to use the device for different platforms, to satisfy all your racing needs. The TH8A is supported by certain devices for PC, PS3, PS4 and of course the Xbox One.
The TH8A once again does what it should and adds another layer of gameplay to your favorite racings simulators or arcade games. You’ll notice that the device itself works perfectly, reacts in time and is precise, allowing you to play your games without any real hiccups.
Conclusion
Thrustmaster’s TH8A proves to be a great addition to your racing set up, in order to create an even more realistic experience. Thanks to the subtle finishing touches and the customization options, you’ll soon believe that you are actually in a real racecar, heading towards the finish. Gear up, shift some gears and you might actually start shifting around yourself.
Thrustmaster TH8A - Hardware Review,
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