GSI FPE V2 review. What a wheel!
GSI is a brand that cant be missed if you are looking for a high end steering wheel. With the FPE V2, they give the outgoing FPE more than a facelift.
The FPEv2 was sent by GSI for review, I also have an affiliate with them with code random for 5% discount. As always all opinions my own.
If you have seen the GXL V2 review, if you havent you should by the way, the FPE V2 is mainly the same wheel with a couple of differences, mainly the addition of screen and a different LED profile, but the rest would be very much the same. The FPE v2 is a result of customer feedback and improvement of design.
Hailing from texas, where all my exes live, GSI has been creating sought after wheels for quite a while now. As a brand they have really evolved from the time they were building wheels on twitch, to a brand that is sought after for their top of the line high quality equipment. As for the FPE V2 This is a highend 300mm simracing wheel, hand assembled, and just like many of the type, the price follows. It starts at 1030 pounds or 1250 dollars. There are a few choices of sticker colors, and even paddle and clutches. GSI does not offer a choice with top shifters fot his wheel, like some of the other brands at this price range. The version I have is a phantom with carbon clutches which will set you back 1226 pounds or 1487 dollars. More if you decide to customise your buttons.
The unboxing is not very exciting if Im honest. Inside you will find the wheel well protected and a usb cable. While you are there, dont forget to press like and subscribe.
In terms of build The wheel is an aluminum body with a front carbon fibre plate. The rear will have a 6x70 mounting pattern for m5 bolts. 10 buttons, 2 thumb switches, 5 rotary switches with a click and 2x7 way funky switches. And of course the rear shifters and clutch. In total up to 57 inputs. The 6x70 mounting pattern should bolt with minimal fuss to most quick releases, requiring at most either an extension or an adapter plate. It mounts directly to the logitech quick release.
The FPE V2 also comes with a touch 4.3 inch display and flag lights in the 3-14-3 pattern.
Handles are always a personal thing, just like with the GXL V2, the FPE V2 has had some girth removed from them to allow use for more hands. Still, some will find these still too big. In terms of weight, it also has received a bit of a trim. Without qr it weighs, just more than the GXL V2. Still while not being so heavy I would recommend a bare minimum of 5Nm for this, better with 8 and above. Ive used it in the conspirt Ares 10Nm with not problem whatsoever, so Moza R9, CSL DD, Simagic Alpha Mini shouldnt and Logitech PRO should have an issue powering it. Speaking of powering, you will need to use a powered usb hub for this wheel. Id recommend a minimum of 24watts.
The ergonomics of the FPE V2 are pretty great, very much identical to the GXL V2 , all the buttons are in easy of reach of the thumb. The handles are extremely comfortable. The buttons have a very precise feel. Theres no movement until a certain force is reached and then it has a short throw and a nice sounding click. All the buttons have a really great sound. The center rotaries are incredibly satisfying to use.
The shifter at the back is on the softer side, the engagement doesnt require much force and it has a dampened feel at the end.I prefer stiffer shifters, but theres nothing wrong with these. . The clutches are interesting, they are magnetic but feel beefy with significant resistance starting at mid throw.
What sets the GSI wheels apart from others at least visually, is the absolute light show those LEDs are. Thats why you need a powered hub for these, because if you want to have your own personal trance light show.
The LED diffusion layer present in the buttons, adding with the software controls from simhub, make this wheel a personal light show, that gives out so much info, from pit speed limiter engagement, flags, or when a car is beside. Its eye candy, but really useful as well.
There are a few colorway choices present in the simhub software, suzuki is pretty cool.
GSI wheels are running simos, a place to update the wheels firmware for more features as they come, and to change some settings in the wheel like clutch bit point, encoder and power usage. Its available at GSI own site.
Using FPE V2 has been essentially the same as using the GXL V2, as basically it is the same wheel minus those changes. SO I wasnt expecting many differences, and in reality there werent any. The handles work great for me and the ergonomic spacing of buttons is on point, everything is reachable within a reasonable arc of the thumb. At longer sessions, I have felt no problems with any hand cramps, much like the gxl. The only thing I really feel that is missing its thumb rotaries with a click. The rotaries with the clicks help to add some functions to clean up the the assignments. As for the wheel itself, its incredibly rigid, no torsion everything is well assembled. Its an absolute tank.
The over 50 button to be assigned means that its unlikely that youll need any extra buttons at all. At least for most of us.
The screen is bright, clear and easy to ready witht the touch function helpful with those simhub dashes with multiple inputs, just like lovely dash that im using at the moment. With the stock led profiles and dan merchants flag profiles the fpe v2 gets so much info to the driver. The RPM and LED profiles have no diffusion, but as opposite to the GXL, its a bit more recessed, so it means the lights wont be too much in your face. To be clear, the stock RPM leds only work with iracing, so youll need to source a 3 14 3 led profile. Ive subscribed to Dan merchant and those work great with the FPE V2.
As for downsides Ive mentioned already a few. Its a hungry wheel, so you need a good powered usb hub, and even if its not the heaviest, 8Nm would be the recommended torque to supply this wheel with. 5Nm can work, but may be too little. Then, just like the GXLV2, the M1 and M2 LEDS are a bit redundant. And then theres ofcourse the price. At 1250 dollars Its quite a lot, but its well inline of the same type of equipment range. Of course the price wont be for everyone, and not everyone will want the screen. With that in mind, the GXL V2 is the natural recommendation as it is for the most part the same wheel.
As for conclusions, the FPEV2 is an excellent wheel that brings a lot of great features, in a wheel that is well built and well thought of. The ergonomics are pretty great, the LED functionality well thought of and after having so many LEDs, its hard to live without them.
