Straight out of the box, the Momo struts with a sleek black appearance, which combined with the red buttons and the red marker on the top of the wheel itself, this device is reminiscent of a steering wheel from the Batmobile. Where to start, oh my gosh, where to start? Let's start with the cables, which there are a total of three. First, there is the USB cable that travels directly from the wheel to the USB port of the tower. There are two optimal ways to have this dealt with: either there is an available USB port on the front of the tower, to allow swift and easy dismantling of the wheel, and/or there is vacant space adjacent to the computer desk. Luckily, my computer contains both options, and I chose the latter of the two. If you have neither option available, then prepare for a workout when plugging this beast in every time you use it, or you'll have to stare at a black monster by your side if you decide to not care about its presence. The wheel setup would have been simpler if Logitech placed a USB input at the wheel. In result, many users would not have to reach behind the tower to unplug it. Logitech managed to place both an AC adapter and pedal input on the wheel, why not USB input as well? Just the thought of this boggles me quite a bit.
Looks just like an F1 wheel
The AC adapter cord is also somewhat of a nuisance, as most PC wheels do not even have one in the first place. But, if there are available jacks nearby, along with a simple way of disguising the cord when not in use, then it shouldn't be too much of a pain for the eyes. The pedal cord is a necessity, and complaining about it would be pointless. But, for such a price of $84, Logitech could have considered cordless pedals. When the hell will those become available? I'm not going to take off points because Logitech failed to venture into such ground, but it seems like something that would appeal to the buyer, and must be included soon.
Pedals
Once all the cords are installed, the wheel must be clamped onto the desk, of course. This was something that could have had better instructions. It took me at least 15-20 minutes to figure out this mess, and that was with the instructions. Even the booklet did little to help, as I accidentally budged the cover off the wheel to discover the clamps. The cover is used to hide the ugly bulks used for loosening the clamps. This coat comes off fairly easily, and is actually nice for those who like to have a sexier looking wheel. I really couldn't care less, so I keep this cover off most of the time.
Set up on a PC
All of this talk, and now, finally, the wheel is installed... or at least the devices are installed to the desk. Now the disk is inserted into the CD-ROM drive, and painlessly the wheel's drivers were installed. After a fairly long amount of time of changing the settings in the game menu, I calibrated the wheel correctly to work on Nascar Racing 2004 Season. The problem is, every time I reboot, or unplug the wheel, it loses its calibration. This is simple to evade, just by readjusting the calibration in the game menu, which takes barely 10 seconds -- but this does become bothersome. I am unsure if this is an error on Logitech's part or Sierra's part (Sierra created Nascar Racing 2004 Season), so I will not take away anything from Logitech on this issue.
Beyond that, the wheel performs in an outstanding manner. The force feedback is adjustable in the game menus to suit the correct strength and effects for every user with differing preferences. The Logitech Momo wheel makes the game so realistic that it becomes rather frustrating at times to play. Of course, if it becomes too much for one to handle, the force feedback can be switched off, but that defeats the purpose. At maximum strength, the wheel kicks from side to side when the car becomes loose, jerks on bumps on the road, and vibrates over the grassy infield. When going from a low-banked surface to a high-banked one, the wheel kicks over to the side to let you know that you have entered to the racing surface. It becomes harder and harder to turn as the speeds increase toward 200 mph.
While smashing the gas and brakes, the pedals do not slide out from under your feet, as there is an outstanding system that prevents them from doing so on a carpet surface. The brake requires more foot strength, as it is realistically more difficult to press down. The pedals are a great size and are decently separated. The gear-shifting lever can be swapped from the right-hand side to the left, but I chose to shift with the spoon control paddles behind the wheel. The rubber wheel grip is not jaw dropping, but is suitable for most needs.
I have encountered no problems with the durability and stability of this product, and do not expect to based on its sturdiness. However, electronic gadgets tend to have problems every so often, and if this has any error, I will immediately update this review to reveal any problems.
Performance-wise, this wheel is nearly a masterpiece. But in terms of practicality, it could be improved. Most of the time, to improve performance, some practicality must be sacrificed, but I think much could have been done to make this a higher-quality wheel. $84 can get you quite far, but if you want the best for you money, you will have to wait a little longer. If money is no object, then there are other options available that climb to prices of about $1000. I recommend this wheel to those who appreciate the realistic aspects of sim racing, and are willing to let go of the sensibleness for the most realistic racing experience available.
For more more information on this and many other great Logitech products you can visit thier website at: www.logitech.com
