If you like to get away from racing by driving trucks or tractors, then you might like the new Thrustmaster SimTask range for driving sims.
The most interesting is the SimTask Steering Kit, which is compatible with the Thrustmaster T128 or T248 wheels. It includes a metal mount so that your wheel is in the flat position used in trucks and heavy machinery, with a desk clamp attachment. And a rotary spinner knob so you can turn the wheel with one hand.
At £69.99 for the mount and spinner knob it’s reasonably priced, and should make truck driving more immersive if you’re spending hours in American Truck Simulator or Euro Truck Simulator 2. And the adjustment allows you to put the wheel in a more natural position when you’re getting back into sim racing, although it’s still angled slightly upwards. Not ideal, but usable for casual racing games for a while without having to swap your wheel to a different desk clamp or rig set-up.
Given the new SimTask Steering Kit and the cost-effective TH8S shifter also recently released by Thrustmaster, and it’s become a lot cheaper to set up yourself up with a much more immersive driving experience.
Probably less interesting to most of us is the Thrustmaster SimTask FarmStick. The £79.99 three axis joystick has 7 buttons, 2 rocker switches, 1 mini-stick and 1 thumbwheel for controlling heavy machinery such as forklifts, cranes or forestry equipment. But considering it also packs 18 more buttons on the base for a total of 33 types of control, it could potentially be mapped for sim racing tasks as well as the intended use in titles like Farming Simulator 22.
If the new SimTask Steering Kit was compatible with older Thrustmaster wheels, I’d certainly consider setting up my old TMX for lorry driving and casual racing games next to my sim rig. The Thrustmaster T128 is a fairly recent release with a recommended retail price of £169.99, and the T248 is £300, which makes it a bit pricier to get a truck set-up if you also need a new wheel.
You’ll be able to order the new Thrustmaster SimTask range through the official website with availability from November 2023. Or through retailers including Currys.
Keep up with the latest news, offers and more from Thrustmaster, here. Or check out all of our articles on sim racing wheels and pedals. And if you’re just starting out, take a look at our guide to the best sim racing wheels for beginners, here.
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