Conspit MAX 01 Review: A Lot Of Wheel For Less Than You'd Expect

Sim racing wheels with dashboard screens are popular these days, but also expensive - which is why we were surprised by the Conspit MAX 01. Find out why in our review!

Picture this: You are a sim racer who has taken their first steps and now wants to treat themselves to their first more powerful wheelbase or a nice Formula-style wheel with display and all the nice extras - preferably with SimHub support so you can get some nice dashboards, profiles or LEDs working right away using the power of the community. The options are plentiful, but you'll have to dig deep into your pockets. Sim racing is an expensive hobby, after all!

So, let's look at what's available. Asetek Invicta, fantastic wheel, we tested it - but we can't get away with less than €1600 EUR. The BavarianSimTec OmegaPRO, a dream of a wheel, but even more expensive at 2000 bucks. GSI FPE V2: over €1300, and that is before tax. Ascher Racing McLaren Artura Ultimate, the choice of Max Verstappen, is also €1500. Never mind the Mercedes-AMG F1 replica wheel by Sim-Lab - also a very fine piece of kit, but with a hefty price tag.

And then there is the Conspit MAX 01 at about half of that or less at €800. Still a lot of money for most, of course, but it begs the question: Are the others too expensive, or is this one missing something crucial? Does it fall short anywhere? That's what we want to find out in this review, because we were already able to test a prototype of the MAX 01, which was unveiled today.

Recently, we tested the Conspit CPP Lite, which put a lot of pressure on prices in the hydraulic pedal market and impressed across the board. It will be interesting to see if the same happens in the wheel segment! Without further ado, let's unpack the MAX 01 PC Sim Racing Wheel and see what it can do.

Conspit MAX 01 Features & Build Quality​

The box advertises the partnership with iRacing and SimHub, two big names in sim racing. Once we open it, we are greeted by the typical Conspit sketch image, which immediately increases the anticipation. USB cables, tools and bolts for mounting QR adapters and a sticker sheet are the accessories. I would have liked a sticker application tool for the latter, which is really helpful - luckily, we had one lying around from another wheel.

And then we have the wheel in front of us - 304 mm diameter, 1.3 kg without quick release, carbon fiber front, aluminium body. The 4-inch screen, which is also a touchscreen, is slightly smaller than most of the competition, which offers 4.3-inch or even 5-inch screens. Especially when using more detailed dashboards like the popular Lovely Dash, smaller numbers or lists are not as easy to read, but the difference between 4 and 4.3 is not that dramatic.

We don't have to race without shift and flag LEDs either, as there are 21 in total, all fully programmable. There are also ten RGB buttons and eight backlit RBG markers that you can label as you wish. The four encoders, four rotaries and two seven-way funky switches are made of metal.

Buttons & SimHub Support​

At this point, I was starting to wonder what the catch is. Is there anything here that makes the steering wheel look worse than the options that cost twice as much? Hard to say. If I had to nitpick, I don't like the raised and very milky looking buttons. They could also sound a bit richer and more muted when pressed.

My daily driver is currently the Simagic FX Pro and I like it a bit better there - as that is similarly priced, it can be considered a close competitor, with the MOZA FSR is also worth mentioning. Neither of them have SimHub support, but they can be easily adjusted in their manufacturers' software. Simagic for example has a lot of cool dashboards available.

With the 290 GP, Conspit also has its own alternative at a very similar price and a different form factor, a 4.3 inch screen, connected shift paddles and ergonmically angled buttons around the center. SimHub support is also in the works for the 290 GP, so it is also worth looking at.

Back to the MAX01's buttons - the pressure point itself is fine, as are the ergonomics. The rotaries and encoders could use a little more resistance for my taste. A special feature are the freestanding thumb encoders, where Conspit has thought about the fact that you can also operate them with your index finger from behind.



This has already caused me to accidentally activate them with unintentional hand movements, which is why I no longer put anything elementary on them that changes the balance of the car. If they were 10-20% stiffer, this would no longer happen. The shift LEDs aren't as crisp as Asetek's, but that's about it in terms of finish and build quality.

One detail that will be changed for the production version is the grips, so I can only say that they are quite hard at the moment, but we have a sample here that should show the final design, and it will be a bit softer.

Shift Paddles & Quick Release​

On the back we find magnetic paddle shifters with carbon end plates. Their throw is a bit longer than on some of the wheels we have tested recently, and they are well dampened. When you pull them, an echo and vibration is transmitted throughout the wheel's body, it's really like a sound box. Not a deal breaker, but maybe another part that takes away a bit from a premium feel. We do not get an additional pair shift paddles here, but two upper buttons on the back that we can assign additional functions to instead.

Dual clutch is almost standard these days, of course with a clutch bite function that can be controlled via software. In the middle is the 70mm PCD adapter, to which we can connect the most quick-release systems of other wheels. If you want to use the wheel with a Conspit base, you can also connect its QR directly and then no longer need the USB cable. For testing purposes, however, I just put the Conspit QR on the adapter and used it standalone, which also works.



Conspit's own QR solution is rock solid. When attaching it, a good technique is to always grab it at the top and bottom and then push it back without too much force. There is zero flex. The only thing I have noticed is that it is sometimes very tight and difficult to remove after a session. A little grease layer or PTFE spray may help.

Installation & Setup​

Installation and startup of the wheel was flawless. The latest version of Conspit Link is still a basic software where we mainly do basic settings, calibrations and updates. Important for you: Not only can the rotaries be switched between position switch and encoder, it is even possible to use positions to map multiple programs for vehicle functions via the thumb encoder and create rotary macros, which can be especially helpful for very complex cars like Hypercars with many functions, but so far I have managed well without this feature. It is nice to have regardless.

SimHub is required for the screen to work, which also means in order to get up to 60 FPS refresh rate on displays, you need a SimHub license. €8 EUR is the minimum for a lifetime license - well worth it in my opinion. Nevertheless, you should know this and one can only hope for many wheel manufacturers that this dependency will not backfire at some point.

SimHub recognizes the MAX 01 directly with the latest update and with little effort everything is set up properly. I just installed the Lovely Dashboard on it, which also works directly with touch to switch between the pages. There are also profiles for the 21 LEDs, and that was a huge plus for me. Not only did the shift lights in all cars fit 1:1, no matter in which sim - flag signals and even proximity signals, when a car is driving next to you, are all already included in the profile. Simply great!

Conspit Ares Wheel Base​

Let us talk about the Ares wheel base, which is Conspit's entry level model with 10 Nm of torque. It is also priced fairly at €599 in the mid-range direct drive market. For €300 more you can get an 18 Nm version, the Ares Platinum, which is a bit longer, has more cooling capacity and a higher rated power supply. But for now, we will stick with the 10 Nm Ares.

Here you can see a size comparison with the competitors Simagic Alpha Mini and Moza R9. The Conspit Ares is slightly taller than both the Simagic Alpha Mini and Moza R9, but still significantly flatter than a Fanatec CSL DD. This can be an important factor when building a rig and looking for monitor placement, if you want the screens to sit above the wheelbase or closer to your eyes. The variable rails with T-nuts are a big plus for wheel deck mounting. Conspit relies entirely on USB C for the CAN ports on the back. There is also an E-Stop connector. On the front, under the Conspit logo, there is an undefined port for future products.

There are many wheelbase settings and advanced adjustment options in Conspit Link and, most importantly, pre-defined profiles for the most common simulators. Of course, an automatic profile switch would be the cherry on the cake or, as with Simagic, even more detailed instructions with the counterpart of the wheel settings in the game, because you already have basic settings but don't know what the Conspit testers used in the game. With ACC, for example, you should not go above 50% FFB in-game by much to avoid software clipping.

Racing The MAX 01​

On the track, the Ares' 10 Nm in combination with the MAX 01 left a really good impression. The Force Feedback is smooth to control and the profiles in iRacing, Assetto Corsa Competizione and Le Mans Ultimate, which I tested, give a good feel right out of the box. I chose tracks with lots of elevation changes and offsets, Road Atlanta, Portimão and the Nordschleife. In all the scenarios I tested, the wheelbase was reliable and detailed, giving a good feel for the weight of the car, while working very quietly and always accurately.

You can also check the temperatures in the software at any time, so you know that the sensors are working, which is nice to see. To be honest, otherwise the differences in the 8-10 Nm range between the manufacturers are very small - a lot is happening in the software area now, Fanatec and Thrustmaster have major updates in the pipeline. Simagic currently offers the most features out of the box I'd say. Console compatibility is probably a big factor for many buyers. Let us know in the comments: What are the most important factors for you when choosing a wheelbase - ecosystem, console compatibility, design, software or something else?

I would say that the pure hardware and driving experience on the PC is never bad with the Direct Drive options nowadays. For EA WRC I swapped the MAX 01 for Conspit's H.AO Hub, a very versatile button box that comes with several rim options. This can also be controlled via SimHub for the shift LEDs and RGB buttons, so all data and shift timings are communicated correctly.

When rallying the wheel base was able to show that it is very fast and responsive, which was a lot of fun in combination with the new Hyundai from WRCs latest DLC. So if you are more of a rally driver or drifter, this would be a good addition with the H.AO and Round Wheel. But it's not cheap, and it would be desirable if Conspit added simpler wheels in the 200-300 EUR or USD range.

Verdict​

Conspit is definitely on par with many other manufacturers and offers a great sim racing experience with the small selection they have so far. The MAX 01 is a standalone wheel, which of course shines with other wheelbases if a QR adapter is available. It relies heavily on SimHub, but the wheel has great ergonomics, the quality is good, and the price is almost cheeky good compared to the market. So, I give it a 4.5 out of 10. The encoder resistance and the milky look of the buttons are the biggest gripes for me, but that is a matter of personal taste. Once they add SimHub support for the 290GP, I would probably prefer it over the MAX 01, however.

Bonus Verdict: Conspit Ares​

The Ares 10 Nm wheelbase gets a solid 4 out of 5 from me. The Conspit Link software is still expandable, as is the ecosystem. It is commendable that Conspit already offers a QR adapter for less than €100, which expands the possibilities a bit. The hardware is technically flawless and delivers what you expect from this class, but unlike the MAX 01 or the CPP pedals, it is not as remarkably affordable compared to others.

Conspit now has a large dealer network, which you can find on their website. You can also pre-order the MAX 01 there today, with the first deliveries likely to be made in late April if you are in Europe.

What are your impressions of the Conspit MAX 01 wheel and Ares wheel base? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion in our hardware forum!