Thrustmaster is announcing today the upcoming availability of their latest PC focused racing wheel and base.  The TS-PC is a brand new design that integrates many new features as compared to their previous offerings.  The press release did not mention compatibility on consoles, but it seems for now that it is aimed squarely at the PC (hence the name).

The big improvement from past part is the inclusion of a 40 watt motor providing more force than what we had seen previously in the T500, T300, and TX series of wheel bases.  I do not know how it compares to the Fanatec CSL’s 6 Nm of force, or the higher end ClubSport V2’s 8 Nm.  My guess is that it could very well be somewhere between those two options.

The motor needs some extra cooling so that apparently has received a pretty good upgrade.  Thrustmaster seems to like their acronyms, so they are calling this cooling system the MCE.  This stands for Motor Cooling Embedded.  Few details were provided, but this system is in place to keep the motor at peak efficiency even at high transient levels of force.  It does this without ramping up the speeds of the fans in the base.  Hopefully soon we can find out how Thrustmaster was able to increase the thermal capacity in a base that is not all that much larger than previous products.

Thrustmaster is also implementing what they call a F.O.C algorithm (Field Oriented Control) that supposedly boosts the already impressive precision of the H.E.A.R.T. system (Hall Effect AccuRate Technology).  I told you they like acronyms.  This features the same 16 bit resolution of the T500 and T300 products, but it seems the new software reading the values is able to do a better job at it than previous parts.

Powering all of this is an external power supply that supports up to 400 watts of peak power.  This is a peak number and not what it can do under constant load.  That number is probably closer to 100 watts, but the specifics have not been released yet.  The motor in the wheel base does not pull a constant amount of current, so its needs are varied depending on the type of inputs required by the application.  When more force is required, it typically is not for extensive periods of time.  It seems that the power supply that Thrustmaster is using is going to be quite a bit more powerful than those that were integrated into the T500/T300/TX wheel bases.

The open wheel itself is a new design.  It features suede grips, an aluminum plate, and aluminum paddles.  Thrustmaster claims that it has optimized stiffness and weight to give it the best overall response for the size of the product.  More mass is never a good thing when trying to transmit small or subtle variations of force feedback, so the less mess in a wheel while maximizing rigidity gives the best overall experience no matter how strong the motor is.

The TS-PC is compatible with the entire Thrustmaster ecosystem of parts.  This includes the 599XX Alcantara wheel that I reviewed some months back.  Wheels, pedals, and shifters are all compatible with the new base so users can customize their experience as needed.

The TS-PC will be available on Dec. 5, 2016 for $499.

Click to read the entire press release.

TS-PC RACER: THRUSTMASTER’S ULTIMATE RACING SIMULATOR FOR PC

 Rennes, November 17, 2016— Thrustmaster is offering the best PC racers the opportunity to achieve even better race track performance with the brand-new TS-PC Racer, its latest creation combining a base incorporating next-generation technologies with Thrustmaster’s first “open wheel” design, allowing users to experience an incredible range of sensations and information in their racing sessions.

Totally innovative technologies for a high-performance ensemble

In order to develop a genuinely unique product while at the same time satisfying the requirements of the most demanding PC racers, Thrustmaster’s R&D teams have decided to include a specific new motor: this brushless 40-watt motor’s responsiveness generates remarkably dynamic and powerful effects, along with skillfully optimized Force Feedback. The motor provides exceptional velocity (dynamic torque) which can be fully manifested in all racing conditions, from long stall curves (STALL mode) to super-responsive zigzags (DYNAMIC mode).

 To ensure that the motor’s velocity is always available, Thrustmaster has developed an embedded cooling system: MCE*, which stands for “Motor Cooling Embedded”. This innovative piece of technology maintains the motor’s performance level during quick successions of power demands by ensuring that there is no overheating, while remaining silent. This results in 50% more dynamic response, and 4 times greater stall force compared with Thrustmaster’s other Force Feedback wheels.

 Also with a view to maintaining the motor’s dynamics under all types of racing conditions, the new F.O.C. algorithm (for Field Oriented Control) boosts the precision of Thrustmaster’s H.E.A.R.T (HallEffect AccuRate Technology) system providing 16-bit resolution (65,536 values), dynamically optimizing the response to intense precision demands. The motor responds dynamically and swiftly to increased torque requirements, thereby offsetting and preventing losses in terms of power.

Finally, and very importantly, an external TURBO power supply has been specially designed to provide continuous power and phenomenal peak power (400 watts), ensuring that the wheel is able to respond to high-speed and often very high-intensity commands from games. The power supply’s toroidal shape ensures optimized efficiency versus heat at 86%, thanks to its finless design.

Superior materials and a super-functional wheel design

The open wheel created for Thrustmaster’s new TS-PC Racer features a highly-realistic ergonomic design. The 6 buttons located in the central area are very easy to access, as is the 3-position rotary selector with a push function. The materials employed are in line with the product’s positioning: suede coverings for the wheel’s grips, a metal faceplate, and wheel-mounted sequential paddle shifters crafted of polished-brushed aluminum. What’s more, the wheel’s rotation angle can be adjusted between 270° and 1080°. In conjunction with the strength of the motor, these materials provide for a perfect weight/power ratio, for optimal inertia.

Fully compatible with the Thrustmaster racing product ecosystem

To allow all users to fully customize their TS-PC Racer according to their own personal preferences in terms of the type of game, driving style or vehicle used, the TS-PC Racer is fully compatible with the entire Thrustmaster racing ecosystem, including: the Ferrari F1 Wheel Add-On, Ferrari Alcantara Wheel Add-On, T500 RS GT Wheel, TM Leather 28 GT Wheel Add-On…, the TH8RS and TH8A shifters, and the T3PA and T3PA-Pro pedal sets – as well as with other USB pedal sets on the market, or pedal sets equipped with a DB9 connector (via the Thrustmaster DB9 PEDALS T.RJ12 ADAPTER).

With its unique design, the TS-PC Racer features different technologies which are already major advantages individually: brought together in a single racing wheel, however, they create a truly exceptional product engineered for racers aiming for the top step of the final podium.

 ·       The TS-PC Racer will be available from December 5, 2016 at a suggested retail price of $499.99.