Fanatec has been around since the dawn of times in the simracing space, and at this point, the CSL wheelbase and pedals are veterans in the current mid-range market. Today, we are reviewing the CSL GT DD / Pro bundle to see if it's still relevant in the current market.
Quality and design
The base is compact and well finished, especially compared to the competition. The QR2 quick release is easy to use. The CSL pedals follow the same vein, with a full metal construction and good build quality. The pedal faces are wide enough for all feet sizes, and the heel rest plate is wide enough and drilled to accomodate a third pedal, which makes the CSL pedals easily upgradeable with the available loadcell kit.
The Gran Turismo rim we got for this test is the weak point of the bundle. It's not a bad rim, but some cost cutting measures and aesthetic choices means it doesn't match the rest of the package in terms of perceived quality. With a 280mm diameter, it is small for a round rim, and the materials and overall design can feel toy-like and contrast with the rest, The paddles are small, look cheap, and they certainly don't feel premium either with their hard plastic. They do work perfectly fine though and will not affect your performance negatively, and their silence can even be appreciable in some contexts. The buttons are also nice for that price range with a good click weight.
Ergonomics
On that front, the Fanatec CSL does well too. The small form factor of the base strikes again here, as it allows you to setup your rig's elements at perfect distances easily. The small screen on the rim allows you to change settings on the fly, adding more practicality to the setup. We also like the power button on the front, much more practical than the usual button hidden on the back found on other bases, and the fact updates don't require you to unplug anything from it.
Under the base, 3 groves have been carved and allow you to just slide it over the T nuts you will have installed on the mounting plate of your chassis beforehand, making the installation process very handy.
The pedals feature curved faceplates, which while unusual, are actually nice for people driving in socks, which is generally the most common practice for users in this range of products.
Our reserves come again from the rim here, which is very practical for Gran Turismo especially, and features lots of functions for PC sims, but has relatively unatural buttons placement, especially with the D pad switch being so far down it forces your left hand to release its grip a bit to reach it.
Software
The Fanatec software improved a great deal since the company's purchase by Corsair. Everything is now accessible within a single app that gives a plug and play experience, with everything you need to calibrate your hardware and refine your settings. No complex manipulations are required for firmware updates : once detected as available, just a couple clicks will do the trick.
A particularly nice point is the force feedback tab : a dynamic sensitivity option, relative to speed, is available, and every setting has a description of its effects, localized into the language you're using. And if you're not feeling like tweaking and tinkering with things for a few hours to fine tune the feedback to your liking, you can also easily import profiles and switch between them (of course, you can also save and export your own).
Fanatec also introduced FullForce in a recent update, a feature that adds audio based effects that provide extra layers of information, in reaction to Logitech's Trueforce technology.
Experience
The CSL DD base is available in 5 Nm and 8 Nm peak power flavors, with the only hardware difference being a bigger external power supply to free up the motor's full potential. While we would recommend the 8 Nm upgrade, the 5 Nm still feels nice and will provide a satisfactory experience to console players. Even under intensive use in the more powerful specification, the CSL DD doesn't suffer from overheating.
On GT7, Fanatec is unmatched in terms of available settings at the moment. The base communicates the weight of the car, suspension movements and curbs very well. On PC sims, the full potential of the CSL DD Pro really appears, while the 5 Nm spec starts showing its limits in its ability to translate everything the game sends it without clipping.
The new FullForce feature brings more refined sensations especially on curbs and bumps, allowing you to get a better feeling where your wheels are, which is quite helpful. Fine tuning can be done through controller vibration strength and individual audio sliders within the game's parameters in order to favor specific effects and tone down others.
On PC again, the base bundle will show limitations through the lack of loadcell brake in the included pedal set. While GT7's driving style makes the base sensor good enough for enjoyment and performance, PC simracers should consider a bundle with the loadcell.
Note that while the test itself was only performed with the Gran Turismo rim in our normalized conditions, we have experience the wheelbase with other rims from the brand in other contexts, and can reassure you that even with bigger rims, the DD Pro in 8 Nm still feels as good.
Last but not least, Fanatec being a market leader, the CSL DD and DD Pro benefit from official implementation in every simracing title available on the market, which ensures support and good FFB quality no matter your platform of choice.
Value
The GT DD bundle is availabe at a MSRP of 649.99€ in 5 Nm version, and 749.99€ in 8 Nm version at the time of writing. At equivalent power, that represents a 150€ premium over the Thrustmaster T598, and matches the Logitech RS50 with the RS pedals when specified with Playstation compatibility. The price difference is justified with the T598 on quality and reliability, while the competition with the RS50 is tougher, since Logitech includes a loadcell brake by default while also feeing great in terms of force feedback. In the end, at 8 Nm, the decision factor for the average console player will probably be whichever one of these is on sale at the time you're looking to purchase.
The Gran Turismo licensing does have an impact on the bundle's price, but you will not be able to escape it if you're looking to buy a ready to use bundle. The Playstation compatible version of the base is available by itself in 8 Nm version only, but buying elements separately will bring you to a similar price with a more basic rim, so it's not worth going that route as a console player.
However, Fanatec sales are relatively frequent, and their refurbished program can sometimes offer good opportunities to snatch some hardware at a reduced price. Moreover, if you're exclusively playing on PC, the bundles with the CSL P1 rim are 270€ cheaper before sales, which makes them a good option for PC simracers on a tight budget and brings a good fight to Moza's own bundles - you can also get bundles directly including the 3 pedals version of the CSL pedals with the loadcell for a similar price to the Gran Turismo bundles. Purchasing the 5 Nm version of the kit and an unbranded boost kit separately to push it to 8 Nm is also another way to save about 50€.
If you're looking to purchase Fanatec equipment at a reduced price, use our affiliate link and the code L1FTANDCOAST5 for a 5% discount over the Fanatec shop (excluding sales).
Conclusion
The Fanatec GT DD / Pro is still a great product in 2026 in the mid-range market. It doesn't suffer from major drawbacks, and thanks to Fanatec's extensive ecosystem, provides an evolutive package to follow your evolution as a simracer, and offers a unique opportunity in the simracing space to use premium rims and pedals on consoles for more advanced users who want a dual duty Playstation & PC rig at the moment - but Moza is waiting around the corner on that front.
With Corsair taking over, Fanatec's software, logistics and customer support have drastically improved and now match high standards in the industry, so if Fanatec's reputation on that front from a few years back made you hesitant, be reassured : the CSL / GT DD and DD Pro line are a safe bet.