Polsimer F74N review

Table of contents

(Review by Daniel B.)

Order, Shipping, Unboxing

The Polsimer F74N is currently only available on the Polsimer website (https://www.polsimer.pl/strona-produktu/f74-a) for €395 with the higher-quality MPS103F buttons.

Shipping with DHL from Poland costs an additional 27€. The sales transaction via Paypal and the shipping was fast and unproblematic. Mails were also answered quickly and in a friendly manner.

In the Polsimer shop, you can also buy a version with an LED strip (F74LED). With the F74LED, you can choose which version of the pushbuttons you want. With the MPS103F buttons it costs 417€, which is only 22€ more than the version shown here. I came across Polsimer while looking for a slightly cheaper wheel, and thanks to the offer, I jumped at it.

The box gives you an idea of what the wheel will offer from the outside – there are no frills. Everything is designed to be very functional, which is not what I was used to from Fanatec.

Scope of delivery

The steering wheel with built-in magnetic shifters
a coiled USB cable
an approx. 1.70m long USB extension cable
6 M5 screws each with 70mm length and 60mm length (pre-installed)
3D-printed cable holder for mounting on aluminium profiles

Compatibility, drivers and technical details

After connecting the F74N to the PC, Windows recognises it and installs it automatically. After installation, the wheel is listed under Devices and Printers as an independent game controller with the designation “Wheels & Leds”, so there are no problems in games that can handle multiple controllers. The wheel has been tested in Assetto Corsa and Assetto Corsa Competizione for over 500 hours.

Weight: approx. 1100g (without QR)
Diameter: 290mm
Bolt circle 6x70mm
Buttons: 8 pushbuttons
2 funky switches (4 way, encoder, and pushbutton)
2 encoders with pushbutton

First impression

After unpacking the rather plain cardboard box, you hold a steering wheel in your hand that feels very solid. The entire back is 3D-printed, but consists of several parts. The shifter unit is a separate part that is placed on the rear steering wheel cover. The 6 M5 screws then go through the spacer sleeves and the shifter unit onto the QR. In addition, 3 metal pins run from the shifter unit to the baseplate for extra stability.

Shifter paddles

The shifter paddles themselves are made of metal and are fixed in the middle of the shifter unit and are brought into their initial position with the help of a magnet. One magnet lies on the paddle arm and fits into the recess on the shifter unit, while the counterpart is a magnet with a slightly larger diameter. Both magnets are not glued or similar, so that they can be replaced at any time. The shifting travel is extremely short, but it does not feel as “crisp” as other magtetic shifters.

Inside

The inside of the wheel is somewhat marred by the gluing of the individual components. On the other hand, everything is functional and serves its purpose. There were no failures or annoying rattles in over 500 hours of operation.

Buttons, wireless switches and encoders

The built-in MPS103F buttons are of very high quality and have a pleasant pressure point. The encoders are equipped with presumably 3D-printed caps. The two funky switches (4-way, encoder and pushbutton) are very practical and can be used for numerous purposes.

Conclusion and long-term experience

After one year and 500 hours of riding I can say that I wouldn’t give the wheel away. It does exactly what it is supposed to do: It precisely implements the inputs – all buttons, encoders, funky switches and shifters work perfectly. The steering wheel diameter is optimal for me and I think it has become standard in the GT and formula steering wheel sector. The components used are of high quality, the USB cable supplied (optimum flexibility and length) and the USB extension have convinced me so much that I have also fitted my other two steering wheels (a converted Fanatec Formula V1 and one of my own design) with Weipu plugs and when I change the steering wheels, all the steering wheels are plugged into the USB extension, which I have attached to the motor mount (I am a desk driver).

As I mentioned at the beginning, this wheel focuses on “inner” values and has everything you need without any frills.