I waited forever before deciding myself to by this Thrustmaster TH8A Add-On gearbox shifter for PC. The main reason was that the price has been variating quite a lot with a minimum observed around $150. The second reason was that I was enjoying the pads shifters on my wheel and I was satisfied with it. Eventually, after getting the Sparco Handbrake, getting the manual shifter became logical too... Both are attaching to the Thrustmaster clamp which I also bought. I had to pay more than the base price but I am glad that I did because now the item is only available by other sellers and for a ridiculous price (over $200) So now I have the Thrustmaster TS-PC racer with the Ferrari GTE-F458 wheel as an add-On, the TH8A gearbox shifter, the Sparco Handbrake and the T3PA Pro pedals. I understand that it is medium range in term of quality (when compared to direct drive wheels and load cells pedals) but it makes for a wonderful immersion. As for the Thrustmaster TH8A Shifter, I find it, like all other Thrustmaster equipment, expensive but also of a great manufacture quality. Experience wise, it works as well as an H shifter or sequential. The swap from one to the other requires a screwdriver and a little bit of work but I do not expect anyone to change frequently. It is actually more than an H shifter since it has actually 8 slots (7 gears + reverse). It is very sturdy and provides a good feel as for the spring and handling. In conclusion: Yes, I greatly recommend it for a better rallye experience like Dirt Rallye 2 and all the games for which a manual gearbox would be preferable. It is easy to configure, compatible with all other Thrustmaster equipment but even more. 5 stars. Read more
I'll start by saying that I bought this item at a greatly reduced price because it was used and in acceptable condition. I was leary of buying at first but I thought what the heck any issue at this much below the price gouging sellers I can overlook or fix myself. To my surprise there was absolutely nothing wrong cosmetically and the functionality is as new. Not sure why the used acceptable condition selling status but definitely a win. This shifter is amazing. I did notice that when connecting directly to steering wheel(t-150) i had issues with gears changing on game without moving shifter. Solution is to not connect directly to steering wheel but instead use supplied USB adapter and connect to console/pc. I read this is only for t150 and it doesn't list t150 as compatible on box but works just as well. Great heavy product. Well built and will last..would definitely recommend. Read more
I currently own a Logitech G27 shifter and by far the build quality of the Thrustmaster TH8A is miles high compared to the Logitech. Having the ability to switch to sequential shifting is a huge plus. The shifting gates give solid feedback when you shift giving a solid mechanical thunk when the gear is selected. That is something that the Logitech lacked. I did like the additional buttons and hat switch on the G27 but is not a deal breaker considering the quality difference and feel. The only downside, if you can call it that, is this price which is higher than the competition. However, after seeing them next to one another and actually using both I'm more than happy to spend a few extra dollars for a shifter that should last a very long time and give me flexibility to shift using an H pattern or sequential. The second complaint I have is that Amazon decided to ship this item by slapping a shipping label directly on the box, the retail packaging box, and stick it on my doorstep. Anyone can see what it is as they walk past my door and it is a big siren that wails "Steal me!" I can understand they want to lower the amount of materials used to ship an item but that is just asking for package theft to go through the roof which will only cost them more in replacements that just using a box in the first place. I understand that a package thief will steal no matter what but openly advertising what something is might just make someone tip over the edge knowing what it is rather than what it might be. Please Amazon use common sense on this new money savings tactic. Maybe use correctly sized boxes and less packing material and leave the security in place of discretely hiding the product from open eyes. Read more
Worked fantastic in my sim setup, got this one to use for an E -break for precision driving. Really helps you lock in to the came, especially if you have force feedback, Vr, And surround sound... Little to emersive the wheel blocked while in the middle of a season... it was really awesome when I had the chance to use it, it out lived some hardcore rally. Capable of working with a various amount of console's. Read more
What i am using: t300 rs servo, tx servo, vg tm leather wheel, t3pa pro, and now the th8a shifter. This shifter is a great addition for adding fun into the racing sim. Just like the clutch in the t3pa, i used to think a shifter was "too hardcore" for me. Luckily i was wrong, the shifter adds a layer of immersion and common sense interaction for racing. Surprisingly i got better by using the shifter vs the paddles. The added control of gears and paired with the clutch just makes for a more dynamic fun shifting. I dont know about realism because i dont have the reference to comparw, but this shifter is adding lots of fun to my racing hobby. I would reccomend this for those that are playing a lot of racing sim, because it is pricey and is better appreciated after having some "mileage " on racing sim. I started with the stock tx servo and upgraded at my own pace. Each upgrade brought tremendous improvement and i was able to appreciate/enjoy the difference. This is my first shifter and im surprised at how easy it is to use. Built quality is just top notch Read more
