Review on Logitech G Saitek Farm Sim Vehicle Side Panel USB

A long time ago I looked at this device, planning to buy it sometime, so that everything would be convenient in terms of gaming, but not limited to it only – there were plans to use this manipulator in any applications related to everyday activities on a PC, that is, work and / or simply as an additional input and control device for your PC, because this is the Logitech G series, albeit from a third-party company Saitek, which implied the ability to configure “everything and everything” directly from the proprietary universal utility for gaming enthusiasts from Logitech.

However, I thought so and counted on it, but it turned out a little differently! To be precise – the expectations in this matter did not materialize at all, but not everything is as sad as it might seem – there are “chances”, and the Logitech G Saitek Farm Sim Vehicle Side Panel USB device is not bad for itself, and we’ll talk about it in detail .

The complete set of the manipulator is the most “impoverished” that you can only think of – the Panel itself is delivered in the original box of the game series of products, packed in a bag and fixed in cardboard stops, the instruction is scanty on a quarter of the standard sheet and it is only indicated that the controller needs to be connected to the PC, it is also reprintable warranty “nonsense” from device to device.

The package bundle does not contain drivers and even offers to download them somewhere, which may seem to be an advantage and such will be until the moment it turns out that the device is not displayed in any way in the proprietary utility from Logitech. I also mention that on the official sites (I checked both the local site and foreign official resources) there is no software for this device, and neither basic, nor advanced, nor drivers – absolutely nothing!

Consequently, it is impossible not only to diagnose anything from a single center, that it is not a problem and you can do without it perfectly, but you can’t set up or change anything at all, which is naturally extremely distressing. That is, despite belonging to the Logitech G series for gamers, it is still Saitek – a “lonely” device that only nominally is “related” to the Logitech G series of devices.

Well, okay: you can’t reassign the keys – well, it’s not scary, we will use it strictly for the purpose, as the manufacturer intended! Moreover, to speed up work, there are other more convenient specialized input and control tools, and this device is still gaming. And continuing this thought, I will say that there are game projects that support the Panel in full absolutely officially – of those that I could find it Farming Simulator 17, Farming Simulator 15, Euro Truck Simulator 2, American Truck Simulator, Train Simulator, Elite Dangerous. I admit that the list is not complete and it is much larger, or you can unofficially use the Panel with other projects, but these are only those that I could find at the time of the acquisition and writing of the review.

In this review, I focused very much on the software component and have not yet mentioned a word about the device itself for the reason that it is the software part that “decides” whether you need a specific device or if it is absolutely not applicable in the intended use case. This manipulator is of little use in the non-game sphere, but is not hopeless in principle, so now a little about its physical performance.

The design itself is quite large, although light in weight. All elements are made of plastic, but everywhere it is either not thin, or constructed of several elements, which together looks and feels quite massive and monolithic. In the places of attachment to the countertop, rubber linings with a “sticky” layer are used, which not only dampens when the panel is fixed, but also allows for moderate clamping to get the structure tightly fixed in the chosen place.

Of the small design flaws, one can only say about multiple keys, which are not made exactly as I personally expect from top-end gaming products, namely, there is a slight free play of some keys, which is tactile not very pleasant and causes small side sounds. Also, the “recession” of a number of keys seemed initially a controversial necessity, but later it seemed like a completely reasonable solution, that is, a controversial moment. In general, the Panel is in many ways unique and will be convenient in a number of cases, and small flaws will be almost forgotten with such functionality.

To answer the most important question in this case, “is it worth its money”, I personally won’t take it personally: the product is unique – it is indisputable, gives convenience and huge functionality in several officially supported game projects, it is quite qualitatively executed and looks impressive. If it were not for the complete lack of customization of the control elements, then I could say that the device is extremely worthwhile, and so – the manipulator will be useful to the inveterate gamers of one of their officially supported games, or to those who can find a worthy “remap” and only then use the device in multiple scenarios that go far beyond games and entertainment.

I wish you all good luck, kindness, good mood and be sure to shopping, which will always please!

The article is written on the basis of materials of this site.

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