The USB-C connection is a welcome change from the older USB-A as well as proprietary connections at the wheel base. USB-C allows not only for a compact attachment to the PC, but also up to 5 Asetek peripherals can be attached directly to the base. It also allows the use of 3rd party standard cables to work if something disastrous happens to the ones included.
Setting up the software is extremely easy. Download RaceHub from the Asetek SimSports site and run it. Once installed plug in the wheel base to the PC. RaceHub identifies the components and applies any available firmware updates automatically. The base doesn’t need to be put into any kind of maintenance mode, so updates like this are extremely easy. RaceHub is easy to navigate and allows a lot of customization such as forces, braking and acceleration rates, dampening, RGB behavior, and usage profiles.
There is no “one size fits all” setting for games, and each manufacturer interprets the force feedback data differently. There is a lot of trial and error in getting individual applications set up for the best personal experience. There are guides and posts that provide good information that are directly accessible on the Asetek site (https://www.asetek.com/simsports/guides/). This is a good start for any user wanting to quickly find the best settings for a wide variety of games. Asetek does not cover every racing title out there, but they do hit most of the popular ones. The Assetto Corsa series in particular seem to be very popular with Asetek as there are multiple guides.
The 5.5 Nm of force seems somewhat underrepresented as compared to other solutions. I am unsure if Asetek is more conservative with how they apply their settings, or if they feel that having an overpowering amount of force is not realistic. Setting the power as high as it goes and adjust in-game settings I did not get the same sense of strength as I have with the Moza R5 base. I would very much like to try the 8 Nm power brick upgrade with this solution, as I think that is closer to the sweet spot of the sim market in terms of FFB strength.
This is not to say that the experience is bad. On the contrary, the base is very detailed in feedback and responsive to user inputs. Even though it “only” has a 15 bit encoder, I did not have any issues of inputs being dulled or inaccurate. I found no real difference in that aspect from the Initium to the Thrustmaster T818 which has a 16 bit encoder.
The one title that really showcases the Initium bundle is Assetto Corsa (the original). This must be a favorite sim for the people working at Asetek, because the support and feel of the base vs. any other title I played was nearly night and day. While the FFB on the other titles was good, going to AC made it great. The base really came alive and if they can provide this level of detail and support for more titles as time goes on, it can only be a good thing. Rumbles, curbs, traction, collisions, and every aspect that AC simulates comes through very clearly and with a good amount of force. Hopefully Asetek provides the software support to let upcoming titles like Assetto Corsa: Rally and Project Motor Racing really shine with the Initium bundle.
The rim was probably my least favorite part of the bundle, but it also was not a hindrance towards racing pleasure. Once in a title and racing around, I did not tend to notice the materials and heaviness of the rim. The paddle shifters were muted as compared to other offerings, and it was not nearly as tactile. They worked perfectly fine though, and if silence while racing is something to be desired versus the constant clicking of up and downshifts, then these are perfect for that user.
It took a little getting used to the pedal travel. I was familiar with Thrustmaster TP3A-Pro and Raceline III units which feature a decent amount of travel. Going to the Asetek units which only feature about 2 inches of travel really forced me to pay attention to foot position and force being applied. Once I familiarized myself to the new setup, I found the pedals to be very good in rally and grip racing. For being a budget offering, the spring and elastomer brake really became a strong point in the setup. Asetek provides an extra spring to further adjust the feeling as needed.