INTRODUCTION

    As I grow older and thus have far less free time to enjoy playing my favorite games on the PC (that's less of a problem nowadays since good titles are few and far in between) i tend to look for gaming accessories which will allow me to experience the maximum possible immersion. Grabbing a VR system, a controller (racing wheel or HOTAS/HOSAS joysticks) and even a cockpit is probably the optimal way of doing that if you're seriously into racing and flight/space simulators but thanks to haptic feedback technology we can actually squeeze even more realism from such games. Next Level Racing last year unveiled their HF8 Haptic Feedback Gaming Pad and well even though it did take me quite a while today's review is all about it.

    Founded in 2009, Next Level Racing® has revolutionized the simulation industry with its unwavering commitment to innovation and unique design. As a multiple award-winning company, we have always aimed to provide our customers with the most realistic and immersive racing and flight simulation experiences. Next Level Racing® is recognized as a leading manufacturer of racing and flight simulator cockpits, with a whole ecosystem of cockpits, seats, monitor and wheel stands and more. Next Level Racing® already has licensed rigs from Boeing, Ferrari, as well as collaborations with Thrustmaster, VCO, iRacing, G2 ESports, and other well-known brands.

    The HF8 haptic feedback gaming pad by Next Level Racing is basically an PU leather seat cover (universal compatibility with seats of all types - gaming ones primarily) that supports people who weigh up to 150Kg/330lbs (cold molded foam interior) and sports a total of 8 individual vibration motors (4 on the upper and lower back and 4 on the seat - no individual adjustment by the end user) the intensity of which you can control both via the HFS software and an in-line controller. The technology is pretty much identical to that used with the Woojer Vest Edge which i reviewed a while back, main difference is that the HF8 focuses on your back and is of course not worn by the end user. Aside being compatible with many of the leading racing and flight simulators out there for the PC (no space simulators so far - Next Level Racing however keeps updating their list) the HF8 is also compatible with devices that output audio via an 3.5mm port, including of course consoles (this basically means you can use it with just about anything, even while watching movies or listening to music on your PC). So, let's see if the HF8 is a must not only for simulator fans but gamers in general.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Next Level Racing uses a large box to ship the HF8 in the front of which as expected is taken by product pictures, the company logo and compatibility list.

The main product features are printed on the left side of the box.

Two more product pictures are located at the rear of the box just over the product features in 12 languages.

Along with the HF8 haptic feedback gaming pad by Next Level Racing inside the box you'll also find the power adapter with 4 different tips (USA/UK/Germany/Australia) and the instruction manual.

THE HF8

Measuring 113cm in height, 44cm in width and 6cm in thickness (maximum numbers) the HF8 haptic feedback gaming pad really looks like one of those massage covers.

The company logo is placed at the top of the gaming pad just over the model name.

Next Level Racing has used perforated PU leather for the front area of the HF8 which does look and feel nice.

Taking a look at the rear and here we see a soft fabric cover instead.

The control box includes the on/off button which also doubles as the intensity knob and a small LED which changes color according to intensity (green, white and red).

I would have liked it more had Next Level Racing used gold plated connectors (no difference in performance, just looks) but i guess we can't have it all.

Even though the HF8 fits on most gaming and office chairs it's a far better fit on a cockpit so for my tests I used the F-GT one again by Next Level Racing (review here).

HAPTIC FEEDBACK SYSTEM

To download the HFS software from Next Level Racing you will need to enter the serial number of your HF8 as seen above.

The HFS software is very easy to navigate and so on the main tab you'll see the device on the left from where you can adjust its intensity and the list of games on the right.

You can of course filter the list of games to your preferred genre.

By using the virtual sound card option, you can use the HF8 with games which are not really compatible with it (works but nowhere near as well as with compatible games).

Clicking on each game reveals what you can assign the HF8 for and of course the steps required for it to work with some of them (action required).

From the settings tab you can change the language of the software, have it start with Windows and more.

CONCLUSION

    Due to some unforeseen circumstances (both personal and in regards to the cockpits I have in the lab since had to change places, something that took a very long time to do - sorry NLR) I ended up using the HF8 for months and well, it was mostly good. The reason I say mostly is because it's not as strong as I was hoping it would be in terms of vibrations. We are talking about a seat addon so perhaps my expectations were unrealistic from the get-go (it's not like this can compete with a motion platform) but coming from someone who's actually taken part in races both in tracks like the Nürburgring and off-road (amateur ones) the difference was massive when playing racing games. When it comes to games like DCS and MSFX on the other hand, well, I haven't flown a fighter plane (or any plane for that matter), but it did feel nice (whether or not it comes close to the real deal that's not something I can comment on). Performance aside the HF8 is a solid product, build quality is good (the PU leather cover may not last very long however, not if you don't use another cover over it - I do), it's easy to install and as for compatibility it fully supports many of the leading simulator games in the market today (please add Start Citizen NLR). Unfortunately, not all is perfect and so the HF8 isn't exactly plug and play since you will need to adjust settings in some of the supported games. For example, in Forza Horizon 5 you will need to enable data output and change both the IP and port from within the HUD settings tab. This is certainly not a deal breaker, but I do understand that for some people these steps may not feel easy enough (not to mention that the "action required" notice in the HFS app under each game is not that visible to begin with).

    Currently the HF8 Haptic Gaming Pad by Next Level Racing retails for USD202.37 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 238.63Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de), a price tag which is quite balanced. Again, the HF8 is far from perfect which actually makes me wonder why NLR has yet to develop a cockpit chair with 10 or more vibration motors built-in (stronger, fixed position) for more demanding users. It is what it is however and even though the HF8 is rough around the edges, the fact that there are nowhere near as many such devices in the market today combined with its overall performance are more than enough for the Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Overall Haptic Performance
- Innovation
- Compatibility (Games, Movies & Music)
- Chair Compatibility
- Easy To Use

CONS

- Vibration Intensity
- Extra Steps Required With Some Games