Racing simulation games are a very popular genre, regardless of whether we are playing a game of Formula 1, Rally, Super Touring Cars and even heavy trucks. Having a steering wheel always adds value to those games and that is why we have made a selection of the best.
All of us who have spent hours tossing coins into mythical arcades know what it means to be able to drive with a Force Feedback steering wheel. For some time now, racing games have become closer to simulation and the experience with a gamepad is poor.
Our selection criteria
The wheels that you are going to see in the list are not the height of simulation, but you will be able to find them on any surface without problems and offer a leap in quality to enjoy a better simulation of the most used racing games on PC and consoles regarding whether you play games from a controller.
The most important thing when transmitting realism is the transfer of forces from real driving to simulation. With a normal control knob there are no opposing forces to resist turning, Force Feedback. There are also no complications to stop at the right time. Playing any racing simulator with the steering wheel and the right pedals completely change the experience, the games reach a new dimension.
Thrustmaster T300 RS steering wheel
It is a wheel that has the official Gran Turismo license, so it is compatible with PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 consoles apart from the PC. It is also compatible on PS5 in order to play the games of its predecessor that are compatible with this wheel.
As for the steering wheel, this is 28 cm and is covered throughout its circumference with a rubber that helps to have a greater grip. But, if we don’t like this steering wheel, we can change it for another that is also compatible with the Thrustmaster Quick Release system. As for the central part, where the steering wheels are located, this is not made of plastic, but metal. Giving a sturdy look to this PC steering wheel.
The pedal system included with this steering wheel is called the T3PA GT Edition and we have to honestly confess that we liked them. They have a high degree of sensitivity and precision when stepping on them. The fact that they are also made of metal gives them an additional quality touch and the brake pedal offers extra resistance depending on the speed in the simulation. And if their position in height seems uncomfortable, you can always adjust them.
As for the Force Feedback system, we find a steering wheel with a rotation capacity of 1080º with a double brushless motor. Which gives it excellent realism when it comes to transmitting the complications when driving a car at high speed, thus increasing its level of realism.
A negative point for this steering wheel? It lacks a handbrake and you have to use a button for it.
Logitech G29 / G920 steering wheel
We are in front of another of the wheels with official license of Gran Turismo, this time under the Logitech brand. Although we have also decided to take into account its counterpart for Xbox consoles, the G920. Both are identical in specs and work on the PC. Since their specifications are the same, we are going to treat them as the same steering wheel.
The first difference with the Thrustmaster T300 RS can be found in the fact that it is impossible to replace the base steering wheel to use another. This makes choosing one version or another tie you to a platform. As for the qualities of the steering wheel again we have the circumference of the steering wheel in rubber and the central part in metal. The steering wheel’s turning capacity is 900 degrees, so it has a lower turning capacity than the Thrustmaster model.
As for the pedals, we have 3 metal pedals for clutch, brake and accelerator. Like other steering wheels, it has the ability to offer brake resistance for greater realism. A function that we have also seen in the T300 RS GT.
Its weak point? Its Force Feedback engine is worse because it is where Logitech has cut costs in this function compared to other wheels. The consequences? Its Force Feedback system is delivered by a simple motor that does not offer a completely accurate version compared to belt systems and falls short in the eyes of the most demanding users.
Thrustmaster TMX Force Feedback steering wheel
The Thrustmaster TMX steering wheel is designed for users with tighter pockets, but this does not mean that we are dealing with a poor quality product. It is a steering wheel that is only compatible with Xbox consoles and Windows, so you cannot use it on PlayStation consoles.
As it is a cheaper option than the previous ones that we have mentioned, it suffers from some cuts in its construction. For example, its steering wheel is completely plastic in its central part, the grip being made of rubber instead of synthetic leather. Something that the most purists will not like, but that more than fulfills its function. Curiously, not all the steering wheel is made of plastic, but the gearshift paddles are made of metal. Its turning angle? Between 270º and 900º.
If you do not like the steering wheel that comes standard then you can change it for another, since it is also compatible with the Thrustmaster Quick Release system, which will allow you to add a higher quality system in the future.
The Thrustmaster TMX has also suffered cost cuts when it comes to the pedals, the 3 metal pedals of other models have been converted into 2 plastic pedals where the clutch is conspicuous by its absence. This means that if you like to play with manual gearshifts in games, then this is not your wheel. But everything has a solution and that is that we can change them for others of better quality.
As for its Force Feedback system, it does not use a two-strap system like the T300 RS, but it does incorporate a mixed strap system that gives it quality Force Feedback. So it can be said that Thrustmaster has not saved in this regard. Which is appreciated, although a pity of the worst qualities on the wheel and that it does not work with PlayStation.
