Choosing a racing wheel: force feedback, console and pedals

Does the wheel fit your console?

This is the first choice. Wheels do not work on every console. Most PlayStation and Xbox wheels also work on PC; check the name or description to be sure.

• PlayStation: for example the Logitech G923 for PlayStation, the Logitech G29 and the Thrustmaster T300 RS GT.
• Xbox: for example the Logitech G923 for Xbox, the Thrustmaster T248-X and the Hori Force Feedback DLX.
• PC only: many direct-drive sets, such as the Thrustmaster T818 and the Moza bundles.
• Nintendo Switch 2: for Mario Kart, Hori makes a small wheel you click a Joy-Con into, such as the Mario Kart racing wheel. It steers with the Joy-Con’s motion sensor and has no electronics or force feedback of its own.

So the same name can be two products. Check the name or description for the console the wheel is made for.

Force feedback: gears, belt or direct drive

Force feedback is the wheel pushing back by itself, so you feel what the car is doing. There are three ways:

• Gears: a motor drives the wheel through gears. Cheap and effective, but you can sometimes feel the teeth. Examples are the Logitech G29 and the G923.
• Belt: the motor drives the wheel through a belt. Smoother and quieter. Examples are the Thrustmaster T300 RS GT and the T-GT II. The T248-X uses a mix of gears and belt.
• Direct drive: the wheel sits right on the motor shaft. This feels the strongest and most precise. Makers state the force in newton metres (Nm), such as 10 Nm for the Thrustmaster T818 and 12 Nm for the Moza R12 bundle. An entry model is the Moza R5 bundle.

Cheap wheels such as the Trust GXT 289 Movi only vibrate and have no real force feedback.

Rotation

A real car’s steering wheel turns more than once. Many racing wheels do too: the Logitech G923 turns 900 degrees, the Thrustmaster T300 1,080 degrees. In the game you set how much of that you use. Cheap wheels turn less, such as the Trust GXT 289 Movi with 270 degrees.

Pedals and shifter

Most wheels come with pedals, sometimes two (throttle and brake) and sometimes three (with clutch). Pricier pedals measure the pressure on the brake rather than how far you press it. Makers call this a load cell. It feels more like a real brake.

If you want to shift yourself, you can buy a separate shifter. The Driving Force Shifter fits the Logitech G29, G920 and G923. Thrustmaster sells some wheels together with its TH8A shifter.

Mounting: desk or cockpit

Gear and belt wheels usually clamp to a desk or table. Direct-drive wheels are strong enough to make a desk move. Put them on a sturdy stand or a cockpit instead, such as a Playseat racing seat. Read more in our guide choosing a gaming chair.

Swappable wheel rims

On many pricier wheels you can swap the rim itself. According to Thrustmaster, the Ferrari F1 Wheel Add-On fits the T818, T598 and T300. That way you drive a Formula 1 car with a different wheel than a GT car. Always check which base a separate rim fits.