When it comes to affordable driving wheels for PC, racing simulator fans aren’t exactly spoiled for choice. While serious racing fans may prefer a Fanatec setup or something similar, Logitech and Thrustmaster are the two most popular brands due to their lower price points.
When Logitech’s G25 debuted eight years ago with a 270mm leather-wrapped steering wheel, a set of stainless steel pedals, and a separate shifter unit for $300, it piqued the interest of many.
Three years later, the G27 was introduced, which was based on the G25 but included new features such as the use of helical gearing rather than straight gears, resulting in less noise and better steering response.
After another five years, the G27 is still popular because the racing package can be had for as little as $250, which is a steal for a decent racing setup. The G27 is well-known for its long lifespan, quick force feedback, and customizable button functions.
Given how long it had been since Logitech first introduced the G27, we weren’t surprised when its successor was announced a few months ago. There are technically two successors: the G29, which is compatible with PC, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, and the G920, which is compatible with both the Xbox One and PC (the previous-generation “G” racing wheel was never compatible with Microsoft’s consoles).
Logitech claims that both wheels are built to last and that only high-quality materials were used, though the new G29 and G920 don’t look or sound significantly different from the G27.
The ‘Driving Force Shifter,’ or lack thereof, is an issue right away. This is no longer required. Some of you may think that’s fine because you’re going to use the flappy paddles anyway, so why pay for something you’re not going to use?
The problem is that the G29 and G920 have a suggested retail price of $400, and the Driving Force Shifter costs an extra $60, whereas the old G27 includes the part in its $270 package, so keep that in mind as we move forward…
G920 Driving Force
As we just mentioned, the Logitech G920 Driving Force is designed for use with the Xbox One and PC — we’re interested in the PC support, of course
Except for the new buttons on the steering wheel, the G920 is identical to the much older G27. The steering gear housing is nearly identical, and the hardware inside, such as the helical gears, appears to be the same.
The G27 had six small red buttons on the steering wheel that were difficult to reach because they were located below your thumbs. The G920 improves on the number and placement of buttons.
Users will find a D-pad on the left side of the wheel, which can be used for navigation, and the Xbox A, B, X, and Y buttons on the opposite side, which can also be used on the PC for navigation and in-game commands.
Below the Xbox buttons is a menu button, as well as a ‘right stick button’ that gamers can customise.
The opposite side has the ‘view button’ and ‘left stick button,’ which are predefined but can be customised by gamers.
At the bottom is the ‘Xbox button,’ which can be programmed to do pretty much anything on a PC. There’s a bright white LED above the Xbox button that we found annoying, and there doesn’t appear to be a way to turn it off.
Finally, there are the flappy paddles behind the wheel, which should be used for shifting gears up and down, but if you’re a cheater who plays with an automatic transmission, they can be assigned to another function.
Aside from the improved button layout, the wheel’s physical design and construction are superior to the G27. The wheel is wrapped in genuine leather and features attractive exposed black anodized metal.
The shift lights, which were standard on the G27 and, for some reason, come on the PlayStation version, the G29, are absent from the G920. Read more; 2022 Audi A8 Interior and Cargo Review
The G920 has 900-degree lock-to-lock steering, which means you can turn the wheel twice and a half times, the same as a standard road car. For games like F1 2015, the steering degree can be reduced to 360 degrees lock-to-lock.
Logitech has included a steering wheel stripe that serves as a visual indicator for rally game fans. This helps determine the direction the wheel is pointing from the driver’s peripheral vision.
A dual-motor system provides sharp and accurate force feedback, allowing you to feel the tyres on every turn and type of terrain, detect under- or over-steer drifting, and much more.
The stainless steel floor pedal system is nearly identical to what comes with the G27 package, with a few exceptions, primarily to the brake pedal.
According to Logitech, the nonlinear brake pedal simulates the performance of a pressure-sensitive brake system, providing a more responsive and accurate braking feel.
This, I imagine, gives a more realistic feel when driving an F1 car, which requires a lot of pedal force. However, unless the floor pedal unit is attached to something, this design is actually annoying. The unit just slides across the floor because you have to push so hard. A large rubber pad would have been nice to have under the unit to grip the floor.
In the end, I had to use the clutch pedal as a brake, which was fine for F1 2015 because it made sense, but it wasn’t ideal for other racing games like Project CARS, which includes a variety of GT cars. Read also; 2023 Audi A8 Price, Specs, and Review
