Our Verdict
Pros
- Fantastically well priced
- Good way to try sim racing for the first time
- Extremely well built
- Good steering wheel design
Cons
- Gear driven force feedback. Ew
- Clunky to drive with
- Issues with shaking in certain games
- Not the best force feedback quality
The Logitech G29 racing wheel has been around for quite a bit of time now, and it has stood the test of time well. The G29 has had a good grip on the “My first racing wheel” consumer for the past five years.
Update – Logitech has released a new version of the G29, called the G923. You can read our full review of the Logitech G923, and see if it’s better than the G29.
It positioned itself early on as the most consumer-friendly and budget-friendly racing wheel. The reputation that Logitech had previously built with the G25 and G27 as a good quality, low-cost racing wheel manufacturer remained.
But now, many years after its initial launch, does the Logitech G29 driving force racing wheel remain the king of entry-level racing wheels? We have owned a G29 for almost eight years, and it’s been in regular rotation in our sim rig since day one.
Using this knowledge and our experience with other racing wheels, we bring you our Logitech G29 review to see if this wheel is still the best budget racing wheel.
What exactly is the Logitech G29?
The Logitech G29 and the G920 are two racing wheels, which are both almost identical. The Logitech G29 is compatible with PlayStation consoles and PCs. The G920 is the Xbox-compatible racing wheel of the two.
Both budget racing wheels look and function almost identically using a dual motor force feedback system to generate good force feedback. The main difference between the G29 and G920 is that the PS4 has a 24-point selection dial and set of plus and minus buttons on the front of the steering wheel.
Ultimately, they are both helical gear-driven racing wheels, designed to be the best entry-level sim racing wheel. They certainly won’t win any awards for their dual motor force feedback performance when compared to more expensive direct drive racing wheels. But that isn’t the point of these sim racing products.
The main reason these racing wheels exist is to cater to the huge audience of casual sim racers. Not every sim racer is a completely crazy enthusiast like us! There is a huge audience of racers who like to chill out and use a racing wheel to race every now and then.
These two racing wheels are meant for that crowd. With that in mind, Logitech did a fantastic job of achieving its goals. Let’s delve deeper into our Logitech G29 review and examine all aspects of this racing wheel bundle.
Our experience with the Logitech G29
We started our sim racing journey way back in the times of the G27. But when the much revamped G29 came out we snapped one up. First and foremost, we thoroughly enjoyed our G27 racing days, so it was natural to want the newer version.
Secondly, we weren’t as invested in sim racing back then. I only owned a couple of wheels, so I was still in that beginner phase.
Since buying the G29 racing wheel, I’ve gone on to own and drive with a complete range of racing wheels. From Thrustmaster racing wheels, to the extreme power of Fanatec’s direct-drive racing wheels. But we have always kept our humble G29, and it still gets its time in the spotlight occasionally.
I’ve spent hundreds of hours racing with this racing wheel. And to be honest, I’ve generally enjoyed our time with it. There are a few areas which I didn’t enjoy and I’ll touch on them later. But all in all, the Logitech G29 is a great budget racing wheel for anyone setting out on their racing journey.
The Logitech G29 steering wheel review
Unlike many other sim racing wheels, Logitech steering wheels are not customizable in any way. Unless you start unbolting things, which you aren’t supposed to! The steering wheel itself comes firmly bolted onto the wheelbase, and you aren’t meant to change this.
The steering wheel features a range of push buttons labelled with the specific console buttons. On the Xbox-compatible Logitech G920, you’ll find X and Y buttons, and on the PS5-compatible G29, these buttons will be branded with square, circle and triangle instead.
All of these buttons can be used while racing in the game and are programmable in most sim racing games. On the PS5 Logitech G29 racing wheel, there are also a couple of additional inputs.
There is a 24-point selection dial in the bottom right corner, two additional buttons in the bottom left corner of the wheel and a set of rev lights across the top. None of these inputs would work on Xbox consoles due to its strict SDK software, so it would be wasted being included on the Logitech G920.
Around the back are a couple of metal paddle shifters. These paddle shifters are pretty light and easy to activate, although they do have a fair bit of travel before they actually engage. They’re not too clicky or loud, which is nice, and the activation itself feels pretty positive. Overall, this is a pretty nicely put-together sim racing steering wheel.
Logitech G29 wheel base review
The wheelbase looks, well… Like a wheelbase. There is a lot of plastic and a few nice design features such as little vents. But other than that, it looks fine. The steering wheel, however, looks great. for a budget racing wheel, this rim looks remarkably high-end.
The main steering wheel body is metal, and the almost completely round handle is wrapped in real perforated leather. The hand grips of the wheel rim are finished with a flash of metal at the top for a centering point just like real racing wheels.
Logitech G29 vs G920 comparison
The PlayStation edition wheel, the G29, receives a few nice flourishes that Xbox owners miss out on. These include a series of rev lights on the wheel and an extra rotary dial.
These PS5 exclusive touches really finish the wheel off nicely and give it that racing vibe. Due to restrictions with the Xbox architecture, these weren’t included on the Xbox version, Meaning Xbox gamers such as myself miss out.
The 24-point selection dial can be mapped in most racing games to control various aspects of your car. In racing games like Assetto Corsa Competizione, this rotary dial can be used to turn your traction control or ABS setting up or down in a nice manner.
As a complete package, the PlayStation-compatible Logitech G29 driving force racing wheel is the better of the two products. However, both still look modern and fresh.
How good or bad is the Logitech G29 force feedback?
Aesthetics aside, you buy a racing wheel for that positive force feedback and simulation feel that only a racing wheel can deliver. Unfortunately, this is the Logitech’s downfall. Logitech opted for the tried and tested helical gearing force feedback technology to save cost.
By using helical gearing to transfer force feedback from the small motor to the steering wheel, a lot of actual force feedback gets lost along the way, which is noticeable in the racing experience. In replacement, the end-user feels much more grinding and clunkiness over actual force feedback. This sounds harsh, but any Logitech users will know what I mean.
Of course, a lot of force feedback does find its way through the gears, and you will be able to feel how the car reacts to the track. And the force feedback that does find its way through feels fine. It does a decent job of letting you know if you are losing grip, or if you are driving over uneven track surfaces.
For a beginner, this gives the feeling of driving a real car and a pleasant racing experience. There is enough force feedback to portray a sense of immersion that a controller just can’t.
Cons of the G29
But after spending some time with the G29, you become aware of its downside. The helical gears that translate forces from the dual motor force feedback to the steering wheel produce a lot of spiking and jumping.
This is especially present when you hit a large bump or rumble strip. The wheel feels like it skips a gear or two, making the car feel light. This isn’t accurate to the racing simulation; it can catch you out when you’re not expecting it.
This is also a loud wheel to race with. The noise from the dual motor force feedback is ever-present because of the use of helical gearing instead of a belt. It’s not loud enough to become annoying but just loud enough for anyone else in the next room.
We wouldn’t recommend this G29 driving force racing wheel for those nighttime racers!
Let’s review the Logitech G29 pedals
Much like the main wheel itself, the pedals in this wheel bundle are well-designed and look the part. They feature a plastic base, with three metal pedals.
There isn’t much trickery involved with these pedals, as all three use a simple distance-related input method. This method determines how hard you accelerate and brake by how far the pedal is pushed. This differs from a real car, which measures how hard you stomp on the brake pedal rather than just how far.
But despite this, these pedals do a good job of allowing you to brake consistently every lap. The brake itself utilizes a resistor, giving it a reasonably realistic feel. Essentially, the further you push the brake, the harder it becomes to press.
It takes some time to get used to, but after some practice, you will be able to consistently hit your braking zones.
Unlike a few starter pedal sets, Logitech is generous enough to include a third pedal. This is great to see, as Logitech also sell an add-on shifter.
The manual shifter transforms the racing wheel into something much closer to a regular road car. But much like its racing wheel brother, it also has some flaws. The main one is how weak it is. There is little to no resistance to the shifting at all. You can shift with your little finger.
However, we will save the shifter for another review, as it isn’t a part of the standard product bundle.
Final words
If you are completely new to sim racing, the Logitech G29 racing wheel is a fantastic place to start your journey. It is almost the most natural way to start.
As you grow as a racer, you will progress from the G29 to belt-driven wheels and even direct-drive wheels later on. This progression as a driver and in terms of hardware will be ever-rewarding when you make the next jump up.
If you approach the G29 in the way it is intended—as the first step into sim racing—you won’t be disappointed. The high-quality construction of the wheel itself and the force feedback add a level of immersion that pad gamers can’t match.
The Logitech G29 has made many gamers, including ourselves, fall in love with sim racing. For that reason, we would wholeheartedly recommend it to new racers!
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a hard call to choose between the G29 and Thrustmaster wheels. The thrustmaster has better force feedback, but the Logitech is generally a much better designed and built product.
The Logitech G29 is compatible with PS5 and PC, while the G920 is compatible with Xbox One and PC.
Gears are Logitech’s tried and tested method. The old G25 and G27 racing wheels also used gear driven force feedback, and it seems to be Logitech’s favored method.
Technical Specifications
Review written by Felix König
