Logitech G29 racing wheel overview: The proper starter set for asphalt racers

I’ve but to search out anybody as aggressive as I’m in terms of sim-racing. On this planet of simulation, the racing wheel that you just use can imply pole place or the tip of the pack. Whereas having a cool head behind the wheel is vital, the wheel itself is simply as vital.

The Logitech G29, which is appropriate with Ps and PC, is the corporate’s hottest racing wheel. For the Xbox of us, there’s the Logitech G920 which is analogous in options and dimension, however barely older. In comparison with typical racing wheels that worth upwards of $600, the G29 is way more reasonably priced at $399 (offers apart).  

For the decrease entry payment into the world of sim-racing, how a lot worth are you actually getting from the G29? Maybe, extra importantly, how a lot are you shedding? I’ve pushed with the Logitech G29 because the begin of the pandemic, steering by in style titles like iRacing and F1 2021. Let’s examine the way it’s fared.

Specs

	Logitech G29
Wheel dimensions	270 x 260 x 278 mm
Wheel weight	2.25 kg (4.96 lbs)
Pedal dimensions	167 x 428.5 x 311 mm
Pedal weight	3.1 kg (6.83 lbs)
Compatibility	Ps 3, Ps 4, Ps 5, and PC (Home windows 7 and up)
Wheel rotation	900°
Buttons on steering wheel	20 and one twist knob

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Design

Steering wheel

Once you take a look at a typical steering wheel within the cockpit of a race automotive, it seems to be identical to a online game controller. Sure, the buttons can look like overkill, however every color-coded toggle has a particular goal. That is no completely different in sim-racing.

The Logitech G29 has a complete of 20 buttons on the wheel, together with the paddle shifters on the again. Moreover, on the bottom-right of the wheel is a knob, which you’ll flip to make added changes — simply in case the opposite 20 buttons weren’t sufficient. 

Together with the wheel controls, a small space on the high of the wheel comprises 10 lights that present how excessive the RPM is getting within the automotive. These lights make it extremely straightforward for learners to know the way quick they’re driving and when they should shift.

The wheel and pedals weigh 4.96 lbs and 6.83 lbs, respectively. The pedals comprise a brushed stainless-steel throttle management, brake, and clutch, giving customers a really agency feeling once they stomp on both of the three. Stabilizing the pedals is Logitech’s patented carpet grip system. Small plastic spikes positioned on the platform base give it extra resistance to motion.

Lastly, the wheel itself is roofed with hand-stitched leather-based and brushed stainless-steel. Its rugged look seems to be able to hit the digital racetrack.

Pedals

With the Logitech G29, you get a pedal set together with a clutch. With most funds wheels, the pedals do not comprise a clutch — only a throttle and brake hooked up to the bottom.

I used to be extraordinarily impressed with the pedals the extra I raced. The brake pedal is a nonlinear pedal, that means the more durable you stomp on the brake, the more durable it will get to press. This realism helps in large races with heavy brake zones.

All three pedal frames and arms are made out of cold-rolled metal, whereas the pedal faces are made from brushed stainless-steel. On the underside of the pedals, the carpet grip system I discussed earlier was extremely useful — particularly with the nonlinear brake that will get onerous to push.

The bottom additionally has a textured heel grip to maintain your toes from slipping. The function sounds promising on paper however, in follow, it was reasonably ineffective at protecting my foot on the pedals. 

General, these pedals do not feel fragile in any respect. With the metal pedal arms, I by no means needed to fear about pushing the pedal too onerous. If Logitech provided simply the pedals on the market, I might suggest them to players in search of nice high quality at an reasonably priced worth.

Efficiency

Whether or not I am racing competitively in Monday Evening Racing or having enjoyable in official on-line races, I’ve but to discover a main flaw within the Logitech G29 wheel. With dual-motor pressure suggestions (see beneath) within the wheel, you may really feel each bump, dip, and even different vehicles — I discovered the onerous approach.

Inside the iRacing platform, there are 4 main types of racing: asphalt oval, asphalt street, filth oval, and filth street. With every type of motorsport comes a distinct sensation and suggestions on the wheel. Here is how the Logitech G29 carried out. 

Asphalt oval: 9/10

Oval tracks are the place I spend most of my time when racing on-line. Every observe has distinct traits, making the wheel react in numerous methods at every venue.

Asphalt oval racing is often about how briskly you may go with out having the rear finish of the automotive step out from beneath you (also referred to as fishtailing). That being mentioned, I needed to check out the wheel on one of many oldest surfaces in NASCAR: the digital Richmond Raceway. This observe has loads of character, with a giant bump within the first nook and a slick, however bumpy, racing floor.

After a few laps, it was evident that the turn-one bump made the automotive lighter when the dealing with of the G29 felt the identical. Whereas this made the automotive harder to manage, it in the end added to the realism of driving on asphalt.

Nonetheless, when battling the slick observe situations, the low-tier, linear resistance pressure suggestions wheel is noticeably missing. In some instances, my grip on the deal with was not as practical as I had hoped. 

In any aggressive race, contact is probably going — particularly in case you are racing in opposition to me. I feel this wheel does an excellent job of recreating the texture of hitting one other automotive (and even the wall). There may be added resistance when there’s something on both facet of the automotive.

For oval racers beginning out, I extremely suggest this wheel. It has all the things you want, together with all of the controls for changes when within the digital driver’s seat. 

Asphalt street: 8.5/10

When contemplating most motorsport followers world wide, street course racing is the most well-liked with collection like Formulation One, IMSA, and IndyCar. When testing out a wheel, I needed to attempt my hand at taking left and proper activates street programs.

The most important consider street course racing is how the automotive feels going over curbs. I put the curbs to the check on the digital Daytona Worldwide Speedway, residence of the well-known Rolex 24.

One remark I made when hitting the curbs was the sound the wheel made: it may be a bit of loud even with headphones on. The sound is generated when the motor inside is quickly producing the suggestions.

By way of how the wheel felt when hitting the curbs, it appeared practical. Most curbs at tracks world wide are ribbed, that means they’ve slight bumps that you’ll really feel whenever you drive over them. I skilled that feeling when testing, and it makes racing much more immersive and pleasing. 

Whereas the tracks on the iRacing service are all laser-scanned, I figured I might check out the way it felt whenever you go off the observe an into the grass. With the ability to navigate by the terrain is vital when attempting to re-enter the observe, and the wheel gives correct suggestions when hitting bumps and driving on hills. I used to be fairly impressed with how practical the pressure suggestions felt throughout this off-track tour. 

The very last thing I needed to check is how the wheel feels when the automotive transitions from one floor to a different. Like curbs, it felt very practical nevertheless it additionally made the loud noise after I hit the floor a sure approach.

Grime oval: 6.5/10

There isn’t any sort of observe that calls for a very good wheel greater than filth ovals. The observe adjustments all through a race, and also you want to have the ability to sustain with it. I needed to attempt racing a dust road inventory on one of many roughest tracks, getting a really feel for a way the wheel may deal with to bumps and ruts of the digital Limaland Motorsports Park. 

I’ve a number of the most enjoyable on the sim whereas filth racing. The one factor that would make filth racing extra pleasing could be a greater wheel. Bear in mind the sound I discussed after I hit curbs earlier? It occurred once more and was even louder.

Because of the nature of a dust observe, the automotive hits a mess of bumps on each lap, and they’re by no means the identical. Earlier than I used to be even capable of make it onto the racetrack, the automotive hit bumps on pit street and the sound returned. The speedy adjustments the motor within the wheel should make probably causes the ruckus. Granted, the wheel gives wonderful suggestions. But when somebody is sleeping within the room subsequent to you, the noise is loud sufficient to disturb them.

As soon as I used to be capable of begin turning laps, the wheel felt distinctive, however I may nonetheless inform there’s loads of room for enchancment.

Because the well-known Pixar film, Vehicles, says, “Flip proper to go left.” That’s the fact in terms of filth racing. When turning the wheel to the proper in the midst of the nook, it feels as if the wheel slips. The pressure suggestions jumps because of the bumps on the observe, making it extremely difficult to drive, particularly since Limaland is among the bumpiest tracks iRacing presents.

Should you’re an avid filth racer, this wheel is not for you. Direct-drive wheels are the most well-liked type of wheel as we speak, however these come at a excessive price. 

Grime street: 6/10

With most filth street tracks containing each asphalt and filth areas in iRacing, the wheel was really put to the check. 

Grime street racing comprises loads of drifting and attempting to get the automotive — or truck — to show. Having a handbrake could be very useful in case you are a dust street racer. Whereas Logitech doesn’t provide an exterior handbrake, you may buy one on-line.

Within the Lucas Oil Professional 4 off-road truck I drove, I wasn’t capable of flip quick laps, however I used to be capable of get a really feel for a way the wheel carried out. On the filth parts, I did not discover that terrible sound contained in the motor like I did on the filth ovals. That is probably as a result of the truth that off-road vehicles have a a lot softer suspension than the filth road inventory I drove at Limaland.

One other similarity I discovered between filth street tracks and the filth ovals was the necessity for a direct-drive wheel. Particularly by the jumps, a direct-drive wheel could be extremely useful and provides the driving force a greater really feel within the automotive.

Very similar to in asphalt street racing, the lights on the high of the wheel assist tremendously. With so many slow-speed corners, the query of whether or not it is best to downshift or not arises a handful of occasions every lap. Generally, downshifting will help the automotive flip. Through the use of the RPM lights on the wheel as a information, I may inform if I used to be capable of downshift within the nook with out over-revving the engine, which was essential in enhancing my lap occasions.

After 20 laps across the observe, I may simply inform why this type of racing has the least quantity of racers. To be able to be aggressive, you want add-ons (just like the handbrake). That being mentioned, this wheel offered an excellent really feel of the observe, however there’s nonetheless loads of room for enchancment. 

Backside line

In case you are an informal sim-racer (or simply need to get a wheel and pedal bundle to kickstart your sim-racing profession), this wheel is 100% for you. However it additionally comes right down to what sort of racing you may be doing. For asphalt racers, that is the proper starter wheel. For filth racers, it is value looking out elsewhere.

There are numerous steering wheels and pedals available on the market, however the total worth you get with the Logitech G29 makes it definitely worth the worth.

Options to think about

Need to take a look at extra alternate options to the Logitech G29 earlier than you begin your sim-racing journey? Listed below are extra steering wheels to think about earlier than buying.

This Thrustmaster T248 offers you a futuristic wheel on the identical worth because the Logitech G29. With 23 buttons on the wheel, you’ll be able to make changes on the fly. That being mentioned, this wheel is for extra superior sim-racers, however, in case you are critical about your begin in sim-racing, this could possibly be the wheel for you.

Need a extra practical, authentic-looking setup? This wheel may match that want. The Thrustmaster T300RS has an ‘ecosystem prepared’ base, that means it has a removable wheel permitting you to buy different wheels and use the identical T300 base. 

The sim-racing neighborhood is a really brand-loyal neighborhood. Should you love all of the options of the G29 however need a barely newer model, the G923 could possibly be for you. This wheel presents TRUEFORCE pressure suggestions which connects straight to the sport you might be taking part in to offer a sensible expertise.