Help me choose the right wheel

[ststav01]

Hello all,

after 2-3 weeks of GT Sport and DS4 I decided it is time ot get a wheel. Don't get me wrong DS4 feels great and I managed to get some pretty decent times on most of the tracks (.300/400 of top 10) but what it lacks mostly, in my opinion, is the throttle/break response due to the small ark of the triggers which are...triggers not gas/break pedals. So after giving it a thought I believe that I'll be able to "cut" those .3/4 seconds with proper pedal response which will eventually increase my exit speed from corners. I would personally love to play with motion control on DS4 and have a pedal set as an add-on but that's not possible So here is where my dilemma starts, what kind of wheel to get and I'll make some bulet points so that you can help me

Preconditions:
- I've played lots of racing games with DS4/keyboard and I a decent understanding of the mechanics/physics
- this is going to be my first "pro" wheel (I do not count one of my old wheels which didn't have any FFB)
- in the future I will probably get Playseat Challenge because it can be folded and saves lots of space

The wheels I've been reading reviews about are:

- Thrustmaster T150 Pro
- Thrustmaster T300
- Logitech G29

- Thrustmaster T150 Pro - I decided to go with the pro version as every review states - the stock pedals are trash
Pros
* Hybrid system (compared to G29's gear system)
* low price
Cons
* low quality plastics
* 12 bits (4096 steps) - is this really noticeable compared to 16 bit wheels ?

- Thrustmaster T300RS - ideally the GT version would be the optimal variant because it comes with the T3PA pedals, and as in T150's stock pedals - T300RS's are trash
Pros
* better FFB
* brushless motor
* better quality
* 16 bits (~65k steps)
Cons
* now the biggest con here is the reliability of those wheels, I've read several topics where people are complaining with faulty FFB, random button clicks while playing and stuff like that - so personally I do not want to spend that much money on something that might become faulty, moreover if this happens 1-2 weeks after the purchase
* changeable rims - now this is a pro for most people but to me is con and the reason for this is the following - this increases the price, no doubt, but it also "helps" the issue with the random button clicks because of the PS2 connector which can become loose.

- Logitech G29 - now, to be honest, this is the wheel I know the least about
Pros
* relatively better reliablity ratio compared to TS
* nice quality
Cons
* old gear system
* low pedal resolution

So my questions would be
1. Which wheel would you prefer?
2. Should I go with T300RS/GT or T150 Pro would do the job as well? Is the difference between T150/T300 huge? Is the price difference worth it?
3. What about the G29 - how is it compared to TS?

How much time it would take me to get used to the wheel approximately? Is it something that would become natural after a few hours/days or it will take a month?
Thanks for everyone!

 

[Tekku]

I'm using the Playseat Challenge and T300 RS and I'm very satisfied overall. I cannot comment on the other Thrustmaster wheels because I haven't tried them out. I do not like the Logitech wheels however due to them having a very unpleasant FFB sound. Belt fed tech was one of the reasons I choose a Thrustmaster wheels.

The T300RS wheel feels very smooth and responsive, and it's also very quiet. My only problem with it so far is that on some rare occasions it decides to make the options menu pop up. I think this is related to me pressing buttons while I'm turning the wheel but this is not at all confirmed. I have changed my button configuration and it's now been a while since it last happened. The pedals are the major con; they feel very cheap in comparison to the wheel and they take some time getting used to. But I would say that they do the job and overall works just fine.

 

[JulesDennis]

There are a lot of video in youtube that compare Ps4 wheels.
If you want my opinion:
-You want the best wheel -overall- at this point:FANATEC all the way.Its a bit more expensive that TH T300 but its far supirior.Also a great eco-system.
-With less money,you can get the second best wheel:T300.Its has a fair share of problems all these years.There are people that had problems from day 1 and others that had zero problems for 2-3 years.The eco-system is nice and its a belt drive also.
-G29 is the next (price wise).Its old tech btw but its Logitech (I mean those wheels do not break easy.)If you want a wheel to last,propably this is one of the your best options.
-Now the T150 is the really interesting option:its a "baby" version of T300,cheaper and actually more durable that his big brother.If you upgrade (change) pedals,you'll get a super good deal without breaking the bank.Still,with this upgrade you'll go over the price of G29 (that has good pedals to start with).

So if you got the money,go FANATEC.If you dont,then the next best option is TH (T300 or T150 with pedal changes).If you want a product that could possibly last for 10 years and still have fun then G29.

 

[FerrellJ]

How much time it would take me to get used to the wheel approximately? Is it something that would become natural after a few hours/days or it will take a month?

I don't have any specific recommendations on any of the wheels you are looking at but I thought it was worth mentioning that at the moment there is an issue/bug/problem with how GT Sport handles pedal inputs on (some?) wheels that will make it more difficult to transition from pad- especially if your issue with pad is the throttle sensitivity.
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/non-linear-throttle.366409/

If you drive with TC and ABS on, it will mask the issue somewhat but the problem is still going to make the transition more difficult (and less enjoyable) that it should otherwise be.

There's still no other way I would rather play GT but I feel I should at least let you know about the issue first since you are concerned about the transition time.

 

[Norxman]

I have had my T300RS since late 2014. I have only had a few problems the last week which is the random button press problem. Apart from that and in other games it has been flawless. I’ve had the t3pa pedals which as far as I know are the GT pedals just with different plates and for the money they have served me well.

If I had to buy a new wheel now I’d consider fanatec csl. Though I mostly wish TH made a ps4 version of their new sparco wheel that is pretty much the ts-pc-racer just on console.

My final thoughts though is the for the money the t300 GT package is good value. Never tried the new Logitech ones though so can’t really say anything about those.

 

[PocketZeven]

I am a former DFGT, G29 owner and now own a T-GT. As a first wheel you can never go wrong with a G29. It’s reliable, plug and play, nice feeling leather wheel rim and good force feedback. For GTsport it has extra buttons and a rotary button for changing settings on the fly while driving. People seem to complain about it’s gears, but honestly you don’t notice it while driving. If you don’t want to spend more then €300 this is my recommendation over the t150. Wheel rim is rubber and fixed.

But if you have €100 more. The best bang for the buck is the T300GT. Why this version? Just because it was released in 2016 and the most recent version of the base. So it should be more reliable then “older” versions.

 

[dbutton74]

Good morning

Thanks for posting this, I had a logitech dfgt for gt6 on ps3 and never had any issues with it. Had loads of hours on that and got platinum, I sure wheel was only way to get it. I purchased a g29 when gran turismo sport beta was out, but wheel was second hand and had a issue, that seemed like it slipped on the cogs while racing and had to carry on racing while wheel was off Centre quite a lot. Going to buy g29 today as the other half has said i can turn spare room into gaming/cinema/live football with mates room. ​

 

[PocketZeven]

Good morning

Thanks for posting this, I had a logitech dfgt for gt6 on ps3 and never had any issues with it. Had loads of hours on that and got platinum, I sure wheel was only way to get it. I purchased a g29 when gran turismo sport beta was out, but wheel was second hand and had a issue, that seemed like it slipped on the cogs while racing and had to carry on racing while wheel was off Centre quite a lot. Going to buy g29 today as the other half has said i can turn spare room into gaming/cinema/live football with mates room. ​

To be honest the T300 is a step up. If you have the chance to try it yourself. The problem is you don’t notice the gears of the G29, till you try something as smooth as a t300. Then suddenly you start noticing the deadzone and cogging. But if you want reliability Logitech is the way to go. I still have my G29 for whenever I want to play on PS3.

 

[dbutton74]

I really want to try thrustmaster wheels. Need to find one set up somewhere in Essex UK as they do sound a smoother experience from what I heard

 

[Foxis]

I am not sure exactly how big the difference is between a G29 and G25, but if the motor/gear implementation is similar (which I believe it to be), you will definitely notice the gear-stepping if you have any experience with either RL driving or another wheel. It is especially noticeable on straights and in fast corners.
That said, I have had my G25 for a loooong time and it has held up extremely well to hundreds of hours of use and has a high-quality feel. There are also mods available (load cell brake pedal etc.) if you want to upgrade.

However, giving the gearing I am looking to upgrade and am in a similar situation as the OP. Two questions which are relevant:

- There is a TM T300 RS GT Edition with a nicer pedal set. Is that a newer product overall or is it just the pedal set which is different? I am hesitant about the T300 since it has had some quality issues and is said to have a plasticky feel and iffy paddles (compared to Logitech and Fanatec). So it would be interesting if the GT Edition was new and improved?

- How is Fanatec quality-wise and how are their support? I know they have well-performing products but the actual feel seems a bit hit/miss depending on the actual model, and for PS4 (if you want native support) I believe they only have one base, correct? Also, I have read they are fairly small and some have had great support experiences while others tell horrid tales. Opinions would be welcome!

:-)

 

[SeeNoWeevil]

T300RS with T3PA Pro pedals is a fantastic setup but I trust it in terms of reliability about as far as I can throw it. Thrustmaster support also seems to stink. It's a shame really.

 

[JulesDennis]

- There is a TM T300 RS GT Edition with a nicer pedal set. Is that a newer product overall or is it just the pedal set which is different? I am hesitant about the T300 since it has had some quality issues and is said to have a plasticky feel and iffy paddles (compared to Logitech and Fanatec). So it would be interesting if the GT Edition was new and improved?

- How is Fanatec quality-wise and how are their support? I know they have well-performing products but the actual feel seems a bit hit/miss depending on the actual model, and for PS4 (if you want native support) I believe they only have one base, correct? Also, I have read they are fairly small and some have had great support experiences while others tell horrid tales. Opinions would be welcome!

:-)

The thing here is that if you get any of the best packages TM offers (TM300 or the "new" GT wheel) you pretty much are going to spend the same amount you would with FANATEC.
If you are in Europe -same scenario- its pretty clear that FANATEC is the best choice since its the best out of those two.
But if you are anywhere else around the globe,you'll have to consider the extra cost -in FANATEC case- that makes that deal look less "pretty",especially compared to the price you have to pay for TM wheel.
FANATEC is a better wheel overall imho.But one have to concider how much they want to spend before looking for the best option for them.
For PS4 the " best value for buck" would propably be a T150 with a new set of pedals -example-.

 

[BigDawg_1281]

Hope you don't mind me following your thread. I'm in the same boat. I think I am leaning towards the G29 for reliability. I will tell you that Best Buy is offering the G29 with the shifter for $199! for Black Friday. I think you can purchase it now tho. It let me add it to my cart at this price. I am still looking to see what the others will do sale wise.

 

[ststav01]

Hope you don't mind me following your thread. I'm in the same boat. I think I am leaning towards the G29 for reliability. I will tell you that Best Buy is offering the G29 with the shifter for $199! for Black Friday. I think you can purchase it now tho. It let me add it to my cart at this price. I am still looking to see what the others will do sale wise.

Yep, the G29 offer is definitely good. Bad thing I'm in Europe and I'm not really sure how the things will go with shipping, warranty and most importantly - the power outlet (100-120V for USA vs 200-240V for EU).

 

[BigDawg_1281]

Yep, the G29 offer is definitely good. Bad thing I'm in Europe and I'm not really sure how the things will go with shipping, warranty and most importantly - the power outlet (100-120V for USA vs 200-240V for EU).

Surely there will be some sales in Europe with Christmas coming. I check Amazon frequently to see prices. I read that Fanatec usually has a big sale every year in November/ December. Last year they had 40% off

 

[JulesDennis]

Yep, the G29 offer is definitely good. Bad thing I'm in Europe and I'm not really sure how the things will go with shipping, warranty and most importantly - the power outlet (100-120V for USA vs 200-240V for EU).

If you got the money,go FANATEC mate.
But again,first you have to settle the "budget" thing,then decide the best deal.

 

[syntex123]

T300 Alcantara, because Alcantara feels soooo good in your hands. Just be sure to not have greasy hands or it’ll be stained pretty quick. If you want the ultimate immersion get a pair of driving gloves too it’s silent, too. Better than the G29 imo. (Tried both)

 

[JulesDennis]

T300 Alcantara, because Alcantara feels soooo good in your hands. Just be sure to not have greasy hands or it’ll be stained pretty quick. If you want the ultimate immersion get a pair of driving gloves too it’s silent, too. Better than the G29 imo. (Tried both)

I agree on both your points.GT Alcantara is the best "package" out of all of them.Better than G29 too.But more expensive at the same time.
Also (I am going to say this again) FANATEC is better.

 

[Deadheadbill]

I have the T300 due to it's belt drive system and I really like it. I think if you go with one of the top wheels by any of the 3 top mfg's you will be fine. Personally I would spend the extra money and get the T300 over the T150, especially if you are in it for the long haul.

 

[syntex123]

I agree on both your points.GT Alcantara is the best "package" out of all of them.Better than G29 too.But more expensive at the same time.
Also (I am going to say this again) FANATEC is better.

I thought Fanatec would be more expensive?

 

[Deadheadbill]

I agree on both your points.GT Alcantara is the best "package" out of all of them.Better than G29 too.But more expensive at the same time.
Also (I am going to say this again) FANATEC is better.

Agreed on Fanatec, but they are sure proud of that name.

I thought Fanatec would be more expensive?

Very much so.

 

[syntex123]

Very much so.

Thought so. Then T300 Alcantara is a cheap and great option, or else I too would’ve gotten a Fanatec wheel. But, OPs choice.

 

[DriveSpark]

I've got a G29. Came to that decision based on:

Had a DFGT, gears didn't really bother me.
T300 more than I wanted to spend, especially with the possibility of poor reliability
T150 pedals are apparently naff. I read about the overheating cut out, cheap finish compared to the G29.

What I would say about the G29 is that in GT Sport if you hit the brake to max the brakes lock up, you need to brake at say 80%, this means the car slows down quicker, letting you brake later - even with ABS settings on. I will probably try one of the spring mods to see if they mean I can brake more progressively and thus avoid lock ups more often.

 

[JulesDennis]

Thought so. Then T300 Alcantara is a cheap and great option, or else I too would’ve gotten a Fanatec wheel. But, OPs choice.

The difference is 50-100 euros mate (depends on FANATEC bungle you are going to buy) because you are in Europe.
If you are in another part of the world its another thing.
On Amazon the T300 Al is close to 470 euros.Its not cheap per se -G29 is half that price- (unless you are from the "PC master race",where money like that are spend just for one part of the ring like a "handbreak" or a custom button box)

EDIT:BTW there is a hardware section in GTPlanet with/for similar topics.Perhaps its better if a mod,move this one there.

 

[syntex123]

The difference is 50-100 euros mate (depends on FANATEC bungle you are going to buy) because you are in Europe.
If you are in another part of the world its another thing.
On Amazon the T300 Al is close to 470 euros.Its not cheap per se -G29 is half that price- (unless you are from the "PC master race",where money like that are spend just for one part of the ring like a "handbreak" or a custom button box)

But an alcantara wheel isn’t included in that base price, is it? And those 50-100 may be a dealbraker for some. Like me.

 

[ststav01]

So if FANATEC has some good offers for Black Friday/Christmas I might go for one eventually. I took a look at their prices and it seems like that CSL Elite PS4™ Starter Kit for PC and PS4 is the one I should be getting - currently at 519 Euros. If it has 20-30% off the price would more or less become the same as T300RS GT - is the setup of the wheel easy and is it fully supported by GTS?

 

[JulesDennis]

But an alcantara wheel isn’t included in that base price, is it? And those 50-100 may be a dealbraker for some. Like me.

I've lost you mate.
The "starter" Fanatec CLS kit goes for 520 (without shipping).
The T300 Alcantara in Amazon costs 470 I think.
The difference is good if you think that Fanatec (imho) is a much better wheel.
Now,if you need to upgrade to better pedals -Fanatec- you'll need at least an extra 220 euros (up to 600 euros).There are several steering wheels to upgrade (can go up to 500 euros).
But this is another matter.
Anyway,my point is that the Starter Kit that could go 100 e more that the T300 Al worth its price tag/difference.But if you dont want to spend that,then T300 AL is the best option.It all depends on the budget.

 

[lesoldham]

Just a nod to the long view. Assume that you are going to love driving with a ffb wheel. Buy cheaper now because in a year you are going to want top tier gear. The t150 or g29 on sale are fine. Don't pay more than $200 because you are going to want to scrape up $600 to $800 later on.

I have never driven with a controller but I can say this. The more realistic your rig feels the the harder it is to get great single lap times. If you are driving with a controller and bumper cam and are only .4 secs off the top ten, AND what you want is to top the leader boards, stick with your controller. However if you want immersive racing and you race with cockpit view and a stick shifter (when appropriate) then your times will definitely be slower for quite a while, at least six months if you are a fast learner. The experience of racing is much better with a wheel and cockpit view but a cheaper wheel with bumper view will probably get you those .4 sec if that is what is important to you.

 

[BigDawg_1281]

I've lost you mate.
The "starter" Fanatec CLS kit goes for 520 (without shipping).
The T300 Alcantara in Amazon costs 470 I think.
The difference is good if you think that Fanatec (imho) is a much better wheel.
Now,if you need to upgrade to better pedals -Fanatec- you'll need at least an extra 220 euros (up to 600 euros).There are several steering wheels to upgrade (can go up to 500 euros).
But this is another matter.
Anyway,my point is that the Starter Kit that could go 100 e more that the T300 Al worth its price tag/difference.But if you dont want to spend that,then T300 AL is the best option.It all depends on the budget.

I keep reading all these reviews about the T300 burning up. This is my major concern. That's what pushes me to the G29. I can get it and a stand for a little more than the T300 alone.

Btw, Fanatec is way out of my price range here in the states.

 

[JulesDennis]

I keep reading all these reviews about the T300 burning up. This is my major concern. That's what pushes me to the G29. I can get it and a stand for a little more than the T300 alone.

TM quality seems lower than Logitech.Mainly because you'll find more internet threats about TM wheel fails than L fails.
In the other hand,I believe that there are a lot more TM customers out there than L ones.Its only my opinion but if TM users>L users then its logical to have more posts about TM wheels.
Now there are people that have great things to say about T300 with zero quality problems.
So it depends on you:
You go for the best wheel (with more % of fails) or with the worse (and cheaper) one that seems more durable?