I think the buttons will be fine in VR. Honestly, most people will get used to them if they use the wheel exclusively for a week or two and the muscle memory gets locked in. It was just an odd placement that I wanted to point out.
It's not heavy, in my opinion. I didn't get an exact measurement, but Thrustmaster's specs list it at 6,400g. I wouldn't say it's "super-light", but it's also nothing like the super-dense Fanatec or Logitech direct drive bases.
It's a tough question. I used and loved the T-GT/2 for many years in the GT Sport era — it's one of my all-time favorites — but it's been a while now since I've used one that wasn't on a competition rig at a GTWS event.
I will say this, though: the T-GT/2 has a much better rim (and it's not even close). The T598 has better pedals (and it's not even close, especially when the load cell comes out). The T598 has more pronounced vibrations and stronger "overshoot", but it might be a bit too much and, if I recall correctly, the vibrations felt more nuanced on the T-GT/2, even if they were weaker. The T-GT/2 has a more ergonomic base that's less likely to cause visibility issues on your rig, but it's older technology and doesn't support Thrustmaster's direct drive quick release system.
So, I'm not sure what to say. If you're happy with a T-GT/2 I don't think you need to drop everything and get a T598 because there's some things you might not like about it — even though you're getting a wheel that is absolutely, objectively better in some key areas. I don't think you can necessarily go wrong with either wheel. One is excellent but aging, the other is new but has a few quirks of its own.
