Logitech G29 racing wheel review: The perfect starter set for asphalt racers

execs and cons

Execs

• Suggestions is easy on asphalt tracks
• Nice wheel for informal sim-racers
• Pedals are included with the wheel

Cons

• May be very loud
• Is not the perfect wheel for dust racing

extra shopping for decisions

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 simply 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 people, there’s the Logitech G920 which is analogous in options and measurement, however barely older. In comparison with typical racing wheels that value upwards of $600, the G29 is far more reasonably priced at $399 (offers apart).  

For the decrease entry charge 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 for the reason that begin of the pandemic, steering by well-liked titles like iRacing and F1 2021. Let’s have a look at the way it’s fared.

Specs

Design

Steering wheel

If 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 seem to be overkill, however every color-coded toggle has a particular function. That is no totally 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 incorporates 10 lights that present how excessive the RPM is getting within the automotive. These lights make it extremely straightforward for rookies 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 chrome 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 chrome 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 price range wheels, the pedals do not comprise a clutch — only a throttle and brake connected to the bottom.

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

All three pedal frames and arms are comprised of cold-rolled metal, whereas the pedal faces are fabricated from brushed chrome 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 arduous to push.

The bottom additionally has a textured heel grip to maintain your toes from slipping. The characteristic sounds promising on paper however, in observe, it was slightly ineffective at maintaining my foot on the pedals. 

Total, 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 arduous. If Logitech supplied simply the pedals on the market, I might suggest them to players searching for nice high quality at an reasonably priced value.

Efficiency

Whether or not I am racing competitively in Monday Night 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 under) within the wheel, you possibly can really feel each bump, dip, and even different automobiles — I came upon the arduous approach.

Inside the iRacing platform, there are 4 main types of racing: asphalt oval, asphalt street, dust oval, and dust street. With every type of motorsport comes a unique 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 monitor has distinct traits, making the wheel react in numerous methods at every venue.

Asphalt oval racing is often about how briskly you possibly can go with out having the rear finish of the automotive step out from underneath you (often known 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 monitor has a number 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 more durable to manage, it finally added to the realism of driving on asphalt.

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

In any aggressive race, contact is probably going — particularly if you’re racing towards me. I feel this wheel does an incredible 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 aspect of the automotive.

For oval racers beginning out, I extremely suggest this wheel. It has every part 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 all over the world, street course racing is the preferred with collection like Components One, IMSA, and IndyCar. When testing out a wheel, I needed to attempt my hand at taking left and proper activates street programs.

The largest consider street course racing is how the automotive feels going over curbs. I put the curbs to the take a look at on the digital Daytona Worldwide Speedway, dwelling of the well-known Rolex 24.

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

When it comes to how the wheel felt when hitting the curbs, it appeared real looking. Most curbs at tracks all over the world are ribbed, which means they’ve slight bumps that you’ll really feel if you drive over them. I skilled that feeling when testing, and it makes racing much more immersive and fulfilling. 

Whereas the tracks on the iRacing service are all laser-scanned, I figured I might take a look at out the way it felt if you go off the monitor an into the grass. With the ability to navigate by the terrain is vital when attempting to re-enter the monitor, and the wheel supplies correct suggestions when hitting bumps and driving on hills. I used to be fairly impressed with how real looking 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 real looking but it surely additionally made the loud noise after I hit the floor a sure approach.

Grime oval: 6.5/10

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

I’ve a few of the most enjoyable on the sim whereas dust racing. The one factor that might make dust racing extra fulfilling 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.

As a result of nature of a mud monitor, the automotive hits a large number of bumps on each lap, and they’re by no means the identical. Earlier than I used to be even in a position to make it onto the racetrack, the automotive hit bumps on pit street and the sound returned. The speedy modifications the motor within the wheel should make seemingly causes the ruckus. Granted, the wheel supplies 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 in a position to begin turning laps, the wheel felt distinctive, however I might nonetheless inform there’s a number of room for enchancment.

Because the well-known Pixar film, Automobiles, says, “Flip proper to go left.” That’s the fact in terms of dust racing. When turning the wheel to the correct in the course of the nook, it feels as if the wheel slips. The pressure suggestions jumps as a result of bumps on the monitor, making it extremely difficult to drive, particularly since Limaland is without doubt one of the bumpiest tracks iRacing affords.

For those who’re an avid dust racer, this wheel is not for you. Direct-drive wheels are the preferred form of wheel at this time, however these come at a excessive value. 

Grime street: 6/10

With most dust street tracks containing each asphalt and dust areas in iRacing, the wheel was really put to the take a look at. 

Grime street racing incorporates a number of drifting and attempting to get the automotive — or truck — to show. Having a handbrake could be very useful if you’re a mud street racer. Whereas Logitech doesn’t supply an exterior handbrake, you possibly can purchase one on-line.

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

One other similarity I discovered between dust street tracks and the dust ovals was the necessity for a direct-drive wheel. Particularly by the jumps, a direct-drive wheel could be extremely useful and provides the motive 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. Typically, downshifting will help the automotive flip. By utilizing the RPM lights on the wheel as a information, I might inform if I used to be in a position to downshift within the nook with out over-revving the engine, which was essential in bettering my lap occasions.

After 20 laps across the monitor, I might simply inform why this type of racing has the least quantity of racers. So as to be aggressive, you want add-ons (just like the handbrake). That being mentioned, this wheel offered an incredible really feel of the monitor, however there’s nonetheless a number of room for enchancment. 

Backside line

If you’re an informal sim-racer (or simply wish to get a wheel and pedal bundle to kickstart your sim-racing profession), this wheel is 100% for you. But it surely additionally comes all the way down to what sort of racing you can be doing. For asphalt racers, that is the proper starter wheel. For dust racers, it is price looking out elsewhere.

There are lots of steering wheels and pedals available on the market, however the general worth you get with the Logitech G29 makes it well worth the value.

Alternate options to think about

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

This Thrustmaster T248 provides you a futuristic wheel on the identical value 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, if you’re critical about your begin in sim-racing, this could possibly be the wheel for you.

Desire a extra real looking, authentic-looking setup? This wheel might match that want. The Thrustmaster T300RS has an ‘ecosystem prepared’ base, which 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. For those who love all of the options of the G29 however need a barely newer model, the G923 could possibly be for you. This wheel affords TRUEFORCE pressure suggestions which connects straight to the sport you might be taking part in to offer a sensible expertise.