The Logitech G29 is a force feedback steering wheel package from Logitech. The wheel is plug and play compatible with PS3, PS4 and PC. It can be switched between PS3 and PS4 modes with a switch on the top of the wheel that engages an extra security chip that is required for PS4 compatibility. The logitech G2X series is widely considered as a great base for sim racers and an all round good consumer wheel. It falls into the entry level price bracket for force feedback wheels and can be found for anywhere from £190 to £290 depending on where you look.
In the box you will get the G29 wheel, improved Logitech pedals and a bunch of cables accompanying it, however there is no shifter included in the bundle, but can be bought separately.
The Wheel
The Logitech G29 offers 900 degrees of rotation to the user which can come in handy for games outside of the simracing genre such as Euro Truck Simulator where a wider range of motion may be used more often than in your typical sim. The wheel and base comes as one and the rim cannot be changed without significant modification, however the rim that the wheel comes with is well built with a range of buttons, including dials and a D Pad, all of which are mappable to buttons in game and can come in handy when racing. The faux leather finish provides a good grip of the wheel whilst staying comfy, including a mesh style on the side of the wheel to stop the wheel from getting sweaty with prolonged use meaning there is little need for gloves when racing with this wheel.
The overall construction quality of this wheel is impressive for the price point, with the centre of the wheel being metal, similar to the previous wheels and the only plastic being some of the buttons and area above the centre. The paddles are easy to use and aren’t too much of a stretch for your hands, making a satisfying click when you pull them is an added bonus.
Force Feedback
Force feedback is the most important part about buying a wheel. Logitech uses a good old fashioned gear system in the G29 and while this tends to give a less smooth delivery and operate somewhat louder than the belt driven wheels on the market it’s worth noting that the G29 undercuts the price of the belt driven wheels significantly while maintaining a higher level of reliability. There are many people still using their G27s from 10 years ago, such is the bomb proof nature of the gear driven system.
The gear system has also been criticized in the past for not giving the user enough feedback, or for being too weak. In the G29 the motors used are certainly strong enough that you don’t have to worry about this. The FFB isn’t as strong as you would get in a Thrustmaster or Fanatec wheel at times but it’s certainly enough for everything we’ve thrown at it.
For the price point the Logitech G29 provides solid force feedback and can stand up to its competition and the test of time.
Pedals
This is where this wheel set shines, the pedals have been significantly improved over previous generations of this wheel. The construction of the pedals is metal and features a clutch pedal, unlike many of its competitors.
The pedals don’t just outperform its competitors in build quality, but in tactility too. This is particularly true and most important for the brake pedal which uses a progressive spring that becomes stiffer the further you depress it. The progressive spring provides you with a sense of brake pressure that other pedals in this price range simply do not have, making it easier to get a sense of exactly how hard you are braking at any time. We cannot overstate how much better the pedals that come with the G29 are than every competitor in this price range. Perhaps the best pedals available before you enter load cell territory.
If pedals matter to you, and they should! Then this might just be the wheel to go with. To find better pedals than these you will be looking at more than the price of this wheel for just the pedals alone. Brilliant quality from Logitech.
SR247 verdict
In conclusion the G29 most certainly lives up to the reputation G2X series and for good reason, even with the popularity of its predecessors. The rim itself is similar to the previous models, however it features a multitude of new buttons, and a brilliant new set of pedals. For the price of this wheel its almost unrivalled due to its pedal quality, price and accessibility.
A brilliant wheel for starters with the only disappointment being the lack of a H Shifter in the bundle, however this is more than made up for with the quality of the pedals.
We score the Logitech G29 8/10