The best racing wheels for driving games

Heard of esports? Heard of Gran Turismo? Heard of Igor Fraga, or Mikal Hizail? If so, then you'll already know what this wheel is, and the pedigree it comes with. Simply put, this updated version of the T-GT is the official wheel of PlayStation 5 and Gran Turismo. And by extension, the official wheel of the FIA-approved GT Sport championship. The T-GT II is purpose-built for the latest version and future versions of Gran Turismo. The TGT II is expensive ­– but you get a lot for your money.

Thrustmaster has effectively thrown the kitchen sink at this collaboration with Polyphony Digital, and it shows after just a few minutes use. Take a look at the wheel and you'll see it features the same buttons as your standard DualShock 4/5 pad, but it also adds four rotary dials for parameters such as traction control and brake bias.
A 40W, industrial-class brushless motor is able to directly convey what's happening in-game, while remaining 100% proportional to the intended forces. In addition, a technology called T-DFB adds vibration effects along with suspension feeling to the steering column, giving you even more information about the road.

Throw in three sturdy and adjustable pedals, two metal paddle shifters, along with the ability to upgrade the wheel rim – though we can't see why you'd want to – and this is an impressive bit of kit.

Read CAR's in-depth review of the T-GT II.

The first official force feedback-enabled wheel for the PlayStation 4, and still one of the most popular, the T300 RS GT remains a bargain. Take a look at the stats and it won't be able to compete with some other big hitters on this list, but the T300 RS GT is a heavyweight at this price.

A smooth brushless motor will be a revelation to wheel newcomers, and it's also very precise for the money. Like other wheels on this list, you'll find dedicated buttons on the front of the rim, along with solid paddles on the rear, and you also get metal pedals to go with it. Plus, it has 1080 degrees of rotation.

Of course, this T300 RS GT also serves as platform for further upgrades; a range of rims can replace the eleven-inch, 1.2kg one supplied, and you can add a gear shifter.

Those familiar with PC peripherals will already be aware of the Logitech name u2013 for everyone else, it's a very established brand in the accessory market. Simply put, the Logitech G29 is a solid piece of kit: well-built, packed with features and priced favourably.

It'll only rotate 900 degrees but uses a dual-motor for strong force feedback, and there's also a neat wheel-mounted rev-counter – so it'll never be blocked by the position of the wheel.

Elsewhere, metal pedals along with a non-linear brake pedal – and you'll find all the buttons on the wheel face, so you can zip through menus. It'll work on PC too, by the way.

A version of the G29, but for the Xbox One and PC, the G920 is pretty much identical to the G29. There's only one real difference: the G920 loses the nifty shift lights we enjoy on the PS4 and PC wheel. Pity.

At the lower end of the price spectrum, Logitech offers its G293 Trueforce gaming wheel alongside its G Force gear lever - which would usually be an add-on for G290 series setups. You can get them for both Xbox and Playstation platforms, so make sure to specify before you buy.

You get up to 1000Hz of feedback from the G293, which is mightily useful from a racing perspective. The only slight downside is that the gear lever doesn't give you that much feedback. It has too-short-a throw and feels ever so slightly notchy, but that drawback is reflected in the price for the overall setup.

One of the standout features of the T248 is the brake pedal hiding a spring in between the pedal box. Brakes have generally felt slightly firmer than the clutch and accelerator in sim setups, but this takes the impression of realism to the next level.

The wheel itself has three force feedback (FFB) settings. Each tailored for anything from drifting to driving forcefully grippy F1 cars. To top it off, the brake pedal has four pressure settings. The screen on top of the wheel has 20 different displays to play with - which isn't a million miles away from a GTE car's wheel. It even has a rev reader like such a thing.

Gamers keen into sim racing will have noticed that wheel setups are generally a 'one style fits all' sort. Thrustmaster realised this and now offer a number of add-ons to make driving a particular set of cars more authentic-feeling.

The TM Open Wheel AddOn is designed to resemble a steering wheel found on an open-wheel racer. Perhaps a 1990s Williams FW20 might spring to mind, or perhaps an F3000 car. Nevertheless, it's coated in suede and brushed black aluminium to give a motorsports feel and comes with an array of switches which allow you to play around with the settings. It's compatible for PC and both PS4 and 5 consoles as well as Xbox One and Series X and S.

If you were constantly dousing around on games in old Ferraris listening to the glorious Columbo V12 soundtracks, then there's a small chance you might've been left a bit cold by a thick, leather padded steering wheel with loads of buttons.

However, Thrustmaster make this incredibly attractive add-on wheel which resembles the steering wheel found on the world's most glorious racer, the Ferrari 250 GTO. With chrome spokes and a wooden rim, this will make driving a classic in racing games all-the-more eventful. It's in 8:10 scale, so it doesn't quite have the shoulder-stretching width of an original Ferrari wheel. It's only compatible for PC games, however, as there aren't any buttons to navigate the menus on console-based racing games.