The best racing wheels are so self-explanatory, it’s almost beautiful. Thanks to the way driving is embedded in our collective unconscious, we know by instinct when we approach one that turning left means going left, and so on. They are so intuitive. There’s more to racing than going left however, and all good racing wheels can accommodate turning right too. Across the best racing wheels you’ll also find premium features such as force feedback: motors that resist your attempts to wrestle the car around corners, realistically portraying the reluctance of racers to deღpart from a straight line.
Such features, along with arrays of pedals to take the complexity of braking and gear changes away from your already overloaded fingers, increase the realism of the experience and help you to shave the fractions of a second off your lap times that can mean the difference between winner and first loser. These are the best wheels to slap in front of one of the best gaming 💛TVs, as some of these wheels aren’t exactly lap-sized. If you’ve got enough space, there’s nothing to stop you from building a racing setup that’ll be the envy of racers from miles around.
Comes with higher quality pedals than base version
Reasons to avoid
-
No stick shift included
-
Wheel itself isn’t Xbox branded
This is the Xbox One equivalent of the T300 RS and it’s just as awesome when it comes to quality of control and feedback. This bundle costs more than the standard version 𝕴of the RX, but the reason we’reꦏ recommending it so highly is because of the two items it ships with, namely the T3PA 3-pedal pedal set and the TM Leather 28 GT 11" detachable leather wheel.
The leather wheel may not be Xbox-branded (indeed it can connect to the PS4 servo base too as it’s universal), but it’s a very high-quality steering wheel. Our only criticism of it would be the stitching on the leather that lines the inside of the wheel,൲ whichꦗ can rub slightly against your thumb if you use it a lot on your first day with it.
The pedal set is superb, with full-size, weighty pedals that feel really good under your feet and afford subtle, nuanced control over your accelerating and braking. You will probably want to mount it to a racing seat if you’re going so seriously that you’re buying this set, though the floor and a desk would work – there is a desk attachment clamp included, which is sturdy and easy to sꩵet up and take apart.
Best for... Serious simulation track racing for the equally serious racing enthusias💟t.
Logitech G29 Driving Force Racing Wheel
Logitech G29 Driving Force Racing Wheel
Simply the best racing wheel for sims
☆☆☆☆☆
Specifications
Compatible with: PS4/PS3/PC
Connection type: USB
Weight: 8kg
Force Feedback: Yes
Rumble: Yes
Maximum rotation angle: 900 degrees
Pedals included: Yes
Clutch pedal: Yes
Expandable: Yes
Reasons to buy
+
Designed to work with PS4 specifically
+
Extra controls for TCS and ABS on the wheel itself
Reasons to avoid
-
Louder mechanism than the G27 that preceded it
-
Stick shift not included, unlike its predecessor
An excellent wheel from Logitech, the G29 replaces the incredibly popular G27 wheel from previous generation PlayStations. The unit is designed specifically for PlayStation 4 gaming, and as such features additional buttons over t🌃he Xbox equivalent G920, namely a click wheel for adjusting brake balances on the fly, and positive/negative buttons for adjusting traction control (or whatever you map it to).
Also new for this unit are coloured LEDs at the top of the steering wheel’s central column, which light up to tell you when it’s time to change gear (if supported by the game). The pedals ar💝e responsive and the brake pedal is non-linear, giving you a more r𒆙ealistic braking sensation than cheaper pedal sets.
This is an excellent wheel for any PlayStation 4 gamer. It’s a pity the stick shifter is no longer built into the unit, but it isn’t massively expensive to buy it 🥂bundled-in on Amazon. This is undoubtedly one of the best ways to get the full driving experience in you꧃r home.
Best for… Racing sims like Project CARS and 🎃Dirt Rally. Serious race fans will love it.
Logitech G920 Driving Force
Logitech G920 Driving Force
A smooth, responsive wheel with great force feedback
☆☆☆☆☆
Specifications
Compatible with: Xbox One/PC
Connection type: USB
Weight: 7.21kg
Force Feedback: Yes
Rumble: Yes
Maximum rotation angle: 1080 degrees
Pedals included: Yes
Clutch pedal: No
Expandable: Yes
Reasons to buy
+
Wonderfully smooth steering action
+
Powerful force feedback
Reasons to avoid
-
Brake pedal may be too stiff for some tastes
-
Games that require the hand brake are fiddly
This Xbox One whee🧔l is super-smooth and feels superb to drive. It’s ergonomic (though keep in mind that any wheel will make unaccustomed hands sore afte♒r a few hours) and pleasantly slimline, while retaining a good, solid feel.
Aside from the same handbrake-as-a-button problem as the Thrustmaster offerings, a unique area of consternation is the pedals. The unit we tried features an unusually stiff brake pedal, requiring immense pressure to get the brakes to engage. Reviews on Amazon suggest other people have the same criticism – something that isn’t true of the PS4 equivalent G29.ཧ You can usually reassign the brakes to the clutch pedal (which is included as standard on this wheel), but that’s not ideal if you’re a serious racing fan. Things are improved somewhat if you mount the pedals properly on a racing seat or on non-slip flooring like carpet, but it really shouldn’t be quite so stiff.
Brakes a🧔side, this is an otherwise exemplary force feedback steering wheel and one ♛that will make any racing game more enjoyable… if not necessarily easier to play.
Best for... Xbox One owners who want to feel the race, not just play it.
Thrustmaster TMX Force Feedback Racing Wheel
Thrustmaster TMX Force Feedback Racing Wheel
A great budget racing wheel
☆☆☆☆☆
Specifications
Compatible with: Xbox One/PC
Connection type: USB
Weight: 0.998kg
Force Feedback: Yes
Rumble: Yes
Maximum rotation angle: 900 degrees
Pedals included: Yes
Clutch pedal: No
Expandable: Yes
Reasons to buy
+
Genuine force feedback
+
Won’t break the bank
Reasons to avoid
-
Comparatively lightweight pedals
-
Feedback effect not as strong as the TX base
There’s absolutely no question that force feedback makes a huge difference to how fun a racing game is. Having the wheel push against your hands with varying degrees of resistance when you crash or steer gives you a realistic feel, and even evokes memories of arcade coin-op racers like Daytona USA. But the technology is expensive, meaning you need to be serious before buying… or at least you did. Thrustmaster has produced a cut-down, but st𓃲ill impressive force feedback wheel as an entry level purchase and it’s very desirable indeed.
The pedals included are plasticky, and offer little resistance, and don’t include a clဣutch pedal either. However they can be swapped out for a better compatible set if you decide to upgrade later on. The steering wheel is similarly low-cost, and nowhere near as deluxe-feeling as the high-end units’ interchangeable wheels.
And that force feedback? It’s not as strong as the other 😼bases, but it does work. If you’re on a tight budget, this product provides a true force feedback wheel with 900 degrees of rotation and a set of pedals for your money, which is pretty darn awesome.
Best for... Gamers who want force ♊feedback steering but don’t have loads of moneyꦆ to drop on high-end rigs.
Thrustmaster T150 Force Feedback Wheel
Thrustmaster T150 Force Feedback Wheel
Entry-level force feedback for PS4 with Ferrari branding
☆☆☆☆☆
Specifications
Compatible with: PS4/PS3/PC
Connection type: USB
Weight: 0.998kg
Force Feedback: Yes
Rumble: Yes
Maximum rotation angle: 900 degrees
Pedals included: Yes
Clutch pedal: No
Expandable: Yes
Reasons to buy
+
Won’t break the bank
+
True force feedback motor system
Reasons to avoid
-
Some compromise on materials
-
Force feedback effect is not as strong as higher-end models
This is the PS4 version of the Xbox One’s TX unit. While there is a standard version of the T150, the Ferrari-branded set is actually cheaper at the moment on Amazon. And hey – who doesn’t like Ferrari? The Ferrari wheel’s red rubber grips look good too as well as offering comfort and control, and the slight flaring of the paddle shifters behind the wheel mean you can grip the wheel at either three/nine o’clock or a more controllable ’10-to-12’ position𒅌 and still be able to comfortably shift gear when using manual transmission.
The pedal ꦺunit is unchanged from the standard version and remains slightly thin-feeling and with far less resistance than the optional metal pedal set you can buy separately. But the unit does support a stick shift attachment if you elect to pay for one, and the pedals can be upgraded too. But even if you don’t do that, this is a fine way to get into simulation driving.
Best for... PS4 gamers with limited bud𒉰gets but who want a realistic racing♚ feel.
Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider Racing Wheel
Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider Racing Wheel
The only budget option we would recommend on Xbox One
☆☆☆☆☆
Specifications
Compatible with: Xbox One
Connection type: USB
Weight: 3.5kg
Force Feedback: No
Rumble: No
Maximum rotation angle: 240 degrees
Pedals included: Yes
Clutch pedal: No
Expandable: No
Reasons to buy
+
Decent quality wheel with pedals
+
Does a decent job of approximating pedal/wheel resistance
Reasons to avoid
-
No force feedback
-
Cheap feel compared to everything else on this list
Right, let’s be clear about this: Budget-priced steering wheels are almost universally poor. Compatibility is rarely guaranteed, there’s no force feedback when you turn (sometimes there isn’t even rumble), pedals are flimsy and many don’t have a proper clamp to stop them sliding around. And don’t try playing with a wheel on your lap – I have and it’s awful.&n𓂃bsp;
But this offering from Thrustmaster is a decent budget option for racing on Xbox One. It’s officially licensed, has linear resistance to inputs thanks to a bungee system (sounds high tech but it’s essentially internal rubber bands) and a clamp to secure it to a desk or racing seat. However, the diminutive 240 degrees of turning angle means this is more of an arcade-style controller rather than sꦜomething you would seriously use for a racing sim. Sensitivity is an issue though there is the option to reduce this each time you play if you read the manual and set it up correctly.
Still𝕴, it is more fun than using a control pad, and while it’s still more expensive than the cheapest wheels on the marke🍸t, it’s the only budget-price wheel we would consider buying ourselves.
Best for... Casual racing fans who don’t have loads💧 of money but still want something ♎half-decent.
Jus📖tin was a GamesRadar staffer for 10 years but is now a freelancer, musician and videographer. He's big on retro, Sega and racing games (especially retro Sega racing games) and currently also writes for Play Magazine, Traxion.gg, PC Gamer and TopTenReviews, as well as running his own YouTube channel. Having learned to love all platforms equally after Sega left the hardware industry (sniff), his favourite games include Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, Zelda BotW, Sea of Thieves, Sega Rally Championship and Treasure Island Dizzy.
