Driving games have never been so high-fidelity and realistic, and while millions of people around the world still have a great time using a controller to take charge of their virtual vehicle, there’s nothing quite like a racing wheel.
The best wheels give you feedback and let you take way more granular control over your racing line, adjusting for bumps and dips in the road and pushing for those personal best times. We’ve gathered the very best options for you, across PC and console gaming.
Thrustmaster USB T-GT II
Logitech G923 Racing Wheel and Pedals
HORI Racing Wheel Apex for PlayStation 5
Thrustmaster T248X Racing Wheel and Magnetic Pedals
Logitech G29
Our picks for the best racing wheels
Best of the best
This wheel is basically as good as you can get on the mass market, and while it’s expensive you’re paying for incredible build quality.
Thrustmaster is a storied name in simulators and pro controllers, and it’s been making excellent wheels andjoysticksfor years now. This is one of its most premium models, so it comes with a huge price tag, but for those getting really serious about their simulators, there’s no substitute for sheer quality.
You get unbelievable build quality with the T-GT II (which works with PS5 and PS4 alongside PC) and a huge number of programable buttons alongside that superb wheel and pedal set. Its motor brings some of the best force feedback anywhere on the market, for a true driving feeling while you’re in-game.
A great wheel from Logitech that feels nice and premium - while it isn’t cheap, it undercuts the Thrustmaster above by quite a margin.
Logitech is another big name in the racing wheel market, for good reason, and one of its more premium models is the excellent G923, which isn’t quite at the enthusiast level of the T-GT II but costs less than half that for a nonetheless impressive offering.
Also compatible with PC, PS5 and PS4, this is a wheel for all levels, with excellent force feedback that immerses you nicely, and a nice finish that gets you that leather-like steering wheel feeling of authenticity.
This stripped-back wheel misses out on some features, but comes in at a price that’s incredibly hard to poke holes in.
If you’re looking to get going with a racing wheel but your budget doesn’t stretch anywhere near to the heights of the two wheels we’ve looked at so far, HORI is here with a way, way more affordable model that will get you started on your racing journey nicely.
While it can’t match their solidity and force feedback, this is still a great wheel and is perfect forGran Turismo 7thanks to PS5 and PS4 compatibility alongside PC. The pedals aren’t too sturdy but it’s an ideal place to learn the ropes.
The best wheel possible for Xbox gamers, this excellent package brings great performance in a number of areas.
There are many fewer options out there for gamers looking to hook a good racing wheel up to their Xbox Series X or S, so if you’re looking forward toForza Motorsportand hoping to use a wheel with it, the Thrustmaster T248X represents the best possible pick.
It’s a great simplified version of our top pick and still features great force feedback along with some really excellent shifting paddles that make controlling your vehicle a straightforward matter. Best of all, there’s a T248P for PlayStation gamers, too.
This is a really solid wheel from Logitech that has stood the test of time for a reason.
Our final spot goes to Logitech again, this time for its slightly more wallet-friendly G29 wheel, which has been on the market for a little while but continues to offer a brilliant option for console and PC players looking to upgrade their racing.
It has really solid force feedback and feels great in the hands, although we think that it’s one to watch for discounts on, as its full price is now a little steep compared to the competition.
How I chose the best racing wheels
There’s no substitute for experience - something like a racing wheel benefits massively from being able to try it out, and between the various Pocket-lint team members we’ve driven a bunch of wheels down the years. This has helped us to whittle down our list of recommendations to the selection you may see above. The world of PC wheels is a huge one, so compatibility can be mixed, but the Thrustmaster wheel that hits our top spot is something special. Logitech makes the list twice with excellent wheels at different prices, for those who have experience with its solid gaming gear, too.
What to know before buying a racing wheel
Racing wheels, as the list above will have shown, are often big investments for those of us trying to get better at sim racing, so be sure to run through these questions before you take the plunge, to pick the right model.
What platform do you race on?
We’ve included wheels on our list for PlayStation, Xbox and PC - with the majority of high-level sim racing taking place on the latter, although Gran Turismo 7 on PS5 now has a huge following too.
Depending on what your game of choice is, and what platform it runs on, you’re going to want to triple-check that you’re buying a wheel that will definitely work on your platform. Even better, some wheels have direct tie-ins with specific games to ensure maximum compatibility, so keep an eye out for those, too.
What’s your budget?
Racing wheels are an area where the more research you do, the more you’ll start to want added features. Force feedback and pedals are the start - magnetic shifting paddles, on-wheel displays and additional buttons can all add value. However, the more features you want, the more you’re likely to end up paying, so having a budget in mind as you start is a pretty key step.
This will help you to ensure you don’t remortgage your house just to get a slightly fancier sim setup, as desirable as it might look while you’re deep in research.
