Looking for a Wheel
As of January 2016, much of the table below is obsolete This is mainly because the Playstation 4 and the Xbox One are compatible with very few wheels. What follows is a quick and dirty guide to the most relevant wheels currently on the market.
Playstation 4
The cheapest compatible wheel worth buying is the Thrustmaster T150. The best balance of price and performance are the Logitech G29 (basically a G27 with more buttons and a better brake pedal) and the Thrustmaster T300. The G29 is slightly cheaper, has more buttons and only requires a shifter for a full 3-pedal setup. The T300 has slightly better force feedback and has access to all of Thrustmaster's high-end accessories (Logitech pedals are compatible too, with a €10 adapter from Thrustmaster). Take your pick.
Xbox One
Similar story as with the Playstation 4: your main choices are the Logitech G920 and the Thrustmaster TX. The G920 has fewer buttons than the G29 (but still more than a G27) but otherwise the differentiating points are the same.
Compatible with both
Not easily done, I'm afraid. Your only options are Fanatec's Clubsport V2 (extremely expensive) or buying one of the Thrustmaster wheels, plus the base of the other (e.g.: buy a T300 set + a TX base). All of Thrustmaster's accessories are compatible with both bases.
PC
All of the above-mentioned wheels are compatible with PCs. The only one to avoid if you're buying exclusively for the PC is the G920: the G29 has more buttons and no additional drawbacks (unless you really don't like the Playstation logo). The table below still largely holds true for the PC, though some products are no longer available.
Simple Complete Wheel Packages | |||
---|---|---|---|
Wheel | Price (US$) | The Good | The Bad |
Logitech Driving Force GT | 150 | Cheap, Lots of Buttons | No clutch or H-Shifter, Poor pedals |
Logitech G27 | 250-300 | Consumer Standard, Freely mountable H-Shifter, Many aftermarket mods | Cheaper build quality, Getting old |
Fanatec Porsche 911 GT3 RS V2 Value Pack XL | 260 | Excellent build quality, Load cell brake | Iffy drivers and compatibility, Shifters mount only to wheel, Questionable customer service |
Thrustmaster T500RS | 600 | Incredible FFB and build quality, Heavy duty, All metal pedals, Many aftermarket mods | Expensive as shit, No H-Shifter |
Have an Xbox 360? | |||
Wheel | Price (US$) | The Good | The Bad |
Fanatec Forza Motorsport CSR | 200 | A differently looking Fanatec Porsche GT3 wheel | Cheap, plastic rim (partially) |
Fanatec Porsche 911 GT2 | 250 | Luxurious look and feel | More expensive than GT3 |
Fanatec Forza Motorsport CSR Elite | 540 | A slighty modified Clubsport base on your 360 | Expensive as shit |
Mix and Match? | |||
Item | Price (US$) | The Good | The Bad |
Fanatec Porsche 911 GT3 RS V2 | 180 | Smooth FFB, Luxurious feel and high build quality | A bit gaudy, Plastic buttons |
Fanatec Forza Motorsport CSR | 200 | A differently looking Fanatec Porsche GT3 wheel | Cheap, plastic rim (Partially) |
Fanatec Clubsport Wheel Base | 450 | Incredible quality, Interchangeable rims | Expensive as shit, Rims sold separately |
Fanatec CSR pedals | 80 | Adjustable, invertable, Aluminum finish | Uses springs, No USB - only compatible with Fanatec wheels |
Fanatec CSR Elite Pedals | 150 | Adjustable, invertable, Load Cell brake | Plastic base, unrealistic clutch |
Fanatec Clubsport Pedals | 250 | Heavy duty all metal design, Load Cell brake, realistic clutch, Adjustable, Invertable | Expensive as shit |
Fanatec Porsche Shifter Set | 30 | Cheap | Break easily, Only mount to Fanatec wheels, Plastic |
Fanatec CSR Shifter Set | 60 | Affordable, Aluminum handles | Cheap plastic base, Only mount to Fanatec wheels |
Thrustmaster TH8RS Gearbox | 150 | Sturdy robust design, Interchangeable sequential/H-Shifter plates | Expensive, Requires an additional USB port |