Logitech Introduces G29, G920 Racing Wheels For PS3, PS4, Xbox One and PC

MojoKid writes: If you're an ardent PC racing fiend, chances are that you either own or have heard of Logitech's G27. The G27 has been a popular gaming peripheral (it supports the PC, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3) that not only includes a steering wheel and three pedals (accelerator, brake, clutch), but also a six-speed "H" pattern gearbox. Today, Logitech is finally introducing successors, the G29 Driving Force Racing Wheel and the G920 Driving Force Racing Wheel for PS3 and PS4, as well as PC and Xbox One racers, respectively. Both wheels are equipped with dual-motor force feedback, 900-degree (2.5 turns to lock) steering, helical gearing, and anti-backlash hardware. Logitech is also hoping to impart a premium feel to its new controllers courtesy of a hand-stitched leather wheel, stainless steel paddle shifters, and steel ball bearings to stand up to abuse. Like its predecessor, the G29 and G920 both come with a separate, floor-mounted three-pedal unit to keep your feet busy when blasting around the Nürburgring. Unfortunately, the six-speed shifter unit that used to come standard in the box with the G27 is now an optional accessory. The G29 will be available this July, while the G920 won't arrive at retailers until October.

Comments

But...

[weilawei]

Is the damn thing heavy enough to stay in one place or do I need to bolt it down? I clicked on TFL (I know! I know!) and saw what looked like a plastic base.

$460???

[mcl630]

MSRP for this is $399.99, without the shifter, which is an additional $59.99. Do people actually buy racing wheels that cost more than the console?

Re:$460???

[Anonymous Coward]

The G27 racing wheel, while great, is generally considered "entry level" in terms of cost in the "sim" market. You'll find that flight sim and racing sim enthusiasts often will have payed several thousands of dollars for their gear. That said the people who buy this stuff are not getting their gear for Gran Turismo or Tom Clancy's Hawx but for real sims such as FSX (or X-Plane), DCS World, iRacing, Project Cars and Asseto Corsa.

Re:$460???

[Skynyrd]

Sim racing can't replace the real thing, but it's still better than not racing.
So while $460 is a fair amount of money, its a drop in the bucket compared to racing actual cars, even at the lowest amatuer level.

Friends and I put $15,000 into a single season of racing a "stock" VW bug offroad. We got back about 1/3 of that when we sold the car.
All our (now ex) wifes and girlfriends would have been much happier if we had just spent $1,000 on a console and wheel.

Re:$460???

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll stick with cheaper virtual hobbies...

The funny thing is, the cost is quite often exactly why people turn to simulations. Consider that getting a private pilot license is going to cost upwards of $20k or the very real consequences of becoming a genuine fighter pilot. Consider the cost of getting into racing on a real track. The cost of the car, the track days, the insurance, etc.

Simulations are generally considerably cheaper and certainly a lot safer. There's nothing wrong with sticking with cheaper hobbies, just remember that these simulations are around for enthusiasts that for practical or pragmatic reasons can't follow their passion any further than the fantasy and immersion that simulations provide.

Take me for instance, I wanted to be a fighter pilot when I was younger. However, I've never had any desire to kill people and the reality is that every time I was up in the air in a fighter jet that would be precisely my goal. I'm not comfortable with that so I stick to simulations and try and make them as immersive as possible.

Re:$460???

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

MSRP for this is $399.99, without the shifter, which is an additional $59.99. Do people actually buy racing wheels that cost more than the console?

Why not? It's cheaper than upgrading a car. Besides, I think most of us have spent over $2k on a machine that is mainly used to browse porn. I'm certainly not willing to cast stones.

Fixed

[DrYak]

I clicked on TFL (I know! I know!) and saw what looked like a plastic base.

I don't own this peculiar item, but all the Logitech gaming gear I've used (mostly WingMan joysticks) have a rather heavy-ish metal base, to keep it stable.

And all the steering wheels I've seen have special attachment to clamp/screw them on the table.

(See Logitech official page)

Re:Fixed

[Psychotria]

I don't own this peculiar item, but all the Logitech gaming gear I've used (mostly WingMan joysticks) have a rather heavy-ish metal base, to keep it stable.

And all the steering wheels I've seen have special attachment to clamp/screw them on the table.

(See Logitech official page)

Are you forgetting about the force feedback? Without clamping the wheel to your desk the wheel is going to jump around like a piece of cooking popcorn and that's before you even get to the first corner. To turn the wheel overcoming the force feedback generated by the turn wouldn't really be possible unless the base weighed 100kg (ok, maybe not that much but it'd have to be a darn heavy base). I suppose it might be possible with force feedback turned off but then what's the point?

Re:Now make a good joystick again...

[guises]

I wouldn't mind if they made another expensive one, as long as it was for people with normal sized hands. The last good joystick I had was a Logitech: it had two hat switches and three buttons on top, all of which I could reach with my thumb of average length. It was wonderful, ergonomic, had force feedback, and cost me something like $90 many years ago.

A few years ago I pulled it out and realized that it was unrecoverably broken, so I spent some money and got a Saitek X65F - it's one of those premium all-metal joysticks, build quality was fantastic. The top of the joystick though, the head part, is ridiculously huge. My thumb would have to be at least twice as long as it is in order to reach all the buttons and switches there. (I do not have small hands.) And this problem doesn't seem to be unique to the X65F: all of the premium joysticks have gigantic heads. They can advertise more buttons and hat switches that way, I guess, but they're useless if you have to take your hand off the stick to reach them.

Being a G27 owner

[ledow]

So, not being funny - what the hell does this do that you'd want in a steering wheel? Because it looks like nothing more than the same stuff with a cheap controller slapped on. Trust me, if you can afford one of those - even second-hand - you can buy your own damn controller that'll be better than that junk.

Seriously, the G27 has all that - anti-backlash, helical gearing, etc. and, as pointed out, comes with the six speed shifter as standard too.

Honestly, Logitech, what the fuck do you think you're selling here?

Re:Now make a good joystick again...

[Anonymous Coward]

A common stupidity amongst makers of high end joysticks is to copy the design of real military jet control sticks. This ignores the fact that those real jet controls are designed to be used by pilots wearing protective gloves.

Re:Now make a good joystick again...

[Shadow of Eternity]

Actually from what I understand the X65F suffers, like pretty much all of saitek's joysticks (and pretty much all joysticks period these days) of a poorly designed centering mechanism. It's like manufacturers have forgotten how to make a joystick that isn't either sloppy in the center or infuriatingly difficult to move past its center detent.