Logitech G29 Review: The Wheel That Got Me Into Sim Racing
·~5 min·Sim Racing · Gear · Tech
This is my review of the Logitech G29, the wheel that got me started in sim racing. By the time I wrote this I'd been using it for about five months, and honestly it caught me completely by surprise. I only grabbed it because of a crazy Newegg deal, getting everything new for around $170 CAD, taxes in, figuring that if I didn't like sim racing I could just sell it and break even. Little did I know it would send me down a rabbit hole, and pretty soon all I did was race. So with that said: was it worth it, and would I still point a beginner to it today?
SOME BACKGROUND
The G29 was released back in 2015 for the PS4 as the successor to the G27, and there's a matching G920 for Xbox. Logitech tends to release one wheel per generation, and there hasn't been an upgrade since. One thing to note: the G27 came with an H-shifter, but for the G29 you buy that separately for around $70 CAD, and the wheel itself retails for about $300 CAD. Both the G29 and G920 work on PC, which is how I used mine.
UNBOXING & SETUP
Inside the box you get the wheel, the pedals, and the AC adapter, and that's pretty much it. There's even a space where a shifter could fit, but Logitech sells that separately. Setup is straightforward: plug power and pedals into the wheel, then USB from the wheel into your computer or console. Just be aware it calibrates itself every time you turn it on, so it'll jerk around a bit on startup.
FEATURES
- 900 degrees of rotation
- Dual-motor, gear-driven force feedback at about 2.1 Nm of torque
- Hand-stitched leather wheel
- 14 buttons plus paddle shifters, a rotary dial, and +/- buttons
- LED rev/shift indicators at the top, genuinely handy for knowing when to shift or if you're redlining
That 2.1 Nm of torque is decent. There are much stronger options now, like belt-driven and direct drive, but those cost way, way more.
THE PEDALS
The pedals are all potentiometer-based with a nonlinear brake. That means throttle and clutch are based on how far the pedal travels, not how hard you press, which is what a load cell measures. I didn't have many issues with throttle or clutch, but the brake took getting used to. There's an extra rubber piece and a stiffer spring, so the first 50% felt easy and then it got much firmer and needed real force.
Both the wheel and pedals can be mounted in a rig or wheel stand, but I didn't have the space, so I ran mine on a desk. The wheel has built-in desk clamps: set it down, turn the knob until it's secure, and press to lock. The pedals can sit on the floor, but without the carpet grip or something to brace against, they'll slide when you really stand on the brake. Brace them against something or use a rig.
SOFTWARE & GAMES
You'll need Logitech Gaming Software or G Hub. Heads up: G Hub caused issues with my Ryzen CPU, but Logitech Gaming Software was flawless for me. Once the drivers are in, it works in any game that supports the wheel. Many come pre-configured for the G29, and in some cases you'll use the G27 settings, which are compatible.
I used it on Project Cars 2, Assetto Corsa, F1 2019, and iRacing with no issues. The wheel felt good and gave me a real sense of how the car was handling. I'd sometimes notice the gears skipping, and the force wasn't as smooth as it can be in high-FFB games like F1, where it got tricky and loud, but you can dial that back in the settings. One thing to remember when switching games: adjust the rotation. iRacing uses the full 900°, while F1 you really only want around 360°.
BUTTONS & SHIFTERS
The buttons are laid out like a standard PS4 controller: d-pad on the left, face buttons on the right, shoulder buttons below, plus the rotary dial and +/- buttons, all mappable to whatever you need in-car. On PC you also get the option/share/PS buttons to map. The paddle shifters felt firm and responsive, and I had no issues with them. I used the clutch mainly for launches at race starts, but otherwise it was paddles all the way.
THE ONE THING TO UPGRADE FIRST
The biggest issue, like anyone in the sim racing community will tell you, is braking. The pedals are what you'll want to upgrade first. You can get aftermarket springs and stoppers that are miles ahead of stock, but you still won't get the consistency of a load cell setup. I was okay at braking, but everyone on my stream kept telling me that once I tried load cell pedals I'd see a big jump in consistency, and that's where I'd shave a lot of time.
SHOULD YOU BUY IT?
If you're looking to get started in sim racing, I'd highly recommend the Logitech G29 or G920. It's the perfect wheel to get your feet wet without dropping too much money, and you get most of the features you'd actually want. You can spend less and sacrifice force feedback, or spend a lot more for belt-driven or direct drive, but the G29 sits right in the middle as great value.
It also has sensible upgrade paths: you can run the wheel without the pedals, so you can upgrade pedals first, or keep the pedals and upgrade the wheel, you just need the actual G29 wheel plugged in. If you've ever been curious about sim racing, this is a fantastic place to start. Just maybe don't go off the deep end like I did.