The Xbox racing wheel market is more competitive than ever, so today we will help you navigate to the gems of the sector.
The Xbox racing community is awash with drivers of different skill levels, budgets, taste in racing games and overall needs. Therefore, there is unlikely to be a single best Xbox racing wheel that suits everyone.
In this guide, we will outline the best racing wheels for Xbox sim racers from throughout the ranges of Sim Racing equipment brands.
Key Sim Racing Wheel Terms
- Force Feedback: The simulation of surfaces, car handling and physics by mechanical means through the racing wheel itself.
- Belt Driven: Racing wheels that simulate force feedback by means of a belt and pulley system in conjunction with a small motor inside the wheel that generates torque.
- Gear Driven: Racing wheels that simulate force feedback by means of a series of gears in conjunction with a small motor inside the wheel that generates torque.
- Direct Driven: Racing wheels that simulate force feedback by having the steering wheel mounted directly to a large motor.
- Rim: Refers to the steering wheel itself.
- Base: Refers to the chassis or body of the racing wheel containing the primary electronic and mechanical components.
- Quick Release: A mechanism that allows the easy removal of a rim from a wheelbase, allowing it to be replaced with another rim design.
- Degrees of rotation: The maximum angle of rotation lock to lock of a racing wheel.
The Best Xbox Racing Wheels
Top-end pick: Logitech G PRO Racing Wheel
- Excellent 11Nm Direct Drive option for console
- Well-built and reliable
Mid-range pick: Moza R3 bundle
- Good value for money for the set
- Direct drive wheelbase
Budget pick: Thrustmaster TMX
- Low Cost.
- Force feedback good for beginners.
Summary
| Xbox Wheel | Category | Pros | Cons |
| Thrustmaster TMX | Budget | – Low Cost– Force feedback good for beginners. | – May fail to satisfy veteran sim racers. |
| Logitech G923 | Mid-range | – More inputs than the G920, similar to the G29 “Truforce” feature. | – Ultimately very similar to the G920 considering the significant jump in price. |
| Thrustmaster T248 | Mid-range | – Hybrid force feedback combines the best of gear-driven and belt-driven solutions– Magnetic pedals more reliable and consistent than potentiometers | – Lacks compared to the similarly priced CSL DD |
| Moza R3 bundle | Mid-range | – Direct drive wheelbase– Good value for the set of wheelbase, wheel and pedals | – 3.9 Nm direct drive output is quite low– The wheel and pedal are basic and you may need optional accessories |
| Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race | Mid-range | – Direct drive wheelbase– Set includes pedals with a load cell braking system and a digital dashboard | – Quite expensive for a mid-range wheel – other options may have better value for money– The ecosystem is limited compared to competitors |
| Thrustmaster TS-XW | Top-end | – Exceptional force feedback – Sparco wheel rim is excellent | – Expensive |
| Logitech G PRO Racing Wheel | Top-end | – Top-end 11Nm direct drive force feedback– Dual-clutch, magnetic gear-shift paddles | – Expensive– The ecosystem is limited compared to competitors |
Thrustmaster TMX
The Thrustmaster TMX is the Thrustmaster’s entry-level option, priced at around $200.
This wheel works through a mixed gear and belt system and is capable of either 270° or 900° degrees of rotation. Most importantly, however, it features force feedback, a must-have for any sort of serious sim racing and a gem at this budget. The force feedback is communicative but is suited more for beginners. The steering is fairly low resistance and none of the in-game effects is translated particularly violently through the wheel, however, the wheel is still capable of giving a solid level of feeling.
As a Thrustmaster wheel, it is therefore compatible with some of the various other high products from them. One of which is the TH8A shifter, which allows the user to choose from either a gated h-pattern or a sequential shifter and is very enjoyable to use. Furthermore, the TMX has been around since 2016 and has since been released in a PRO version, featuring the T3PA pedals bundled along with it.
The Thrustmaster TMX is excellent value for money and is perfect for beginners looking to learn the sensations of force feedback and up their Sim Racing experience while not breaking the bank in the process.
Logitech G923
The Logitech G923 is the upgraded version of the G920 and sees Logitech onto the next generation of consoles. As this is a relatively new wheel, the best place to buy one would be directly from the Logitech website for roughly $300.
The G923 features an improved force feedback system dubbed “Truforce” which not only translates track surfaces and car handling characteristics better than its predecessors but goes to provide more precise feedback. Keep in mind, however, the Truforce function is not supported by all racing games, however, it is slowly being introduced into newly released titles and currently works with platforms such as iRacing and ACC – both of which platforms you can pick up a Coach Dave Academy Setup Subscription for now.
The pedal set has also been changed, featuring a more progressive brake pedal (a previously weak point of the G920). The G923 also features a programmable dual-clutch system, which after being set up, can be activated by pressing either RSB or LSB and the foot clutch simultaneously, a feature that is usually only found on much more expensive wheels.
Aesthetically, the G923 is almost exactly the same as the G920’s PlayStation counterpart, the G29. The building quality is excellent, featuring a leather steering wheel and brushed stainless steel components now finished in black.
Just like Thrustmaster, the G920 has the optional Logitech H-pattern shifter at its disposal, however, the Thrustmaster TH8A shifter is arguably of superior quality.
The G923 is a very good wheel but it is still very similar to the much cheaper G920. Whether or not you choose the G923 over the G920 is entirely down to the personal tastes and purposes of the user.
Thrustmaster T248
Thrustmaster’s T248 is a direct competitor to Logitech’s G-series wheels. At a price equal to that of the G923, it is a direct competitor to its Logitech counterpart and comes in at a slightly higher price than the older G920 model.
Included in our list of best sim racing wheels for Assetto Corsa Competizione, the T248 uses a hybrid system of belts and gears to give an incredibly consistent feeling of force feedback. This increases the power efficiency of the unit, with Thrustmaster claiming it is an improvement of 70% over the older T150 model, as well as allowing for customizability and variability in the force feedback itself.
Perhaps the greatest strength of the T248 is the force feedback system. Unlike many of its competitors, the T248 comes with 3 different FFB presets meaning that you will always find a preset that works for one of the many titles that it is officially supported by from iRacing to Farming Simulator and from the F1 series to the Forza franchise.
Add on to this the T3PM pedals that feature a magnetic sensor, which is more reliable and has more precision than the potentiometers that Logitech use, and you have a sturdy product that will last you thousands of hours of wonderful sim racing.
On the other hand, much like its Logitech counterpart, the T248 does have some compromises when it comes to its design. The flappy paddle shifters that you will use to change gears don’t have a particularly realistic feel to them. However, since this is something that is consistent across this price range, it is hard to not consider the T248 as a top contender in its class.
Moza R3 bundle
The Moza R3 is Moza Racings entry-level direct drive wheel that provides everything you need to get started in sim racing for a reasonable price on Xbox. This bundle, priced at a competitive 439 EUR in the EU and 399 USD in the US, includes the wheel, wheelbase, and pedals, offering good value for those looking to enter the world of sim racing or upgrade their current setup.
The 280mm steering wheel includes 22 buttons. This should give you ample options for functions like flash, pit limiter, wiper, different IRS states, and a radio button. The wheel also features the typical ABXY button setup for Xbox, as it’s compatible with both PC and Xbox platforms. The wheel included in the R3 bundle comes with shifters but not a clutch, similar to Moza’s other wheels. The quick-release system remains the same, ensuring easy compatibility with other Moza products.
The wheelbase packs 3.9 Nm of force. This makes it ideal for setups with limited space, but force feedback may lack detail compared to more powerful direct-drive wheelbases.
The pedals in the bundle are all-metal, which is impressive at this price point, where plastic is still common. They also feature anti-slip rubber pads, making them suitable if you don’t have a rig yet. If you find the brake pedal too soft, Moza offers an upgrade kit for a stiffer feel.
In terms of performance, the Moza R3 wheelbase offers a smooth and quiet operation. While it doesn’t compare in strength to higher-end models with 12 or 16 Nm of force, it still provides good feedback, especially for its size and price.
Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race
Turtle Beach, a well-known brand in gaming peripherals, has entered the sim racing market with its VelocityOne Race wheel and pedal set, aiming to compete with established names like Fanatec, Thrustmaster, Moza, and the recently released Logitech offerings.
Priced at 499.99 USD, the VelocityOne Race is targeting the higher range of the price spectrum. It is cheaper than the top-end Thrustmaster TS-XW and Logitech G Pro wheels but significantly more expensive than the mid-range price bucket products.
At first glance, the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race is impressive. The wheel features hand-stitched leather, and the wheelbase has an aggressive design, highlighted by a small screen dubbed the “Digital Race Management Display,” which allows users to change wheel settings on the fly. The wheelbase also includes a control unit with an array of buttons and switches that can be attached to either side.
For its price point, the VelocityOne Race offers an impressive array of features, including a direct drive wheelbase with up to 7.2 Nm of torque, 2,600 degrees of wheel rotation, pedals with a load cell braking system, a digital dashboard that provides real-time race telemetry, and a modular control unit for extra customisation.
The digital dashboard is particularly noteworthy, allowing users to change settings like torque, force feedback, wheel rotation, pedal sensitivity, lighting, and button mapping on the fly. The wheel and pedals also feature customisable lighting.
Thrustmaster TS-XW
The Thrustmaster TS-XW was often considered a front-runner when it came to sim racing on the Xbox One, and it’s the same with the next generation of Xbox consoles.
Released in 2017, the TS-XW shares essentially the same architecture as Thrustmaster’s flagship wheel, the TS-PC Racer, which you can also learn how to set up on the Coach Dave Academy blog. It features a brushless 40-watt servomotor, providing exceptionally communicative force feedback. It also features an in-built cooling system, meaning it is unlikely to overheat, no matter the conditions of use.
While the base itself can be sold separately, it is compatible with all Thrustmaster wheel rims and shifters in the ecosystem, but the most common option is the 1:1 scale Sparco P310 competition mod. Despite the fact that this rim is designed to be a replica, Thrustmaster has been able to expertly factor in the necessary Xbox controls.
The d-pad, for example, is conspicuously designed to blend in with the style of this rim, whilst it also features adjustable paddle shifters. The size of this particular wheel also means that it is optimised for almost any type of vehicle, be it open-wheel racers, GT cars, stock cars or whatever you want to take to the track.
In the past, some sim racers have complained that the T3PA pedals compatible with cheaper models such as the TX and TMX didn’t quite do the TS-XW justice. But, the T-LCM Load Cell pedals released in 2020 are sure to vanquish such complaints. You can learn how to set up the Thrustmaster T-LCM pedals here.
The Thrustmaster TS-XW is understandably one of the most common picks from some of the most serious Xbox racers.
Logitech G PRO Racing Wheel
The PRO direct-drive wheel is the most advanced and top-end piece of sim racing gear offered by Logitech. The price for this wheel with the base (excluding pedals) starts at 719.99 USD. The pedals cost an additional 314.99 USD.
The steering wheel is classic Logitech – a 30 cm D-shaped aluminium wheel with partially perforated and smooth leather. Those who have used a Logitech wheel before will certainly recognise the style. The magnetic shifters feel good, but not exceptional, and while the rotating encoders are decent, they too don’t stand out.
The wheelbase generates a respectable 11 Nm of torque, which is at the higher end for sim racing. It also features a quick-release system made entirely of metal, which is easy to use and seems resistant to wear and tear.
Another notable feature is the TrueForce technology, which converts game telemetry and sound into haptic feedback. This was introduced with the Logitech G923, but it suffered a bit due to the older gear-driven technology of that wheelbase. Now, with direct drive, the TrueForce shines. However, be careful not to set the TrueForce too high, or you’ll lose the feedback details in the noise.
The big downside is that the ecosystem is limited, with only a racing adapter for older pedals and a shifter. There are no other steering wheels, shifters, or pedals available, which is disappointing.
Our Recommendation
For Xbox sim racers seeking the best value for money without compromising on performance, the Thrustmaster TS-XW stands out as the top choice. While it’s not a direct drive wheel, the TS-XW offers exceptional force feedback at 6NM and a wide range of customisation options, including 8 wheel options and 3 pedal sets with load cells. Additionally, it supports a variety of peripherals like handbrakes and shifters, making it the most versatile and adjustable setup you can purchase today. Usually all in for less than half the price of the Logitech Direct Drive bundle.
