Custom PC - UK (2020-07)

LABS TEST / RACING WHEELS

L

ogitech’sG29is a hugelypopularmid-
rangewheel,andalthoughits£269
pricemayseemhighcompared
withentryleveloptions,it’sfarcheaperthan
higher-endgearfromthelikesofFanatecand
Thrustmasterwhilestillofferinga seriousstep
upinperformance.
Logitechactuallyproducestwoversionsof
thiswheel:theG29is forPCandPS4whilethe
G920workswithPCandXboxOne.They’renear
identicalbuttheG29includesmorebuttonsand
a revcounter,soforPCusersit’stheonetoget.
TheG29’sPlayStationbrandingmakesthis
wheellooka littleimmatureincomparisonwith
rivals.It’snoticeablysmaller,too.Boththeplastic
bodyandthewheelaremorecompactthan

LOGITECH G29 DRIVING

FORCE/£269inc VAT

SUPPLIER argos.co.uk

more expensive models,but

this is not necessarily a badthin

Plenty of gamers may findlarg

cumbersome, and the G29’s 27

is still easily usable for all kinds

smaller size makes it easiertost

and there's plenty of practicalfeatures,suchas

the desk mounts being built intothebody and

a cable management cavity.

The G29 has more buttons than any of the

other wheels on test, including a D-pad, volume

rocker and a smart 24-notch dial. You also get

gear shifters, which offer a decent clicky and

consistent response, albeit a with slightly softer

feel compared with more expensive options.

The wheel has a smart, comfortable and grippy

leather coating.

The G29’s lower price does mean internal

compromises. The Logitech doesn’t use belt-

driven technology – instead, it has a dual-motor

system with helical gears.

This system means that driving isn’t quite

as smooth, with gear notches and more

friction both noticeable as the wheel is

moved. It’s not enough to prove distracting

when you’re in the middle of a qualifying lap,

but this wheel has more friction than more

expensive, belt-driven options.

The G29’s force feedback is powerful and

with decent detail and differentiation. Again,

though, both of the belt-driven options in the

Labs are stronger, with a higher ceiling and

smoother, more gradual changes. The Logitech

also exhibited weaker feedback when it

was centred.

The G29 includes a three-pedal deck. The

shell is plastic, but build quality is reasonable and

there are lots of mounting holes – so it’s easy to

install on cockpits. The pedals are made from

steel, and all feature progressive resistance. The

most notable is the brake pedal, which is actually

so resistive, some people will find it too heavy.

lit nd

e anyadjustmentoptions.If you’re

notmountingthem,it’salsopossibletolift the

pedalunitoffthefloorif youhammer the brake

pedal, which is irritating.

The pedals use 8-bit gradation, which means

you get 256 levels of movement. That’s fine for

those starting out, but serious players will want

more granularity. The Fanatec pedals have a

12-bit pedals with more then 4,000 levels of

resistance, while Thrustmaster offers 16-bit

pedals. There’s not much of an ecosystem to

speak of either. You can buy an H-pattern shifter

for this wheel, but that’s it.

Conclusion

The Logitech G29 is an excellent option for

more arcade-like mainstream racing and

for people who want to explore the world of

sims without breaking the bank, but it doesn’t

have the nuance, power or features of more

expensive wheels. The only people who will

really need the pricier stuff will be playing at the

top end of the sim-racing leagues though. For

most users, the G29 will do a great job – it has

the precision, feedback and features to cope

unless you really want to take things to the

next level.

VERDICT

Consistent performance and some useful

features make this an effective mid-range rig.

FORCEFUL

• 
  

  Comfortable,
  consistent driving
  experience

  
  


• 
  

  Decent force feedback

  
  


• 
  

  Smart, sensible
  feature set

  
  

WEEDY

• 8-bit pedals


• Limited upgrade
  options


• Belt-driven wheels
  are better

SPEC

Force feedback Dual helical motor

Rotation 40-900 degrees

Pedals Clutch, brake, accelerator

Materials Plastic, leather

Wheel diameter 270mm

Wheel weight N/A

Base & wheel weight 2.25kg

Base & wheel dimensions 270 x 278 x 270mm

Pedal dimensions 429 x 311 x 167mm

Pedal weight 3.1kg

Extras Table clamp

Warranty Two years return to base

DESIGN

30 / 40

FEATURES

31 / 35

VALUE

23 / 25

OVERALLSCORE

84 %

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