If you want to feel like a real driver driving a formula 1 or rally car you will need the best sim racing wheels on the market in 2025.
But don’t worry about the money, we have classified them by price ranges so you can see the ones that best suit your needs. There are from cheap simracing steering wheels without force feedback, (not recommended at all), to steering wheels with force feedback or the most exclusive ones with direct drive.
Comparative table of the best Sim Racing wheels
In our comparison we show you the analyzed models, their features, outstanding advantages, user ratings and the result of our analysis of the best steering wheels for sim racing.
Product | Thrustmaster T598 | Fanatec DD Pro | Fanatec CSL DD | Thrustmaster T300 |
Image | ||||
Plataform | PC and PS4/5 | PC, XBOX and PS4/5 | PC and XBOX | PC, PS3, PS4 and PS5 |
Force Feedback | Direct Drive | Direct Drive | Direct Drive | Yes, no direct drive. |
Force | 10 Nm | 5 Nm (boost 8Nm) | 5 Nm (boost 8Nm) | |
Pedals | Yes | Yes | No | Yes, with clutch |
Wheel included | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Price | 519$ | 699$ | 429$ | 419$ |
Rating | 9.1 | 9.5 | 9.2 | 8.5 |
In this guide we have made an exhaustive analysis of almost all the steering wheels on the market with comparison tables, price analysis and our most honest opinions.
After reading this article it will be clear to you which steering wheel to choose to start with your driving simulator. The most important thing when choosing a steering wheel is that it transmits the information from the road to the steering wheel, for this reason we do not recommend steering wheels without force feedback at all.
The best steering wheels are the direct drive ones that have a motor directly coupled to the steering wheel and this makes for a very realistic driving experience.
Cheap Sim Racing Steering Wheels (economic)
Here we reveal the best models of steering wheels for beginners with an unbeatable quality-price ratio.
Forget about spending a fortune on high-end peripherals. In this section, we present a selection of cheap sim racing steering wheels that will allow you to fully enjoy your favorite simulators (f1, gran turismo, forza) without sacrificing realism and amazing performance on any platform (PC, PS3, PS4, PS5 or XBOX).
You will find affordable sim racing steering wheels for all tastes and budgets. From basic models to get you started in simracing to more complete options with advanced features, we will present you a selection of the best offers on the market.
1. Thrustmaster T300 RS GT Force Feedback Steering Wheel
The Thrustmaster T300 wheel is one of the most recommended wheels for beginners, and it is the wheel with which I have been playing Formula 1 for more than 4 years and I have had no problems of any kind with it. It is a wheel with an unbeatable quality-price, around 300 €.
I have used it on PS4 and PS5 and it works perfectly, the force feedback has a good response and can be hardened enough to get a lot of information from the track. The steering wheel is not direct drive like the high end hoops but to start or if you already have some level is highly recommended.
Besides I bought it for 300€ and after 4 years I have sold it for 200€, so the price is more than amortized.
The current price is 379€, which to me is very cheap. You can probably find a cheaper G29 but I would go for the T300 since you have the option to change the steering wheel rim.
Read my full review of the Thrustmaster T300.
The best thing about this wheel is that you can change the rim and put a Thrustmaster Ferrari F1 (see on Amazon) and have a full F1 24 simulation experience.
Another interesting feature is that you can change the pedals and put better ones like the Thrustmaster T-LCM (see on Amazon).
The T300 base is compatible with PC and Playstation.
Pros
✔️ With force feedback.
✔️ Interchangeable rings.
✔️ Good value for money.
✔️ Interchangeable pedals.
✔️ Ferrari 599XX EVO replica steering wheel.
Cons
✔️ No direct drive.
2. Logitech G29 steering wheel with force feedback. The most economical steering wheel
The Logitech G29 is one of the cheapest simracing steering wheels, for about 238€. It is an ideal wheel to get started in driving simulators like F1 24 or Gran Turismo 7, although if you have a little more money I recommend the T300 (it’s the one I started with).
This steering wheel has force feedback and is compatible with PS3, PS4, PS5, PC and Mac and XBOX.
You can read our comparison between Logitech G29 vs Thrustmaster T248.
The best thing about this steering wheel is that everything is included: steering wheel, pedal board, base, paddles. The worst thing is that you can’t change the pedals or the rim.
Honestly, I have tested this steering wheel and it works well, and I have friends who have had it for many years and it works without problems. But from my point of view, the T300 or T248 is a better wheel.
Pros
✔️ Complete steering wheel with everything included.
✔️ Very economical.
✔️ Compatible with almost all platforms.
Cons
✔️ You can’t change the pedals or the rim.
✔️ It is missing that it gives you more information when you are driving.
3. Thrustmaster T248 Steering Wheel
The Thrustmaster T248 is very similar to the T300 in terms of force feedback and performance. The only downside is that you can’t change the rim.
The good thing is that it is cheaper than the T300 and you can buy it for about 262€ which is a great price for this steering wheel. For me it is one of the best value for money.
It is also compatible with all platforms such as PS3, PS4, PS5, PC and Mac and XBOX.
This Simracing steering wheel comes with pedals and rim included so you can start playing as soon as you receive it.
Pros
✔️ Complete steering wheel with everything included.
✔️ Very economic.
✔️ Compatible with all platforms.
✔️ Excellent force feedback.
✔️ Ideal for beginners.
Cons
✔️ It is not possible to change the hoop.
Steering wheels for professional driving simulators
Here we are going to show you the best of the best, we will spare no expense. If you have a big budget and love the world of sim racing as much as I do you will enjoy this section of the best steering wheels.
Once you try one of these direct drive steering wheels, you will never be able to use a lower quality wheel again.
1. Fanatec CSL DD 5Nm
The Fanatec CSL DD is one of the best I’ve tried. While it is not the best steering wheel on the market, its high performance and a very reasonable price make it one of the best simracing steering wheels.
There are several reasons for this statement:
- You can get the base for 299$, which if we add the rim and pedals you will probably spend about 600$, a price that is very good for a high quality steering wheel.
- It is direct drive, which means it has no gears and gives us all the track information clearly.
- It has a force of 5Nm, which is a little tight, but can be increased to 8Nm with a 150€ boost accessory.
If you come from using a G29, or a Thrustmaster T150 or T248, you will notice a huge difference in driving.
IMPORTANT! Now you have the Fanatec CSL DD QR2 that comes with the updated quick release for the new steering wheels of the brand. But this option can be found for 449$. From our point of view it is interesting to buy this option to have the possibility to buy the best Fanatec steering wheels.
Thisis the steering wheel I currently use and I have greatly improved my driving, especially in traction, since it is much more noticeable when the car skids than in lower steering wheels that lack information.
Also now I have much less spins than with the T300 I had before, the response speed is instantaneous and gives you time to control the car before spinning.
Pros
✔️ Direct drive steering wheel.
✔️ Interchangeable rims.
✔️ Good value for money.
✔️ Interchangeable pedals.
✔️ Compatible with PC and XBOX.
Cons
✔️ Wheel and footswitch not included.
✔️ A boost plug-in must be used to unlock the 8 N-m.
2. Moza R5
The Moza R5 is another spectacular direct drive steering wheel, very similar to the Fanatec CSL DD. Although the Moza brand is not as well known as Fanatec, it is starting to garner quite a bit of interest because they have created some amazing products at a very affordable price.
Under my personal point of view, after having tested the Moza R5 I consider it even a step ahead of Fanatec’s CSL DD. The flywheel has a lot of power with its 5.5 Nm.
In addition, the response of the steering wheel to the stimuli of the track is fast and precise, allowing you to control the car with precision.
Obviously, if you are very very demanding you might lack a bit of power, but it is not a problem because you could opt for a Moza R9 with 9 Nm of maximum torque. Of course, for a higher price.
The R5 costs around 479€ with the rim and pedals included! A very economical price for a steering wheel with these characteristics.
Read full article by Moza R5
Pros
✔️ Direct drive steering wheel.
✔️ Compatible with all Moza rims.
✔️ Interchangeable pedals.
Cons
✔️ Compatible only with PC.
✔️ If you are very pro, you will need more strength.
3. Fanatec Podium DD2 QR2
The Fanatec Podium DD2 is the best of the best, it’s another level. Unfortunately I have not had the pleasure of testing it but it is the one used by Esports pilots.The force feedback has a force of up to 25 Nm!!!! It can break your hand if you set the force to maximum.
Now, this steering wheel must be like driving a real car. If the CSL DD is already a blast, I can’t imagine how much information this servomotor has to give.
If I have not put this base in first position is because it costs 1500$ only the base!!!!
Fanatec steering wheel exclusively designed for simracing. But its strength is not the only impressive thing, it also has advanced telemetry functions with its integrated OLED display.
Pros
✔️ Direct drive steering wheel.
✔️ Interchangeable rings.
✔️ 25 N-m maximum force.
✔️ Interchangeable pedals.
✔️ Compatible with PC and XBOX.
Cons
✔️ High price.
4. Thrustmaster T818 Steering Wheel – Thrustmaster’s new direct drive steering wheel
- Direct Drive force: up to 10 N-m.
- Unfiltered power: game effects are rendered unfiltered, for maximum fidelity.
- Formula 1 Ferrari SF1000 steering wheel rim. 1:1 scale replica with up to 69 information elements on the steering wheel.
- Quick steering wheel adjustment system.
- Compatible with all thrustmaster wheel hoops.
- Dynamic LEDs on the front of the steering wheel to interact with game telemetry data.
- PC compatible
The Thrustmaster T818 steering wheel is Thrustmaster’s new direct drive wheel with a torque of 10 Nm which is very good (you probably won’t be able to set it to maximum as it exerts a lot of force).
Thanks to the direct drive technology you will experience the information of each simulation game in a precise way.
One of the most important new features is that it has a new quick release technology to remove the hoop in 5 seconds in a fast and comfortable way.
All older Thrustmaster hoops are compatible with this new Base.
The worst thing about this steering wheel is that it is only compatible with PC, so if you play on Playstation or XBOX you will not be able to use it, so it is not compatible with Gran turismo 7 either.
The price is very decent, around 650€ only the base, a little more expensive than the Fanatec CSL DD. So under our point of view we like the Fanatec one better even if it has a little less strength for 350€.
We believe there are more interesting options on the market for this price.
Pros
✔️ Force up to 10 N-m
✔️ Ferrari SF1000 replica steering wheel.
✔️ Quick release of the wheel.
Cons
✔️ Pedals not included.
✔️ PC compatible only
5. Thrustmaster T598 Steering Wheel – The new Thrustmaster direct-drive wheel
The Thrustmaster T598 is the latest steering wheel released by the brand. They have created a steering wheel with 5 Nm of force (comparable to the Fanatec CSL DD or the Moza R5) with a very economical price of 499€. It also has direct drive technology!
The truth is that until now I had no doubts, I have always preferred Fanatec to Thrustmaster. But the T598 is revolutionizing the market, making Fanatec reduce their prices.
To this day I still prefer a Fanatec CSL DD because it has more customization options, and if you put some Fanatec V3 pedals it is a marvel.
But the T598 is a very interesting option for an intermediate simracer who wants to compete at the highest level.
Pros
✔️ Force up to 5 N-m
✔️ Direct drive
✔️ Interchangeable handwheel and pedals.
Cons
So much for our analysis of the best simracing steering wheels of 2025. I hope you have cleared your doubts about which simracing simulator to buy.
Enjoy driving!
How to choose a Simracing steering wheel
Choosing a simracing wheel can be a complicated task, as there are many factors to consider and models on the market. To help you in this process, I have prepared a guide with the most important aspects:
Budget:
The first thing to define is your budget. Simracing steering wheels can vary greatly in price, from basic models for less than €100 to professional options that exceed €1,000.
Characteristics:
- Force Feedback (FFB): It is essential that the steering wheel has FFB, as it allows you to feel the forces of the car on the steering wheel, such as bumps, skidding and turning resistance.
- Turning angle: The turning angle determines how much you can turn the steering wheel. A larger turning angle is more realistic, especially for racing cars. The ideal is 1080º.
- Materials: Steering wheels are made of different materials, such as leather, plastic and metal. Leather is usually more comfortable and realistic, but it is also more expensive.
- Pedals: Pedals are also important, as they allow you to control the throttle, brake and clutch. Some pedals are more basic than others, and some even incorporate load cells for greater precision.
- Compatibility: Make sure the wheel you choose is compatible with your gaming platform (PC, PlayStation, Xbox).
Types of steering wheels:
- Mid-range steering wheels: They are a good choice for beginners and occasional users. They offer good performance at a reasonable price. Examples: Logitech G29, Thrustmaster T300RS.
- High-end steering wheels: They offer the best performance and realism. They are ideal for experienced and competitive users. Examples: Fanatec CSL DD, Thrustmaster T818.
- Direct Drive Steering Wheels: These are the most advanced steering wheels and offer the best simracing experience. However, they are also the most expensive. Examples: Fanatec Podium DD2, Moza R9.