Fanatec makes some of the best, and most expensive, racing wheels going. The Fanatec CSL Elite is actually one of its more affordable models, made with a mainstream audience in mind, not least because it supports consoles rather than just the PC.

Whether Fanatec or Thrustmaster is the better racing wheel brand will ultimately come down to your personal tastes and budget. There are a few downsides to these generally great wheel sets, and it’s all about the parts outside of the wheelbase. The steering wheel is solid and very grippy, but uses a rubber grip rather than a leather one. Many people will be fine with the material, but after using the G29 we did miss the feel a little. First, the G29 is more affordable than the direct Thrustmaster alternatives, the T300 series wheels. The quality of the wheel itself is great too.There’s a metal core and leather stitched over the parts your hands grip. Fanatec and Thrustmaster charge a lot more for leather wheels. The Logitech G29 gets you higher-end extras at no extra cost. Its pedalboard is much better than anything else at the price too, with a board that has a clutch and very solid metal plates. It’s not plastic rubbish. ASSETTO CORSA COMPETIZIONE – PS5™ - BUS SIMULATOR 21 Next Stop – PS5 (*) - Dakar Desert Rally – PS5™ - DiRT® 5 – PS5™ - DriftCE (*) - EA SPORTS™ F1® 23 - EA SPORTS™ WRC – PS5™By the end of an hour it feels remarkably intuitive, specifically at gauging understeer. With the latest GT Sport update (as well as the switch to weekly Sport Mode races), I find myself at Suzuka in the Cayman GT4. It’s an ideal test bed, with the Japanese circuit’s S-bends requiring smoothness and controlled speeds for the best lap times. Moving on to Fanatec’s pedal set, these immediately feel more premium than the Thrustmaster pedal set, mainly thanks to the all-metal construction. You’ll notice right away that there are only two pedals, not three. It’s a three-pedal board with metal footplates and a large plastic footrest. You can adjust the position of the pedals a little, and screw in an included “conical” mod for the brake that adds a progressive feel with a rubber add-on.

The majority of this steering wheel is constructed from plastic which immediately makes it feel a little less premium than some other Fanatec wheels. Like the T-GT II wheel, there is a large GT logo right in the center, just so you don’t forget which game you should be playing! But the T-GT II comes ready to race and promises an incredibly realistic sim-racing experience and let’s also not forget it’s the official racing wheel for Gran Turismo. What we want to establish here is whether this official racing wheel is worth the dough. Sure, Rolex is the official timepiece of Formula One but should you get one?If you’re someone who enjoys racing games and wants the extra bit of realism a racing wheel gives you, then the G923 will serve you very well, in the same way a Mini Convertible will offer the affordable thrill of an open top car. But for pushing further into the realm of performance, neither the Logitech nor the Mini will cut the mustard and that’s where you need the Thrustmaster and the Porsche. Die Kompatibilität mit PS5-Spielen wurde von Thrustmaster getestet und bestätigt. Zum Zeitpunkt der Veröffentlichung wurde die PS5-Kompatibilität des gesamten Sortiments noch nicht von Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC getestet und bestätigt. New:Important note about the new firmware (now handles & detects differently the type of pedal set connected via RJ12) PC PS4™ XboxOne™ Much like Thrustmaster, Fanatec offers a range of different steering wheel and pedal upgrade options. In fact, they offer a lot more options than Thrustmaster. You can see from the comparison of these two PS5 racing wheels above that both have their differences. Thrustmaster’s racing wheel is available at a slightly cheaper price as a stand-alone wheel base. But the complete bundle that includes a steering wheel and pedal set is pricier than Fanatec’s GT DD Pro.

There are good bits, sure, particularly the lower price. However, the Hori Apex (and the Hori Overdrive) is easily the most toy-like wheel in this group. It has plastic gear shifters, fairly cheap plastic pedals and no parts to upgrade. It also has very limited rotation compared with all the other wheels here, turning just 270 degrees rather than 900 or 1080. Racing wheels such as the Logitech G923 and Thrustmaster T248 both scrape towards becoming a mid-range racing wheel. However, they both offer relatively entry-level experiences which keep them firmly in with other budget-friendly racing wheels.That leads us to recommend one product over the other. And if we add up the wins from each category, we can see that Fanatec wins out. Other than the steering wheel, which I prefer on the Thrustmaster wheel, Fanatec outperforms or offers more options than Thrustmaster. Fanatec’s pedals are excellent, with seriously tough metal frames and proper progressive brakes, and you can even choose how stiff the brake is. It goes so stiff, in fact, that to really get the most out of the CSL Elite you want a frame into which you screw the pedals. But the price alone tells you this is an enthusiast wheel. Includes 3-pedal T3PA GT II pedal set; compatible with Thrustmaster T-LCM Pedals pedal set (sold separately) The levels of fun, realism and immersion are all increased when you start racing with a sim racing wheel. With a wheel and pedals, you get a much greater level of control in most situations, and you can really start to feel how your car is behaving with the road. When looking at the technology and strength, Fanatec has a slight advantage with the direct drive GT DD Pro. It features better internal technology with the larger direct drive motor, which is capable of more force.