G25 Racing Wheel

Logitech’s new high-end PC racing wheel is about as flexible as it gets: The gear shift, wheel, and pedals are separate parts, allowing you to easily—and securely—mount them as you wish on and under your desk, or perhaps in a custom-built F1 cockpit. Sadly, you can’t swap the G25 out with the wheel in your real car, which is what we wanted to do after a few weeks with this product!

Constructed from heavy, durable plastic and stainless steel, and trimmed with genuine leather—on both the wheel and shifter—these controls feel like the real deal. The wheel can spin a full 900 degrees, lock to lock (depending on software support), and the six-speed shifter can be used in traditional six-speed “H” mode, or sequential mode (push up/down to change gears). The pedal unit includes brake, gas, and clutch—whoop!—pedals, all made from stainless steel and equipped with different resistance levels (that actually feel different in use). Twin force-feedback motors in the wheel housing deliver instant, realistic, and powerful force-feedback effects that really enhance the driving experience.

The gear-shift unit has eight buttons plus a directional pad—all of which are programmable for things like views, ignition, etc. Traditional paddle shifters are also included on the wheel, and while they are made of stainless steel, they feel a bit chintzy—there’s no tactile feedback at all when you use them.

That’s the only real chink (and a minor one) in the G25’s armor—other than the fact that few games right now support the manual six-speed “H” transmission (any game should be able to work with the sequential shift mode). Just Live for Speed and rFactor provide full manual shifting out of the gate, although Need for Speed: Carbon and GTR 2 will soon, as well. Other than price, there’s simply nothing else to complain about here. Setup and installation of driver software went without a hitch. If you’re a serious driving-game aficionado, you owe it to yourself to own this wheel!

Month Reviewed: December 2006
Verdict: 9
kickass=yes
URL: www.logitech.com