The best racing wheels are essential to any dedicated racing sim setup. Whether you're on console or PC, options for racing wheels are plentiful, with brands like Logitech and Thrustmaster leading the charge on accessible plug-and-play racing wheels that are blissfully easy to set up.
This guide compiles what we feel are the very best options available today based on our expert testing and review - whether that be one of the best PC racing wheels for a desktop setup, or the best Xbox racing wheels for F1 24 and Forza Horizon 5. And of course, the best PS5 racing wheels are ideal if you're a Gran Turismo 7 fan. That said, most of the big-name racing games offer support for a wide range of wheels, so your favorite title likely won't leave you wanting.
No matter your platform of choice, we've endeavored to include a range of top racing wheel choices. We strive to include options that we've tested and reviewed ourselves, so you can rest assured that the best racing wheels in this list all have the TechRadar Gaming seal of approval. And this month, we'll also be keeping you abreast of any racing wheels discounts that come as part of the Black Friday PS5 deals and Black Friday Xbox deals period.
The Quick List
Best overall
The Thrustmaster T248 hits a sweet spot between price and performance, making it our pick for best racing wheel overall.
Best budget
The Hori Apex is certainly an older wheel, but it's one of the most affordable and an excellent choice for beginners.
Best premium
The Thrustmaster T-GT 2 is the priciest wheel on our list, but most definitely has the quality to match its price tag.
Best mid-range
Also our pick for the best PS5 racing wheel, the Logitech G923 provides a fantastic experience at a competitive price point.
Best force feedback
This special edition Thrustmaster T300 RS packs incredible force feedback for truly immersive sim racing.
Best for Xbox
Looking for a racing wheel fit for Forza? The Logitech G920 is a superb Xbox-first racing wheel that's our top pick for the console.
Best racing wheels 2024
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Best racing wheel overall
✅ You want a full package racing experience: The T248 acts as a fantastic entry-level wheel, and one you won't need to upgrade from unless you're shooting for something premium.
✅ You'd find an on-board display useful: The T248's digital display is more than a novelty. It offers handy telemetry data for the games that support it.
❌ You want something a bit quieter: The gear shifting paddles on the T248 are a bit on the loud side, which can be distracting during longer form endurance races.
Our pick for the best racing wheel overall is a real jack-of-all-trades in terms of performance, design and price: the Thrustmaster T248. This excellent racing wheel boasts top-notch build quality for both the wheel and pedal modules, as well as n impressive range of features for those who like to customize their experience up to quite a granular degree.
At $300 / £300, the Thrustmaster T248 finds itself costing about the same as the Logitech G923 outside of notable sales periods. It's quite an eye-catching price point if you don't quite have the budget for our premium option below - the Thrustmaster T-GT 2 - or you're looking for something more feature rich than a cheaper wheel without breaking the bank too much.
You’re also getting high performance here that’s actually fairly close to competing with the very best Logitech wheels. With the Thrustmaster T248, you're getting 900-degree rotation and strong force feedback for an accurate and immersive experience while racing. We view the T248 as a true sweet spot amongst the best racing wheels you can buy, which is why it sits in our spot for the best overall choice if you're looking for a wheel that has a good bit of everything.
Best budget racing wheel
✅ You're on a strict budget: Racing wheels that are worth your cash don't get much cheaper than this, even if it's still in the triple digits.
✅ You play casual or arcade racers: For less sim-heavy racers like Need for Speed Unbound and Hot Wheels Unleashed 2, the Hori Apex is a quality option.
❌ You're a sim racer: Avoid the Hori Apex for more complex racing titles like Gran Turismo 7 or Forza Horizon 5.
The Hori Apex looks a lot like the other wheels here, but it’s actually rather different. This isn’t a force feedback wheel, relying on rumble instead. Fire up a game like Gran Turismo 7 or F1 24 and more modern Thrustmaster or Logitech wheels will decimate the Hori for quality of experience.
However, the Hori is perfect for arcade racers, some of which only have rumble effects rather than force feedback programmed in anyway. As a result, the Hori is also much lighter than any other wheel here. You’ll still need something to clamp it to, but this is the one wheel here that won’t seem hard done by if it’s not treated to a proper frame or wheel stand.
Clearly made for racers where you’ll use nitrous every 4.5 seconds, it tries harder than the rest to put all the main PS4 buttons at your fingertips; there’s a pair of them right on the wheel rim itself. You can also alter the D-pad to emulate the DualShock 4 or DualSense's own, or either of the analog sticks.
That said, the Hori Apex 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 the 900 or 1080 we see with pricier options. There's some compromises here, then, when compared to the pricier wheels. But as a budget buy for more laid back racing titles, it's a decent pick.
- Stay tuned for our full review of the Hori Apex racing wheel
Best premium racing wheel
✅ You're a Gran Turismo head: The T-GT 2 works across most racing sims, but is natively designed for Gran Turismo 7, making it an excellent choice for Polyphony's PS5 racer.
✅ You want excellent force feedback: The T-GT 2's powerful force feedback register adds layers of immersion to racing sims that you might not have thought possible if you're new to wheels in general.
❌ You're looking for an Xbox wheel: Simply put, the Thrustmaster T-GT 2 is not compatible with Xbox consoles. For that, you'll need a model like the Logitech G920.
What makes the Thrustmaster T-GT 2 the easiest to recommend as a premium option goes beyond its superb build quality. Yes, the wheel is built to justify its high asking price, but there's some crucial design decisions that set it apart. It’s not geared, for one, instead using a series of belts powered by brushless motors.
This gives it the perfect combo of power and smoothness, for a sense of realism and immersion you can’t really beat at the price. It leads to incredible-feeling force feedback that's among the best you're going to get from a non-direct drive racing wheel. And while the use of a wheel base means it isn't quite as beginner-friendly as a plug-and-play model like the Logitech G923, on the flipside this offers excellent customizability if, say, you want to swap out the T-GT 2 for a different wheel.
The elephant in the room is that the Thrustmaster T-GT 2 is incredibly expensive. At $799.99 / £699.99 it'll be understandably out of reach for most budgets, sitting in a more suitably enthusiast price bracket. If you're still keen on the T-GT 2, then, we'd highly recommend waiting for a discount, as the wheel does often come down in price over key sales periods.
Best mid-range racing wheel
✅ You want fantastic build quality: The leather stitching looks premium, the steel pedals are strong even under weighty heel-toe and it just doesn’t feel breakable under heavy steering.
✅ You're after an affordable sim ready steering wheel: The G923 features an innovative force feedback system through Trueforce and tactile pedals that won’t cost the world.
❌ You're not into sim racing: Arcade or casual racing fans are perhaps better off with a cheaper, no-frills wheel like the Hori Apex.
Also our pick for the best PS5 racing wheel, the Logitech G923 looks almost identical to the G920. The wheel still features the same caliber of materials, from the leather stitching to the metal pedals, incredibly sturdy steering, strong force-feedback and logical button layout all return. Set-up is also fairly easy by-way-of power adapter and USB cable, while button placements and macros are customizable through Logitech’s GHub application to a respectable degree. In fact, most of the fundamentals remain the same as the previous Logitech G920.
It's still a healthy improvement, though, that makes the Logitech G923 perfect for PS5 and Xbox Series consoles. But it's just as happy with the Xbox One, PS4 or PC. Make sure you buy the right version, though, as the wheel has two separate products that are console-dependant. There's no one-size-fits-all option here.
The G923 makes some vital improvements too though. Primarily, the G923 adds Trueforce, a haptics-based system that transmits the feel of the road through your fingers and palms. Logitech has also upgraded the G923's brake, for more progressive resistance on the depress, while the LED rev indicator and 24-Point selection dial from the Playstation 4 version of the G920 become standard for this wheel. However, the G923 has Logitech's helical gearing system under the hood, which does not provide as smooth a feel as the Thrustmaster T300 RS.
- Read more: Logitech G923 racing wheel review
Best force feedback racing wheel
✅ You want top class force feedback: Force feedback provides an exceptional level of immersion in racing sims that support it, and the T300 seriously impresses here.
✅ You're after an affordable sim ready steering wheel: The G923 features an innovative force feedback system through Trueforce and tactile pedals that won’t cost the world.
❌ Force feedback is a bit much: If you prefer more subtle feedback with your racing wheel, you may want one that opts for a rumble motor instead.
What makes the Thrustmaster T300 RS one of the best racing wheels is its impeccable force feedback system. It’s not geared, rather using a series of belts that are powered by brushless motors. This gives it that perfect mix of power and smoothness, for a sense of realism and immersion you can’t really beat at the price.
Any force feedback wheel will add a whole new dimension of fun to reasonably realistic racing games, like Forza Motorsport and Assetto Corsa Competizione, but at this price these Thrustmasters are the obvious choice. There’s a little gnawing rumble as you fight against the wheel, which is the feel of the motor working, but it’s otherwise great.
The belt system does cause a fair bit of heat after a while, necessitating a fan system that kicks in after you’ve been playing for 10 minutes or so. However, it’s not too distracting, and quieter than the Logitech G29 in action.
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. Fresh out of the box the Thrustmaster T300 RS lacks a few of the Logitech G29’s touches, then, but its force feedback is so much better.
- Stay tuned for our full review of the Thrustmaster T300 RS
Best racing wheel for Xbox
✅ You play primarily on Xbox: There's not many Xbox-dedicated racing wheels worth writing home about, but the G920 is a superb choice for Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon.
✅ You want quality similar to the G923: While not quite as impressive as the upgraded G923, the G920 comes in cheaper and is designed for Xbox play.
❌ You want an easier time braking: You'll likely need to adjust the brake's sensitivity settings as it's incredibly stiff by default.
The Logitech G920 is certainly quite similar to prior Logitech wheels like the G29 or the upgraded G923, but the G920 is designed first and foremost with Xbox Series and Xbox One consoles in mind. It's an excellent choice if you're an entry-level wheel for Xbox with excellent build quality and well-rounded force feedback.
Like it's PS4 counterpart, the G920 is more affordable than Thrustmaster wheels but still boasts great quality. While an overall fantastic wheel with high-quality materials, 900-degree rotation and immersive force feedback, it's got one fatal flaw. The brake pedal is absurdly stiff for an entry-level wheel, meaning it's incredibly difficult to use without slotting the pedal set into a dedicated racing seat or adjusting its sensitivity settings. Still a superb wheel overall, but this is worth taking into consideration.
- Read more: Logitech G920 racing wheel review
What you need to know
The best racing wheels are typically among the most expensive peripherals you can buy for console or PC. Even budget models, like the Hori Apex, can command upwards of $100 / £100. As a result, racing wheels are usually bought by genre enthusiasts.
That being said, the best racing wheels we've highlighted in our list are feature-rich packages. There's usually robust functionality here, with some options featuring sim racing specific buttons to help with everything from gear shifts to pit crew comms. Furthermore, most of the best racing wheels will also come with a set of pedals included, offering a greater sense of immersion and control during gameplay.
Many of the best racing wheels are also plug-and-play. That's because the wheel comes pre-attached to an included base, meaning they can be hooked up to a console or PC with minimal fuss.
There are some racing wheels, such as the Thrustmaster Ferrari 488 GT3, however, that don't come bundled with a base or pedals. In such a case, you'll need to buy these separately. But because these can command high prices, such setups are strictly for the enthusiast crowd. We've endeavored to include more plug-and-play friendly options that are more cost effective, and will save you tons of setup time.
Best racing wheels - FAQs
What games support the best racing wheels?
Racing wheels pair the best with games that feature a level of realistic simulation. On PC, this could be Assetto Corsa Competizione and iRacing. And over on console, games like Forza Horizon 5, F1 24 and Gran Turismo 7 support a wide range of contemporary racing wheels, meaning that you don't need to play them with a more traditional controller.
What is force feedback?
Force feedback is a standard feature now, and can be found in most of the best racing wheels. Essentially, the feature aims to provide realistic physical feedback based on on-track events. This could register in the wheel rattling when hugging the apex of a tight corner, or shaking after a collision with a rival driver. Force feedback is largely implemented for the sake of immersion, much like a controller's rumble. However, if you find it distracts you from performing during a race, most games offer the option to switch it off or adjust its intensity.
What is the best budget F1 racing wheel?
Racing wheels can be expensive, but there are options if you're operating on a stricter budget. While still not necessarily cheap, we'd recommend either the Thrustmaster T150 or the Hori Apex as they're fantastic entry-level wheels that, unlike models like the Thrustmaster T300 RS, won't cost the earth.
How we test the best racing wheels
We test the best racing wheels with a variety of criteria, first and foremost being ease of setup. If, for example, a wheel is fairly plug-and-play, we can recommend it to beginners as it's often as simple as plugging the device into your console (or PC) of choice. Some wheels, meanwhile, will need to be attached to a wheel base that are often sold separately. These can often be quite expensive and thus would only recommend them to enthusiasts or those familiar with this type of peripheral.
A number of other factors can determine which racing wheels are truly the best. One standout feature here is force feedback, which aims to provide realistic kick and vibration, reacting to in-game sensations such as gripping tight corners, driving over curbs and shifting gears. Force feedback can provide an extra layer of immersion that you simply won't get from a standard controller.
We also look at various design elements such as rotation, comfort, drive type and ancillary buttons to determine a racing wheel's overall quality. The very best will offer a high level of comfort during gameplay, and offer a robust set of features suited to games from the most basic arcade racers all the way up to the most immersive sim racing experiences.
