More G29
The G29 has more button functionality than the G920 and I find that lends itself better to PC use. It also has the built-in rev lights at the top of the hub, another feature that is also not included on the G920. The baby blue and red accents on buttons and knobs make it a much more interesting looking product, but tastes will vary. Some people purchasing for PC may appreciate the more monochromatic appearance of the G920.
Probably one of the more overlooked features of this product is the excellent pedal base. Thrustmaster typically includes a 2 pedal unit with their $150 to $300 products, with the lower end units being of all plastic construction. Logitech takes a huge step up with what they offer for all of their wheels. The 3 pedal configuration features all metal construction with the pedal faces and stems. The base itself is still plastic, but it has far more features than the comparable units from Thrustmaster. The bottom of the unit features a rubber base which sticks nicely to hardwood floors in regular use. On carpet it has the option to lower a spike strip that will very firmly embed itself into the fibers. For casual racers without a racing stand or a dedicated racing seat, this is a really solid part with some great thinking behind it. The accelerator and clutch have a good tension to them while the brake features non-linear force that more adequately translates braking pressure for better control.
The pedals are low profile, but provide a lot of space. Strong metal construction throughout and good feel for the different pedals.
The wheel mechanism is a 900 degree lock to lock unit. It does not look to have a soft lock functionality, which is essentially the ability to provide a lock force at less than 900 degrees. Some older race cars have a 720 degree wheel lock, but that is not terribly common. If a person really wants to simulate these racers, perhaps they should look at other higher end options from Thrustmaster and Fanatec. The unit features two motors to provide force feedback. Most other wheels will feature a single motor with a pulley system to transfer forces, but the Logitech unit features a pretty unique dual helical gearing setup. In theory the two motors will be more able to provide complex force feedback inputs than a single motor unit. It should also provide more potential force than other budget, single motor competition.
Logitech does not reveal how strong the motors are in tandem. Higher end units from Thrustmaster and Fanatec can approach 8 Nm with midrange being around 5 Nm. If I were to hazard a guess these would combine for around 4 Nm. It is a good amount of force, but it would be rare to be able to snap the wheel out of the user’s grip.
Installation and Impressions
Logitech has a very strong history in terms of driver and software support. They have integrated the wheel functionality into their Gaming Software suite so it seamlessly works with other Logitech products such as their Gaming Keyboards and Mice. Download the latest version of the application, plug in the wheel, and run the application. The control panel is nicely apportioned and easy to access. Sadly, few FFB settings are available for users to tweak. The games will be the only way to tweak the strength of feedback. It is rather limited in this way.
The mounting mechanism for this product is quite a bit different from the competition. Instead of the post and clamp setup of Thrustmaster and Fanatec products, Logitech features two integrated clamps that are tightened down by two knobs on top of the unit. Adequate pressure can be placed on the clamps to make sure that they do not move very much, but it is not nearly as secure as the aforementioned competition. I was able to really yank on the wheel and cause it to shift in ways that are just not possible with the other solutions. This is not a product killer as users can adjust their inputs to make sure that the wheel base will not break free of the surface it is mounted on. The wheel and pedal base also feature bolt holes for hard mounting on stands and racing chairs.
Hard to argue that this isn't a good looking wheel. Anodized/blued aluminum up top, leather wrap, and a matte black finish for the rest of the base. Offsetting this are plenty of buttons and knobs to serve nearly any purpose imaginable… nearly.
The pedal set has some good weight to it and the rubber surface underneath allows it to feel pretty firm on hardwood or concrete floors. The retractable spike strip for carpets is extremely effective in not allowing the pedals to be pushed around at all. The base itself is pretty roomy and does not feel cramped while in use. The pedals themselves have a nice feeling to them. The clutch has about the right resistance of a regular manual transmission (racing clutches have a lot more resistance). The accelerator has a good feel to it as well, allowing users to easily understand where it is when feathering the throttle. The brake feel is better than average for the units in its price range. It does not feature the kind of progressive resistance that is present in the Fanatec pedals, but it works better than the budget Thrustmaster units that typically are modded by the end user to improve the feel.
Well written and fair review.
Well written and fair review. At little more than $200, the build quality and much better durability make logitech wheels a good introductory choice, as thrustmaster still seems to have higher failure rates.
But man should you listen to some actual speakers if you’re citing logitechs as excellent examples of engineering.
For computer speakers, they
For computer speakers, they are good. For Home Theater or Audiophile grade equipment, they are middling at best. Speaking from an average consumer if I had bought these that long ago, and used them for PC audio for gaming and streaming, the Logitech speakers I have are great. If I were focus on audio quality to the highest level, I would get a full blown receiver/amp and get much more focused on what speakers I was using. For what was offered and delivered, the Logitech speakers are very good for the price and what they are focused on. Opinions will vary, but I like my Logi 5.1 set.
The Logitech computer
The Logitech computer speakers from that era were – and are – awesome. Clear sound and serious bass. Like, small home theater bass. I kept the bass on my Z2300 speakers turned down most of the way and they had the potential to vibrate the floors at 50%. Anyone who questions the the Z5500 or Z2300 era Logi speakers should check out the current used selling prices on eBay. They aren't cheap, and shipping isn't cheap either as you're getting a heavy box if you buy a set.
Thanks for the review.
My G27
Thanks for the review.
My G27 still going strong after 7 years of abuse. I changed the springs in the pedals for stiffer one and got a wheel stand. Very happy with it. The lack of buttons on the G27 wheel is the only reason I’d get the G29 especially for newest F1 cars.
Logitech do make long lasting products. I still use my Z560 4.1 speakers that I got in 2001. They sound great after 17 years 🙂
Z560’s were pretty
Z560's were pretty interesting speakers at the time. They competed well with the Klipsch units at the time, but were just a cut below. I remember the precursers to those had a terrible hiss problem that was partially improved by swapping the control unit, but was never truly solved until the Z560s.
Also, what do you think of the wheel size of the G27/G29s? I'm a bit disappointed they aren't a little bit larger. Not that the size is uncomfortable, but they just seem… tiny.
I have a Logitech MOMO wheel
I have a Logitech MOMO wheel from 2005 that still works fine. I imagine this would be quite an upgrade. I wonder if the G29 has stronger force feedback? The MOMO was quite powerful for 2005.
Bought mine to use with VR.
Bought mine to use with VR. Bought the shifter but they do need to make a e-brake add on.
I use a cheap, old Saitek
I use a cheap, old Saitek joystick as my e-brake. Thrustmaster also has a USB/Sparco unit that is pretty nice from what I hear.
seems a fair review, i also went back to trying a g29 after now owning a t300RS GT for a while and the g29 does not feel good when you have tried something a little better, the mildly notchy feeling feels very notchy indeed and so far from reality its not great.
what really is frustrating with the g29 and the reviews of it are they dont seem to pick up on the negatives of the pedals, they get high praise for being ”well made” at this price point but the functionality of them is really bad, and what makes them bad is they dont self calibrate on startup like say the t300 GT pedals. this leads to so many problems in so many games, if the game does not offer pedal calibration you often find yourself in a frustrating loop of adjusting braking saturation in order to achieve 100 percent braking at a reasonable force and even at max braking in game you just cant get enough pedal travel going on to achieve 100 percent, often you only get 50-60 percent braking when your pressing really hard. people say you should remove the rubber stopper etc but this is a workaround you shouldnt have to do because the brake feels better with it. the T300 ( gt pedals at least ) offer self calibration when you turn the wheel on meaning your first press of the pedals sets the maximum travel so you press the brake just as hard as you like and it sets the 100 percent to there meaning it works in every single game with the same pressure you set yourself. so many reviews dont point this out and so many people get burned by it, it simply shouldnt be that level of frustration. then theres the resolution of the pedals which is really pretty low but hard to spot why its an issue, that is until you use higher resolution pedals and spot the resulting smoothness of the inputs on the onscreen brake and accelerator guides. with the wheel being pretty notchy and the feedback being jerky rather than smooth it adds up to what is a pretty bad wheel for me, but yes the price of it is often very very low, low enough this should for sure be picked over cheaper options offering none or plain bad feedback.
anyway nice review thought id share my opinion on it having used it too.