Recommendations for an affordable steering wheel for PC gaming?

[John Dunbar]

I feel I need some substance in my life, so I've decided to start playing Euro Truck Simulator 2. Problem is that I dislike driving controls on a keyboard and a controller, so I need to invest in a steering wheel to achieve my goals. I don't want to splurge since I have no interest in any other driving games and I feel this game is chill enough that no high-end gear is necessary.

Not having bought a steering wheel since N64, I am a bit lost on what to buy. I don't want to spend more than 100 euros, preferably around 50 at most. Pedals would be nice but not necessary. Anything in that price range that isn't total garbage? Again, as the game is pretty easygoing, anything serviceable should do.

Any recommendations?

 

[Lucid]

Have a look at getting a used Logitech Driving Force GT off eBay, it's pretty old now but for the price you can't beat it

 

[oakenhild]

Just not sure there are that many options at that price range. Your best bet is probably looking for a logitech G29 or G920 (or previous generation, G27, etc) used on your local sales sites. People buy wheels/pedals all the time and end up never using them, only to sell them a couple of years later.

 

[John Dunbar]

That sounds steep. I was thinking of buying like something like this (I can get it for 25 euros):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trust-Gaming-Steering-Vibration-Feedback/dp/B01M1SNH4B

Will it break on me?

 

[Akira86]

That sounds steep. I was thinking of buying like something like this (I can get it for 25 euros):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trust-Gaming-Steering-Vibration-Feedback/dp/B01M1SNH4B

Will it break on me?

Click to shrink...

you want something with at least 270 degrees of rotation. 90 to 100 is like side to side, it gets noticeably deficient in like every turn.

patience and research will be your friend, as well as buying from racers who no longer race.


edit: unless this is for Trucking games, those obviously don't need the properties of a racing wheel since you're driving a giant lumbering rectangle at legal speeds on simulated highways.

 

[Neophy]

That sounds steep. I was thinking of buying like something like this (I can get it for 25 euros):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trust-Gaming-Steering-Vibration-Feedback/dp/B01M1SNH4B

Will it break on me?

Click to shrink...

if you are going to buy a wheel that does not have force feedback (ffb) don´t even bother, is just way better to stick with the pad, the one you quoted is just a pad transformed into a wheel shape, and belive me it is worse than the game pad is based of and has nothing to do with a ffb wheel, with that say i recommend the logitech g29 or the thrustmaster t150 pro (it has to be the pro version or you are just getting a toy for pedals)

 

[John Dunbar]

you want something with at least 270 degrees of rotation. 90 to 100 is like side to side, it gets noticeably deficient in like every turn.

patience and research will be your friend, as well as buying from racers who no longer race.


edit: unless this is for Trucking games, those obviously don't need the properties of a racing wheel since you're driving a giant lumbering rectangle at legal speeds on simulated highways.

Click to shrink...

if you are going to buy a wheel that does not have force feedback (ffb) don´t even bother, is just way better to stick with the pad, the one you quoted is just a pad transformed into a wheel shape, and belive me it is worse than the game pad is based of and has nothing to do with a ffb wheel, with that say i recommend the logitech g29 or the thrustmaster t150 pro (it has to be the pro version or you are just getting a toy for pedals)

Click to shrink...

Thanks for the advice. But just to be clear, are you taking into consideration that I have zero interest in racing and I just need to move a truck?

 

[Pargon]

Since it's for Euro Truck Simulator and not racing games, it's probably not necessary to buy one of the better wheels like a T150 Pro / Logitech G29 (though the G29 does sometimes see large discounts).
But I cannot recommend a wheel with only 100° of rotation and vibration rather than force feedback.
A used Driving Force GT is probably your best bet, as it's a true force feedback wheel with 900° of rotation, and was relatively inexpensive to begin with - so it should be within your budget.

 

[Akira86]

Thanks for the advice. But just to be clear, are you taking into consideration that I have zero interest in racing and I just need to move a truck?

Click to shrink...

yah, hence the edit, lol


zero interest in racing? are you mad?

project cars 1&2 is always on sale and Assetto Corsa is the best thing everrrrrrrrr

 

[Ted]

The G29 is Logitech's low end wheel now and if it's half as good as the Driving Force GT it replaces it will be great. It's around $200 though so I'd second Lucid's suggestion of a second hand DFGT. If you go this way make sure to check with the seller that the motors still work (so you get strong force feedback) and that the power supply is original as a mismatched power supply will quickly fry the motors. Second hand ones should be under your $100 budget.

I'd also add a couple of things:

- You're going to want a way to mount your wheel to something substantial (the DFGT has hand wound plastic clamps to attach to a desk/table/stand). With the FFB and you turning the wheel it's plenty enough force to move a small coffee table! You'll also want a way to stop your pedals sliding, carpet is fine but if you have wooden floors this is a pain in the backside!

- You'll have to do a little set-up with your wheel for ETS2 just because of the nature of a truck versus a sports car but there are plenty of guides on the internet to assist with getting this right.

Have fun whatever you decide to do. 10-4 good buddy.

 

[John Dunbar]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I will mull this over and try to find some deals.

ps. racing games suck

 

[Akira86]

boooo


but seriously the wheel you posted has reliability issues and the suction cups appear not to work.

you don't need a racing racing wheel I guess...but there are probably better quality cheap-wheels out there too.

 

[Ted]

Since you're not into racing games go big on the truck aspect and do this:

 

[Neophy]

Thanks for the advice. But just to be clear, are you taking into consideration that I have zero interest in racing and I just need to move a truck?

Click to shrink...

Yes, that´s why i mentioned that is far better to stick to the game pad, however, if you are looking for a wheel it may means that you consider the experince or feel of playing the game as something of value, even more with euro truck, which is a simulation type of game, where the peripherals do add to the experience, but the wheel that you quoted it only adds a visual sensation, which in my experience (i have both the trhustmaster ferrari 458 no FFB and the logitech g29 with FFB), i consider of less value (you are most of the time looking at the screen) than what you feel in your hands, that´s why the ffb wheel is recommended even if you are not sim racing or similar, heck for the logitech g29 they even sell a truck shifter adapter (very expensive tho).

 

[dieter]

I'd recommend the TMX pro wheel and pedals, great set, you can get it around $200 or less.

 

[Pargon]

The G29 is Logitech's low end wheel now and if it's half as good as the Driving Force GT it replaces it will be great. It's around $200 though so I'd second Lucid's suggestion of a second hand DFGT. If you go this way make sure to check with the seller that the motors still work (so you get strong force feedback) and that the power supply is original as a mismatched power supply will quickly fry the motors. Second hand ones should be under your $100 budget.

Click to shrink...

The G29 is a much higher-end wheel than the DFGT, but it's still a gear-driven wheel that is arguably overpriced at MSRP for what it is. It's relatively weak and loud compared to competitors in its price range (T300).
However, the wheel is regularly discounted to a far more reasonable price that makes it a much better value and easier to recommend. I've seen Amazon discount the G29 to a little bit over 100 euros, at which price it's very good value - even if you might think it excessive for playing ETS2.
In the range of 50-100 though, I don't think there's anything better than a used Driving Force GT. I'm pretty sure the MSRP was under that - or at least I paid less than that for mine when they were new.

ps. racing games suck

Click to shrink...

You might start to enjoy them if you get a wheel with force feedback - though I tend to prefer rally over "racing games". There haven't been many of those which I have enjoyed this generation.

 

[Ted]

The G29 is a much higher-end wheel than the DFGT, but it's still a gear-driven wheel that is arguably overpriced at MSRP for what it is. It's relatively weak and loud compared to competitors in its price range (T300).

Click to shrink...

Interesting stuff, thanks for sharing, I've never seen one in person so it's good to read opinions from folk that have.

My two DFGT wheels I use for local multiplayer with friends are getting a little long in the tooth so I have been keeping an eye on replacements. Logitech have always been good to me so I was hoping to go with what I know! They've had a really tough life (they probably spend as much time bouncing around in the back of a real car as they do set-up!) and apart from a small incident involving a dog and the power supply they've largely done the job perfectly for what I need them for. I think they were £89 new when I bought them back whenever GT5 was a thing but I think they had a small store discount so may have had an MSRP here of ~£100. The UK is notoriously expensive for this sort of stuff though so I'm always conservative when guesing a second hand price.

 

[Pargon]

Interesting stuff, thanks for sharing, I've never seen one in person so it's good to read opinions from folk that have.

My two DFGT wheels I use for local multiplayer with friends are getting a little long in the tooth so I have been keeping an eye on replacements. Logitech have always been good to me so I was hoping to go with what I know! They've had a really tough life (they probably spend as much time bouncing around in the back of a real car as they do set-up!) and apart from a small incident involving a dog and the power supply they've largely done the job perfectly for what I need them for. I think they were £89 new when I bought them back whenever GT5 was a thing but I think they had a small store discount so may have had an MSRP here of ~£100. The UK is notoriously expensive for this sort of stuff though so I'm always conservative when guesing a second hand price.

Click to shrink...

It's not that the G29 is a bad wheel, it's just that the Thrustmaster T300 is a significantly better wheel at the same price (I've owned both and kept the T300).
It could be argued that the G29 is a more balanced package though, as the pedals are a lot better than the stock Thrustmaster pedals. It feels like most of your money is going toward the base (motor) with the T300.

Overall, the G29 felt like a wheel that was made with an inflated MSRP to be discounted, if that makes sense. At a discounted price - which I've seen at less than half of what a T300 costs - it's great value.
Being gear-driven does mean that it's a weaker and louder wheel than a belt-driven one (T300); it suffers from the feedback deadzone in the center, and has "chattering" (rattle) that is common with gear-driven wheels too (including the DFGT). But that's totally fine if you can get one for ≤$200 rather than paying $400.

Either of those wheels is excessive as a "starter wheel" just for playing a game like Euro Truck Simulator though; which is why I'd recommend the DFGT here.
It's a shame Logitech didn't update them, or even continue making them without any changes. They were extremely good value for something with real force feedback, 900° rotation and a shifter.

 

[ghostcrew]

Honestly, cheap wheels are shitty. I thought the same and bought a Thrustmaster Spider (£70) and it was rubbish. I gave it to a friend for nothing. No forcefeedback of any kind (not even rumble) made it feel like a cheap toy.

Ive got a Thrustmaster TMX now and it's miles better. About £170 I think?

 

[Rbk_3]

I decided I want to finally get into racing games. Amazon had the G920 on for $250 CAD so I grabbed it as well as a GT Omega Racing Stand for $130 CAD.

The T300 was $120 more but comes with the crappier pedals and if I want to get the stick shifter its like $300 vs $80 for the logitech