Reddit mentions: The best pc game racing wheels

What system you play on is beside the point. Let's see what we can plan out for you.

I'm basing this off of your other comment's projected budget, $500 - $1000.

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First and foremost, your wheel and pedals. Whether you start with your cockpit/wheelstand or wheel is mostly up to preference, but I'd start with a wheel first, since a wheel clamped to a desk with pedals on a floor is the minimum of simracing, whilst a rig with no wheel is just a glorified gaming seat. Plus, what you get first sets the budget of what comes after it, and I wouldn't prioritize an expensive rig over a good wheel.

Anyway, where you go from here pretty much depends on how much you're looking to spend. If your budget is $500 - $1000 and you're looking to get a whole setup going, I'd keep the wheel+pedal spending to $500 or less. This will leave you with a decent amount of wiggle room for rigs and accessories. All of the suggested wheels are compatible with Xbox One.

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Wheels and Pedals

• Thrustmaster TMX
  
  A budget wheel if there ever was one. It's by no means a bad wheel, for $200. It has reasonably strong FFB and similar build to its more expensive counterpart, the TX. Though with a brushed motor and belt-gear hybrid system, it's not as strong nor as smooth as the TX. As someone who's tried its PlayStation counterpart (the T150, basically the same base with a slightly different rim), I'd say it's 75% the quality for 50% the price. If you're on a strict budget and know you'll be on one for a while, it's a pretty good deal.
  
  ^(NOTE: As of writing this, it's currently on sale for $160!)
  
  
• Thrustmaster TMX Pro
  
  If you're planning to drive with an H-gate shifter in the future, then this version of the TMX is a good deal. Instead of the standard 2-pedal Thrustmaster set, it comes with Thrustmater's T3PA Pedals. On top of getting a clutch pedal, it includes a conical brake mod, designed to give more tension to your brake pedal and allow you to better control braking. Plus, in just about any wheel-supported Xbox One game you can map the brake to the clutch and put the conical brake mod behind it, giving your legs more room if you're not using an H-gate shifter. Though if you know you never want to use an H-gate, it might be better value to just get the standard TMX and use a DIY solution for modding the brake.
  
  
• Thrustmaster TX
  
  In case you're wondering, yes, it comes with Ferrari branding as standard. Anyway, this is arguably the best bang-for-your-buck. TX TX's rim is interchangeable, so if you're not a fan of the stock one, you can replace it with another Thrustmaster rim of your choosing. On top of that, its belt-driven FFB system is a bit stronger and considerably smoother than the TMX, not to mention that it's hard mountable (is able to be screwed-in to a rig instead of needing a clamp). While some get the TMX as a starter wheel and upgrade later, this wheel is often people's one-stop for sim racing, since it's just that good.
  
  ^(NOTE: You really picked the best time to get into sim racing, this wheel is only $257 as of writing this! $400 is a decent price for this wheel but the current price is an absolute steal.)
  
  
• Thrustmaster TX Leather Edition
  
  Similarly to the TMX, this is Thrustmaster's step-up version of the wheel; not only does it include a special black version of the T3PA pedals, it also includes a much better rim. While its style is more akin to the TMX, its rim is made from a metal frame, making it feel more solid than the TMX and standard TX plastic rims, and is wrapped in a nice leather instead of rubber. For only $67 more than the standard TX, it's a significant savings over buying the parts separately.
  
  
• Fanatec CSL Elite
  
  This is the premium class of wheels, for the most part. Fanatec's hardware is generally only built from the best of materials and offer some of the best performance, along with being open to Fanatec's wider, more advanced selection of parts and accessories. However, unlike most wheel bases, this is only the wheel base, no rim or pedals included. If you want Fanatec's base CSL offerings for a rim and pedals, the price jumps to about $470, the same price as the TX, but that's only with two pedals. If you want their 3-pedal base instead, the price jumps up to $590, and if you want a GT style rim instead, you're already over $600 with the 2-pedal set, $700 with the 3-pedal set. Fanatec's gear is top-quality, but it comes at a price. Is the bit of extra quality worth the prices that the parts quickly add up to? That's subjective. At the very least, I wouldn't recommend Fanatec Gear if you're on a budget, but maybe consider it for the future.
  
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  Rigs and More
  
  There are some Xbox One wheels for you to consider. I hope my explanations made sense, I wanted to make sure to convey the different aspects of each wheel so you could better make a decision.
  
  If you want my personal recommendation though, I'd say the TX, especially since it's on sale. $250 for that base is a great price, it's a near-perfect balance of budget with performance.
  
  Next on the list, a rig. If we're assuming that you're willing to reach towards the upper-end of your budget, then continuing here after you get your wheel is a no-brainer. Having a dedicated place to secure your wheel and mount your pedals makes for a far better experience than sitting at a table, especially if you're playing in front of a TV.
  
  Keep in mind that there are two types of rigs, wheel stands and cockpits. Wheelstands are only meant to mount your wheel and pedals, where you sit is up to you. They're designed to be foldable and easy to carry, making them perfect for playing in front of the living room TV or using in a small apartment. Dedicated cockpits take things to the next level, securing your seat to the wheel and pedals means that you won't have to worry about anything sliding around, and makes things more comfortable overall.
  
  As much as I want to continue though, there are many, many great options to choose from and reddit has a length limit on comments. For more information on building your rig, you can check out the r/Simracing Buyer's Guide in the wiki. It includes everything wheels and rigs to accessories and monitor mounts.
  
  Cheers, and let me know if you have any questions.

> "what are other good LEFT-hand joystick other than the TM 16000m ?"

There are a handful of other options but the T16000M is the best value which is why it's always recommended. If you are willing to spend more, others will have suggestions for you... I don't honestly remember what the left-handed options are.

 

> "I read mixed things about the TM TARGET software, some good things, and some bad things. The first thing I would like to know is simply your opinion on it."

I know a fair amount of people that have trouble with TARGET but I never have. It seems some have hardware conflicts, but luckily, it's always just worked for me. Is it bullet proof? No. For me, the biggest issue is when, for various reasons, my T16000M is registered as a device later in the line than usual when booting, giving it a different ID. This tends to throw things off.

The thing to remember is that there are two parts to the TARGET software but you can't use both simultaneously. There is the TARGET GUI which lets you quickly and easily set up and configure the stick through an interface. It gets the job done if your needs aren't crazy. But, if you need more control over the configuration, you have to dive into the TARGET scripting in which you write code to make it do what you want. And, like any type of coding, if you're not familiar with it, it can be frustrating.

 

> "is there a way to make TARGET work with one TM and one non-TM stick at the same time ?"

Absolutely. I use a CH Fighterstick in my right and the T16000M in my left. BUT... TARGET can't see or communicate with a non-TARGET-enabled stick. I don't have pedals... yet. Maybe someday.

 

 

So... below is my setup and WHY I personally do this. It's not ideal for everyone but it's what brings me the most joy flying in SC given my budget/space/style parameters. I don't play with dual sticks to be highly competitive or to see my name on the leaderboards. I do it because it makes flying that much more enjoyable for me.

I've been playing combat flight sims since the late 80's with one or two sticks and I've been a dual stick user in SC for a couple years now and love it. Most here will recommend two of the very capable and affordable Thrustmaster T16000M or the newer version, Thrustmaster VG T16000M FCS. Both of these sticks have molded bits on the handle that are removable and come with replacements so you can make them usable in the right or left hand.

While I use dual sticks, I don't use two T16000Ms and here's why:

Yes, the T16000M can be made to work right or left handed... and that's fantastic. That's why I use it in my LEFT hand. And while it's true the T16000M has LOTS of buttons on it, 12 of those buttons are on the base and only accessible in a dual stick setup by taking one hand off of one of your sticks. That's not ideal.

So, I went with a CH Fighterstick for my right hand. I've always loved CH products... they just feel a little more sturdy to me. But, the reason I did it was because ALL the buttons on the Fighterstick are ON THE STICK within reach of your fingers/thumb. There are triggers, buttons and hats that amount to 24 (I think) digital buttons (on/off) within reach of your hand that's already holding the stick.

The main argument for using dual sticks is to have six analog axis in your hands at all times (X, Y, twist for both sticks). The drawback though of my setup is that while the T16000M has three analog axis (X, Y, twist) on the stick, the CH Fighterstick only has two (X, Y... no twist). That means with just the sticks, I have five analog axis to work with. BUT, for me personally, that was a trade-off I was willing to make. Eventually, I have dreams of owning pedals to cover the missing axis.

Also, I fly with all fixed guns, no gimbals. That's how I remove the gimbal variable for myself. Again, this is a choice based on the way I like to play flight sims.

Here's my setup:

I've posted my HOSAS (Hands On Stick And Stick... otherwise known as Dual Sticks) setup details multiple times... so I apologize to those who keep seeing it. I post it here again not because I feel it is the best method/setup, but simply for you to consider and take bits from if you wish:

-----

> I know it's easier said than done, but if you have access to two sticks (friends peripherals) and a HOTAS setup, try both/all and see what feels good. You could also find a really cheap, used stick on Ebay or ShopGoodwill.com as a test. So long as the axis work, that's all you need to test the setup. Then, if you're happy with how it feels, invest in a proper stick. I just happened to have an old, barely working stick laying around that I used to test the dual stick setup. After 2 weeks, I was convinced it was right for me so I picked up a newer stick (still used though).
>
> Here's a graphic of my bindings
>
> If you're curious, here are the videos I have specifically about dual stick:
>
> My Dual Flightstick (aka HOSAS) Configuration
> Game Play: Squadron Battle with Dual Joystick Overlay
>
> Here's a breakdown of my setup:
>
> #Right Hand (main)
>
> CH Fighterstick
>
> ------------------------
>
> X-axis: roll
> Y-axis: pitch
> Trigger: fire weapon group 1
> Pinky button: fire weapon group 2
> Side 4-way hat switch: Vertical and Lateral strafe
> Top left 4-way hat switch:
> Left: switch countermeasure
> Right: launch countermeasure
> Down: missile lock
> Up: fire missle
> Top right 4-way hat switch:
> Up: target object in reticle
> Left: Cycle friendly targets
> Right: Cycle hostile targets
> Down: don't remember...
> 8-way hat: only use down right now to look behind
> Right side red index finger "mode" button: IFCS mode switch (SCM, PRE, CRU)
> Don't use top red button yet
>
>  
>
> #Left Hand (off hand)
>
> T16000M
>
> -------------------------------
>
> X-axis: yaw
> Y-axis:
> Front half of axis: throttle
> Back half of axis: backward strafe
> Twist: strafe lateral
> Trigger: boost
> Throttle lever: set and forget throttle
> Top Left button on stick: Push-to-talk for Mumble and what not
> Top Right button on stick: couple/decouple mode toggle
> Hat UP: zoom in
> Hat DOWN: zoom out
> Three of the left side base buttons are the landing keys
> Two of the left side base buttons are Q-drive system and Q-drive engage
> And Match Target Speed is the last base button on the left
> * I have nothing bound to the six buttons on the right side of the base, yet
>
>  
>
> My two requirements and goals when I set this up when AC first came out was:
>
> 1. To have fine control over throttle on the Y-axis WITH reverse but to also be able to set the throttle using the throttle lever on the T16000M for longer flights without having to hold the T16000M forward to maintain velocity. For example, if I let go of the T16000M, my thrust will be 0. If I set the throttle lever to 75% and don't touch the Y-axis, my ship will maintain the 75% thrust/velocity. As soon as I touch the Y-axis, I again have fine control over thrust.
> 2. To be able to fly with only the main hand (CH Fighterstick) when fine throttle control was not necessary. I try to have all my main controls that I need on the Fighterstick with the extras on the t16000M. Combine that with some key VA commands and it works well in AC.
>
> I think the greatest drawback my setup has is that vertical strafing is not intuitive or easy (since it is bound to a hat on the Fighterstick). But, the throttle was the the key part of my setup and I wanted it on the Y-axis of the T16000M. I do not have pedals or any other peripherals.

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I assume the wheel you have is a Driving Force GT. If it is, that's a pretty good wheel, and if you're okay with the gear-driven force feedback and the shitty pedals, you should be good for now. The next step up I would recommend the T300 Alcantara bundle, which is the best "bang for your buck" deal on the market currently.


For games, I have pretty much every sim on the market right now, barring RRRE and more niche stuff like those karting sims and whatnot. I switch between them several times a day, which doesn't really feel weird at all, since I have my wheel settings how I like them in each game.


If you're looking for competitive racing your 4 best options are easily iRacing, rFactor 2, Automobilista (my favourite all-round sim btw, get it regardless!), and rFactor. iRacing has already been talked about in this thread, but I've been getting back into it recently, and it's seriously the best on the market for competitive online racing. rFactor 2 is the best sim for leagues right now, since it's arguably the most realistic sim, and has the best support for mods online. Automobilista's not great for pick-up races, but I race in a GT3 league and I'm loving it. And rFactor has a ton of leagues for all sorts of cars still going strong, if you don't mind outdated graphics.
***

Since you asked someone else, I'll describe to you what I think about the "pick-up" nature of iRacing vs running a league.

Pick-up races: If you're in iRacing, most series run races every couple hours, which means you can race pretty much any time. Participation varies per series, but most series have healthy attendance most hours of the day. You don't get to know people quite as well, although if you race regularly in a series, you'll get to know some people eventually. I remember once, I joined a C Class race (NASCAR Trucks) with open setups, and there were like 10 guys in the race who knew eachother well, inside jokes and all.

Leagues: Leagues feel more like a real life racing series. You get to know your competitors; their personalities, abilities, and weaknesses*. Knowing your competitors well not only adds to the overall atmosphere of the series, since each race is important for your series standings, but allows for much more interesting races, since racers often play off of eachother's weaknesses. If you find a league that appeals to you, definitely give it a shot.

Hello OP!

From your post and comments, I've gathered that you only need 2 pedals, don't need an H-pattern shifter, and play on the Xbox platform.

Assuming you need your wheel + pedals shipped for $500 AUS, (that's $358 USD, plus shipping costs more for Australia), you actually don't have too many options at all.

If I were to rank all available racing wheels right now, the cheapest level would be the ones without force-feedback. This would include Thrustmaster's T80 and Ferrari 458 Spider Racing Wheel, as well as the Hori Apex. All of these wheels are complete shit, not to sound harsh.

LEVEL 1

The first level of wheels that are good are the ones with gear driven or gear/belt hybrid force feedback. This means that when motors turn the wheel to provide information about traction or oversteer (examples), it may feel "notchy" and loud. They still get the job done. When only listing ones compatible with the Xbox One, these include:

Logitech G29 ($400 AUS + free shipping) - has 3 pedals and comfortable grip, but very bad gear-driven force-feedback

Thrustmaster TMX ($240.83 AUS + $90.13 shipping = $320 AUS) - has 2 pedals, which you say is O.K. Has better force-feedback with a hybrid belt drive/gear driven combo. It is cheaper than Logitech because Logitech is so popular. Do not be fooled, this is an objectively better wheel in almost every way.

​

LEVEL 2

The second level of wheels are the ones that are only belt-driven. These are much smoother quieter, and detailed than Level 1 wheels. When only listing ones compatible with the Xbox One, there is only one wheel base:

Thrustmaster TX Servo Base ($358.41 AUS + $58.30 shipping = $416 AUS)

However, the TX allows switching of wheel rims. You can buy the base by itself (above) and need to buy an individual wheel rim, or you can buy it in a set with pedals and a rim. The only option here seems to be getting a set, since buying the individual parts would be too costly. You've got two options here for a bundle:

Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Ferrari 458 Italia Edition ($559 AUS + free shipping)

Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition Premium ($699.95 AUS + free shipping)

While both wheels are mechanically identical, I would have to recommend the Leather edition. It comes with a much higher quality wheel rim (leather and not rubber) and also has a much more durable pedal set (3 pedals with metal plates). Still, the Italia edition TX would be a good choice if you can't spend the extra money. It is better than the G29 and TMX.

​

LEVEL 3

Since I saw you talking to some other users about the Fanatec CSL Elite, I might as well discuss these wheels despite it being outside your price range. The Level 3 wheels all use belt-drive systems as well, but are smoother, faster, and quieter than their Level 2 counterparts.

Fanatec Xbox One Competition Pack ($1,109.90 AUS + ??? shipping)

Thrustmaster TS-XW Racer Sparco P310 ($1,099 AUS + ??? shipping)

Both wheels cost around the same and are mechanically almost identical. However, the Thrustmaster has a nicer rim (in my opinion) and has 3 pedals. Still, you should decide this on your own.

​

I hope this helped a great deal, and have fun with whatever wheel you choose! Cheers

I was skeptical but hopeful for years, until I saw Hurston and Lorville get released, and I finally jumped in both-feet during the end of the last Anniversary sale. Player-generated clips like this one and this one definitely helped convince me... I mean look at that, it's all actually there in the game, nothing is a backdrop only for viewing from that spot on some map, that sun isn't rising, the earth-sized planet you are on is spinning in space.

My biggest suggestion: get a proper HOTAS, or at least a stick with a throttle on it and some good base-area buttons - I use an old Saitek X-52 that interestingly enough is being re-released in a few weeks. There are some serious mil-sim level ones out there too. The T-Flight Hotas X and T16000M are popular for the budget-minded (although Star Citizen will rapidly change your mind about what "sensible expenditure" in a game means lol). Get a used one if you want a killer one but can't afford new (seriously though, $60 man, very worth it), but it's a huge help not having to go to keyboard commands for anything flight-related, including targeting, countermeasures, scanners, thruster controls, etc. When hopping out of your flight seat (either to do something in your ship or get out of it entirely), just have the mouse and keyboard positioned to either side of the flight stick, easy. You'll use the mouse in the cockpit a fair bit too, to interact with the MFDs sometimes for things like requesting landing clearance, changing MFD functions, overclocking components on the ship, etc,. It's the most immersive sci-fi flight/FPS/society game I've ever seen.

I'd highly recommend to get in as soon as they announce Update 3.5, adding the entirely new planet ArcCorp, its main landing area for spaceships Area 18, several moons, and the long-awaited new flight model, go Public Live in a few more days. Fly your starter ship (I recommend the Avenger Stalker starter ship or the Cutlass Black package for the bit of cargo space you get, helps make a little money and can still fight ), enjoy a bit of mission running, exploration etc, and learn the world, and when the next massive Anniversary Sale comes around in November you'll know what ships you really want and can make informed decisions, as the sales they have at that time are awesome.

Whatever starter package you get, it'll need to be a "Game Package" that includes the base game as well, and after that one-time buy you just buy standalone ships or packages if you want to pay real money, or you can buy many of them in-game for game-money (UEC) if you make enough (many good ones are millions of UEC). The advantage of paying real money is that they will be with you forever - as they make major updates CIG usually resets all accounts to starter levels again, and you lose anything you earned in that version of Alpha - but you also have many advantages in Alpha that will not be present in the final game so still worth it to buy cheaper ships in-game IMO.

^edit: ^added ^bit ^about ^game ^packages

Cheap, or expensive, is relative. What budget do you have to work with? Basically, I would say in total for the rig, around $700-800 can get you something pretty decent, then you're looking for the actual console/PC and the games themselves as an additional price.

For a fairly cheap, but still best bang-for-buck rig, I would recommend:

• Any of the T300 + T3PA bundles, for example the T300 Ferrari Alcantara Edition - Great wheel, best entry level wheel by far. With decent pedals, optional brake mod included that, imo, improves the feel a lot. Clutch included.
  
  
• TH8A shifter - Fairly cheap, all things considered,
  
  
• Simetik K2 cockpit - Very sturdy and customizable for its price, and also doesn't have that annoying bar down the middle that basically inhibits you from heel-and-toe downshifting that most of the other cheap rigs have.
  
  All in all this comes down to $885 as of right now, if you want to save a little bit you could go for the original T300 GT Edition instead and it'll be $817.
  
  The Simetik K2 is by far the best rig you can get in that pricebracket, but if you must save some more either skip the shifter for now or get a Playseat Challenge, it isn't the sturdiest but again, I do not recommend getting a rig with the pole in between your legs, I would personally rather play at a desk and an office chair than that, as it, at least for me, makes it really hard to heel-and-toe, and I love racing old DTM and GT cars with manual gearboxes and couldn't do without that.

Holy wow thank you for the in depth response. Just really started getting into true sim racing and the whole community has been awesome so far.
I've been using a crap wheel/controller so I'm basically looking at my first true set up. That means Logitech and others are out because I want to be in an ecosystem I can upgrade and grow over time. That seems to mean Fanatec or Thristmaster right now.
With that in mind , I'm comparing integrated products, base wheel and pedals together. The best prices I've found on new products so far have been through Fanatec direct and Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Ferrari-Alcantara-Racing-playstation-4/dp/B015KJ0SES
https://www.fanatec.com/us-en/bundle/product;bundle_id;153

They both have awesome upsides with huge upgrades I can make over time, which is really the most important thing to me right now. If I wind up living and breathing sim racing, I'll eventually want to go direct drive, but I don't have any plans to do so as of yet.
Plus, in all honesty, if I don't stick with sim racing for the very long term (which I think is unlikely, but always a possibility), the Elite and T300 both seem to retain their value pretty well, definitely better than the current crop of Logitech and other brands.

Thoughts on the above would be awesome! Thanks again.

As many people have mentioned, Star Citizen is still an in-development title, and there are lots of bugs and will likely continue to be lots of bugs for quite a while.

That being said, there are lots of people who are OK with this and are able to enjoy themselves, some fall on the other end of the spectrum and get really frustrated so it's worth keeping in mind that there is a 14 day refund policy. If you or he decides you aren't satisfied with your purchase, you can submit for a refund at any time in that 14 day window.

If you're still with us and you want to go ahead and buy him something, here's four strong options for you to consider:

1) Buy the Mustang Alpha Starter Package for $45 - https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/Packages/Mustang-Alpha-Starter-Pack

2) Buy the Mustang Alpha Starter Package for $45 - https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/Packages/Mustang-Alpha-Starter-Pack

Then upgrade it to an Avenger Titan using this $20 CCU (Cross Chassis Upgrade is an item that you will find in your hangar on the website after purchase and can then apply it to the Mustang Alpha to convert it into an Avenger Titan) - https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/Upgrades/Mustang-Alpha-To-Avenger-Titan-Upgrade

Most players in Star Citizen have owned at one point, or currently own an Avenger because it is incredibly versatile for its price allowing you to do both combat and hauling stuff while not being paper thin. It's also the one I'd recommend the most for him. He can always use the CCU system to upgrade his ship to something else later once he has a better idea of what he wants to do.

3) If he's likely to mainly do combat, then perhaps the Arrow would be a good choice $90 - https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/Packages/Anvil-Arrow-Starter-Pack

It will be noticeably more combat capable than the Avenger Titan, but it doesn't have any cargo space. It is a very popular ship right now for combat pilots.

4) If you really want to splurge, then get the Cutlass Black Package $115 - https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/Packages/Cutlass-Black

The Cutlass Black is larger than all the other mentioned ships and it's the first real offering that gives you decent multi-crew features. It has an interior you can walk around in with a couple beds (beds are used for logging off if you're out in space instead of at a station), It has a good sized cargo bay that's great for traders. It has a copilot seat which can be used by a second person to help manage shields etc..

It also comes with a turret for some extra firepower. It has plenty of teeth, and you can't really go wrong with it.

 

If he really ends up liking the game, he should look into picking up some flight hardware (Joysticks etc..). I'd recommend either the t16000m FCS HOTAS $130

Or the dual t16000m setup $115

You can also just buy a single t16000m joystick for around $60 and then buy a second one later. They can be flipped to lefty pretty easily, so don't feel like you need to buy two right away.

In terms of bang for buck, there is no contest compared to these in the budget arena. I personally fly with two sticks, some people prefer the stick plus throttle.

 

In closing, my personal advice would be to buy him the Mustang Alpha ($45) and the CCU to the Avenger Titan ($20), then tell him you'll contribute X dollars towards some flight hardware (Joystick/throttle etc) or further ship CCU's once he knows what he wants.

Best of luck on your decision making!

Logitech G29 - good value for money, tried and tested tech but it is a bit old being gear driven and can be a bit ratchety compared to a belt driven wheel if you care about these minor things. Pedals included are good especially at the G29 price point. Basically you can't go wrong here.

Thrustmaster T300 with standard pedals

T300RS with T3PA pedals - A bit more expensive than the logitech G29 and Thrustmaster have their fair share of horror stories regarding product defects but over all it's a solid wheel base for the majority. The T300 wheel base is a good wheel of choice for sim racing as It's belt driven so the steering is somewhat smoother and you have the modular steering rim option, just make sure to get a T300 package that comes with the T3PA or T3PA pro pedals. There's also the T150 which is a great starter wheel if you want a cheaper option than the T300 but you won't be able to take advantage of Thrustmasters modular wheel system in future and again, the standard pedals included aren't great.

Fanatec CSL Elite - Not wanting to leave the most expensive "starter" wheel base option out... The Fanatec CSL Elite wheel base for the PS4 will come close to blowing your budget of $500 and doesn't include pedals but it's another option on the table if you are interested in splashing the cash :).

I recommend to check ebay and any other buy/sell websites that you know if you're happy to buy used in case anyone who bought a nice sim rig or wheel and didn't like sim racing as much as they thought and are selling good kit for cheap. Happens more than you'd think!

Hopefully this helps somewhat and you can stay below that $500 mark.

I’m about 5 months into DCS. I played some flight sims when I was a kid, 20 years ago, in the Jane’s F/A-18 days, but nothing until DCS. I bought the Flaming Cliffs pack of modules and the A-10C and learned to fly the F-15C mostly at first but slowly read through the 600+ page manual for the A-10C and worked through the training missions and a few campaign missions. The F-15C is great because it doesn’t take too long to learn and you can be having fun shooting down AI flankers in a 10 solid hours of learning and start to get into tactics, the A-10C is definitely the most complicated thing I’ve ever learned for fun. I usually spend a good hr working on A-10C avionics training, then reward myself by jumping in the F-15 when I sit down for a session.

If you do jump into something like the A-10C, I’d recommend getting a quality HOTAS with lots of hat switches, trying to learn the intricacies of avionics and remember keyboard shortcuts and button modifiers is a very big complexity multiplier. I started with a cheap stick then bought the Thrustmaster t16000m and Throttle which works great for F-15, but isn’t quite up to the A-10, so I bought the Warthog stick and use it with the throttle from the t16000.

Compared to what are commonly called "arcade" racing games, "sim" racing games typically require more precision & better timing, and are thus considerably less forgiving & more difficult to control. I think people who enjoy the challenge and are willing to spend a significant amount of time practicing smartly can probably reach a somewhat safe (for others sharing the track with you) level of competency within a few weeks. Becoming competitive, however, can take much longer. There are lots of free resources online for learning how to improve.

Fanatical.com currently has a sale on Project CARS 2 for $28.79 (52%-off) - and there's also a free demo on Steam to try (which I recommend before you spend anything). Assetto Corsa is $29.99 (and a few times a year, it usually goes on sale for less). Both games have an offline practice mode & a single-player career mode to learn in before venturing into their online multi-player modes. Please do other racers a favor and avoid going online until after you've developed a solid grasp on safely controlling your car in traffic. ;)

The Logitech G29 wheel is popular (currently available new for $269 at Amazon.com). The ThrustMaster T150 is a budget-priced entry-level wheel (currently available new for $200 at Amazon.com). As long as you're not too rough with either of those, they should last long enough for you reach a point where you know if sim racing is something you want to go further with.

Unless you've got lots of disposable income to throw around, I wouldn't recommend spending more until after you become somewhat competitive with a budget setup.

Good luck & have fun!

Entirely depends on your budget - but at the very least something with Force Feedback, like the Logitech g29 with shifter - that's a very common setup. $200-450 is the figure you'd be looking at - depending on if what you want is on sale. A bit cheaper if you don't want a shifter and want to use the paddle shifters behind the wheels.

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-G29-Driving-Shifter-Bundle/dp/B016JBE8LU $299

I chose one a little higher priced, the Thrustmaster T300RS GT edition (3 pedal setup not the cheaper 2 pedal one without the clutch) as well as the TH8A shifter. I got the wheel on sale, full price on shifter. https://i.imgur.com/Y8Gg5oO.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T300-RS-Racing-Wheel-PlayStation/dp/B01M1L2NRL?th=1 $388 + https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-PC-PS3-PS4-Xbox-One/dp/B005L0Z2BQ $149


These wheels are much more than toys. You can feel the wheels on the road, traction loss, how much torque the cars have, if you slam into a wall the wheels can damn near rip your hands off (you can change the % of feedback to lower it). It makes the experience in VR feel super real. I'd say a wheel carries as much importance in VR racing as the headset does.

The craziest feeling I've gotten so far as just sitting at the start of a race idling in a '66 Mustang. The entire hood of this car is shaking back and forth like Dom's muscle cars in Fast and the Furious.....and the WHEEL is shaking left and right with the car exactly how you would expect something with that much power to. That thing was like 100% torque and it felt amazing.

Even if it takes some saving, I highly recommend one of them - although I would definitely wait until Black Friday to get $100 ish off of either one you choose. The sale prices for these are quite tolerable when they occur.

A stand for the wheel is much nicer than a table for mounting, but they can be pricey as well. From $100 and up. My Apiga AP2 stand was $280 but worth every penny to not have a bar in between your legs. Only $240 now and supports most wheels. https://www.amazon.com/APIGA-Foldable-Racing-Simulator-gearshift-ALL/dp/B00XBPYUIY

T300 Alcantara Bundle is the wheel to get. Its good all around, good base, good wheel and also pretty good pedals. Should be everything you need to get you started.

The T300 is the succesor to the T500 and its a better base in virtually everything.

iRacing is the place to go for public online simracing. Its expensive, but has a good penalty system that forces clean racing. It's good competition.

Alternatively you can also look for a league and race with them in any game really. Most serious simracing with fair opponents and no ramming etc is done in leagues or iRacing. It's not impossible to find good racing publicly in games, but often it has some rammers or the like.

There are many leagues out there, personally I race with Racedepartment but there are many more groups around.

Best game on how to learn is a difficult one, any game can do really ,the fundamentals of driving fast (and safe) are the same both in real life as well as in any simracing game.

I'd recommend watching this video on racing fundamentals, it covers everything to get you started. Don't expect to be the new Max Verstappen in just a few hours though :)

Logitech MOMO and DFGT are at or slightly below this price range, but they're two good ones. I've used a MOMO for close to a decade now and it's been a solid wheel. DFGT is superior to the MOMO in most ways except the MOMO has actual paddles instead of just buttons, if that's a big deal for you. DFGT is like 2x the cost of a MOMO though.

If you can save up another $100-$150, or wait for a sale, you could get a Thrustmaster TX or T300RS. They share the same base, and it's one of the best on the market (TX's wheel isn't the best, but it can be replaced). It's miles ahead of all the Logitech wheels (G27,Momo,DFGT) because it's a servomotor with a belt. Logitech wheels are geared which makes the FFB less precise, weaker, and gives them a "notchy" feeling.

IMO if you're looking for a low-cost wheel to test the waters or are new to racing, get a MOMO cause they're very cheap (~$80-$90, vs $150 for a DFGT) and good enough. The MOMO's low steering lock actually makes it well suited for F1 and other open wheel racing. If you are still playing a lot after a year or whatever, put the money you saved on getting the MOMO cheaply into getting a TX/T300RS.

I'll just mention stuff I've tried myself.

If money is no object, multiple monitors or at least headless ghosts are ironically useful in virtual desktop applications like Bigscreen. I run 3x2560x1600 in one large screen. Bigscreen has an update coming for multiple monitors too. Big physical screens are nice for spectators/multiplayer.

Until the wireless adapter comes out, a decently long displayport cable and longer USB cable running to the link box to cover the large play area and if you have an original Vive, the new 3-in-1 cable with a sleeve.

I've been looking at [this overhead pulley thing](https://www.amazon.com/MDW-Retractable-Management-Headset-Adhesive/dp/B01M6EB8DM/
) but I haven't actually tried it yet.

Two Vives would be good, you can run them off the same 2 base stations and partition the space with chaperone. I run a Rift and a Vive in the same room.

Get an assistant/intern/wife/child to help you set up/put things away, maintain everything, patch/update, find new content, etc...


Accessories:

• Wireless headset/mic and an anchor for it
  
• HOTAS, pedals (CH Throttle, T16000M, driving pedals for Elite Dangerous)
  
• Force feedback wheel/pedals/shifter (old G25 here and the Simraceway wheel - surprisingly precise handheld wheel you don't mount to anything)
  
• Xbox one controllers
  
• Steam controllers
  
• X-Arcade/NES/whatever emulation controllers
  
• Leap Motion
  
• Charging stations and rechargeable batteries
  
• Locomotion options like Omni (Virtuix still hasn't shown up yet) / PocketStrafe / Wii balance board w/ GlovePie hacks
  
  You might want a good recording setup with mixed reality support as well.
  
  e: stuff I forgot
  
  
• Transducer like a buttkicker for tactile feedback in seated experiences (mine is a DIY) / Subpac wearable for standing
  
  
  

> Don't by a plane with complicated systems and tricky/unique flight characteristics if you can't fly an F-15 proficiently. The FC3 planes have simplified systems but most have the same level of flight model. The F-15C and Su-27/33 are 3 of the best air to air planes in the game, so you're not at a disadvantage in that regard, if they were full fidelity they'd probably be even better (more radar modes to work with is one that comes to mind), master these then get the mirage

Thanks I think I'll stick with the FC3 planes mainly the F-15C for now, I heard that Mirage is not ransferable between Steam and Standalone so that might be a problem.

Also Can Steam players play with Standalone players?

> Get a proper hotas before going past the FC3 aircraft

So HOTAS X would be insufficient? I did look at the T16kM do I need the throttle combo? or just the stick? since I see there is what looks like a small throttle slide right there

and what do you think about the VKS Gladiator MkII stick? I've been eyeing it for a while (because I like how it looks, but expensive, I'm probably more likely to get T16K M. )

One last thing, Su-27, the engine won't start, I know the Start up sequence is pretty similar for all FC3 planes, I did the same things I do on the F-15C but the Throttle doesn't respond, there is no engine noise the plane just won' start.

MiG29 did respond to the same start up sequence, (battery>cockpit>engine>Nav lights>flaps)

Depends on your definition of "Break the bank". At the entry level, you're looking at spending about $50 USD.

• The Thrustmaster T-flight HOTAS X - This is entry level HOTAS that goes for $40-50 USD. 12 buttons, an 8-way hat, twist stick, and rudder rocker. This tends to have the "a little short of controls" problem, as Elite has lots of stuff to bind, so you'll likely want to either use the keyboard for more buttons or set up a series of modifiers like this to fit everything on it. The HOTAS One and HOTAS 4 (for the Xbox and PS4, respectively, though both are also PC compatible) are slightly upgraded versions of this stick, with the same exterior, but improved internals tightening the deadzone and making them a bit more precise. They're usually more expensive than the X, but you might catch them on sale for cheaper occasionally. Note that this unit only uses 1 USB port, as the throttle and stick are connected to each other via a cable (about 20" long). This is something to keep in mind if you plan on mounting them to chair arms or something. I personally used this unit previously. It's a perfectly good setup, though I personally found the lack of buttons to be annoying after awhile. Note that the throttle has a detent at 50%, making it nicely suited to full range operation, with the detent separating forward and reverse.
  
• The Thrustmaster Stick X. This unit is basically the above, but without the throttle and the buttons transferred to the stick base along with a throttle slider. Rings in at a little cheaper at about $30 USD.
  
• The Thrustmaster T16000M. This is a refreshed version of the classic T16000M, with minor exterior changes (reshaped hat, reshaped trigger, reshaped throttle, and tactile indicators on the base buttons). It's notable for being one of the rare ambidextrous sticks (you just swap out a couple parts to switch it) Unlike the X (which uses potentiometers), this unit uses contactless hall effect sensors, giving it very smooth motion with excellent precision. 16 buttons (12 of which are on the base), an 8-way hat, twist stick and throttle slider. More buttons available than the X. The stick by itself rings in at about the same price as the HOTAS X at $50 USD.
  
  Moving up, there's the Thrustmaster T16000M FCS HOTAS. This is the above T16000M stick along with Thrustmaster's new TWCS throttle and rings in at $130 USD. Totaling them up, you get 19 buttons, two 8-way hats, two 4-way hats, a two-way switch (very handy for supercruise/hyperjump), an analog stick, throttle slider, rudder rocker, and an analog dial, which is plenty of room for all the stuff you need (note that the throttle has no detent, so you'll probably want to run it forward only with a button assigned to reverse. Though if you're handy, people have come up with modifications to add a detent). This is what I personally use and I quite like it. Note that all the components of this set are available separately and can function independently (each needs its own USB port, so you might want to buy a hub with these). So you could buy the stick today and the throttle next month. Or buy the throttle and some other stick or buy two sticks, or whatever mix and match scheme you like. There's also a matching set of pedals (the TFRP rudder) available if that's your jam.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-6400 2.7GHz Quad-Core Processor | $179.99 @ SuperBiiz
Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-H110M-A Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $53.99 @ SuperBiiz
Memory | Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory | $37.99 @ Newegg
Storage | Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $45.89 @ OutletPC
Video Card | PowerColor Radeon R9 380X 4GB PCS+ Myst. Edition Video Card | $223.98 @ Newegg
Case | Fractal Design FD-CA-CORE-3300-BL ATX Mid Tower Case | $64.99 @ Directron
Power Supply | XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply | $55.99 @ SuperBiiz
Monitor | BenQ XL2720Z 144Hz 27.0" Monitor | $359.99 @ Amazon
Monitor | BenQ XL2720Z 144Hz 27.0" Monitor | $359.99 @ Amazon
Monitor | BenQ XL2720Z 144Hz 27.0" Monitor | $359.99 @ Amazon
Other| T300, T3PA-P, TH8A, Rim| $679.99
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $2432.78
| Mail-in rebates | -$10.00
| Total | $2422.78
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-05-06 20:58 EDT-0400 |


Some notes:

First off, if this is your first time doing anything sim racing related I'd take it slow and not invest to much in case you don't end up enjoying yourself as much as you think you will. If it's not go nuts.

This PC build should be able to hold up fine with most games, but someone please chime in if there's some better options. The monitors can easily be substituted for something else, I just love my 144hz. At the end of the day this is personal preference and can be adjusted to fit your needs/wants. I would highly recommend keeping the refresh rate above 120 though.
Finally, That wheel bundle is a bit pricey for someone just starting out, but definitely worth it if you know you will be serious about racing.

edit: Link to wheel

Flying with dual joysticks (and pedals) feels awesome! I got a T16000m FCS plus a T16000m FCS Flight Pack and only use the sticks and the pedal right now

I am gonna configure my setup in a way that I can switch from hosas to hotas when I am not in combat to be able to fly around more relaxed. It should be pretty easy to set up if I play around with the Target software some more.

The first time setting up dual joysticks was pretty tedious. I used TheNOOBIFIER1337's Playlist and the several reddit posts as an inspiration and finally decided to set them up more or less like in this video
To keep my desk uncluttered and my KB/M close I made a setup like this one!. Here are some more Images.

Ahh nice. You should be able to get a pretty decent upgrade.

Thrustmaster is probably what you are going to want to be on the lookout for, since they have some nice stuff in the $3-400 range when it goes on sale. The other option would generally be a Logitech G29 or G920, but while being solid, arent really worth more than $200. The Thrustmaster stuff will be better overall.

To that note, check out this link at Amazon. This was the sale I mentioned above, although it is out of stock right now. It was a bundle of Pedals (roughly $100 if bought separately), a Shifter (roughly $130), the wheel base (roughly $200+), and a wheel rim (roughly $150) for ~$475. If you have heard the term insta-buy, this was it. I would check this every day or two to see if it comes back in stock.

Around BF, Thrustmaster will usually have a variety of deals on the T300. There are a variety of wheel rims it might come with, or a variety of pedals. I would highly recommend getting the pedal set with 3 pedals (clutch, brake, and throttle). The 2 pedal set (brake, throttle) is really low quality and just cheap plastic.

Few bundles include the shifter, so dont go out of your way looking for everything I mentioned in the bundle above. For a TM bundle, it will include the pedals, wheel, and rim for ~$3-400 depending on what exactly is included. The bundle above included a different rim than what normally comes with the wheel base, so it's up to you to figure out what you would be most interested in.

To give you an idea, this might be a good bundle that you might be interested in. Might be under $400 for BF. The bundle I listed above comes with a Ferrari branded rim while this is just a generic TM rim made with leather. Still high quality though and still better than the normal rim is usually sold.

This sort of stuff goes on sale at Amazon every so often, so keep an eye out before BF too.

There aren't a lot of cheap HOTAS options. Some things to consider:

• T-Flight HOTAS X is relatively cheap at $50, but has relatively few buttons to work with and mediocre sensors that can make fine aiming difficult. A lot of people use it and are very happy with it though.
  
• T.16000M FCS is the next step up, and although it's fairly new it seems to be getting a pretty good reception. It's over your budget at $129 though.
  
• Dual joysticks is another totally viable and fun way to play, although it may take a bit more work to find a way to control all thrusters that feels natural (some people use twist for forward/reverse, some add rudder pedals, etc). There are obviously lots of possible combinations, one that works for your budget is a T-16000m combined with a Logitech Extreme 3d pro, for $95 combined.
  
  

Oh hey, I own that joystick! It's old and has huge problems with y-axis, but it was a trusty joystick.

Anyway, depending on how well you can touch type, you could even use KB/M.

I run dual stick - the attack 3 in left hand for thrusters, and in my right a t16000m, works great. (though my t16000m is green/grey, older version, the new one looks like it would be easier to use in VR, and is ED colored). You could also try buying the throttle and using your old joystick

I was about to write a lengthy text, until I realized that all i was saying has already been discussed :-)

I would love to recommend you the Thrustmaster VG T300 Ferrari Alcantara Edition , but the Logitech's QC has been really bad, and I don't know if they have improved in the last two years or not, so I can't really recommend them with a straight face...

The G29 is basically a slightly updated G27 minus the H-shifter (which you can buy separately if needs be). Some people are angry because of the omitment of the shifter, therefore the mixed reviews, otherwise it's a great set.

If you get more serious about sim-racing, and want to get better lap-times you can mod the G27 brake pedal with a loadcell...either totally diy (around 100 dollar) or with a kit (130 dollar).

It all depends on your budget obviously, but the G29 is definitively a very good set with the ability to mod the hell out of the brake pedal (if you ever feel the need to do so).

If you have more questions I am sure the guys and gals at /r/simracing are glad to help you (especially as the majority of them has more experience than I have...I'm still only entry-level enthusiast hehe).

-)

Ultimately, it's going to be a matter of taste. What sounds like the most fun to you? That's the question I asked myself a few years ago when the original Arena Commander module released. I decided the answer to that was dual stick, so I got myself a cheap left handed joystick and tried it. Turns out I love it! If immersion is what you're looking for, joysticks certainly deliver, at least in my experience. But I've been playing with joysticks for two decades now so I'm familiar with adjusting to odd control schemes. You may not want to invest that time, effort, and money.

​

If you do decide to try it out, however, there are a lot of cheap options that will give you a taste of what you're looking for without breaking the bank. I used the Extreme 3D pro joystick before upgrading recently, and it was a good option for only $30. Link HERE. There's also the T16000M which is fully ambidextrous for $60. I used it to test dual stick flight. Link HERE. And you may find them cheaper used. You can always upgrade later if it turns out you really like the setup, which is what I did.

​

If all you want to do is run cargo and explore, though, any options will be fine. If you think you'll be happy with mouse and keyboard, don't sweat it! I like decoupled flight and combat so having that additional control over my thrusters is nice and immersive, but that's my situation, not yours.

​

Again, ask yourself honestly what sounds like fun and go from there. If mouse and keyboard seems sufficient to you, there's no point in spending money. No amount of advice from other people can top that.

The only specialty items I have would be a corded racing wheel and a Razer Abyssus (Note that the one on that page is a slightly newer one that I don't have.)

I like the wheel a lot for three main reasons.

1. It's not mounted so I can move around a lot more freely.
   
2. Since it's just the wheel and the cord, it's very portable and easy to take with me whenever I go someplace else, which is fairly often.
   
3. The build is very good, it's only broken because I stepped on it. (Accidently, of course.)
   
   Although it does lack force feedback (For obvious reasons.) and even vibrations, which makes rumble strips not as rumbly. But the cord is VERY nice and sturdy. I can see the cord being the last thing to break. But for smaller hands some of the buttons may be difficult to reach and use comfortably.
   
   ---
   
   The mouse is the most generic that Razer makes, but have great build quality and a nice DPI/Sensitivity range. I like to use the highest settings with 3500 DPI @ 1000hz because it means I don't have to move the mouse as much to move the cursor. I also have the sensitivity nearly maximized. I chose it because it was simple (I don't understand how something like this can be comfortable.) looked comfortable, which it fairly is.
   
   ---
   
   I really want to get a better chair, as the one I use primarily is four years old and basically has wooden boards for "cushions". But at least it can still adjust the height, which I have at the lowest setting to keep me from curling forward and hurting my back.

$100 is only going to get you something used (like a t150 or g29) or something like the T80 that does not have force feedback, and force feedback is probably the biggest reason to use a wheel, so I personally would not recommend going that route.


The T300RS GT is on sale for $200 today for prime day, which is a really good deal for that level of kit. Cheaper than the T150 is usually, and it is a much higher quality wheel (I've had both.) If you've got the scratch right now, that is likely your best bet. Outside of prime day, the non-GT version, which only has two pedals, is typically around 230-250.

Also, browse a bit on /r/simracing, there are a lot of advice questions like this, as well as a very good buying guide that will help you get a good grasp on the options.

As a personal aside, spend a little more up front if you have any inkling this will be a hobby of yours. The t300 made a world of difference once I upgraded after hundreds of hours on the T150, and if you'll be spending a lot of time with it might as well get treat yourself up front.

Some "higher end" links for you:

• Ch Throttle -- IMO still the best throttle until VKB/Virpil
  
• MFG Crosswind
  
• VKB
  
• Virpil - great dual stick options here. I liked VKB just a tad more, like the additional button more on VKB. But Virpil has other things going for it too. Like better service!
  
• X56 Lotitech - make sure its the latest version, not saitek crap ... even re-branded saitek to logitech. Logitech recently released an update. QA is a huge issue with X56 range.
  
  Don't use this for E:D Warthog that is my 2c worth. Its maybe looks all metal but has some plastic internals and really is not for space flight sims. Allot of people bitch about the nipple on the throttle. So just my opinion that you should not look at it.
  
  On the lower end:
  
  
• Thrustmaster T 16000 etc. I have no experience with it. But people like it.
  
• X360 controllers etc. some people love it.
  
• Mouse and Keybaord -- PvP players swear by it!
  
  Happy stick hunting, fly safe CMDR o7!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

I assume instead of GTE you mean the T300 RS GT Edition.

This is the T300 RS GTE, and $400 is not a good price for it.

The difference is the GT Edition has better pedals than the GTE.

re: The T150. There is the Pro version that has the 3 pedal set, but it's currently unavailable on Amazon.

You can also get a separate 3 pedal set like the T3PA, or some refurbished G27 Pedals and the Leo Bodnar Adapter.

For a budget first-time wheel, maybe look second-hand? The G29 is mechanically exactly the same as the G27, and the G27 can normally be picked up for c. $200 or less second-hand.

Also bear in mind, the G29 does not come with a shifter, but the G27 does. If you want a shifter for the G29 you'll need to spend probably a minimum of c. $60 for the Logitech Shifter. However, the Logitech Shifter is pretty shit, so you might be better off getting at least the TH8A.

What's he difference between the G29, T150 and T300?

If you're comparing all the 3 pedal set versions, then the pedals are all virtually equal.

The difference is mainly FFB.

The G29 FFB is fine, but has a noticable deadzone at the top and can sometime feel a little bit notchy.

The T300 FFB is smoother, faster, stronger and quieter than the G29 and has virtually no deadzone. It's significantly better, but maybe not $150 better (depends on what it's worth to you).

I've been told the T150 FFB is somewhat between the G29 and T300, but I've not tried it myself.

A copy of what i sent to one user, but my recommendation still stands:

If you end up buying a joystick one day, I strongly urge you to look for Thrustmaster 16000, or for something with the equivalent of Thrustmaster's HALL effect. It really IS really-really nice. Because with whatever game you end up playing, you may end up using only a few buttons, but the joystick part of it will always be there, so THAT'S what you want to be top notch.

And I may be repeating myself, but that HALL effect is what they use in the pretty much highest end Warthog Joysticks and HOTAS, ones that go for $300+, so even though the buttons and the build itself of the 16000 is the same as of the other joysticks in the 30-50$, the action part of its is way above it's level.

Here's an Amazon link to the pre-order of the new version of the joystick by itself:

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-VG-T16000M-FCS-Joystick-Black/dp/B01MQEDEEW/ref=sr_1_10?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1479623136&sr=1-10&keywords=thrustmaster+joystick

If you want to buy once and never again, Fanatec is probably your best bet but it comes at a price.

ClubSport V2.5 Wheel Base is my recommendation for wheel base, check out the steering wheels you like and pick one, this is more preference. This base should basically last you forever, DD wheelbases are highly over-rated in my book.

ClubSport Pedale V3 because they come with the load-cell upgrade already and this is probably the most important upgrade if you take sim racing seriously, it greatly helps with your braking being more consistent.

If else, check out the setup I use. I honestly love it and I don't really see myself upgrading anytime soon. I plan on getting a new setup maybe next year and I'll most likely buy what I posted above if they are still available at the time.

Thrustmaster T300 RS GT and T3PA Pedals

Okay, wow. First of all, Wheelstand Pro products seem like a good value, until you realize that you have to buy the right wheel stand for what you plan to eventually do, and need to make sure you buy the right add on pieces for that stand. After checking their website, for the wheel and the pedals I want, in the configuration that I plan to use them, I'd have to spend over $300 USD for this, and it wouldn't be able to fold up completely because of the pedal design. Then, I'd still need another stand for my Joy and HOTAS.

I'm thinking I'll get the [Next Level Flight Stand] (https://www.amazon.com/Level-Racing-Wheel-Flight-playstation-2/dp/B073WVDKSP/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1511939568&sr=8-2&keywords=Next+level+flight+stand), since I can mount a Racing Wheel and Pedals to it, and I'm not likely to get flight pedals or a Racing Shifter any time soon. That way I'll have a complete setup ready to go for just @$300 USD on Amazon. It will also fold up more since it's a dual-spar design.

Anyone have some thoughts about this, or a better option?

I mentioned this already in another post, but the Thrustmaster T300 Alcantara Edition package is a very solid choice. Normally, the price is $469 on Amazon, but I saw it go for $299 during Black Friday and during the Christmas/holiday season. I picked it up when it was on sale, and for that price, its extremely well worth it. This setup is far superior to any of the Logitech wheels/pedals. My roommate has a Logitech G29, and that thing feels like a toy in every way compared to the T300. The T300 is much quiter, smoother feeling, and the pedals feel much more realistic (for this price range). Also just the diameter of the wheel alone makes a huge difference in the feel. It does not come with a separate shifter, but you can always add that in the future.

I have tried the G29 and the T300 side by side, and I can answer any questions you might have about them. Currently I'm using the T300 Alcantara package with a Fanatec 1.5 SQ shifter. The shifter adds ALOT to the experience, and it was totally worth the money IMO.

The 3 pedal is the best part of these wheels, and a lot of people continue to use them even after upgrading to Fanatec/TT. The Logitech shifter is sold separately now, and imo it's not worth the $60 they charge for it--save up for better quality. G25/27 wheels used to be a great value because they included 3 pedals + shifter for around $250-300 in an era when higher tier belt drive Thrustmaster wheels were around $500 just for the wheel and pedals.


A good shifter is going to cost you 100-150, so will a good set of pedals. But you should own a basic wheel like the TT TX for a few months to decide if you use it enough to warrant investing in higher end pedals/shifter. A lot of people buy these things and they just end up sitting in a closet being used a few times a year (if that).

Next step is a wheel with a good base. I mean, G920 is like 200-250€. Next clever step is to try some base with some good wheel. 300-500€

Thrustmaster TS-PC

[Thrustmaster T500 RS] https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thrustmaster-T500-Force-Wheel-Feedback/dp/B004GNG2MW?th=1

And you can find some fanatec between that prices...but I think best wheel quality/price is the Fanatec Clubsport if you dont think about Open Sim Wheel.

Hope it helps you!

I know this is a bit over your budget but go with T300 RS wheel for $298 (maybe you can find it cheaper somewhere) and go with [Fanatec ClubSport V3 pedals] (https://www.fanatec.com/us-en/pedals/clubsport-pedals-v3-usa.html) for $299. IMHO, pedals are way more important than a wheel. I have Logitech G29 and I upgraded my pedals to Fanatec ClubSport V3 and omg, what a difference. It's so much more consistent and better with good set of pedals. Also, the feel of brakes and accelerator is so much more better and the clutch is somewhat 50% close to a real car, which is far better feel than any other set of pedals out there for this price category.

Nice. One of the good things with the T16000M is that it's reversible- so if you want the option of dual sticks you can get a matching one and use it with your left hand instead of the throttle.

This offer is probably the best value hotas you can buy at the moment. The quality is excellent if you don't mind a plastic stick.

> ... having a structure in my living room that looks like half a go kart is contrary to the freedom that VR offers

That's not the purpose of VR though: The purpose of VR is to simulate an experience as accurately as possible. So, for example:

• If you were playing a VR game that simulated being in an empty room, then playing it in a real-life empty room would be ideal.
  
• If you were playing a VR game that simulated being in a car, then playing it in a cockpit would be idea.
  
  So the "ideal" room for VR depends entirely on the type of game you're playing it. Heck, if you were playing a VR game that simulated swimming, then a room with a swimming pool would be ideal.
  
  Anyway, the cheapest possible PS4 wheel you can get that is worth owning is the Thrustmaster T150:
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Force-Feedback-Racing-Wheel-PlayStation/dp/B014US02ZA/
  

Yes, F1 2019 is perfectly fine for beginners as it's the perfect combination of Sim and Arcade game.

If you can afford it, pick up the Thrustmaster T150. It's a perfect beginner wheel and has everything you need such as pretty decent FFB and paddle shifters. I used it myself for a while and I'll always stand by it.

I believe it is, but it is not as strong as say the T300. The other negative is you can't replace the wheel with other thrustmaster wheels.

The T300 offers 1080 degrees of rotation and the TX offers 900. If 900 degrees is enough for you, you could try this maybe?

You could upgrade the wheel if you want in the future or if you want a better wheel to start you could go with this.

I'd personally go with the first option since you get the shifter and better pedal set. There are plenty of options to go with though. I see a lot of people suggest fanatec pedals. I have the T3PA pedals and they work great for me. Hope this helps let me know if you have any questions.

A couple of things to keep in mind about budget wheels like the one you linked, based on my experience:

- no force feedback, which is a bummer.
- very limited rotation (this one rotates 90` either side, while a good wheel rotates at least 270` or more) - this affects gameplay a lot as your handling is going to be very twitchy - important if you're going to be playing a sim racer.
- steering isn't smooth and rotation-resistance can be a pain, literally.

You can really go ahead and get it if you want to, it'll be fun and more immersive than using a controller. It should be fine for NFS, Forza Horizon, or even F1.

However, I wouldn't recommend it for any proper racing sim such as Project Cars, AC, GT, or even FM7 due to the precision required in those games. If you really want a wheel setup, I'd suggest saving up and getting something like the Thrustmaster T150 PRO which usually goes on sale for around 13.5k INR because it has almost all the best features of a proper racing wheel. Or consider getting a good controller - I use an Xbox One controller for Forza, F1 and it is good enough and more precise than an entry level wheel.

I can't speak to how it compares exactly to the G27 and T-150 but from what I have gathered from owners of G27's and Driving Force GT's either one is acceptable...G27 obviously preferred since it comes with an H-shifter and clutch pedal/better pedals...the DFGT is going to feel like a toy since the rim isn't even the actual size of a racing rim, but nonetheless is widely-regarded as the best entry-level racing wheel for people interested in dipping their feet in racing sims/other driving simulators.

On PC you are able to use other external hardware with the wheel itself. On my Driving Force GT (DFGT) I had Fanatec pedals and a Thrustmaster shifter (you simply plug them in using a USB [which they will come with]). Be advised that the same cannot be said for console.

I am going to try reselling my DFGT but will be looking to get rid of it along with a wheel stand pro. I will keep you advised on my pricing when I know of it.

First, sorry for my shortcutting on the joystick. I was referring to the Thrustmaster T16000M. Same idea, basically, other than I am less interested in the full SIM, and am more likely to go with a HOSAS rather than HOTAS experience. As a side, I have a passionate interest in peripheral interfaces overall. I worked with a rehabilitation center in a Kinesiology College at a University, and I helped with the IT for laboratories which were using video game technology to combine with engineering to help people with disabilities. That included everything from people with MS interacting with Ocular Rift, to wheelchair rehab, etc. So I really geek out on ultra high dpi controls.

You did answer my question on that I would need an expansion for planetary landings and buggy exploration. That is a thing I like about the game's potential. I watched some videos by ObsidianAnt and they did interest me.

I think for me to subscribe, realizing that I'll have to spend some cash to do what I want and face some grindy elements, I'll basically see if I can find some social interaction that makes it worth my while.

Just my two cents as a new boot in Sim Racing, but I think you may be over estimating the necessity of FFB at first. Once you have it, you know how much it adds to the immersion, and that may be coloring your opinion as to how important it is to a new person.

My point is this. I've always liked racing games but never had a proper wheel. I was stuck with those damn controllers. (Yes, I'm on console. I left the PC Master race years ago.) So a month ago I finally said "screw it", and bought this:

Thrustmaster VG Ferrari 458 Spider Racing Wheel

I have had so much fun over the last month that I decided to jump into a little deeper end of the pool and bought this:

Thrustmaster TX Servo Base, Leather Steering Wheel, Gearbox Shifter, & Pedal Bundle

The FFB is so much fun, but I realized I probably appreciate it more because I haven't had it for the last month. On top of that, my wife (casual at best) hates it. She wants to use the non-FFB instead when she wants to race.

So that's my opinion on that. Just my experience and some food for thought. I'm glad to see you're trying to bring new people in like myself. I'm having a blast. I'm even building my own rig now. Yay for working with AutoCAD most days. :)

> Yeah, I am wondering that myself since Sony havent confirmed if the PS4 will support the G25/G27.

After I saw this, shortly after the Driving Force GT started to disappear from online retailers like Amazon, it basically cemented my needing to wait on getting a wheel.

When the DFGT was around $150 (which it was for quite a while), I might've been able to justify it. (Though adding something like this to the purchase doesn't help.) But the G27 was always out of my price range, unfortunately.

But maybe Logitech will come out with a good DFGT replacement that's 100% PS4 compatible and still goes for the same price as the DFGT did and this will all work out for the best in the long-run! :)

I use the Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS and also got a second Warthog Stick for a dual stick setup.

http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/accessories/apd/a9168831?cid=309562&st=&gclid=CLWYqP6dk9QCFR1LDQodiiAAFw&lid=5848362&VEN1=s7nLQ1cQ4,183457792450,901pdb6671,m,,A9168831&VEN2=,&dgc=ST&DGSeg=DHS&acd=1230980731501410&VEN3=812403894302130950

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CBVHJ00/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_IJXkzbZ5X9RT3

I also use the VKB Rudder Pedals.

http://store-x-plane-org.3dcartstores.com/VKB-T-Rudder-Pedals-MkIV_p_571.html

As for matching sticks, I am waiting to get the VIRPIL grips since they fit on the Warthog bases.

https://virpil.com/en/filtered/gpips/


-------- || -------- || --------

Alternatively, you can go with two VKB Gunfighter bases and wait for VKB SIM to release their newer right handed and left handed grips (which you can purchase later).

https://vkbcontrollers.com/?product=vkb-sim-gunfighter-base-only

Or perhaps two VKB Gladiator Pros for now and update both grips or just the left grip later when they eventually release:

https://vkbcontrollers.com/?product=vkb-gladiator

-------- || -------- || --------

Another way to go about it is getting two T16000 sticks (for a dual stick setup):

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQEDEEW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_8UXkzbM4P2BW7

-------- || -------- || --------

Or just go with the T16000 HOTAS (with or without pedals):

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KCHPRXA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PVXkzbAW6TM7K

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015PII6YI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_yWXkzb0KK7FTK

-------- || -------- || --------

Now although there are other options, like the Saitek products (X52, X55/X56) and CH products, those just aren't my cup of tea and too many problems plague the Saitek products that they don't seem to be worth investing in. I returned mine and got the Warthog setup and it's so much better. Night and day difference.

I hope I have listed enough choices at different price points to help you make a more informed decision.

And YES, DUAL STICKS are the best :D

Well, $40 is the bare minimum.

The Logitech Extreme 3D Pro is an entry-level twist stick. A lot of folks will recommend the Thrustmaster T.16000M, which is a notable step up with better sensors, but clocks in at about twice the price.

For super cheap headtracking, you're looking at using FaceTrackNoIR or opentrack and bashing together your own point tracker. The camera will run you about ten bucks, and the LEDs, wires and battery pack a buck or two, plus some time to assemble everything.

If you throw more money at it, you can either go for TrackHat or TrackIR, with TrackIR being something of the gold standard, but also commensurately expensive.

I'd recommend starting off with a cheap stick, a webcam, and facetrack. If you get bit by the bug, build your own point tracker to improve your head tracking quality, and look into getting rudder pedals, followed by upgrading your stick.

They advertise that they are somehow selling a 12nm Direct Drive wheel for $399 that is competitive to the $900 Accuforce wheel.

However, what they fail to mention are the sustained torque figures. The only "affordable" servo motor that can hit 12nm (as they advertise) is the MiGe 130ST-M04025. This budget servo motor is only capable of 4NM sustained.

This means that it's NOT a competitor to the Simexperience Accuforce wheel that offers 13nm sustained (with a 16nm peak).
This means that it's only capable of competing with the other ~$400 wheels-sets like the T300RS, which Feel VR is charging $599 for on Indiegogo

Hope this helps!

Measured sustained/holding torque (excluding peaks):
Logitech DFPro: ~1.1 Nm (rumored, unable to find loadcell/torque measurment)
Logitech DFGT: <2.5 Nm
Logitech G920/G29 2.2 Nm
Logitech G27: 2.3 Nm
Mige 80ST-M02430: 2.39 Nm
Logitech G25: 2.5 Nm
Fanatec GT2: 2.6 Nm
Fanatec GT3RS v2: 2.6 Nm
Thrustmaster TX: 3.9 Nm
Thrustmaster T300: 3.9 Nm
MiGe 130ST-M04025: 4 Nm
Thrustmaster T500RS: 4.4 Nm
Fanatec CSW v1: 4.8 Nm
Fanatec CSW v1.5: 5.2 Nm
Fanatec CSL Elite: 6.0 Nm
Thrustmaster TS-PC Racer: 6.0 Nm
Fanatec CSW v2: 6.0 Nm
Fanatec CSW v2.5 : 7.3 Nm
Leo Bodnar Simsteering2: 8.05 Nm
Mige 130ST-M10010: 10 Nm
Lenze MCS12H15L: 11.4 Nm
Simexperience Accuforce v1/v2: 13 Nm
Mige 130ST-M15015: 14.4 Nm
Fanatec Podium DD1: 15 Nm (as advertised, not confirmed)
FREX DD WHEEL: 16 Nm
Fantec Podium DD2: 18 Nm (as advertised, not confirmed)

Note: Most Mige 10/15 users run their motors at ~25-50% torque.
Note2: Holding torque is arguably the most important factor when it comes to using a wheel. However other factors such as smoothness, linearity, drive type, peak torque, ease of use/setup/configuration, game support, software, etc etc should not be ignored when picking a wheel. Research accordingly.

i was never a fan of racing games until i got my Rift. Old me would have laughed at the thought of spending hundreds of dollars on a "toy wheel." Well, i've been sucked in. Project Cars is tons of fun (Assetto Corsa as well), but be warned, it will tax your graphics card. With my OC 980ti I've had to tone down the settings a bit with med/low to get a stable 90fps. I dont have the space for a static driving cockpit/rig, so I got a Wheel Stand Pro to accompany my Logitech G920 wheel and shifter. It's not quite compact, but does fold up and can be easily moved to the corner and out of the middle of my office. A big plus. The wheel is nice and provides a decent level of feedback. I'm no pro when it comes to wheels and accessories, but I have been pleased. The wheel and shifter are a bit pricey, but i was able to find a deal on a good used one on ebay.

https://www.amazon.com/Wheelstand-Pro-compatible-Wheel-Stand/dp/B004AYM96A

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Driving-Force-Racing-941-000121/dp/B00Z0UWV98/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1466259411&sr=1-1&keywords=logitech+g920

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Driving-Force-Shifter-941-000119/dp/B00Z0UWV3O/ref=pd_bxgy_147_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=CHQ0JTV6G8X63G9V5ZZZ

I posted this above, It can be cheap but if you want something that feels right.. it's not so cheap.

>[Thrustmaster](https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Force-Feedback-racing-wheel-WINDOWS/dp/B01CI97DNM/ref=sr_1_4?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1537753451&sr=1-4&keywords=thrustmaster+steering+wheel+pc&dpID=51bn3uOuWAL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
) on amazon is $160. It comes with pedals. But honestly after a month I upgraded to much better pedals and then bought a shifter ended up costing me over $400 by the end of it all lol. You can get away with just the wheel and default pedals though.

I can recommend my setup:
Thrustmaster T300 Ferrari Alcantara Integral Edition

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B015KJ0SES/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487172453&sr=8-1-fkmr0&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=thrustmaster+t+300

Get a extra shifter like the TH8A

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005L0Z2BQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487172565&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=thrustmaster&dpPl=1&dpID=41AEMeEQwUL&ref=plSrch

SimRig GT Omega Pro RS9

http://usa.gtomegaracing.com/racing-simulator-cockpits/pro-racing-simulator-cockpit/gt-omega-pro-racing-simulator-basic-rs9-seat-canada

Total cost: 1070$

Of course you could get even better options on the market. But IMO it is the best compromise between cost, reliability and quality.

The Thrustmaster 16000M, either by itself, as a hotas, or as a hosas is regarded as a good entry level stick by many.

edit: best way to make credits in-game by far is mining, either surface mining for painite or core mining for void opals. Easily 100m/hr or more if you know what you're doing, and/or follow one of the many guides on youtube. I can't personally advise though as I've been actively avoiding it. I don't want to be rich so quick I have no idea what to do with it.

It's a G29 but I have pulled the pedals out from their casing and made my own retractable pedal box. It works just the same. There is also a similar G920, the G29 works with PC and PS3/4 while the G920 works with PC and Xbox one.

I would say that a wheel adds a great deal of immersion to racing, there are cheaper options but I upgraded pretty much immediately because the paddles on the cheaper wheels are rubbish. They are force feedback so you can feel the car moving through the wheel.

My wheel is barely considered entry level, in fact hardcore enthusiasts will not accept anything less than a Thrustmaster T300 which is out of my price range.

Ok. If I decide I can spend the money I will go with the T300. Just to be sure this is the wheel you are talking about right? They also have the Ferrari version, but it looks like it is probably the same wheel with a horse on it XD

I bought one as my first wheel a few months ago and it gets the job done for me. Just yesterday I bought T3PA pedals to replace the ones that came with the wheel but that's only because the gas pedal started to feel lose on the original pedal set.

Keep in mind this is the only wheel I've ever sim-raced with so I can't compare it to anything else and I'm sure someone else here has far more knowledge and personal experience with different wheels but, if you're just looking for a cheap-ish wheel to try out sim-racing, I'd recommend it.

Like I said take this with a grain (handful) of salt because I'm still pretty new to sim-racing and sim-racing peripherals

That's the whole reason I want the Ferrari F1 wheel, more buttons. This looks good, but it'll technically be a downgrade from my stock RS GT wheel, which is a no-go for me. I just want more buttons on the wheel.

I wish they'd make something like this for their bases.

If your budget is sufficiently flexible:

I think the T300 Alcantara is the best bang for your buck near that price range.

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T300-Ferrari-Alcantara-Racing-Wheel/dp/B015KJ0SES/ref=sr_1_3?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1497120210&sr=1-3&keywords=t300&th=1

There is a big jump in performance once you upgrade to T300 level. Fanatec and the newer Thrustmaster wheels will perform better, but not in a radically different way. You won't get qualitatively better performance (to my knowledge) unless you spend upwards of 1000 on a direct drive wheel.

The Alcantara wheel has an amazing feel and size for the price. The pedals are also decent, and the most of the more expensive wheels (newer thrustmaster, fanatec, direct drive) don't come with pedals.

Depending on your budget, you may want to put off buying the shifter for later. I don't think I have a shifter recommendation, since I think that depends on your preferences. Eg, Sturdiness, ease of mode switching, shorter throw (clubsport) Longer throw, handbrake option (th8a)

Are you on PC? Is the Thrustmaster T150 (PC and PS4) or Thrustmaster TMX (PC and Xbox one) too expensive? This is as budget as I'd go if you want brand new. The downside is you only get two pedals but do have paddle shifters. If this is too pricy try searching craigslist around your area for any used Logitech Driving Force GT's (two pedals, no h-shifter, but has a sequential shifter), or a Logitech g27 (three pedals, comes with h-shifter).

If you do want three pedals and an h-shifter, then I think the Logitech g29 (PC and PS4) or Logitech g920 (PC and Xbox one) are the current best value as far as brand new. With craigslist you can possibly find better deals locally, but it can be a crapshoot.

I have a Logitech G29, the clamps work really well for a table. The only thing you have to make sure is that the table is sturdy enough, if it's too light, it will move a lot, and the vibrations are going to be a PIA. Also: if you don't have carpet, your pedals are going to move a lot.

I used to have it on an old table that was really fragile so I bought this stand and it works great, the best thing is that it folds, so, once you are done racing, you just fold it and put it away.

EDIT: I didn't read the word "foldable" in your comment so I just gave you a redundant opinion. Sorry.

Not bad. I think I saw it at £200 the other week for all 3.

I’ve heard that the G920 has some reliability issues and that the TMX is probably better to go with if you get the Pro set with the T3PA pedals.

If you’re not too bothered about the shifter straight away I’d get the TMX. I have it and the wheel is great for the price bracket, just steer clear of the 2 pedal set if you have the budget to go a step further. Some links below so you can have a look;

ThrustMaster TMX PRO Steering Wheel + Pedalboard https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01M5ALXJD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6RUpDb20TDV5F

ThrustMaster T3Pa Pro Pedal set - 4060065 (Gaming > Game Controllers) +}b https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00UVN21IU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_HSUpDbP6YVZ0D

Thrustmaster TH8A Shifter (PS4, Xbox One, PS3, PC - Windows 8, 7, Vista & XP) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005L0Z2BQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_eTUpDbTEV2EHJ

The wheel stand itself is like $120. The wheel and pedals have a huge range based on what you get. You might get something ok on eBay for like $125-175 but if you want a new wheel that's pretty cheap then this one is good for $200. There are wheels under that cost by they just aren't good enough in my opinion. Above that price there are wheels of all sorts of costs up to many thousands of dollars.

The top-end Thrustmaster bases are perfectly comparable to the CSL, everyone in this thread seems to be thinking of the TS-PC / T-GT / TS-XW as equivalent to the T300 which just isn't at all true.

Pedal wise it's trickier as Thrustmaster don't offer a loadcell (though plenty of people would argue the T3PA brake mod makes that fairly superfluous, it's a pretty subjective thing and a lot of the time it's post-purchase rationalisation either way) - but you can always use Fanatec's pedals with Thrustmaster's base.

Just for the sake of (much) cheaper rims I'd personally go for a TS-PC instead of the CSL, even if I was using the Fanatec pedals. I'd either go for the TS-PC and add the 599XX or Sparco r383 rim, or the TS-XW by itself (though Thrustmaster are a bit weird with selling that one with the T3PAs) and then get the Fanatec CSL pedals.

That should be within your budget roughly

TS-PC Racer: $450

TM Sparco R383: $200

CSL Elite LC: $200

Or alternatively you could look at the 488 Challenge wheel which just came out which is a 9:10 scale replica (32cm diameter compared to the standard T300's 28cm) on the TS base, which oculd be very nice (but bumps up the price a decent amount - if you wanted a formula rim you'd probably have to get the Ferrari F1 which is a bit plasticky compared to the rest)

Edit: The caveat here is that if you think you might end up moving up to a Clubsport wheelbase there might be a reason to start investing in the Fanatec ecosystem regarding rims etc. but you're well into diminishing returns at this point and there's every chance that Thrustmaster keep on bringing out higher end wheels given their current trends with the 488 Challenge/TS-XW/T-GT etc.

The playseat challenge looks awesome, is it able to support a flight throttle and stick such as a Saitek set?

I just purchased the Next Level Flight stand for $200 off eBay because it is collapsible and supports racing and flight controls. Will be delivered next week. It doesnt come with a seat though like the playseat challenge.

Next Level Racing Wheel and Flight Stand
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073WVDKSP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_YkzbAbAHTH2R2

Thanks, I appreciate the recommendation. Thrustmaster is certainly seeming like a good price-to-performance brand, though some have lackluster reviews it appears.

I was just going off of Amazon prices when I made my post. To get the T150 with the T3PA pedals you're going to be spending $319, https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Feedback-3-Pedal-Progressive-Resistance-PlayStation/dp/B06XP1JZ53/ref=sr_1_2?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1500501698&sr=1-2&keywords=t150+pro . Although after your comment I looked it up and Gamestop does appear to be selling T150 Pro sets for $250. http://www.gamestop.com/accessories/thrustmaster-t150-pro-limited-edition-racing-wheel-only-at-gamestop/131351

For the g29 you're going to be spending $265. https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Driving-Force-Racing-PlayStation/dp/B00Z0UWWYC/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1500501761&sr=1-1&keywords=g29

So in that case it just comes down to whichever wheel you prefer. People say the T150 has better feel, I've never used one so I honestly don't know. But I know Logitech has a better reputation when it comes to their wheel's longevity, and their warranty is good for an extra year over the Thrustmaster (once again, if you live in the EU though you're going to be getting a 2 year warranty on both because of their consumer protection laws.) I live in the US though and the 2 year warranty is what really made me go from wanting to buy the T150, to actually buying the g29. If I'm spending that much money on something I want to make sure that it lasts for as long as possible, and the warranty makes sure that at the very least least I'm getting 2 years of trouble free usage out of it. And for real, the g29 really does feel good, I mean the g25/27 was the standard wheel for enthusiasts for years. The technology may be old, but it's tried and tested, and it works well, just not as well as a belt system.

The issue with the wheel is that you will have to spend a lot of money to do much better than the g29. I do think the t300 is an upgrade, especially the Alcantara edition but it's only a slight upgrade, definitely not worth the price of the upgrade. The pedals it comes with are a slight upgrade as well, again, I wouldn't pay that price unless your kit breaks.

Loadcell pedals on the other hand are kind of a no-brainer. CSL elites w/ the load cell will last you a very long time. Contrary to some of the posters here I would suggest getting the loadcell brake pedal right away. Learning to brake on a load cell is totally different (much much better) and you will have to relearn once you get it so there is no point delaying in my opinion.

I would get those then look into a bottom tier DD like the SW7C that goes for $550 + shipping in the future.

Try for a T300 RS GT IMHO. Will give you the option to expand into H-shifter driving down the road easily by buying a TH8A shifter.

According to CamelCamelCamel, it fell as low as $240 briefly on Amazon last December but anything $300 and under is a pretty good deal basically, and I think it's hit $270 repeatedly.

Thrustmaster TWCS is cheap and good value, has a button layout that works decently for the F/A-18.


Thrustmaster Warthog is also available separately, and obviously works great for the A-10C, and also more than decently for other aircraft or space sims. I particularly like that it has latching toggle switches.

Otherwise it is Virpil or waiting for the unreleased VKB TECS.

I definitely think you could get a quality wheel for $300. The nice thing about Thrustmaster is that you can buy them from other retailers, such as Amazon, Walmart, Gamestop, Best Buy, etc.

I know I was watching this T300 w/ Alcantara because it fell to $300 in December of 2016. Similarly, this TX w/ leather wheel dropped to $300 in November 2016.

First thing first. Why would you want to spend a fortune on a shifter instead of getting better pedals or the wheel?

I'd rather suggest get G27 or even G29 or G920 for as low as you can get, in this case and buy a better pedal set like Fanatec CSL Elite rather than the shifter that costs the same. IMHO, it's pointless to spend a fortune on a shifter in this case when you can get far more important things like pedals.

Being in your situation I would do the following:

buy Thrustmaster T150 on Amazon

buy Fanatec CSL Elite pedals

P.S. don't forget that shipping costs and import tax applies when you order Fanatec in Canada. I bought the whole set (Fanatec CSW v2.5, Formula Black rim, ClubSport v3 pedals, Brake performance kit) and had to pay a about $200 for shipping and about the same for the import tax.

sure but the warthog is also triple the price of the CH.

$284 just for the warthog joystick

http://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-HOTAS-Warthog-Flight-Stick-PC/dp/B00CBVHJ00/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1397531164&sr=1-1&keywords=warthog+joystick

which is FAR out the reach of even most hardcore gamers.

vs $97 for the fighterstick.

who cares what it looks like. I want quality and performance before aesthetics.

I suggest this instead. Way better value. The stock rim and pedals on the TX are honestly a toy.

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T300-Ferrari-Alcantara-Racing-Wheel/dp/B015KJ0SES/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481820130&sr=8-1&keywords=T300+Alcantara

I use dual T.16000m's for my setup and have been heavily considering getting some pedals to complete it. I cannot afford anything crazy like MFG Crosswinds. I'd like to spend a max of $100 on pedals, if possible.

Would a Thrustmaster T3PA be a good option for the game and would it function well enough in a Space Sim environment?

Or should I wait and see if the CH Pro Pedals come down in price a little bit more?

Canda Amazon

American Amazon

Works good for me. One hand on the wheel and one on a mouse to look, turn signals, cruise control as well being a naga I can set the number to other things like lights, wipers, map controls etc...

I would go with the T.16000M (but why is it so expensive?). The new T.16000M with orange lights costs only 50€ in Europe and 59$ in the US link.

But if you can spend more (and i mean a lot more) i would go for a VKB Gladiator Pro or the better Gunfighter plus pedals. I just ordered a pair of gunfighters with rudder predals for 900€ (plus another 500€ for better grips and twist adapters after they come out next year).

Imho is for space sims a dual stick setup the best option because you need 6 axes (one for each of the 6DOF). Right now i use 2 T.16000M til my new sticks arrive. And for warthunder you only need one stick without throttle since the T.16000M has a throttle slider.

At that price, if buying new, take a look at the Thrustmaster TMX pro, which has three pedals, but no shifter. If you discover you like your setup you can always add the shifter later. Just be sure to get something with decently reviewed force feedback. That'll make or break your experience.

I really recommend checking craigslist too.

You asked about separate shifter... For lap times paddles are the way to go. Just like in real life a stick shifted car is more involving, while the dual clutch equivalent will be faster. Personal preference really.

There are all sorts of posts about wheels/rigs, shifters, and more over at /r/simracing

Your best bet would probably be the T300RS GT edition for around $450 - https://www.amazon.com.au/Thrustmaster-T300-RS-GT-Edition/dp/B01M1L2NRL/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=Thrustmaster+T300&qid=1555519222&s=gateway&sr=8-5

​

It also comes with the T3PA pedals, which are much better than the normal 2 pedal thrustmaster option.

Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS is the only one I'm pretty sure.

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-16000M-FCS-HOTAS-Controller/dp/B01KCHPRXA/

EDIT: Here's it with just the stick, because the throttle doesn't look like it'd be too useful with your right hand

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T16000M-FCS-Joystick-Black/dp/B01MQEDEEW/

So I emailed thrustmaster and this is what they sent me:

>We thank you for your interest in Thrustmaster products and for reaching us regarding your inquiry.
>
>The initial versions of this new product will be as following:
>
>- the FCS throttle available as a standalone device;
>
>- the throttle and the joystick unit, as a package;
>
>- T.16000 Flight Package (the FCS joystick and throttle units accompanied by the TFRP Rudders Pedals pedal set).
>
>We are also taking into consideration the commercialization of the T.16000 FCS joystick as a standalone device but at this moment we cannot provide you with an ETA on when this will become available.
>
>We rest at your disposal for any other inquiries.

That being said it looks like it for preorder outside of the states and bhphotovideo.com also has one.

EDIT: welp they are available in the sates for preorder now amazon link I don't understand why they would send an email saying they don't know if they will be selling it on its own when they were going to allow stores to announce that they are the very next day.

Great budget sticks for dual-stick setup. Best price they've ever been on Amazon:
https://camelcamelcamel.com/Thrustmaster-T16000M-FCS-Joystick-Black/product/B01MQEDEEW

Dirt Rally is about as awesome as it comes IMO. I f'ing LOVE that game. Be prepared though...if you get a steering wheel and a seat, you're looking at around 400-600 bucks.

Driving Chair:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077PMH7DL/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1W6FFIBXHB164

Steering Wheel:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XP1JZ53/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

For anyone wondering, it's a T300 RS wheel, TH8A Shifter and T3PA pedal set. All from Thrustmaster. The chair is a Challenge from Playseat. And a PSVR, obviously.

Edit: /u/StephenSchleis requested that I add Amazon links, so here you go.

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T300RS-Officially-Licensed-Feedback-Racing/dp/B00O8B7D02/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480328681&sr=8-1&keywords=T300+RS

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-TH8A-Add-Gearbox-Shifter-Xbox/dp/B005L0Z2BQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480328694&sr=8-1&keywords=TH8A+Shifter

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T3PA-3-Pedal-Wide-Pedal-Add/dp/B00KX75W9O/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1480328694&sr=8-4&keywords=TH8A+Shifter

https://www.amazon.com/Playseat-Challenge/dp/B009ZELZDS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480328735&sr=8-1&keywords=playseat+challenge

Bonus tip, the T3PA pedals come with the conical brake mod. It’s well worth installing. Also, cut out a piece of carpet and stick it to the pedal base for a bit of extra comfort.

On sale, Thrustmaster T300 RS GT has great pedals and is much cheaper than the base version.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1L2NRL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_-MFXCb63RW7X2

To keep my wheel from overheating, I pushed a couple buttons to keep the fan on constantly. I do back to back races all the time, a couple hours at a time. The wheel hasn't decreased in quality this past year and a half.

A gaming desk can be a good substitute for a wheel stand.

To keep the pedals from sliding, I put a small foldable table with some weight on it to block the pedals and keep them sturdy. The carpet helps to keep the table from sliding away, though the carpet alone won't keep your pedals locked in position.

Thrustmaster T300 RS GT Racing Wheel - PlayStation 4 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1L2NRL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TnpjDbKBWETSD

Click the link below “new and used from $200” — top link is the one being sold by amazon.

It’s out of stock now, but you can order it/buy it from Best Buy and get a price match. That’s what I did and it’s supposed to be delivered on Friday!

My choice would be T300RS GT (https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T300-RS-Racing-Wheel-PlayStation/dp/B01M1L2NRL)

But not Xbox compatible.

Not sure which country you are in, or what your actual budget is... But the T300RS GT is good value for money.

LOL, you say it as if Thrustmaster isn't in the same boat.

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/poll-thrustmaster-t300rs-gte-reliability-poll.329969/page-3

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Officially-Licensed-Feedback-playstation-4/product-reviews/B00O8B7D02 (note: even the 3+ star reviews often are deducting points for reliability reasons)

This sucks. The G27 was (is?) great with only the wheel encoder wheel ever really being a problem, which has a permanent fix available (albeit requires decent technician skills to fully disassemble the wheel to get to it and then put it all back together properly).

Now, it seems both the G29 and Thrustmaster 300 wheels have atrocious reliability and durability and it's not even narrowed down to just one issue.

I guess I'll have to pray my G27 makes it through to the next generation of wheels where they finally get this shit sorted and make a decent wheel.

I still don't get why everyone complains about the gear drive vs. the belts in the G29, real cars have similar gears in the rack and pinion, nobody's car steers off of a belt. I don't know where people get the idea that gears are somehow a dated mechanism, timing belts were perfectly available when the first FFB wheels were created, they just weren't chosen. In fact, the reason you don't see gears in other wheels is because Logitech has a patent. When other wheels claim their mechanism is superior to gears, they're throwing you a sales pitch because they're not allowed to use gears. IMO, the Logitech FFB feels great, but much is left to the owner to set it up right for each game as developers are notoriously lazy when it comes to optimizing wheel settings.

not OP but I just got the Thrustmaster T300 RS GT for 200 + tax on amazon. Its list price is 400 but it keeps dipping to 200. You might get lucky if you keep an eye on it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M1L2NRL/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

> Thrustmaster T300 RS wheel

That sounds great - I like Thrustmaster's quality. I've been using their A10 HOTAS for flight sim for a while now.

Does this combo seem like the right wheel + pedals even though it says it's Gran Turismo edition for PS4?

I use the T16000M Joystick.

While some of the buttons are softer than I'd like, it is very good. I really enjoy racing with it.

The SteelSeries SRW-S1 is a bit of an oddball, since it's an accelerometer based wheel instead of a steering column, but it's far cheaper than most wheels and doesn't require pedals. It's pretty good as a bridge between a full blown wheel and a controller.

I got this one a couple weeks ago as my first wheel and so far it's been worth it the money. I'll definitely want to upgrade when I have the money but I think the thrustmaster is a great starter.

This is a good deal. PC and PS4. No shifter, but for the price, it’s much better than a g920. Thrustmaster T300 RS GT Racing Wheel - PlayStation 4 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1L2NRL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_QOPkDbS62HW63

I use my TWCS with a Warthog and T.Flight Rudder pedals. It's a fabulous combo, and works great.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-HOTAS-Warthog-Flight-Stick/dp/B00CBVHJ00/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=warthog+joystick&link_code=qs&qid=1561977857&s=gateway&sourceid=Mozilla-search&sr=8-1

​

$201 out the door for the stick...

Heard the tracking isn't great on the WMR's but this with the Thrustmaster T300 RS that's on sale for $200 would be a pretty neat sim racing setup for under $400 if you have the gpu to power it.

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T300-RS-Racing-Wheel-PlayStation/dp/B01M1L2NRL/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=thrustmaster+t300rs+gt&qid=1562597534&s=gateway&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&sr=8-3

Amazon had it on sale around thanksgiving/christmas time. It went from 300, to 250, to 230, to 215 to 200? I think was the final price at once point.. I held out til it was 215, didn't regret it one bit.

WOW Evidentally it went all the way down to 160 at one point last year on Amazon:

http://camelcamelcamel.com/Thrustmaster-HOTAS-Warthog-Flight-Stick-PC/product/B00CBVHJ00?context=browse

You absolutely can. This one is designed especially for flight controls but it's way more expensive than the one you listed. It might take some fiddling with the base to get the mounts to fit and everything to be comfortable, but you can totally make it work.

Dude, $80 gets you one of these and it's 100x better than trying to steer in the air or using a thumbstick.

​

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FB5R1AQ/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stppvp_2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=d45777d6-4c64-4117-8332-1659db52e64f&pd_rd_wg=cRUvO&pf_rd_r=MKE6WV44ZQE02CJJ93C4&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-bottom-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B00FB5R1AQ&pd_rd_w=aFLy4&pf_rd_i=force+feedback+wheel&pd_rd_r=72cd1861-ea3a-4363-b872-5a7f1a74d3a7&ie=UTF8&qid=1542583773&sr=2

​

If you don't have room for all that, this would still be way better (I have one) as it has gas/brake paddles and can be used in any racing game.

​

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BNIB-SteelSeries-Simraceway-SRW-S1-Gaming-PC-Steering-Wheel-Controller-FREE-SHIP/283266355553?epid=115153567&hash=item41f3fd9161:g:k~sAAOSwL49b8apr:rk:3:pf:1

​

As to feedback, way too early to tell anything about the game you've got going there. A game like Test Drive Unlimited or the old Midtown Madness game from msoft would be cool in VR.

​

​

There's a good deal on the Thrustmaster T300 RS GT on Amazon atm, not sure if that helps you based on the euros.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M1L2NRL?th=1

I think it is. From what I've read the pedals of the G29 are 100x better. I found the G29 for $199 and the best I've found with the Thrustmaster 150 Pro (medal pedals) was $202, the regular t150 with the plastic pedals is $149.

Links:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/logitech-g29-driving-force-racing-wheel-for-playstation-3-and-playstation-4-black/4223000.p?skuId=4223000

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T150-PRO-Racing-Wheel-PlayStation/dp/B06XP1JZ53?th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Force-Feedback-Racing-PlayStation-4/dp/B014US02ZA?th=1

The cheapest wheel worth getting is probably the Thrustmaster T150. You can typically find them around the $150 range, not sure why they're this high all of the sudden.

I just would wait until you can justify spending that before getting one - like say you want to play Euro a lot, or play some racing games/sims. I just wouldn't bother with a wheel (personally) unless it had force feedback.

That reminds me.... I got one of those steelseries F1 wheels that I would love to mount on a yoke. It has like a million buttons. Would make a sweet space freighter or TIE bomber/Ywing controller. If only I could find a yoke for cheap, no way I'm butchering a new one.

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/uk-videogames/2011/dp/B006IR6NH8/image1_large._V140829819_.jpg

If you're willing to wait, I'm pretty sure they drop to $300 somewhat often. I bought my Thrustmaster TX Leather for $300 a few months ago from Amazon, and it's normally $470, too. The shifter was only $130.

If you do get a wheel though, the Wheelstand Pro is so worth it if you're not planning on building some kind of big setup for it.

I'd go with the [T16000M FCS](Thrustmaster T16000M FCS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQEDEEW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_oLPvCbGXEZ1HX) for $40 ATM

It's got the same sensors as the Thrustmaster Warthog stick, and the magnetic sensors feel better to me in general. As others have mentioned, this game has a ton of keybinds so as much as I like dedicated throttles, I find myself getting annoyed going back and forth from it to the keyboard.

That said if you don't think you'll mind switching back and forth, I'd recommend the [hotas combo that includes this stick](Thrustmaster T16000M FCS HOTAS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KCHPRXA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_5SPvCbKVNA2QA).

Thrustmaster T16000M FCS Joystick if you're REALLY pressed for space. Otherwise, I wouldn't hesitate to buy the Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS HOTAS Controller, which includes the HOTAS half of the setup. I think it's easily the best setup for the money.

edit: fixed the first link.

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Force-Feedback-Racing-PlayStation-4/dp/B014US02ZA
They're currently out of stock, but they were in stock a day or so ago. I feel your pain about spending. I've looked everywhere for a reasonably priced one. Just be glad you're not in Canada, that T150 is almost $300. I've used the DFGT before. It's a good wheel, but apparently this one is better

Thrustmaster's standalone pedals would be cheaper or very close to the same price as an ebay G27 pedal set and the Bodnar adapter.

It's a much better product as well.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UVN21IU/

The G29 shifter and Bodnar adapter may be the cheapest shifter option on the market, but the quality definitely reflects that compared to the SHH shifter, TH8A, or Fanatec.

It works and is relatively sturdy though (my G27 shifter is at least) so it isn't a terrible option.

This is the one I bought and I am loving it so far. It is basically plug and play. Even before I calibrated it was working fine.

T300 with T3PA set included...
little bit of a wait I guess,
but seems like a good deal

Thanks for your post ! Since I created this post I saw some new wheel that might be cool. Right now I'm looking over :

https://www.amazon.ca/Thrustmaster-T300-Racing-Wheel-PlayStation/dp/B01M1L2NRL/ref=pd_cp_63_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Y38YKBPK1V3WBAJDGN6A
or
https://www.amazon.ca/Thrustmaster-T500RS-Racing-Wheel-Playstation-3/dp/B004J6KRD6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494250893&sr=8-1&keywords=thrustmaster+t500

or should I keep G29 ?

Personally I run with a G29 and a GT Omega Pro Cockpit RS9. I got the G29 2.5 years ago when they were £150 more expensive than they are now, and overall I spent about £400 on the cockpit and about £300 on the wheel.

Nowadays, you can probably get a G29 for £150-£200, and a low end racing stand for about the same, which would be in your budget.

G29: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Driving-Force-Racing-PlayStation/dp/B00Z0UWWYC

Thrustmaster T300RS: https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Officially-Licensed-Feedback-playstation-4/dp/B00O8B7D02?th=1

(Bear in mind, the pedals are awful, very recommended to get another set, especially if you play other games that need a clutch)

Budget Racing Stand: https://www.gtomegaracing.com/wheel-stands/gt-omega-steering-wheel-stand

Racing Cockpit: https://www.gtomegaracing.com/gt-omega-racing-driving-simulator-cockpits/gt-omega-art-racing-simulator-cockpit-rs6

Providing you have a chair, that's probably the best you'll get on a budget for a wheel stand. It's a preorder though, so you will have to wait a week to get it.

Logitech \> Thrustmaster for wheels imo because they are so much more reliable. With TM, you're basically at a 50/50 whether it'll break in 2 years time, Logitech stuff run forever.

But overall, that's about $350, which is less than your budget. so if you want to spend the extra $200 on a higher end Racing Stand then it's obviously up to you. If I was in your position, I'd go with the G29 and the cockpit, but if you don't really play all that many racing games and this is just for GT, then I'd go G29 and the budget racing stand.

Here is an awesome deal on the T300RS GT

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T300-RS-Racing-Wheel-PlayStation/dp/B01M1L2NRL

I have a

T300RS $300 - https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T300-RS-Racing-Wheel-PlayStation/dp/B01M1L2NRL/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=t300rs&qid=1554582990&s=gateway&sr=8-3

with the TH8A Shifter $125 - https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-PC-PS3-PS4-Xbox-One/dp/B005L0Z2BQ/ref=pd_bxgy_63_img_2/135-6912446-8039904?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B005L0Z2BQ&pd_rd_r=afc361a8-58ab-11e9-95ee-65bbade3fd9d&pd_rd_w=05u5g&pd_rd_wg=tK57E&pf_rd_p=a2006322-0bc0-4db9-a08e-d168c18ce6f0&pf_rd_r=D59YM30ZCDJSHE7ZZJYP&psc=1&refRID=D59YM30ZCDJSHE7ZZJYP

and the GT Omega Stand $100 - https://usa.gtomegaracing.com/gt-omega-steering-racing-wheel-stands/gt-omega-steering-wheel-stand

I still have the boxes and everything is in perfect working condition. I'd sell it all for $500 + shipping.

Well, I skimmed through your videos, and thank you for your input, however, the work you are talking about it beyond my skill level. I found a T160000M direct from Amazon for $60 new, so I ordered one. If I like it, I will probably order a second one. If I decide I would prefer to use a throttle, I still have the throttle from my X-55.

Now I just need to figure out what to do with these old sticks....

I have been looking at a wheel by Thrustmaster, Its called the T150, it has 1080 degrees of rotation and pretty nice force feedback from what i am hearing. I would give that a look. Only $196 on amazon. I would give this one a look. This will work for PC and PS3 and PS4 also. http://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Force-Feedback-Racing-PlayStation-4/dp/B014US02ZA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451334141&sr=8-1&keywords=t150

Get two t16000's and this racing wheel + pedals. You only really want the pedals from this set up but they are the best pedals you can get for cheap. The reason you get this wheel too is that if the pedals ever go, you can plug the t3pa's into that wheel. Someone might say that you should go with flight pedals instead, but you don't need the side to side rudder action that is the main function of flgith pedals and most flight pedals out there have serious drawbacks unless you shell out the big bucks. RIght stick x = yaw, y = pitch, z = roll. Left stick x = horizontal strafe, y = vertical strafe. Your pedals are set to forward and reverse strafe.

Yes you can use the CH throttle with 3D pro to make it a hotas. The difference between the fighter stick and the combat stick are; The Fighter stick replaces two of the buttons on the Combat stick with 4 way hats.

Combat Stick = 3 axis and 18 buttons (six push buttons, one 4 way hat switch, and one 8 way point of view hat)

Fighter Stick= 3 axis and 24 buttons (three push buttons, one mode switch button, three 4 way hat switches and one 8 way point of view hat).

Ch Pro Throttle = 3 Traditional push buttons, 1 mode switch button, 3 4-way directional hat and 1 8-way POV hat switch

Depending on what you're playing you may not need all the hats on the Fighter Stick if you get the pro throttle. If you're not looking to spend a lot and are happy wth 3-d the Pro throttle seems to be a nice addition.

Later on, down the road, if you want to upgrade you could get pedals and by the warthog stick separately. Or just buy a new hotas and sell the CH throttle on ebay.

if you're doing flight sims and like your stick I would get the CH throttle and either make your own or purchase a head tracker, (track IR). For flight sims, it's more essential than rudder pedals

Ok Thanks. Looks like the Alcantara Bundle is around $500 at the moment. I guess i'll have to wait till it's on sale

Actually a good price for the T150 Pro, it's at $175 with the promo code and CamelCamelCamel has the lowest price on Amazon at $199.99.

That being said, from what I've read the T300 is a considerable upgrade to the T150. Much better force feedback and the wheel on the T150 isn't interchangeable. Could be a good purchase depending on how hardcore of a sim rig you want.

Looks like the other Thrustmaster bits are also discounted.

T3PA-Pro ($115): https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T3PA-PRO-3-Pedal-Add-xbox-one/dp/B00UVN21IU/ref=pd_bxgy_63_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=WP5WNF466F3F66YK2Q9Y&th=1

TX Servo Base ($192): https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Racing-Wheel-Servo-Base-Xbox/dp/B014US043A/ref=pd_bxgy_63_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=WP5WNF466F3F66YK2Q9Y&th=1

HERE WE GO!

Thanks dude, it is the Super Warthog Wheel Stand Pro -- I just removed the right RSG when I got it.

https://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Thrustmaster-keyboard-throttles-included/dp/B01NAN0SF3

Also, I ordered the $40 joystick adapter so it's the small adapter for the stick rather than having the plate mounted.

It is stand alone and folds down to store away if needed, not attached to the chair at all.

only 3 hours left!!

EDIT: Best price on amazon for this EVER.
http://camelcamelcamel.com/Thrustmaster-Officially-Licensed-Feedback-playstation-4/product/B00O8B7D02

There's the Thrustmaster t.16000M stick. It's a little light on hats, but from what I've heard it's pretty quality otherwise. Amazon link here

For those who got trolled googling rs300 and only got bicycle wheels, rims, and actual steering wheels (since above comment didn't provide links), it's the Thrustmaster T300RS

It's even cheaper off of Google Express, and first time Google Express shoppers can get 20% off


Imo, the GT version only shows up $35 more for me, looks like it'll be worth it saving up more for that

Edit: fixed links

>https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B015KJ0SES/ref=cm\_sw\_r\_cp\_api\_i\_6dUbDbS92W13B

Hey I have problem now with my G29. IF it starts it will shut down after like 20 seconds. then after another 5 seconds it will calibrate itself and then the circle continues.. Hopefully I have similar success with the Logitech support..

Well, barely: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Dual-motor-Feedback-Responsive-PlayStation/dp/B00Z0UWWYC/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1527736261&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=thrustmaster+t150&dpPl=1&dpID=41HFwIn650L&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Force-Feedback-Racing-PlayStation-4/dp/B014US02ZA/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1527736261&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=thrustmaster+t150&dpPl=1&dpID=517SecDrovL&ref=plSrch

I know that the G29 is a good wheel, but I don't know about the Thrustmaster T150, but it would fit your budget.

That's all you need for a flight/space sim. Not everyone is who is interested in flight sims is also going to be interested in driving sims, so trying to group them together as being the same cost is disingenuous.

But if you wanted to go on the racing sim side of things, you could get a wheel and pedals for $70, which is still far short of $300 even if you bought both.

Keep in mind, you don't need any of that. There are people that not only get by with a 360 controller, but prefer such. You can also spend way more than $300 if you've the inclination, but trying to put enthusiast pricing as the baseline is a pretty poor way to make a point.

Has anyone read up on the new T300rs GT? What's the better deal?


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1L2NRL/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_H2IpybZ3QJ0GK

green one

orange one

Orange one is newer, but is the same basic stick. Has some bumps and insets on the buttons on the base of the stick so you don't have to look down to confirm where your fingers are. They also added some texture to the buttons on the top of the stick for better grip there.

Project Cars is a good game to show off VR, I was actually playing around with it last night.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/234630/

You might be able to find it cheaper via other sites.

As for the wheel I would recommend at least a Thrustmaster T150. The T300 is way better but also considerably more expensive. This is a solid wheel that is at least somewhat affordable.

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Force-Feedback-Racing-PlayStation-4/dp/B014US02ZA/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1473349087&sr=1-1&keywords=thrustmaster+t150

Yes it has paddle shifters. Here is the wheel I got. It does only have 180 degrees of rotation but since all I really play is F1 and a little Assetto Corsa it hasn't bothered me.

When I bought this it was only around $30. I'm not sure why the price has gone up so much, it's a pretty simple wheel but I've had a good experience with it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FB5R1AQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is what I bought, haven't used it yet other than testing GTA V with VorpX and an xbox controller emulator, however it's supported by Project Cars, which I also own yet haven't played yet.

It's a good buy for your price range to include the pedals as well.

There already is a dedicated wheel... It's Thrustmaster T300 RS GT.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thrustmaster-T300-Racing-Wheel-PlayStation/dp/B01M1L2NRL

I saw this as well, which is basically both combined for less than the original+addon...

This might be what I go with but I'm also seeing all these on ebay for under $100 which is kind of what I had in mind if I were to DIY it... but I'm usually terrified of ebay and I can only find one review of an adorable Aussie kid who loves it... I just can't find any detailed information on mounting capabilities...

I just grabbed mine a few days ago for this reason. I made a post about a good deal on amazon for a Thrustmaster T150. It's still going on if you're interested.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B014US02ZA/ref=dp_olp_all_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=all

Keep in mind its a third party seller with no reviews, but it's covered my Amazons A to Z guarantee. It's the seller that has it listed for $130

I got thrusmaster:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B014US043A/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00TTQKSUS/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00UVN21IU/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I really like it. I considered logitech in the beginning but then went with thrustmaster because a lot of people said it felt like a toy and there was a deadzone.

The Logitech wheel was amazing when it first came out, but it was and still is very notchy, you can feel the gears whenever you turn the wheel, it isn't smooth, there is a slight dead-zone in the center of the wheel. It uses gears instead of a belt driven wheel. Belt driven wheels are much smoother, it's like night and day. The wheel size is unrealistically small compared to the Thrustmaster, the pedals are linear with no progression in the brake.

http://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Ferrari-Alcantara-Racing-playstation-4/dp/B015KJ0SES/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1458201850&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=thrustmaster+t300

That t300 wheel is more expensive, but it's more than worth the price difference.

• Wheel base: $220
  
  
  
• Shifter: $180
  
  
  
• Pedals: $150
  
  
  
• Wheel rim: $200
  
  Grand total: $750
  
  
• Fanatec: $1000
  
  It's really not that far off when you consider that Fanatec is broadly considered higher quality than Thrustmaster. I was ready to go all-in on Thrustmaster before I added it all up and realized I might as well keep saving and get the Fanatec stuff.

This is super cheap
https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Ferrari-Racing-Wheel-Legend-PlayStation/dp/B00FB5R1AQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1509985191&sr=8-1&keywords=ferrari+red+legend&dpID=41Iprv1E%252BvL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

But not terrible.
It does not do force feedback though.

Just the throttle. Keeping the Joystick for my own use but going to do a dual joystick setup. If you need a stick too I'd recommend this with a TM16000m. Sub $300 setup all together and the throttle alone is worth $270.

This is the one I eventually settled on:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014US02ZA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

200 bucks for a decent-ish FFB wheel. Outside of finding a crazy windfall deal, this was the best price I could find without compromising too much quality and including FFB. I've been using it on Dirt Rally and I think its great for its price.

the 100% wife friendly solution:
https://www.amazon.com/Warthog-Thrustmaster-WARTHOGTM-keyboard-throttles-included/dp/B01NAN0SF3/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1496625142&sr=8-10&keywords=wheelstand+pro

Thrustmaster T16000M. Replaced my old logitech 3d pro which was a workhorse for many years for me and prob the majority of this community. But was floored with the level of precision and ergonomics of the Thrustmaster. Its because it has hall effect sensors rather then pententiometers which alot of the old flight hardware tends to have. I got the whole package with throttle and pedals and never looked back. Tons of programmable buttons too! Prob the best stick you can get in the sub $100 price category.

Thrustmaster T16000M FCS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQEDEEW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_IWXxCbJ1V06FB

I went with the Playseat Challenge and the Thrustmaster T150.

They're working out great for me so far.