Racing wheel

A race of Forza Motorsport 6, utilizing a racing wheel controller, at the EB Games Expo 2015.

A racing wheel is a method of control for use in racing video games, racing simulators, and driving simulators. They are usually packaged with a large paddle styled as a steering wheel, along with a set of pedals for gas, brake, and sometimes clutch actuation, as well as various shifter controls. An analog wheel and pedal set such as this allows the user to accurately manipulate steering angle and pedal control that is required to properly manage a simulated car, as opposed to digital control such as a keyboard. The relatively large range of motion further allows the user to more accurately apply the controls. Racing wheels have been developed for use with arcade games, game consoles, personal computers, and also for professional driving simulators for race drivers.

Force feedback

Racing wheels started off as simple plastic wheels hooked up to a rotary potentiometer, which were sprung by springs or bungees. Eventually manufacturers began to use electric motors in the controllers, in place of springs, in order to achieve a level of force feedback, first seen in Microsoft's Sidewinder wheel. At first this technology simply provided the centering force and other artificial effects such as shaking the wheel in a crash or other vibrations. However, as driving simulations have evolved, their physics engines have become more accurate and the developers have linked their in-game physics more closely to the force feedback. This allows the user to truly feel what forces go through the steering rack, instead of just artificial effects, and genuinely enhance the realism of the game. Despite this, some high end manufacturers believe that force feedback has still not been perfected, and therefore companies such as Thomas SuperWheel have not adopted a force feedback system in their products. Frex, on the other hand, has gone the other way and equips their high-end Simwheel with powerful force feedback and no mechanical centering device.

Comparison of racing wheels

Manufacturer	Product	Max Rotation (Deg)	FFB	Clutch	Shifter	Brake Sensor	Pedal Type
Atomic	Lamborghini Gallardo Evo Racing Wheel	270	No	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Logitech	G920	900	Yes	Yes	Paddles, H-shift	Potentiometer	Standing
Logitech	G29	900	Yes	Yes	Paddles, H-shift	Potentiometer	Standing
Logitech	G27	900	Yes	Yes	Paddles, H-shift	Potentiometer	Standing
Logitech	G25	900	Yes	Yes	Paddles, H-shift, Sequential	Potentiometer	Standing
Logitech	MOMO Racing Force	240	Yes	No	Paddles, Sequential	Potentiometer	Standing
Logitech	Driving Force Pro	900	Yes	No	Paddles, Sequential	Potentiometer	Standing
Logitech	Driving Force GT	900	Yes	No	Paddles, Sequential	Potentiometer	Standing
Logitech	MOMO Force (Red MOMO)	270	Yes	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Logitech	Formula Force	180	Yes	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Logitech	Driving Force EX	180	Yes	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Thrustmaster	Ferrari Wireless Gt F430 Scuderia Edition Cockpit	270	No	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Thrustmaster	Ferrari 458 Italia	270	No	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Thrustmaster	Ferrari F430	270	Yes	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Thrustmaster	RGT FFB Clutch ¹	270	Yes	Yes	Paddles, Sequential	Potentiometer	Standing
Thrustmaster	Ferrari GT 3-in-1	180	No	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Thrustmaster	FGT 2-in-1 Force Feedback	180	Yes	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Thrustmaster	T150	1080	Yes	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Thrustmaster	T300 RS	1080	Yes	Yes	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Thrustmaster	T500 RS	1080	Yes	Yes	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing/Hanging
Saitek	R660GT	180	Yes	No	Paddles, Sequential	Potentiometer	Hanging
Microsoft	Sidewinder Precision Racing Wheel	240	No	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Microsoft	Sidewinder Force Feedback Wheel	240	Yes	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Microsoft	Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel	270	Yes	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Fanatec	Le Mans SE	?	Yes	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Fanatec	Speedster 2	?	Yes	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Fanatec	Speedster 3	?	Yes	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
Fanatec ²	Porsche 911 Carrera Wheel	900	Yes	Yes	Paddles, H-Shift	N/A	Standing
Fanatec ²	Porsche 911 Turbo S Wheel	900	Yes	N/A	Paddles	N/A	N/A
Fanatec ²	Porsche 911 GT3 RS Wheel	900	Yes	N/A	Paddles	N/A	N/A
Fanatec ²	Porsche 911 GT2 Wheel	900	Yes	N/A	Paddles	N/A	N/A
Fanatec ²	Forza Motorsport CSR Elite Wheel	900	Yes	N/A	Paddles	N/A	N/A
Fanatec ²	Forza Motorsport CSR Wheel	900	Yes	N/A	Paddles	N/A	N/A
Fanatec ²	ClubSport Wheel	900	Yes	N/A	Paddles	N/A	N/A
Fanatec ²	Standard Pedals	N/A	N/A	Yes	N/A	Potentiometer	Standing
Fanatec ²	CSR Pedals	N/A	N/A	Yes	N/A	Potentiometer	Standing/Hanging
Fanatec ²	CSR Elite Pedals	N/A	N/A	Yes	N/A	Load Cell	Standing/Hanging
Fanatec ²	ClubSport Pedals	N/A	N/A	Yes	N/A	Load Cell	Standing
Fanatec ²	Porsche Shifter	N/A	N/A	N/A	H-shift, Sequential	N/A	N/A
Fanatec ²	CSR Shifter	N/A	N/A	N/A	H-shift, Sequential	N/A	N/A
Frex	Simwheel ³	1080	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Frex	Sim2Pedal	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	Hydraulic w/ Load Cell (HydroBrake)	Optional
Frex	Sim3Pedal	N/A	N/A	Yes	N/A	Hydraulic w/ Load Cell (HydroBrake)	Optional
Frex	HShift+	N/A	N/A	N/A	H-shift	N/A	N/A
Frex	Shift+	N/A	N/A	N/A	Sequential	N/A	N/A
ECCI	Trackstar 6000 Series Wheel/Pedals	270	No ⁵	Optional	Paddles	"Pressure Modulated"	Standing
ECCI	Trackstar 7000 Force Feedback	900	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Thomas SuperWheel	TSW Wheels, Pedals	720	No	Optional	Paddles, Sequential	Load Cell optional	Standing
A1	A1 GT Pedals	N/A	N/A	Yes	N/A	Potentiometer	Standing
A1	A1 Pro Pedals	N/A	N/A	Yes	N/A	Load Cell	Optional
A1	GearBox	N/A	N/A	N/A	H-Shift	N/A	N/A
A1	A1 GT Wheel	500	No ⁷	N/A	Paddles	N/A	N/A
Act Labs	RS Shifter	N/A	N/A	N/A	H-shift	N/A	N/A
Act Labs	RS Pedals	N/A	N/A	Yes	N/A	Potentiometer	Standing
Act Labs	RS Force Wheel	270	Yes	No	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
BRD	Sim Pro Wheel, Speed7 Pedals	290	Yes	Optional	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
VPP	Wheel, Hyperreal Pedals	270	Yes	Optional	Paddles	Potentiometer	Standing
CST (Cannon Simulation Technologies)	Pedals	N/A	N/A	Optional	N/A	"Pressure Sensing"	Hanging
Redline	Pedals	N/A	N/A	Optional	N/A	Potentiometer	Hanging
REVZALOT	P36 Pedals	N/A	N/A	Yes	N/A	Load Cell	Standing
Defender	Extreme Turbo (PRO)	180	Yes	No	Sequential	N/A	Standing

Note 1: Includes two separate analog paddle axis.

Note 2: Components may be packaged together in some cases and sold as a bundle.

Note 3: Includes hub mechanism only; wheel and adapters not included.

Note 4: Prices converted from Japanese Yen.

Note 5: Utilizes fluid dampening.

Note 6: Prices converted from NZD.

Note 7: Future FFB addon possible.

Video game controllers

Controller types

Controller parts

Physical buttons	Analog stick Arrow keys Circle pad D-pad Disc-pad Face button Scroll wheel Select button Shoulder button Start button Telephone keypad Trigger

Sensitive	Accelerometer Haptic technology Stylus pen Touchpad Touchscreen Trackball

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