4,0 de 5 estrelas
Fantastic steering wheel that works great on PC
Avaliado no Canadá em 11 de novembro de 2020
As I’m not a console gamer, I tested this product on PC only.
Since Steam gained dominance in the PC gaming market, I basically lost interest in consoles, as most major console titles are now available on PC, and you can max out graphical settings if you have a good graphics card. Also, game prices are cheaper than consoles as they go on sale frequently or are offered in bundles. Thanks to bundle sales, I've ended up acquiring a pile of racing games like Project CARS, F1, Grid, etc. that I haven't really had a chance to play because my hand eye coordination sucks when using a game pad.
Experiencing my driving games with the G923 steering wheel… wow. Compared to a game pad, it’s a whole new immersive experience. If you’ve got a huge TV or an ultrawide monitor, your driving games and simulators will be taken to the next level.
Setup is pretty easy, once you realize you need to download the G-Hub software first. Being the impulsive guy I am, I thought that Windows would just recognize the controller as an XInput controller right away, and I’d be able to just plug and play. That was not the case. Once I installed the G-Hub software, however, Windows recognized and found the required driver for the wheel (no pun intended), and I was off to the races (pun intended).
I have a preference for arcade racers over sims, so the first game I tried it out on was Ridge Racer Unbounded, and boy was it a wild ride compared to using a gamepad. The G923's controls and steering feel so different, and while it took some getting used to, it was a very fun experience.
Ridge Racer, however, is an older game that can’t take advantage of all the 923’s features. On the other hand, Project CARS and F1 2018 work with the wheel’s force feedback, and it takes the driving experience to a whole new level. The driving feels more like a real car, and you feel the bumps of driving on grass and obstructions on the track. If you don’t like that type of thing, you can also turn it off in most games.
Of course, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine. The steering unit is heavy and needs something to clamp on to. If you’re gaming in your living room, things will get tricky, but it’s nothing a heavy tray or end table can’t solve. You will want to make sure the tray table has grippy feet and is weighed down, because when things get “super heated”, you’ll be jostling the tray table and possibly slamming your feet on the pedals, causing them to slide back. If you’ve got carpet, however, there’s a spiky bar on the pedal unit to add additional grip.
If you’ve got additional money burning a hole in your wallet, you can invest in a specialized steering wheel stand or a racing chair like a Playseat and mount the steering wheel and pedals to it for additional stability.
While the wheel works with most PC games, some will require some configuration, and the effort to do so can range from super easy to annoyingly tedious.
The cost of Logitech G923 itself isn’t chump change either. It’s more expensive than the entry level models of the XBox Series X and Playstation 5 consoles themselves, but if you’re really into driving games, this controller set is something else. I would categorize this as an enthusiast product that sits in between products for normal people and products for hardcore fanatics. It's definitely not in the same class as a Fanatec or direct-drive wheel, but those cost serious money and for serious players.
Either way, if you’re just looking to build out a nice racing rig for your game room that everyone (including non fanatics) can enjoy, the Logitech G923 is a pretty good option.
Still, the 923 costs a pretty penny. I think most people aren’t really into driving games are going to want to drop $500 on something that isn't going to get used. If, however, you play driving games frequently, I think the wheel is a good investment, especially if you’re a PC gamer. PCs don’t have the 5 to 10 year life cycle like consoles do, and nor do they have backwards compatibility concerns with controllers designed for a previous generation consoles.
Also, note that these controllers are sold as console brand specific bundles, so if you buy an XBox wheel, it won’t work on a Playstation or vice versa. Both versions, however, work with PC.
So the bottom line, if you’re into driving games and you can afford the 923, it’s a great controller. It really takes driving games to the next level compared to a handheld game pad.
The Good Parts
- Significantly enhances the driving game experience.
- Force feedback/rumble when playing games that support the feature.
- Heavy, well made
- Works with console or PC
- The steering wheel behaves like a car steering wheel, when you release it, it springs back to the center, and the turning has resistance
- Has a carpet gripping bar on the pedal unit
- Has threaded holes in the steering and pedal units for mounting to a racing stand or racing chair
- G-Hub software lets you customize attributes of the steering wheel such as the return to center spring force
Hit or Miss
- You need a tabletop to mount the wheel and some floor space for the pedals to use it. Ideally you get a racing stand or chair, but those cost $100+ at the lowest end.
- There are two separate models, Playstation+PC or XBox+PC. As far as I can tell, “universal” model that works on PS + Xbox does not exist.
- On PC, requires G-Hub software to be installed before it can be used
- May be difficult to clamp on desks with tapered edges
- Games with a lot of force feedback when combined with rough play can cause the clamps to loosen
- On hard floors, may need an additional grippy pad for the pedal unit as “heated” racing sessions can cause the unit to slide backwards
- Price is probably too high for casual players of driving games
