The best Xbox sim racing setups for every budget

Whether you’re cash-strapped or have money to blow, we compiled the best sim racing options for every price point.

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Dec 1, 2024 - 22:02

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The best Xbox sim racing setups for every budget

We hate to be the ones to break the news to you, but if you’re not already carving up Le Mans in a GT car or slinging dirt in a World Rally Car as a professional driver, you’re probably not going to anytime soon.

But don’t sink into despair just yet! The world of simulation racing (sim racing, as the cool kids call it) is ready to welcome you with open arms. Over the last decade, sim racing has exploded in popularity, taking Gran Turismo players to real tracks and sitting big-name Formula 1 drivers in front of computer monitors.

With the increased popularity has come a wave of new and improved wheels, pedals, shifters, cockpits, and more—giving racers the ability to build just about any setup they can imagine (and afford). But don’t for a second think that you can’t get into sim racing on a budget. As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats. Nowhere is that more true than in the world of sim racing. So, if you’re ready to dive in, we have an option for every racer, and budget, out there.

Best beginner wheels for Xbox

Whether you’re on a budget or just not sure if you want to dump all your money into sim racing yet, these options from Logitech and Thrustmaster are great starting points.

Thrustmaster T128

If you’re in the market for a seriously bargain-priced wheel, it’s hard to beat the T128. For just $199, you get a wheel equipped with around 2 Nms worth of force feedback, built-in rev counter LEDs, magnetic paddle shifts, and a pedal set. Plus, Thrustmaster has equipped the T128 with its new hybrid drive system, using a combination of gears and internal belts to smoothly and quietly deliver torque from the motor to the wheel.

Of course, as the cheapest option on our list, there are some noticeable compromises in the T128 compared to its more expensive peers. For one, the all-plastic wheel can feel particularly arcadey compared to other leather-wrapped options on our list. The pedals also leave a lot to be desired, offering little feel and no ability to customize them. Nevertheless, the T128 is still a massive upgrade if you’re coming from an Xbox controller—no more sawing back and forth on a joystick as you go around a turn!

The T128 is a great option if you’re looking to purchase a budget-friendly wheel for a kid (plus you can get it for as little as $150 on Amazon at the time of writing this article). That said, if you’re looking to purchase a wheel for yourself we’d suggest splurging a little more and getting one of the more premium offerings on our list.

Logitech G923

The G923 is a tried and true pick in the sim racing world. Many of the best sim racers out there started on a G923, and for good reason. For just $279, you get a premium-feeling leather wheel, aluminum paddle shifters, sleek LED rev indicators, just over 2 Nms worth of force feedback, and a three-pedal set, ready for an H-pattern shifter.

Despite costing roughly $100 more than the T128, the G923 only offers marginally more force feedback. But, Logitech’s new, techy Trueforce system truly elevates the feedback you get from the wheel, delivering more nuanced signals about bumps, traction, and more as you drive. The additional fidelity from the Trueforce system makes split-second adjustments to your car much more intuitive.

If you’re buying a wheel for yourself, we recommend you start here. Between the thoughtful design touches and the premium materials, the G923 offers incredible value for the money.

Best advanced Xbox wheels

If you’re more serious about sim racing and ready to buy a wheel you can grow with, these offerings from Thrustmaster and Moza are great options.

Thrustmaster T248

If the name didn’t give it away, the T248 is the next step up in Thrustmaster’s lineup from the T128. Usually selling for $400, you can get the T248 right now for $100 off at Best Buy and Amazon. Even at full price, the T248 is a compelling option, but for $300 it's truly a bargain.

The T248 offers a full LED display and the most comprehensive, on-board customization of any wheel we’ve seen at this price range. You can adjust not only the strength of the force feedback (up to a punchy 3.5 Nms) but also the profile of the force feedback depending on what kind of driving you’re doing. The screen can also display a host of different metrics from the game, including the rev count, speed, current gear, and more.

The materials are also a noticeable step up from the T128. You get a leather wheel, extra snappy magnetic paddle shifters, and a much more robust three-pedal set. The pedals are perhaps the biggest upgrade, offering much nicer metal faces and four customizable pressure modes for the brake, accomplished through swappable springs that are included in the box. For $400, we think the T248 may be a tad overpriced, but if you can grab one on sale they’re a hell of a deal.

Moza R3

Compared to industry pillars like Thrustmaster and Logitech, Moza is a relative newcomer to the market—and they have something to prove. With a price tag of $400, the R3 may seem expensive, but it’s also one of the best deals on the market today. For your money, you get a 3.9 Nm direct drive wheel base, delivering some of the smoothest, most immediate force feedback of any wheel on our list.

Direct drive bases, which deliver torque directly from the motor to the wheel, offer lower latency and smoother force feedback than their belt and gear-driven counterparts. Such tech is usually reserved for much more expensive models, but Moza has managed to deliver it at a price point not far off of competitors like the T248. Plus, Moza’s quick-detach steering wheel means you can swap out wheels of different styles.

The materials used are also a major upgrade. The wheel incorporates leather and aluminum alloy throughout, including in its incredibly satisfying paddle shifters, which offer snappy responses as you move through the gears. Compared to the T248 and G923, you don’t get a clutch pedal as standard in the R3, but you do get much more serious all-metal gas and brake pedals.

Of course, it’s not all rosy. If you want a clutch pedal be ready to spend an extra $40-odd dollars. And unlike the T248, the R3 brake doesn’t offer any out-of-the-box customization. For that, you’ll have to hand over another $30 for the performance brake kit. Still, even if you just stick with the standard wheel and pedals, the R3 offers incredible value for the money and a clear upgrade path as you get into sim racing more seriously.

Mounting your new wheel and pedals

At this point, you’ve hopefully found the right wheel for you. If you’re ready to clamp a wheel to your desk and pull up a dining room chair you’re all set to start racing. But, if your budget allows it, we would heavily recommend investing in a cockpit to mount your wheel and pedals. Here are some of our favorite options at different price points:

Next Level Racing Wheel Stand Lite

With our lowest price point option, you don’t get a seat, but you do get a solid stand on which to mount your new wheel and pedals. The Next Level Racing Wheel Stand Lite is an affordable, compact offering that gives you a dedicated place to mount your setup—no more clamping a wheel on and off your desk or sliding your pedals across the floor. For $150, it’s a great entry-level cockpit that can easily support any of the beginner wheels on our list.

Playseat Challenge

For just $50 more than the Next Level Racing stand, Playseat offers a full racing cockpit with adjustable mounts for your wheel and pedals and a dedicated cloth seat. The Playseat Challenge is a classic entry-level cockpit choice among sim racers with the ability to support any of the wheels seen on our list. Plus, unlike the more hardcore options out there, the Challenge has the ability to fold up—while the wheel and pedals are still attached—to be tucked away into a corner while it’s not being used. Whether you’re looking to save money or space, the Challenge is a solid option.

Playseat Trophy

If you want the full, immersive sim racing experience then the Playseat Trophy is for you. At $600, the trophy is a serious investment with the fit and finish to justify it. The Trophy offers solid metal, tubular construction, a premium-looking and feeling bucket seat, and highly customizable adjustments for your wheel, pedals, and seat position.

At this price point, most other cockpits look like glorified metal scaffolding, but the Trophy’s design is sleek enough to justify the larger footprint it takes up compared to more compact offerings like the Stand Lite and Challenge. If you’re serious about sim racing, the Trophy won’t disappoint.

Final thoughts

If you’re just getting into sim racing, the flood of options available can be overwhelming, but they’re also a blessing compared to what racers had to work with just 10 years ago. As the world of sim racing has grown, the products have gotten better, whether you’re looking at a bargain-priced Thrustmaster T128 or a premium direct-drive wheel like the Moza R3.

If you’re looking for a gift for your kid racer or just want to treat yourself, there are great options for just about any budget—and they’re all a lot cheaper than racking up speeding tickets in the real world.

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admin As a sports enthusiast from the United States, my passion for sports goes beyond mere entertainment—it is a way of life. I am particularly drawn to the "Big Five" European football leagues: the English Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1.