Considering picking up Assetto Corsa - what steering wheel (PC)?

At under $10 for the whole pile I figure I can't go too far wrong, but will I need a steering wheel. What's out there, what works, what doesn't? Don't want to have to auction a vital organ to afford it. Go!

Typical entry-level wheels are the G920 and Thrustmaster T150 or T300RS

But, feel free to come join the weekly AC crew with an xbox controller, or some ancient 180-deg lock to lock wheel like Dean was using :).  It will still be fun!

If you end up with a Logitech. wheel make sure to read the second post of the AC thread for a good starting point.  You will need the Logitech profiler which is linked to there also.

If it's a toss up I would suggest a Logitech since we can help you a lot with those.

OK, I bought, downloaded, and installed AC, as well as the Content Manager and some additional cars. Fooled around with it for an hour or so using mouse/keyboard or Steam controller, neither of which really works all that well. Mouse is good for steering, but the keyboard for throttle and brakes means they are on/off rather than linear. Steam controller is good for throttle and brake, but steering with the little mini-joystick is a big step down from the mouse. I mean, I can complete a lap or two without crashing, but that's hardly a high standard. I think a wheel is going to be necessary. Probably inclined toward the Thrustmaster, if only because of past experiences with Logitech's software, but I'll have to look into the differences a bit more closely. Thanks for the feedback.

Yeah, the controller is not really a viable solution, it's just a stop gap to get used to the game / system and setting up you preferences / settings (e.g. visual settings, resolution etc).  You can do decent with some easy to drive cars, but as noted, precision steering is a big issue and will produce regular spins in anything remotely tricky to drive.  Brakes and gas are actually pretty nice (with an Xbox controller at least).

I currently Use my G27.  I also have a G29 and a Logitech Momo wheel (15 years old 200 deg lock to lock).

Logitech Momo Wheel

The Momo will be the least expensive.  It drives ok the peddles are very soft with almost no resistance.  You can operate them with one toe but it gets the job done.  The forced feed back is good but you can feel the gears.  It has a notchey feeling.  They are cheep on eBay until you look at shipping.  These seem to be best purchased from some place where you can pick it up locally like FB market place or CL.  A bit down side to this wheel is that I was not able to get the buttons on the wheel to work with AC.   Gas, Brake paddle shifting,  and the steering work just fine.  A big let down is the lack of a clutch peddle.  You absolutely need it for may cars in AC to get any kind of a decent launch from a standing start. You may be able to get around this with assigning the clutch to a key on the keyboard but I never tried it.  This wheel has a manual shift lever but it is set up like a slap stick in line drag racing shifter.   Better then nothing but I never used it.  The paddle shifters are excellent.  Much more realistic than those on the G27.  In fact they look and feel very much like the real ones on my Mercedes CLS550.  If you got one cof these wheels cheep enough it is still a very serviceable wheel that I had many hours of fun with here in the AC group. But you can do better.

Logetech G27

The middle ground is my G27 (what I am currently using)  Much better peddles and over all build quality.  It has a clutch peddle and 6 assignable buttons on the wheel.  The forced feed back is smooth compared to th MOMO.  It is also stronger by default.  The peddles have more resistance and are much closer to the real thing.  You can get an separate H pattern shifter for it.  The paddle shifters are a let down compared to the Momo.  They are just pieces of aluminum.  They feel cheep compared to the MOMO wheels paddle shifters.  These should be reasonably cheep as they were not supported by the PS4 when it came out.  To make these work on the PS4 You had to use an emulator through a PC so most people just got the G29 (many unhappy PS4/G27 owners at the time)  These are good wheels and over all are a big step up from the old Momo wheel.  I am using it now as my PC wheel because I upgraded to the G29 when I got the PS4.  

Logitech G29

The G29.  This is a step up in every way from the G27.  Much better buttons on the wheel with dials and things that really do add to the experience.  The paddle shifters are the same as the G27 (kind of a let down to me).  the peddles are smoother with a bit more resistance and maybe a little better tip in feeling.  While this is a nicer wheel it is definitely not worth allot more than a G27 if you are only going to be PC racing.  In fact it being built with PS specific buttons may actually be a let down for some.  If you are thinking of sony consol use down the road then this is the wheel to get.  If you can find one that the $$$ works for you then by all means it is a slightly better wheel.  The force feedback is a little smoother.  The peddles are just a little better the buttons and added dials on the wheel are a bit better but for PC gaming while all of this is nice paying any kind of a premium for it on the used market is not really worth it.  Again I have a G29 upstairs on my play seat hooked to my PS4 and the hassle of taking it apart and moving it down to where I have my PC is just not worth it as compared to just using my G27

There is one advantage to the G27&29 and that there are upgrades to the peddles available from third parties that are suppose to greatly improve the feel.

Hope this helps

There are other wheels out there to consider but I have not tried them and with me playing allot of PS Sims over the years my wheels have all been Sony PS compatible so that has narrowed my playing field a bit.  

Thanks for the detailed write-up. Between this thread and a few other things I've read, I'm inclined to give Logitech another shot. For use exclusively on a PC, is there any reason to choose the G29 (PS) over the G920 (Xbox)? I prefer the aesthetics of the G920, but that's a secondary consideration obviously.

They are basically the same under the skin.  The G29 has more buttons and a little rev-bar thing both of which could be helpful.  FWIW, I hear the T300RS has a belt drive and is generally a better wheel for the $.  Not sure how budget sensitive you are.

Have you joined the discord yet?

Budget is fairly tight at the moment, so I'm trying not to splurge. The T300RS with three pedals is $400 ($350 with two pedals), vs. $250 for the G29/G920, at least on Amazon. That's enough of a bump for me to think twice about it. If there's a cheaper source, by all means point me to it.

I have an old Logitech Driving Force GT.  It has been reliable and a quality unit.  My understanding is the wheel is very similar to the G29 but the pedals are a unique 2 pedal item.  I can map all of the buttons to AC except I've had trouble getting the rotary dial and the PS button to work.  

Given the reliable useage I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Logitech product to replace it if it ever breaks.  I've not had a lot of experience with other wheels, but don't feel like this wheel is holding back my Pace.   

It looks like the G29 has more buttons, which would be nice since you can program them for anything on a PC, eventually, you will find a use for all of them.  I do not know if the PC recognizes the red ring thing.   It might just count each click as the click of a button, which could work.  

If you are planning on driving mostly old cars probably not a big deal, but if you get into modern GT and F1 cars, having lots of button options will be nice.  E.g. the +/- buttons could be for brake balance, the ring for fuel trim.  Other buttons for pit speed, lights, pit request etc.   There are a lot of things you could use them for.  Another option is to have a keyboard handy, but in the middle of a race, on the wheel will be much nicer.

Also, if you like older cars, I would highly suggest a shifter (and three pedals) at some point.  It really adds a lot to the challenge / enjoyment, at least for me.  Of note, if you are going three pedals, you will want to eventually have a setup that allows solid mounted pedals and no obstructions between them (for heal toe).

Just a word of caution:  don't be surprised if a lot of those buttons don't work with AC.

Steering wheels are fickle beasts and I don't trust the Logitech software at all.

I'm mostly interested in the older cars, so I don't think I'll need a lot of buttons. And I don't trust the Logitech software either, so I won't be at all surprised if there are issues. As long as the wheel and pedals perform their primary functions reasonably well I'll be OK. As far as solid mounting pedals and other such things, it's not happening. There's no space to do it, and I'm not that committed. A shifter might be nice, but I think I'll make due with the paddle shifters. If I want to heel/toe I'll go drive a real car (crazy, I know).

I just bought the G29, it was discounted and available locally and at around 200 USD (but in SEK) it was OK price wise for me.

I haven't driven many modern rigs or wheels but for, as a beginner in Assetto Corsa, I think it's a decent compromise.

Getting the settings "right" is a thing though and the guide mentioned here is nice. I have tried to stay out of simracing (fear of loosing too much time...) but hey...the only way to get rid of a temptation is to fall for it.

Gustaf

I also use an old Logitech Driving Force GT. Surprised how well it works. I was worried that the shifter wouldn't work but being sequential isn't too bad for racing. I have a couple of ways to go either spend bonus on my bike end of 2021 and upgrade my pc wheel bonus 2022 or vice versa.