Are you looking for the best budget racing wheel for PC? There are many different options on the market, and it can be difficult to know which option provides the most performance, value, and longevity. In this article, we will provide you with our top recommendation, a comprehensive product overview, and a brief shopping guide to help you get the best price.
Choosing the right racing wheel for you is very important because it is the key to sim racing immersion and accuracy. Racing wheels provide force feedback and steering inputs for the sim racing titles that you will be playing. You’ll want to make sure you consider several variables when picking a wheel, including: Price, features, warranty, and compatibility. In the next section we will outline our top pick.
Our pick: Thrustmaster T150
#CommissionEarned
Our pick for the best budget racing wheel for PC is the Thrustmaster T150. There are a variety of reasons that we picked the T150, but in short, we believe it provides the best value right now in the market. There are similar offerings from Logitech, but the T150 is cheaper and shares many of the same features. If you want to know more about the T150, we will be providing a detailed overview in this article as well as looking at all the factors that went into our recommendation.
Thrustmaster T150 Overview
The Thrustmaster T150 is a force feedback sim racing wheel that is compatible with the PS3, PS4, and PC platforms. The T150 provides force feedback through a hybrid belt and gear motor system. The wheel features 1080 degrees of rotation, 100% metal paddle shifters, and a variety of button options, including official Playstation buttons that you can also program to use as button inputs on PC. In terms of product ranking within the Thrustmaster lineup, the T150 is a mid-range sim racing wheel. The wheels below the T150 do not have force feedback which, in our opinion, makes them not worthy of consideration for sim racing. Above the T150 are wheels with higher torque, more features, and obviously a higher price. The list of most important features of the Thrustmaster T150 include:
- 1080° Force Feedback base featuring Immersion TouchSense® technology
- Mixed belt-pulley and gears system
- Robust and versatile attachment system, compatible with all mounts (desks, tables, etc.)
- 11”/28 cm diameter racing wheel, with an ergonomic design
- 100% metal paddle shifters
- 13 action buttons (including 2 on the base) + 1 D-Pad
- Compatible with the T3PA and T3PA-PRO pedal sets (Thrustmaster 3 Pedals Add-on)
- Compatible with the Thrustmaster TH8A shifter
- Compatible with PS3/PS4, and PC
Why the T150 is the Best Budget Racing Wheel for PC
In this section we will go into more detail about each factor that we used to pick the Thrustmaster T150 as the best budget racing wheel for PC. The factors outlined in this section are all important in terms of budget/beginner racing wheels.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Price | The T150 is one of the cheapest force feedback racing wheels for the PC, making it very affordable and a great value compared to other options |
| Force Feedback | With a hybrid belt and gear system, the T150 delivers smooth force feedback with similar torque to other racing wheels in this price range |
| Accuracy | The optical sensor in the T150 features 12-bit resolution for highly accurate steering inputs |
| Durability | Our research does not indicate any major long term durability issues with the T150 |
| Warranty | Thrustmaster offers a 1 year warranty with the T150 |
| Expandability | The T150 is expandable with the 3 pedal T3PA and T3PA Pro pedal sets, as well as the TH8A shifter |
In summary, the Thrustmaster T150 is the best budget racing wheel because it offers great value and future expandability. You’ll get many years of racing from the T150 wheel base. It offers similar features to the Logitech G29/G920 for a lower price and the added benefit of a hybrid force feedback system.
Looking for more budget sim racing wheels? Check out our recommendation for Best iRacing Wheel for Beginners