G923 VS T248 | Which is the BEST Sim Racing Wheel?!
The Thrustmaster T248 and the Logitech G923. They are without a doubt the most closely matched entry-level sim racing wheels available today. Everything from what they come with, to what they offer, to their retail price, they are Lewis Hamilton vs Max Verstappen of sim racing wheels. What does that mean? It means one of them is slightly better than the other, and today, I’ll be talking about just that.
First things first, this video is not a review in any way. This video is simply a direct comparison between the T248 and G923. First, I’ll start by talking about all the ways the Logitech G923 is better than Thrustmaster’s offering. Then, I’ll talk about all of the ways the T248 is better than the G923. Afterward, I will talk about the similarities between the two and finally, I will end off by telling you all which one I think is the better overall product. If you are looking for an in-depth review, good news, I’ve made two separate video reviews doing just that and they can be found right here:
Anyways, let’s get started.
Here are all of the ways the Logitech G923 is superior to the Thrustmaster T248:
With its full leather-wrapped wheel, brushed metal faceplate, and metallic paddle shifters, the G923 looks and feels of much higher quality than the T248 which uses vast amounts of plastic, almost everywhere.
If you’re interested in purchasing an H-pattern shifter to go alongside your wheel, Logitech offers one for only $60 whereas you’ll be dropping a little over three times that at around $200 for Thrustmaster's offering. Granted, it’ll be of higher quality but if you’re looking to have the manual experience, Logitech provides that at a much more attainable price point.
This third point is purely opinion-based but I think most will agree when I say that the G923 is the better-looking wheel. With its blacked-out details, different use of materials, and minimalist approach, it looks much better than the somewhat toyish look of the T248.
In-game the G923 tends to react and “snap back” into your hands much quicker than the T248 which I've always felt lacks a bit in its responsiveness. This is particularly important to note if you are planning to use one of these two wheels primarily for drifting. If that is the case for you, I would definitely say that the G923 is much better suited for that.
In terms of the pedals, the pedal arms on the G923 are made from metal which provides more confidence and long-term rigidity when compared to the plastic ones found on Thrustmaster's offering. Moreover, Logitech's pedals feature carpet spikes whereas Thrustmaster’s do not, which is a notable feature for many who might be using these on a carpeted floor.
Although the T248 features magnetic paddle shifters to provide a more tactile click and faster responsiveness, I highly prefer the ones found in the G923. The main reason is because of the sound. The T248 has notoriously loud paddle shifters which become extremely obnoxious after just a few minutes. Another reason I prefer the paddle shifters found on the Logitech wheel is because of how they look and feel on your hand. Whereas the T248’s are made from plastic and are short and chubby, the G923 features brushed metal, long-paddle shifters which feel cool to the touch and look aggressive alongside the wheel.
Arguably the G923’s biggest advantage is its presence of “True Force”. What is True Force I hear you ask, simply put, it’s something inside the G923 which makes the wheel vibrate according to the game. So for example, if you go over a curb, go off-road, or get a puncture, the wheel will vibrate to give you, the driver, a better sense of how your car is reacting. This is a neat feature which although won’t give you a massive advantage on track, will certainly add to the immersion.
Something else exclusive to the G923 is its “dual-clutch” feature. I’ll be the first to admit that this isn’t very useful and I’ve only ever used it like once and didn’t bother with it again, but in essence, it’s something inside this wheels software which in certain games, allows you to maximize traction and limit wheel spin to give you a competitive advantage off-the-start when racing others. That's a very broad explanation, but feel free to look more into that feature if that’s something you find interesting.
Finally, the G923 and Logitech wheels in general, have many more options when it comes to third-party modifications. Whether you want to swap out the stock wheel for a F1 wheel, upgrade the resistance of the brake pedal, add a more tactical click to its paddle shifters, or pretty much anything else, there is likely a third-party modification you can buy to get the most out of Logitech's wheels. There are mods you can buy and instal for the T248, but not nearly as many compared to the G923.
Check out these mods for the Logitech G-Series Wheels:
And on that note, enough with the Thrustmaster slander.
Here are all of the ways the Thrustmaster T248 is superior to the Logitech G923:
Using a hall effect sensor on the pedals rather than a potentiometer sensor, the pedals included with the T248 will likely remain more accurate and effective in the long-term. How so? Well in essence, a half effect sensor (the one found inside the Thrustmaster pedals) doesn’t have anything physically touching the sensor itself as it uses magnetic wave-lengths to detect input. Potentiometer sensors on the other hand (the ones Logitech uses on the pedals) do have something creating physical contact with the sensor which after extended periods of time, causes it to wear out and lose performance. So in essence, Thrustmaster’s pedals would in theory remain more accurate to your input in the long-term.
With up to 25 action buttons including 2 dual-position encoders, the T248 provides a far greater amount of options and customizability to fit your in-game needs. Whether you want to program buttons for increasing or decreasing traction control, flashing your headlights, adjusting your car setup or nearly everything you can imagine, you’ll most likely have an action button at your disposal.
The T248 also has far greater force feedback capabilities. Using a mixed belt and gear force feedback mechanism, it provides more overall force, resistance, and detail compared to that of the G923 which is purely gear-driven. This allows the T248 to have a more realistic and precise in-game feel. It also comes with 3 built-in force feedback presets but you can watch the review video I made on it if you want to know more about that.
Moreover, T248 comes with a small integrated LED screen which shows a variety of telemetry data. This is a neat feature which although I’ve never found particularly useful, is still nice to have and helps with the overall look of the wheel. This screen can show current lap-time, track position, engine RPM among a few other things.
Although I already mentioned that I’m not a fan of the magnetic paddle shifters used in the T248, I have to admit that they do feel better to press down and have that clicky feel we all know and love.
The T3PM pedals which come along with the T248 wheel feature far more customization to fit your driving style. This is because it comes with 4 distinct pressure modes on the brake to suit your needs. With the included springs and stoppers, you can adjust the resistance needed to push down the brake to a maximum of up to 440 pounds. On the other hand, the pedals that come with the G923 do not allow you to adjust the resistance, at least not without modifying it yourself.
Logitech’s wheels have always been notoriously loud and there is no exception when it comes to the G923. The mixed belt and gear force feedback used in the T248 is significantly quieter than the very clunky, mechanical sound released from Logitech's offering. So if you're looking for the quieter wheel, Thrustmaster easily takes the point for that one.
Being almost exclusively a sim racing manufacturer, Thrustmaster offers a lot more options when it comes to pedals, handbrakes, shifters, wheel rims, and other sim racing accessories whereas Logitech only offers an option h-pattern shifter. It’s important to note that the T248 wheel rim cannot be swapped out for another Thrustmaster wheel.
Finally, for those of you who will be using this on a table or desk, the T248 comes with a stronger table clamp compared to the retractable clamps that come in the G923. They both do a good job at maintaining the wheel in place but I always feel more confident with the approach Thrustmaster takes.
Now in terms of similarities between the G923 and T248 there are definitely some notable features:
The first is the size of the wheel rim itself. Both of these wheels are nearly identical in size with a diameter of around 11 inches meaning they are both relatively small.
Moreover, at the $400 price point, they both retail for the exact same amount although I will admit that I’ve seen the G923 go for around the $350 mark more times than not.
In terms of compatibility, being very mainstream wheels, they will both work with pretty much every racing title and will attach onto every cockpit or wheel stand. In terms of console support, they both come with either PlayStation and PC or Xbox and PC compatibility.
Finally, in terms of the wheel itself, they both feature a small rev indicator that tells you when to shift gears, they both do not come with a quick-release mechanism which means there is no easy way to swap out the wheels, and they both max out at 900 degrees of rotation which is more than adequate for almost every game.
So which one is actually better?
If you ask me, I would go with the Thrustmaster T248 - It beats the G923 in terms of force feedback capabilities, features, and adjustability and the pedals also have a much better feel. Whilst I do prefer the look of the G923, when it comes to upright performance, versatility, and features, the T248 is the clear winner for me.