This is the PXN V9 Gen 2—an updated model from the previous generation, which lacked force feedback. Unfortunately, years later, this one doesn’t have it either. This is because it's targeted towards a younger audience. However, they have added some unique features that definitely caught me by surprise.

So today, I’m here to share my thoughts on this entire bundle, going through the set of pedals, steering wheel, H-pattern shifter, and the wheelbase itself, discussing the good, the not-so-good, and whether I would ultimately recommend it.

Sent to me by PXN for review, the V9 Gen 2 offers a lot in this package and currently retails on Amazon for around $190 in the United States. Before you take out your credit card, though, there’s a lot to go over, starting with the pedals.

PXN V9 Gen 2 Pedals

Made almost entirely of plastic, this three-pedal set uses hall effect sensors and features an interesting folding mechanism to adjust the heel rest. The design isn’t bad, with metallic pedal faces and various textures and finishes throughout its casing and heel rest. However, that’s about the only good thing I found with them.

Very little resistance is needed to push down any of the pedals, they can’t be adjusted in any meaningful way, and their steep angle makes pushing them all the way down harder than it should be. Although no hard mounting is needed since they’re so light, there’s also no option to do so. If that wasn’t bad enough, my in-game performance when racing competitively with them was heavily impacted. Being so easy to push down, I found myself easily locking up on more than a few occasions, making precise modulation of my pedal inputs nearly impossible. Heel-toe downshifting was also uncomfortable and difficult due to the angle of the pedals.

So, all in all, my experience with these pedals was very underwhelming. The only real upside comes when comparing them to their competition. While the Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 bundle also lacks force feedback and targets the same market, it only offers a fully plastic, two-pedal set. These are technically better, but not by much.

PXN V9 Gen 2 Shifter

Moving on to the H-pattern shifter, it’s roughly unchanged from the last generation and nearly identical to the one found on the PXN V99, with the difference of having a rubber boot instead of a gated manual—for reasons I’m not entirely sure of.

Fitted with a 6-speed mechanism and a reverse gear that is accessed by pressing down and slotting it into the sixth gear slot, this shifter provides good versatility. The higher gear button can also be useful for trucking sims. Mounting it onto a desk is easy with a versatile table clamp that did a great job holding it in place. Although the general plasticky quality of this shifter is apparent and doesn’t give a high-end feel or look, it ultimately does the job. On track, misshifts were common due to the close spacing and short throw, but in general, I was able to flow through the gears and at least experience the sensation of driving a manual car.

One thing I don’t understand is why PXN chose a toy-like rubber boot for this shifter rather than fitting it with the same gated cover seen on the V99. It almost seems counterintuitive, as I’d imagine producing two different but extremely similar models is more costly than beneficial. Another strange but noteworthy difference is that this shifter comes with a USB Type-C connection intended to be plugged into the back of the wheelbase only, as opposed to the other version, which can be used independently or with the wheelbase.

Considering this shifter is only one part of the bundle and something its competitors don’t offer, it’s hard to complain much about it. It’s certainly not perfect—not anywhere close—but it ultimately does the job and is included.

PXN V9 Gen 2 Steering Wheel

Next, let’s discuss the heavily redesigned steering wheel. The PXN V9 Gen 2 adopts a trucking-style wheel, which makes sense given its target market. At 11 inches in diameter, it looks and feels small but is appropriate for its intended audience.

he quality isn’t anything to brag about; it’s made nearly entirely of plastic but is wrapped in a thin layer of rubbery material that provides some grip and a decent feel. Ergonomics are good, with all buttons and the paddle shifters within easy reach, though none of these are impressive. The paddle shifters are made of a thin layer of plastic that easily flexes at its outer points, the D-pad lacks directional feedback, and the buttons feel lifeless when pressed. For some reason, all those flaws seemed less important to PXN than having your throttle and brake inputs registered with an LED on the front, which I don’t understand. I don’t know why anyone would find this useful, although I guess it looks kind of cool.

On track, this wheel does the job. Despite its small size, it was comfortable to use. Significant flex on the rim is visible but rarely felt in-game, and everything worked as intended. One of the big selling points of this product is its plug-and-play functionality and console compatibility, as PXN claims it works on PC, Xbox One and Series X|S, and PlayStation 4. My experience using this on PC was largely flawless. With no need to download any third-party software, the wheel was immediately recognized, and I was good to go. PXN claims this will also be the case on the aforementioned consoles, but I cannot confirm this as I didn’t try it.

PXN V9 Gen 2 Wheel Base

Finally, let’s talk about the wheelbase. Although it lacks force feedback, there are still several important aspects to cover. Before that, if you’re unsure what I mean by force feedback, check out this guide I made explaining exactly what it is and why it’s important.

Anyway, starting off, this wheel has a maximum rotation of 900 degrees, which is fine for Formula or GT racing but not ideal for rallying, drifting, trucking sims, etc. The reason I mention this is that one of the target markets for this product is casual players of trucking sims who don’t necessarily need force feedback and just want a cheap bundle that offers what they need. The V9 Gen 2, with its trucking-styled wheel and H-pattern shifter with a higher gear mode, seems like a decent choice, but its max 900-degree rotation could be a huge dealbreaker for many.

Apart from that, something that caught me off guard with this wheel was its in-game vibrations. PXN has fitted this wheel with adaptive vibration, which gives some feedback on what your car is doing—for example, no vibrations are felt when going in a straight line, but when turning, they start to kick in, providing at least a minimal sense of what your car is experiencing. Although it can’t simulate anything close to what an actual force feedback wheel does, it’s better than having no feeling whatsoever.

However, using this wheel to try to be competitive on track is difficult, and you’ll be at a huge disadvantage in most racing series, apart from maybe some oval classes. On track, you don’t truly feel what your car is doing, so you're left to rely solely on visual cues—something that is not only unrealistic but also challenging. There were countless times during testing when I lost control in places where I never do, simply because I didn’t get the cues from my wheel to make the necessary adjustments to stay on track.

Worse still, if the in-game performance was already limited, the design of this wheelbase and its included table clamp certainly doesn’t help either. Large and bulky in design, the included table clamps got in my way and caused my knee to hit them countless times. This not only made it uncomfortable but also didn’t look good at all. If that wasn’t bad enough, the design of the wheelbase causes the steering wheel to be angled as if you were driving a bus. I was able to mitigate this on my cockpit by adjusting my mounting plate, but for 99.9% of people who will use this on a desk, you’re going to have to make do with this.

Final Thoughts

Overall, despite some of my criticisms, the PXN V9 Gen 2 could still play a role in the sim racing market. For actual children, for whom a force-feedback wheel could pose a danger, this could be a choice. For someone who just wants to extremely casually play a trucking sim, this could be fine enough. And for someone who only wants to play arcade games like Mario Kart, I guess this would work too.

But the thing is, even if you fit one of those descriptions, at its current $190 price tag, it’s fighting a losing battle against some of PXN’s very own products, Logitech, and Thrustmaster. And that’s not even mentioning the used market, where, for half of that $190, you can find something better, as I demonstrated in this video.

So, in my opinion, the PXN V9 Gen 2 could be a solid offering for a very niche market if it were more competitively priced at around $99. But in its current state, even PXN’s very own V99 beats it by a mile for only a little bit more. Despite its flaws and limitations, I think there is an existing market that could find value in the V9 Gen 2, but it’s up to PXN to market it accordingly.

OC Score: 3.7

PXN V9 Gen 2 FAQ’s

What is the PXN V9 Gen 2, and how does it differ from the previous generation? The PXN V9 Gen 2 is an updated version of PXN's entry-level racing wheel bundle. While it features some improvements over the previous generation, such as a redesigned steering wheel and adaptive vibration, it still lacks force feedback, just like its predecessor.

Who is the target audience for the PXN V9 Gen 2? The PXN V9 Gen 2 is primarily targeted at younger audiences, casual players of trucking simulators, and those who want a basic racing wheel for arcade games like Mario Kart. It’s not intended for competitive sim racers.

What’s included in the PXN V9 Gen 2 bundle? The bundle includes a three-pedal set, a steering wheel, an H-pattern shifter, and the wheelbase. It’s designed to offer a complete entry-level racing experience.

How does the PXN V9 Gen 2 pedal set perform? The pedal set is made mostly of plastic and lacks resistance, making it difficult to achieve precise control. The pedals cannot be adjusted, and their steep angle can be uncomfortable, especially for heel-toe downshifting.

What are the main issues with the PXN V9 Gen 2 H-pattern shifter? The shifter has a plasticky feel and a toy-like rubber boot, which detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, the close spacing and short throw can lead to frequent misshifts. However, it is versatile and does the job, especially for trucking sims.

How does the PXN V9 Gen 2 steering wheel feel during use? The steering wheel is small (11 inches in diameter) and made of plastic with a rubbery grip. While it’s comfortable to use and has functional ergonomics, it lacks the quality and feedback expected by more serious racers. The LED indicators for throttle and brake inputs are present but not particularly useful.

What are the limitations of the PXN V9 Gen 2 wheelbase? The wheelbase lacks force feedback and has a maximum rotation of 900 degrees, which may not be ideal for certain types of racing, such as rallying or drifting. The bulky design and awkward angle can also make it uncomfortable to use on a desk.

How does the PXN V9 Gen 2 perform in-game? The lack of force feedback makes it difficult to be competitive in most racing games. The adaptive vibration feature provides minimal feedback, but it’s not a substitute for true force feedback, making it challenging to maintain control during gameplay.

Is the PXN V9 Gen 2 worth its $190 price tag? At its current price, the PXN V9 Gen 2 faces stiff competition from other products, including PXN’s own V99, as well as offerings from Logitech and Thrustmaster. It might be a good option if it were priced lower, around $99.

Who might benefit from purchasing the PXN V9 Gen 2? The PXN V9 Gen 2 could be a good fit for younger children, casual trucking sim players, or those looking for a basic racing setup for arcade games. However, it’s essential to consider the limitations and compare it with other options on the market.

What consoles and platforms is the PXN V9 Gen 2 compatible with? The PXN V9 Gen 2 is compatible with PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 4. It’s designed for plug-and-play functionality, meaning it should work immediately without the need for third-party software.

Should I consider other options before buying the PXN V9 Gen 2? Yes, especially if you’re looking for better in-game performance or force feedback. For a similar or slightly higher price, you can find better options on the market, including some from PXN’s own lineup.