Thrustmaster T300RS GT | Still Worth It In 2024?!
This is the Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition, one of the most widely popular sim racing wheels for PlayStation and PC users, and a bundle that has been on the market for several years now. Despite its age, the T300RS GT continues to be one of the most widely talked about, recommended, and highly regarded sim racing wheels on the market.
However, with so much recent change, the introduction of entry-level direct-drive wheels, and much more, I was curious to see if this can still hold up in 2024. Thrustmaster was kind enough to send me a unit, and in this video, I’ll be reviewing the T300 wheelbase, Gran Turismo Wheel Rim, and included pedals, telling you all the good, the bad, and whether I would still recommend it to this day. Keep in mind that I’ve linked the lowest-priced one I could find below, and for discounts on most of the main sim racing manufacturers, check out my website for exclusive codes and my affiliate links.
Included with the T300RS GT Edition bundle, you’ll find the T300 wheelbase, Gran Turismo steering wheel, and a set of T3PA pedals. These are technically three individual products in their own right, so I’ll start off by going over the pedals, then the wheel rim, and ending with the wheelbase before giving you my final recommendation.
Thrustmaster T3PA Pedals
The Thrustmaster T3PA pedals are good in the sense that they provide three pedals right from the start, something that many bundles don’t do. Made out of an entirely plastic casing, they’re definitely not of the highest quality, but the metallic pedal faces do help give them a more refined look. These metallic pedal faces feel good on the feet, and despite the lack of side-to-side adjustment, are nicely spaced out and gave me no trouble on track. Underneath the pedal set, rubber pads are included to prevent movement when laying them on the floor, but hard mounting is also available if you’re using this on a cockpit or wheel stand, something that is a little overkill considering the little amount of force needed to push any of the three pedals down.
On that note, the in-game performance is where these pedals lack the most. Using a potentiometer-based sensor to register input, the T3PA pedals recognize the travel of the pedal rather than the force acted upon it, like a more desirable load cell sensor would. This not only makes being consistent a lot harder, but it also presents reliability concerns as potentiometer sensors take on more wear and tear.
Out on the track, the little resistance of any of the pedals was immediately noticeable. This light resistance is great for children or users who are just laying them down on the floor, but as soon as you’re looking for a more “serious” racing experience, these probably won’t suffice.
Moreover, they aren’t adjustable at all, meaning that unless you dabble in the world of third-party DIY modifications, what you feel is what you get. The good thing about these pedals' performance is that they had no flex (granted because I didn’t need to put much force), and they were very comfortable to use with the large pedal plate and spacing between the pedals. At the end of the day, for a pedal set that comes included as part of a bundle, I would say that they were good enough back when this was released. But nowadays, with similarly priced bundles from Fanatec and Moza including the CSL and SRP pedals respectively, these fall very short. Both the CSL pedals from Fanatec and SRPs from Moza have an entirely metal construction, use hall effect sensors rather than potentiometers, offer load cell brake upgrades, and are of much better quality, again at a similar price. As such, the T3PA pedals were good back in 2016 when this bundle was released, but it’s hard to say the same about them today.
Thrustmaster T300RS Steering Wheel
Moving on, along with this bundle comes the Gran Turismo branded steering wheel which, immediately upon unboxing, was a lot smaller than I was expecting. Despite its small size, which is comparable to a G29 for example, this steering wheel feels pretty good in hand with a very grippy rubber material used all around, and large clicky metallic paddle shifters found behind.
Some but not a lot of functionality is included with a total of 9 buttons, and a D-pad on the faceplate. The buttons and D-pad have a feel almost exactly the same as any Xbox or PlayStation controller and ultimately do the job. Behind the wheel, you’ll find the notorious Thrustmaster quick-release system, but more on that when I talk about the wheelbase.
Taking this steering wheel on track, its small size didn’t impact me as much as I was expecting but could present a bigger problem for users with very large hands or those wanting to exclusively drift or rally. Regardless, the rubber grips again felt very solid here, giving me a lot of confidence and comfort. The paddle shifters were also very responsive and satisfying to press down, and overall, its lightweight also made the most out of the force feedback given off from the T300 wheelbase. On that note, let’s talk about that one now.
T300 Wheelbase
The Thrustmaster T300RS wheelbase has, over the years, gained a great reputation for giving good performance for money and can be independently bought for around $230 without the pedals and wheel. Most notably, and a huge reason for this wheelbase's popularity is undoubtedly its PlayStation compatibility, which for the longest time, was the only mid-range wheelbase that offered that.
Lightweight and relatively small in size, the T300 wheelbase is made entirely of plastic and doesn’t look nor feel like a high-quality bit of gear. Regardless, its in-game performance is what really counts. Underneath the wheelbase, hard mounting slots are available and, very notably, a table clamp comes included for those playing on a desk, something many people use this wheelbase on. A small switch on the left-hand side will allow you to put it on either PC or PlayStation mode, and for those wondering if this can be used on Xbox, no it cannot. For that, you would be looking at the Thrustmaster TX, essentially the same wheelbase but with Xbox compatibility instead of PlayStation.
With several vents throughout and using a dual-belt force feedback mechanism, I found this wheelbase to stay fairly quiet and practically unnoticeable when wearing headphones. More importantly, I also didn’t notice any significant loss in force or performance when using it for longer sessions, albeit that is something that people have reported happening after several months or years of use. This dual-belt force feedback mechanism is fairly outdated now, with almost every new wheel now offering direct-drive systems, but still, it exerts just about 4nm of peak torque, which when ramped up on both the in-game and Thrustmaster software, is fairly noticeable. It's more than that of the Logitech G29 and Thrustmaster T150 but also less prominent than that of the Moza R5 and CSL DD, two wheelbases I’ve extensively used.
In-game, this wheelbase did an okay job. Although the resistance and notably the reaction speed is there, I found it lacked substantially when it came to small road effects, bumps, curbs, and other similar granular details, which is what direct-drive wheels really shine in. More than that, textures were fairly muted as I could hardly tell the difference when driving on pavement versus grass or gravel, something that is expected since this wheelbase with its technology simply can’t replicate those small but precise details. In general, though, the wheelbase did give me all the responsiveness I needed to be competitive and know what my car was doing. It’s for that reason that a lot of pro drivers are still using wheelbases like this.
Although it doesn’t provide the same level of immersion as more powerful direct-drives do, it does provide all the core things to the driver. In-game performance aside, I, of course, have to mention this wheelbase's quick-release system, which I’ve complained about several times in the past for its lack of actually being quick. Not only do you need a screwdriver, but you also must manually tighten or loosen your wheel, align it so that the pins match exactly, and after all that, re-insert this small screw which I lose all the time. All of that is needed to accomplish something that competitors can do in mere seconds and with a lot more stability and confidence. Anyways, that goes without saying that the T300 wheelbase does allow for interchangeable wheel rims, something which actually isn’t all that common with Thrustmaster wheelbases.
Still Worth it in 2024?
All in all, the question of whether the Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition is still worth it in 2024 is a good one, but more importantly, it’s one that will depend a lot on your situation. In the United States, it retails everywhere for $450 and for that price, definitely go with the Moza R5 or Fanatec CSL DD bundles, and it’s not even close. Of course, here in the US, Europe, Australia, Japan, and some other parts of the world, those other options are available both quickly and for a similar price. But, and a massive but, in many parts of the world, the Thrustmaster T300 really is the only option, and those aforementioned offerings from Moza and Fanatec can cost double or more what they normally go for. In that case, if this is pretty much your only option without having to sell a kidney, the important thing to note is that you can be competitive with it. As long as you can upgrade the pedal set in the future for a load cell one, the T300RS GT wheelbase and wheel won’t be the top of the line in sim racing technology today but will still give you everything you need to beat others (like me) who spend thousands but lack the skill.
OC SCORE: 5.2
What is included in the Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition bundle?
The bundle includes the T300 wheelbase, a Gran Turismo steering wheel, and a set of T3PA pedals. These three components are packaged together to provide a complete sim racing experience.
What materials are the T3PA pedals made of?
The T3PA pedals have an entirely plastic casing with metallic pedal faces. The metallic faces provide a more refined look and feel good on the feet.
Are the T3PA pedals adjustable?
No, the T3PA pedals are not adjustable. They do not offer side-to-side adjustment, and unless you are into third-party DIY modifications, what you get is what you get.
How do the T3PA pedals perform in-game?
The T3PA pedals use a potentiometer-based sensor to register input, which recognizes the travel of the pedal rather than the force. This can make consistency harder and presents reliability concerns due to wear and tear. The pedals have very light resistance, which might not be suitable for a serious racing experience.
What is the size and feel of the Gran Turismo steering wheel?
The Gran Turismo steering wheel is smaller than expected, comparable to a G29. It features a grippy rubber material all around and has large, clicky metallic paddle shifters behind it. The wheel includes a total of 9 buttons and a D-pad, similar in feel to Xbox or PlayStation controllers.
What are the key features of the T300 wheelbase?
The T300 wheelbase is known for its PlayStation compatibility, lightweight design, and dual-belt force feedback mechanism. It offers hard mounting slots and comes with a table clamp for desk use. It can exert about 4nm of peak torque and has a switch for PC or PlayStation mode.
Can the T300 wheelbase be used with Xbox?
No, the T300 wheelbase cannot be used with Xbox. For Xbox compatibility, you would need the Thrustmaster TX wheelbase.
How does the T300 wheelbase perform in-game?
The T300 wheelbase provides good responsiveness and force feedback. However, it lacks the ability to replicate small road effects and granular details that direct-drive wheels excel at. Despite this, it offers enough performance to be competitive in racing games.
What is the quick-release system on the T300 wheelbase like?
The quick-release system on the T300 wheelbase is not very quick. It requires a screwdriver and manual alignment to change the wheel, which is less convenient compared to competitors' systems.
Is the Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition worth it in 2024?
The value of the Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition in 2024 depends on your situation. In regions where alternatives like the Moza R5 or Fanatec CSL DD are available at similar prices, those options are better. However, in areas where these alternatives are significantly more expensive or unavailable, the T300RS GT Edition remains a viable and competitive option.
Are there any recommended upgrades for the T300RS GT Edition?
Upgrading the pedal set to a load cell one is highly recommended for a more serious racing experience. This upgrade can significantly improve performance and consistency in sim racing.
Where can I find discount codes and daily deals for sim racing hardware?
Discount codes and daily deals for sim racing hardware can often be found in the video description of related YouTube videos. Keep an eye on these descriptions for potential savings.
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