Best Budget Racing Wheels: Top Picks For PlayStation, Xbox, And PC

The relatively new Thrustmaster T248 takes our top spot on this list thanks to an ultra-premium build quality, stellar feel, top-notch force feedback, fast-shifting magnetic paddles, and realistic pedals. All of this combines to create an extremely impressive and immersive racing experience that will appeal to those who take their racing games seriously.

The T248 is designed for realism, which is readily apparent the first time you sit behind the wheel. It has three force feedback sensitivity settings to help you tailor the experience to your liking. It also has a whopping 25 action buttons and a pair of dual encoders, which means you have a dizzying number of options for mapping inputs to your preference. In addition to the customization, the wheel has a small screen that displays various stats (more than 20). Key stats include speed, laps, best lap time, tire RPMs. These stats aren't displayed in all games, but most of the popular racing games of today are compatible with this feature.

The wheel itself is wrapped in premium synthetic leather that mimics the feel of sports cars. It comes with an easy-to-use clamp to fasten the wheel the securely to a desk or table. Along with the magnetic paddle gear shifters, the T248 comes with a three-pedals: throttle, clutch, and brake. A lot of pedal systems on racing wheels tend to have a flimsy and loose feel to them, but the T248's magnetic pedal has excellent weighting and responsiveness, which really does make it feel like your revving an engine and gaining speed.

The Thrustmaster T248 is available for Xbox and PlayStation. The Xbox version is called the T248X. It would be nice to have this in a universal format that you could use on both platforms. However, both models are also compatible with PC. That means you could use the T248 for Gran Turismo 7 on PS5 and Forza Horizon 5 on PC. It is a fairly pricey wheel at $400, but if you've been using a cheaper wheel, you'll likely notice a huge difference. The T248 is definitely aimed at enthusiasts, and we wouldn't recommend it for beginners. But you really can't go wrong with the T248 if you want a more realistic racing experience.

Taking pole position on this is the Logitech G923, which delivers a superb racing experience thanks its impressive haptic feedback features. The force feedback in this wheel is strong enough to rattle your teeth when you powerslide through a corner, the wheel itself has a first-class selection of materials wrapped around it, and the TrueForce software accurately translates in-game physics in a manner that is satisfyingly nuanced.

It's worth noting that TrueForce is only currently supported in a small number of games, such as Project Cars 3, Assetto Corsa Competizione, Automobilista 2, GRID, iRacing, Monster Truck Championship, and Snowrunner. These games happen to still have dedicated followings though, and have been lauded for their authentic design and gorgeous visuals.

With a set of three pedals included, the Logitech G923 is a lot of hardware to wrap your hands and feet around, all for only $400. With its solid build quality and compatibility across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, Logitech's racing peripheral delivers a rich and exciting method for making digital racing feel incredibly realistic.

For $100, it's surprising to see just how much racing bang you get for your buck when you ditch an Xbox controller and adopt Hori's Overdrive steering wheel. Granted, this is one peripheral that won't be offering force feedback like an Xbox controller can, and there are no plush leather materials on the wheel, but it does focus on providing a solid racing experience on Xbox at this price point. An adjustable deadzone comes in handy, up to four profiles can be saved on it, the face buttons can be programmed to suit your needs, and sensitivity for the turn ratio can be changed from 270 degrees to 180 degrees on the fly.

Even better, the steering wheel is also compatible with Windows 10 PCs, providing some extra multiplatform value in the process. One thing worth mentioning though is that Hori's steering wheels tend to favor smaller-sized hands, so if your appendages are a bit on the meaty side, you might want to look at other options. Still, if you're on a budget and looking to stretch your cash as far as possible, you'll likely be surprised with what Hori has to offer.

For a few dollars more, the TMX racing wheel is a reliable mid-range racing wheel option. While the pedals may leave much to be desired when it comes to putting your foot on the gas, the wheel itself is a sturdy piece of hardware that has bone-rattling force feedback, 900 degrees of rotation, and flappy gear paddles that emit a cathartic click whenever you change gears in one of the many exciting racing games available on Xbox.

A a 12-bit sensor setup that is capable of differentiating up to 4,096 steps in the wheel’s position gives it plenty of nuanced space for taking corners, making for exciting jolts of energy with the internal rumble motors on just about any racing game that you play.

Thrustmaster's T80 is an entry-level steering wheel on PlayStation, delivering reliable racing action that's designed to get the job done. It may not be packed with a rich selection of features and its wheel rotation is fairly limited, but it's still a scrappy option that you can depend on to provide a richer racing experience than what a regular controller is capable of.

Five years after it first went on sale, and Logitech's Dual-Motor G29 is still one of the best pieces of racing kit that the brand has ever produced. Looking like a premium accessory that was stripped straight from a Formula One car, the G29 is ergonomically exquisite and has a number of impressive controls tailored just for the PS4, which naturally work well with the PS5 console. It does show its age with some noisy force feedback and its turning radius could be better, but the G29 scratches a mid-range itch that doesn't leave your bank account in the red.

There's no shortage of great racing games on both of Sony's current PlayStation consoles right now either, so now's a great time to take that passion for the genre to the next level.

Some people want versatility with their racing wheels, comfort in the knowledge that they can plug it into any device they have, sit down, and start throwing a digital replica of a million-dollar Ferrari around corners with reckless abandon. The PXN V3II is that wheel, and for people who prize plug-and-play comfort above everything else, this wheel is more than up to the task. Compatible with PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, this racing wheel can easily be used for a few laps in Forza Horizon, set up for a circuit in Gran Turismo 7, and then moved on over to a PC for a tour of Europe in a truck simulator game. Throw on a headset, and the immersion feels complete.

A Jack-of-all-trades option with an attractive price tag, the PXN V3II's greatest strength is its sturdy construction and reliable nature.