Logitech has always been known to be a long-time manufacturer of simulation gear for both the PC and consoles. The G25 steering wheel is part of Logitech's G series, designed for serious gamers for ultimate control and accuracy. And as with other products from this series, the G25 lives up to what it promises.
I was pretty excited when I received that pretty plain-looking cardboard box with a big Logitech logo on the side. After noting how heavy that small box seemed, I quickly tore through, removing the thin-walled retail packaging of the G25. It got me worried, as it seemed it received pretty rough handling and had been torn slightly on its edge. Inside this box I was able to quickly recover my detailed installation booklet, a single Logitech software disc, and a warranty/health booklet. Underneath, I found each of the three components of the G25 wrapped in this plastic bags: the Steering Wheel, the H-Shifter (this got me really excited), and the extremely heavy pedals.
The wheel is 11 inches in diameter and is wrapped in leather. The leather seems to be high-quality and has that expensive smell when you first open the bag. The wheel has a couple of buttons on along with a couple of paddle shifters for accurate rendition of semi-automatic transmissions in open wheelers and modern sports cars. The 6-speed H-Shifter is gated but seems to be pretty lightweight, and needs quite a bit of getting used to. It can also be set to sequential shift mode easily by pressing the stick down and turning a knob on the shifter base. The base also has several buttons on its base. The pedals are heavy and reinforced with steel, and there is one thing that stands out as soon as you see those pedals: there are three. Logitech have listened to the legions of hardcore simmers and opted to include a clutch pedal in order to add more fun and realism to the experience. Those pedals also have different pressures as in real cars, with the brake pedal being stiff, the throttle pedal comparatively light, and the clutch pedal somewhere in between.
Installation was pretty straightforward. The installation booklet, as I mentioned before, is extremely detailed and will make the installation process swift. Both the steering wheel and the shifter have adjustable clamps that make for very stable supports. The underside of the G25 acts as a cable hub, where you will need to connect the shifter, pedals, and the AC power connector. The G25 is connected to the PC through a USB2 interface, which is very responsive and is being used by most modern peripherals.
In order to start using the wheel, you will also need to install the supplied Logitech software. The Wingman software is a really nifty peace of kit, allowing for separate profiles for different games and allows for a great number of adjustments. One of the most marketed features of the G25 has been the 900 degrees of rotation. I have found this feature to be pretty unpractical and unless I'm having a fun drive using a touring car around some winding circuit (Nordschleife anyone?) I use the excellent software to set the steering angle to some 400 degrees, suitable for most games and simulations. The software also allows you to set force feedback strength and centering spring settings.
On to the tests. I have had the wheel for more than a week now, and I must say I'm very impressed with it. I have never used Force Feedback wheels before, and it wasn't a very easy transition process, but it was over in a couple of days. Since then, I've noticed a huge performance in my simulation performance. In all the games that I tested, including rFactor, Live For Speed, GTR2, RACE 07, and Grand Prix 4, there was a very noticeable improvement. Compared to my old wheel, I was able to make small, accurate adjustments that were not detected by my old wheel. The pedals' pressure system was also very practical, allowing me to turn traction control off and allowed me more control and feel of the road surface. The H-Shifter was very fun to use, especially with manual clutch. It transformed Live For Speed into a completely realistic car simulation, as LFS's very well-written physics engine's output forces was very well realized by the twin-motor force feedback system of the G25.
I have only two main issues with this wheel: absence of a seventh gear in the H-Shifter and having only two buttons not counting the paddle shifter on the steering wheel. Many vehicles, including touring cars, now have a seventh gear and the H-Shifter is not usable with 7-gear systems. During intense online races, I have also found it distracting to reach for the shifter's base buttons, an issue that could've been solved by including a couple more buttons on the steering wheel.
Overall, this is the best steering wheel that I have used, and even though it is not exactly cheap (retailing at approximately $249.99), it is worth every penny. It greatly improves your simulation experience and is a heck of a lot of fun. Highly recommended.
By CodeName_88
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