Logitech launches steering wheels and G-series inputs

Logitech showed up at E3 with a steering wheel of their own, the G25 system. And let us say, this thing is probably nicer than the wheel on our own automobile -- well, when we still had it. Their $299.99 rig features a leather-wrapped 11-inch wheel with 900° rotation, paddle shifters, dual-motor force feedback, and a very nice external clicky six-speed shifter. This'll be ready to roll in early October, long before the July launches of the force-feedback equipped DriveFX Wheel (shown after the break) for the Xbox 360, which will go for $99, and more entry level G-series devices Logitech's rolling out, such as the G3 laser mouse and G11 keyboard (which is basically the G15 with no display).

 

The DriveFX Whee; Xbox 360 racing controller and pedals; not quite the G35, but it'll have to do.

[Jonny @ May 10th 2006 12:30PM]

This'd be a great controller for Live for Speed

[Rocket Punch @ May 10th 2006 12:56PM]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!! I WANNA CRY!

PLZ GOD MAKE THIS SUPPORT GT4!

[villainy @ May 10th 2006 12:56PM]

A video game steering wheel with a realistic shifter instead of just the sequential crap? I think that's pretty cool, but are there any games that support it? I just know I have $300 hiding somewhere waiting for a good cause, maybe I left it in the cash drawer at the 7-11 down the street. Better get my ATM card AKA. gun.

[tpp @ May 10th 2006 12:57PM]

Which platform is this for? PC?

[apeguero @ May 10th 2006 1:10PM]

Nice steering wheel. I'd probably buy it. Now, if they would only redo the Logitech Trackman Wheel in Bluetooth then I'd be a happy man.

[Galley @ May 10th 2006 1:30PM]

ToCA Race Drive 3 for the PS2 supports an analog clutch, so I'm guessing it would support this setup.

From Logitech's press release:

The Logitech G25 Racing Wheel is compatible with current racing titles, such as rFactor? and Live for Speed, as well as several other PC racing titles currently in development. The wheel can also be used with any PlayStation�2 game that is compatible with other Logitech force-feedback wheels, including the Logitech� Driving Force? and Logitech� Driving Force? Pro.

For PC and PlayStation 2 games that don�t support the six-speed shifting mode, racers can switch the gearbox into sequential shifting mode, which is supported by almost all driving games.

[Indigo Convergence @ May 10th 2006 3:34PM]

I own a similar ACT-Labs combo: Force RS wheel, Performance pedals (with clutch), and GPL shifter. It's a few years old (NFS5 era) and cost about the same then as the Logitech wheel does now. It also is PC + console enabled with a modular/pluggable interface system.

Details: http://www.act-labs.com/products/race1.htm

My experience with such things has been somewhat mixed... On one hand, if you (like I) are serious enough about driving games to drop $300 on this accessory, then you will find the experience of driving with a good wheel and shifter to be truly amazing. I cannot recommend it highly enough. On the other hand, I have found software support to be somewhat lacking. For my setup, it's difficult to find games made in the last few years that fully support the wheel/clutch/shifter. (If anyone has anything to suggest, I'd love to hear it!)

So, as much as I applaud Logitech (and I love the big L) for introducing this product, I am very curious how broad software support will be... Time will tell!

[David @ May 10th 2006 4:00PM]

Live for Speed supports clutch and shift. You should give it a shot, lots of fun

http://www.liveforspeed.net

[Keija @ May 10th 2006 5:01PM]

oh my god ... i could kick myself that i just bought the old 900degree logitech wheel for gt4

6speed shifters on a controller!! OH MY GOD .. i'm so horny right now ^^

[Galley @ May 10th 2006 5:52PM]

Ben said it best in "Short Circuit":
"I'm sporting a tremendous woody!"

[MaXKiLLz @ May 10th 2006 6:07PM]

Great. Now what do I do with my two Logitech Momo Force Red wheels. Look for my two eBay auctions in late October. :)

[David @ May 13th 2006 7:13PM]

That is an amazing wheel. I'm glad to see theres finally a clutch pedal and "real" shifter. There is a typo though at the end they put G35 and not G25.

[Garry Weir @ May 13th 2006 8:19PM]

The G25 looks awsome.Is the G25 compatible with the x-box? I have 4 simulators set up side by side plus 1 for the x-box.All my mates are whinging because they have x-boxes and the steering wheels for the x-box has nothing compared to the Driving force pro.It is about time X-box got something that is equivalent to the pro.I only race on the Ps2 because of the Pro wheel.
If x-box had the equivalent of the pro there would be alot more competitors racing on the x-box.

[Albert (Wolfpack) Muniz @ May 15th 2006 4:00PM]

For all of you interested in buying a FF steering whl. for the 360 don't buy the joytech whl. I bought one thinking it was FF but it was just a whl. with a little vibration feedback to it. Oh and by the way it was a piece of crap! So avoid the temptation of buying it for the sake of having a whl.to use with PGR & NFSU. It's useless. Wait for the drive FX to show up.

[radracer @ Jul 25th 2006 11:39PM]

why cant the xbox 360 have the clutch and 6 gear shift box with the toggle to switch to the other mode.

i dont see why it cant be done...
but you know what would make this a million dollar product for race addicts.. if you could replace the pedals with actual real life pedals or even the wheel itself. but the wheel itself right now its the best I've seen in game racing wheels so far.

But very well done logitech. But please make the 360 one just as good with all the buttons and things.

[EcinPC @ Aug 9th 2006 4:48PM]

To answer a few of the questions above. It will be for the ps2/3 and PC, not sure why not xbox360, maybe because of their licensing deal.

About the sequential shifting, you have to recognize that more and more cars are using them. Even the exotic cars have them.

Why can't the 360 have the gearbox? Because it will cost about $200 and not enough people want to pay for it. Die hard sim fans will use the PC or gran turismo on the PS.

I'm getting it, with the clutching techniques it will bring a new dimension to games.

[David Clarke @ Aug 15th 2006 4:56PM]

Test drive unlimited? Man i hope it supports clutch.. That would own..

[bryan @ Aug 20th 2006 3:07PM]

Will the g-25 be able to work for xbox360?

[VtecMaster @ Aug 27th 2006 10:00PM]

Kind of expensive, but looks worth the money. I was think 200 bucks would be more realistic and would get more sales. I have LFS so i'll just have to wait till Christmas to get this, or get a job....
But looks great...all i can say is finally!

[VtecMaster @ Aug 27th 2006 10:01PM]

Where is the handbrake? ....

[nikki @ Mar 19th 2007 10:53PM]

can anyone suggest the best steering wheel for use on xbox 360 and ps2/ps3. I currently am using the logitech pro but I cant get it to work on xbox 360.

please help

[Sam @ Mar 26th 2007 9:19PM]

As far as I know, Logitech has a specific deal with Sony, so Microsoft is gonna have to make their own. I only want to know if the clutch and gate shifter will work with GT4, cuz I used the HECK out of my GT4 wheel, and the pedal doesn't really work that well anymore, so this is a savior!

[Leopold Porkstacker @ Apr 30th 2007 1:05PM]

Wow! Finally an affordable 3-pedal controller! It's about time someone remembered about the clutch pedal--the thing that separates the good drivers from the bad!

-he who stacks pork

[Mugabo @ Jun 8th 2007 2:41AM]

has the G-25 has got the force feedback ?