Knowing which racing wheel to buy is a serious challenge. There’s nowhere to try it before you buy, and each wheel has a serious price tag that can make the wrong decision all the more frustrating.
Luckily we have you covered. Logitech has sent us one of their new G923 wheels to try out.
This review was conducted on Xbox One across a range of games, from F1 2020 to Assetto Corsa Competizione, WRC 9, and Forza Motorsport 7.
Setup
While a little more complicated than some, it is pretty easy to set up your G923. Pedals and power cable need to be hooked up to the wheels base, and all the wires have channels to clip into that allow for good cable management and a flat fit to a rig or desk.
The screw clamps are easy to use, though if your desk has a support bar that runs close to the edge you might struggle to get full purchase.
This is the case with the setup we tried. The clamps are not big enough to go around the bar underneath the desk, but they are strong enough to provide a solid base despite not all of the clamp surface actually being used.
The pedals are great for desk use too. The large base provides terrific non-slip on carpets, allowing you to move your setup around, and it’s also big enough that you can brace it against a wall without anything interfering with your pedal use.
TRUEFORCE
The big selling point of this wheel is the TRUEFORCE force feedback system. At the time of review, only a handful of games fully support this (Grid 2019, ACC, GT Sport, and iRacing). However, even unsupported, TRUEFORCE has its benefits in a much more complete sense of force feedback.
The wheel’s firmware monitors all the current flowing through the wheel motors and matches outputs from game physics.
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This makes off-road games like WRC 9 feel worlds apart from track racing. Meanwhile, when you do get TRUEFORCE in use you really do feel every bump and every loose moment.
User-friendly?
The wheel is terrific. It feels great thanks to it leather stitching while gear paddles have a satisfying weight to them and the button layout is logical and easy to reach.
The pedals will be a challenge if you are making the step up from base models though.
The addition of a clutch pedal will be useful for a lot of games but if you aren’t used to it then it will get in the way.
Meanwhile, the brake pedal has significant resistance. This is terrific for precision and realism, but if you are a casual racer or don't have a full rig setup it is a bit of an issue.
Price
At £350 the G923 isn’t cheap, but for a quality racing wheel it isn’t particularly pricy.
It is definitely not an “entry level” wheel though, and is around £130 more than the previous G29/G920 model.
Some of that is thanks to the TRUEFORCE and the fact that it is forward compatible with next-gen consoles. Right now it's more a promise of what is to come rather than current ability.
Until more games support TRUEFORCE it feels like a wheel that is a touch expensive. That’s fine if you are going to be racing 20+ hours a week, but if you only want a wheel to race your friends in F1 2020 at the weekend it is a bit much.
Verdict
Logitech has a great history with wheels, and it shows in the G923. They’ve retained what worked with previous models and not made changes for change's sake.
It’s durable and comfortable to race with. While you’ll need to tweak the strength of the feedback for games, WRC 9 in particular, it gives you a more immersive feel.
Sitting at the mid-point between entry level and ultra-serious direct drive is a tough place to be. If you take your sim racing extremely seriously then you are probably not looking at this wheel, and if you are just getting started then investing this much seems wrong.
However, if you are upgrading from an old wheel or looking to put more time into your racing then the G923 is fantastic.
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The quality of the build, the ease of setup, and use are great. It can challenge you to get better with your braking, to learn heel-toe techniques, and to react to more refined feedback.
If you are about to dive into iRacing for the first time or join an F1 league then this wheel is the one for you.
RealSport Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)