Should You Buy it for Xbox Sim Racing?

Logitech G920 Driving Force

advantages

Price

functionality

Dual motor force feedback

cons

Brake pedal

steering wheel LED light

The pedals have started to squeak

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Logitech G920 Quick Take

Logitech recently sent us one of its Driving Force racing wheel and pedal controllers, the Xbox-based G920. The short version is that the Logitech G920 is fairly priced and just has a few usability issues.

Like the PlayStation wheel (the G29), the Logitech G920 hits the spot. In my experience, Logitech’s Driving Force wheels are not as technically proficient or overly designed as Thrustmaster or Fanatec wheels. Both are direct-drive modular setups that are very nice, but, like everything else at that level, are also expensive.

If you’re going the Fanatec route (which was my previous wheel), you better save at least a grand. Yeah, that’s enough to buy a go-kart, and that’s more than double what an Xbox costs. But, like buying a Ferrari, you get a lot of bang for the buck. The Logitech G920 gives you roughly the same amount of performance, with differences ranging from subtle to inconsequential (sort of). As of this writing, the Logitech G920 will set you back $270 on Amazon.

Logitech G920: what we liked

The advantages of the Logitech G920 are many, considering the price. This is what stands out.

Craft

It’s wrapped in leather and it smells like a new car. The leather is hand-stitched and helps to grip the steering wheel.

Personalization and Force Feedback

Out of the box, it has over 900 degrees of rotation, lock to lock. I like a a lot throw shorter than that, and setting it to my preferred 190 degrees was just a menu option away. Of course, you can also adjust the Force Feedback settings.

At their highest settings (where I usually put them to make things as immersive as possible), things run great on the G920. All that power and kickback is sent to the wheel via a dual motor design with steel ball bearings and overheat protection.

On some surfaces and in some cases, in some games, you can feel it rattling and trying to figure out which tooth to settle on, but like I said, only in some instances. Most of the time, I’m never aware of the drive mechanism.

Configuration and installation

The wheelbase used the same mounting hole pattern as my outgoing Fanatec. It bolted to the Fanatec wheel/pedal base, used the same holes and even the same number of threads on the bolts. I’m not sure if there’s an industry standard or something, but this was a great time saver.

The pedals weren’t as straightforward as an install job, but they worked as far as I was able to mount them to the stand. It’s obvious Logitech’s thought process here is that the pedals will (most likely) simply be dropped on a carpeted floor. There is a grip strip to prevent slipping if you are freestanding. Of course, it is preferable to mount them on a wheel/pedal base. If you need help with this, check out this handy guide from Logitech.

Logitech G920: what we didn’t like

The Logitech G920 has some problems. This is what I came across while using my Driving Force steering wheel and pedal.

LED light position and brightness

The power light on the steering wheel itself is disgusting. It is a white LED mounted on the six o’clock spoke that lights up when the steering wheel is turned on. The problem is that it is too bright. I mean dazzling, almost blindingly bright. Playing in a semi-dark room nearly renders the wheel useless. It’s looking right at your face, so it’s impossible to avoid it.

My solution, simple as it is, was to put blue painter’s tape over the light to dim it. It took five layers of tape before it was no brighter than the TV screen. Five! Logitech should either find a different bulb or remove it entirely. I’ve been looking at spots for hours.

rigid brake pedal

The second problem with the Logitech G920 is the brake pedal. This is a known issue, as you can see from the number of YouTube videos on the subject. Generally speaking, you want a firm brake pedal to modulate the brakes more efficiently when they’re just at the lock-up threshold. All serious wheel/pedal controllers have hard brake pedals; Shoot, all serious cars like a Porsche 911 have firm brake pedals.

What Logitech has done, it seems, is put a plastic truncated cone between the pedal itself and the stop at the end of the pedal’s travel. There is a return spring, but that piece of plastic regulates all the braking force. Initially I thought something needed to be removed for the pedals to work, like a protective shipping pad or something. But after rummaging around the internet, I found out that no, that’s right. supposed work. And, to make matters worse, the brake pedal is not adjustable. That’s as rigid as Logitech wants it to be.

Will the stiff brake pedal cause problems?

Now, my left calf is huge and I’ve gotten used to the amount of force it takes to stop. I also appreciate that firmness since I turned off the ABS. Blocking everything and then backing off far enough has almost become second nature.

So far, I’ve taken the daylights off the Logitech G920, and everything seems to be holding up. I always try to be mechanically understanding (thanks, dad!), so I don’t try to break anything on purpose. Still, sometimes a guy can panic, you know? You can come in too hot and just slam on the brakes with everything you’ve got, or start sawing through the steering wheel like Mr. Toad in the middle of “His Wild Ride,” but my Logitech G920 held up.

However, there is now some creaking in the brake pedal after several months of daily use. It was not present at first, but has gradually started to appear. I’d guess (or hope) it’s due to the plastic block deflecting and deforming under pressure, not something in the bracket starting to give way. Only time will tell.

Can I fix my Logitech brake pedal?

There are tutorials on how to disassemble the pedals and remove that piece of plastic, but I decided against it for various reasons. One, I like a stiff brake pedal. Two, I think you should learn to live with it for the sake of this review. And three, disassembling the pedals seemed like a real pain in the ass.

However, you can adjust the position of the pedals to the left or right with a 2.5mm hex key. This can help with toe-to-toe maneuvers or improve your comfort with the pedals.

Should you buy the Logitech G920?

After several months of using the G920 on a daily basis, including testing my skills as a monster truck driver, I could only find two issues: the bright taillight and a brake pedal that was too firm. That’s all I could think of as “wrong” with this Logitech wheel and pedal setup. That’s kind of like getting the best filet mignon you’ve ever had for $25 but having to deal with glasses of water that were too small. In other words, I can put up with such “flaws” for a long time.

If you’re getting into Xbox racing, the Logitech G920 is the wheel for you. It works, and the price is right. As of this writing, you can get a Logitech G920 on Amazon for around $270. We also recommend the Driving Force Shifter for $60 as a nice complement to the wheel and pedal.

Tony Borroz, a long-time writer for Automoblog, has worked on popular driving games as a content expert, as well as working for aerospace companies, software giants, and as a stuntman. He lives in the northeast corner of the most northwestern part of the Pacific Northwest.

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