The 7 Best Cheap Sim Racing Wheels (Budget Friendly Options) – FLOW RACERS

Finding a cheap sim racing wheel might seem like a tough task, given the high prices of many wheels out there. So, to take all the pressure off and leave you more time behind the wheel, we have compiled a list of the best budget sim racing wheels to suit every racer.

The 7 best cheap sim racing wheels are:

So, what exactly was it that made these the best, and what features should you be looking out for when you’re searching for your own racing wheel? Below, we cover the different wheels in detail and how they stack up against each other.

The 7 Best Cheap Sim Racing Wheels

1. Logitech G29/G920 Driving Force

Coming in at number 1 on our list is the Logitech G29/G920. This wheel offers amazing value with a range of features and a great build quality one would normally associate with a more expensive wheel. It’s an incredibly popular choice, and for good reason!

Best Value

Logitech G29/G920 Driving Force

This is the perfect wheel for beginner sim racers, as it balances build quality with ease of use. It has 900 degrees of rotation, and is easily mountable onto any setup.

Check Price

Features

The Logitech G29 is compatible with PC and PlayStation, with the G920 version being available for the Xbox. Both models are available with specifically designed pedals that are made from stainless steel, and a wheel made from steel and aluminum with a hand-stitched leather cover.

This was my first wheel, and the G29/G920 is arguably the most popular beginner sim racing wheel out there!

The wheel has 900 degrees of rotation lock-to-lock, which gives you great control in races. It also comes with metal paddle gear shifters, and should you prefer a stick shifter, there is a clutch pedal in the pedal set – but there is no stick shifter included in the cheapest bundle, and you’ll need to buy that separately.

Beautifully designed in all-black leather and metal, it really looks like a wheel one would find in a real racing car, and fits really well in your hands to keep you in control while gaming. The gear-driven force feedback is definitely enough for beginners, and while not as smooth as belt drive systems, it’s still the best-value wheel for those on a budget!

PROS:

• Lots of great features
• Excellent build quality
• Great value

CONS:

• No stick shifter
• Can run a little loud

2. Thrustmaster T150/TMX Force Feedback

Coming in second, but it could have easily shared the top spot, the T150/TMX is the cheapest offer from Thrustmaster. It’s generally around the same level as the Logitech wheel, but it does somewhat compromise on build quality. However, it’s still one of the most popular wheels for beginner sim racers.

Thrustmaster T150/TMX Force Feedback

This wheel is ideal for beginners that are looking for their first taste of force feedback. The wheel is very reasonably priced, and it comes with a set of pedals too.

Check Price

Features

The TMX is designed to be compatible with Xbox and PC, whereas the T150 is available for PlayStation and PC. Although it’s arguably not as nice to look at as the Logitech G29/G920, it offers a lot of the same features.

These wheels come with great force feedback, and for the price, you won’t find anything better. It provides 900 degrees of lock-to-lock turning, and you get some beginner pedals too. However, it’s only a 2-pedal set, so should you want a stick shifter, you’ll need to upgrade these for the most realistic experience.

The included pedals aren’t the best quality, feel a little plasticky, and don’t offer great resistance. The wheel itself is also made from steel and plastic and doesn’t feel as well made as our number 1 pick. However, for those that don’t want to spend too much but want genuine force feedback, this is the ideal choice.

PROS:

• Very budget friendly
• Decent force feedback
• Ideal for beginners

CONS:

• Lower build quality
• Feels a bit cheap

3. Thrustmaster T300/TX

The T300/TX from Thrustmaster are wheels of high quality. It’s at the higher end of the budget range, but if you’re looking for high-quality force feedback at a reasonable price, these should definitely be on your radar.

Great Force Feedback

Thrustmaster T300/TX

This sim racing wheel is the ideal option for those looking for a step up in performance while keeping the overall costs relatively low. It comes with a good set of pedals, and it offers brilliant force feedback.

Check Price

Our Full Review

Features

The T300 is compatible with the PlayStation and PC, and the TX is designed to work with the Xbox. They come with force feedback, 1080 degrees of rotation, and pedals included too (although we’d recommend upgrading these to the T-LCMs). The force feedback itself is extremely high quality, making sure you feel all the bumps of the track, giving a realistic racing experience.

It is weighty enough to be stable on any surface, but we strongly suggest hard mounting this wheel to a dedicated sim racing rig. You get a nice set of paddle shifters on the back, and the whole thing just feels like it’s built to last. It uses a belt-drive system for its force feedback which can run a little hot, but the fans that keep it cool are fairly quiet.

I have the T300RS GT edition, and this is a premium product all-round. But it’s still relatively cheap considering other options on the market that offer this much immersion!

Definitely for the more serious sim racing enthusiast, the wheel will offer those that want a more realistic experience great value. It’s one of Thrustmaster’s more high-end options, but for those with the budget and desire for premium quality at a not-so-premium price, the T300/TX should definitely be one you consider!

PROS:

• Solid build quality
• Lots of great features
• Excellent force feedback

CONS:

• A little pricey
• Runs a little hot during long sessions

4. MOZA ES Steering Wheel

The MOZA ES wheel rim on its own definitely qualifies as being on the cheap side in the world of sim racing, but given you need to buy one of their direct drive wheel bases to go with it, we had to bump it down a few places on this list. It’s a bit expensive, but it’s the cheapest entry-level direct drive setup you can get your hands on!

MOZA ES Steering Wheel

This wheel offers an excellent introduction to direct drive sim racing when paired with the R5 wheel base. It looks and feels great, and strikes a great balance between price and performance.

Check Price

Features

This wheel rim looks great, and it’s packed with features. It has a nice leather rim, with an aluminum alloy base (that you can even swap out with a formula-style mod if you prefer). This ensures it looks excellent and feels great to use, while also offering longevity as well.

The wheel has nice, clicky aluminum alloy shifters on the back, which help give it a premium feel despite the relatively low price for a rim of this quality. However, this is where we need to admit once again that this is slightly pushing it for an article about cheap wheels.

MOZA are a much newer brand on the sim racing scene, and this ES wheel rim is their cheapest offering

You’ll need to pick up a wheel base for it, and the cheapest compatible choice is the R5 wheel base from MOZA. This will take the bill up to and possibly beyond the $500 mark. This is obviously not going to seem cheap by most standards, but it’s the cheapest direct drive option on the market today.

Given the power and quality you get with this wheel rim and wheel base combination, we just had to include it on this list. You get a premium quality wheel that performs like something double the price, and it’s part of a growing MOZA ecosystem! In terms of value for money, this is right up there with the best on the market.

PROS:

• Incredible value for money
• Cheapest direct drive option
• Part of a growing ecosystem

CONS:

• Not compatible with console
• Most expensive option on this list

5. Hori Apex/Overdrive

The first of the ultimate budget options, the team at Hori racing has designed a beautiful racing wheel, although it comes without some of the higher-end features. For racers who are looking for a cheap way to get behind the wheel, look no further than Hori!

Hori Apex/Overdrive

This is the ultimate budget sim racing wheel. It’s ideal for those that have never tried sim racing before and don’t want to shell out on a force feedback wheel quite yet.

Check Price

Our Full Review

Features

The 2 wheels (Apex and Overdrive), like some of the other offerings on this list, are designed to work with specific consoles. The Apex works with PlayStation and PC, and the Overdrive works with Xbox consoles and PC.

The wheel itself has a great build quality, although it is largely plastic, which leads to a cheaper overall feel. It is USB powered and the 2-pedal board that it comes with, although basic, does a good job for kids or beginner racers.

The wheel looks excellent, feels great, and comes with a lot of buttons and extras you may not find with wheels in the same price bracket. But the biggest issue with the wheel is in the feature department. No force feedback is a big issue, although it does have rumble feedback for some basic fidelity.

This is unfortunately as far as the Hori Apex will rotate!

Also, with only 270 degrees of rotation, it doesn’t offer the best control. The pedals are not of the highest quality either and don’t include a clutch pedal, but for the job it’s designed to do, that’s not a huge issue. Overall it is a great entry-level accessory for those that aren’t looking to break the bank or get too serious about sim racing just yet.

PROS:

• Very cheap
• Reasonable build quality
• Beginner friendly

CONS:

• No force feedback
• Limited turning rotation

6. Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider

Next up is the specialist entry on our list. Some sim racing manufacturers have taken advantage of car brands to help decorate their wheels, and this one offered by Thrustmaster in conjunction with Ferrari is one of the best examples.

Ultimate Budget Option

Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider

This is another budget wheel for those just dipping their toes into the world of sim racing. Its Ferrari aesthetic is perfect for any fans of the brand, and it’ll do the job for those that don’t want to spend big money just yet.

Check Price

Our Full Review

Features

Coming in at the lower end of the budget range, this is a beautifully designed wheel with few of the features of some of the higher-end models. Only compatible with Xbox consoles (and PC), the wheel also comes with the same pedals available with the T150 and TMX.

Of course, there are a lot of drawbacks. No force feedback is a real issue, and the 240-degree range of rotation is one of the worst on this list. However, it has a good clamp, causing the sliding issue of other budget wheels to be less of a problem. Finally, who hasn’t wanted to get behind the wheel of a Ferrari? This wheel may be the only chance some of us will ever get!

The Ferrari wheel has the same lack of force feedback and range of rotation as the Hori Apex, but it does look pretty good!

Definitely for a more casual racer, the extras on this wheel are too limited to be taken seriously by any veteran sim racer, but for those looking for something cheap and cheerful, it may be the perfect choice.

PROS:

• Very cheap
• Ferrari aesthetic
• Simple setup

CONS:

• No force feedback
• Feels quite cheap

7. PXN V900 Racing Wheel

Finally, we have the cheapest option on our list, the PXN V900. This wheel and pedal combination is designed for absolute beginners or for kids looking to get their first taste of sim racing. It’s a basic wheel, but it’ll definitely do the job to give your favorite arcade racing games a new lease of life!

PXN V900 Racing Wheel

This wheel is ideal for kids and absolute beginners. It offers a simple introduction to sim racing at a very low price.

Check Price

Features

The PXN wheel works with Xbox, PlayStation and PC, so it’s a highly compatible choice. The wheel design is simple but effective, and nothing looks too out of place here. It’s made of plastic, so it’s lightweight, but it also feels rather cheap – because it is!

Considering its low price, it’s impressive to see a 900-degree range of rotation option with this wheel, and you can change it back to 270 degrees with the flick of a switch. This makes it a fairly adaptable budget gaming wheel, ideal for a variety of different arcade racing titles.

The pedals are fine, but that’s about all there is to say. They’re built to be cheap, so don’t expect much discussion of potentiometers and load cells here, as they’re very much just a simple option for those that need a simple setup. Overall, this is a fine choice for beginner sim racers or kids looking to enjoy their favorite racing games with a wheel instead of a controller.

PROS:

• Low price
• Ideal for total beginners or kids
• Easy to use

CONS:

• No force feedback
• Poor turning rotation
• Limited immersion

Summary Of The Best Cheap Sim Racing Wheels

RELATED ARTICLE The 7 Best Sim Racing Wheels For The Xbox – Ultimate Guide

What To Look For In A Sim Racing Wheel

Price

The prices of sim racing wheels can be daunting at first, but we’ll always recommend you go for the best-quality sim racing gear that you can afford. You need to budget for every other aspect of your rig too of course, from your seat to your pedals, but your wheel is one of the main points of contact between you and the game, so it needs to be of high enough quality.

Note: We've included a variety of options in our list at various price points, and we've ordered them by value for money. The absolute cheapest wheels are at the end of the list, while the first options offer the best balance between price and performance. If you want the absolute cheapest choice, see the PXN V900.

Compatibility

Clearly, it is important to buy a wheel that works with your system, be it PC or console. Not all do, especially in the case of console users, so make sure you check the specifications. You’ll also need to pick one that’s compatible with your pedals, shifters, and even mounting points on your rig!

Features

You should be looking to pick up a force feedback wheel, but you don’t need direct drive to have an enjoyable and immersive sim racing experience. We’ve included gear, belt, and direct drive options that cater to those on a budget, but other features to consider include things like buttons, switches and toggles, along with high-quality paddles for shifting.

Build Quality

There is only so much we can do ourselves to look after products, so making sure that the company has produced a good-quality wheel is paramount. Ideally opt for those with mainly metal construction, and for the wheel rim, hand-stitched leather or Alcantara grips are usually the go-to choices.

How Does It Look?

With sim racing becoming a huge market now, there are lots of different companies offering many designs. There really is something out there to suit every taste, and while looks obviously aren’t the most important aspect to consider, you do want something that will fit in well with the rest of your rig.

Final Thoughts

Wheels are the best way to control the cars and are far better than any controller. Not all wheels are made equal though, and you need to keep in mind what you want from a wheel before making a purchase. However, the best cheap sim racing wheel is undoubtedly the Logitech G29/G920, with our ultimate budget choice being the Ferrari 458 wheel.