Logitech G29 Review
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Overall Impression - 6/10
6/10
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Value for Money - 6/10
6/10
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Precision - 6/10
6/10
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Robustness - 6/10
6/10
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Material (Metal/Wood beats Plastic) - 4/10
4/10
User Review
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Is it a crappy device? Is it overpriced? Is just a Logitech G27 repacked in black-and-blue instead of black-and-red? Is it fraud, imposture, scam?
This article is a comparison of G27 to its successor G29. The G27 is no longer built. We have dedicated articles for the best PlayStation 4 steering wheel. If you’re an XboxOne owner, make sure to not miss out on this review.
Logitech G27 vs G29
Logitech G29 Review
Today we’re gonna compare the Logitech G27 Driving Force Race Wheel and the Logitech G29 Racing Wheel. As you can see in our Logitech G27 Review, I am no offender to Logitech and its G2x-line of racing wheel. However, after looking at some first reviews, there appears to build up a shitstorm with the consensus of “It’s the old hardware repacked and price-doubled“. Let’s see.
Overall
Logitech G27 (PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and PC).
The overall setup looks similar at first, apart from the G27 being black+red, and the G29 being black+blue. On a second look, however, you see that the Logitech G29 got a builtin Joypad, including a directional pad. It also features a blue, uhm how’s it called, “racing tape” on top (*). The wheel is less circular, but all in all has the same shape (note the thumb notches), including the shifters.
Let’s take a zoom-in look at the wheel.
(*) When I still owned my G27, it had a red “racing tape”, which was pretty stylish and intended to support my visual coordination during racing.
G27 Wheel vs G29 Wheel
The shifter light is still the same. Counting the buttons of the Logitech G29, it now has 4 action buttons (Triangle, Circle, Square, and X). It has a D-Pad, as mentioned. Furthermore, it has the Playstation Shoulder Buttons L2, R2, L3, R3, a “+/-” Button, a 24-point selection button.
According to Logitech, these are designed in such a way that you can “maintain maximum acceleration without taking your eyes off the track”. Marketing teams today …
All in all, leaving out the three buttons in the center, I count 10 buttons, plus D-Pad, plus Dial. The Logitech G27 only had 6 buttons.
(Unfortunately for us Open Wheel racers, they didn’t take the chance to introduce a clutch paddle on the wheel)
G29 Pedals vs G27 Pedals
G27 Pedals.
G29 Pedals.
Whew, what a dramatic change: They removed the Logitech Branding on the G29 pedals. Otherwise, they look identical from this point of view. Get aside:
Okay, another change: The spring housing has been blackened. This is a matter of taste, of course, but personally, I liked the reds more.
Not much else to say at this point.
G27 Shifter vs G29 Shifter
Let’s take a look at the included Logitech G29 Driving Force Racing Wheel Shifter (what a word …):
<utter emtpyness>
Nice, isn’t it? (no, you don’t need an eye surgery; actually, the shifter is not included; it needs to be bought separately).
Now let’s assume the shifter is relevant to you and you ordered one at around $60:
6 Forward. 1 Backward. No Buttons. Huh?!
Compare to the combined button box and shifter that was the G27 shifter:
Compare that to the shifter included in the G27: 6 Forward. 1 Backward. 8 Buttons. A D-Pad.
I understand they moved the G27 Shifter buttons onto the G29 Wheel. But really, if they sell it separately, at a “nice” price, did they really need to remove them? Thumbs down from me on that one.
Logitech G27 Force Feedback vs. G29 Force Feedback
It seems hey did not actually change (improve) much (anything) regarding the force feedback electric motor(s).
Having had my hands on a friend’s G29 for a few hours, I must admit it really feels the same as in the G27. Feeling-wise, no improvement, though it appeared it’s a bit more silent now.
Other reviewers on Amazon or on the Project Cars forum verify that. Listen to what user steam says:
– Same force feedback base than the G27 with a simple helical gearing
– No Belts
– No Brushless Motor
– No Hall Effect Sensor
– No Detachable wheelsource: http://forum.projectcarsgame.com/showthread.php?31163-This-is-why-you-should-not-buy-the-quot-new-quot-Logitech-G29
Not much to add here.
Update 2015-12-31, a commenter posted the following in contrast, thanks for your feedback:
I work in the field of driving simulation (and no, not for Logitech.) The source you quoted above says:
” – No Belts
– No Brushless Motor
– No Hall Effect Sensor
– No Detachable wheel”Lets take a closer look at these:
He might have a point on the belts, it depends. For example, the Thrustmaster uses belts and their T300RS cogging is far more pronounced but not nearly as “gritty” as the G27/G29 rack design.
No brushless motor. Seriously? Brushless motors are all the rage right now and they are more efficient (by a margin that probably no would care about in a device like this) but they have some serious downside as well. Cogging is usually worse and torque ripple, a phenomenon that is like cogging is much worse than with brushed motors.
No Hall Effect Sensor? Ok, this is where the guy really shows his hand. Optical encoders like that used in the G27/G29 offer substantially more benefit. Not having a hall effect sensor is *better* not worse.
No detachable wheel? What would be the point of this? The only reason for a detachable wheel is to provide alternative wheels for the same base, which Logitech doesn’t provide. OK, now I could see that complaint perhaps but then it should have been stated as such.
That source you sited is probably best just removed as they really don’t have much of a clue. Although I do agree, the G29 is probably not worth the entirely new model number and price tag to go along with it considering the minor improvements that have been made. Logitech did put together a video outlining other internal design changes they have made and though worth mentioning they are more akin to a hardware rev than a whole new model. Now, if they had only found a way to eliminate the grit in the feel of their wheel, and supported sickly high update rates (say in the kHz range) over USB 3.0/3.1 then we’d be talking new model number.
— Just Somebody
Conclusion
I am not saying the hardware is bad. But there’s no improvement, and a price increase, and no shifter is included ….
So. Is scam? No. Is teh marketingz and teh businesses. Device is fine, but compared to the G27 overpriced.
You could also take a look at my G27 review. I really like the device, and if you’re a Logitech fanatic, you may want to pay more buck for the bang. But on the other hand, except for the supported Playstation 4 support, you could also buy a Logitech G27 cheap (in my opinion, better buy a new one, as there’s some serious wear over the years).
Or invest more into a no compromise solution like the Fanatec ecosystem (see also this Club Sport Pedals V3 review).
history:
- 2015-09-02: originally published
- 2016-10-12: updated
- 2019-04-09: fixed formatting
- 2019-04-17: fixed formatting once again
- 2024-05-11: heya, fixed some links – has it really been 9+ years since initially writing this article?
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Logitech G29 Review
-
Overall Impression - 6/10
6/10
-
Value for Money - 6/10
6/10
-
Precision - 6/10
6/10
-
Robustness - 6/10
6/10
-
Material (Metal/Wood beats Plastic) - 4/10
4/10
I work in the field of driving simulation (and no, not for Logitech.) The source you quoted above says:
” – No Belts
– No Brushless Motor
– No Hall Effect Sensor
– No Detachable wheel”
Lets take a closer look at these:
He might have a point on the belts, it depends. For example, the Thrustmaster uses belts and their T300RS cogging is far more pronounced but not nearly as “gritty” as the G27/G29 rack design.
No brushless motor. Seriously? Brushless motors are all the rage right now and they are more efficient (by a margin that probably no would care about in a device like this) but they have some serious downside as well. Cogging is usually worse and torque ripple, a phenomenon that is like cogging is much worse than with brushed motors.
No Hall Effect Sensor? Ok, this is where the guy really shows his hand. Optical encoders like that used in the G27/G29 offer substantially more benefit. Not having a hall effect sensor is *better* not worse.
No detachable wheel? What would be the point of this? The only reason for a detachable wheel is to provide alternative wheels for the same base, which Logitech doesn’t provide. OK, now I could see that complaint perhaps but then it should have been stated as such.
That source you sited is probably best just removed as they really don’t have much of a clue. Although I do agree, the G29 is probably not worth the entirely new model number and price tag to go along with it considering the minor improvements that have been made. Logitech did put together a video outlining other internal design changes they have made and though worth mentioning they are more akin to a hardware rev than a whole new model. Now, if they had only found a way to eliminate the grit in the feel of their wheel, and supported sickly high update rates (say in the kHz range) over USB 3.0/3.1 then we’d be talking new model number.
Hi Just,
thank you for your valuable feedback. I am not a big expert on the hardware that is in use in these wheel and review from a user’s point of view, so your input is really appreciated.
Just regarding the detachable wheel: This is a useful option for the simracer who is in different disciplines and wants to afford the money, e.g. Open Wheelers as well as GT. A detachable wheel would also have been highly valuable when I still used my G27, and needed to clean contacts inside the wheel base; not being an electrician, I was happy I did not break anything while maintaining the G27. And: Regarding the Fanatec Lineup, you have the option to ultimately mount real world racing wheels (using the Universal Hub), like the ones developed by Momo. Expensive, but interesting.
It’s not a big point driving performance wise, of course. But if you are feeling 90s-nostalgic, watching Schumacher vs. Senna from onbard view, you may be really interested in having a Momo wheel.
Anyways, the cited source was not a great influencer in my personal rating of the wheel, if at all.
Best regards and a happy new year,
Sebastian
I still don’t get all this rage against the G29. I bought one recently for just 179 £ which is way less than the t300. If you add the three pedals to the t300 you get almost at 400£. I also bought a shifter for 25£. So I got an excellent wheel plus shifter plus three pedals for around 200£. That’s a price range that Thrustmaster doesn’t cover at all. There is no other option for this price and since the t150 is not to be taken into account the g29 is the actual entry point to racing sim wheels (on ps4).
Hi ApeTomb,
the thing is mostly that the G27 had a bigger package at a lower non-discounted price. People don’t really rage against the wheel itself, only against the price “upgrade”. Note that Thrustmaster has also more metal parts, especially the T3PA-Pro (which comes with inverted mounting out of the box), plus a brake mod included to make the braking-feel more realistic and more precise in racing. Once I used Nixim Mod on the G27, I never wanted to go back to a linear brake-pedal.
Why do you think the T150 is not to be taken into account? Does it have a severe limitation from your point of view? (Just curious, because I was looking forward to review it within the next months).
Best Regards and thanks for commenting,
Sebastian
Can’t comment on the G27 vs G29 price argument if not for saying that, yes, it’s a shame they have only upgraded the RRP. I have not tried the G27 pedals but reviews says that the standard G29’s have implemented the mod to the brake pedal.
Obviously if you look at the RRP the G29 is not on the same tier of the T300.
As per the T150 it does look even cheaper than the G29 and I’d rather use a controller than a terrible wheel, but that comes to personal preferences. Hope you can review it soon.
KR
ApeTomb
After they are selling the Shifter separalty and is not cheap…..its not compatible with ps3. This was the last time i buyed a logitech product. Dislike.
Hello , Have recently bought the G29 for PS4, & found it much more smoother & accurate than the G25. I was worried about possible wiring defect but so far so good, Have made sequential shifter which i will soulder in which will void warrenty ,. Shame Logitech dont make G25 shifter work with this wheel , but it is what it is !. As with everything , Its A good product for the price if treated with care ,
Indeed it’s a good wheel, especially compared to the Logitech G25. What people frown about, though, is that it’s not much of an upgrade to the G27, despite the price “upgrade”.
Yes, what you say is true, no major improvement, no reason to buy it… unless you don’t want it for PC and you want it for PS4, where the G27 doesn’t work, and you know where you can stick that shifter…
Uhh, the G29 is cheaper than the G27, the G27 is almost $200 more. As of now you can get the G29 at Best Buy for $299 (on sale). The G27 on Newegg is $549.
Thanks for the Info!
It depends very much on where you live. If you follow mentioned links to Amazon and are located in Germany, the G27 is 245,- EUR and the G29 is 399,- EUR (discounted at 299,- EUR on April 16, 2016).
Best Buy and Newegg are not available here.
That was not always the case. Do you know why that’s the case? Because the G27 is still in such high demand but not being made anymore that they are commanding insane prices.
I couldn’t find a cheap g27 anywhere , they were all well over £250 but I got the g29 and shifter for £200. An upgraded wheel/shifter for cheaper than the previous one is a great deal
True, in the meanwhile, since publishing this article, prices have gone up.
Don’t be confused by my pricing strategy opinion. The Logitech G29, in my opinion, IS the better wheel.
g29 is hands down a better wheel. I remember something similar happening to the microsoft xbox 360 wheel. Once production stopped, its price went way over the top for such a hideous wheel. Sure it was one of the better 360 wheels at the time, but it was not good enough to justify the ridiculous prices people were asking on flea-bay. Once I bought a g25 and the adapter to connect it to the 360, I never looked back. Having had the 25, 27 and 29, the 29 is a better package. Probably not worth the upgrade if you have a g27 but it is the best sim entry level wheel. To bring the t300 up to scratch to the g29, you’re spending at least twice the price of the g29 + shifter. IMVHO, if you’re looking to spend that sort of money go top of the line fanatec.If you’re just an entry level/casual gamer, go with the g29. It’s still a fantastic wheel.
True. It’s still a great wheel in that pricing class.
If you say “Indeed it’s a good wheel”, why did you guys rate it with all sixes? I was just shopping for a wheel after I took the leap a couple of months ago and got a T 150, and decided I wanted something better. I got the G29 for a much better price then the T 300 and I have to say I’m really happy with it. All other reviews seem to cast it in better light than this article, just look at the title of the article. I think this has more to do with the Sim Racing world creating a controversy over Logitech not updating the firmware and releasing a new product than the actual quality of the product, but that is just my layman’s opinion.
I put the G29 through it’s paces on Assetto Corsa, Project Cars, and Dirt Rally (on both PC and PS4 for Dirt Rally and Project Cars), I’m not new to sim Racing just new to FF wheels, and I have yet to match my controller times but there is no going back. I think this review let an industry controversy bias the score personally, it seems like a decent product to me. It sure beats the crap out of my T 150, and for only $115 more.
Hi Adam and thanks for stopping by,
we are still working on the perfect rating system. Basically, it’s not possible to find the one rating system that reflects pure quality and pricing efficiency at the same time.
At the moment, the rating system is a bit of a mix of pure quality (which is worse than the upper competition of Fanatec, e.g.), and pricing (which by official Logitech recommendation is worse than for G27).
We tried to make it clear that the wheel itself is a really good bang for the buck, but at the same time, when compared to official Logitech pricing, is basically overpriced when compared to the G27.
On the other hand, the G29 is routinely available at the same price as the G27. However, this is really hard to reflect in a review.
The title is indeed a bit catchy; on a meta level, this of course is worth a discussion.
We always try to not just jump onto the bandwagon other review sites that just enumerate features and say “buy it now”. Instead, we want to provide a more critical perspective; and even if we admitted to the pricing-controversy, we wanted to make clear that the wheel itself is a great investment.
In Summary: The G29 is not an easy device to write a perfect review for; mostly due to Logitech’s pricing strategy (which says something like “dead expensive”, but in fact is discounted down to G27 level all the time).
Best regards,
Seb
It is comparable with PS3/ PS4 and Pc
It’s worse. It’s a repainted G25
Thx for stopping by, Luca!
And thanks for your opinion – but just to let our readers know: G27 had a few more buttons and an H-pattern shifter, G29 and G920 have a rubber insert to make the brake pedal feel non-linear (actually a neat hack in that pricing class, though I’d still prefer he Nixim Mod for G27). However, Logi G29 and G920 for XB One do no longer include the shifter, which need to be bought separately and no longer feature any buttons, which is lame.
Btw, unfortunately, I don’t (yet) speak Italian, but you seem to have a really nice tech-related blog there (I operate Zotac GPUs at the moment, btw; pretty happy with them so far). Further props for GitHub participation and Linux usage (If you google for “phresnel” or “greenhybrid” [and or my real name], you’ll find me :P).
Go support this eager guy, ppl!
” Is it a scam? ” Yes it´s a scam if anything is the same but the price is higher.
It does have a Hall Effect Sensor.
I’ve had a g27 for years! and was hoping Logitech would replace it with something much better. Then they attempted to screw us, and there is no question about it that’s what they tried to do! They said the reason for the G29 was that the G27 wasn’t compatible with the PS4 only for a sony representative to come out and dispute that claim making the Logitech team look even worse. Then people started tearing down both wheels and finding identical components in both! Making the G29 in fact a 10 year old device in a new more expensive package and lacking the Shifter.
Logitech have responded to this by lowering the price, but it still doesn’t include the shifter and the whole package is still going to cost more the the G27. Thus if you “upgrade from the G27 you get nothing bu a G27 in some new childish cloths(PS4 style).
As a result of this! I went out and bought a new wheel for myself after this shitshow. And that wheel was the T300 rs. Won’t every buy another logitech product.
Pedals:
You did not mention the MAIN difference, lol.
The BRAKE pedal has been updated to feel more like a “real” brake pedal.
G29 has less distance and more resistance than predecessors (easier for muscle memory/precision as it’s better to “feel” the difference in force/pressure rather than millimeters of distance with very little force difference).
Oh yeah, that’s a hell of a difference 😀
I mean, a good brake pedal really makes night to day. But the G29, despite the brake mod which makes it better, is still lightyears from load cell brakes (same for Thrustmaster pedals, of course).
Clamping system is better on the g29 than Thrustmaster,known reliable repuation too.
G29 is better for desktop racers,you need a rig and abig room for the Thrustmaster stuff but most of those “hardcore’ lol simracers move onto expensive gear (posting about it on a forum),the look at me gen.
Hey Darren,
thanks for your participation. Your post seems to be incomplete at the end, though.
What I can add: You certainly don’t need a big room for the Thrustmaster or Fanatec equipment. My rig occupies maybe 1 m² or 1.5 m² (about 70 cm × 150 cm).
If you don’t go 100 % force feedback strength, you don’t even need a dedicated rig. However, I really recommend a rig so you can enjoy your hardware to the max.