Logitech G27 vs Logitech G29.

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
Sending
User Review
3.59 (34 votes)

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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).

Logitech G29 (PC, PS4).

Logitech G920 (PC, Xbox One).

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

G27 Wheel.

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 wheel

source: 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
Sending
User Review
3.59 (34 votes)

29 Comments

  1. Just Somebody 31. December 2015
    • admin 31. December 2015
  2. ApeTombUK 31. December 2015
    • admin 31. December 2015
      • ApeTombUK 13. January 2016
  3. Puski 7. January 2016
  4. Conrodray 13. January 2016
    • admin 13. January 2016
  5. Joey Jo Jo 16. January 2016
  6. jedediahp 16. April 2016
    • Sebastian 16. April 2016
    • Just Somebody 16. April 2016
  7. dsada 7. November 2016
    • Sebastian 8. November 2016
  8. Greg 5. December 2016
    • Sebastian 5. December 2016
  9. Adam 7. January 2017
    • Sebastian 7. January 2017
  10. Peter 19. January 2017
  11. Luca Scalvi 20. March 2018
    • Sebastian Mach 22. March 2018
    • Sebastian Mach 22. March 2018
  12. ripe 16. May 2018
  13. Ahmad Shumayal 18. August 2018
  14. David Thomas (@dgthomasIRE) 9. November 2018
  15. Mike 22. February 2019
    • Sebastian Mach 23. February 2019
  16. DARREN MC MASTER-SMITH 30. March 2020
    • Sebastian 31. March 2020

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