Logitech Driving Force GT Steering Wheel
Logitech Driving Force GT - Racing Wheel / Steering Wheel for Sony Playstation 3 Console
In the past, gaming steering wheels were manufactured by fly by night kind of companies. And such wheels were usually do not last for more than a couple of months. Logitech were the first people to produce quality and long-lasting steering wheels with their Driving Force pro, which then became the official wheel for a racing blockbuster.
If you are a regular gamer of PS3’s racing games and considering an upgrade, you are just in the right section. The Logitech Driving Force GT is the official driving wheel of Gran Turismo that features advanced force feedback technology and gives you the ultimate gaming experience. Certain people are gifted enough to play games like Gran Turismo with the included controller but some of us are left searching for controllers that allows us to pose a competition. Logitech has come up with a solution.
Realistic design:
The very first look at the Logitech Driving Force GT makes us feel as if it is a real part of a racing car and not a gaming console’s accessory. This kind of look is attained by the several controls that are placed over the wheel. The wheel itself is well sized with a thick rim. You can enjoy comfortable grips during intense races as Logitech has covered the rim with a rubber over mould. The solid one piece wheel construction will give you a confident racing experience as any of your aggressive gaming is not going to disturb the rigid and sturdy wheel.
Several controls:
The controls included in Driving Force ST Steering Wheel are, the four standard play station buttons, four shoulder buttons, a 24 position adjustment dial, shifter, D-pad and a plus and minus rocker. You get both the traditional and PS3 gamepad buttons. The wheel is designed in such a way that it can be played only by placing it on a table and is not meant to be kept over your laps. If you try to keep it in your laps, the torque form the force feedback makes it almost impossible to have any accuracy. However, Logitech has solved this issue by introducing a lap adapter. It would be better if the adapter is included with the package.
The dual clamping system:
The horn is just in the center of the wheel and lights up with the Gran Turismo logo. Mounting the base to your table is also relatively easy with the dual clamping system of Logitech. It consists of a screw actuated clamps that reach under the base to hold it firm. There is plenty of reach for those with thicker than normal surfaces as well.
The 900 degree rotation:
The Logitech Driving Force GT wheel is capable of spinning around two and a half times lock to lock as the wheel rotates itself up to 900 degrees, the driving experience is definitely enhanced over the standard fare gaming wheel. Which means it is exactly same as that of a real car’s steering wheel. This feature is lifted from Logitech’s G25.
The incredible Force Feedback:
The force feedback given by the Logitech Driving Force GT Racing wheel for Sony Playstation 3 makes us feel that it has a life on its own. This technology allows you to feel every inch of the road giving you the maximum control and the ultimate gaming experience. With the GT5 force effects, the ripples on the road can be felt, you can feel the car pulling you towards the outside of the curve when you make turns and you can also feel it when your wheels actually loose traction. Though the force feed back is not as phenomenal as in Driving force Logitech G25, the Logitech Driving Force GT does a great job for its cost.
24 Position Real-time Adjustment:
The 24 position real-time adjustment dial allows you to have unprecedented control over your car’s performance on the fly with its features like the fine tune brake bias, Transaction Control System and a lot of other setting options in GT5. By having included controls like this, Logitech has the laurel that it is the first company to manufacturer a driving wheel game accessory with real time car like controls. These kinds of controls can actually be seen in some of the real race cars.
Sequential Style Hand Shifter and the Pedals:
The sequential style hand shifter is permanently mounted to the right side of the wheel. This may pose a problem to those who wish to shift with their left hands. It is within easy reach and has a nice feel as well. The gated shifting patter seen in Logitech’s high end wheels like G25 is absent in GT’s shifter control. This means that the pedals will not have a clutch pedal and will offer only the brake and gas. Driving Force GT’s sequential stick shift allows you to go through the gears for ultimate control.
The shifter control is a sequential stick shift that also sports buttons behind the wheel for shifting the wheel mounted paddles if that is what you prefer. But, we are not a big fan of it as it is quite small and cannot be reached easily while you are concentrating in your driving. The pedals do have a good strong feel and just the right brake position and throttle position increasing your control.
The Driving Force GT PS3 Steering Wheel includes a force feedback steering wheel, power supply and gas and brake pedals. You can get precise throttle and brake response with the gas and true to life pedals. It requires a lot more effort than the gas pedal to depress so there is some added realism here. When the assembly is flipped over, it can be observed that the traction device is designed for smooth floors as well as carpeting.
Compatibility:
Logitech Driving Force GT is compatible with both PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2 and its compatibility is not specified for the Xbox or for the PC. This wheel is specifically designed to be played with the Turismo 5 Prologue. Obviously, the Driving Force GT will work with the other force feed back games as well.
The other famous force feed back games that Logitech Driving Force GT supports are, Midnight Club Los Angeles, Need for Speed: Undercover, Burnout Paradise, DiRT , Formula One Championship Edition, Ridge Racer 7, NASCAR, Stuntman: Ignition, Sega Rally Revo, Evolution GT, Flatout, Richard Burns Rally, Street Racing Syndicate, Test Drive Eve of Destruction, TOCA Race Driver, 18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker, Auto Modellista, Colin McRae, Corvette, Driven, Enthusia Professional Racing, Evolution GT, Ferrari F355 Challenge, Ford Mustang: The Legend Lives, Grand Prix Challenge, Hot Wheels Velocity X, Initial D: Special Stage, Juiced, Knight Rider, Lotus Challenge and many more.
What you might experience:
The game recognises the device quickly and it is very easy to set up your profile. You will be able to get a good grip over your steering wheel and the level of control given increases your confidence drastically. The wheel operates extremely smooth. The bends and flows are done without much straining and wrestling with the wheel. The ultra precise optical encoding promises you reliability and accuracy race after race. The 900 degree turning is an extremely interesting feature, but this might lead you to turn too much as well. The real time adjustment is a great feature if would like dynamic gaming constantly changing the suspension and braking settings while driving. Certain people might find it difficult to scroll through the menus while driving. This feature would be of more use once you get used to the wheel and the settings.
Box contents and warranty:
The Driving Force GT comes in Logitech’s signature green and black box. The box contents include, Force feedback steering wheel, Gas and brake pedals, Power supply and User documentation.
This product comes with one year limited hardware warranty.
Verdict:
The Logitech Driving Force GT is a great gaming add on for PS3. It will be an absolute delight for Gran Turismo 5, TOCA and Colin McRae gamers. If you are a hard core sim fan, you can even opt for the Logitech G25 which costs several pounds higher. An average gamer will love this accessory for sure. Its numerous controls, real car like feels and the great force feedback at a reasonable price makes it one of our favourites.
Check the reviews of Sony Playstation 2 Slim Console, Sony Playstation 3 40GB Game Console in our website.
Logitech Driving Force GT Steering Wheel - Technical Specification Table
| Manufacturer | Logitech |
| Model Name | Logitech Driving Force GT |
| Accessory type | Force Feed Driving wheel |
| Dimensions | 12.8 x 14.1 x 11.4 inches |
| Weight | 13 pounds |
| Major highlights | Rubber-overmold rim providing great grip Solid, one-piece wheel construction 24-position realtime adjustment dial 900-degree wheel rotation Force feedback technology Gas and brake pedals Sequential stick shift Custom tuned for popular games Ultra-precise optical encoding |
| Compatibility | PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 |
| Some popular game supports | Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, Midnight Club Los Angeles, Need for Speed:Undercover, Burnout Paradise, DiRT , Formula One Championship Edition, Ridge Racer 7, NASCAR, Stuntman: Ignition, Sega Rally Revo, Evolution GT, Flatout, Richard Burns Rally, Street Racing Syndicate, Test Drive Eve of Destruction, TOCA Race Driver and many more. |
| System requirements | PlayStation 2 or, PlayStation 3. |
| Box contents | Force feedback steering wheel Gas and brake pedals Power supply User documentation |
| Warranty | 1-year limited hardware warranty |
