Steering Wheels and Yokes

Best steering wheels for racing games

Steering wheels are generally the most expensive specialized controller, but they are a must for racing aficionados. These controllers include a steering-wheel dash unit and a floor pad with pedals. Today, most wheels also provide force feedback, which allows you to feel the car push back against you when you turn the wheel and kick in the throttle.

The Logitech G25 Racing Wheel (*Est. $225) is by far the favorite racing wheel among reviewers. About.com's NASCAR guide Steve McCormick, who rounds up and tests over a dozen such PC wheels, gives it five out of five stars, calling it "the finest force feedback steering wheel available today." TechGage.com, OverClockersClub.com, TechRadar.com and GamePlanet.com give it perfect or nearly perfect ratings, supported by glowing, in-depth reviews. At Amazon.com, the Logitech G25 is the highest-rated racing wheel on the site according to user reviews, and BrightHub.com ranks it first in its "Top Ten Racing Game Accessories for Your PC" review.

Reviewers find a lot to love about the Logitech G25 Racing Wheel. They universally praise the 900-degree wheel turn and realistic force feedback, saying it is the best among its competition. They also praise its build quality, namely its leather wheel cover and sturdy metal parts. Multiple reviewers appreciate its easy installation, dual shifting techniques, 12 programmable buttons and its ability to work on a PC and a Playstation 2 or 3. Real World Labs' Nik Kastrantas likes the profiler system, which lets you program the wheel to behave differently for different games, while TechGage.com's Greg King appreciates the wheel's quality looks and "proper resistance" while driving.

Reviewers note that purchasing the Logitech G25 Racing Wheel gets you not just a top-notch racing wheel but an entire racing system, including a six-speed gearbox and a clutch in addition to the standard brake and gas pedals. While these features set the Logitech G25 Racing Wheel apart from more affordable racing wheels, they are also the source of its infrequent and minor complaints. Reviewers at OverClockersClub.com and TechGage.com both wish the pedals had rubber grips to keep them from sliding under foot pressure. A number of reviewers had minor issues with the shifter: About.com's McCormick reports that some users have trouble with reverse; Kastrantas at RealWorldLabs.com thinks it feels "fake" during gameplay; and a GamePlanet.com contributor says it could be more "robust" but does not go on to explain the criticism.

If you are willing to pass on the ultra-realism of the Logitech G25 Racing Wheel then you can save some money opting for the more affordable but still well-reviewed Logitech Momo Racing Force Wheel (*Est. $80). Reviewers' primary issue with this steering wheel is simply that it does not have the same features that make its older sibling so highly regarded: the six-speed shifter, clutch, 900-degree wheel turn and top-rated force feedback. Additional quibbles are few, but About.com's Steve McCormick says he would prefer if two of the three adjustment clamps on the wheel were not hidden and notes that it has a "larger desk footprint" than some of the other models he tested. Some users find it to be less accurate than the Logitech G25 Racing Wheel, but many attribute the G25's accuracy to its additional features' ability to improve the user's driving.

All in all, the Logitech Momo Racing Force wheel is still an excellent device, especially for the money. It comes with six buttons, two pedals, a shifter knob, two paddle shifters and force feedback. Reviewers also like the carpet grip that keeps the pedals in place, a challenge with its more expensive sibling. BrightHub.com ranks it second -- just behind the Logitech G25 Racing Wheel -- in its top-10 list, and IGN.com and About.com give it the highest ratings given to game controllers. Logitech is not the only manufacturer of racing wheels, but reviews of other options make it clear why Logitech's wheels are preferred.

Thrustmaster's new Ferrari F430 Force Feedback Racing Wheel (*Est. $110) gets 4.5 out of five stars from TechRadar.com, and one Amazon.com user says its pedals are sturdier than the Logitech Momo Racing Force's, but overall this wheel does not have enough reviews to come to a final consensus. The Thrustmaster RGT Force Feedback Pro Clutch Edition (*Est. $120) earns some praise for offering many of the same features as the Logitech G25 Racing Wheel, but has had durability issues (it's made of plastic) that led to a number of complaints on Amazon.com. Finally, companies like Extreme Competition Controls Inc (ECCI) and Hyper Stimulator make well-regarded cockpit components for full arcade-style racing simulation, but their prices start at four figures.

Steering yokes and rudder pedals for flight simulation

Some gamers simply prefer yokes to joysticks, and for those dedicated to maximum realism in flight simulation, they are an absolute must. Yokes are modeled after the steering controls found in civilian aircraft and are in many ways more similar to a steering wheel than a joystick, because they require you to grip them with both hands, turn from side-to-side and need pedals for complete control. Designed for flight simulation, yokes don't have the same range of motion as steering wheels, and the two types of controls can't be interchanged. Yokes have plenty of buttons to manipulate your flight simulator, but, they are not intended for combat flight simulation, so you might not be able to launch your heat-seeking missiles as easily as you could with a top-of-the-line flight stick.

As with flight sticks, the best options for yokes come from CH Products and Saitek, with reviewers slightly preferring the CH Products Flight Sim Yoke (*Est. $100). FlightSim.com editors, doing a walkthrough of installation and a test flight, praise the yoke's ease of use and accuracy. Reviewers on Amazon.com make it the top-rated yoke with 4.5 out of five stars and love its ability to simulate a wide range of aircraft and the endless programmability of its many controls.

Some reviewers indicate that the Saitek Pro Flight Yoke (*Est. $130) might be a better purchase, but the reviews do not show how it is actually superior to CH Products' yoke. Although FileFactory Games' flight simulator expert Walter Hurdle gives the Saitek Pro Flight Yoke a stellar 93 percent rating and calls it the "best civilian flight yoke system," his review suggests that the CH Products Flight Sim Yoke is both simpler to use and easier to mount on your desk. FlightSim also points out that it has fewer controls than the CH Products Flight Yoke, and multiple reviewers complain that the USB cable, which is shorter than CH Products', is not long enough. Everyone loves the Saitek's accuracy and ease of use, but CH Products Flight Yoke gets the same praise.

FlightSim.com has the only review that we could find of CH Products' new Eclipse Yoke (*Est. $180), which improves upon the CH Products Pro Flight Yoke with several additional controls, more programmability options and thumb pedals so you don't have to buy separate rudder pedals. Although the review is positive, we could not find enough other reviews to draw a firm conclusion about this new model.

Unless you take the dive with the CH Product Eclipse Yoke, you will need to invest in rudder pedals to go with your yoke. Reviewers seem to like both the CH Products Pro Pedals (*Est. $100) and the Saitek Rudder Pedals (*Est. $110) equally, praising the accuracy and precision of both. The two pairs of pedals have some minor differences: Saitek's pedals are farther apart and have adjustable footrests, while the CH Products' pedals have toebrakes and a wider base for more stability. A couple reviewers complain that the Saitek pedal base does not stay in place. However, the most important factor in your decision is probably which yoke you are purchasing; SimHQ's biggest complaint with the CH Products Pro Rudder Pedals is that they do not work properly with the Saitek X52 Pro Flight Control.