Hands-on review: Logitech Driving Force GT

Logitech's latest entry in its steering wheel line has me driving away pleased, despite a few very minor drawbacks.

The Driving Force GT comes with the whole steering wheel getup. This includes the wheel, a two-way shifter (hi/low), and spring-loaded gas and brake pedals (no clutch). The wheel also adds in a new features specifically designed for the Gran Turismo 5 series.

The newly added 24-position knob is used to control specific in-game settings, such as brake bias and traction control, and it mimics control availability in real-world racecars that exist today. This, of course, may not seem like a big deal to many, but to hardcore simulation enthusiasts like myself, it makes a pretty big difference.

Other pluses I found were PS2 and PS3 compatibility (although the new features don't apply to older games), PC compatibility, and a light-up GT icon/button in the middle (nice aesthetic touch). 

A few quips: The wheel doesn't support wireless, so those of you with intricate home theaters might run into a problem. Also, don't expect to be playing this on your lap—this wheel needs to be mounted for any action. It's probably better for your overall experience that way, anyway.

I was fortunate enough to test this side-by-side against Microsoft's official wheel along with Forza 2, and I must say, the overall strength of the force feedback didn't feel as strong in the Logitech, but the variations, timings, and different responses the wheel gave definitely made the driving experience feel more realistic. 

The $149 retail price may be a bit steep for some, but the Driving Force GT is the best cross between performance and price when it comes to driving simulation on the Playstation 3. Unless you're got money to burn, I'd suggest going for the unmatched, heavy-duty GT25.