Turn 10 Studios’ new racing game Forza Motorsport is finally available on Xbox consoles, and you can also play it via Xbox Game Pass if you’re looking to save some cents. Boasting impressive visuals and realistic racing, this is one experience you’re going to want to immerse yourself in. To really do that, you’re going to need to add a wheel to your set-up. Thankfully, for those of us unsure where to start looking, Xbox is detailing the best steering wheels for Forza Motorsport and how each one takes full advantage of specially-designed Xbox racing sim software.
Forza Motorsport is, without a doubt, one of the best racing games on Xbox right now – and you could make a case that it’s one of the best ones anywhere, if you wanted to upset Gran Turismo fans. It’s also a game you can elevate your experience with by adding one of the best steering wheels for Xbox to your set-up. But, which ones does Xbox itself recommend? Well, just days after launch, now we know.
As per this Xbox Wire report, the best steering wheels for Forza Motorsport on Xbox are the Logitech G923, the Thrustmaster T128X, and the CSL DD Ready2Race McLaren Elite Bundle for Xbox. Although, only two of those options is really worthwile for Forza Motorsport.
If you’re looking for a wheel with access to Force Feedback features and pressure-sensitive pedals, the Logitech G923 is a fantastic option. Like with any steering wheel, you will need a little room to stretch your legs out and use the pedals. However, you should find they’re more than easy to use with self-calibrating software and heel grips to make sure you’re not slipping around in your socks.
Xbox also recommends checking out the Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel if you want “the best Logitech has to offer”, but this is an expensive option considering the alternative is just as good for Forza Motorsport. If you’re into professional sim racing, then you may want to consider an upgrade, though. You’ll still be able to enjoy all the Forza Motorsport tracks with this wheel though, and you won’t be breaking the bank to get stuck into wheel racing.
The Thrustmaster T128 is something of a step up from the Logitech, in ways, but it’s also a little cheaper. It comes with Force Feedback and all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a steering wheel for Xbox. However, it also comes with a litany of additional features that elevate the whole experience – just a little bit. There’s LED lighting to help identify when you need to change gear, magnetic paddle shifters for changing those gears, and easily accessible handbrake buttons if you want to add some drifting to your repertoire.
If you want something a little more reminiscent of a single-seater racing wheel, like what you would see in Formula One, you need to look for the McLaren Elite bundle from Fanatec. You can find out more about that here. It’s an expensive bundle designed for those of you who want to get more serious about sim racing, so we’re not sure we recommend it for Forza Motorsport. It’s also quite hard to come by outside of Fanatic itself, which is always going to be full price at around $800 – plus tax.
However, of course, it could be an investment worth making if you’re thinking of trying your hand at something more professional in the future. Although, anything with Force Feedback will work well enough, in our opinion.
We think, though, that the options above are both excellent – and affordable – ones for you to consider. Both of these work well with Forza Motorsport and take advantage of Xbox’s automatic profile setup systems with Force Feedback calibration and the ability to display real-time telemetry data on your steering wheel. These aren’t the only two that can access these features, but these are two options that Xbox has worked with its wheel partners to ensure it does.
If you want a few other decent options, of varying prices, you can find them below. You might not have real-time telemetry data available with these, but they’re cheaper and you’ll still be able to jump into the cockpit and immerse yourself more than you would be able to with a controller. Using one of the best Xbox headsets with a wheel isn’t a bad idea, either.
Forza Motorsport is one of the best Xbox Game Pass games available right now and one of the several new Xbox games you should absolutely check out, whether you’re using a wheel or not. You may need to invest in one of the best Xbox expansion cards out there, though, if you’re planning on keeping it installed for a while. There are a lot of great games on the way and this one takes up quite a bit of space.