Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition review: drive time

It’s a good time to be a gearhead. A PlayStation VR 2 update dropped for Gran Turismo 7 back in February, and the upcoming Gran Turismo movie looks like it could be a real sports blockbuster. But as much as the PS5’s incredible DualSense haptics let it mimic the feeling of heavy braking or driving over rutted roads, nothing beats the feel of gripping an actual steering wheel. The Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition is a terrific place to start.

There’ve been a few iterations of the T300RS since it first arrived in 2016. The GT edition, which rocks a Gran Turismo logo on the wheel launched alongside Gran Turismo Sport on PS4 a year later. This latest model is compatible with PS5, and naturally supports Gran Turismo 7. It also works with PCs. Whatever you hook it up to, its force feedback motors deliver the thrill of racing laps like you’re actually behind the wheel, gripping on for dear life when making a tight hairpin.

Design & Build

Racing wheels are a pricey investment for a niche genre, but the T300RS GT Edition is a comprehensive starting point. The belt-driven wheel includes a pedal set with three metal pedals – a step up from the original T300RS model which made do with two.

With a 28cm diameter the wheel is a little smaller than a genuine race car’s steering wheel, but still larger than other ‘kid-sized’ sim racing wheels. There’s space for a whole host of buttons up front, including the familiar PlayStation face buttons and a D-pad. Everything was within comfortable reach when gripping the wheel, and easy enough to find by touch when wearing a VR headset. The rim is wrapped in rubber, rather than authentic suede or Alcantara, but is satisfyingly grippy and durable once you get your hands on it.

The wheelbase itself houses the force feedback motors and contributes the bulk of the weight. Unlike Thrustmaster’s T248 racing wheel, here you can detach the steering wheel completely with a few screws; handy if you want to upgrade to the bespoke Ferrari edition without also buying an extra base unit or pedals.

Setup is fairly straightforward. The pedals plug in to the back of the wheelbase with an old-school modem-style cable, while the base itself plugs into your console or PC over USB. It has a separate AC power brick to power the force feedback motor. You can fix the wheelbase onto a desk using the provided clamp, which must be screwed in from the bottom, but it’s a little flimsy. Even after multiple sessions, we still got confused over whether to turn it clockwise or anticlockwise to untighten it.

Performance

The T300RS will feel like a massive step up if you’ve never used a force feedback wheel before. Hit some rough terrain or brake too hard into a corner and it can spin out of control with real ferocity. Even with a DualSense controller’s clever haptics, that would just get lost in translation when simply gripping a gamepad.

Wheel rotation is set to 1080 degrees by default, though you can tweak the settings so the rotational angle goes as low as 270 degrees. There’s a lot more precision here than the more entry-grade Thrustmaster T248, though it does lack the muscle of a more serious (and more expensive) direct drive sim rig.

The wheelbase uses brushless motors and hall effect magnets, which should prevent long-term wear and tear. It also makes for a quieter system, although the internal fan still kicks in after about 20 minutes of driving. It’s not at all distracting, whether you’re wearing headphones to fully immerse yourself in the racing cockpit, or simply have the TV volume turned. up.

You can manually adjust the height, spacing and inclination of the pedals, which feel comfortable and firm under foot. As a bundled set there’s little to complain about, even if there are more luxurious pedal options available for those with lots of cash. The clutch pedal is a bit redundant unless you also buy a manual shifter add-on (Thrustmaster’s is £170/$200), as the wheel’s paddle shifters do a great job by themselves.

Features

You might think the T300RS is a little lacking compared to the more affordable T248, which adds extra buttons and has an interactive dashboard display for showing things like your current race position. But with that wheel you’re completely locked in; here you can upgrade later down the line, thanks to the detachable wheelbase.

It’s less of an issue if you’re shopping for a wheel to use in VR, as you won’t be able to see any extra functions like shift lights or adjustment dials found on rival wheels. Gran Turismo 7’s faithfully created car interiors are easier on the eye at any rate, so we spent more time looking at the screen than glancing down at the wheel itself.

While we tested the T300RS on PS5, it’s also compatible with PS4 and PC with the flick of a switch on the wheel base, also indicated by a change in the light underneath. Just bear in mind that the PC setting is actually denoted with PS3 on the wheel base – an indication of its design longevity even between console generations.

Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition verdict

Whether you’re upgrading from an entry-level racing wheel or looking to immerse yourself in sim racing for the first time, the Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition remains a firm recommendation. It’s ready out the gate for PS5 racers, despite having been on the market for longer than the console itself.

The desk clamp is a faff if you don’t have a permanent racing rig setup, and dedicated petrolheads will likely save their cash for a direct drive wheel such as the Logitech Pro Racing Wheel. But for its price and performance, the T300RS is a terrific belt-driven wheel that can still offer the drive of your virtual life.