Thrustmaster t500 vs g27 vs fanatec?

I own a G27 but I've started to consider selling it and upgrading to Thrustmaster T500. I don't want it because I think I will be faster with it, but because I want a wheel that produces stronger FFB, for immersion and realism reasons. Some people dislike the G27 gears making rattling sound when on kerbs etc, but that never was an issue for me, I have in-game sounds cranked so loud that won't hear a thing lol.. But anyway, I have a few questions:

- First of all, is it worth the expensive price, and losing money when selling perfectly working G27?
- How much more powerful the motor is? How is the general feel compared? Any downsides?
- How long I have to wait to get it (in Finland, if anyone knows) because no store here has it on storage atm..
- Is the LeoBodnar adapter that makes G27 shifter compatible easily available in Europe? This isn't maybe an option though, since I would believe the buyer of G27 wants the shifter too.
- How are the table clamp in comparison? The separate shifter has a good table clamp too? Wheel + shifter would be mounted to a desk, don't have a racing seat.
- Is the stronger FFB going to make my table (and everything on it, like screens) shake more than G27?
- How much more stiff are the pedals? I heard someone say shoes are preferable to use, socks isn't going to work as well. Is this true? While realistic, not sure if it's practical when lot of friends come over and we just want to have good casual sim racing time + constantly changing driver etc..

I included Fanatec in the topic name, but aren't those easy to break? Primarily interested in the T500. Anyway, answers and opinions from present/past owners of both wheels would be appreciated.

 

I know that this is not going to help, but personally I think that anyone who wants to dump a perfectly working Logitech G27 is nuts!

 

https://www.assettocorsa.net/forum/index.php?threads/driving-hardware-best-value.24565/#post-488976
There is tons of threads on this forum that answers most of your questions. Start by reading this through.

Finland market: Buy T300rs, th8rs or order Fanatec cs SQ, and Fanatec cs v3/thrustmaster T38PA-pro pedals.

 

You might be right, I'm just considering this. But need to sell G27 if I upgrade, can't afford having 2 wheels around. How about the criticism on this video



regarding slow/sluggish response on faster cars?

 

Yes, don't upgrade if your G27 is still a good wheel.

My personal view on things >>> FFB doesn't make it more realistic. Less FFB does.

- No it is not worth the extra money. Get the T300RS instead if you are interested in a Thrustmaster
- The T500RS is more powerful and you can feel it, definitely. If the T500RS is anything like the T300RS, it is smoother, doesn't make that rattling noise and has 1080° instead of 900° for the G27
- Yes, sell the shifter. You can probably order the cable directly from Leo's website. You can even order his DD Servo Wheel if I recall correctly.
- If you let the wheel mounted and don't have to unmount it everytime, than the clamp is very good. The clamping system is not as easy to use as the G27. Not bad but not as easy.
- If you are going to use the maximum FFB in the TM controlpanel and ingame and your desk is not very sturdy, than it will shake more than with the G27.
- If you use the brake mod, the brake pedal is stiffer.

I forgot, the T300RS is also PS4 compatible, if that is important.

 

You wont gain lap time, but it doesn't feel that as a toy. And you can play at night without enraging the neighbors.

 

I upgraded from a G25 to a T500.
Great Wheel wonderful peddles set up in GT format.

 

- First of all, is it worth the expensive price, and losing money when selling perfectly working G27?
i think so, compared to the new logitech wheels the t500 is very good value. although, for that money you could get yourself some clubsport v2 pedals which i personally think would be a better idea (keep your wheel upgrade your pedals)
- How much more powerful the motor is? How is the general feel compared? Any downsides?
not sure how much more powerful tbh, i live in a flat so i didnt run too much ffb with my g27 or with my t500. the general feel of the t500 is quite different than the g27. using a belt instead of cogs it has a bit more resistance even with ffb turned off. use a search engine to read up on the main differences between cog and belt wheels, i did when i made the change, there is a fair bit of info out there.
- How long I have to wait to get it (in Finland, if anyone knows) because no store here has it on storage atm..
cant help you there im afraid
- Is the LeoBodnar adapter that makes G27 shifter compatible easily available in Europe? This isn't maybe an option though, since I would believe the buyer of G27 wants the shifter too.
if it isnt an option maybe consider investing in new pedals and a shifter and keeping your wheel.
- How are the table clamp in comparison? The separate shifter has a good table clamp too? Wheel + shifter would be mounted to a desk, don't have a racing seat.
i have the t500 hard mounted and havent tried the clamp but the review i watched on youtube suggested it works ok. the th8rs shifter clamp works fine, if you look at a picture of it, it can clamp any thickness up to the size of the gap between the metal bracket and the top. i use a wheelstand pro which isnt the most sturdy stand ever but it works just fine.
- Is the stronger FFB going to make my table (and everything on it, like screens) shake more than G27?
probably not, if your within the range of ffb that wont result in clipping apart from maybe on the curbs then it should be similar, maybe even slightly better as force is delivered in a more smooth way due to the belt.
- How much more stiff are the pedals? I heard someone say shoes are preferable to use, socks isn't going to work as well. Is this true? While realistic, not sure if it's practical when lot of friends come over and we just want to have good casual sim racing time + constantly changing driver etc..
again, i havent tried the t500 pedals, i doubt you will need shoes though, at the worst maybe just put some foam on the pedal faces. i use socks with my csp v2's and with a bit of foam on them, i can use for hours at a time no problem.

the foam isnt pretty, but it works ... same for the bath mats, they stop the stand discolouring the carpet.


OH! 1 more thing... the t500 has fixed paddles they dont move with the wheel like g27 paddles do, it can take a little bit of getting used to. you cant allow your arms to get all crossed up or you wont be able to grab a gear when you need to

 

You will get what you're looking for with the 500rs. I recently upgraded from a DFGT to it with a short Rendezvous with a G27. 500 is loads stronger and has way better FFB with less DZ than a G27.
You know I love u all but the true nutcase is someone denying the gap between the two ;-)

 

I did just that and replaced it with Fanatec gear. Best decision in my short simracing life. Fanatec at least feels somewhat like a real car wheel, not a grinding gear simulator.

To the OP, I also read a lot of good things about Thrustmaster, but haven't tested it personally, so can't help much. Fanatec received a lot of flak because of the failure rate of their previous products, but the current revisions of hardware that you can buy in their shop seem to have much less issues. On the other hand, I read that the newer Thrustmasters T300 have more issues that T500, but it might be simply because more people bought them recently.

 

I speak from personal experience having previously owned a G27 and upgraded about 4 months ago to T500RS + TH8A shifter. IMHO if you upgrade you will be very pleased with the results! I reckon the T500RS is the best value for money wheel on the market. Arguably better build quality than fanatec?! The fun to price ratio is also seriously off the chart! It is definitely my favourite purchase I have made since I bought my first house 3 years ago ;-)

 

My comment was based on the fact that I don't have hundreds of pounds to throw around on new wheels whenever I fancy them. At £200 a shot, my relatively new Logitech G27 will not be replaced at least within the three year warranty period.

 

It was definitely worth the price for me, but then again I did upgrade from a Driving Force Pro. The motor is extremely powerful compared to the G27, and I've actually hurt my fingers on occassion by having them in the wrong place at the wrong time. It puts out a bunch of torque, and at 45% (which I find is the optimum strength without clipping in AC) the steering is definitely strong, and even tiring after long runs. Quite honestly, the strength of it makes me feel as if the Bodnar/Accuforce sorts of wheels are a bit overkill. Shocks and vibrations are also considerable; running over some of the kerbing at Monza (particularly around the Lesmos) makes me feel as if I'm grasping a miniature jackhammer. It's got a very strong, solid feel about it which makes the G27 feel hollow and toyish in comparison. Bigger, smoother, stronger and quieter sums it up.

Table clamp, not the best. Definitely not as good as the G27's design. I can lift up the wheel quite easily, it's not held down at the front very well. You definitely need a sturdy mounting for the wheel, if your desk is shaky with a G27 then the T500 will tear it to bits. Not even kidding, my T500 was the death knell for my previous desk, which was on its last legs (literally) already. Aside from the torque, it is a considerably large and weighty, so that's also a factor. Pedals are comparable to a G27, maybe a little less stiff in fact. It's nice being able to invert them as well. I use socks 100% of the time.

So yeah, the wheel itself is a considerable step up from a G27. I'm a T500 owner and driver, but have put an hour or two in with a friend's G27 and am very familiar with it. I maintain that the G27, in my mind, is the best wheel you can get, simply for what you get for your money. You don't need 1080 degrees of rotation, nor do you need the increased torque output; the G27 will do the job of controlling your pretend racecar and do it very well indeed. However, if you're looking to step it up a notch and get yourself some more beef and strength in your hands, then that is the realm of the T500 and those like it. Like I said, the G27, while an excellent wheel, does feel a bit toyish whereas the T500 feels like "equipment" or "hardware", if that makes sense.

 

I had a G25 and upgraded to a T500.

Cons:
The T500 wheel is bigger and initially takes a bit of getting used to. Also the T500 wheel is rubber not leather and caused my left thumb to get sore when used for long periods of time. I now have a callus so it's not sore anymore .
The D-pad can't be configured on AC at this time, no idea if that will change. There are plenty other buttons to keep you happy athough they are spaced out and not as easy to reach as the G27.
The T500 paddles don't move with the wheel and even after a year I still sometimes miss the G25 for that.
The TH8 shifter costs around £100 on top of the cost of the wheel. The standard TH8 shifter is huge in comparison and if you clamp it onto the same surface as the wheel you'll find it's far too high. I have mine clamped to the lower keyboard surface.
The pedals, although can be configured to GT mode, don't really offer anymore accuracy than the G25 pedals IMO. The pedal faces are quite rough to prevent slipping and it can be sore on bare feet, especially when moving from brake to throttle. I always wear a soft pair of running shoes when driving.

Pros:
The T500 is much quieter than the G25 and feels much smoother. You don't need to have FFB settings very high to feel the subtle bumps, in fact I turn FFB down quite low in most cars and still feel everything I need to, just at a lower 'volume'.
Not sure if @Ethan Dean above has the same clamp as mine but it feels more solid than the G25 (perhaps the G27 clamp was better?). I have it clamped to a chunky solid pine corner desk but I do tend to pull it towards me when I'm braking (my chair is on castors on a laminate floor!) so it can sometimes edge it's way from its original position during long races. I really need to drill some holes in my desk to fix it permanently.
The TH8 shifter can be configured as sequential by putting a supplied plate over the H gate and you can also easily adjust the resistance of the gear shift.
The pedals come with a brake mod but personally I prefer it without. Other guys I know use it and reckon it's much better than standard.

Overall I'm glad I made the change. I got a good price for the G25 which went a long way towards the cost of the T500. It does feel like a "proper wheel" when compared to the G25 and the FFB is much better, even when turned down low.
It was certainly worth it for me and if you make the swap I don't think you'll be disappointed

 

I don't need new pedals or a new shifter. What wheel would you recommend to me that either doesn't come with pedals or has cheap pedals to keep to the over all "package" price down?

 

Thrustmaster T300rs would be worth to check I guess.

 

or 1 of the fanatec porsche wheels