Logitech G Pro Direct Drive Steering Wheel
The Logitech G Pro Direct Drive racing wheel and Pro Load Cell pedals have just been launched. And honestly, this came as a surprise! TrueForce and Direct Drive technology come together here to create a true and unique sim racing experience. Is and will the Logitech G Pro be a serious Direct Drive competitor? Read all about Logitech's new flagship in this article.
Long and reliable history
Logitech has a long history of producing reliable sim-racing hardware. For more than 10 years, the company has dominated the budget and entry-level sim racing market with competitively priced entry-level models. These steering wheels, including the immensely popular G29, were primarily made for beginning sim racers. This steering wheel is very popular, which resulted in a huge market of Logitech G29 mods. I too started with a G29 before switching to Fanatec.
The higher end of the market - think Fanatec, SimuCube and Thrustmasters - has always ignored the company. With the new Direct Drive steering wheel, this is changing and Logitech is also entering the world of (semi) professional sim racing hardware.
Until now, Fanatec was the only brand to offer Direct Drive technology for gaming consoles with the highly priced Podium steering wheels (DD1 and DD2) and the more recent (budget) CSL DD (Xbox) and the GT DD Pro (Playstation) steering wheels.
Also Thrustmaster can't stay out and is preparing to launch a direct drive system. This technology is the future and with Logitech's surprising entry into this market as well, the era of belt-driven steering wheels seems to be definitely over.
Why is Direct Drive important?
A Direct Drive wheelbase means that the wheel is connected to the Force Feedback motor. Not only is the G Pro significantly stronger than previous Logitech steering wheels, but it has a number of other advantages because it is a Direct Drive wheelbase.
A belt- or gear-driven wheelbase has more moving parts and gearing between the motor and rim to find the right balance between speed and power. These extra moving parts inevitably introduce some backlash or play between the motor and the rim. This reduces the reliability of the force feedback drastically, breaking the connection between the user and his simulator. Because a Direct Drive wheelbase eliminates these extra moving parts, you get a much more detailed, smoother and quieter force feedback AND driving experience.
Logitech TrueForce technology
The G Pro uses Logitech's "TrueForce" technology, first seen on the G923 steering wheels. Among other things, this technology provides additional effects designed to better simulate car vibrations. I am curious to see how this technology will work in conjunction with a Direct Drive powered steering wheel.
Logitech G Pro Racing Pedals
The Logitech G Pro Racing pedals were announced at the same time and comes standard with load cell brake pedals. This is definitely a first! They can't be left behind with this either - of course. The layout of the pedal set can be easily adjusted with the included Allen wrench.
Price and availability Logitech G Pro
The Logitech G Pro costs ? 1,099 Euros ($ 999 USD). And yes, that's on the high side. The accompanying G Pro racing pedals, by the way, will be sold separately for - expectedly - ? 349 Euro ($ 349 USD). Want the total package? Then you will have to dig deep into your pocket for this. After all, it costs a whopping ? 1,488 Euro. And that's an absurd amount of money.
The Logitech G Pro is available in two versions, one compatible with the Xbox Series and Xbox One, the other with the Playstation 4 and 5. Both models are fully compatible with Windows PCs. Are you convinced and can't wait? The G Pro will be available from September 2022!
Logitech G Pro Direct Drive review
Conclusion: is the Logitech G Pro worth it?
The Logitech G Pro is considerably more expensive than the CSL DD and the Moza R9. These models are also considerably smaller than the - hefty - G Pro. Because yes, the G Pro is huge. In addition, the eco system from Fanatec and Moza a lot more comprehensive a attractive with many more options with different wheels.
Admittedly, the extra torque and Nm in the Logitech is considerably better, but by no means necessary. The big advantage of the new G Pro is its ease of use and it is plug-and-play. This is and will continue to be a nice plus for the novice sim racer.
What do you think? Will the new Logitech G Pro be a serious competitor to the likes of the Fanatec DD1/DD2, the Fanatec CSL DD Pro or Moza?
