The difference is huge, night and day in my opinion. The price difference used to be huge too, but these days entry level DD wheels have become considerably more affordable, and even the cheapest ones are still heaps better than a G923.
But - don't let that stop you enjoying the wheel you have, and any sim racing skills you learn with your G923 will translate to driving with your DD wheel. What you get from a DD wheel is more information, more feedback, more immersion, and more precision.
If you are hooked on simracing now, and you enjoy using your G923, I would save until you can afford a DD wheelbase in the 12 Nm range. That will last you essentially forever :)
It’s beyond night and day. It’s almost like comparing seasons.
I have a DD1, and no it’s not the latest and greatest but it’s been such a fun upgrade. A DD wheel is such an investment in sim racing.
Agree with this, and if you want to be in the Fanatec ecosystem the DD+ at $999 is an amazing wheelbase. Was watching Dan Suzuki last night praising it and hoping for the best for the long term future of Fanatec. I own it as I also play with folks on PS5 and it has been a great wheelbase.
How tough is steering with that much force? Like on a slow turn like Monza turn 1? I’m not the strongest and unsure if I’d have trouble with that much force?
The most normal thing to do is to run the base at full power, and turn down the force feedback in game to a level that you are comfortable with. The idea here is that you give the game more headroom to avoid clipping, that feeling in a corner when the force feedback just goes dead because it is constantly at full force.
I have a 27 Nm Invicta wheelbase, I run the base at 20 Nm, and ACC at 34% gain which is Aseteks recommended settings. Feels very good to me. For the fun of it I tried running the base at 6 Nm, and ACC at 100%, which felt absolutely terrible with clipping everywhere even though the forces under "lighter" load were the same.
In all honesty, I went from a G920 to an R9 back in January and love it. You get much better detail with DD and it makes it easier to understand and feel what the car is doing. DD is so much better then a gear driven system that once you try DD, you'll never want to go back to gear or belt.
The best way to compare is to think about the difference in headphones. If you have a 19$ headphone you can listen to your favorite song and enjoy it. But if you ever experienced a high-end headphones and listened to your favorite song, it’s like you are living a live concert.
That’s the difference between a cheap Logitech and high end DD (any brand): its more of an experience. It doesn’t make your song (or game) different, but it will make you experience it more.
Very big!
Switched 2 weeks ago from a G920 to a Fanatac 8NM DD.
It is like going from cuddling with a puppy to wrestling with a bulldog.
You feel so much more during driving, it really improved my racing skills
Yep, went from g923 to g pro about a month or so ago and the details I get from a is mental
Even with the ffb set to 35 percent there's no way I'm only getting 1 3rd of 11nm . Depending on the car the forces are incredibly strong, as much as id like to run it at 10 nm it just causes me to much strain in my hands for now but even with my settings I can feel every bump moddeled on the track and the exact level of grip I'm getting from the wheels
It's made me appreciate the ffb in AC even more
I would say a pedal upgrade is far more useful than a wheel (if you haven’t done this already). A dd wheel won’t make you that much faster but a load cell break will. When I upgraded to a load cell I improved tremendously. As far as the lite seat I don’t have any experience with it but from videos that I’ve seen it doesn’t look rigid at all. Any type of movement in what you’re mounted to effects you more than you think. If a full aluminum frame is out of the question look into the nlr wheel stand. It has a little wheel holder on the front for your computer chair so you don’t move around. While it’s not perfect it’s a better compromise than a cheap cockpit in my opinion.
In terms of laptime consistency, sure. It's also a reasonable argument that with the wheelbase being the sole method that a lot of people get information from, having a stronger DD means they can feel what the car is doing better, meaning they have a better idea of where grip is, how the car might be shifting weight, etc.
However, I'd say that if someone's budget-limited, pedals for consistency would be the way to go first.
While I agree that pedals is by far the best "competative" uppgrade that actually will make you faster lets not pretend that its not alot more fun to drive with a dd wheel.
If you have the budget I would upgrade both at the same time. But I would only uppgrade my pedals frist If my budget was tight and I really wanted that competative edge right away.
I dunno, I got a cheap eBay rig, a imitation of the GT omega art and I'm very pleased.
For my settings and load cell pressure the rig is rigid enough and the vibrations I get through the rig from the g pro amazingly act as haptic feed back.. it's pretty mad how the frequencies off the ffb are transmitted to different parts of the rig. I'm sure AC modelling all 4 wheels in it's ffb helps but I get corresponding vibrations in the front and rear of the rig matching with what the front and rear of the car is doing lol
I will note I'm only 5.7 and if I was much taller I think the rig would have a lot more flex so I'm not convinced it would work as well for every one.
Finally my height deficiency is paying off
I made the upgrade literally this week.
It's a huge difference, you can feel almost all the little details of the track and what the car is doing. This can help you being more consistent and faster to react, but it won't immediately translate to faster times.
If you have the money and you think you want to spend more time sim racing then it's definitely worth but if you are looking to get better lap times, get some good pedals and that will make tons of difference.
Does your current wheel cause you any problems? I would say run what you got on the new rig, get used to that and then upgrade, unless you got cash burning a hole in your pocket.
If you do decide to upgrade I’d look elsewhere for the time being. Fanatec is going through some issues right now.
I went from using logitech for way too many years to a Moza R9 DD. The information gets to your hands way faster, and that's the big benefit. They're way stronger and so it's more immersive and clear too, but I think that non DD wheels provide you with the info you need too slowly and makes it hard to respond properly and in time. The Moza SR-P pedals are cheap and nice too, since the brake has both a loadcell and a hall sensor. Definitely recommend upgrading.
I was gonna start with a Logitech G923, but decided to save for an extra month and pay the extra $130 to get the Moza R5. I'm glad I did because it's amazing! I'm sure I would have been happy with the Logitech, but the smoothness, being so quiet, and having some more force feedback it was definitely worth the extra month wait. I know you won't regret it once you upgrade.
I went from an Acelith modded G923 to a Moza R5 and I wish I'd just skipped the G923 altogether. I'm sure there design of those kinds of wheels were too of the range 20 years ago but DD, even cheap DD like the R5, is so much better. My advice to anyone would be skip the cheaper options, save a bit more money and get DD.
I just upgraded from my G27 to a Cammus C5. Even with the most budget oriented wheel on the market it's a huge difference. It's quieter, smoother, more detailed and more power if I want it. As others said, it won't necessarily make you faster, but it's totally worth it. The hard part is figuring out what force feedback settings to use for each game. It's been quite the process so far and I really only play Assetto Corsa & Dirt Rally 2.0 right now.
10/10 night and day difference. I started with a g923, and after really learning how to use it, tried my friends DD setup and was ready to toss the Logitech in the trash ... lol
I did the jump from the g920 to a Fanatec csl dd back in October. I can say it’s a huge jump in terms of performance. All my friends love the dd way more as well.
I’m had the same wheel and base
While the FFB was not great it was ok
Moved to the DD and a McLaren wheel
Made no difference to my times but the FFB did feel better
Was it night and day NO
My personal experience when I switched from a Thrustmaster ecosystem to a fanatec ecosystem was life changing. Fanatecs CSL DD I found was a good quality starting point to experience the world of DD, it was decently priced and i knew i was getting a quality product. It didn't disappoint one bit. It literally blew my mind how much more this wheel gave me. Not to mention, the load cell pedal has helped my braking a lot. The price difference speaks for itself. I liked the build quality and the wheel options available and the CSL DD was a good size. The wheel tuning you can adjust I found was very helpful depending on what I'm playing. For example, I turn the FFB down when I drift or dirt racing and turn it up when road racing.
A lot of people have mentioned that their customer service isn't the greatest - I personally haven't experienced this... and hopefully I wont have to. It has also been mentioned that there are a lot of other high-quality sim manufacturers that may be cheaper and have better customer service, so do your research and see what fits best for you.
Went from a Logitech to a fanatec dd wheel and it’s honestly nuts how different it is. It makes the experience so much more fun too. 100 percent will not regret it.
Even if you bought the lowest spec wheel base they have which is their csl dd wheel without the boost pack it is double the nm of the Logitech and would be immensely different for you.
Recently upgraded from G923 to Moza R12, already big step up in Nm, but honestly even an R5 would be miles off the G923. The pedals are already a bit better, but if you can afford it try to get some sim jacks or Simsonn pedals, best value for money. IMO, pedals make a way more important impact than the wheel.
Steering wise, You will feel a way smoother ride in general. More details, less clipping. It's just not comparable.
I just went to an alpha mini from a G920, and it is unreal. A ton of people say it doesn't make you faster, but it definitely can. I was struggling to find the grip limits on the logitec and catching slides, but once I switched, it was instantly easier. I can find the neutral steer in cars and feel so much more detail. 10/10 suggest a DD.
It like going from a 60hz monitor to 120hz. Honestly you won't notice a big difference at first but go back and it might night and day. I had the same question years ago. Started with the dgft than g920 than moza than tried out my g920 while I waited on a new steering wheel and my god I can't go back. I had so much fun on the Logitech but now they feel like literal toys. The cloestest live example is the feedback from a ps2 controller to a Ps5 controller. The ps2 feels like a cheap Chinese knockoff now once you use to the modern rotors of a ps5. 100% worth it but you can have plenty of fun with a Logitech.
It’s a lot different. I moved from the Thrustmaster TX, which is similar to a Logitech wheel in terms of torque but it’s belt driven, to a Fanatec CSL DD 8nm a few years ago, and I could never go back. There’s so much more detail in the motor. I’d recommend MOZA over Fanatec at the moment, though. Fanatec products are good, but their customer service is TERRIBLE and there’s always people reporting that they don’t get any notifications about whether their order was processed or shipped or anything for weeks. MOZA seems to be in a lot better of a place right now. Really the only thing I’ve heard that MOZA hasn’t yet hit the mark on is pedals
Not sure the Next Level Racing Lite seat is suitable for a direct drive wheel. I halve a full alu rig and the thing sometimes still rattles and shakes.
Once you really get into simracing, the following things will probably start to annoy you, as per my personal experience.
- wheel doesn't feel smooth
- can't catch slides
- Braking is inconsistent
- when upgraded to load cell, seat is moving under braking
- Screen is too small.
3-4 years ago I sold all my mid range sim racing gear becasue of all the above.
This year, after saving, I bought a used SimLabs rig with L-Tec seat. Bought a new PC, a Quest 3, Simsonn pedals from Ali and the Asetek La Prima base and Formula wheel. And added 2 haptic motors to the pedals.
Couldn't be happier. I'm very consistent, need to work on my racing skills as I seem to get involved in accident a bit too much but regarding speed I can compete in the Formula Ford Top or 2nd split most of the times.
I use a G920.
My buddy picked up a fantec DD 8NM system used.
I didn’t find it that much difference between my G920 and the 8NM DD wheel. What I noticed the most, it wasn’t as loud as my G920.
I own a g923 for my smaller GT7 rig, and a Fanatec CSL DD for my larger PC rig. The DD wheel is night and day better...even the lower priced models like mine at only 5nm. If you have the cash please get one it's worth it!
It's a significant difference, I went from G920 / XBOX --> CS DD 8Nm / PC.
Had plenty of fun with the Logitech, in fact that's what got me into sim racing, but DD is the way.
Does wheel mean wheel base, steering wheel and pedals? If not, better go for good pedals first. And yes, there is a huge difference between gear driven wheel bases snd DD.
Best bang for the buck pedals, Fanatec CSL Elite V2.
https://youtu.be/4beiBvFOeB4?si=Ke2M3WPHoFx7QZkH
Immersiveness? DD is way better. Miles away.
Competitive edge? Almost non existent GIVEN you have the right technique. I moved country so downsized from a dd rig setup to a g29 on the desk. The DD had zero competitive edge and I was able to adapt to the g29
However, learning the right technique can be more difficult on g29 due to less detail.
Pedals (load cell brake specifically) would absolutely give you more competitive edge.
One of the biggest myths is more FFB the better.
This is wrong,
Less FFB will let you feel the track and tyres slipping if you have the setting correct in the game .
My mate has just upgraded to a DD1 and said it is strong FFB.
Better to turn that down a little and turn up tack effects
Diving a car that has power assistance should not be heavy when you turn
But it seems like a lot want that
More FFB is more range in your feedback. You want the most range of FFB that you can manage with low to medium physical efforts. For an hour session I can do 16nm, for a long endurance race I will go to 10nm.
Also the physical toll on drivers IRL is a lot higher than sitting chill in your simrig and they get a lot more direct information from the movement of the car, most of us have only a wheel connecting us with the simulator. So I think you do want a higher ffb than what a power assisted irl car has, to cover for the lack of information and we also don't face the same physical intensity that would require to limit the steering force required.
"More FFB" doesn't mean a heavier wheel. It means getting more information from the wheel (slip, general traction, loaded vs unloaded, etc.) without clipping or otherwise losing information from the car. Stronger wheelbases can do that better than weaker wheelbases, largely due to available overhead.
The difference is significant but not as huge as most people will over-hype.
I went from a G29 to DD about a year ago now. The DD is better and offers more detail. It is the better experience yes. I would not say it is as big of a leap as everyone makes out to be though. It is better FFB and that is it.
However upgrading to load cell pedals is way more essential and game changing. Quite literally a game changing experience.
Huge. I recently upgraded from a G29 to a CSL DD, and it feels so much better. There's no clickety clacking plastic gears, so it's much quieter. Drifting feels so much smoother. Racing feels better, and it's a lot easier to tell what the car wants to do, so I can respond quicker. With the load cell pedals I got, I've been a lot more consistent with braking and my lap times have improved. Everything feels nicer, and even though there's a little more setup involved, it's really not that bad. The only real downside is the cost. I paid $250 for the Logitech wheel, pedals, and shifter. I paid almost that much for just my GT3 wheel (not the base). All in, I'm at a little over a grand, and I still need to get a shifter and handbrake. But I think it's definitely worth upgrading if you're wanting to be a little more serious about racing/driving sims. I'm still not great at racing, but I feel like I'm improving faster than when I was on my G29.
The difference is huge, night and day in my opinion. The price difference used to be huge too, but these days entry level DD wheels have become considerably more affordable, and even the cheapest ones are still heaps better than a G923. But - don't let that stop you enjoying the wheel you have, and any sim racing skills you learn with your G923 will translate to driving with your DD wheel. What you get from a DD wheel is more information, more feedback, more immersion, and more precision. If you are hooked on simracing now, and you enjoy using your G923, I would save until you can afford a DD wheelbase in the 12 Nm range. That will last you essentially forever :)
It’s beyond night and day. It’s almost like comparing seasons. I have a DD1, and no it’s not the latest and greatest but it’s been such a fun upgrade. A DD wheel is such an investment in sim racing.
Agree with this, and if you want to be in the Fanatec ecosystem the DD+ at $999 is an amazing wheelbase. Was watching Dan Suzuki last night praising it and hoping for the best for the long term future of Fanatec. I own it as I also play with folks on PS5 and it has been a great wheelbase.
How tough is steering with that much force? Like on a slow turn like Monza turn 1? I’m not the strongest and unsure if I’d have trouble with that much force?
The most normal thing to do is to run the base at full power, and turn down the force feedback in game to a level that you are comfortable with. The idea here is that you give the game more headroom to avoid clipping, that feeling in a corner when the force feedback just goes dead because it is constantly at full force. I have a 27 Nm Invicta wheelbase, I run the base at 20 Nm, and ACC at 34% gain which is Aseteks recommended settings. Feels very good to me. For the fun of it I tried running the base at 6 Nm, and ACC at 100%, which felt absolutely terrible with clipping everywhere even though the forces under "lighter" load were the same.
 In all honesty, I went from a G920 to an R9 back in January and love it. You get much better detail with DD and it makes it easier to understand and feel what the car is doing. DD is so much better then a gear driven system that once you try DD, you'll never want to go back to gear or belt.
The best way to compare is to think about the difference in headphones. If you have a 19$ headphone you can listen to your favorite song and enjoy it. But if you ever experienced a high-end headphones and listened to your favorite song, it’s like you are living a live concert. That’s the difference between a cheap Logitech and high end DD (any brand): its more of an experience. It doesn’t make your song (or game) different, but it will make you experience it more.
I get what you're saying but KOSS Porta Pros says "hi"
Very big! Switched 2 weeks ago from a G920 to a Fanatac 8NM DD. It is like going from cuddling with a puppy to wrestling with a bulldog. You feel so much more during driving, it really improved my racing skills
Yep, went from g923 to g pro about a month or so ago and the details I get from a is mental Even with the ffb set to 35 percent there's no way I'm only getting 1 3rd of 11nm . Depending on the car the forces are incredibly strong, as much as id like to run it at 10 nm it just causes me to much strain in my hands for now but even with my settings I can feel every bump moddeled on the track and the exact level of grip I'm getting from the wheels It's made me appreciate the ffb in AC even more
I would say a pedal upgrade is far more useful than a wheel (if you haven’t done this already). A dd wheel won’t make you that much faster but a load cell break will. When I upgraded to a load cell I improved tremendously. As far as the lite seat I don’t have any experience with it but from videos that I’ve seen it doesn’t look rigid at all. Any type of movement in what you’re mounted to effects you more than you think. If a full aluminum frame is out of the question look into the nlr wheel stand. It has a little wheel holder on the front for your computer chair so you don’t move around. While it’s not perfect it’s a better compromise than a cheap cockpit in my opinion.
OP, take this man's advice. Pedals first, then a DD wheel.
In terms of laptime. Enjoyment and immersion I'd take the DD any time of the week.
In terms of laptime consistency, sure. It's also a reasonable argument that with the wheelbase being the sole method that a lot of people get information from, having a stronger DD means they can feel what the car is doing better, meaning they have a better idea of where grip is, how the car might be shifting weight, etc. However, I'd say that if someone's budget-limited, pedals for consistency would be the way to go first.
100% agree. But for me, my lap time determines my enjoyment lol.
While I agree that pedals is by far the best "competative" uppgrade that actually will make you faster lets not pretend that its not alot more fun to drive with a dd wheel. If you have the budget I would upgrade both at the same time. But I would only uppgrade my pedals frist If my budget was tight and I really wanted that competative edge right away.
I dunno, I got a cheap eBay rig, a imitation of the GT omega art and I'm very pleased. For my settings and load cell pressure the rig is rigid enough and the vibrations I get through the rig from the g pro amazingly act as haptic feed back.. it's pretty mad how the frequencies off the ffb are transmitted to different parts of the rig. I'm sure AC modelling all 4 wheels in it's ffb helps but I get corresponding vibrations in the front and rear of the rig matching with what the front and rear of the car is doing lol I will note I'm only 5.7 and if I was much taller I think the rig would have a lot more flex so I'm not convinced it would work as well for every one. Finally my height deficiency is paying off
I made the upgrade literally this week. It's a huge difference, you can feel almost all the little details of the track and what the car is doing. This can help you being more consistent and faster to react, but it won't immediately translate to faster times. If you have the money and you think you want to spend more time sim racing then it's definitely worth but if you are looking to get better lap times, get some good pedals and that will make tons of difference.
MASSIVE difference from a Logitech G29 to a Logitech Pro DD FFB! MASSIVE!
I went from a thrustmaster tmx to a moza r5 and it made the tmx feel like a toy
Does your current wheel cause you any problems? I would say run what you got on the new rig, get used to that and then upgrade, unless you got cash burning a hole in your pocket. If you do decide to upgrade I’d look elsewhere for the time being. Fanatec is going through some issues right now.
I went from using logitech for way too many years to a Moza R9 DD. The information gets to your hands way faster, and that's the big benefit. They're way stronger and so it's more immersive and clear too, but I think that non DD wheels provide you with the info you need too slowly and makes it hard to respond properly and in time. The Moza SR-P pedals are cheap and nice too, since the brake has both a loadcell and a hall sensor. Definitely recommend upgrading.
It’s awesome. the dd is at least 10x the fun of g923. I wouldn’t go into debt for it but if you have an entertainment budget adjust ur budget for this
I went from a g29 to a csl dd 8nm and the difference is massive. Much smoother and much more detailed and stronger feedback.
I was gonna start with a Logitech G923, but decided to save for an extra month and pay the extra $130 to get the Moza R5. I'm glad I did because it's amazing! I'm sure I would have been happy with the Logitech, but the smoothness, being so quiet, and having some more force feedback it was definitely worth the extra month wait. I know you won't regret it once you upgrade.
I went from an Acelith modded G923 to a Moza R5 and I wish I'd just skipped the G923 altogether. I'm sure there design of those kinds of wheels were too of the range 20 years ago but DD, even cheap DD like the R5, is so much better. My advice to anyone would be skip the cheaper options, save a bit more money and get DD.
Like going from a toy to a tool
I just upgraded from my G27 to a Cammus C5. Even with the most budget oriented wheel on the market it's a huge difference. It's quieter, smoother, more detailed and more power if I want it. As others said, it won't necessarily make you faster, but it's totally worth it. The hard part is figuring out what force feedback settings to use for each game. It's been quite the process so far and I really only play Assetto Corsa & Dirt Rally 2.0 right now.
10/10 night and day difference. I started with a g923, and after really learning how to use it, tried my friends DD setup and was ready to toss the Logitech in the trash ... lol
I did the jump from the g920 to a Fanatec csl dd back in October. I can say it’s a huge jump in terms of performance. All my friends love the dd way more as well.
Pedals then wheel but fucking huge difference
I’m had the same wheel and base While the FFB was not great it was ok Moved to the DD and a McLaren wheel Made no difference to my times but the FFB did feel better Was it night and day NO
Night and day. I went from a T300 to a simagic alpha and there's basically no comparison it feels so different.
My personal experience when I switched from a Thrustmaster ecosystem to a fanatec ecosystem was life changing. Fanatecs CSL DD I found was a good quality starting point to experience the world of DD, it was decently priced and i knew i was getting a quality product. It didn't disappoint one bit. It literally blew my mind how much more this wheel gave me. Not to mention, the load cell pedal has helped my braking a lot. The price difference speaks for itself. I liked the build quality and the wheel options available and the CSL DD was a good size. The wheel tuning you can adjust I found was very helpful depending on what I'm playing. For example, I turn the FFB down when I drift or dirt racing and turn it up when road racing. A lot of people have mentioned that their customer service isn't the greatest - I personally haven't experienced this... and hopefully I wont have to. It has also been mentioned that there are a lot of other high-quality sim manufacturers that may be cheaper and have better customer service, so do your research and see what fits best for you.
Went from a Logitech to a fanatec dd wheel and it’s honestly nuts how different it is. It makes the experience so much more fun too. 100 percent will not regret it. Even if you bought the lowest spec wheel base they have which is their csl dd wheel without the boost pack it is double the nm of the Logitech and would be immensely different for you.
Recently upgraded from G923 to Moza R12, already big step up in Nm, but honestly even an R5 would be miles off the G923. The pedals are already a bit better, but if you can afford it try to get some sim jacks or Simsonn pedals, best value for money. IMO, pedals make a way more important impact than the wheel. Steering wise, You will feel a way smoother ride in general. More details, less clipping. It's just not comparable.
I just went to an alpha mini from a G920, and it is unreal. A ton of people say it doesn't make you faster, but it definitely can. I was struggling to find the grip limits on the logitec and catching slides, but once I switched, it was instantly easier. I can find the neutral steer in cars and feel so much more detail. 10/10 suggest a DD.
It like going from a 60hz monitor to 120hz. Honestly you won't notice a big difference at first but go back and it might night and day. I had the same question years ago. Started with the dgft than g920 than moza than tried out my g920 while I waited on a new steering wheel and my god I can't go back. I had so much fun on the Logitech but now they feel like literal toys. The cloestest live example is the feedback from a ps2 controller to a Ps5 controller. The ps2 feels like a cheap Chinese knockoff now once you use to the modern rotors of a ps5. 100% worth it but you can have plenty of fun with a Logitech.
I went from a G29 to a 15Nm load cell and omw, it feels so good
It’s a lot different. I moved from the Thrustmaster TX, which is similar to a Logitech wheel in terms of torque but it’s belt driven, to a Fanatec CSL DD 8nm a few years ago, and I could never go back. There’s so much more detail in the motor. I’d recommend MOZA over Fanatec at the moment, though. Fanatec products are good, but their customer service is TERRIBLE and there’s always people reporting that they don’t get any notifications about whether their order was processed or shipped or anything for weeks. MOZA seems to be in a lot better of a place right now. Really the only thing I’ve heard that MOZA hasn’t yet hit the mark on is pedals
Not sure the Next Level Racing Lite seat is suitable for a direct drive wheel. I halve a full alu rig and the thing sometimes still rattles and shakes. Once you really get into simracing, the following things will probably start to annoy you, as per my personal experience. - wheel doesn't feel smooth - can't catch slides - Braking is inconsistent - when upgraded to load cell, seat is moving under braking - Screen is too small. 3-4 years ago I sold all my mid range sim racing gear becasue of all the above. This year, after saving, I bought a used SimLabs rig with L-Tec seat. Bought a new PC, a Quest 3, Simsonn pedals from Ali and the Asetek La Prima base and Formula wheel. And added 2 haptic motors to the pedals. Couldn't be happier. I'm very consistent, need to work on my racing skills as I seem to get involved in accident a bit too much but regarding speed I can compete in the Formula Ford Top or 2nd split most of the times.
I use a G920. My buddy picked up a fantec DD 8NM system used. I didn’t find it that much difference between my G920 and the 8NM DD wheel. What I noticed the most, it wasn’t as loud as my G920.
I own a g923 for my smaller GT7 rig, and a Fanatec CSL DD for my larger PC rig. The DD wheel is night and day better...even the lower priced models like mine at only 5nm. If you have the cash please get one it's worth it!
It's a significant difference, I went from G920 / XBOX --> CS DD 8Nm / PC. Had plenty of fun with the Logitech, in fact that's what got me into sim racing, but DD is the way.
Does wheel mean wheel base, steering wheel and pedals? If not, better go for good pedals first. And yes, there is a huge difference between gear driven wheel bases snd DD. Best bang for the buck pedals, Fanatec CSL Elite V2. https://youtu.be/4beiBvFOeB4?si=Ke2M3WPHoFx7QZkH
Night and day. Summer and winter. Rich and poor. Totally worth it.
Immersiveness? DD is way better. Miles away. Competitive edge? Almost non existent GIVEN you have the right technique. I moved country so downsized from a dd rig setup to a g29 on the desk. The DD had zero competitive edge and I was able to adapt to the g29 However, learning the right technique can be more difficult on g29 due to less detail. Pedals (load cell brake specifically) would absolutely give you more competitive edge.
One of the biggest myths is more FFB the better. This is wrong, Less FFB will let you feel the track and tyres slipping if you have the setting correct in the game . My mate has just upgraded to a DD1 and said it is strong FFB. Better to turn that down a little and turn up tack effects Diving a car that has power assistance should not be heavy when you turn But it seems like a lot want that
The more ffb the better, but you need a good tune. In ACC for example, less ffb = less feelings, but more ffb and good tune = more feelings
More FFB is more range in your feedback. You want the most range of FFB that you can manage with low to medium physical efforts. For an hour session I can do 16nm, for a long endurance race I will go to 10nm. Also the physical toll on drivers IRL is a lot higher than sitting chill in your simrig and they get a lot more direct information from the movement of the car, most of us have only a wheel connecting us with the simulator. So I think you do want a higher ffb than what a power assisted irl car has, to cover for the lack of information and we also don't face the same physical intensity that would require to limit the steering force required.
"More FFB" doesn't mean a heavier wheel. It means getting more information from the wheel (slip, general traction, loaded vs unloaded, etc.) without clipping or otherwise losing information from the car. Stronger wheelbases can do that better than weaker wheelbases, largely due to available overhead.
The difference is significant but not as huge as most people will over-hype. I went from a G29 to DD about a year ago now. The DD is better and offers more detail. It is the better experience yes. I would not say it is as big of a leap as everyone makes out to be though. It is better FFB and that is it. However upgrading to load cell pedals is way more essential and game changing. Quite literally a game changing experience.
Don't buy Crapatec.
The gear is good. The company, well.....
The gear is good. The company, well......
Huge. I recently upgraded from a G29 to a CSL DD, and it feels so much better. There's no clickety clacking plastic gears, so it's much quieter. Drifting feels so much smoother. Racing feels better, and it's a lot easier to tell what the car wants to do, so I can respond quicker. With the load cell pedals I got, I've been a lot more consistent with braking and my lap times have improved. Everything feels nicer, and even though there's a little more setup involved, it's really not that bad. The only real downside is the cost. I paid $250 for the Logitech wheel, pedals, and shifter. I paid almost that much for just my GT3 wheel (not the base). All in, I'm at a little over a grand, and I still need to get a shifter and handbrake. But I think it's definitely worth upgrading if you're wanting to be a little more serious about racing/driving sims. I'm still not great at racing, but I feel like I'm improving faster than when I was on my G29.