Yes, the Logitech G920 is a good steering wheel for drifting, but it is not the best. It may be one of the most famous sim-racing steering wheel setups in the world, but that is due to its quality design and ease of use.
As we all know, drifting is one of the most exhilarating things you can do in a racing game. It’s what makes racing fun, from taking big swings and catching wheel spins to hitting the perfect corner to win a race.
Drifting has to go down as one of the most important parts of any fun racing game. However, in the world of sim racing, getting the perfect drift is a skill that requires the best gear to master. As we all know, not every sim-racing steering wheel setup is good for drifting. So, in this article, I’m going to be checking out the Logitech G920 to see what all the hype is about because I want to know if it truly is the ultimate drifting machine or if it’s just an oversteer hogg.
Related post to read: Logitech G920 Review.
How well does the Logitech G920 perform in drifting scenarios?
The Logitech G920 is a robust sim-racing steering wheel and performs satisfactorily in drifting scenarios. While it possesses a solid wheelbase and notable force feedback, its three-pedal brake system, and the lack of an external hand brake may not provide the ultimate drift racing experience.
Like any product, it has its strengths and weaknesses and may not entirely fulfil all the specific requirements for drifting. It is important to consider each element of the G920 to understand where it excels and where it might fall short in the context of drifting.
What Components Are Needed for a Racing Wheel to be Good for Drifting
There are four key components required in any racing wheel to make it good for drifting. They are; a good steering wheelbase, impressive force feedback, a three-pedal brake system, and an external hand brake. When a racing wheel setup has all of these pieces working together perfectly and in unison, then a racing wheel can be said to be good for drifting.
The Wheelbase
The Logitech G920’s wheelbase feels quite sturdy and in no way seems cheap. They feel incredibly luxurious and cosy in your hands because of the hand-stitched leather wheel grips. Moreover, they are fairly stiff and immobile. This is wonderful since I can always tap the paddles, even if I’ve moved the wheel in an unexpected position. The stainless-steel shifter pads in the back spin with the steering wheel.
The steering wheel had a great overall feel; I never felt sloppy while using it, and I could always make the desired turn smoothly. There is no latency on the controls, which is usually a plus, and the steering is very precise with little understeer.
Last but not least, a mid-range steering wheel is to be expected to have fussy and occasionally light buttons. I’m happy with this steering wheel’s general performance, and it seems to be fairly durable.
The wheelbase is important because it controls the car and allows you to turn and move it around. You can’t drift if you can’t turn the car, but being able to turn the car doesn’t mean you drift. The wheelbase has to be sharp, responsive, and latency-free. The Logitech G920 checks all the right boxes when it comes to that.
Force Feedback
Force feedback is very important for drifting because it adds a necessary layer of resistance to the tyres when driving, which gives the racer an added layer of immersion when racing. Force feedback gives players a sense of the vehicle’s grip; it simulates the actual feeling of the road by appealing to their sense of touch and gives them more aware of the virtual car they’re driving.
A force feedback wheel will, for example, give counter-resistance when turning into a tight corner at high speeds, shake and rumble when your virtual car hits a curb, goes off-road, or hits gravel or sand, among many other things. It gives the driver essential cues that would otherwise be impossible to feel.
However, the Logitech G920 has a gear-driven motor and, as such, won’t be able to produce too much force, is a little too noisy, and has a slower reaction speed. All of these make it harder to drift when using the Logitech G920, which makes the wheelbase even more important to drifters.
The best force feedback system in a racing wheel is a direct-drive wheel system, which connects a motor directly to the wheel and, as a result, can give off the most force at faster speeds and with even more precision than a gear-driven system.
However, the issue with direct-drive wheel systems is that they are the most expensive racing wheels on the market and would be very expensive for entry-level drivers to get. For the most balanced performance, a belt-driven system would be the most ideal for drifting, especially if you’re on a budget.
A Three-brake Pedal System
A three-brake pedal system is very important for drifting because it will give you the necessary resistance and force for catching a drift properly. It will also add a level of realism to the driving experience that the pads at the back can’t give.
Anyone who has drifted in real life will tell you that the best way to drift is with a three-pedal system because it gives you more control over your drift. So, drifting with a 3-pedal system in a sim-racing game not only adds a certain level of realism and immersion but also gives you more control over your brakes, the turns, and how much wheel spin you will get. A three-pedal brake system is also very useful for games with realistic driving physics because it can simulate everything a driver would do in real life.
The pedals on the Logitech G920 are the most devise part of the whole steering wheel experience when playing. Some people like it, and some people hate it. This is because Logitech tried to do too many things with the brake system and, in the end, made it more difficult for racers to hit the brakes, use the clutch, and feel resistance from the accelerator.
An External Hand Brake
An external hand brake is an important feature of any sim-racing setup because it is the final piece of any drifting setup. It adds more realism for the racer and increases your control over any drift you try to make. It is also useful to have a hand brake if you are going to use a three-pedal brake system, and seeing as how you have a clutch attached to it, you might as well add a hand brake to get everything complete.
However, an external hand brake is the least important part of any drifting setup, and as such, you could make do without it. Since it doesn’t come with the Logitech G920 racing wheel, it will not affect the overall drifting performance of the steering wheel.
Final Thoughts
While the Logitech G920 doesn’t get full marks from my drifting criteria, it does, however, perform well enough in most of the categories to give itself a good rating. The wheelbase for the G920 is one of the best on the market and will always give it the edge over most racing wheels.
However, it falls short of greatness because of its lacklustre three-pedal brake system and gear-driven force feedback engine.
The Logitech G920 racing wheel is good for drifting but will not give you the best experience. However, you will have to keep in mind that drifting is a skill, and even if you buy the most expensive racing wheel, it will still take a lot of time and effort to get good at it.
Thank you so much for reading this article. Please feel free to leave all of your questions in the comment section, and I will get to them as soon as possible.
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References:
- About Logitech (Link).
