Logitech G RS50 review: it changed what I expect from mid-range sim racing

I love sim racing because it fires up the brain neurons that play to my strengths — the combination of being data driven and feeling. Getting an understanding of where you can improve lap times and pairing that with making sure the car is just right so you’re getting the most out of it delivers a real sense of satisfaction.

Mid-range sim gear is going through a similar phase at the moment, as more companies dip into this area to show you that racing isn’t just a rich man’s game. Up until now, my own personal champ has been the Thrustmaster T598, but today, that crown has been taken by the Logitech G RS50.

It’s simply a spectacular bridge between being accessible for beginners, offering more immersion when you’re ready to step up to intermediate, and a decent amount of headroom for when you do go a little more pro. It’s that versatile in its detail of direct drive force feedback, and seriously durable in its premium construction.

This almost feels like the team over at Logitech took a checklist of all the mid-range wheels and pedals I’ve been reviewing over the past year, seeing the things I complained about, and fixing them.

That’s not to say it’s completely perfect. I always end up coming to odds with the G Hub software’s limited options to tune the wheel itself to whatever type of driving I’m doing, and while other sim racing setups offer a bundle option, you’ve gotta buy the Pro Racing Pedals separate here.

But whether it was a 24-hour endurance race at Monza, rallying across Monaco or a rather intense time trial session in F1 cars at Silverstone, the finite detail in the force feedback, the ergonomics of the wheel and the metallic build keeps this one of the best drives for the price you’re paying.

Logitech G RS50: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? This is a direct drive sim racing wheel and pedals (pedals sold separately).
• Who is it for? This is for intermediate sim racers who are looking to make the jump from their beginner setup.
• What does it cost? The wheel and base are available for $599, while the Pro Racing Pedals I tested here will set you back an extra $379. There’s a $169 shifter and handbrake, but I didn’t test this.
• What do we like? This wheel offers the best force feedback and detailed racing haptics at this price point — all in a premium, durable direct drive package with a solid-feeling wheel and well-placed buttons.
• What don’t we like? For those who like the more granular levels of wheel customization, the G-Hub software is a little limited for that.

Logitech G RS50: Specs

Logitech G RS50: The ups

Jumping into my Ford GT40 in Gran Turismo 7, I took the G RS50 out for its first test drive. 5,000 miles later (and roughly 150 different cars later), I’m a little mindblown by how good this is for the price.

Pole position racing

One of the best driving experiences I’ve had right out of the box has been the Logitech G Pro (supplanted recently by the pricey Asetek Forte Formula Pro setup). And while the RS50 doesn’t quite match the lofty heights of these systems that are at least double the price, it comes scarily close for its affordable cost.

The 8nm of direct drive strength paired with TRUEFORCE give you both the strength and intricate detail to really feel the car beneath you — allowing me to really clearly sense indications of oversteer to correct and ensure I don’t overdrive the car in moments of trailbraking.

Whether it’s the long swooping corners at Silverstone, or the dirt tracks of Costa Rica, every sensation is propagated through the force of the wheelbase. This ensures that either you’re in full control of the car, or in the moments you’re not, that you have some telltale feelings in the wheel to learn from.

As for the wheel itself, this is usually one of the elements that are compromised in the build quality of a mid-range sim setup. But the solid metallic construction with faux leather around the outside feels comfortable to grip on and durable for a lot of confidence in those more strenuous wrestling matches around tight turns.

Those magnetic shifters have a nice satisfying click, the buttons and jog wheels are placed in sensible locations to ensure ergonomic comfort while keeping both hands on the wheel, and the diameter is at that sweet spot both both track racing where your hands are locked in place and rally for all the hand shifting.

A great set of pedals

While I didn’t get the RS pedals to test, I did get a set of the Pro Pedals. And they are the epitome of the lesson the CEO of Asetek taught me — the most important upgrade you can make to any sim racing setup is in the pedals.

It’s rather underestimated, but a good set beneath your feet can be the difference between having to brake hard to make corners, or getting an extra few tenths per turn by trailbraking. First off, these are certainly built to last with a 2.5mm thick steel internal structure and brushed aluminum pedals. It exudes a premium, durable nature.

And second, those pedals have a gorgeously smooth, linear feel to them, as the load cell on that brake builds pressure in a way you can map to the feel of a car. If you need to adjust them, no problem! There’s plenty of customizability on the stiffness of that brake and its completely tool-less.

Premium build — affordable price

Then let’s get to the actual build quality of this system. This wheel base feels hefty, but the dimensions keep it small and easy to attach to your desk or sim seat. That direct drive motor is housed in a premium metal construction with easily accessible ports around the back (that are finally USB-C).

The display up front is bright and easy to read along with the rev lights on the wheel for good visual indicators in your peripheral vision when driving. The wheel doesn’t bend or contort under pressure, as the driving column has a solid grip. And setup is made pretty easy with the attachable clamps or easy-to-find screw holes.

By the way, if you do clamp it onto a desk, make sure you do reduce that force feedback strength a little. Chances are with a more expensive desk, 8Nm is not going to be a problem, but I felt my cheap L-shaped desk creak under the pressure and got rather nervous!

But to say you get this wheel base and wheel for $599 is an impressive bang for your buck in the sim racing space. The bridging gap that can run the whole spectrum from beginner to pro and last you a good long while.

Logitech G RS50: The downs

At this point, I’m roughly at my 4,000th mile and it’s time to lock in with some Le Mans Ultimate. Normally on other wheels, I have some tweaking to do to ensure I can keep a grasp of the car. But that’s where I ran into my slight problem.

Limited software customization

I have no beef with wheel compatibility — only a couple hiccups here and there on more niche titles. However, the amount of settings you can tweak to get the driving experience just right per game are more limited when you do want to go pro with this thing.

You get the essentials in basic force feedback adjustment, sensitivity and rotation, but I’m not able to tweak the slew rate (speed of torque delivery), friction or damping to fine-tune the wheel to each surface I drive on.

Then again, this is designed to be an out-of-the-box experience, which it does nail in its plug-and-play simplicity. So it’s one of those things that’s really only an issue when you’re getting real nerdy about it.

Logitech G RS50: Verdict

Mid-range sim racing gear is becoming the new battleground for a lot of peripheral makers, and Logitech just slotted itself into the lead with the RS50. Nothing out there at the moment feels like a more complete, premium package than this does.

It’s built seriously strong, the wheel feels good in the hand, and the driving sensation is impressively accurate with enough strength to satisfy a vast range of levels of experience.