Direct Drive Wheels

This is why direct drive wheels are the first choice for serious sim racers. Don’t get us wrong, there are still some great belt or gear drive models on the market. Some of the higher end Thrustmaster units will still get the job done. But they can’t compare to the superior technology of a direct drive wheel.

What is a direct drive wheel?

When you tap ‘sim racing wheel’ into Google there’s a ton of options to choose from and it’s easy to get confused. If you’re budget conscious, then you’ll most likely look to a belt or gear driven wheel as these wheels are far easier and cheaper to produce and therefore come with a cheaper price tag.

If you really want to squeeze the best performance from your racing rig, you’ll want to opt for a direct drive wheel. But what IS a direct drive wheel?
To put it simply, most consumer-grade wheels like the Logitech G923 or the Thrustmaster TS-XW use either a belt or gear system in conjunction with an electric motor. It’s this combination of motor plus gears/belts that deliver in-game force feedback.

When it comes to a direct drive wheel, the steering wheel shaft is bolted directly to the motor – bypassing any need for gears and belts – giving you fuller and smoother force feedback. There are far less components and working pieces in the direct drive system which massively boosts your sim racing immersion.


That’s not the only difference though. The electric motors in a direct drive wheel tend to be much larger and more sophisticated than those in cheaper counterparts. For example, the motor in a bog-standard Logitech or Thrustmaster wheel will spit out around 2 Nm of torque. A high-end direct drive wheel can generate up to 25 Nm.

The result of the larger torque band and direct-to-motor set-up means you can feel even the most subtle handling characteristics of individual vehicles. You’ll also feel intricate road and surface detail changes, inertia shifts when cornering and more. This high level of detail cannot be matched by a gear or belt-driven wheel.

Should you buy a direct drive wheel?

A direct drive wheel won’t necessarily make you a faster driver. It will however make you more consistent in the long run simply because a direct drive wheel is built to provide a more accurate and realistic steering simulation and feel.

With a direct drive wheel, you can easily detect understeer, oversteer and other handling outputs and as a result avoid mistakes or make faster corrections. A belt or gear drive wheel won’t provide the same level of detail and feedback.

Is a direct drive wheel compatible with PC and consoles?

The only direct drive wheels compatible with PlayStation and Xbox are developed by Fanatec. For the most part, direct drive wheels are compatible with PC only. So, when you’re shopping for a direct drive wheel, it’s important you ensure it is compatible with your chosen platform. You can see our full direct drive wheel range below.