What is the Thrustmaster T150?
The Thrustmaster T150 is a gaming steering wheel compatible with the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC. Plug it in and you can use it to play a number of compatible games such as those from the Gran Turismo, Dirt, and Project Cars series.
Using a steering wheel is a great way to add immersion to the games you play. It can be particularly immersive if you pair it with accessories such as pedals, a gearbox, and even a virtual reality headset. You can even go the extra mile and get a cockpit if you are willing to spend the money.
For now though, we’re just looking at the steering wheel itself and the pedals which come paired with it.
How is the wheel?
Turning on the Thrustmaster T150 will directly show you its range of motion. It automatically spins the wheel around itself, showing off its 1080 degrees of rotation. This amount of rotation is certainly more than sufficient and I feel that the right amount of resistance is felt when turning it in-game.
The materials themselves feel decent. This is an entry-level wheel and it does show here, but it’s a fairly solid-feeling plastic build with rubber grips where needed. I can confirm that after months I do not notice any major signs of wear and tear either.
When you use a steering wheel, you will want it to remain still. As such, the Thrustmaster T150 is both quite heavy and comes with a clamp. It solidly clamps to my desk with no issues whatsoever for normal gameplay. I can move it if I purposely try, so gamers who get a bit too enthusiastic might still have it slide about slightly. There is some rather strong force feedback included as a feature too and even this has not caused any movement of the wheel while playing.
The wheel comes with the standard buttons that a PlayStation 4 controller would, if in a different layout. They’re nice and clicky too. Unlike some controllers, there are no issues with not being able to share footage or similar. I did find that the less commonly used buttons such as R3 could be a bit difficult to use when playing. As mentioned though, they’re not often used so this generally wouldn’t be a problem.
Overall, I have to say that I’m happy with the features of the wheel and the build quality, considering the price range.
How about the pedals?
The pedals I’m not quite so positive about. I do appreciate that they’ve been included though, as not all wheels within this price range do include them.
To start with, the pedals are incredibly light and I found it difficult to not have them move about while I play. They do not grip the floor, they do not have any sort of stand, weight or clamp included. They just sit on the floor and slide about. This may not be an issue if you have an appropriate cockpit to secure the pedals too, but I imagine that most people with a cockpit would be likely to buy higher-end equipment. Sadly this is a rather large issue for casual gamers who have just bought into wheels for the first time.
The pedals are far too easy to press in. There is no real pressure, which makes it difficult to control or know how much they are being pressed. Perhaps it could do with a stronger spring. They are quite narrow and close together too, which makes things even more difficult when trying to press them.
There are only two pedals, not three. This rules out some types of control schemes. It also personally feels off to me, as I’m used to driving with an accelerator, brake, and clutch.
In short, the main benefit to the pedals is that they exist. And that is a real benefit to be fair – being an entry-level wheel, this may be the first wheel for some gamers and not all wheels will include pedals. It gives people experience with pedals. It is possible to buy compatible pedals which are higher quality to replace them too. I would suggest looking for some way to secure them to the floor at least though.
Verdict
Overall I feel like the Thrustmaster T150 is a rather good entry point for gaming wheels. It’s not the cheapest wheel around, but it’s one of the cheaper wheels with a respectable level of quality. The price is quite good for the quality you get and it comes with the option to connect different accessories if you decide to spend more. Being able to work on three systems is a bonus too. The amount of features is comparable to many higher-end wheels too.
The pedals are an issue as mentioned, so I would primarily consider the wheel itself when deciding whether to purchase this and just think of the pedals as a bonus.
Personally, I’m not a huge racing enthusiast but I am a virtual reality enthusiast and that’s where I get my value out of it. Being able to hold a realistic feeling wheel to control my cars while seeing the road around me makes it worth it. If you’re interested in learning more about that, why not read this Oculus Rift review?
THRUSTMASTER T150 IS RECOMMENDED
Purchase Links: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK)
A gamer since the days of Amstrad and DOS and someone who has dabbled in a variety of professions. He enjoys a wide variety of genres, but has been focusing on visual novels and virtual reality in recent years. Head Editor of NookGaming. Follow him and the website on @NookSite.
