SimHQ.com - Technology Zone - Review: Logitech G25 Force Feedback Racing Wheel

Although the ACT Labs RS force feedback wheel introduced the concept to the sim racing world, Logitech breaks new ground by producing the first commercially available wheel to offer the option of paddle, sequential or H-pattern shifting. Earning its own housing as a separate, third component to the G25 rig, the shifter is probably the component that will draw the most scrutiny from consumers due to its “gee-whiz” factor. And like the other components in the G25, the shifter assembly was made with durability in mind, using steel in the latch pins and shifter shaft, coupled with a heat-treated steel latch plate.

The G25’s shifter is an innovatively designed product, and its feature set highlights the understanding of racing technology possessed by the design team at Logitech. Realizing that there are many different forms of gear selection available in both modern and historic auto racing, Logitech has made a sincere effort to provide us with as many of them as possible in order to allow us to tailor our controller to meet our own realism needs. On the wheel are two metal paddle shifters, suitable for many modern racing series such as F1, Champ Car (2007) and Renault Meganes. The shifter’s traditional H-Pattern 6 speed supports historical and modern racing (GPL, NASCAR and RACE come to mind), and the sequential shifter mode replicates the format found on many modern race cars, such as the GT class in GTR2. Having all these options in one product is a god-send for sim racers and a most highly welcomed aspect of this product.

Video 4 / Shifter / 55.95MB

The H-pattern 6 speed shifter mode is the most interesting of the shifter modes from an aesthetic and historical standpoint. Almost every driver with experience in a manual transmission car has a feel for how this type of gear selection works. And the G25 does a great job of emulating this format. The gear slots use a steel ball and spring-loaded detents to offer greater durability and more audible and tactile indication that a gear has been engaged. Although shifter movement tends towards the feather-light side of the resistance spectrum, gear engagement is clearly communicated, which is a must when driving a racing sim at high volume or with a headset for online racing.

Shifter Diagram For those who desire a sequential mode, Logitech developed a way to offer dual mode shifting in one shifter. Via the unit’s sequential latching system, sim-racers can quickly select the sequential-shifting mode. By pressing the shifter knob down in the neutral position and rotating the mode selector knob, a set of latch arms become engaged, restricting the device to sequential shifting mode. Forward or Aft motion of the shifter engages a micro-switch at each end which can be programmed for up- or down-shifting. Pressing down on the shifter knob and rotating the dial back disengages the sequential mode and reinstates H-pattern shifting. Not only does this feature offer more realism options to the sim-racer, but it also makes the wheel compatible with a wider variety of racing titles, including those found on consoles.

The Press Kit heralds the shifter as containing “premium components at its base that give it stability and a high-quality feel.” As much as I am impressed with the G25, I can only partially agree with this statement. Although the sequential mode is quite functional, it is the somewhat vague about gear engagement. The resultant shifter throw is quite short, which is welcome and makes for very quick and crisp shifts. However, the channel that the sequential shifter rides in allows a lot of side-to-side slop, and I felt no readily discernable “click” or engagement feel for gear selection when in sequential mode. In addition, it is still possible to inadvertently push the shifter downwards, causing it to get stuck at the rearward end of the shifting channel. Even after weeks of use, I still find myself double shifting or missing shifts altogether, something that for me was a very rare occurrence on the Momo’s sequential shifter. If it’s any consolation, Logitech’s designers tell me that in mechanical testing the shifter was put through over a million cycles in sequential mode, so hopefully the vagueness won’t increase over the life of the product.

On the whole the shifter is a noble effort, but despite the substantial hardware and feature set the shifter unit could perhaps be the weakest link in the G25’s components. At E3 2006, we had an early look at some production-representative G25s and had some serious concerns about the lack of positive feel in the shifter while in H-pattern mode. With the review unit, the feel of gear detent selection is much more positive than at E3, but is still a bit loose and delicate for our tastes. It’ll be very easy for some to inadvertently knock their car out of gear, or miss a shift entirely, due to the weakness of the shifter. Logitech’s engineers apparently tried several iterations of gear selector design in an attempt to achieve a more positive feel, but were unsuccessful at achieving this goal without sacrificing durability. The resultant design is a great achievement, but clearly will be a key area to improve upon in their next racing wheel product. For now, it’s good enough for me, and I am happy top have what the Logitech team was able to produce.

Regardless of its faults, the shifter is a worthy first effort, and a commendable and enjoyable piece of kit that does not detract from the overall sense of quality and enjoyment of the G25.

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