PRIVATE: “REV UP YOUR RACING EXPERIENCE WITH THRUSTMASTER T GT 2: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW”
This summer, the French company Guillemot updated one of its top steering wheels for driving games with the Thrustmaster T-GT II, which is compatible with the PS5, PS4, and PC and has a Gran Turismo license. In comparison to the original 2017 model, it brings “four years of improvements” after “23,000 engineering hours,” and new standards while still utilizing brushless (double) belt technology. All of this, according to Thrustmaster, is done to provide a contemporary product that is prepared for competition and targeted toward eSports or the most ardent simracing enthusiasts. similar to when a team debuts its brand-new racing vehicle for the upcoming season of championship competition.
However, we have discovered in our test sessions that there are still feelings of nostalgia and quaintness that are reminiscent of the company’s former glory. Therefore, it would be more like picking up the used car you gave your younger brother.
The motor base, steering wheel, and pedals (T3PA), which are included in the complete Thrustmaster T-GT II pack and are priced at 750 euros in descending order of quality, are included. Additionally, it includes the familiar T-Turbo power supply in identical form. The design of these four components is, in fact, nearly identical to that of the original, and because the fundamental polystyrene packaging has not changed, it initially appears that we are dealing with a product from the past.
The primary innovations are found in the servomotor base, which enhances signals and response compared to the original model. In order to achieve the best compatibility and response with Gran Turismo Sport, manufacturers have collaborated with the Polyphony Digital team both then and now. However, since that release, a number of years have passed, and the truth is that we expected more advancement and a finest and most elegant touch not only in GT Sport, but in any current asphalt or rally game.
Since Assetto Corsa Competizione focuses on well-known circuits and GT3 class, and has the endorsement of GT Sport itself on the console, as well as the classic PC games iRacing and Automobilista 2, it is the main focus of our test. In addition, there are the WRC 10 and 9 and Dirt Rally 2.0. With this set of pedals and a Mercedes-AMG GT3 at Zandvoort, this race is an ACC contest:
Even though it’s a race against other cars, that time of 1:41 is a few seconds faster than our previous bests on the track, and we think that the Thrustmaster steering wheel is partially to blame. It turns out that despite the advancements, despite the 40 W of the servomotor’s power and the 400 W of the source’s power, we still miss more subtle signals in the hands. Although a little timid, the curbs are discernible, and the steering is responsive, but feelings like traction loss when the car is about to skid are not felt as they should be. Therefore, we do not know if the newly created effects, which were partially focused on understeer and oversteer, can only be felt in Gran Turismo.
How it scratches is also mentioned. Although we would be thrilled to see Thrustmaster compete in that market for the benefit of all, we are not requesting that they switch to direct drive. However, with brushless belts, we have seen products that are much more immediate and pleasant to the touch. We are talking about a simulation, so just calibrating the steering wheel and listening to that noise, which is more typical of a toy that you are winding up, takes away some of the illusion. It sounded and felt very much like the legendary Thrustmaster T300RS or the Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Ferrari 458 Italia Edition that we have used so frequently in Gamereactor. when they first debuted in 2014 for the PS4 and Xbox One’s new generation.
The actual steering wheel is yet another exact replica. the same keypad licensed by PlayStation, 28 cm in diameter. It matters, despite how much Mr. Yamauchi enjoys that size. Why not increase the realism to 30 cm when other manufacturers are already making 32 cm? Like the digital crosshead, the ring’s skin is acceptable to touch (although it slips a little), and the four control wheels are even better. However, the click of the levers is also plastic and scandalous, recovering the touch toy overall.
The servomotor base’s construction and design appear to be adequate. It is a strong, forceful unit that is small and portable, and whose internal electronic boards have been approved for long-term durability. We are unsure, though, whether this certification—like the PlayStation licenses—has affected the high cost of the pack. Although the steering wheel is still screwed, we would have preferred to see a Quick Release system or stronger, pull-proof connectors in this instance. Was that enormous white sticker, which was written in more languages than Don Quixote, actually necessary from an aesthetic standpoint?
However, neither the base nor the steering wheel nor that cool power supply, which was kept and has a toroidal shape for better cooling, are the main issues. No, the information deficit in the feet is the main issue. Simply put, the T3PA pedals are inadequate, and, hey, that height isn’t much. It is very challenging to calibrate the footprint, accelerate at half throttle, or brake subtly because the travel and resistance are so small. The included rubber buffer is of little use without a load cell, which is included in the marginally more expensive T-LCMs. The Thrustmaster T-GT II should have received a peripheral that was at least as informative as the base of the steering wheel for the price of the set rather than such flimsy and empty pedals that make Nintendo Labo’s solution more sensitive.
Even more, the pedals are secured to a base (we used the substantial GTtrack from Next Level Racing) using three screws that are placed in a transverse line with no longitudinal difference. The wedge-shaped base of the steering wheel may make this more tolerable, but given that the pedals will be kicked and stomped on, it is incomprehensible why holes have not been added over time to improve settlement and resistance.
Finally, because the software issues haven’t progressed much either, we also encountered some issues with the peripheral’s detection, USB recognition, understanding with Assetto Corsa Competizione (when touching the degrees of maximum rotation), or the change of its mode switch (from “GT” to “Other”).
As a result, it is challenging for us to suggest the Thrustmaster T-GT II steering wheel and pedal set to anyone looking to purchase a complete set to get started in simracing, and this is especially true for anyone who may have perceived it as a product for enthusiasts or competition. To begin with, until it can position itself in the entry range with a competitive price. It is not very serious, quite noisy, and does not provide the best force feedback in its price range for its high price of 750 euros. Gran Turismo Sport’s 2017 version of the original was excellent, but it had very similar flaws: it was expensive, and the pedals without load cells weren’t up to par. This hasn’t changed all that much in 2021, but the motor bases have changed. It would be very simple to claim that direct-drive solutions exist at comparable prices that make you blush (we haven’t yet mentioned the Fanatec CSL DD), but doing so would be unfair because belt-driven solutions can also be demanded to perform better.
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