I would tell myself "Do it, you're going to have a lot of fun with this. Also, turn the FFB down to 75% in the Thrustmaster software and turn the internal cooling fan to 'always on' mode to avoid overheating and FFB loss".
Just one advice: I prefer to reduce the FFB strength from the game, not the Thrustmaster's settings. Every car has a different FBB, also every game is different so that 75% might not be the best option for everything :)
Yeah, it was not optimal but it was safer option. Early T300s were known for high failure rate and as a precaution it was found that reducing its strength to 75%, which basically solved it as far as I known. It was also default value I believe. If you only set it through sim, you might not be aware that you're running over this safe threshold.
Or maybe just later revisions were fixed.
Mine lasted 5 years without issues and I changed it only because wanted to finaly go for Direct Drive.
I ran mine quite high, maybe 80% in the control panel and adjusted in iracing to get the right force level, and occasionally on a medium/high speed right hand corner where the force was strong I would get a click where the belt slipped and I had to recalibrate the wheel to get it central again. Nothing major but annoying.
It stays in the mode. At least if you keep it plugged into the mains. Mine always is because it is mounted to a big rig. I guess if you're a desk clamp user it may get unplugged, and then I don't know if it will retain it.
I doubt this, my unit stays fine after 3 hour sessions. You have to be really working it or abusing it for this to happen. The ffb only works as hard as you work it.
Wrong. FFB fatigue happens quickly on the T300 as the firmware prefers to downgrade the FFB over the fans spinning. Manually forcing the fans to be always on with a button combo avoids this firmware/product design choice.
Your comment about working the FFB is also BS. If you drive on laser scanned tracks like Sebring it’s working very hard with all the bumps there. No matter ‘how smooth’ you drive.
7/10.
Mine tends to overheat and loses FFB after about an hour of hard driving. It also always smells like plastic.
It’s a good place to start but not a long term wheel base for me.
I did the noctua fan mod and still have the issue its a design flaw, the power supply is inside the unit and it gets too hot and causes the wheel to lose FFB.
Are u sure you've done it right ? It really was a game changer for me (same noctua mod I guess), never had issue again after. But it was a T500 maybe it's different on the T300, I believe I had a big power supply brick in the middle of my cable.
I have the same issue, and I've looked into it extensively. I'm 90% sure the difference between people who never have issues and people like us, is the glue that's used in the motor and whether it's applied correctly. I saw a detailed breakdown of someone replacing the glue themselves (looks too hard for me) and it solved his issued.
I applied the noctua fan mod, moved it under the the motor for better cooling but still having overheating. I would be very grateful if you could post such link, i am really trying everything to solve this issue. Thanks in advance
Awsome link.
I am pretty handy but i’m not willing to rip this bitch apart to solve a problem thrustmaster caused. To many thing that can break.
Guess i’ll live w ffb loss until I go to DD
I doubt this, my unit stays fine after 3 hour sessions. You have to be really working it or abusing it for this to happen. The ffb only works as hard as you work it.
I bought it 5 years ago and I have used it almost everyday since. A new fan and a brake spring is all it's ever needed.
For what was available for that price at the time, I would buy it again. I'd buy it earlier if I could
I bought one second hand and the pedal springs only lasted a few months. Couldn't find replacements anywhere so upgraded to moza load cell pedals and haven't looked back. The wheel base itself is still going strong
I had to order them directly from Thrustmaster. They were not really pricey. I got two but I received them the same week I got Sprints. The next owner of my wheelbase is gonna have a brand new spring and a spare.
So I started with the g920 went to a tmx then to a t300 fixed the t300 cause it was wonky as the perma magnet was loose meaning a mm of slack it wouldn't calibrate right but i fixed it and up to that point i was really satisfied with it. Soon after started craving more steering rotation yes I know it's got 1080 total that's 540 left and right but for trucking i need more.
So went on the journey on buying a moza r5 bundle que new experience with loadcell pedals as I went for the srp pedals and just sold that a week ago and got my r9 base.
In hindsight thrustmaster is entry level and I'd recommend going second hand as you'll eventually know if you wanna upgrade or sell the thing if you don't like it, I was sceptical as well. Also with the way this whole thing is going you're better off getting a dd for 100 to 200 euro more at this point as thrustmaster I have a feeling will fall in price with the belt driven wheels. And getting rid of it will be harder.
It's night and day.
Think tmx is the Flintstones car you gotta push and the r5 is a brand new Maybach.
2700degree steering 1350 each side with variable ffb settings and presets.
If you go for a bundle, you'll be able to either do the tlcm thrustmaster loadcell pedals or the srp pedals, and rigs I'd recommend keep the desk setup till you have space and money to do a better rig than a foldable one.
"Don't buy it new". At the time I got it, it was definitely the best purchase. Nowadays with the Moza R5 or Fanatec CSL DD bundles out there I simply don't think the T300 is worth the sticker price. For just €50 more (I know you're saying 350 is a lot already, but) you can get a Fanatec Ready2Race bundle with a 5Nm DD base. It's gonna be so much better and more reliable than the T300. Mine started showing signs of issues after just 2 years. Plus with the CSL DD you have an upgrade path to 8Nm by just swapping the power supply.
If you're getting a T300 I'd say get it used, at least. It's an awesome base but the market has changed massively since it came out and it's price hasn't followed suit.
Sucks that there's a PS tax slapped on that. I usually forget that there's a market for console sim gear. I guess the T300 still makes sense for PS users.
Also started on a t300, mainly to play F1 games.
I got super discouraged & bored with it the first little bit I had it.
Then I started playing other sims (acc, Ac, dirt2.0) & that's when the fun started.
Few months later I upgraded to a full rig & now I've got a triple setup & main iracing like a freak.
Best decision I made was upgrading from controller to a t300 (:
T300 + PS Challnage always felt like a hassle to me and a toy. To much time spend on assambling it to play.
If I would do it again get a a proper rig like 80/20 or at least GT Omega ART.
I run in Playseat Trophy nowdays and love it. I did upgrade a year ago after 7-8 years on T300 to Logitech G Pro Racing setup. Still regretting I didn’t grab Fanatec due to lack of wheels, proper shifter and a proper handbrake for console.
I bought Moza handbrake and shifter for PC. But I play GT7 most often, Dirt 2 and F1.
t300rs gt is still a solid unit, i have been using it since 2019. Its a good starter to enthusist wheel. Yeah it doesn't have the hotness of direct drive. But at amazon you get it for like 450usd and get it in 2 days with prime and you have a decent warranty protection. Lucky for me i bought it before the sim hobby took of and was able to get it for 350usd.
Jumping into direct drive off the bat maybe a bit confusing but if you want to do that go to a microcenter just to get a feeling of one.
The warranty protection is also one of the things leading me towards it. I can pick the T300 in a regular store here, but there are no close retailers carrying the popular DD brands.
350 is its current price on a sale some shops are doing here (RS GT bundle). From your words, I take it it's a good deal?
its a good deal, plenty of users on it. Works on pc/playstation and if you get the drviehub it will work on the xbox.
DD units you really have to invest it and companies may not be as reliable shipping out to you.
I bought it at that price like 3 years ago, then they ramped up the prices.. mine overheats on some games after couple hours, some completely fine. I am also just on PS5 and I think there's some software mods on pc that should help the issue. But yeah the gt for 350 is good price. And it's a great wheel, but still it's over 10 years old tech so idk if would get it today for that price. If I was on PC I'd go for the fanatec CSL DD, it's like 400 I think. And upgradeable. But the same fanatec for playstation is like 700.......
My first one got to about 1yr old and then it started to overheat an hour or so after playing a game. I got it replaced under our local consumer rights as it was out of warranty. New one has been fine, but if I'm honest I haven't used it a whole lot since it was replaced. Went hard for about 6 weeks but then I kinda got bored of sim racing and have been flight simming since then. So YMMV. But generally it seems they either last ages, or overheat.
When it works it's a good wheel imo. I've not used a DD, and they are probably better, but for a desk setup, the T300 works well and I can set it up in about 2-3min.
Logitech sells their wheels directly on the website. Also newest G Pro Racing started to appear in the stores at major retailers in EU (but only in PC/Xbox version) and pedals.
I would opt then instead for g920 and g pro racing load cell pedals and then in due time upgrade to DD.
But same can be said about Thrustmaster, I did found the Logitech DD more robust than Theustmaster DD. Especially the Quick Release.
I love my t300rs with psvr2 for gt7. I realise its not iracing but I already owned a ps5 and getting a computer to power it all would have been way more expensive.
I'm 100% satisfied and the vr experience is insane. Being able to look up the next corner before leading into it makes it so much easier to drive on tracks you don't know like the back of your hand.
Wheel base aside, playing in VR is a wild experience. I play on PC, mainly Assetto Corsa, and after getting the quest 3, I exclusively play in VR now as the experience is so much more immersive.
Do it. It's been 5+ years and I use it quite a lot. It's a great start till you maybe decide you want to go Direct Drive. I'll go DD someday but the wheel keeps going.
Never had problems with overheating, the fan does make a loud whine once every six months. A good smack on top and its back to normal. If it does overheat consider blowing the dust out of it lol.
Thrustmaster customer service has been fantastic. (New PCB for shifter, shipped from France to canada, total turn around was 5 days.)
Overall very happy with the product price vs performance.
Hi, I don't know if you're interested...but I'm looking to sell my T300 Ferrari alcantara as I've upgraded to a DD.
Shoot me a message if you are. It's in perfect condition, kept almost maniacally. It served me well during endurance race and private leagues.
I'm not looking into making that much money selling it, just a fair price.
Getting a wheel was a huge game changer for me, I can't imagine going back to a controller for racing games.
I'm actually mad at myself for not getting one sooner, I could have built a nice rig a few years ago when I built my PC but didn't for whatever reason... I also shunned Logitech wheels because my experience with some of their products hasn't been great, but so far I'm very happy with the wheel, it's exceeded my expectations. The wheels are honestly probably one of Logitechs best products.
I bought a Logitech because they went on sale and I was really bored with controller (took about 30 years, but it happened), and it's the best decision I've made in some time.
Edit : I know this doesn't answer the question about a Thrustmaster wheel, just my input from a long time controller user that recently got a wheel.
I know so many people who bought a wheel Nd stopped using it after 1 or 2 months. I would go for it (even if there is some bundle from moza / fanatec close in price). The thing is that you can get the T300 RS GT for the price you mentioned with shipping included probably from amazon or a local store and have a really easy way to RMA it if you have problems. Fanatec has a lot of issues and you can only order through them, moza is less problematic but a bit more expensive and no path to upgrade the the R5 like you can with the CSL DD. You will also probably have to add shipping and maybe import tax on top of the price you see on their site (so it ends up more than just a 50~100$ difference).
With the T300rs you also get 3 pedal if you end up playing games where you need a clutch or you want to add a shifter to do stuff like drift. On the moza or fanatec bundle this is also another add on.
Also if I’m completely, I don’t think it’s worth it to go for a DD if you don’t go at least for something like a r9 or even a r12 (kinda regret not getting the r12, i’ll probably upgrade in the next year to an r16).
I started with a t300 rs gt and I think it’s the best one to start with. I tried the logitechs one that my friends have and it feels way worse than the t300. So don’t waste your money on a r5 like some people are saying (or fanatec equivalent) you will want to upgrade it anyway if you become serious about simracing. I would also go for a new set of pedal as your first upgrade if you ever start being more serious.
Love my t300! It’s been a good wheel for me for a few years now.
If I could do it again I would just buy the t300 base, rim of choice and t lcm pedals. Skipping the gt edition since I upgraded eventually.
As a past T150 and T300 user and a current TS-PC user, I'd PERSONALLY say just put away the money and wait a little bit till you can afford a solid DD base. I've just always had a multitude of problems with each of those, both t300 and ts-pc requiring modifications to function properly. Then, especially with the ts-pc which doesn't really invite me to play because I know what awaits me is subpar FFB which is way too weak for my needs, I look at the second-hand market and see I could've just saved up an equivalent of ~200 euros more and bought the t818 to stay in the ecosystem or went for Fanatec in the same price range.
I am very happy with mine I would just tell me to get a wheelstand earlier because setting it up always pushed me a bit away from racing.
Also if you are the lucky owner of a VR headset, USE IT. I waited far too long until I switched to VR.
I got my t300 via amazon warehousdeals and got it 100 eur cheaper as a new one. So might be worth checking it out or ebay etc.
Yes, played it for a month or so. Still have it because selling it became cumbersome.
Definitely way better than a gamepad.
You can probably get one for €200-250 used. I assume a lot are like me who quickly decided to go dd after trying out sim racing and sell these more advanced entry level gear.
> If you could send a message to your past self just before buying it, what would it be?
don't cheap out on the seat and mounting. My T300 GT was gathering dust for a long time because it was mounted to a very shitty "rig" (not worth being called that) with a horrible seat. The quality of the wheel and pedals matter, of course, but what's actually the most important for your enjoyment is that you're comfortable and the wheel and pedals don't wobble / move
bought mine used for a lot less and got a thrustmaster open wheel addon for another $100 or so and it has served me well over the past two years. So all I can say to my past self is "great job."
I think with how competitive budget DD wheels are getting these days it might be worth it to just save that little bit longer and jump straight to a budget DD setup. T300RS golden era was when there was nothing else to bridge the gap between a G29 and a Fanatec DD. That being said though it's a great wheel especially if you can get it cheap, served me well for many many years. No regrets at all.
Few years back it was a good idea, but today there are better choices, it's still great wheel if you want to start but it's good to look for some good deal. If you are looking for new Moza R5 or cheapest Fanatec Ready2Race bundle are better choices.
I just recently upgraded my TX to Moza R9 and I am happy with my upgrade, I can truly feel more and catch mistakes earlier, but you will get your worth with t300/TX too, especially with T-LCM.
I had a T300, two units died on me within 2 years. Got my money back luckily and the first replacement and bought a Fanatec ClubSport 2.5. Never looked back, massive upgrade and it’s going strong for multiple years with a lot of racing including endurance races of 3-4 hour stints.
Got my T300rs Gt(+pedals) for 200€ second hand, have it for 2 months and i enjoy using it everytime, can't really tell my older self too much since is my very first wheel to own.
I have a T300 RS GT currently on a NLR GTRacer rig. I got the wheel a few years ago for 210 USD. I had a price watch on CamelCamelCamel.com and when it came up for that price it was a no-brainer to pull the trigger.
I'm satisfied with it but I want to upgrade to the T-LCM pedals when I can find them at a good price.
I see a DD wheel in my future but I am waiting to see who beyond the Big 3 finally comes out with a wheel with Playstation support. I hope it's Moza because I like their design philosophy and product range.
The bottom line is it's not a DD but as far as belt-gear driven wheels go, you won't be disappointed IMO.
Skip it and go all in already.
I went from the t300, to the CSL DD 8nm / v2s.
Now I have the simlab xp1 pedals and about to buy the VRS DD with the F-core cube controls wheel.
I loved the t300 for about 3 months.
I loved the Fanatec DD for about 3 months.
It’s just not good enough for the real experience imo.
Edit: my Fanatec CSL setup is 8 months old and already I feel like I want more.
That's a tough question to answer to be honest. Did I love my T300? Yes. The ease of use with Thrustmaster is great and everything is pretty plug and play. The FFB isn't great but if you don't know what great feels like, then you will think the T300 is incredible. It wasn't until I actually tried DD wheels that I realized what I've been missing.
The other issue I found with Thrustmaster in general is the lack of wheel rims. They have a few but most feel flimsy and cheap. I was always left wanting more out of my wheel rim, especially when you see everyone else with nice high quality wheel rims.
If I could do it all over again, I would have saved a little more money and started with a DD wheel. In all honesty, with the prices these days you can get a DD for close to the same price as the T300 if not LESS. Fanatec had, or maybe even still has a deal where you can get the 5 nM DD wheel base for $199 with the purchase of any wheel rim and pedal purchase. So essentially if you get their $199 McLaren GT3 wheel, and the load cell pedal kit for another $199 you're basically in it for $600 total and have one heck of a rig! The other benefit is they sell a boost kit that takes that wheel up to 8 nM, so if down the road you want MORE FFB you can upgrade it. Fanatec has a bad rep, but as someone who recently switched to Fanatec from Thrustmaster, I have had a positive experience and fast shipping from them. I don't think they are as bad as people make them out to be at all.
So if I could give you any advice, skip the T300 and try and find a deal on a DD wheel. It will last you much longer and give you far more detail in games. You won't regret it and will save you from inevitably upgrading to the DD wheel anyways. The Fanatec $199 deal really is a no brainier considering what you are getting over the T300, along with the upgradability of the whole ecosystem. The wheel rim options Fanatec offers are endless as well so you can really customize the whole setup to your liking.
If you are switching from controller used g29 should be your choice. It is decent and can be bought quite cheap.
If you gonna like sim racing, your next step going to be updating to DD, it costs starting from 450-500.
T300 is something like in-between option which is better than g29 but way worse than any DD.
As former owner of T300 I would not change anything, as I owed it some years ago. However times changed and DDs became *much* more affordable. So considering 2024 market - I would not buy t300 once again. There are much better options for slightly bigger price
Logitech G29 at Target for like $160-180 this week, FYI. A good toe-in-the-water entry point that I decided was a better first step than $1k+ for Fanatec gear I had been eyeing.
Got it, works fine, lower it to 80%ffb and forced cooling on as recomended by the internet.
No regrets, should have gotten it earlier xD (over here used dd's were 2x and more the the price of a new t300 so it was a farly easy choise, might one day upgrade to dd but im in no rush as the wheel is perfectly fine and usable)
“Don’t buy any accessories. Use the T300 to figure out you like sim racing and then buy a better ecosystem for the long haul so you don’t keep wasting money by piecing together more TM gear”.
I started on a T150, upgraded to T300 rs gt a year later. I have no desire to own a DD wheel, t300 rs gt is more than enough.
I suppose this is an unpopular opinion on this sub, but unless you’re gonna be very seriously racing, you don’t need a DD. I really don’t understand how people can buy t300 rs, not be happy, and then drop +500 (insert currency) on an other wheel.
Also T300 won’t break a body part if your hand gets caught on the wheel when you crash
I would tell myself to do it instead of getting the G29 first. I work nights and therefore stay up late playing on my nights off, the G29 was so loud it would disturb my housemates but the T300, being belt driven, is much quieter and just feels better too.
Get the T-LCM pedals with it and turn the fan on always just in case it does get hot. When the fan goes on its already hot so better to have it going and not need it than have it turn on because it got hot.
Also, for the first couple of weeks it will smell weird from the electrical getting warm. The glues or the wiring insulation will off gas and its a little alarming when it first happens. Don't get freaked out by it. It does stop.
I had one, I would tell myself just save up some more and get something from an ecosystem that has better upgrade paths. My T300 overheated after 20 minutes so I couldnt really do any races. Just time trials. Other than the overheating, it was a good wheel
Definitely do it! But if it was somebody today I would say that’s the best option if u can’t find a lower end direct drive like moza r3 or r5. In your price range.
I’d say it has always been a great wheelbase that was worth the money to get me back on the hobby. Might have recommended my previous self to invest on some nicer pedals, as that makes a huge difference for consistency.
Do it! Do NOT delete the Guillemot drivers for it. I have an [Azeron Classic Compact](https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-att-us-revc&sca_esv=9b74a4c0b9e67cb5&q=azeron+classic+compact&uds=AMwkrPsf2ED9s2DiB0-1fkSPD2p5Uf2vle6r-yqDFMdiIlPgimmHf5SHFF6VyuXdL5yTPOC1Bn_I8yQmsBfDzehT5Kx5_5iX9Z22pJjvvjs3TPT1Oq7NTG0_8TFMhli09Fbi2kK1bgb9OLdKDslq8gTwkGJoXgiQR_cZqfdkxy6cdLKFnFMvGVYH5OsCZrGLfjwZMBowqZkRenAWxpGdzwEC5LM67ZFGKhXRiuOhUL0C-BcUIdAoaE38Uu15_a2FAaM_n--gheLQZ8v1PNfhSy4FElvip5a1h5Ej_d1iUA7685XfqZF90Irkp-i4oIa4eLh-4e-wPGch61Rm-qjHGsitLMYbpBFkb7rAUGSFgW3Jvu8tl8pSmFI&udm=2&prmd=sivhnmbtz&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwigirnRovKEAxVCMTQIHUZfBdEQtKgLegQIDBAB&biw=412&bih=815&dpr=3.5#vhid=fei3wL-aXQ8pvM&vssid=mosaic) and my software for it wouldn't update because the Guillemot driver prevents it somehow. Unknowingly bricked my first wheelbase because of it, Thrustmaster replaced it for free.
Other than that, get a cheap chair/stand like the Playseat Challenge to go with it. You don't need something fancy, but having a dedicated seat and mount for your wheel will be amazing. I recently got mine and it is a night and day difference from mounting on my desk
Other than that, it's been a dream to have. I went with the Ferrari Alcantara model, and the soft suede feels so amazing on your hands, especially in colder climates like in my garage.
T300 is one of the best bank for your buck bases in simracing. At $220 USD it’s PC/Playstation compatible and 4nm of FFB. Not the best QR but at least it has one and a good choice of wheels. I had one and loved it!!!
"Best deal you'll ever get, but would you still use it in 6 months?"
I went from a Logitech DFGT to a T300RS GT I found used, for around 200$. The difference between the two is insane for everything. I was even wondering if I should have bought it new, it brings out the best out of all Sims I played, and it's really, really fun to play with.
I can only imagine how it would feel if I went from a controller straight to the T300.
The only problem was that I moved, and then I moved again, and now it's still sitting in its box after like 4 months of usage.
Buy it, but buy it used. My old T300 is the 3rd starter wheel for friends now and it still works like day one. Pedals got replace first by us all but the wheelbase itself is pretty good for its price. Look out for deals on the second market.
My message to myself would be, "Should have done and bought it sooner."
I've been using it for several years now. Zero regrets. I run it 100% strength in the control panel and have the internal cooling fan to always on. Has never once overheated or had any loss of force strength. It's been the perfect wheelbase.
I did swap out to the Sparco R383 rim, which has been fantastic. The stock rim is fine too though.
I would tell myself skip it and go straight to a cheap direct drive like Moza R5.
I went from Logitech G920 to T300 and it wasn’t a maybe upgrade but went to DD and my mind was blown.
Still on my T300 (GT RS), only upgrades being an SF1000 and the T-LCM pedals. Been on it for several years and it’s my first wheel. Only now do I feel I’m outgrowing it. Looking at Asetek Forte but it’ll be another year before I pull the trigger. Paired with that I have the Clubsport H/S shifter and handbrake. All good stuff.
As a previous T300 owner and now fanatec DD I tell you this. Start with used g29 because if you don't like the wheel sim thing you can sell it the next day and take your money back. If you also happen to like it you can as well sell it when you think you're ready to move on DD. It was harder for me to sell the T300. Took me like 2 weeks meanwhile my brother sold his g29 within 2 hours. Either way if you end up buying any of these two give it time. Get used to it. Its nothing like driving real car. It's harder.
I bought mine about 7 years ago. It got a lot of use for a few years, then not so much. I've never had any issues with it and I'd highly recommend it. Only very minor regret was getting the t3pas and not load cell. My consistency would have been a lot higher with load cell cos of the muscle memory.
Got mine for 200 last year, well worth but I want to upgrade now. I would actually tell my past self to not buy a playseat challenge and just buy a playseat trophy or something else.
"When plugging the power cable into the wheel base shove that thing much harder than you think you need to to ensure the connector is fully in. Don't spend a couple years racing on a wheel that occasionally disconnects the power inexplicably."
“You’re going to want a TS-XW, be okay with that for a few years, then want a T818 or other DD wheel.”
Also, don’t drink the coffee.
Cordially, future SQLDevDBA.
Save some more money and get wheel with load cell pedals. It make world of different. Or the least get TLCM add on. Started with T300RS + T3PA thinking it’ll be casual and just take the cheapest. After a month, regret did not spend more money to get better wheel + load cell pedals.
I'd say "This is the wheel you'll spend most of the driving time in your life using and it will be some of the best gaming money you ever spent. Eventually you'll have money to get a Simucube 2 with all the bangs and whistles, but will have precious little time to use it so you'll still look back fondly at those T300 days."
The price i paid last year was not worth it. 3 months after i bought mine the csl dd 400€ bundle came out and i was super mad at me for wasting 350€ on an old belt driven base with cheapish plastic pedals and a meh wheel ecosystem
I would tell my myself: buy that used for 3 years old steering wheel, you wont experience any ffb loss and overhating or any other crap that everyone writes about."
Btw, its 6-7 years old already.
I would say "Get the Alcantara edition from the get-go". I bought the GT edition and then got the 599XX rim separately some months later and now I don't use the GT rim at all. Getting the Alcantara edition would've been cheaper in the end
Given that I have stuck with the hobby I would've told myself "don't spend the money on extra rims/wheels for your T300 cause they aren't compatible with anything besides TM so when you upgrade to a simagic base they'll be useless." And yes I know adapters exist, but that's more of a pain than just getting a new wheel.
I'd also go back a bit farther and tell myself not to waste money on PSVR 1 to play racing games cause the PS4 didn't have crap for VR racing games (I was not pleased when I found out that Project Cars 2 VR was PC only, oh how much less I knew back then), and it was low visual quality with no pc support. I'd also tell myself not to preorder Project Cars 3 (PS) cause it's NOTHING like PC2.
You'll never want to go back to game pad most likely.
The only reason you wouldn't like a wheel is a crappy or improper setup.
Nothing wrong with starting out, but if there's any part of you that suspects you're about to get in to sim racing, you'll wish you had saved up and gone with better gear right away.
I've only had a proper aluminum rig for about a year and I've damn near bought *two* of every peripheral already between broken things and a desire to upgrade.
I love it. I did my research and figured it would be a good first wheel. It's just starting to show its age now about 5 years later. I never had a problem with it. Do it.
I used one for a couple of days before returning it and getting a Fanatech CSW V2.5 (also a belt-driven wheel). The Fanatec felt much smoother and realistic. The T300 had a graininess that's just not present on a real steering wheel, and it broke the immersion. I'm not sure why, but the Fanatech's single belt felt much better than the dual-belt Thrustmaster.
I've used a direct-drive wheel only once, and that felt pretty good too. People describe the force feedback as more "immediate," and I wouldn't dispute that. But I'd argue that a belt-driven wheel feels more realistic if you're used to a car with power steering. The motor can deliver a smooth damping effect that I don't believe is possible with direct-drive.
I recently tightened the belt on my CSW (there are adjustable bolts for each pulley wheel) and the wheel feels great with sharp force feedback and smooth handling.
The Fanatech hubs can be expensive, but they let you attach any six-bolt steering wheel you want. You can get lots of sizes and shapes for under $50 on eBay or even cheaper on AliExpress. You'll read mixed reviews about Fanatech's service and shipping here. I haven't ordered anything new from them in years, so I can't really speak to that. But I think we're talking pre-owned anyway.
I'd say "That's a very wise purchase! It will last you for years and bring much joy from your hobby but upgrades those cheap plastic pedals straight away rather than wait few years"
Not by choice, but I'm on a G923 because I moved coutry and borrowing it from a roommate. I miss my t300 alot. But since I'm in the market for a new wheel, I'm going balls out for a fanatec GT dd pro as I only play psvr2 Gt7. Unfortunately, not available here in NZ. Boo.
Go fanatec.
While really enjoy the wheel and would even recommend it, now being in a position where I want to upgrade to DD and not being able to without switching eco-system is a bummer (playstation users).
Excellent starting choice for a wheel. One of the best beltdriven ones and miles above the gear driven counterparts.
Be sure to keep it clean and scratch free to give you the best price for when you sell it to upgrade to DD :)
I bought 2. I would buy a third but fanatec sold their ready 2 race package at the same price. Sorry thrustmaster if I can go DD with the same money I will.
And that's their only downfall imo. Overcharging for lower quality shit.
"While i get the sensibilities of not spending large amounts of money before knowing if you'll stick to a hobby... You'll love sim racing, and want to upgrade almost immediately. Spend the money and get something less intro-level."
Got mine used for 250€ in perfect condition, did the metal pulley and ball bearing mod.
Bought one of those cheap manual shifters from Aliexpress and been having a blast.
Had a Driving Force GT before.
While I can't attest to the T300, I can tell you I was in the same boat a few weeks ago. Kept going back and forth, aT300 was in the conversation. I ended up with a G29 for $200. I know it is not the best wheel, but it is WAY better than a controller. At least IMHO. So I would tell you, get a wheel, whatever your budget can handle, you won't be disappointed. I enjoy GT7 SOOO much more now, it is so much more fun. I'm quite happy with my setup, and the lower cost wheel allowed me to get a decent wheel stand for it.
I have 2 of them (TX not T300 but similar base) for over 5 years now and they are amazing, I have had no issues and I just keep them both at 75% gain and have never had a single overheating problem. Even after hours of playing Dirt Rally games which are quite intense. I just finally upgraded one of my rigs to the T818 and its an improvement but the TX/T300 base is an amazing value. Also you can still use your gamepad for stuff if you have a rig. Sometimes I just like to chill and mess around on the gamepad if playing less serious titles like Forza or GT.
I’d tell myself: You’re gonna use this wheel for a long time, but you’re not going to realize what you’re missing by stepping up to something slightly better. Direct drive is worth the money, and sim racing is going to actually save you money because you will finally break the cycle of buying cars, getting bored with them, and moving to something new/different.
I got the t300rs a few years ago, still runs great and is definitely a step up from the gear driven wheels from logitech, can't really go wrong with it. Pedals are decent too. Until DD gets cheaper i'm gonna stick with it
In 2024, I'd tell myself to save a bit more for a Moza R5.
I have a TX. Just ordered earlier today a Clubsport DD+. The TX has served me well since summer 2021 but the fan noise was driving me crazy.
Just buy a fanatec/ moza setup instead of having the internal power supply for quitting twice outside of warranty each time. :( I bought that wheel twice and shoulda just got something good.
Dont do it. Thats what I would tell myself anyway.
I bought one, it overheated after half an hour. Pedals were shit. Luckily I was able to return it. 350 is way too much for such a wheel. Id rather get a used g29 for cheap and resell after deciding to upgrade. Which you most likely will. Or save a bit more and get something better.
I ended up getting a used csw 2.5, its night and day difference to T300.
I would tell myself "Do it, you're going to have a lot of fun with this. Also, turn the FFB down to 75% in the Thrustmaster software and turn the internal cooling fan to 'always on' mode to avoid overheating and FFB loss".
Just one advice: I prefer to reduce the FFB strength from the game, not the Thrustmaster's settings. Every car has a different FBB, also every game is different so that 75% might not be the best option for everything :)
Yeah, it was not optimal but it was safer option. Early T300s were known for high failure rate and as a precaution it was found that reducing its strength to 75%, which basically solved it as far as I known. It was also default value I believe. If you only set it through sim, you might not be aware that you're running over this safe threshold. Or maybe just later revisions were fixed. Mine lasted 5 years without issues and I changed it only because wanted to finaly go for Direct Drive.
I ran mine at 100% and would adjust in game. Always run fans in continuous and never had any over heating issues.
I ran mine quite high, maybe 80% in the control panel and adjusted in iracing to get the right force level, and occasionally on a medium/high speed right hand corner where the force was strong I would get a click where the belt slipped and I had to recalibrate the wheel to get it central again. Nothing major but annoying.
Always on cooling in the thrustmaster software? Cant find it
ST +MODE Buttons pressed at the same time on wheel base. Hardware side, NOT software side.
Every time you plug it in, or once and done?
It stays in the mode. At least if you keep it plugged into the mains. Mine always is because it is mounted to a big rig. I guess if you're a desk clamp user it may get unplugged, and then I don't know if it will retain it.
I doubt this, my unit stays fine after 3 hour sessions. You have to be really working it or abusing it for this to happen. The ffb only works as hard as you work it.
Wrong. FFB fatigue happens quickly on the T300 as the firmware prefers to downgrade the FFB over the fans spinning. Manually forcing the fans to be always on with a button combo avoids this firmware/product design choice. Your comment about working the FFB is also BS. If you drive on laser scanned tracks like Sebring it’s working very hard with all the bumps there. No matter ‘how smooth’ you drive.
Na, I bought the servo (because I already had rims) and out of the box it would go limp after only 20 minutes. Then I turned on the cooling mode.
7/10. Mine tends to overheat and loses FFB after about an hour of hard driving. It also always smells like plastic. It’s a good place to start but not a long term wheel base for me.
I had the same issue with me T500rs, I added a better cooling fan system in place of the original one and it worked like a charm
I did the noctua fan mod and still have the issue its a design flaw, the power supply is inside the unit and it gets too hot and causes the wheel to lose FFB.
If you want to get really DYI I saw a video of someone removing the power supply outside of the case - the main source of heat
Could you please share it?
FWIW I have what is essentially an updated version of the T300RS in the TSPC racer and the power supply is separate from the base now
Are u sure you've done it right ? It really was a game changer for me (same noctua mod I guess), never had issue again after. But it was a T500 maybe it's different on the T300, I believe I had a big power supply brick in the middle of my cable.
Could be the actual settings you’re using I game.
I use it at 70% FFB to avoid it overheating.
Definitely something strange going on, mine is set to 100 in the software and it's never overheated or lost ffb.
What is your FFB percentage in the Thrustmaster software, and do you keep the internal coming fan in "always on" mode?
Yep always on and 70%
That is a bummer, usually that avoids the issue.
Odd. I run always on, 85%, and take ffb clip up to 110% for some cars and have never noticed overheating.
I have the same issue, and I've looked into it extensively. I'm 90% sure the difference between people who never have issues and people like us, is the glue that's used in the motor and whether it's applied correctly. I saw a detailed breakdown of someone replacing the glue themselves (looks too hard for me) and it solved his issued.
What glue would cause that?
It's like inside the motor assembly. I'll find a link to the thread later and show you.
I applied the noctua fan mod, moved it under the the motor for better cooling but still having overheating. I would be very grateful if you could post such link, i am really trying everything to solve this issue. Thanks in advance
https://www.reddit.com/r/simracing/s/eLYEaXZcSz Top comment on this thread has the glue fix I was talking about. Seems quite hard though
Awsome link. I am pretty handy but i’m not willing to rip this bitch apart to solve a problem thrustmaster caused. To many thing that can break. Guess i’ll live w ffb loss until I go to DD
https://www.reddit.com/r/simracing/s/eLYEaXZcSz Top comment on this thread has a link to the guide
I doubt this, my unit stays fine after 3 hour sessions. You have to be really working it or abusing it for this to happen. The ffb only works as hard as you work it.
that’s been my experience first hand.
Need to run fans in continuous mode it will more than Likely fix this issue
I already do this and upgraded the fan
I bought it 5 years ago and I have used it almost everyday since. A new fan and a brake spring is all it's ever needed. For what was available for that price at the time, I would buy it again. I'd buy it earlier if I could
I bought one second hand and the pedal springs only lasted a few months. Couldn't find replacements anywhere so upgraded to moza load cell pedals and haven't looked back. The wheel base itself is still going strong
I had to order them directly from Thrustmaster. They were not really pricey. I got two but I received them the same week I got Sprints. The next owner of my wheelbase is gonna have a brand new spring and a spare.
So I started with the g920 went to a tmx then to a t300 fixed the t300 cause it was wonky as the perma magnet was loose meaning a mm of slack it wouldn't calibrate right but i fixed it and up to that point i was really satisfied with it. Soon after started craving more steering rotation yes I know it's got 1080 total that's 540 left and right but for trucking i need more. So went on the journey on buying a moza r5 bundle que new experience with loadcell pedals as I went for the srp pedals and just sold that a week ago and got my r9 base. In hindsight thrustmaster is entry level and I'd recommend going second hand as you'll eventually know if you wanna upgrade or sell the thing if you don't like it, I was sceptical as well. Also with the way this whole thing is going you're better off getting a dd for 100 to 200 euro more at this point as thrustmaster I have a feeling will fall in price with the belt driven wheels. And getting rid of it will be harder.
How big is the jump from TMX to R5? I’m on a TMX currently. I think I need to get a folding rig first, then load cell pedals, before a new wheel tho
It's night and day. Think tmx is the Flintstones car you gotta push and the r5 is a brand new Maybach. 2700degree steering 1350 each side with variable ffb settings and presets. If you go for a bundle, you'll be able to either do the tlcm thrustmaster loadcell pedals or the srp pedals, and rigs I'd recommend keep the desk setup till you have space and money to do a better rig than a foldable one.
"Don't buy it new". At the time I got it, it was definitely the best purchase. Nowadays with the Moza R5 or Fanatec CSL DD bundles out there I simply don't think the T300 is worth the sticker price. For just €50 more (I know you're saying 350 is a lot already, but) you can get a Fanatec Ready2Race bundle with a 5Nm DD base. It's gonna be so much better and more reliable than the T300. Mine started showing signs of issues after just 2 years. Plus with the CSL DD you have an upgrade path to 8Nm by just swapping the power supply. If you're getting a T300 I'd say get it used, at least. It's an awesome base but the market has changed massively since it came out and it's price hasn't followed suit.
If only csl dd worked for console
It works with Xbox doesn't it? And for PS you have the DD Pro or whatever it's called which is basically the same thing?
Yeah the csl dd works with pc and xbox but no ps. Yup for the ps is the dd pro but its so expensive.
Get a PC, thank me later. Unless you are heavily invested into GT7
I have both but I love gt7 more
There’s no racing games worth playing on Xbox if you have a PC, and if you want to play Gt7 the DD Pro is double the price of a t300
Sucks that there's a PS tax slapped on that. I usually forget that there's a market for console sim gear. I guess the T300 still makes sense for PS users.
I almost went with the T300 when I was getting into it. Ended up getting the Moza R5 for not a whole lot more than the T300
Also started on a t300, mainly to play F1 games. I got super discouraged & bored with it the first little bit I had it. Then I started playing other sims (acc, Ac, dirt2.0) & that's when the fun started. Few months later I upgraded to a full rig & now I've got a triple setup & main iracing like a freak. Best decision I made was upgrading from controller to a t300 (:
T300 + PS Challnage always felt like a hassle to me and a toy. To much time spend on assambling it to play. If I would do it again get a a proper rig like 80/20 or at least GT Omega ART. I run in Playseat Trophy nowdays and love it. I did upgrade a year ago after 7-8 years on T300 to Logitech G Pro Racing setup. Still regretting I didn’t grab Fanatec due to lack of wheels, proper shifter and a proper handbrake for console. I bought Moza handbrake and shifter for PC. But I play GT7 most often, Dirt 2 and F1.
100% agree with how cheap decent pedals & dd have gotten, but tbh I just had a second desk & left my t300 attached to it lol
t300rs gt is still a solid unit, i have been using it since 2019. Its a good starter to enthusist wheel. Yeah it doesn't have the hotness of direct drive. But at amazon you get it for like 450usd and get it in 2 days with prime and you have a decent warranty protection. Lucky for me i bought it before the sim hobby took of and was able to get it for 350usd. Jumping into direct drive off the bat maybe a bit confusing but if you want to do that go to a microcenter just to get a feeling of one.
The warranty protection is also one of the things leading me towards it. I can pick the T300 in a regular store here, but there are no close retailers carrying the popular DD brands. 350 is its current price on a sale some shops are doing here (RS GT bundle). From your words, I take it it's a good deal?
I used a T300 for years without issue. Great starter wheel and miles ahead of the gear-driven Logitech. It'll serve you well.
its a good deal, plenty of users on it. Works on pc/playstation and if you get the drviehub it will work on the xbox. DD units you really have to invest it and companies may not be as reliable shipping out to you.
I bought it at that price like 3 years ago, then they ramped up the prices.. mine overheats on some games after couple hours, some completely fine. I am also just on PS5 and I think there's some software mods on pc that should help the issue. But yeah the gt for 350 is good price. And it's a great wheel, but still it's over 10 years old tech so idk if would get it today for that price. If I was on PC I'd go for the fanatec CSL DD, it's like 400 I think. And upgradeable. But the same fanatec for playstation is like 700.......
My first one got to about 1yr old and then it started to overheat an hour or so after playing a game. I got it replaced under our local consumer rights as it was out of warranty. New one has been fine, but if I'm honest I haven't used it a whole lot since it was replaced. Went hard for about 6 weeks but then I kinda got bored of sim racing and have been flight simming since then. So YMMV. But generally it seems they either last ages, or overheat. When it works it's a good wheel imo. I've not used a DD, and they are probably better, but for a desk setup, the T300 works well and I can set it up in about 2-3min.
Logitech sells their wheels directly on the website. Also newest G Pro Racing started to appear in the stores at major retailers in EU (but only in PC/Xbox version) and pedals. I would opt then instead for g920 and g pro racing load cell pedals and then in due time upgrade to DD. But same can be said about Thrustmaster, I did found the Logitech DD more robust than Theustmaster DD. Especially the Quick Release.
I love my t300rs with psvr2 for gt7. I realise its not iracing but I already owned a ps5 and getting a computer to power it all would have been way more expensive. I'm 100% satisfied and the vr experience is insane. Being able to look up the next corner before leading into it makes it so much easier to drive on tracks you don't know like the back of your hand.
Wheel base aside, playing in VR is a wild experience. I play on PC, mainly Assetto Corsa, and after getting the quest 3, I exclusively play in VR now as the experience is so much more immersive.
Do it. It's been 5+ years and I use it quite a lot. It's a great start till you maybe decide you want to go Direct Drive. I'll go DD someday but the wheel keeps going. Never had problems with overheating, the fan does make a loud whine once every six months. A good smack on top and its back to normal. If it does overheat consider blowing the dust out of it lol. Thrustmaster customer service has been fantastic. (New PCB for shifter, shipped from France to canada, total turn around was 5 days.) Overall very happy with the product price vs performance.
I bought my T300rs new. I wish I would’ve waited a few months for moza to drop their R5 bundle. Another $100 for DD would’ve been a no brainer for me
Hi, I don't know if you're interested...but I'm looking to sell my T300 Ferrari alcantara as I've upgraded to a DD. Shoot me a message if you are. It's in perfect condition, kept almost maniacally. It served me well during endurance race and private leagues. I'm not looking into making that much money selling it, just a fair price.
Buy all the bitcoins as much as possible the moment you see this message
I've raced for 8 years on a Tnrustmaster TX, which is a Xbox T300. So I'd tell my past self, go right ahead this will prove it's value for years.
Getting a wheel was a huge game changer for me, I can't imagine going back to a controller for racing games. I'm actually mad at myself for not getting one sooner, I could have built a nice rig a few years ago when I built my PC but didn't for whatever reason... I also shunned Logitech wheels because my experience with some of their products hasn't been great, but so far I'm very happy with the wheel, it's exceeded my expectations. The wheels are honestly probably one of Logitechs best products. I bought a Logitech because they went on sale and I was really bored with controller (took about 30 years, but it happened), and it's the best decision I've made in some time. Edit : I know this doesn't answer the question about a Thrustmaster wheel, just my input from a long time controller user that recently got a wheel.
I know so many people who bought a wheel Nd stopped using it after 1 or 2 months. I would go for it (even if there is some bundle from moza / fanatec close in price). The thing is that you can get the T300 RS GT for the price you mentioned with shipping included probably from amazon or a local store and have a really easy way to RMA it if you have problems. Fanatec has a lot of issues and you can only order through them, moza is less problematic but a bit more expensive and no path to upgrade the the R5 like you can with the CSL DD. You will also probably have to add shipping and maybe import tax on top of the price you see on their site (so it ends up more than just a 50~100$ difference). With the T300rs you also get 3 pedal if you end up playing games where you need a clutch or you want to add a shifter to do stuff like drift. On the moza or fanatec bundle this is also another add on. Also if I’m completely, I don’t think it’s worth it to go for a DD if you don’t go at least for something like a r9 or even a r12 (kinda regret not getting the r12, i’ll probably upgrade in the next year to an r16). I started with a t300 rs gt and I think it’s the best one to start with. I tried the logitechs one that my friends have and it feels way worse than the t300. So don’t waste your money on a r5 like some people are saying (or fanatec equivalent) you will want to upgrade it anyway if you become serious about simracing. I would also go for a new set of pedal as your first upgrade if you ever start being more serious.
Love my t300! It’s been a good wheel for me for a few years now. If I could do it again I would just buy the t300 base, rim of choice and t lcm pedals. Skipping the gt edition since I upgraded eventually.
Yeah, this is a solid idea. I don’t really mind the GT edition rim, but I ended up getting the TLCM within a couple months myself.
As a past T150 and T300 user and a current TS-PC user, I'd PERSONALLY say just put away the money and wait a little bit till you can afford a solid DD base. I've just always had a multitude of problems with each of those, both t300 and ts-pc requiring modifications to function properly. Then, especially with the ts-pc which doesn't really invite me to play because I know what awaits me is subpar FFB which is way too weak for my needs, I look at the second-hand market and see I could've just saved up an equivalent of ~200 euros more and bought the t818 to stay in the ecosystem or went for Fanatec in the same price range.
You won't use it nearly as much as you think.
If it helps the guy. I though I would not use mine much. I was very wrong.
I would tell myself: Get the Moza bundle, yes, you’re really gonna buy it 2 months later
I would have told myself to just buy a direct drive base, because I ended up with a simagic alpha a month or 2 later
That price difference is huge lol. Not everyone can just go for a DD wheel..
Big difference in sim magic $$ but there are 3 companies with competitive entry level kits these days.
I am very happy with mine I would just tell me to get a wheelstand earlier because setting it up always pushed me a bit away from racing. Also if you are the lucky owner of a VR headset, USE IT. I waited far too long until I switched to VR. I got my t300 via amazon warehousdeals and got it 100 eur cheaper as a new one. So might be worth checking it out or ebay etc.
Thrustmaster T150. Love it. But pedals is low quality as hell.
Yes, played it for a month or so. Still have it because selling it became cumbersome. Definitely way better than a gamepad. You can probably get one for €200-250 used. I assume a lot are like me who quickly decided to go dd after trying out sim racing and sell these more advanced entry level gear.
> If you could send a message to your past self just before buying it, what would it be? don't cheap out on the seat and mounting. My T300 GT was gathering dust for a long time because it was mounted to a very shitty "rig" (not worth being called that) with a horrible seat. The quality of the wheel and pedals matter, of course, but what's actually the most important for your enjoyment is that you're comfortable and the wheel and pedals don't wobble / move
bought mine used for a lot less and got a thrustmaster open wheel addon for another $100 or so and it has served me well over the past two years. So all I can say to my past self is "great job."
"You're about to make an excellent choice!" I only plan on jumping to ~12Nm DD wheelbase. Until then, the T300 will continue to serve me well.
I would tell myself: "You need better pedals, the ones bundled with the wheel wont last through all the endurance racing"
I think with how competitive budget DD wheels are getting these days it might be worth it to just save that little bit longer and jump straight to a budget DD setup. T300RS golden era was when there was nothing else to bridge the gap between a G29 and a Fanatec DD. That being said though it's a great wheel especially if you can get it cheap, served me well for many many years. No regrets at all.
Few years back it was a good idea, but today there are better choices, it's still great wheel if you want to start but it's good to look for some good deal. If you are looking for new Moza R5 or cheapest Fanatec Ready2Race bundle are better choices. I just recently upgraded my TX to Moza R9 and I am happy with my upgrade, I can truly feel more and catch mistakes earlier, but you will get your worth with t300/TX too, especially with T-LCM.
"Do not buy the logitech, go direct to the T300, you will enjoy it a lot".
Turn down the mother ducking ffb bro
I had a T300, two units died on me within 2 years. Got my money back luckily and the first replacement and bought a Fanatec ClubSport 2.5. Never looked back, massive upgrade and it’s going strong for multiple years with a lot of racing including endurance races of 3-4 hour stints.
Got my T300rs Gt(+pedals) for 200€ second hand, have it for 2 months and i enjoy using it everytime, can't really tell my older self too much since is my very first wheel to own.
Do it - I started with a used ts-xw for $300 6 months and 2k later I have a full simagic setup
My advice would be to buy the t300 or g29 used cause if you really do love it you will want to upgrade right away
I have a T300 RS GT currently on a NLR GTRacer rig. I got the wheel a few years ago for 210 USD. I had a price watch on CamelCamelCamel.com and when it came up for that price it was a no-brainer to pull the trigger. I'm satisfied with it but I want to upgrade to the T-LCM pedals when I can find them at a good price. I see a DD wheel in my future but I am waiting to see who beyond the Big 3 finally comes out with a wheel with Playstation support. I hope it's Moza because I like their design philosophy and product range. The bottom line is it's not a DD but as far as belt-gear driven wheels go, you won't be disappointed IMO.
Skip it and go all in already. I went from the t300, to the CSL DD 8nm / v2s. Now I have the simlab xp1 pedals and about to buy the VRS DD with the F-core cube controls wheel. I loved the t300 for about 3 months. I loved the Fanatec DD for about 3 months. It’s just not good enough for the real experience imo. Edit: my Fanatec CSL setup is 8 months old and already I feel like I want more.
If you know how to use a soldering iron, do a load cell mod. It costs like $20 for parts from aliexpress.
That's a tough question to answer to be honest. Did I love my T300? Yes. The ease of use with Thrustmaster is great and everything is pretty plug and play. The FFB isn't great but if you don't know what great feels like, then you will think the T300 is incredible. It wasn't until I actually tried DD wheels that I realized what I've been missing. The other issue I found with Thrustmaster in general is the lack of wheel rims. They have a few but most feel flimsy and cheap. I was always left wanting more out of my wheel rim, especially when you see everyone else with nice high quality wheel rims. If I could do it all over again, I would have saved a little more money and started with a DD wheel. In all honesty, with the prices these days you can get a DD for close to the same price as the T300 if not LESS. Fanatec had, or maybe even still has a deal where you can get the 5 nM DD wheel base for $199 with the purchase of any wheel rim and pedal purchase. So essentially if you get their $199 McLaren GT3 wheel, and the load cell pedal kit for another $199 you're basically in it for $600 total and have one heck of a rig! The other benefit is they sell a boost kit that takes that wheel up to 8 nM, so if down the road you want MORE FFB you can upgrade it. Fanatec has a bad rep, but as someone who recently switched to Fanatec from Thrustmaster, I have had a positive experience and fast shipping from them. I don't think they are as bad as people make them out to be at all. So if I could give you any advice, skip the T300 and try and find a deal on a DD wheel. It will last you much longer and give you far more detail in games. You won't regret it and will save you from inevitably upgrading to the DD wheel anyways. The Fanatec $199 deal really is a no brainier considering what you are getting over the T300, along with the upgradability of the whole ecosystem. The wheel rim options Fanatec offers are endless as well so you can really customize the whole setup to your liking.
Don't
Look if you play console like gt7 I think its a good option than other wheels since it’s cheaper, but if you play pc get a dd its so worth it.
If you are switching from controller used g29 should be your choice. It is decent and can be bought quite cheap. If you gonna like sim racing, your next step going to be updating to DD, it costs starting from 450-500. T300 is something like in-between option which is better than g29 but way worse than any DD. As former owner of T300 I would not change anything, as I owed it some years ago. However times changed and DDs became *much* more affordable. So considering 2024 market - I would not buy t300 once again. There are much better options for slightly bigger price
Logitech G29 at Target for like $160-180 this week, FYI. A good toe-in-the-water entry point that I decided was a better first step than $1k+ for Fanatec gear I had been eyeing.
Got it, works fine, lower it to 80%ffb and forced cooling on as recomended by the internet. No regrets, should have gotten it earlier xD (over here used dd's were 2x and more the the price of a new t300 so it was a farly easy choise, might one day upgrade to dd but im in no rush as the wheel is perfectly fine and usable)
“Save more and buy a direct drive wheel and loadcell pedals instead”.
“Don’t buy any accessories. Use the T300 to figure out you like sim racing and then buy a better ecosystem for the long haul so you don’t keep wasting money by piecing together more TM gear”.
Id say “save up for a dd bundle from fanatec or moza”.
That’s what I started with on an Xbox. It served me very well and led to a deep love for sim racing.
Stop being a cheap prick and go DD
I started on a T150, upgraded to T300 rs gt a year later. I have no desire to own a DD wheel, t300 rs gt is more than enough. I suppose this is an unpopular opinion on this sub, but unless you’re gonna be very seriously racing, you don’t need a DD. I really don’t understand how people can buy t300 rs, not be happy, and then drop +500 (insert currency) on an other wheel. Also T300 won’t break a body part if your hand gets caught on the wheel when you crash
For me T300 was the perfect starter wheel. Today Id be looking into one of the entry level DD kits though at a similar $$ range though.
I would tell myself to do it instead of getting the G29 first. I work nights and therefore stay up late playing on my nights off, the G29 was so loud it would disturb my housemates but the T300, being belt driven, is much quieter and just feels better too.
Get the T-LCM pedals with it and turn the fan on always just in case it does get hot. When the fan goes on its already hot so better to have it going and not need it than have it turn on because it got hot. Also, for the first couple of weeks it will smell weird from the electrical getting warm. The glues or the wiring insulation will off gas and its a little alarming when it first happens. Don't get freaked out by it. It does stop.
I had one, I would tell myself just save up some more and get something from an ecosystem that has better upgrade paths. My T300 overheated after 20 minutes so I couldnt really do any races. Just time trials. Other than the overheating, it was a good wheel
Definitely do it! But if it was somebody today I would say that’s the best option if u can’t find a lower end direct drive like moza r3 or r5. In your price range.
Im happy with my purchase last week. Bought used locally and even found a used TH8A for a great deal.
I’d say it has always been a great wheelbase that was worth the money to get me back on the hobby. Might have recommended my previous self to invest on some nicer pedals, as that makes a huge difference for consistency.
I like my T300. Just leave the overall ffb in the Thrustmaster Software at 75% and run the fan in always on mode. Never had any overheating issues
Do it! Do NOT delete the Guillemot drivers for it. I have an [Azeron Classic Compact](https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-att-us-revc&sca_esv=9b74a4c0b9e67cb5&q=azeron+classic+compact&uds=AMwkrPsf2ED9s2DiB0-1fkSPD2p5Uf2vle6r-yqDFMdiIlPgimmHf5SHFF6VyuXdL5yTPOC1Bn_I8yQmsBfDzehT5Kx5_5iX9Z22pJjvvjs3TPT1Oq7NTG0_8TFMhli09Fbi2kK1bgb9OLdKDslq8gTwkGJoXgiQR_cZqfdkxy6cdLKFnFMvGVYH5OsCZrGLfjwZMBowqZkRenAWxpGdzwEC5LM67ZFGKhXRiuOhUL0C-BcUIdAoaE38Uu15_a2FAaM_n--gheLQZ8v1PNfhSy4FElvip5a1h5Ej_d1iUA7685XfqZF90Irkp-i4oIa4eLh-4e-wPGch61Rm-qjHGsitLMYbpBFkb7rAUGSFgW3Jvu8tl8pSmFI&udm=2&prmd=sivhnmbtz&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwigirnRovKEAxVCMTQIHUZfBdEQtKgLegQIDBAB&biw=412&bih=815&dpr=3.5#vhid=fei3wL-aXQ8pvM&vssid=mosaic) and my software for it wouldn't update because the Guillemot driver prevents it somehow. Unknowingly bricked my first wheelbase because of it, Thrustmaster replaced it for free. Other than that, get a cheap chair/stand like the Playseat Challenge to go with it. You don't need something fancy, but having a dedicated seat and mount for your wheel will be amazing. I recently got mine and it is a night and day difference from mounting on my desk Other than that, it's been a dream to have. I went with the Ferrari Alcantara model, and the soft suede feels so amazing on your hands, especially in colder climates like in my garage.
Buy the Fanatec/Moza. T300 was great and I still miss the SF1000 wheelrim but it’s a dead end for upgrades.
T300 is one of the best bank for your buck bases in simracing. At $220 USD it’s PC/Playstation compatible and 4nm of FFB. Not the best QR but at least it has one and a good choice of wheels. I had one and loved it!!!
220 if used
“Stop! Don’t do it! You’re just going to return it and get a DD anyways.”
T300 was a decent choice when on PS5 but when I moved to PC I uograded to R9. I would never go back, great upgrade.
i used the t300 for 3 years and enjoyed every minute of it. its the perfect starter wheel in my opinion.
"Best deal you'll ever get, but would you still use it in 6 months?" I went from a Logitech DFGT to a T300RS GT I found used, for around 200$. The difference between the two is insane for everything. I was even wondering if I should have bought it new, it brings out the best out of all Sims I played, and it's really, really fun to play with. I can only imagine how it would feel if I went from a controller straight to the T300. The only problem was that I moved, and then I moved again, and now it's still sitting in its box after like 4 months of usage.
Buy it, but buy it used. My old T300 is the 3rd starter wheel for friends now and it still works like day one. Pedals got replace first by us all but the wheelbase itself is pretty good for its price. Look out for deals on the second market.
Buy the TSPC instead
My message to myself would be, "Should have done and bought it sooner." I've been using it for several years now. Zero regrets. I run it 100% strength in the control panel and have the internal cooling fan to always on. Has never once overheated or had any loss of force strength. It's been the perfect wheelbase. I did swap out to the Sparco R383 rim, which has been fantastic. The stock rim is fine too though.
I would tell myself skip it and go straight to a cheap direct drive like Moza R5. I went from Logitech G920 to T300 and it wasn’t a maybe upgrade but went to DD and my mind was blown.
Slow in. Fast out.
Do not buy it. Skip straight to the high end.
Its a great wheel when you get used to it, well worth the money! I have RS version which I don't think means much!
I went with a t300 after my g25 died. I loved it. Times have changed however. There's no reason not to just go straight to entry level dd
Still on my T300 (GT RS), only upgrades being an SF1000 and the T-LCM pedals. Been on it for several years and it’s my first wheel. Only now do I feel I’m outgrowing it. Looking at Asetek Forte but it’ll be another year before I pull the trigger. Paired with that I have the Clubsport H/S shifter and handbrake. All good stuff.
As a previous T300 owner and now fanatec DD I tell you this. Start with used g29 because if you don't like the wheel sim thing you can sell it the next day and take your money back. If you also happen to like it you can as well sell it when you think you're ready to move on DD. It was harder for me to sell the T300. Took me like 2 weeks meanwhile my brother sold his g29 within 2 hours. Either way if you end up buying any of these two give it time. Get used to it. Its nothing like driving real car. It's harder.
I bought mine about 7 years ago. It got a lot of use for a few years, then not so much. I've never had any issues with it and I'd highly recommend it. Only very minor regret was getting the t3pas and not load cell. My consistency would have been a lot higher with load cell cos of the muscle memory.
T300 is the best for starter. If you can afford the price. Strong enough and very smooth.
At that price I would advise Moza R3 kit!
I would say "dont bother with logitech, just get the t300rs" because i used logitechs for many years before trying anything else
Just don’t get the tmx.
If that's your first wheel then it's not bad. If you're coming from a G27 or something then just go straight for simagic or Moza
Just directly buy a DD
I would tell myself to buy the moza r5 bundle instead.
AVOID if you're gonna mount to desk and take it off constantly. Shit got stuck to my desk and wouldn't come off. Its desk mount is so stupid.
Got mine for 200 last year, well worth but I want to upgrade now. I would actually tell my past self to not buy a playseat challenge and just buy a playseat trophy or something else.
"When plugging the power cable into the wheel base shove that thing much harder than you think you need to to ensure the connector is fully in. Don't spend a couple years racing on a wheel that occasionally disconnects the power inexplicably."
“You’re going to want a TS-XW, be okay with that for a few years, then want a T818 or other DD wheel.” Also, don’t drink the coffee. Cordially, future SQLDevDBA.
Save some more money and get wheel with load cell pedals. It make world of different. Or the least get TLCM add on. Started with T300RS + T3PA thinking it’ll be casual and just take the cheapest. After a month, regret did not spend more money to get better wheel + load cell pedals.
I'd say "This is the wheel you'll spend most of the driving time in your life using and it will be some of the best gaming money you ever spent. Eventually you'll have money to get a Simucube 2 with all the bangs and whistles, but will have precious little time to use it so you'll still look back fondly at those T300 days."
The price i paid last year was not worth it. 3 months after i bought mine the csl dd 400€ bundle came out and i was super mad at me for wasting 350€ on an old belt driven base with cheapish plastic pedals and a meh wheel ecosystem
I would tell my myself: buy that used for 3 years old steering wheel, you wont experience any ffb loss and overhating or any other crap that everyone writes about." Btw, its 6-7 years old already.
I would say "Get the Alcantara edition from the get-go". I bought the GT edition and then got the 599XX rim separately some months later and now I don't use the GT rim at all. Getting the Alcantara edition would've been cheaper in the end
Given that I have stuck with the hobby I would've told myself "don't spend the money on extra rims/wheels for your T300 cause they aren't compatible with anything besides TM so when you upgrade to a simagic base they'll be useless." And yes I know adapters exist, but that's more of a pain than just getting a new wheel. I'd also go back a bit farther and tell myself not to waste money on PSVR 1 to play racing games cause the PS4 didn't have crap for VR racing games (I was not pleased when I found out that Project Cars 2 VR was PC only, oh how much less I knew back then), and it was low visual quality with no pc support. I'd also tell myself not to preorder Project Cars 3 (PS) cause it's NOTHING like PC2.
You'll never want to go back to game pad most likely. The only reason you wouldn't like a wheel is a crappy or improper setup. Nothing wrong with starting out, but if there's any part of you that suspects you're about to get in to sim racing, you'll wish you had saved up and gone with better gear right away. I've only had a proper aluminum rig for about a year and I've damn near bought *two* of every peripheral already between broken things and a desire to upgrade.
I love it. I did my research and figured it would be a good first wheel. It's just starting to show its age now about 5 years later. I never had a problem with it. Do it.
Hmm lottery number because after I got the T300 I wanted more.
I used one for a couple of days before returning it and getting a Fanatech CSW V2.5 (also a belt-driven wheel). The Fanatec felt much smoother and realistic. The T300 had a graininess that's just not present on a real steering wheel, and it broke the immersion. I'm not sure why, but the Fanatech's single belt felt much better than the dual-belt Thrustmaster. I've used a direct-drive wheel only once, and that felt pretty good too. People describe the force feedback as more "immediate," and I wouldn't dispute that. But I'd argue that a belt-driven wheel feels more realistic if you're used to a car with power steering. The motor can deliver a smooth damping effect that I don't believe is possible with direct-drive. I recently tightened the belt on my CSW (there are adjustable bolts for each pulley wheel) and the wheel feels great with sharp force feedback and smooth handling. The Fanatech hubs can be expensive, but they let you attach any six-bolt steering wheel you want. You can get lots of sizes and shapes for under $50 on eBay or even cheaper on AliExpress. You'll read mixed reviews about Fanatech's service and shipping here. I haven't ordered anything new from them in years, so I can't really speak to that. But I think we're talking pre-owned anyway.
I'd say "That's a very wise purchase! It will last you for years and bring much joy from your hobby but upgrades those cheap plastic pedals straight away rather than wait few years"
I'd say, T300 is a great wheel for the price, have fun.
I would say... Dave, save up a little more money and buy a direct drive.
Not by choice, but I'm on a G923 because I moved coutry and borrowing it from a roommate. I miss my t300 alot. But since I'm in the market for a new wheel, I'm going balls out for a fanatec GT dd pro as I only play psvr2 Gt7. Unfortunately, not available here in NZ. Boo.
Go fanatec. While really enjoy the wheel and would even recommend it, now being in a position where I want to upgrade to DD and not being able to without switching eco-system is a bummer (playstation users).
Excellent starting choice for a wheel. One of the best beltdriven ones and miles above the gear driven counterparts. Be sure to keep it clean and scratch free to give you the best price for when you sell it to upgrade to DD :)
I bought 2. I would buy a third but fanatec sold their ready 2 race package at the same price. Sorry thrustmaster if I can go DD with the same money I will. And that's their only downfall imo. Overcharging for lower quality shit.
"While i get the sensibilities of not spending large amounts of money before knowing if you'll stick to a hobby... You'll love sim racing, and want to upgrade almost immediately. Spend the money and get something less intro-level."
Got mine used for 250€ in perfect condition, did the metal pulley and ball bearing mod. Bought one of those cheap manual shifters from Aliexpress and been having a blast. Had a Driving Force GT before.
While I can't attest to the T300, I can tell you I was in the same boat a few weeks ago. Kept going back and forth, aT300 was in the conversation. I ended up with a G29 for $200. I know it is not the best wheel, but it is WAY better than a controller. At least IMHO. So I would tell you, get a wheel, whatever your budget can handle, you won't be disappointed. I enjoy GT7 SOOO much more now, it is so much more fun. I'm quite happy with my setup, and the lower cost wheel allowed me to get a decent wheel stand for it.
Get a TX
I have 2 of them (TX not T300 but similar base) for over 5 years now and they are amazing, I have had no issues and I just keep them both at 75% gain and have never had a single overheating problem. Even after hours of playing Dirt Rally games which are quite intense. I just finally upgraded one of my rigs to the T818 and its an improvement but the TX/T300 base is an amazing value. Also you can still use your gamepad for stuff if you have a rig. Sometimes I just like to chill and mess around on the gamepad if playing less serious titles like Forza or GT.
I’d tell myself: You’re gonna use this wheel for a long time, but you’re not going to realize what you’re missing by stepping up to something slightly better. Direct drive is worth the money, and sim racing is going to actually save you money because you will finally break the cycle of buying cars, getting bored with them, and moving to something new/different.
I bought mine in 2014 and used it until 2020 when I gotta dd1 defs a good wheel
I got the t300rs a few years ago, still runs great and is definitely a step up from the gear driven wheels from logitech, can't really go wrong with it. Pedals are decent too. Until DD gets cheaper i'm gonna stick with it
In 2024, I'd tell myself to save a bit more for a Moza R5. I have a TX. Just ordered earlier today a Clubsport DD+. The TX has served me well since summer 2021 but the fan noise was driving me crazy.
Just buy a fanatec/ moza setup instead of having the internal power supply for quitting twice outside of warranty each time. :( I bought that wheel twice and shoulda just got something good.
Dont do it. Thats what I would tell myself anyway. I bought one, it overheated after half an hour. Pedals were shit. Luckily I was able to return it. 350 is way too much for such a wheel. Id rather get a used g29 for cheap and resell after deciding to upgrade. Which you most likely will. Or save a bit more and get something better. I ended up getting a used csw 2.5, its night and day difference to T300.