F1 fever? Here's the Logitech cure: The G27 Racing Wheel

Kelvin Low | Aug 18, 2009

Update: The G27 is now available at the recommended price of S$559 (US$405.07)

Drool-tastic. (Credit: Logitech)

Let me be honest, there's almost very little chance for most of us to ever drive a real Formula One (F1) car.

Most of our fantasies are confined to racing simulators plus a very good steering wheel setup. This new racing wheel for the PC and PS3 is designed to replace our favorite G25 racing wheel. What we're most interested in is Logitech's decision to introduce a different force feedback gear shifter.

Compared with the G25, the G27 with the new "helical gears" boasts a reduced vibration and noise while shifting. Besides that change in the shifter, it also has a stiffer centering spring to make it more realistic. Taller standoffs for clutch and brake pedals bring the pedal faces closer to the user than the accelerator. The pedals now sport horizontal adjustments, so dorifto enthusiasts (or just about anyone) who practice heel-toe downshifting in the virtual track corners to induce a drift will find it easier to fine-tune the pedals to their liking.

(Credit: Logitech)

The wheel remains largely the same, a diameter of 11 inches, leather-wrapped with the same stainless steel spokes. The new additions, however, are: Six buttons (four more than the G25) and 10 LEDs over the center hub (two red, four yellow, and four green lights). The LEDs can be configured to show the RPM or as a shift indicator for those who want to know exactly when to snick up a gear.

As they say, driving a real F1 car is a completely exhilarating experience. But if you're willing to settle for less (and remain safely in one spot), the G27 is still a very strong antidote to cure that racing poison. However, we would like a motion simulator to go with the G27, but that's just us.

The G27 will be arriving in Asia in October, but pricing is unavailable at the moment. We'll keep you updated.

Kelvin Low is CNET Asia's very own go-to intern for Music & Play. When he's not fiddling with gadgets or setting up new PC rigs, he can be found hitting the dirt tracks on his mountain bike. Kelvin is currently studying mass communications at Temasek Polytechnic in Singapore. Email Kelvin.

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