Affordable Thrustmaster T248R sim racing wheel arrives with triple pedals and force feedback

When it comes to selecting an entry-level steering wheel for racing sims, offerings from Thrustmaster surely come to mind. The brand-new T248R racing wheel is a more affordable iteration of the T248, which received largely positive reviews from critics when it first arrived. Whether or not the same can be said for the T248R remains to be seen, but the features do appear enticing.

Like most entry-level setups, the Thrustmaster T248R includes a steering wheel, wheelbase, and a set of pedals as well. The wheelbase supports force feedback, and is rated for up to 3.1 nm - a pretty decent figure, but certainly not enough to match the feedback offered by dedicated wheelbases from Moza or Fanatec. That said, the T248R racing wheel is primarily targeted at casual gamers and entry-level sim racers, and the force feedback should be enough for such folks.

The steering wheel itself is 280 mm or 11 inches wide, and sports a total of 25 buttons as well as dual magnetic shift pedals. A built-in LCD screen is also present, which can deliver driving information such as RPM, speed, etc. The triple foot-pedal set utilize hall-effect sensors, and also offers multiple pressure levels for the brake pedal. Of course, the real-life performance and feel of the pedals can only be established with independent reviews.

All told, the Thrustmaster T248R looks pretty decent on paper and can be purchased for around $349.99, with the company already accepting pre-orders. General availability is expected around September 17th, and a global release is also on the cards. Of course, folks willing to spend a bit more can also opt for the more powerful Moza Racing R5 bundle, currently available for $439.99 on Amazon.