Thrustmaster T128 review - the perfect entry level racing wheel

The Thrustmaster T128 is an affordable and accessible sim racing wheel ideal for newcomers who want to jump up from a controller without breaking the bank. At just $199.99 it includes Hybrid Drive force feedback, paddle shifters, and a two-pedal set, making it a perfect all-in-one starter pack.

For anyone looking for the best racing wheel on a budget, the T128 is a serious contender. It offers essentials like force feedback, with an instinctive control layout in a small package that is ideal for temporary setups.

So, is the T128 worth it for you? We tested it across several racing titles on PC, from the arcade-style Forza Horizon 5 through to track racers like F1 25 and the off-road beast of EA Sports WRC. Read on to find out how it holds up.

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Specs

Features

The T128 features a 10-inch wheel attached to a belt-and-gear wheel base that provides force feedback. It gives a basic feel for the driving within your game, but it's not nearly as powerful or detailed as direct drive racing wheels.

That said, it is responsive enough for beginners and especially suitable for younger racers, due to its relatively low force feedback output. There are 12 buttons, a D-pad, and two gear paddles on the wheel, giving you enough controls for all but the most complicated racing games.

The pedals are a basic throttle and brake, with little difference in feel or function between the two, though they do use Hall Effect sensing so should provide accurate readings for many years to come.

What you don't get here is modularity or adjustability. The pedals are fixed to the foot plate, and the steering wheel is fixed to the wheel base. This means that unlike higher-end Thrustmaster models, the T128 does not support the wide range of steering wheels Thrustmaster offers, so what you buy is what you use. You can buy more advanced pedals that will plug into the base though.

Design

The Thrustmaster T128 is a compact, no-frills racing wheel that targets beginners and casual racers, and its design reflects that. The entire unit, including the wheel, is made of plastic. This helps keep the costs down but means you don't get the premium feel of a leather-wrapped wheel or metal housing for the base and pedals.

It's 10-inch diameter is perfectly sized for younger users. This compact design also makes it ideal for those with limited space who are using temporary racing setups rather than full cockpits. However, it is slightly small for adult users, with more premium wheels tending to be 14 to 17-inches in size. Taking part in lengthy races on this compact wheel is a little testing for larger adults.

Setup is very straightforward. The cables all plug into the underside of the system, with cable brackets and a hook and loop wraps provided to manage wire routing and keep the unit flush to the desk.

The table clamp is a sturdy hunk of plastic that is easily screwed into the wheel. One potential issue is that there isn't much clearance, so any table with a support bar could be a problem.

The pedals come as one pre-built set with no adjustments available. They are very basic in design, with some rubber grips on the bottom to prevent slipping. We didn't find these adequate to keep them in place though, and recommend bracing them firmly against the wall if possible.

Performance

As an extremely basic wheel, the T128 cannot compete in performance against more advanced non-direct drive wheels like the Logitech G923, never mind powerful direct drive ones, such as the Fanatec DD Pro or Nacon Revosim RS Pure.

That said, the T128 is smooth and quiet, with none of the rattle or chatter you can get from some alternatives. The force feedback is very light though. The Hybrid Drive system produces maybe 2Nm of peak torque. This means you don't feel much subtle detail through the wheel at all. You can sense some oversteer and understeer, but the nuances of track surface and weight change are almost non-existent.

This makes games like EA Sports WRC very hard to perform well in, as you end up driving based on what you see rather than what you feel. However, the T128 is very well-suited to the more arcade side of the racing spectrum. Titles like F1 25 and especially Forza Horizon 5 work well with the simple feedback and the wheel does not handicap you nearly as much.

Button and paddle responsiveness is solid. The paddles lack a degree of tactile satisfaction, but you won't be double-clicking accidentally or anything like that. The wheel doesn't have enough additional toggles or dials for more complex titles like Assetto Corsa Competizione, but for the simpler titles you have enough buttons to do what you need to.

The pedal set is fine for what it is. The brake pedal is light, needing only slightly more force than the throttle to fully press. This means its great for younger and inexperienced racers, but lacks the realism of firmer pedals.

While the pedals are sturdy, there is a sense that stamping on them in the heat of battle won't be best for their longevity. They are also small. You may struggle with how close together they are if you have big feet.

Price

The Thrustmaster T128 price is $199.99 / £149.99, making it one of the cheapest sim racing bundles you can get. It's also backed by a company with a long history in the sim racing space, which provides a degree of certainty around its quality, plus it at least opens up the option of upgrading the pedal set, even if the wheel and base are fixed together.

For this price you get all the essentials: force feedback, a pedal set, and compatibility with PC and Xbox or PlayStation, depending on which version you buy. It's incredibly easy to set up, with no software downloads required or settings to tweak. This level of plug-and-play functionality is once again perfect for younger players and beginners.

Alternatives

Logitech G920

Costing $100 more than the T128, the Logitech G920 is a bigger initial investment but it comes with a noticeably improved build quality and feel. At this higher price, you have to expect more quality, and while the driving experience is similar, the material improvements are where the money is spent, with a woven leather wheel and three-pedal setup.

Logitech G923

For another $70 more money, the G923 offers essentially the same feature set as the G920 but adds Logitech's Trueforce feature that allows certain games to feedback extra inputs to the force feedback, such as engine rumble. It's only supported in some games but for those it does support, it really adds to your immersion.

Thrustmaster T300 RS

For a true step up in overall racing wheel quality, with far more expandability than the T128 or G920/G923, the T300 RS is the wheel to go for. Its base isn't as powerful or accurate as direct drive ones but it's still around double the force feedback power of the T128, which means more detail as well as more of a realistic kick. The wheel rim or base can also be swapped out for Thrustmaster's more premium options and you get a decent three pedal set with this kit. It's a great step up option for those thinking they more get more seriously into racing gear.

Verdict

If you are stepping into the sim racing world and want a plug-and-play setup that doesn't require deep pockets or technical expertise, the Thrustmaster T128 is an ideal first wheel. It's well-priced, easy to install, and delivers a reasonable force feedback experience that will give you the step up from a controller that you are craving.

It's perfect for those who don't pour hours into racing but love to hop on occasionally. More experience racers, or those with ambitions of competitive racing, will struggle to develop their skills on this wheel though.

For kids, teens, or casual players it offers real value. It's not the best racing wheel on the market, but you won't find anything better at this price.