▷ Thrustmaster T248 – The new FFB racing wheel 🎮

A month before its release, I had the chance to receive the new T248 from the famous Thrustmaster brand. Arrived new, it is perfectly packaged in its box, a kit that contains the base and its steering wheel (of course), but also its crankset with three pedals. Little assembly required before you can enjoy the thrill of driving, everything is already pre-assembled, apart from a few cables to be connected between the elements. A cable passage at the back brings the wires together, so that they don't get too tangled (well, it's still cables...). You also need to prepare the screw used to tighten the usual vice on Thrustmaster steering wheels. The set is stable and hangs easily on the edge of my desk. Once the correct spacing has been found, a half-turn of the screw is enough to hook or detach the base, which is therefore positioned in a handful of seconds.

In terms of materials, very classic. The base is hard plastic, relatively heavy, although less than what I have seen with other models of the brand. The 28 cm steering wheel is in very smooth imitation leather. Two good ideas come to counterbalance this very classic aspect: a red ring indicates the middle at the top and the slightly flared shape on the bottom facilitates use in a high position where the knees could hinder movement. In the center, the telemetry screen (which I will discuss later) and all the usual buttons of a PlayStation controller plus a few (about twenty in all). The palettes, independent of each other, are made of gray plastic, wide and practical to hold, even if I notice immediately (and it will be confirmed in game) a certain firmness to which I am not accustomed. Finally, the pedals are made of metal and mounted on a plastic base with non-slip pads (which, if possible, should still be wedged against a wall). The central pedal (usually linked to the brake) is on an interchangeable spring with a second, delivered in the box, allowing the resistance to be modified between four levels.

Thrustmaster T248 – The new FFB racing wheel

That's basically it. The steering wheel is in place, my new toy is ready. Now is the time to hit the gas!

I started my tests on my PC (the steering wheel being officially licensed for PS4 and PS5, but also PC compatible). I therefore connect it to the mains, then to my computer via a USB cable. I'm not going to hide from you that the configuration was a bit laborious, because my car games are configured for my T300 and, inevitably, a conflict appears in the utilities and shortcuts. I had to start from a clean base for things to start working (and by the way screw up my usual settings). However, I will not insist more than that on this aspect because I suspect that it is rather rare to use two flywheels at the same time on the same machine and that my situation will therefore not be yours. On PlayStation, just plug it in, and it works! Thanks to the PlayStation button, the steering wheel is recognized as a classic controller and the few games I have on the Sony console detect it without worry. So that you have an overall idea of very different titles, know that I played Assetto Corsa, F1 2021, V-Rally 4, and Euro Truck Simulator 2.

Thrustmaster T248 – The new FFB racing wheel

Perfect transition to talk about the utility which will be indispensable on the computer. For all its steering wheels, Thrustmaster provides the same program, the essential tool for configuring your steering wheel, setting force feedback and other pedal sensitivities (including dead zones), as well as updating the steering wheel's internal software (which is strongly recommended upon receipt, regardless of the platform on which you will play). Although the interface is dated and gives the impression of being in the 90s (or even before), it still works just as well.

But this steering wheel is not content with this utility, because it is smarter than others thanks to its telemetry screen. It's not big (just over a centimeter in height by 6 centimeters at its longest part), but it's enough for compatible games (see end of article) to display information usually confined to the game screen: position in the race, best time, time of the last lap, gear engaged, speed... In addition, this screen also serves as a menu, giving access to various options that can be modified on the fly between two races (well, you can tinker during, but I don't recommend it, unless you have the concentration skills of a Formula 1 driver).

For example, you can configure the force feedback typology among the three pre-configurations included (and I quote the press release here):

FFB_1 : force feedback faithful, the force transmitted to the player corresponds to the force proposed by the game.
FFB_2 : force feedback increased for better skid control.
FFB_3 : force feedback boosted in order to discern all the racing effects transmitted from the track (vibrators, road exits, etc.).

Thrustmaster T248 – The new FFB racing wheel

As for the technologies hidden under the hood, I am not a professional, at best an informed amateur. I am therefore going to quote the commercial arguments in this paragraph, you will excuse me in advance (but this will prevent me from saying too much nonsense). So my T248 is based on a new generation hybrid drive system called "HYBRID DRIVE" (the only one to date in this price segment, say the manufacturers). The magic of the system comes from a belt that avoids counter-intuitive sensations or friction. The steering wheel paddles and the T3PM pedals are both based on HEART magnetic technology (with "hall effect" sensors). Who says magnetic says contactless, and therefore better performance. The speed paddles announce a response time of 30 ms (difficult to verify by doing the test).

Now that you know how it works, let's talk about how it all feels! To cut to the chase: this little steering wheel has some serious resources! Its sheet announces an increased force (up to 70% compared to the previous models of hybrid steering wheels T150 Force Feedback and TMX Force Feedback). It becomes so powerful that, IMHO, the default settings make it unusable, at least with my strength. It must be said that I am not very sporty either. I immediately find myself having to calm the beast and lower the force feedback and vibration gauges (when I launch a game on PS4 because, on PC, I fixed the problem definitively from the application). Afterwards, you will tell me, it's made for that and it takes something for everyone, and you'll be absolutely right, the steering wheel is ultra versatile and will adapt to all audiences. Whether you like ultra-realism where each pebble makes your carcass vibrate or, on the contrary, you prefer the lightness of a velvet carpet, you will find what you are looking for. Clearly, for me, a few percent are enough for me to enjoy the sensations and know where I am, without pulling my thumbs out and knocking all the figurines off my desk.

The grip of the steering wheel is good, but not perfect due to the absence of stitching, or other roughness which makes the touch not "sensual". I miss the exact term here but I think you get the idea. I also had trouble finding my position on the steering wheel. If I get down there, I don't have room for my hands. If I wedge myself just above the center, at the level of these two bumps which seem to be made for the thumbs, my other fingers end up on the pallets and my hands may not be big enough to have a good grip in hand of the steering wheel as a whole. Especially since you have to go for it with good heart on these paddles, which lack finesse, and are also very noisy, so many small details that make you lose a bit of speed during rapid downshifts when approaching big turns. Big plus on the other hand on the layout of the buttons, which I find very practical, the PlayStation symbols simplifying navigation in the menus of the games.

Thrustmaster T248 – The new FFB racing wheel

Finally, on the side of the pedals, I find the same problems as with those I have on my T300RS base (T-LCM) and the reason why I invested in a special seat: the brake is a little too stiff in a seated position and the base tends to slip on the tiles despite its 1.2 kg! Clearly, this crankset too was designed with the idea of a driving seat in mind. But even while staying at your desk, if you install yourself correctly, whether with a seat or by setting the pedals properly with a home installation, the sensations are good.

Thrustmaster T248 – The new FFB racing wheel

Sold €349,99 from October 22, the T248 kit is at the same price as the T300RS alone, the price of the ancestor released in 2014 having fallen significantly over the years (but in this case you do not have pedals), and 80 to 120€ more than the entry-level Thrustmaster, the T150 (depending on its finish). Its real competitors are rather at Logitech, with the G29 (released in 2015) or the most recent G923 (released last August). The T248 is a little more recent than them, a little less expensive (count on average 50€ more for the others), and above all it benefits from the latest innovations of a brand that has established itself as one of the major references in the automotive simulation sector. The plus is really this steering wheel with integrated telemetry, a gadget that you get used to very quickly! So yes, it has the defects of its qualities: vibrations and force feedback are really too strong by default, spoiling the driving pleasure of this steering wheel which really does not know how to be discreet, with its paddles which "snap" at each change of speed. But the settings are there to calm things down, and this steering wheel is not stingy with them, with the settings integrated into the steering wheel, the application (PC) and of course the games (which may offer more suitable default configurations in the near future).

If you're looking for a reasonably priced steering wheel and pedal set that works equally well on PS4/PS5 and PC, the T248 is now one to consider. A new strong competitor in this sector with which it will now be necessary to reckon and which I recommend without hesitation to all good amateurs who want to start equipping themselves.

https://shop.thrustmaster.com