Logitech RS50 review - a very compelling option for direct drive beginners

Logitech is back with some brand-new sim racing products. The new R series features a new direct drive wheelbase, the RS50, which is aimed firmly at sim racers who want to experience direct drive for the first time and get more serious about their racing. So, does it deliver? Let's get into it.

The RS50 is an 8NM direct drive wheelbase that is compatible with PC, Xbox andPlayStation, depending on the configuration, so there are plenty of options for players depending on their needs. The RS50 system bundle, in which you can choose Xbox and PC, or PlayStation and PC compatibility, is £599 or $699.

For this price, you get the RS50 wheelbase, the RS Wheel hub, the RS Round Wheel rim attached to it, and a table clamp. You don't get pedals with this bundle, but there are some new RS Pedals available, including a 75KG load cell brake and a Hall effect accelerator, which can be purchased separately for £119 or $159.99.

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You can also purchase all the components separately, including the wheelbase itself, which is priced competitively at £249.99 / $349.99 for PC and £339.99 / $449.99 for PlayStation and PC. However, we'll discuss upgradeability options later in the review.

Logitech RS50 design and build quality

The RS50 wheelbase is considerably smaller and more compact than the Logitech G Pro wheelbase, measuring just 161mm in height and 185mm in width, and weighing 4.4kg. It's made from what seems to be decent-quality aluminium, with fins along the side and top. It also features an OLED screen, similar to the Pro wheelbase, which allows you to adjust settings on the fly while on the track. In terms of ports, on the back, you get three USB ports for shifters, hubs and pedals, as well as a USB-C port for PC and console connection, plus a power port.

Moving on to the RS pedals, these come with a 75KG load cell brake and a hall effect accelerator pedal, and you can also buy a clutch pedal separately. It's made of steel, has rubber feet as well as a carpet gripper on the bottom, while also being pretty customisable in terms of where you place the pedals, and you can adjust the load cell too and make the pedal harder or softer depending on your preference. You get some extra spacers and dampers in the box. They don't look, or feel, like the most premium pedals in the world, well, because they're not, but for the price, I'd say they're pretty decent considering you get a load cell brake and hall effect accelerator

The fact that the new RS pedals aren't included in the RS50 system brings us to the upgradability of this new Logitech R series lineup. Because if you get a Racing Adapter, you can connect G25/G27/G29/G920/G923 pedals and use those with the RS50, as well as the driving force shifter or the new RS Shifter and Handbrake, giving you a nice upgrade option if you're using older or more beginner-level equipment. It's nice to see from such a big sim racing brand.

You also, of course, get the RS Wheel Hub, with a round wheel pre-attached, but this can be swapped out with a track wheel, which is exactly what I've done, as I've been using this for GT and Formula racing. I'm not going to talk about the wheel hub too much, because it's already been out for a while now, but here are the basics.

But you can also attach any third-party wheel that has the same six-bolt pattern, although Logitech don't recommend wheels longer than 350mm in diameter. One thing I'll say about Logitech's wheel rims is that, if you're like me and get sweaty palms while you're driving, the TPE material they've used gets pretty slippery, even with the smallest amount of moisture, so I'd recommend using some gloves if you're set on the Logitech rims. The only problem is, there aren't THAT many options, only a round and track wheel right now. Cmon Logitech, hurry up and give us a truck wheel or GT wheel!

For design and build quality, then, I'm giving the RS50 a solid 4/5.

Logitech RS50 features and performance

Let's talk about features and performance, Starting with the RS50, the headlines are that it can generate up to 8NM of peak torque, much more than the 2.3NM you get with belt or gear-driven wheels. It also features TRUEFORCE, Logitech's proprietary technology that translates in-game physics and audio data into haptic feedback through the wheel, in supported titles.

You also get a table clamp included, for those who want to mount it to a desk or table, as well as all the appropriate T-nuts and bolts to mount to a rig.

Now, let's get into performance. I've tested a lot of wheelbases in the past around the 8NM mark, from the Fanatec CSL DD with Boost Kit, to the Moza R9 and even the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race. And Performance-wise, the RS50 stands out to me as particularly impressive, both in the sheer amount of feedback it delivers, as well as the range of sensations through the wheel.

Maybe it's due to the fact that ther RS50 is the very newest 8NM wheelbase, and the technology has just gotten better naturally, but Logitech's latest feels like it generates more than 8NM, so much so that I've genuinely nearly hurt myself a number of times during in-game collisions and crashes, as I just wasn't expecting the sheer amount of force. It feels incredibly consistent across a range of titles too, including Le Mans Ultimate, Assetto Corsa Evo and F1 25, and although Logitech claims it delivers 8NM of

torque, it seems to deliver that pretty consistently, even in long races; there's no drop off. Just before reviewing the RS50, I had an Asetek Forte wheelbase on my rig, a wheelbase that delivers up to 18NM of torque, and I'm not going to say there's not much difference, because that would be ridiculous. But what I would say is that my results and driving haven't suffered at all, having the RS50 mounted instead, and this will genuinely be life-changing for anyone coming from belt or gear-driven wheels.

In the early days of TRUEFORCE, I wasn't particularly impressed with it, to be honest, and I wasn't expecting much from it in the RS50 either. But it works really nicely here, and complements the 8NM of torque by providing a bit of extra detail through the wheel, whether it's a bit of gravel, grass or even a change in road surface or a loss of traction, which is something that its competitors can't really compete with. For the price, and we'll get onto this a bit later, the force feedback and driving experience are superb, particularly for a wheelbase aimed at beginners.

Being aimed at more beginner sim racers, it's no surprise really that the customisation options are somewhat limited with the RS50. There are only a few sliders to adjust the experience in the PC software and on the wheel itself, including changing the dampener and a force feedback filter, but that's about it. This is, probably, all you need if you're just starting out, but it is still a bit disappointing, particularly with brands like Moza, Fanatec and Asetek offering heaps and heaps of customisation, that was a bit of a shame for me and if you're someone who wants to tinker with loads of settings to really personalise your driving experience, this probably isn't the wheelbase for you.

Onto the RS pedals now, and overall, they're a good, solid set of pedals that deliver about the performance you'd expect at this price point. I've tested pedals more expensive than these, that just aren't as good, or don't have the features that this does. By default, the load cell is set right in the middle of not too hard but not too firm, and can be customised in either direction, while the hall effect accelerator is nice and smooth, is more than good enough for even experienced sim racers. On the flip side, something that really annoyed me is the brake pedal itself because, while it can be adjusted up and down, I just found the way it's positioned to be a bit uncomfortable. I've got size 10 feet, so I'm not exactly bigfoot, but even with the pedal on the highest possible point, it was still just a bit too low, and with my foot resting on the foot plate, I was putting pressure on the pedal from the middle of my foot, rather than where you want it to be, which is a bit higher. It's a minor thing, but when you're racing, I don't think there's anything more important than having confidence under braking, and it's something I just had to adjust to and have my foot be floating and not resting when braking. Just one more notch of adjustment was all it would take, but honestly, that's my only grip with these pedals.

For features and performance, I'm giving the RS50 a 4.5/5.

Logitech RS50 value for money

So, how does the RS50 compare with the competition then? Well, Logitech's latest comes in at £599 / $699, with 8NM of torque, PC and console compatibility, a wheel hub, a wheel rim and a table clamp. First, let's take a look at the Moza R9 bundle, which comes in at £748, but that's PC only, and you don't get a wheel hub or a table clamp, but it does deliver slightly more torque. From Fanatec, you have the Fanatec CSL DD QR2 Ready2Race 8NM bundle, which is £435 approx or $689, but that's PC only, although you do get a set of CSL pedals included. Then there's the Thrustmaster T598 bundle, which is Xbox or PS compatible and comes with pedals, but it's only 5Nm of torque, and that comes in at £449 or $599. The TurtleBeach VelocityOne is £629.99 or $649, but it does come with pedals, and finally, there's the Nacon RS Pure bundle, which is £599, but that is PC only, although it is 9NM too.

As you might recognise, there are many options in this price category, but when you factor in price, performance, and compatibility, the Logitech RS50 bundle seems to be a compelling value, particularly for console players. Fanatec's bundle can't be ignored, particularly for PC players, but for console players, it's a pretty good value.

It should be said also, though, that if you want to buy the RS50 on its own, and you only want PC compatibility, it's priced at a remarkable £249 / $299, which even Fanatec can't compete with.

For value for money, I'm giving the RS50 a 4.5/5. There are numerous configurations, but the vast majority offer a really strong value.

Logitech RS50 overall score

Overall, then, the Logitech RS50 bundle, as well as the RS Pedals, are compelling new options for budding sim racers, offering impressive performance, features, and compatibility, plus upgradability, at a comparatively strong price point. There are some compromises with the Logitech RS50, but, at this price point, every option on the market has compromises of some kind, whether that be compatibility, performance or build quality, but I'd argue that the new Logitech RS50 bundle is one of the more all-round strong options on the market, particularly for console players who are wanting to become more serious about sim racing.

Logitech RS50 overall score: 4.5/5