The sim racing landscape is evolving pretty rapidly. New brands are popping up, technology is advancing, and the price you have to pay for one of the best racing wheels is starting to come down. While there may be plenty of change going on, it’s always nice to have some consistency. Thrustmaster has been a household name in this space for decades, long enough that it's now iterating on its own popular wheels. That’s what’s going on with the Thrustmaster T248R, likely to be a familiar-looking wheel and pedal combo. Rather than something entirely new, Thrustmaster has refreshed the T248 from 2021, making a few setup changes in a bid to improve the overall experience. The price has changed too, like an F1 team shedding weight in order to compete, Thrustmaster has shaved $50/£50 off the T248’s launch price, now starting at £249.99/$349.99.It may have a new price and a new livery, but the technology under the hood remains the same, and that begs an obvious question. Is a gear and belt driven wheel still a viable option in 2026? I’ve been setting lap times with the Thrustmaster T248R to find out.
