The Logitech G29 is still one of the most recognizable sim racing wheels in the world. Walk into almost any electronics store and you will find one on the shelf. Scroll through beginner sim racing guides and it still comes up constantly. On paper, it looks like a safe choice.
The problem is not that the G29 is unusable. It still works. Plenty of people race with one daily. The real issue is that the G29 has remained essentially unchanged for well over a decade, while the sim racing market around it has moved forward in almost every possible way.
In 2026, that gap is impossible to ignore.
The core of the G29 has always been its gear driven force feedback system. Years ago, this was normal. Today, it feels dated the moment you turn the wheel.
The feedback is loud, mechanical, and not particularly smooth. You feel the gears constantly, especially around center. Fine detail gets masked by vibration and notchiness. Transitions feel stepped instead of fluid. These are things that were accepted when there were no real alternatives at the same price.
That is no longer the case.
The biggest reason the G29 feels out of place in 2026 is not because it got worse. It is because everything else got better.
Entry level direct drive bundles now exist at similar prices. Wheels like the Moza R3 and PXN VD4 offer cleaner feedback, faster response, and far less mechanical noise. Even at lower torque figures, the difference in clarity is immediately noticeable.
Once you experience modern entry level direct drive, it becomes very difficult to justify buying a gear driven wheel at full retail price.
One of the strongest arguments in favor of the G29 has always been reliability. Logitech wheels tend to last. They are easy to set up, widely supported, and compatible with almost everything.
That still matters, especially for beginners who want something that works out of the box.
But reliability alone does not justify outdated technology being sold at a modern price. In 2026, compatibility is no longer a unique advantage. Many newer wheels are just as easy to live with while offering a far better driving experience.
The G29 is often defended with the argument that it is good enough. That is true in a very literal sense. You can race, learn tracks, and enjoy the hobby with it.
The issue is value. In many regions, the G29 still sells new for well over $300. At that price, it is no longer competing with older belt driven wheels. It is competing with entry level direct drive.
And in that comparison, it simply does not hold up.
The Logitech G29 does still have a place in 2026. That place is the used market.
Picked up second hand for around $100, expectations are aligned. You know you are buying older technology. You are paying for reliability and availability, not performance.
As a cheap entry point found locally, the G29 can still make sense. As a brand new purchase at full retail price, it does not.
The reason the G29 is still everywhere is simple. It is familiar. Retailers trust it. Parents recognize the brand. Beginners search for it by name.
Logitech has no real incentive to change it because it continues to sell.
That does not make it a good buy in today’s market. It just explains why it refuses to disappear.
The Logitech G29 is not insane because it still works. It is insane because it is still being sold as if nothing has changed.
If you already own one, there is no immediate reason to panic or upgrade. If you find one cheap on the used market, it can still be a reasonable way into sim racing.
But buying one new in 2026, at modern prices, is hard to justify when cleaner, quieter, and more capable alternatives exist for the same money.
The market moved on. The G29 did not.
