Logitech is a world-famous brand for its PC gaming peripherals, notably its range of mice, keyboards and headsets. The Swiss manufacturer also offers a range of sim-racing peripherals for virtual car driving enthusiasts and beginners.

Until 2022, Logitech’s main market for sim-racing peripherals was the lower end of the market, with simple bases offering feedback for novices only. This changed during that year, when the brand launched its first Direct Drive bundle, the G Pro Racing. Logitech made its mark at the time, and building on its momentum, is doing so again today with the RS50, a bundle aimed at the segment just below the G Pro, i.e. DD bases with less than 10 nm of torque.

Our sim-racing setup features the new Direct Drive base, which goes hand in hand with a new, fully-rounded steering wheel, and a 75 kg Load Cell crankset on the brake. How does the RS50 stack up against the competition, especially Fanatec’s CSL DD? Well, that’s what we’re going to find out.

Main and technical features of the bundle

• Bundle available with base and steering wheel for PC/Xbox and PC/PS
• 8 nm max torque base
• Full metal structure for base and steering wheel (aluminum)
• Compatible with Logitech’s new ecosystem, including steering wheels
• TrueForce, an additional layer of feedback, especially for vibration
• 29 cm-diameter steering wheel with aluminum structure and TPU leather on the hoop
• Hub controls with 2 rear-mounted paddles and Logitech’s new Quick Release system
• Compatible with PC, Xbox and Playstation, provided you have the right equipment
• New RS Pedals 75 kg Load Cell crankset available

G RS 50 design

The design of the RS50 is nothing like that of the G Pro Racing base. Here, we can feel that Logitech has taken a little inspiration from the competition by offering a smaller, more triangular housing, with fins all over it.

As for the steering wheel, I’d say it’s a cross between the G Pro and the G923: overall, it looks a lot like the G Pro, but with the touch of Logitech’s budget-friendly steering wheels. As a result, the wheel is small in diameter (29 cm), but the bar is rather thick, which makes for a comfortable ride.

As for the pedalboard, it’s pretty straightforward, with metal construction and just 2 pedals, all painted black. A clutch kit is available from the Logitech store, just in case.

Customized assembly

Logitech offers a clamp for mounting the base to furniture, ensuring a firm grip. Whether you’re using a table, a desk or anything in between, installation is very easy, and the clamp offers a good level of support.

The wheel incorporates a hub at the rear which accommodates Logitech’s Quick Release. To install the wheel on the base, simply pull the ring, align the two components and press the QR into place. Simple, effective and, above all, solidly connected.

And if you’ve got a cockpit, don’t worry, Logitech hasn’t forgotten you, as the base incorporates a bottom-mounting system with nuts to secure everything. The operation is just as simple as with the clamp, which means Logitech scores a lot of points as far as I’m concerned.

Bundle manufacture and finishing

Where Logitech strikes a chord with its direct competitor, Thrustmaster, is in its build quality. The brand emphasizes premium quality on virtually all its sim-racing peripherals, and the RS50 is no exception.

The electric motor is housed in a metal casing, providing a solid structure, as well as one that efficiently dissipates the heat generated by it. The fins on the base provide an additional level of heat dissipation, as well as enhancing the device’s design.

The steering wheel is based on an aluminum structure, with a brushed effect on the faceplate. It’s beautiful, very well made, and above all well cut out too, as the hub takes up space in the center of the steering wheel with a kind of pass-through for certain controls.

On the headband, TPU leather covers the entire wheel. It’s smooth, and Logitech has added black stitching on the inside. It’s beautiful, and very well finished.

Handling the steering wheel

The wheel is 29 cm in diameter, with a fairly large hoop. In terms of grip, the controls are very close to your fingers. I like the switches that point towards the steering wheel, and are positioned at the bottom. All you have to do is lower your hands to reach them, without letting go of the steering wheel in the middle of a curve.

However, there is a slight hitch: the wheel feels small in your hands. If you’re driving rally or drift-type titles, that’s no problem. But if you’re doing endurance or GT racing, you’ll feel that your hands are too close together, which may not be optimal for some drivers.

Sensations during play

Let’s move on to the feel of the RS50. To begin with, I noticed that the power is very well dosed, with a saturation that doesn’t happen if you configure the device and the sim-racing title correctly. As for the feel, the base is very responsive to what the car you’re driving is doing and undergoing, and this is true of virtually all the sim-racing titles I was able to test this bundle with.

8 nm of torque isn’t all that much, especially if you’re an experienced user, and Logitech is counting on this figure to push its new Direct Drive base. It’s precise, responsive, communicative, and above all fun to use in full race mode. The base doesn’t really have any blurred zones, but the steering wheel tends to want to return to the center rather quickly. It’s not too bad, and you get used to it very quickly, I must admit.

As for the steering wheel, well, it’s small at 29 cm in diameter. If you’re used to steering wheels from Fanatec or other manufacturers with diameters of over 30 cm, this wheel will seem too small for GT/endurance racing. On the other hand, for rallying, it’s the right size as far as I’m concerned.

RS 50 compatibility

Logitech, as usual, covers all racers and their platforms. There’s a version for PC/Xbox, and one for PC/Playstation. For the former, the base doesn’t change, and it’s the hub that enables compatibility with Microsoft consoles. For the second, the base is specific to Playstation, as well as being PC-compatible. So be careful when ordering this bundle.

Value for money

If you buy the bundle (base + steering wheel) and pedals, the bill comes to €800 whatever the platform, giving the RS50 pretty good value for money compared with the competition.

If you’re PC or Xbox only, there’s a trick to saving €80: just take each peripheral separately, with the clamp, for a total of €720.

My verdict on the Logitech G RS 50 Bundle

Logitech brings a breath of fresh air to a segment that is dominated by Fanatec and its 8 nm torque CSL DD and GT DD Pro. The RS50 offers a viable alternative to Fanatec’s basics, and for virtually the same price too.

Admittedly, Logitech’s catalog of steering wheels pales in comparison with Fanatec’s, and this is true of all other brands if you think about it. However, in terms of feel and feedback, the RS50 packs a punch, so much so that it begs the question of which ecosystem to choose. Even if the GT DD Pro maintains a slight edge in certain aspects, the RS50 remains, in my eyes, a base that’s clearly worth the detour.