The Thrustmaster product catalog Thrustmaster includes several sim-racing peripherals, making the French manufacturer very popular with racers around the world. Thrustmaster’s adventure into sim-racing goes back a long way, and the manufacturer has made a name for itself in the game, alongside Fanatec and Logitech.

The main aim of a manufacturer of sim-racing peripherals is to sell its products to as many people as possible. And to do this, they need to offer a certain range in their catalog. At Fanatec for example, the German manufacturer has three distinct product ranges: the CSL represents the entry-level, the ClubSport the mid-range and the Podium the top-of-the-range. Naturally, each range has its own products.

The French manufacturer doesn’t really have the same approach to compartmentalizing its range as Fanatec, and it’s quite frankly a bit of nonsense when it comes to Thrustmaster’s products. For this article, I’m going to look at a pedalboard, the T3PM, which is just a little above the T3PA, and is a typical example of a product that doesn’t really belong in a sim-racing peripherals range. I’m going to tell you about its strengths and weaknesses, and give you my opinion on it.

Main features and technical specifications of the crankset

• All-plastic crankset with metal pedal plates
• 3 adjustable pedals
• Compatible with all platforms available on the market
• Magnetic sensors on pedals
• The brake is spring-loaded at the rear to simulate resistance.
• 4 brake hardness modes
• Does not require a cockpit to operate

T3PM design

For the design of the T3PM, Thrustmaster has adopted an almost identical design to that of the T-LCM, changing only the materials used. The result is a very sober device, with the color black dominating the entire product.

The 3 pedals are virtually identical in design, with the exception of the brake pedal, which has a reinforcement at the rear to accommodate the resistance spring. Speaking of the spring, it’s chrome-plated, with a few red and white parts.

The footrest is textured with Y-shaped reliefs. It’s beautiful, I must admit, and sets it apart from the competition.

Customized assembly

Given that the T3PM is intended to replace the T3PA on mid-range setups, this pedalboard can be used on the floor and on a cockpit, chassis or stand. To ensure that it doesn’t move around on the floor, you’ll find rubber pads all over the bottom, which provide excellent adhesion on most surfaces. What’s more, the T3PM is not a Load Cell, so it won’t go on vacation every time it brakes hard.

For mounting on a chassis, cockpit or other support, you have fixing points underneath which can accommodate the screws. This rig-mounting operation is very easy to carry out, and won’t take up much of your time either.

Manufacturing and finishing

The T3PM makes abundant use of plastic for its structure, and that’s to be expected since it’s a cheap version of the T-LCM, and an improved version of the T3PA. Everything on this device is plastic, from the frame to the footrest and pedals. Only the pedal plates are in chromed metal, which enhances the overall look of the device.

As for the finish, it’s well done. I didn’t notice any burrs or manufacturing defects, and that’s to be expected given that Thrustmaster has been in the game of sim-racing peripherals for over 20 years. The plastic is correctly painted, and all parts are well assembled. Overall, the T3PM is a well-made and well-finished product too, even if the plastic is the main player.

Getting to know the pedals

Since the T3PM is made entirely of plastic, this pedalboard feels light in the hands, which is a good thing, especially for those without a cockpit. The gas pedal and clutch pedals are smooth and easy to depress during sim-racing sessions. What’s more, Thrustmaster has used magnetic sensors to better register your inputs.

As for the brake pedal, it’s fitted with a spring to simulate resistance during your runs. There are 4 braking modes to suit your preferences, but it doesn’t quite match the feel and sensation of a Load Cell. The brake can be a little hard on the foot, and it’s clearly better than the one on the T3PA. Nevertheless, the T3PM remains far behind Thrustmaster’s T-LCM, at least in terms of feedback.

Sensations during play

The T3PM, while no match for the T-LCM, is a big improvement on the T3PA, which is far too basic in my opinion. In terms of feel, all three pedals feature H.E.A.R.T pressure sensors, which the manufacturer claims are very precise magnetic sensors, and I can assure you that they are. As soon as you lightly touch the gas pedal or clutch pedals, the data is read, and frankly, the dead zone is minimal.

For the brake pedal, the rear spring is adjustable in 4 different resistance modes. Feel-wise, it’s still not on the same level as a Load Cell, but it’s not bad at all. On the PC, the T3PM makes full use of its 14-bit resolution, giving it a wide range of input readings. And on consoles, it’s only 10 bits, but that’s still very good, believe me.

Depending on the spring setting, the brake pedal can be hard when braking, but the feel is rather linear, unlike a Load Cell. Thanks to the H.E.A.R.T sensor, I didn’t notice that much dead zone on the brake pedal, at least with my hardness setting. It’s quite soft underfoot, and will start to get a little harder as you approach the stop.

T3PM crankset compatibility

So, the T3PM is compatible with all platforms available on the market: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC. It’s truly complete, and that’s another of Thrustmaster’s strengths.

As far as the brand’s other peripherals are concerned, the T3PM is also compatible with the manufacturer’s entire catalog, which shouldn’t be a problem at all, even if you have an old setup. And it’s exactly the same for sim-racing titles: Thrustmaster is a big name in the game, and all games support it natively.

Value for money

This pedalboard is currently listed at €130 on the manufacturer’s website, but can be reduced to as little as €100 in some cases. At this price, it’s quite frankly an excellent product, especially when you consider the competition and determine that there’s virtually nothing that comes close, either in terms of price or performance.

Build quality is good, even if the T3PM uses plastic. And the feel is right for most riders. As far as I’m concerned, the T3PM offers very good value for money.

My verdict on the Thrustmaster T3PM

The T3PM is a crankset I’d recommend to all riders who can’t afford a T-LCM, but are looking for a crankset that comes close enough to giving us a good riding feel. Of course, there will always be a big gap between the two cranksets, but don’t forget that the T-LCM costs €100 more than the T3PM, and you’ll need a cockpit to mount Thrustmaster’s Load Cell crankset.

If you’re looking for a good pedalboard from the French manufacturer of sim-racing peripherals, you’re on a budget and your setup doesn’t include a cockpit, head for the T3PM with your eyes closed, because it’s a product I recommend and really like. A word of advice: wait for the special offer periods to find it at €100.