For a long time, the brand of sim-racing peripherals Thrustmaster has dominated the entry-level bundle segment, thanks in particular to products such as the T300 and its variants. This sim-racing segment is the most highly regarded by gamers wishing to embark on the virtual driving experience.

The main characteristics of an entry-level bundle are a selling price often below €300 for basic products, acceptable performance for the target drivers and compatibility with both consoles and PC. On these points, Thrustmaster has long been dominant, with Logitech and its G series the only competitor.

However, the situation has begun to change in recent years, notably with the arrival of budget-friendly variants from brands such as Fanatec and Moza. Today, you can easily find a Fanatec CSL DD bundle for under €500, including a 5 nm Direct Drive base, a steering wheel of your choice and a standard pedalboard.

Thrustmaster doesn’t want to lose its position, especially since it took a long time for the brand to propose a DD base, the T818, even though it didn’t really live up to fans’ expectations. As a result, the manufacturer has embarked on a new adventure under the slogan Drive Into the New Era. On the menu is a brand-new entry-level T598 DD base, offered as a bundle.

Main and technical features of the bundle

• Direct Drive base with 5 nm constant torque, 10 nm peak torque
• Complete package with DD base, new steering wheel and upgradeable LTE crankset
• Base with Direct Drive Axial electric motor
• PS4, PS5 and PC compatibility
• Steering wheel with 30 cm diameter
• Upgradeable crankset for Load Cell kit
• Screen integrated into the base, and the footprint is really small for the power delivered
• 21 buttons and 2 palettes
• QR taken from T818

T598 design

The T598 looks a bit like its big sister, the T818, at least in terms of shape, but is still very small compared to Thrustmaster’s flagship. The shape is hexagonal, with buttons for the base controls and a small screen at the top. It’s minimalist, with an all-black plastic exterior.

The steering wheel is visually quite nice, even if the materials are cheap I must admit. Sporting an entirely round shape with a small faceplate, the design is racing. Black and red accents are present on the wheel, as is a carbon-fiber skin.

As for the crankset, we’ve already seen it a few months ago, and it’s the Raceline LTE. It looks a bit like Fanatec’s CSL Pedals, with pedals that attach directly to the footrest. Apart from a few Thrustmaster logos, the pedalboard is entirely black.

Customized assembly

The base attaches to furniture or a cockpit/stand using the familiar Thrustmaster clamp. This clamp provides a firm hold on virtually any desk or table. For racers with a chassis, there are screw slots on the underside of the base, and you should be able to install it on a wide range of cockpits without the slightest problem using a tilted base.

The Sportcar steering wheel connects to the steering wheel via the QR inaugurated on the T818. It’s all plastic, admittedly, but the connection to the base isn’t bad, and I didn’t feel any flex on the driveshaft. What’s more, this QR is easy to use, allowing you to swap steering wheels quickly as long as they’re compatible with the new Quick Release.

In the case of the pedalboard, there are screw slots underneath for mounting on a chassis, plus pads for use on the floor. However, if you opt for the former, you may have to drill new holes, as not all of them will align with the frames. And for floor use, the Raceline LTE isn’t Load Cell yet, but there’s still a risk of it slipping on parquet, flagstones and so on. So act with full knowledge of the facts.

Manufacturing and finishing

Given that we’re dealing with an entry-level bundle, the materials used on the T598 are cheap – well, almost all of them. The base and steering wheel are made entirely of plastic, to keep the price competitive. But the finish is nonetheless qualitative, with no apparent flaws as far as I’m concerned.

Only the pedalboard has a metal structure, as it will eventually be fitted with a Load Cell kit, and it doesn’t do that with plastic. The pedals are well finished, with good attention to detail. They’re not expensive, but they’re still well made.

Getting started with the bundle

The Sportcar steering wheel is 30 cm in diameter, with a completely round shape. At the rear, there are 2 magnetic metal paddles that fit perfectly under your fingers, yet are a pleasure to use in sim-racing.

The steering wheel buttons are a different story. Those on the bottom are close enough to your hands, and their shape makes them easy to use in the middle of a race, except perhaps for the directional cross, which is haphazard at best. And the top ones, well… there they are. The shape is odd, counter-intuitive and the layout isn’t great. In addition to being rather spongy in most cases. All in all, the ergonomics of this wheel aren’t the best, and that’s a shame, because Thrustmaster has often succeeded in this respect with its other wheels.

Sensations during play

Let’s take a look at how this new Thrustmaster base performs in play. On PC, and on titles such as Assetto Corsa, the T598 proved to be a good base, providing a fair amount of feedback on the force feedback felt on the track.

Thanks to the T598’s axial motor, and also to Thrustmaster’s exploitation of one of the undesirable effects of this technology, you’ll feel more vibration through the steering wheel, like with vibrators for example. However, this sensation is sometimes too present, blurring the gaming experience. And other times, it’s the opposite: the vibrations are very weak, almost imperceptible, especially on PS5.

As for the wheel’s precision, it’s not only responsive, but also worthy of a sports car. As soon as you turn the steering wheel slightly, the car starts to turn, which is a very good point.

And finally, the Raceline LTE crankset is basic in its current configuration. Sure, there are springs on the 2 pedals, but their resistance isn’t very high, which limits immersion. But it’s still precise and linear, which is a good thing given the bundle’s price and target audience. And Thrustmaster is planning a Load Cell kit for later.

T598 compatibility

Currently, the T598 (bundle) is only compatible with PC and Playstation 4 and 5. I don’t know if Thrustmaster will release an Xbox version as it has for its other bases.

As far as sim-racing titles are concerned, on PC the compatibility list is long, and you’ll have virtually no problems with the T598. On Playstation, the base is not always natively supported, and games often mistake it for the T-GT and impose its force feedback profile. In my opinion, you’ll just have to wait a little while for developers to update their titles to support this new base.

Value for money

Retailing at €499, this bundle offers very good value for money as far as I’m concerned, especially in terms of performance. If you’re a PC user, you’ll be able to exploit the full potential of this base right away, even if the materials and steering wheel feel cheap in your hands.

My verdict on the Thrustmaster T598 bundle

As I just said, if you’re a PC user looking for a high-performance bundle that’s also upgradeable (for the pedalboard), the T598 is perfect. You get power and precision in a package that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

On PS4 and PS5, I’m all for waiting a little longer before clicking on “Commander”. Sure, it’s supported by Sony’s consoles, but it’s not native, which dilutes the gaming experience as far as I’m concerned.

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