Is the Thrustmaster T248R Kit Right for PS5?

The Thrustmaster T248R is a genuine, officially licensed PS5 racing wheel kit and a sensible first setup for games such as Gran Turismo 7 and F1 25. The standard kit includes the wheel, force-feedback base, three pedals and mounting hardware—but it does not include a manual shifter.

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That last detail matters because “kit” is used loosely in store listings. Thrustmaster sells both a standard T248R wheel-and-pedal set and a separate T248R Shifter Pack containing the TH8S manual shifter.

If you want a complete PS5 wheel and pedal set

The standard T248R package contains:

• The T248R wheel and permanently attached wheelbase
• A T3PM throttle, brake and clutch pedal set
• A 48 W power supply and AC cable
• A USB cable
• A desk-clamping system and fastening screw
• An Allen key, manual and warranty paperwork

The wheel uses a hybrid belt-and-gear force-feedback mechanism rated by Thrustmaster at 3.1 Nm. Its fixed rim measures 28 cm across, while the complete wheel-and-pedal package weighs 5.7 kg. There are 25 actions available through its buttons, directional controls and two dual-activation encoders. The color LCD offers 20 displays, accompanied by four status LEDs. These specifications and the complete box inventory are documented on the official T248R product page.

This is therefore enough equipment to start driving on PS5 from a desk or compatible cockpit. You do not need to buy pedals, a power supply or a clamp separately. You may still need a wheel stand if your desk flexes or the pedals slide under braking.

If “kit” means you also want a gear shifter

Choose the T248R Shifter Pack if you specifically want an H-pattern manual gearbox. It adds the TH8S, whose gate provides seven forward positions plus reverse, along with the cable needed to connect it to the wheelbase. The official pack weighs 6.3 kg in total and includes separate clamping arrangements for the wheel and shifter.

Do not buy the Shifter Pack merely because it sounds more complete. Gran Turismo 7, Formula 1 cars and many modern road cars work naturally with the T248R’s built-in magnetic paddle shifters. The TH8S makes more sense for classic road cars, rally vehicles and truck simulators. Thrustmaster lists the exact contents on its T248R Shifter Pack page.

The T598 is the more expandable option: its wheel can be replaced, its pedal system can be upgraded and its direct-drive motor supplies more detailed feedback. Its standard bundle has only two pedals, however, whereas both T248R packages provide a clutch immediately. The official T598 specifications confirm its 5 Nm constant output and detachable rim.

If the wheel is mainly for Gran Turismo 7

The T248R works with Gran Turismo 7 on PS5, including force feedback, pedals, paddle shifting and supported screen telemetry. Traxion’s PS5 test found that GT7 identified the wheel as an older T-GT rather than displaying the T248R name, but the main controls were mapped automatically; the reviewer only had to deal separately with the boost/DRS assignment. The two wheel-mounted rocker controls could operate GT7’s multifunction display.

That is an important distinction: an unexpected model name inside the game does not necessarily mean the wheel is unsupported. Traxion was still able to record competitive Sport Mode times with it, although the reviewer preferred the smoother and more detailed T598. The full observations are in Traxion’s T248R review.

Thrustmaster’s current PS5 compatibility list also includes Assetto Corsa Competizione, Dirt 5, EA Sports F1 23 through F1 25, EA Sports WRC, Forza Horizon 5, Rennsport, The Crew Motorfest, WRC 9 and WRC 10. Compatibility is game-specific, and the LCD’s telemetry functions are supported by a narrower selection than basic steering and pedals. Check the T248R support page and current PS5 game list before assuming that a particular title will populate every display.

There is another easily missed limitation: Thrustmaster says racing wheels do not work with games running through cloud-gaming or streaming modes, including PlayStation Plus streaming and Remote Play. Install the game on the PS5 and use the wheel directly with the console.

If you expect direct-drive detail

The T248R is not a direct-drive wheel. Its belt-and-gear system produces meaningful steering weight and larger effects, but the mechanism cannot reproduce changes as quickly or smoothly as a motor connected directly to the rim.

GamesRadar’s testing illustrated that distinction. The reviewer found the wheel reliable and appropriately mapped in the racing games tested, but described its F1 25 feedback as distant and slightly stepped. Larger events—leaving the track, losing the car or hitting an obstacle—were clearer than fine information about the rear tires. The same wheel felt substantially better in Forza Horizon 5, where consistent resistance and pronounced surface effects suit the game’s more accessible handling. Those findings are detailed in the GamesRadar T248R review.

The published 3.1 Nm figure should still be treated as a manufacturer rating rather than an independent laboratory torque trace. PC Perspective reported that the delivered force reached the three-plus-Nm range during its testing, but did not publish an instrumented torque graph. Its reviewer also found that the wheel reacted more slowly than direct-drive hardware during rapid drift corrections. See PC Perspective’s test and review for that comparison.

Noise has improved without disappearing. In Traxion’s test, the cooling fan started after roughly 30 minutes, and the base became audible during heavy understeer. The redesigned magnetic paddles were noticeably quieter than those on the original T248, but could still be heard from an adjacent room.

If pedal quality matters more than a replaceable rim

The T3PM pedals are arguably the strongest part of the standard package. All three pedals use contactless Hall-effect sensors, and the brake has four mechanical resistance configurations using the supplied springs and elastomer.

Do not confuse Hall-effect sensing with a load-cell brake. The T3PM is not a load-cell pedal set, and changing the spring configuration does not turn it into one. It changes physical resistance while the pedal continues to detect travel rather than braking force. PC Perspective and Traxion both found the brake easy to control, but Traxion confirms that the T3PM cannot be converted into a load-cell model; that upgrade requires a different pedal set.

The firmer brake configurations work best when the pedal base is secured or braced. On a loose pedal tray or smooth floor, increased resistance can move the entire unit instead of improving control.

If you already own the original T248

The T248R is a refinement, not a major performance upgrade. It retains the original model’s hybrid-drive architecture, three-pedal T3PM set, fixed 28 cm rim and onboard adjustment concept.

The meaningful changes are a color LCD with four LEDs, a perforated synthetic-leather outer grip, revised styling and quieter paddle shifters. Thrustmaster’s own comparison describes the 3.1 Nm system as inherited from the T248 rather than an all-new motor. The manufacturer’s T248R update summary identifies the display, grip and paddle revisions.

A working T248 therefore does not need replacing for extra force-feedback performance. The T248R makes more sense for a new PS5 setup or for someone upgrading from a controller, a non-force-feedback wheel or a simpler two-pedal package.

Before the first PS5 race

Connect the pedals and power cable before fully tightening the base to a desk or cockpit. The connections sit in a recessed area underneath the front of the base, which GamesRadar found awkward to reach after installation.

Then connect USB to the PS5, power on the console, let the wheel complete its automatic calibration without holding the rim and press the PlayStation button on the wheel. PlayStation Mode 1 is the default compatibility profile, and the default steering range on PlayStation is 900 degrees. The illustrated sequence is shown in Thrustmaster’s two-page T248R installation manual.

Firmware updates and detailed device testing use My Thrustmaster Panel on a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC. Do not apply instructions or firmware numbers written for the older T248: the T248R has its own support page and update process.

Who should buy the T248R for PS5

Choose the T248R if you want one PS5-compatible box with force feedback, a clutch pedal, useful wheel-mounted controls and no immediate need to assemble a modular system. It is especially well matched to casual or first-time wheel use in Gran Turismo 7, F1 and Forza Horizon 5.

Skip it if you already know that you want a swappable wheel, a load-cell upgrade path or the smooth response of direct drive. In that case, moving directly to a modular PS5 system such as the T598 avoids replacing the fixed T248R wheelbase later. Also skip the Shifter Pack unless the vehicles you drive genuinely use an H-pattern gearbox—the standard T248R already supplies everything required for paddle-shift racing.