Thrustmaster TX Review: Is This Wheelbase Worth it in 2024?

In 2019, when I first got started with Sim Racing, there weren't many options for PC players (and even more so for console players). One of the best value-for-money wheelbases was the Thrustmaster TX. So, in this review, I will cover this wheelbase and whether or not I feel it's still valuable in 2024.

My Experience With the Thrustmaster TX

My experience with this wheelbase goes a long way. Out of all of the equipment I used in my 4 years of Sim Racing, the Thrustmaster TX was there from the beginning to almost the end.

From F1 2019 to F1 23 and even iRacing and Assetto Corsa, I have played them all using this wheelbase. And I must say that even with direct drive wheelbases becoming more and more accessible to your average Sim Racer, the Thrustmaster TX is still a solid option for beginners.

When I first bought this wheelbase, my first impression was that the FFB (Force Feedback) was strong and smooth.

In fact, I still have my first impression video of the Thrustmaster TX on YouTube.

I was super happy with the pedals as I had done my research, and at the time, the T3PA pedals were one of the best cheap pedals you could get.

However, now I do believe that the pedals you get with the Moza R5 Bundle are much better than those pedals.

With the 3.9nm of FFB, I think the Thrustmaster TX is a great starter wheel for getting people's feet wet with Sim Racing. Though it's not comparable to the Simucube Ultimate's 32nm of FFB, it's more than enough for any sim that you want to play.

However, I don't think it's enough to stay with; upgrading is something that I yearned for and will most likely be something you will also want.

So, I mainly recommend this wheelbase for people who are just starting and want to enter an ecosystem without breaking the bank.

The Thrustmaster Ecosystem

The Thrustmaster Ecosystem has had a lot of years of development and the TX is can use every product currently out with Thrustmaster.

Pedals:

These are the main pedals that I would recommend from Thrustmaster. The TLCM pedals are the best as they are loadcell and will greatly improve your consistency. Highly recommend checking out my review on them.

Most people will connect their pedals directly to the TX wheelbase; however, if you're on a PC and you have the TLCMs, you can afford to connect them to your PC instead.

Steering Wheels:

Here are the main steering wheels to use with the Thrustmaster TX. The TM Openwheel is a cheaper addon that has served me well over the years. However, if you want a more premium feel, the SF1000 is perfect!

With more buttons and a large screen, there's a lot more you can do with the SF1000 compared to any other wheel from TM.

Shifter:

Thrustmaster only have a single shifter, and I don't have much experience with it myself, so I will refer you to this review (made by ) to let you know if this is the shifter for you.

Handbrake

Similarly to the shifter, I don't have any experience with the handbrake, so I have added a review (made by):

This is one of Thrustmaster's strong points: having an entire ecosystem that can be bought for less than £750 is very helpful to newer players.

Pros & Cons of The Thrustmaster TX

Overall, I would say there are more pros than cons with this wheelbase, but depending on what you're looking for, some of the cons might be a dealbreaker for you.

Pros

First of the pricing, £200 for just the wheelbase is a decent price for just the servo motor. I mentioned bundles, but I will discuss those prices during that section.

Next up the ecosystem, Thrustmaster has had a long time to develop many products to compliment their wheelbases, and they now have pretty much everything you need to do any Sim Racing.

Bundles are perfect for new players to plug and play immediately, getting everything you need immediately.

This is exactly what I did; I purchased the Leather Edition bundle with the Wheelbase, a circle wheel, and the T3PA plastic pedals.

That cost me £330 at the time (which was October 2019).

There are other bundles as well, but with newer pedals and wheels available, I am sure you can find the best bundle for you.

Next is the FFB detail, notice how I didn't say strength because even though it's not bad, I would consider it more a con than a pro. The detail, however, is pretty good.

Oversteer and Understeer are very easy to notice, and the road textures are noticeable. I recommend using 100% FFB within the software and then adjusting the in-game settings to get the most out of this wheelbase.

Cons

Now we have the cons; with the cheaper pricing, a lot had to be sacrificed, which is where most of the cons come from, so let's talk about that.

First, the software, in my opinion, is Thrustmaster's biggest crutch. The software is super outdated and very poor. Comparing it with the Moza PitHouse software, it's more than night and day.

Thrustmaster, PLEASE update the software!

As mentioned before, the strength is 3.9nm, which is enough, don't get me wrong, but compared to other wheels on the market, it's fairly weak. Even just jumping to a 5.5nm wheelbase with Moza's R5 was a significant difference.

If this is a wheelbase you plan on getting to test the waters, I don't think this is really a con, as you will eventually upgrade; if not, consider it ASAP.

The QR (Quick Release) System on this wheelbase has got to be one of the worst I've seen. I honestly can't even consider it a "Quick Release" system.

You have to attach the wheel to the base, lock it in by turning the lock mechanism and then use a screw to fully lock it in place. Switching wheels can take a few minutes.

Again, compared to Moza's QR system, you can change your wheel in seconds, and it's a night and day difference.

Lastly, I haven't experienced overheating with this wheelbase, but I have seen and heard many complaints about it.

The main solution would be to turn the FFB strength down in the software.

Final Words & Where to Pick Up The Thrustmaster TX

So that's it. Regarding the Thrustmaster TX, I think that even with the rise of cheaper direct-drive wheelbases and bundles, the TX is still a very solid option for people looking to dip their toes into Sim Racing.

After 4 years of using this wheelbase, I will have to give it a solid 3.5 out of 5. It is lacking a little bit in the strength department, and though it never happened to me, I have heard many people complain about overheating and drops in FFB over the years.

Let me know your thoughts on the Thrustmaster TX if you have used it yourself, and any questions can be asked in the comments below.

Now get out there and start winning races!