For years, console sim racers looking for a better experience than an entry-level setup were still limited to gear- or belt-driven wheels that often felt more like toys than professional equipment, while PC players could choose to spend excitingly more money for direct drive alternatives. However, the Moza R3 that launched in 2024 changed the landscape with the brand’s first-ever Xbox-compatible direct drive (DD) system that led gaming-tech giant Logitech to make the move downmarket with the direct drive RS50 wheel late last year. But the $729 Moza R3 Bundle (that includes the base, a wheel and pedals) aggressively undercuts the RS50 ($1300 for the wheel and base, and a further $329 for the pedals), landing instead far closer to Logitech’s $500 gear-driven G923 wheel. But let’s back up a bit and explain some of the terms being waved around here - mainly, “direct drive”. A simple explanation of the difference between the Moza R3 (and Logitech RS50) direct drive system and the Logitech G923’s gear-driven system is to think of the gear driven system as being a car with a conventional automatic transmission, while the direct drive system is like having an electric motor on each wheel. Where the G923 has to transmit its feedback and power through a series of gears, the Moza R3 doesn’t, as the wheel is connected directly to the force feedback electric motor. This translates into instant responses, smoother steering and considerably more detail being transmitted through the wheel. In other words, much better and considerably more realistic. Plus, they’re also significantly quieter to boot. I was converted to the joys of direct drive at the launch of the Logitech RS50 last year, where I fell deeply in love with Logitech’s range-topping G Pro Racing Wheel, a professional grade racing wheel that packs a