Gomez Sim Industries X-29 Steering Wheel
GSI, also known as Gomez Sim Industries, stands out as a top manufacturer of high-quality steering wheels. Founded by Jose Gomez in January 2021, the company has quickly gained a strong reputation. Notably, GSI collaborates with Tony Kanaan, the IndyCar champion and Indy 500 winner, resulting in various Limited Edition steering wheels bearing his name. Another notable figure at GSI is Daniel Sosulski, aka YouTuber Dan Suzuki in the sim racing community, serving as the Director of Engineering.
Whether it’s a Formula or GT-style steering wheel, each sim racing wheel is meticulously handcrafted in Dallas, Texas, USA. GSI is renowned among sim racers for delivering uncompromising quality, infused with the immense passion behind the wheel’s production. GSI’s motto is simple: “GSI products are carefully designed to meet the demands of serious gamers and professional sim racers pursuing top performance and unparalleled precision.”
Since the establishment of Gomez Sim Industries, we’ve maintained a solid relationship with Jose. Due to the overwhelming popularity of GSI steering wheels, we haven’t had the chance yet to write a review until the announcement of the X-29 steering wheel. We were instantly captivated by its aesthetics and material choices. Upon reaching out to GSI, they were genuinely enthusiastic and promptly sent us a unit of the X-29 steering wheel.
The GSI X-29 steering wheel is a GT-style wheel available through the GSI online store. Starting at €624.95 excluding VAT, shipping, and import costs, the price may vary based on selected options. We received the version with dual-clutch, carbon fiber paddles, and an AH50 aluminum hub, priced at €859.95 excluding VAT, shipping, and import costs.
Packaging & Contents
We receive a large brown box from DHL, and inside, there’s a beautiful product box adorned with a sleeve featuring a detailed technical illustration of the GSI X-29 steering wheel. Sliding off the sleeve reveals an equally stunning product box. Upon opening it, a QR code directing to the online manual catches our eye. Quality-looking black foam padding surrounds the contents. Removing the protective layer reveals the GSI X-29 steering wheel and a USB data cable—nothing more, nothing less! Unfortunately, this does mean that we’re missing some assembly materials, such as a QR or adapter, to dive straight into using the GSI X-29 steering wheel.
The X-29 Steering Wheel
The X-29 steering wheel from Gomez Sim Industries is crafted as an entry-level gateway to the high-end steering wheel market, offering ample functionalities and exceptional value for sim racers. This makes the wheel suitable for driving GT3, F1, and LMP cars. Compatible with wheelbases designed for PC use, it can be controlled via SimHub. There are two versions available: one with two paddles, weighing around 1100 grams, and a version with four paddles, weighing approximately 1250 grams. The wheel has a width of 290mm.
The wheel’s housing is constructed from high-quality black anodized aluminum, precision-crafted using CNC milling machines. The housing is accented with an aluminum front plate, providing a robust and solid appearance. This construction imparts a notably rigid and sturdy feel to the wheel. The grips of the steering wheel are made from molded silicone, ensuring a grippy and comfortable feel in the hands. It’s worth mentioning that seams from the molding process are visible both on the inside and outside of the grips. Unfortunately, these seams are clearly visible and palpable.
Front Side
At the front of the Gomez Sim Industries X-29 steering wheel, there are two 7-way multi-switches conveniently positioned at thumb height. Additionally, ten RGB LED push buttons are available, five on each side. Each button is accompanied with its own function label, laser-marked on the front of the wheel. These buttons can be individually customized in terms of color and are telemetry-controllable. With an actuation force of 500 grams, similar to pressing a ballpoint pen, they provide a distinct click when used. In the center of the wheel, there are three rotary encoders with push-button functionality.
Back Side
At the rear of the steering wheel, two shift units (referred to as “CEMS N52” V3 Shifters by GSI) are positioned at the middle and ring finger levels. Directly below them are two optional analog modules that can be configured in three ways: as dual clutches, analog inputs, and button inputs. The modules come with aluminum paddles as default, but our steering wheel features the optional carbon fiber paddles. Additionally, our wheel is equipped with an optional aluminum adapter at the back, featuring a 6×70 mm bolt pattern. This allows you to mount the most common quick releases, such as those from Fanatec, Asetek, Simucube, and Simagic. Beneath the aluminum adapter is a 4-pin Lumberg connector for the connection between the steering wheel and a preferably powered USB hub to your PC.
Assembly
We’re set to use the GSI X-29 steering wheel on our Fanatec DD2 wheelbase. For this, we attach a Fanatec Podium Hub to the steering wheel. Unfortunately, there were no bolts included with the steering wheel, but luckily we had some on hand. Mounting the Podium Hub is a quick task, taking just a few minutes. Once we’ve placed the X-29 on our DD2 wheelbase, we connect the data cable between the steering wheel and the USB hub. Windows automatically recognizes the steering wheel, and then we proceed to set up the wheel in SimHub or SimOS.
Software
SimOS
The simOS App is a tool provided by Gomez Sim Industries for configuring and customizing your steering wheel. It’s a proprietary program where you can update the steering wheel firmware, adjust dual-clutch settings, configure encoder settings, and modify LED settings. We opted to keep the default settings as they meet our needs. The tool was solely utilized for the firmware update, a process accomplished with just a few clicks. For other settings, we rely on SimHub.
SimHub
In the recent version of SimHub, adding the GSI X-29 steering wheel is now incredibly straightforward, requiring just a few clicks. After adding the steering wheel in SimHub, everything works almost instantly. To utilize and customize the RGB LEDs and telemetry functionalities of the buttons, you can utilize the default profile in SimHub. However, GSI also offers several fantastic LED profiles on the X-29 product page. We opt to use the standard LED profile, assign our preferred colors to the buttons and configure some standard telemetry functions like flags, spotter, and pit limiter warnings. It’s a relatively simple profile, but it suits us perfectly as Assetto Corsa Competizione drivers.
The Use
Because the GSI X-29 steering wheel boasts a GT-style appearance, we naturally decided to test it in GT cars. Our preference lies with Assetto Corsa Competizione, where we plan to use the steering wheel in a Porsche 992 II GT3 R. Once Assetto Corsa Competizione is launched, all that’s left is to assign the buttons and encoders to the correct in-game functions, and we’re ready to race. Well, at least that’s what we thought!
During the assignment of buttons and encoders, input 13 is automatically assigned for each input. Odd, right? Opening the Game Controllers menu in Windows reveals that both input 13 and 14, the shifters, consistently provide input. This explains the automatic assignment of input 13 when attempting to assign a button. After submitting a support ticket, we quickly discover that this is Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), a problem that can occur on a Fanatec wheelbase with Podium Hub in conjunction with GSI steering wheels.
The support department directs us to the online manual to address the EMI issue by grounding our Fanatec DD2 wheelbase. While this is a possible solution, it doesn’t sit well with us. After reaching out on the GSI Discord channel, we quickly connect with Dan Suzuki. Fortunately, Dan couldn’t accept this situation either and delves into the firmware. After some firmware adjustments and testing on our end, we ultimately resolve the issue via the firmware. This test build of the firmware is eventually released as a public firmware update. Our appreciation goes to Dan and GSI for their serious approach to this problem, indicating their commitment to maintaining quality. We can now assign inputs without any issues and thoroughly enjoy racing with the X-29 steering wheel.
The Steering Wheel
During our initial laps in Assetto Corsa Competizione, the X-29 steering wheel quickly becomes familiar. The grips offer good traction and comfortable handling. The seams on the grips are subtly noticeable, and we don’t experience any sticky sensations when driving without gloves. With gloves on, the grips feel a bit thicker, but it’s not bothersome.
The steering wheel feels exceptionally sturdy, thanks to the entirely aluminum housing and front plate. There’s no detectable flex or play during driving. We can clearly sense the nuances of the force feedback, even when dialing down the power of the Fanatec DD2 wheelbase to below 10 Nm. In our initial impression and subsequent experiences, the X-29 appears to be a well-rounded steering wheel.
Front controls
The quality at the front of the X-29 steering wheel is equally impressive. Every detail, from the push buttons to the aluminum buttons on the rotary encoders, exudes excellent quality and feels just as good. The 7-way switches are conveniently positioned at thumb height, ensuring easy accessibility while keeping our hands securely on the wheel. They operate smoothly and responsively, allowing us to deliver our input quickly and accurately. To use the 7-way switch as a rotary encoder, we need to use our thumb and index finger, briefly releasing our hand(s) from the wheel.
The push buttons used on the steering wheel provide a distinct clicky feedback with each press, ensuring a responsive experience during racing. The rotary encoders have a noticeable click when turned, allowing us to make easy and precise adjustments while driving. They rotate smoothly and respond effortlessly to our input. Both the push buttons and rotary encoders are well-positioned on the steering wheel, enabling us to operate them effortlessly without taking our hands off the wheel.
Rear controls
The shifter and analog modules at the back exhibit a robust build quality and meticulous finishing. The edges of the carbon paddles are neatly smooth. Neither the shift modules nor the analog modules have adjustable paddles. The most you can do is mount the carbon paddles on the inside of the modules, bringing them 6mm closer to you. The default distances work well for us, and we can comfortably operate the modules.
The shifter modules are well-placed at the middle finger height, providing a satisfying shifting feel with excellent feedback. The analog modules can be set in three modes using the SimOS software: dual-clutch, analog input, and button input. It’s great to have these options, but as avid sim racers, we opt for the dual-clutch setting. The spring used in these analog modules has a pleasant resistance, and thanks to the contactless hall-effect sensors, we feel no friction during use. The paddles naturally have a bit more travel and are also comfortable to use.
Video: Driving with the Gomes Sim Industries X-29 Sim Racing Steering Wheel
The video below is a short driving impression of the Gomes Sim Industries X-29 Sim Racing Steering Wheel. In this video we ride with the X-29 steering wheel mounted on our Fanatec DD2 wheelbase in combination with our TREQ Ace Simrig and Asetek Forte pedals. As a racing game we use Assetto Corsa Competizione and, as we prefer, we drive a Porsche 992 II GT3 R.
Conclusion
We thoroughly tested the Gomez Sim Industries X-29 steering wheel, known for its GT-style appearance, in Assetto Corsa Competizione. Initially, configuring the buttons and encoders didn’t go smoothly due to issues with Electromagnetic Interference (EMI). After opening a support ticket and collaborating with Dan Suzuki, GSI successfully resolved this EMI problem through firmware adjustments. Following this, the steering wheel operated smoothly and without any issues.
The X-29 steering wheel exudes quality and quickly feels familiar with its comfortable grips and robust aluminum casing. The grips don’t feel sticky but are slightly thicker, especially when wearing gloves while driving. Nonetheless, they provide a comfortable experience. The force feedback details are accurately transmitted, even with a wheelbase under 10Nm. The buttons have a satisfying clicky feel and offer pleasant resistance when pressed. The front-mounted rotary encoders work smoothly and responsively.
At the back, the steering wheel impresses with reliable shift and analog modules. The carbon paddles are well-crafted, and the shift modules provide a satisfying tactile feel. The analog modules, adjustable in three modes, showcase versatility with a pleasing spring resistance. The default paddle distances are comfortable, ensuring effortless control. Overall, the GSI X-29 is an excellent all-around steering wheel for sim racers looking to upgrade to the high-end GT/F1/LMP segment or for those already in that segment seeking a versatile addition.
If our review has piqued your interest in the GSI X-29 steering wheel, you can order it through GSI’s online store. The starting price for the steering wheel is €624.95 excluding VAT, shipping, and import costs. The final price may vary depending on the chosen options.
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