Thrustmaster T248P Review: A Dashboard on a Budget Wheel

Twenty five buttons, a screen, and a brake that still measures travel.

Specifications

Specifications above come from Thrustmaster's published product specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.

What it does well

• Twenty five buttons and two dual-position encoders means you can map pit limiter, brake bias, traction control and fuel mix without a separate button box.
• The dashboard screen is genuinely useful for tyre temperatures and fuel rather than being pure decoration.
• On-the-fly force feedback adjustment with three presets, so you can soften a wheel mid-session rather than after it.
• Leather on the grip surfaces at this price is unusual and it makes long sessions more comfortable.
• It works on the current PlayStation generation as well as PC, which not every wheel at this price does.

Where it falls short

• The pedals are the same story as everywhere at this price: no load cell brake, so you brake by position rather than by pressure.
• The force feedback is not as strong or as smooth as the T300RS above it, and that is the specification that actually changes how a car communicates.
• The screen adds an electronic component to a wheel, and screens are a failure point that a plain rim does not have.
• Twenty five buttons on a rim that is not a formula shape means some of them are placed for availability rather than for reach.
• At $308 it sits awkwardly between a cheap wheel and the direct drive options starting around $400 with pedals.

What owners report

Owners rate the button count and the dashboard highly and describe the force feedback as adequate rather than exciting, which is consistent with its position in the range. The pedals draw the usual criticism. People comparing it against the T300RS almost always conclude that the T300RS feels better and the T248 is better equipped, which is a genuine trade rather than a ranking.

Run the comparison at T248 vs T300RS GT, and if the budget can reach further, T598 vs T300RS GT shows what direct drive adds. The build cost calculator will tell you whether waiting for direct drive fits your timeline.

Who it suits

• Racers who want in-car adjustments mapped to the wheel without a button box.
• PlayStation owners on a budget around $300.
• Endurance racers who use fuel, tyre and brake bias information constantly.
• Anyone upgrading from a controller who wants features rather than raw feedback.

Who should skip it

• Drivers who want the best feedback quality at this money, who should take the T300RS.
• Anyone able to stretch to direct drive, where the T598 is the target.
• Racers chasing braking consistency, who need a load cell pedal set.

Alternatives worth considering

Keep reading

• T248 vs T300RS GT
• Logitech vs Thrustmaster
• Sim racing build cost calculator
• Best sim racing wheels under $300
• Thrustmaster T300RS GT review
• Logitech G29 review

This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.