After an appearance kept under wraps, Thrustmaster officially releases a new Direct Drive base for PC and Playstation (PS4 and PS5): the T598 , which not only fills a gap in the manufacturer’s range, but also incorporates new technologies to get things moving.

Thrustmaster’s new base: the T598

Let’s start with the main course: the new T598 base. We saw it briefly at Gamescom last August, under a veil to keep its secrets. But today, Thrustmaster is officially launching it, and it’s currently available for pre-order, with deliveries scheduled for late November in Europe.

So, what is the T598? In concrete terms, it’s a DD base, but with an axial flux motor rather than a radial one. The difference between these two technologies is that with a radial flux motor, the magnetic field is perpendicular to the axis of rotation, as is the case with virtually all DD bases on the sim-racing market. And on an axial flux motor, the magnetic field is parallel to the axis of rotation. It’s rather complicated to explain in a short article, but think of this technology as one that brings efficiency, less heat, smaller packaging, better responsiveness and the disappearance of cogging (parasitic movements).

On paper, the T598 develops 5 nm of constant torque and 10 nm of peak torque in a short space of time. This is made possible by the new motor, which enables 100% overshoot. What’s more, the base exploits the resonance effect of the electric motor, which is considered undesirable in the medium, to transform it into haptic feedback for various effects. It’s really quite cool, and I can’t wait to try it out.

The matching Sportcar Steering Wheel

Ah, I didn’t mention it, but the T598 is a bundle with new sim-racing peripherals. It includes the T598 base, the Raceline LTE crankset and the Sportcar Steering Wheel.

As for the steering wheel, it’s a rather handsome one, with a diameter of 30 cm. The front is finished in carbon fiber, with rubber around the rim. The faceplate integrates all the wheel’s controls, with 2 magnetic paddles at the rear. We also find Thrustmaster’s QR on the rear, which is taken from that of the T818: a plastic structure, unfortunately, but a solid one, I must say.

Raceline Pedals LTE

Already seen at Gamescom 2024, this pedalboard is now part of the T598 bundle. It features a metal structure, fully adjustable pedals, HEART magnetic sensors and the possibility of upgrading with kits, including Load Cell, which will be available shortly.

T598 price and availability

The T598 bundle will be priced at a super-competitive €500, with pre-orders open today and delivery scheduled for late November.