A few years ago, the Swedish car company, Saab, unveiled an experimental prototype car that featured a joystick instead of a steering wheel. Little has been heard of it since. For playing games on your PC the common or garden joystick is unbeatable for general-purpose versatility. But if you're seriously into car racing games or simulators a joystick simply won't do. Maybe this is what Saab found out as well.

What you really need is a steering wheel, ideally complete with foot pedals. In this group test we look at four such devices, ranging from a basic specification through to a model featuring force-feedback and connection via USB port. While most models on the market cater for Formula One fans, we also looked at one model that seems to be aimed at rally fans in particular.

So what are the unique selling points to look out for when choosing a PC steering wheel? To start with, size and appearance will obviously be important. Real racing cars have surprisingly small steering wheels compared to your average family saloon car. Being compact, to a point, is good because you're likely to have to bolt the steering wheel to the desk in front of your PC. Such PC steering wheels used to look very plasticky, but the standard of finish on current models is usually very high and some even feature leather-look trimmings.

Next, you need to decide how you want to change gear. Following the trend of Formula One, most PC steering wheels provide shifter switches that fall roughly where your fingers rest when gripping the wheel. For a near-perfect replica of a real F1 steering wheel, the shifter switches need to extend out in the form of 'paddles'. Only a minority now offer a separate gear lever type shift.

Most PC steering wheel packages come with foot pedals, but it might be worth checking that these are included before you buy. Force-feedback is another feature being popularly touted. Whether this is a must-have feature really depends on the individual. Do be aware that not all games support this feature. If you see the word 'digital' in the specification, the motion sensing mechanism is probably more accurate than a standard analogue system. Finally, although cheaper PC steering wheels plug into the standard PC joystick port, there's a growing trend for game control devices, including PC steering wheels, to be designed for use with USB ports.

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