Simracing Hardware Guide
There's one for everyone
Whether you are entering the space as a racing fan, a professional or just a typical consumer, simracing hardware is just as diverse. From entry level consumer hardware to fully blown near real simulators - we'll show you around. Where possible, we added affiliate links and we appreciate if you'd use them to sustain the service.
You can get hardware of various manufacturers from just one shop: Sim-Motion
But we also provide individual links to each product.
Wheel and Pedals
The key hardware.
Entry level: Logitech G29 / 920
Strength: 1-2 NewtonMeter
Beginners. If you are yet unsure if this will become one of your main hobbies you don't want to invest too much. This usually means you want to check the consumer brands on the lower end of the price spectrum. Cheap, durable, solves it all: The Logitech G29. Comes with 3 pedals, force feedback steering wheel and a 6-speed H-shifter. Of course the forces are not as strong, don't have the highest fidelity, but until a few years ago, this was all there was for consumers and it was good until the industry developed. It is still the go to entry level device - for roughly 300€
Entry Level: Thrustmaster T300
Strength: 3-4 NewtonMeter
A little above the G29 but also still an entry level device is the Thrustmaster T300. It offers a little more power, a little more fidelity and is also compatible with PC and consoles. It lacks the shifter, but if you want to enter simracing on a reasonable budget, this might be for you. It comes with the option to replace the rim and buy others from the Thrustmaster ecosystem, without having to buy a new base - for around 400€
Mid Level: Thrustmaster TS-PC
Strength: 5-6 NM
If you are on a budget, but here to stay in simracing the Thrustmaster TS-PC might be for you. It offers more power (~5-6 Newtonmeters), even more fidelity and is also compatible with PC and consoles. The package does not include a shifter nor pedals. It comes with the option to replace the rim and buy others from the Thrustmaster ecosystem, without having to buy a new base - for around 550€
Direct Drive: Entry level
Strength 5-11 NM
The continuous growth of simracing also led to better harware. The direct drive technology without belts or gears connecting motor and shaft should now be your go to solution even if you are just starting out. Without gears and belts in between forces can be delivered faster to your hands and the wheel comes alive being able to deliver very fine details, impossible to feel with gear or belt driven wheels. Fanatec's CSL DD is only the first of many more to come in this range. They vary from 5-11 Newton Meters.
New players on the market are for example: MOZA with their 5 or 9 NM bases or also Thrustmasters T818 (10 NM) and Logitech's Pro Racing Wheel (11NM)
Top spec: Fanatec Podium Direct Drive
Strength: 20 / 25 NM
Direct Drive means: no belts, no gearings involved. The rim is directly mounted on the motor shaft and everything is sharper, more immediate with higher fidelity and also: stronger. Up to 25nm in fact. The fanatec direct drive is likely the easiest of all direct drives to install and lets you forget about the technical side of things. It is also the only direct drive that will work with playstation and xbox. The package does not include a shifter nor pedals. It comes with the option to replace the rim with others from the Fanatec Podium ecosystem without having to buy a new base. The Fanatec system has the advantage of not needing an extra cable for the rim as it connects through the quick release.
From around 1100€
Top Spec: Simucube (wireless rim support)
Strength: 17 / 25 / 32 NM
Direct Drive means: no belts, no gearings involved as the motor is moved by a magnet - without mechanical contact. The rim is directly mounted on the motor shaft and everything is sharper, more immediate with higher fidelity and also: stronger. Up to 32nm in fact. This is enough to simulate 1980 F1 or current F2 cars 1:1.
Simucube uses industrial motors in 3 variants that will as of now only work on the PC platform:
The 17nm entry level Sport comes in at 1300€
The 25nm Pro at 1600€
The 32nm Ultimate at 3200€
The Pro and Ultimate additionally have a faster accelerating motor being able to reach higher force levels quicker, which for you essentially means: it's even more immediate even closer to the real thing.
Rims will be needed as additional equipment and you can get everything to fit on the SC hardware.
For most simracers not trying to prepare themselves for the real car usually anything around 20nm is more than enough to give you quite the workout and to still simulate most cars with their actual forces on the rim.
Top Spec: Other DD systems
Strength: 20 NM
There are a multitude of other direct drive systems. None of them - as of now - except the Fanatec also work on consoles.
Various "Open Sim Wheel" (OSW) versions exist which essentially use one of a few industrial motors with a decoder which includes a custom software to dial in the wheel. But you will always need to fit your own rim.
Examples are:
VRS DirectForcePro with the 20nm Mige Motor (most OSWs use) from 900€ for the motor and decoder.
Simtechracing from ~1000€
Augury from ~1000€
Simquip from ~ 1500€ (includes peripherals)
Simracingbay from ~1000€
Ricmotech from ~1200€ using a mini-mite motor.
Or the mighty Simsteering V2 using a Leo Bodnar motor from ~4000€
Other direct drive systems don't use the OSW concept but their own takes on it.
Examples are:
The 16nm Accuforce V2 ~1000€ which comes as a complete solution including rim.
The 10nm Simagic M10 - also around 1000€ and includes a rim
Fanatec also has their own system, but was already mentioned separately.
Custom Rims
For every direct drive system that doesn't come with its own wheel (only Fanatec and Accuforce come with their own rims) you will need to make a choice.
Generally with such high forces you want a slightly bigger rim than you get with the fanatec formula rim for example, that only spans 26cm across. Formula rims typically have 28-30cm while GT style rims can be around up to 32cm. You can also fit wheels from the real car if you can get your hands on one. Other than that there are several replicas for anything you can think of.
From Formula rims with displays to button-less rims for drifting - everything is possible. Yet, while custom solutions are nice for some, most people might want a working solution. Some rims require a cable, some work wireless with some bases, for example the Simucube base offers wireless support. Some rims come with their own wireless dongle. Some brands focus on providing simracing rims.
Cube Controls
- various Formula rims of 28.2cm diameter with or without cable, display and different amount of buttons.
- various GT Rims from 31-32cm, with or without cable.
- all from 700€
Precisonsimengineering has a plethora of rims from GT to Formula:
- The F1 style GPX 29cm rim with display from 2300€
- The 31cm GT1 with display from 1800€
- The 31cm GT3 without display and with wireless as option from 900€
Gomezsimindustries also produces a range of rims, both GT and Formula with and without display and countless buttons - starting at 600€
Ricometch sells a variety of rims adapted for simracing ranging from 200€ to 900€
Simracingbay sells a 30cm Lamborghini/Audi GT3 Rim for ~800€
Ascher sells a formula rim with 28.5cm diameter from 700€ with a wireless option for Simucube.
Entry/Mid Range: Fanatec CSL Pedals
The brake pedal is one of the most important pieces of hardware for simracing. Modulating the brake precisely decides whether you are fast or in the wall.
The CSL Pedals come in 3 version: 2 or 3 pedals and with or without load cell. Load cell means: Your brake input is measured by the amount of pressure (adjustable up to 65kg) you apply versus using the amount of distance the brake is traveling. The load cell is our recommended method.
The CSLs come with 3 different sets of rubbers to give you a stiffer or softer feel.
2 pedals, no load cell: ~ 100€
3 pedals, load cell: ~ 230€
Mid/upper Range: Fanatec ClubSport V3 Pedals
The brake pedal is one of the most important pieces of hardware for simracing. Modulating the brake precisely decides whether you are fast or in the wall.
The ClubSport Pedals come with load cell. That means your brake input is measured by the amount of pressure (adjustable up to 90kg) you apply versus using the amount of distance the brake is traveling. The load cell is our recommended method. The pedals allow to adjust the pedal plate, the resistance or angle and can be mounted inverted (hanging from above) as well.
As an addon you can get different rubbers to simulate different brake pedal feels from road to formula cars (the break performance kit, recommended). Additionally a damper kit can be added to the pedals to get an even more realistic feeling (the faster you press, the more resistance there is). Both addons cost extra.
The pedals alone: ~ 360€
Performance kit: ~ 30€
Damper kit: ~ 80€
Mid/upper Range: Heusinkveld Sprint
The brake pedal is one of the most important pieces of hardware for simracing. Modulating the brake precisely decides whether you are fast or in the wall.
The Sprints come with load cell. That means your brake input is measured by the amount of pressure (adjustable up to 65kg) you apply versus using the amount of distance the brake is traveling. The load cell is our recommended method.
Different rubber springs to modulate the resistance are included. You can choose to buy 2 or 3 pedals as they function individually and are mountable more flexibly. Angle, travel distance and resistance are adjustable and are superior to the fanatec counterpart in that regard.
2 pedals: ~ 600€
3 pedals: ~ 700€
High end: Heusinkveld Ultimate (now Ultimate+)
The brake pedal is one of the most important pieces of hardware for simracing. Modulating the brake precisely decides whether you are fast or in the wall.
The Ultimates come with load cell. That means your brake input is measured by the amount of pressure (adjustable up to 136kg) you apply versus using the amount of distance the brake is traveling. The load cell is our recommended method.
Different rubber springs to modulate the resistance are included. You can choose to buy 2 or 3 pedals as they function individually and are mountable more flexibly. Angle, travel distance and resistance are adjustable. Additionally the ultimates come with hydraulic damping to get as close as possible to the real thing
2 pedals: ~ 1080€
3 pedals: ~ 1320€
Other options are:
HPP Hydraulic pedals pedals from ~1000€
Simtag hydraulic pedals from 2400€
Racewerk S1 Hydraulic pedals from 1250€
Cranfield Simulation's Alkentech from 2000€ (max. 200kg!)
Waveitalia's Wave Force up to 100kg and from 1300€
Simcraft/Tilton pedals from 1200€
IOVALUE Tech pedals up 100kg from 500€
The Rig
All the above needs to be mounted somewhere and again there are various options, from cheap to expensive, from flexible to fixed installation.
Your main considerations must be:
The stronger the wheel and the more force you will use for your brake pedal (load cell), the more sturdy your rig must be, the more expensive it will be. Now its only about the flexibility you need and the space you have available. Rigs roughly can be sorted in two categories: Rigs that are designed by the manufacturer and rigs that are built form standardized parts like aluminum beams. The former usually does not need you to build it yourself from many pieces, while the latter gives you more flexibility. But as with everything else in simracing: Everything is kind of custom and sometimes needs some fiddling to get all your equipment and mounting match one another.
Most rig suppliers like Playseat, Next level racing and GT Omega offer a variety of rigs from entry to professional level. This list won't be conclusive, but take it as an entry point.
Entry to mid level: Playseat Evolution
Your entry level rig, that has a foldable seat and can at least become a little smaller when you don't need it. It's not the most sturdy but it certainly holds your G29 properly in place and can handle the midrange wheels as well, while having a fair amount of adjustability to fit your specific size. The monitor will be separate from the rig. Its a good rig for the casual player.
From ~300€
Similar to: Next level racing challenger
For the more enthusiast amateur or pro player:
Playseat Sensation Pro
It can hold any wheelbase and pedal set, comes with a monitor mount and a comfortable alcantara seat. Everything is built in a sturdy fashion and seat, wheel and pedal positions are adjustable. This complete solution comes at quite a prize tag though.
Other similar, but cheaper rigs:
Next Level Racing Ultimate that might not be as sturdy but other than that offers the same mounting options if you buy the additional monitor mount.
From ~2000€
Pro level:
Aluminum rig built from standardized industrial grade parts.
There are a few suppliers of these kind of rigs. Heusinkveld is the one from the image. They are sturdy enough to fit any force feedback motor without any of the forces shaking up the rig. There are some customization differences or how compact they are, but overall Heusinkveld, Simlab and JCL are your go-to brands for these kind of rigs. But also Next Level Racing, GT Omega and others now offer 80/20 profile rigs. You'll need to be willing to use a screw driver (or rather allen key), but once it's all set up you usually won't have to touch it again. Most come without the seat or monitor mount, which will come with additional cost.
If you want to save some more and are good with tech and mechanics, there's also a parts list to recreate these rigs (please get in touch) or buy all the parts as a package from motedis.
Prizes vary from and excluding extras:
Simlab: ~450€
JCL: ~630€
Heusinkveld: ~1350€
Motedis: ~ 270€