THE COMPLETE

SIM RACING
SETUP GUIDE
Monitors Wheel Steering
& VR Bases Wheels

Pedals Seats
& Rigs

+
Shifters and
Handbrakes

Each category has detailed descriptions of key buying criteria to consider and four
have comprehensive comparison tables for all the major products.
PREFACE
Dear Reader,

We made this guide to inform you of all the critical information

needed when investing in sim racing equipment.

This hobby can soon become an expensive one. Understanding

what differentiates products in quality, features and price is wise.

Each category has a motivation for its relative importance. We also

describe key criteria and compare these criteria in comprehensive
comparison tables.

Simplace was founded with the mission to stock the widest array
of sim racing equipment, with fast delivery and great customer
service. We hope this guide serves as a useful aid on your journey
from 2 Nm to 20 Nm!

All the best,

Jesse Simons, Founder

P R EFA CE SIMP L A CE.C O 2/22

CONTENTS
4 Notes

5 Rigs

8 Seats

9 Pedals

12 Wheel Bases

15 Steering Wheels

18 Shifters

20 Handbrakes

22 Monitors & VR
 NOTES
This Version 1.0 of this Ebook. First released 25 November 2022.

The prices listed here are from mid to late 2022. Note prices will vary by location, time and retailer.

We have tried to be exhaustive in our list of products per category, but we may have missed a couple due
their obscurity or because they are very new. These are the products we will include in the next version.
These are major products we know are missing currently:
Product Category
Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel Wheel Base
Cammus Wheel Bases Wheel Base
Moza R5 Wheel Base
Asetek Wheel Base Wheel Base
Venym Atrax Pedals Wheel Base
Logitech G Pro Racing Pedals Pedals

We are also missing comparison tables in some of the categories: Rigs, seats, steering wheels and VR. We
will be adding those comparison tables in later versions of the ebook.

We have tried to be as accurate as possible with our information. Of course, everyone makes mistakes, so if
you have spotted one or two please send us an email. We will update the next version with your corrections.

Most of the information in this ebook is available at our blog: https://www.simplace.co/blogs/sim-racing-

news/. If you want to see updated information, check it out!

Images

Thanks go to these creators for their images.

• Page 1: Tire background. Photo by Benjamin Brunner on Unsplash.

• Page 2: Car pointed down road at sunset. Image by Mario Alvarado on Pexels.
• Page X: T-slot aluminum profiles. Image by flexpipeinc on flexpipeinc.
• Page X: Triple screen gaming. Image by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.

NO T E S SIMP L A CE.C O 4/22

RIGS
Type, Rigidity and Material

The first distinction to make is that rigs can

be single-purpose, or can carry all of your
equipment. Generally the bigger the rig, the
more rigidity it will confer:

RIG SETUPS
◊ Single-item: Just a wheel mount, or just a
pedal mount, as examples. Least rigid.
◊ Multi-item: Includes multiple items, like
wheel and pedal mount, for example. Mildly An 8020 aluminium profile is by far the most
rigid. rigid option to choose. Beyond that, it is also
the most customizable. In fact, this profile is
◊ Cockpit: Carries your seat along with several
not limited to sim racing, but all sorts of DIY
items of equipment. Most rigid.
folk use this extruded material: For furniture,
for storage, for industrial machine frames.
I could think of 20… even 80 uses of this
Once you have decided on what items you want
product, if not more.
your rig to hold, then you can think about the
Note that the aluminium market is costing
two main types of rigs:
the consumer because demand has recently
outpaced supply. This has motivated
TYPES OF RIGS some manufacturers to seek alternatives.
◊ Metal frame: Usually, metal tubing is made Fortunately, analysts predict an oversupply of
of various types of metal. Decently rigid. aluminium starting in 2025 going forward. Let’s
◊ Aluminium extrusion profile: An extruded see if any manufacturers make any innovative
aluminium square profile with T-slots for moves in the interim…
nuts, with various dimensions, but 8020
is the most popular. Very rigid.items of
equipment. Most rigid.

Metal frames are decent options for your

rig. They are not as consistently rigid as the
aluminium extrusion profiles, because their
rigidity depends on the material you use. It
can be aluminium, steel, iron or even some
composite. If it is a steel alloy, that is a good
sign.

R IG S SIMP L A CE.C O 5/22

 The Importance of
R I G I D I T Y
Your good friend comes for a visit: you invited him over to show him your new setup. He
knocks on the door, you open and give him a cool wink. “Come check this out,” you say,
closing the door before leading the way.

“It arrived in the week, and I’ve just got it all put together” you gloat as you enter your man
cave. Your friend comes in and within a moment, you see shock wash over his face. He
manages to keep his composure, or so he thinks… A smirk creeps onto your face.

As you head over to your setup you suppress your smirk. You turn around to face your friend
as you tap your rig: “What do you think of this bad boy?”

“Yes… it’s… it’s…” he awkwardly stammers, “it’s… nice.”

Mmm, may be you shouldn’t make to much of it… What the hell you figure, this doesn’t
happen too often, and, anyway, he did this the other week with his new paint job… screw
him!

You begin to demonstrate all of its features. It’s sleek design, its unique color and all of the
customization options. Your friend smiles and nods, with strain… With each feature, you get
more and more giddy. You can’t contain yourself... You turn to your friend, look him square
in the eye, with a totally unrestrained smirk, and say: “Bet you wish you had one, don’t
you!?”

His eyes widen. He looks at you, he look back at the rig, he looks back at you, and all of a
sudden, with dismay and defeat hanging on his every word, he protests: “But… it’s... it’s
made of plastic!?”

You can flex rigidity, you can’t flex flex.

When your rig has flex, or flexibility, it

undermines all of your other equipment.
What’s the point of a direct drive wheel
when the ripple strips are lost in
reverberation? What’s the point of load
cell pedals if the rig flexes 10° when
you brake? Rigidity should be your
primary concern when deciding on a rig.

R IG S SIMP L A CE.C O 6/22

Upgradability and Accessories
As noted, 8020 rigs also takes the cake when it
comes to upgradability. 8020 profiles are modular
by design, which means you can keep adding on
and adjusting the frame as long as you care to.
People even print 3d parts to attach to their rigs.
I’m sure a drink holder would impress your friend!
Footprint
Big Foot may be a mythical monster, but Big
Footprint is a mechanical monster standing in your
living room, demanding massive square footage
and paying no rent. That is the charm a table setup
provides: all it requires is you sit a few feet back
from your desk.

You can go even further with an 8020, which is
particularly appealing to those too far gone: you
can create mechanisms which allow you to quickly
swap in a new wheelbase or new pedal plate
without reconfiguring the entire rig.
Metal frames, on the other hand, are limited. Yes,
there is room to slide your seat back and forwards,
but making wholesale changes are not possible.
It’s not modular by design.
So, when you consider buying a rig, keep in mind
exactly how much space you have available and
exactly how big your rig will be.
Simplace has over 50 rig and rig-related
products, from brands like Trak Racer, Sim-Lab
and SimXPro. For example,
check out the popular
Sim-Lab GT1 EVO
8020 rig.

As a reminder, these are the things you would

consider mounting on your rig:

Monitor(s)
Wheel base
Pedals
Seat
Shifter
Handbrake
Button box
DIY Rig
Given that 8020 aluminium profiles are applicable
within many industries, it is certainly a DIY option.
A less obvious and common addition is adding
You can buy the base parts and design your own
motion! Motion platforms only support aluminium
rig.
rigs at present and that will probably continue to
be the case given the rigidity advantage an 8020
The other popular DIY material is wood. It’s
profile provides.
much easier to work with than metal tubing, it’s
With the advantage of customizability, comes a
cheaper than aluminium profile and of course, it’s
disadvantage to all us lazy folk: convenience.
sturdy. An excellent choice for those that dabble in
handyman tasks.
You’ll need to be ready and willing to assemble
and tinker with your rig, and do it all again when
new gear arrives.

R IG S SIMP L A CE.C O 7/22

 SE AT S
So, the rig is the structure everything attaches
to, while the seat is the thing that can make or
break… your back. This is certainly an element you Simplace also has loads of seats to choose, from brands
like Sparco, Trak Racer and Sim-lab.
want to consider closely and not skimp on. When
you spend 30 minutes, 1 hour or 4 hours seated,
why not make it a comfortable experience?

First, be aware of the different types of seats:

TYPES OF SEATS
◊ GT Seats: Upright, bucket seats without The Sparco GP Gaming seat
reclining options. is a great option for F1 racers!
◊ Formula Seats: A reclined seat that pushes
your legs up and lies your body diagonal, like F1.
◊ Generic Seats: AUpright seats that can be
reclined to various degrees.

Why do prices vary?

Note that although you don’t have a lever to
recline in the first two options, you can alter the
degree of position in the rig itself, which is then
fixed as you drive. The advantage these have is
that you have a firm foundation from which to
push the brakes. The importance of rigidity shows
itself once more.
Also, consider ergonomy:
» Will your butt fit in the seat?
» Will your VR headset hit the neck support?
» Is there high-density padding to support
your back?
» Does the material breathe?
For seats, material quality and size have the biggest
impact. Of course, the price will also vary by seat
style.
Also, note that some seats are FIA-approved. The
Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) is
the governing body that cecks the suitability of seats
and other equipment for real-world racing. That
means it is fine for sim-racing of course, but it will
add a small premium and since it is not necessary
for sim racing, you may find a cheaper, near-identical
seat elsewhere.

SE AT S SIMP L A CE.C O 8/22

PEDAL S
99
It is better to get quality pedals even
if it means sacrificing a direct drive.

In a series of interviews youtuber random callsign did at the Spa 24h race this year, he asked several professional
real racers their thoughts on pedals. Raffaelle Marciello, who drove on the winning team of the 2022 Spa 24h Race,
repeated what he tells his friends when they ask him for gear advice: It is better to get quality pedals even if it means
sacrificing a direct drive!

Advice From the Pros

In the interviews, several of the Pros give their takes on the

difference between braking in the sim vs braking in real life,
and general braking advice. Let’s look at some common
threads.

G-Force adds weight. On the track, drivers exert 80-130 kg

of weight, but you don’t need that in your sim. According to
David Perel, 30-40 kg is good enough. Marciello notes that he
does not even aim for total immersion in his sim rig: why tire
yourself out when you don’t need to?

Another difference is that braking in the real world has unlim-

ited pressure you can place. Since you are putting your weight
on a hydraulic system that relays that to the brake, the harder
you push, the harder you brake. In sim racing, there is a 100%
beyond which extra weight does nothing…
Shorter and stiffer. There are three major inputs for braking:
One, seeing the track, two, the pressure you apply and three,
the angle of your ankle. All the interviewees agree that weight
is the most useful pedal input - it has a certain visceral feel to
it. The angle of your ankle is far less exact than the pressure
you can apply with your whole leg. This means a shorter travel
with decent stiffness is recommended on your brake pedal.
Yet, don’t be too gung-ho about it. There is an art in using your
ankle for that extra sensitivity on a
softer setup. David Perel mentions that he learnt sensitivity in
the sim and that that made him a better overall driver.
Along the x-axis runs the distance along the track. The top
graph shows the braking percentage, the middle graph shows
the speed and the bottom graph shows the delta against the
best time. Blue shows threshold braking while red shows trian-
gle braking.
As you can see above, rolling into corners is a really important
skill, one that Daniel Morad echoes in his Spa 24h interview.
Think about it this way: starting your braking earlier gives you
more time to measure your total slow down.
There are many more important takeaways from both random
callsign’s Spa 24h Race interviews and Ian Korf’s article, so
be sure to check them out.

If you want more insight into how to improve your braking,

check out Ian Korf over at You Suck At Driving and his great
article where he breaks braking down. In it he illustrates the
impact triangle braking as on your times.

P ED AL S SIMP L A CE.C O 9/22

Pedal Types and Components
There are three types of pedals you should
consider buying:
TYPES OF PEDALS
◊ Throttle: Necessary,
◊ Brake: Necessary and most important.
◊ Clutch: Optional since many cars shift with
paddles attached to the wheel.
Most pedal sets come with the option of buying
all three, only the two necessary pedals or even
one by one in some cases.
Let’s also take a look at the components of a
pedal:
PARTS OF A PEDAL
◊ Sensors: See below for details about the
three types of sensors: potentiometers, hall
effect and load cells.
◊ Springs: Springs can be added to create
progressive resistance for the brake and
throttle, or regressive, for the clutch (as it is
in the real world). These are typically either
made of metal, foam or elastomer.
◊ Hydraulic Dampeners: These also provide
progressive resistance on brakes or the
throttle and can be used along with springs.
Note that dampeners can cause a delay in
the pedal returning to its default position
after you lift off.
◊ Vibration motors: Some pedals have
vibration motors that add a level of
immersion by simulating ABS shudder, but
these won’t have any major impact on your
A high-end set of OBP eSport Pro-Race V2
pedals, with a hydraulic system that senses the
brake pressure applied. Available on Simplace.
P ED AL S
The crucial difference in performance and
price between pedals is the sensor they use to
calculate the pedal position:
TYPES OF PEDAL SENSORS
◊ Potentiometer: Measures the position of
the pedal and uses a mechanical sensor.
Cheapest.
◊ Hall Effect: Also measures position but
uses magnets as sensors and thus has fewer
mechanical parts than the potentiometer.
Cheaper.
◊ Load Cells: Uses a transducer, a device that
converts one form of energy into another,
which in this instance converts pressure into
an electric signal. Expensive.
◊ Hydraulic Pressure: A high-end sensor
that converts hydraulic input into electrical
As noted above, braking is the most important
factor in your pace, and on top of that, placing
pressure is the best way of doing that. Given
that, which of the above is suited to a brake
pedal? That’s right, a load cell or a hydraulic
pressure sensor. Note hydraulic sensors are
used by the ultra high-end pedals.
Load cells come with a weight limit grading,
for example, 100 kg. This means that any
pressure you place above that threshold has no
impact. Most pedals come with a 90 kg or 100
kg threshold, but remember that professional
real-world drivers are more than happy with
30-40 kgs in their sim setup.
Note that load cells are most often found only
on the brake since you don’t need to place
as much pressure on the other pedals. The
throttle and the clutch usually use either of
the position sensors: the potentiometer or
the hall effect. Springs are then what provide
resistance.
SIMP L A CE.C O 10/22
 PEDALS COMPARISON
ThrustMaster T3PA Fanatec CSL Elite LC MOZA Racing SRP Fanatec CSL Elite Logitech G PRO Fanatec Clubsport V3 Logitech
Characteristic Thrustmaster T3PM Thrustmaster T-LCM DC2 Pedals
Add-On Pedals Pedals Pedals V2 Racing Pedals Pedals G29/G920/G923
Brake Sensor Potentiometer Hall Effect Load Cell Load Cell/Potentiometer Load Cell Load Cell Load Cell Load Cell Potentiometer Load Cell
Brake Limit 25kg 200kg 90kg 75kg 100kg 90kg 100kg 90kg Unknown 100kg
Throttle Sensor Potentiometer Hall Effect Hall Effect Potentiometer Hall Effect Hall Effect Hall Effect Hall Effect Potentiometer Hall Effect
Clutch Sensor Potentiometer Hall Effect Hall Effect Potentiometer Hall Effect Hall Effect Hall Effect Hall Effect Potentiometer None
Wheel Compatibility Thrustmaster T-series Thrustmaster T-series Fanatec None Thrustmaster T-series Fanatec Logitech Pro Wheel Fanatec Logitech None
Base Material Plastic Plastic Metal Metal Plastic Metal Plastic Metal Plastic Metal
Pedal Material Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal
Horizontally Adjustable NO NO YES YES NO YES YES YES NO YES
PC YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
Console YES YES YES NO YES YES YES* YES YES NO
Price $110.73 $129.99 $199.95 $218.90 $219.00 $299.95 $349.99 $399.95 $399.99 $414.26
VAT incl. incl. incl. excl. incl. incl. excl. incl. excl. incl.

MOZA Racing CRP Heusinkveld Sim Heusinkveld Sim OBP eSports Pro-Race SIMTAG Iris (Tilton SimCraft PRO (Tilton SIMTAG Ashley (Tilton
Characteristic DC3 Pedals VNM Pedals V1 Meca EVO1
Pedals Pedals Sprint Pedals Ultimate V2 600/Wilwood) 600) 600/Wilwood)
Brake Sensor Load Cell Load Cell Load Cell Load Cell Load Cell Load Cell Hydraulic Bosch Pressure Load Cell Bosch Pressure
Brake Limit 100kg 100kg 120kg 200kg 200kg 200kg Unknown Unlimited 100kg Unlimited
Throttle Sensor Potentiometer Hall Effect Load Cell Hall Effect Load Cell Load Cell Hydraulic Potentiometer Potentiometer Potentiometer
Clutch Sensor Potentiometer Hall Effect Load Cell Hall Effect Load Cell Load Cell Hydraulic Potentiometer Potentiometer Potentiometer
Wheel Compatibility None None None None None None Thrustmaster Simucube None Simucube
Base Material Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal
Pedal Material Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal Metal
Horizontally Adjustable YES YES YES YES YES YES NO NO NO NO
PC YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
Console NO NO NO NO NO NO YES NO NO NO
Price $499.00 $549.13 $627.16 $673.42 $808.31 $1,132.55 $1,444.15 $1,231.40 $1,495.00 $2,190.00
VAT excl. incl. incl. incl. incl. incl. incl. incl. incl. incl.

*The Logitech G29/920/923 price includes a wheel since you cannot buy the pedals separately.

P ED AL S SIMP L A CE.C O 11/22

W H E EBL A S E S
The Force Feedback (FFB) System
There are 3 main types of force feedback
systems:
FORCE FEEDBACK (FFB) SYSTEMS
◊ Gear: Uses a series of gears to generate
around 2-3 Nm of torque.
◊ Belt: Uses gears as well as a toothed belt to
generate around 3-8 Nm of torque.
◊ Direct Drive: Motor directly linked to the
wheel to generate 5-32 Nm of torque.
The average joe in the average car will
experience around 7-12 Nm of torque when
driving. When racing, your torque may peak at
around 20Nm, but will still average around 10-
15 Nm.
Sometimes it may be higher. I recall learning to
drive in my Mother’s ford pick-up, before power
steering had hit the market. My forearms would
bulge when I took turns with it! Most racing
cars have power steering, even F1, although
some people enjoy fighting with the force
feedback.
Over the last year, direct drive wheel bases
have become easier to entertain as prices have
dropped. However, you should note what type
of motor the direct drive uses:
DIRECT DRIVE MOTOR TYPES
◊ Stepper Motor: The motor turns a discrete
number of steps in an open loop, with
around 50-100 magnets (pole count).
Notchiest.
◊ Hybrid Motor: A stepper motor that
operates in a closed-loop, similar pole count
to stepper motors. Notchy
◊ Servo Motor: Servo Motor. The motor uses a
sensor in a closed-loop to continually update
position, with a pole count of around 16 or
lower. Smooth.
W HEEL B A SE S
Servo motors are generally considered to be
the best choice since they have the smoothest
feel when you turn the wheel.
A side note: most motors are inrunners, where
the inside turns and the case is static. The
alternative is an outrunner motor, where the
opposite happens. Only some Fanatec products
use outrunner motors, although it won’t impact
your driving much.
Compatibility
Compatibility for consoles depends on whether
the sim racing equipment have security chips
in them. Playstation requires a security chip to
be placed inside the wheel base. Xbox works
differently: they require a security chip inside
the wheel rim.
In both cases the manufacturer must pay
Playstation or Xbox a license fee. That means
that wheelbases are often only compatible with
one console - it’s cheaper for the consumer
that way. This also means that manufacturers
will often have two models that are practically
the same except one is for Playstation, the
other Xbox.
Most of the wheels are compatible with most
of the big simulation games: iRacing, Assetto
Corsa, Gran Turismo etc. However, with
each comparison, you can click a link to see
precisely which games are plug-and-play (see
the Notes on the Comparison Tables below),
which require advanced setup and which are
incompatible.
Max Turning Angle
A minor concern for most. Since most setups
require 900° or 1080° of wheel rotation,
almost all wheels will suffice. Driving trucks
and drifting are two instances where you may
want greater rotation.
SIMP L A CE.C O 12/22
 WHEEL BASE COMPARISON
PART 1/2
Hori Thrustmaster Thrustmaster Thrustmaster Logitech Thrustmaster Thrustmaster
Characteristic Hori DLX Logitech G923
Apex/Overdrive Ferrari 458 T150/TMX TX/T300 G920/G29 T248 T300RS
FFB System Bungee Cord Bungee Cord Belt Belt Gears Gears Gears Belt Belt
Motor
Peak Torque N/A N/A 2 3.9 2* 2.1 2.2 3.5 $4
Max Turning Angle 270° 240° 900°/1080° 900°/1080° 900° 900° 900° 900° 1080°
Wheel Rim Fixed Fixed Fixed Swappable Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Swappable
PC YES NO YES YES NO YES YES YES YES

Xbox YES YES YES YES YES YES YES NO NO

PS YES NO YES YES NO YES YES YES YES

Price $100 $130 $230 $230 $300 $400 $400 $400 $400
Warranty 90 Day 2 Year 2 Year 2 Year 90 Day 2 Year 2 Year 2 Year 2 Year

Thrustmaster Thrustmaster Fanatec GT DD Thrustmaster T- Fanatec GT DD

Characteristic Fanatec CSL DD Moza Racing R9 Simagic M10 Fanatec CSL DD
TS-PC TS-XW Pro GT II Pro
FFB System Direct Drive Belt Belt Direct Drive Direct Drive Direct Drive Belt Direct Drive Direct Drive
Motor Servo Servo Stepper Servo Servo Servo
Peak Torque 5** 6 6.2 9 10 5** 6 8 8
Max Turning Angle ***2520° 900° 1080° ∞ ~1500° ***2520° 1080° ***2520° ***2520°
Wheel Rim None None None None None None None None None
PC YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

Xbox YES NO YES NO NO YES NO YES YES

PS NO NO NO NO NO YES YES NO YES

Price $380 $400 $450 $460 $470 $485 $500 $540 $650
Warranty 1 Year 2 Year 2 Year 2 Year 2 Year 1 Year 2 Year 1 Year 1 Year

* Torque not specified but gear FFB systems are usually 2-3 Nm.
**The CSL and GT DD can be boosted to 8 Nm with a booster kit worth around $165.
***All Fanatec wheels are electronically limited (as opposed to mechanically), but this limit is adjustable.

W HEEL B A S E S SIMP L A CE.C O 13/22

 WHEEL BASE COMPARISON
PART 2/2
SimXperience
Simagic Alpha VRS DirectForce Moza Racing Ricmotech Mini-
Characteristic Sim-plicity SW10 Sim-plicity SW15 Sim-plicity SW20 Simagic Alpha AccuForce Pro
Mini Pro R16 Mite
V2
FFB System Direct Drive Direct Drive Direct Drive Direct Drive Direct Drive Direct Drive Direct Drive Direct Drive Direct Drive
Motor Servo Servo Servo Servo Servo Servo Servo Servo Hybrid
Peak Torque 10 10 15 20 20 15 16 16 13
Max Turning Angle 2160° ~1500° 2160° 2160° **x ~1500° ∞ 6000° 4500°
Wheel Rim None None None None None None None None None
PC YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

Xbox NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

PS NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

Price *$620 $630 *$700 *$770 $830 $1,100 $1,000 $1,295 $1,300
Warranty 2 Year 2 Year 2 Year 2 Year 3 Year 2 Year 2 Year 1 Year 1 Year

Moza Racing Simucube 2 Fanatec Podium Simucube 2 SimSteering2 SimSteering2 SimSteering2

Characteristic Fanatec DD1 Simucube 2 Pro Fanatec DD2
R21 Sport F1 (DD1 for PS) Ultimate Standard (52) Advanced (53) Ultimate (54)
FFB System Direct Drive Direct Drive Direct Drive Direct Drive Direct Drive Direct Drive Direct Drive Direct Drive Direct Drive Direct Drive
Motor Servo Servo Outrunner Servo Servo Servo Outrunner Servo Outrunner Servo Servo Servo Servo
Peak Torque 21 20 17 25 25 20 32 16 20.5 26
Max Turning Angle ∞ ***2520° 2160° 2160° ***2520° ***2520° 2160° 1500° 1500° 1500°
Wheel Rim None None None None None Swappable None None None None
PC YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

Xbox NO YES NO NO YES YES NO NO NO NO

PS NO NO NO NO NO YES NO NO NO NO

Price $1,200 $1,300 $1,330 $1,550 $1,620 $1,950 $3,370 $4,090 $4,090 $4,510
Warranty 2 Year 3-5 Year 5 Year 5 Year 5 Year 2-5 Year 5 Year 2 Year 2 Year 2 Year

*The Sim-plicity price range is for the cheaper Esport alternatives, but can be upgraded with a better encoder for around $150 at each torque level.
**We are uncertain of the max turning angle for the VRS DFS, but it is electronically limited which suggests it’s mechanically unlimited.
***All Fanatec wheels are electronically limited (as opposed to mechanically), but this limit is adjustable.

W HEEL B A S E S SIMP L A CE.C O 14/22

 STEERING
WHEEL S
Steering wheels are attached to the wheel base Bolt Patterns (PCDs)
and that is what you lay your hands on. There
are a couple of different ways that steering Steering wheels come with various bolt
wheels attach to wheel bases: patterns, also called Pitch Circle Diameters
(PCDs). For example, Ascher Racing has a PCD
of 6 x 70mm. What does that mean? That’s
6 bolts evenly spaced around a circle with a
The Quick Release (QR) Hub 70mm diameter.
QR hubs are the what connect your steering The PCD is the specification for how you attach
wheel to your wheel base: your steering wheel to your base. But, the QR
hub is sandwhiched between the two.
Steering Wheel > QR Hub > Wheel Base
These are the PCDs of some selected brands:
You screw your bolts through your bolt pattern
Brand Type PCD
on your steering wheel onto a QR Hub, and then
the QR Hub slides on to the wheel base shaft. Moza Racing Sim (Fixed QR
Hub)
Now the issue is that many wheel base brands Thrustmaster Sim (Fixed QR
want to keep you within their ecosystem. Take Hub)
Fanatec as an example. Firstly, depending on Logitech Sim (Fixed to
what wheel you use within their ecosystem, base)
you may need one of two QR hubs. Precision Sim Sim 3 x 50.8 mm
Engineering
Secondly, if you want to connect a non-Fanatec Cube Controls Sim 3 x 50.8 mm
wheel, you will need to buy their Podium Hub Sparco Real 3 x 50.8 mm/
for around $200. That’s a pretty penny, but it’s 6 x 70mm
versatile. It has various PCDs to accommodate Rexing Sim 3 x 50.8 mm/
any of the major steering wheel brands. 6 x 70mm
P1Sim Sim 3 x 50.8 mm/
6 x 70mm
Sportlilne Real 3 x 50.8 mm/
6 x 70mm
Fanatec Sim 3 x 52 mm
Ascher Racing Sim 6 x 70 mm
MOMO Real 6 x 70 mm
Sparco Real 6 x 70 mm
Innato Sim 6 x 70 mm
Simucube Sim 6 x 70 mm
Esportsim Sim 6 x 70 mm

The Fanatec Podium Hub allows any 6 x 70

mm or 3 x 50 mm steering wheels to attach
to a Fanatec wheel base.

S T EER ING W HEEL S SIMP L A CE.C O 15/22

Wheel Styles: Shapes, Sizes Wireless vs Wired Wheels
and Weights Most steering wheels come with USB cables
that plug into your PC. This does introduce
There are three main styles wheels take. So,
a risk: ripping out your cable mid-race for a
what are the different styles of sim racing
sim racing mechanical DNF… who would’ve
steering wheels?
thought? It is a rare occurrence so don’t stress
about it.
TYPES OF STEERING WHEELS
◊ F1 Wheels: These are open on the top, with Many steering wheels support wireless
the real world function being that it increases connection to the PC, like Cube Controls for
visibility. They are usually very square. example.
Usually 27-29 cm.
◊ Rally Wheels: These are usually very round
to enable lots of rotation of the wheel, where Console Compatibility
your hands change grip regularly. Also useful
for truck driving. Usually 30-33 cm. Almost all wheels are compatible with PC, but
when it comes to Xbox and Playstation, it’s
◊ GT Wheels: “Grand Tourer” cars designed
not as straightforward. Both really on specific
for distance and speed, a very popular sim
and IRL racing category. Wheels come in
security chips inside the hardware.
open D, D and double D shapes. Usually 30-
32cm.
Playstation requires the security chip to be
within the wheel base while Xbox requires
them in the steering wheel. That’s why you
If you’re new to sim racing, it’s important to can’t buy a Playstation compatible steering
figure out what type of racing you want to main wheel, only an Xbox compatible one.
in. Maybe you want to race with a sleek BMW
M4 GT3 or maybe you want to emulate Kimi
Raikkonen… note that for that, you’ll also need
a short temper. You can find that anywhere on
Twitter. F1 Wheel
Rally Wheel
Obviously you can race all types, but note you
might need multiple steering wheels in that
case. A D-shaped GT wheel is a good all round
wheel, especially if immersion is not that
important to you.

So does size matter? Well yes. Smaller wheels

will have more torque, will steer sharper, but GT Open D Wheel
can be a little less precise. Smaller wheels also
tend to be lighter, which can influence how
responsive the wheels feel, although a heavier
wheel can feel more real.

Of course, the material used can also influence

the weight of the wheel and the feel, so be sure
to check that out. A full aluminium wheel will
be far sturdier and have less flex than one with
plastic parts.
Browse and purchase F1, GT and rally sim
racing wheels from Simucube, Innato and
several other brands on Simplace.

S T EER ING W HEEL S SIMP L A CE.C O 16/22

Buttons
The P1 Sim Formula Steering Wheel, with
clutch paddles and a display. Available on
Simplace.
Think of how complicated iRacing’s UI can
be! You’ll need an array of buttons to navigate
menus, change settings and adjust things
during the race, for e.g. a pit limiter. Button
plates allow you to do that and come either
as a part of the wheel or as a separate stand-
alone.
There are 4 switch types to look out for:
TYPES OF BUTTONS AND SWITCHES
◊ Momentary Push Button: Press down. Used
for a pit limiter, for e.g.
◊ Toggle Switch: Up and down, or all four
directions. Used for ignition, for e.g.
◊ Rotary: Rotate clockwise and anticlockwise.
Used for brake bias, for e.g.
◊ Funky Switch: Up, down, left, right, push,
rotate clockwise, rotate anticlockwise. Used
for menu navigation, for e.g.
Pay attention to the layout and build quality.
When you are in a race you will want to find
the button easily, without fumbling about, and
you want visual and/or audio feedback that
your input took effect. For example, a rotary
that clicks into place is preferable to a smooth
turning rotary.
Paddle Switchers
These sit right behind the steering wheel,
where your fingers can reach while your thumb
holds the wheel. They’re for shifting and/or
clutch control.
Not every steering wheel comes with paddles
and for some brands you can add it as an
S T EER ING W HEEL S
option. Fanatec has the Podium Advanced
Paddle Module in case you want the shifters
and clutch paddles on your steering wheel (it
can be mounted on any Fanatec steering wheel
or the Podium hub).
You’ll want something that has a stiff,
responsive feel. A flimsy switcher will put your
timing off and so too your confidence.
Displays
Some wheels come with screens embedded in
the wheel plate. It can communicate various
important pieces of information: tire health,
brake bias, lap times, position, lap number, etc.
All the stuff you want to know on the fly.
Displays are not a budget option, but you can
DIY! You can set up mounting brackets on your
wheel base or wheel for your phone so that it
can serve as a display.
Grip, Gloves and Longevity.
As for the grip, there are a three different
options to choose from:
GLOVE MATERIALS
◊ Leather: Cow hide. Gloves or bare hands.
◊ Suede: Fuzzy cow hide. Gloves or bare
hands.
◊ Alcantara: A fire- and moisture-resistant
synthetic material used in real racing cars.
Only with gloves.
Alcantara is very common because it has the
best grip and has great durability. However, do
not use it bare hand: the sweat and oils from
your hand will ruin it.
That is generally why gloves are recommended,
because they prevent your natural bodily fluids
from destroying the grip. Look after your stuff!
SIMP L A CE.C O 17/22
S H I F T
SHIF TERS E R S
Types
You will need a stick shifter when you are
driving old school cars or road cars. The most
important consideration to make is whether
you need an H-pattern or sequential shifter:
TYPES OF SHIFTERS
◊ H-pattern: The type of transmission in
manual transmission road cars, where each
gear has its own slot. You also need to pay
attention to the number of gears the shifter
has, some have 4 + reverse, others 6 +
reverse.
◊ Sequential: This shifter you can only move
up and down, where clicking it shifts up, and
down shifts down.
Note there are a few shifters that have both
modes that you can switch between. However
be aware that some just need you to flick a
switch, while others require you to unscrew
and replace the plate the stick fits in. So if you
are frequently switching between cars, you
may want a shifter that makes it easy to switch
modes.
Compatibility
Be aware of the compatibility with
platforms. Most shifters are only
compatible with a console if they are
attached via a wheel base that itself
is compatible with that console. Note
that Playstation requires a security chip
to be placed inside the wheel base.
Xbox requires a security chip inside the
steering wheel.
The Simagic Q1S Sequential
Shifter, available on Simplace.
SHIF T ER S
Also note that two of the shifters can double as
handbrakes. Since you would only use this in
rally driving, and modern rally cars use paddle
shifters, it is a frugal choice.
Quality of Build
Lastly, you should consider the quality of the
build. The four factors are:
QUALITY OF BUILD FACTORS
◊ Resistance: The cheaper shifters will have a
low resistance without much tension, while
the top end will have a proper resistance.
◊ Mechanical feel: The click when you shift
on a sequential shifter can be basic, or
unbelievably satisfying.
◊ Materials: All the sticks are metal, but the
box and its internals may be all metal or a
combination of plastics or metals. The knobs
themselves can be metal, plastic or even
alcantara.
◊ Noise: Depending on your living situation,
you may want to minimise the noise.
Some shifters are compatible
with a console if they have a
special adapter. Regarding PC,
almost all shifters are directly
compatible, but some need to
go via a wheel base or they too
need a special adapter.
Also double check that the
shifter you are buying is
compatible with the games you
intend to play.
SIMP L A CE.C O 18/22
 SHIFTERS COMPARISON
Logitech Driving 3DRap Pikes Heusinkveld Sim Aiologs Sim Shifter Thrustmaster TH8A Fanatec ClubSport
Product SHH Newt Shifter BJ Steel Shifter 3.0
Force Shifter Shifter Shifter Sequential Sequential Shifter Shifter SQ V1.5
Price $62 $95 $133 $165 $180 $200 $249 $260
VAT Incl. Incl. Incl. Excl. Incl. Incl. Incl. Incl.
H-pattern YES YES NO NO NO YES NO YES
Sequential NO YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
Handbrake NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
Resistance Very Low Low High High High Very Low High Medium
Mode Change N/A Switch N/A N/A N/A Replace Plates N/A Switch
PC YES* YES YES YES YES YES YES YES*
Console YES NO YES** NO NO YES YES** YES

Thrustmaster TSS Pro-Sim Quaife

Frex HShift V2 JINX Sequential Pro-Sim Quaife H- Simmaster
Product Simagic Q1S Handbrake Sparco VNM Shifter V1 PSL Sequential
6Speed+R Shifter Pattern Shifter Sequential Shifter
Mod Shifter V2
Price $279 $330 $329 $379 $453 $474 $1,274 ??
VAT Incl. Incl. Incl. Incl. Excl. Excl. Excl. ??
H-pattern NO NO YES YES NO NO YES NO
Sequential YES YES YES NO YES YES NO YES
Handbrake NO YES YES** NO NO NO NO NO
Resistance High Low High High High High High High
Mode Change N/A N/A Replace Plates N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
PC YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
Console NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO

* These shifters need an adapter to connect to the PC or Console.

** The VNM sequential mode can be adapted to a handbrake using their software.
*** Not certain if this is still available - no price found online.

Also note that since these are some of the simplest gear to engineer, there are a few cheap options in various corners of the internet, like on Alibaba for example. We
have not included those here since product information is difficult to come by.

SHIF T ER S SIMP L A CE.C O 19/22

HANDBR AKES
Types Quality of Build and
While shifters will find wider use, handbrakes
Compatibility
are mainly used in rally driving and drifting.
Regarding build quality and compatibility, see
Given that, it’s only wise to invest in one if you
the Shifter section. The same that applies to
plan on playing these styles a lot, particularly
shifters also applies to handbrakes.
so for rally driving. Do keep in mind that the
Thrustmaster TSS Sparco Mode sequential
shifter doubles as a handbrake, as does the
VNM Shifter V1.

There are two main types of levers:

TYPES OF HANDBRAKES
◊ Vertical lever: The resting position of the
lever sits upright, and you pull back on it.
◊ Horizontal lever: The resting position of the
lever is forward and down, and you pull up
and back to use it.

Note most models enable you to switch

between a vertical and horizontal lever.

Sensors
Handbrakes use springs, load cells and/or
hydraulics to provide resistance. You may have
heard the term load cell before? Well, yes, the
best sim racing pedals use load cells to process
pressure as the input on your pedal. Similarly
to pedals, handbrakes use four main types of
sensors to determine how hard you have pulled
your lever:
Load cells and hydraulic pressure offer a
more realistic simulation, but sensor and
resistance type will have a mild impact on your
performance at best. This variability is far more
relevant to pedals.
TYPES OF SENSORS
◊ Potentiometer: Measures the position of the
pedal and uses a mechanical sensor.
◊ Hall Effect: Also measures position but
uses magnets as sensors and thus has fewer
mechanical parts than the potentiometer.
◊ Load Cells: Uses a transducer, a device that
converts one form of energy into another,
which in this instance converts pressure into
an electric signal.
◊ Hydraulic Pressure: A high-end sensor
that converts hydraulic input into electrical
impulses.

H ANDBR AK E S SIMP L A CE.C O 20/22

 HANDBRAKES COMPARISON
Aikeec Universal Fanatec Clubsport 3DRap Akina Aiologs Hydro BJ Sim Racing
Characteristic Handbrake Handbrake V1.5 Handbrake Handbrake Handbrake
Price $99 $128 $175 $180 $205
VAT Incl. Incl. Incl. Incl. Incl.
Vertical YES YES YES YES YES
Horizontal NO YES YES NO YES
Resistance Medium Medium High Medium High
Sequential Shifter NO NO NO NO NO
PC YES YES YES YES YES
Console NO YES YES YES* YES**
Sensor Hall Effect Potentiometer Potentiometer Potentiometer Load Cell

Simtag Hydraulic
Heusinkveld Meca EVO VNM Handbrake Thrustmaster TSSH Simulator
Characteristic Handbrake V2 VNM Handbrake V1 Handbrake V1.5 Sparco Mod Handbrake
Price $234 $235 $248 $270 $330 $480
VAT Incl. Incl. Excl. Incl. Incl. Incl.
Vertical YES YES YES YES YES YES
Horizontal YES YES NO YES YES YES
Resistance High High High High Low High
Sequential Shifter NO NO NO NO YES NO
PC YES YES YES YES YES YES
Console NO NO NO NO YES NO
Sensor Load Cell Load Cell Load Cell Load Cell Hall Effect Pressure

* These handbrakes need an adapter to connect to the console.

Also note that since these are some of the simplest gear to engineer, there are a few cheap options in various corners of the internet, like on Alibaba for example. We
have not included those here since product information is difficult to come by.

H ANDBR AK E S SIMP L A CE.C O 21/22

MONITORS
Types
VR
Seeing where you are going is key. You need
to see things quickly, as they happen, and the
wider you see the better. There are 3 main
options:
TYPES OF SENSORS
◊ Single Monitor: A single screen. Cheapest.
◊ VR Headset: Goggles that allow you to look
around with head movement. Cheaper or
Expensive.
◊ Triple Monitor: Three monitors stacked side
by side. Expensive.
Chances are you already have a monitor, but
is it good enough? Consider this: the average
reaction time is around 200ms. A 60Hz screen
has one frame every 17ms, while a 120Hz
screen has one frame every 8ms. Make that
change and you improve your reaction time by
around 5%. That’s an incredible difference.
Response time is also important: it’s how fast
a pixel changes colour. However, that’s not
the full picture when it comes to input lag.
Input lag is the cumulative lag from your input
through all the hardware and software before it
reaches your monitor.
What about the field of view? That’s the
advantage of triple screens. It gives you the
option of glancing at your position on the track
and at the position of your opponents. Not only
MONI T OR S & V R
&
can you look directly, but you can also pick it
up in your periphery. It improves your pace, it
improves your immersion.
Refresh rate is probably more important than
field of view and both are more important than
resolution. Ideally, you’d have triple screens
with high refresh rates and low response times.
Note that you’ll need to buy a stand for your
monitors. Some rigs come with stands or have
them as optional extras, but most of these
solutions are for single screens.
You would expect VR to deliver all of that and
more. On one hand, it does. You can peer at
your wheel, seeing exactly where it touches
the tarmac. You can twist your neck to look all
around you. The immersion is unparalleled. You
even get sweaty and hot! Like a helmet!
On the other hand, it has drawbacks. Almost
all headsets have a field of view of around 100
degrees and a refresh rate of around 90Hz.
That means your peripheries don’t help - you
have to turn your neck to look at things outside
the 100 degrees. If you want more than that,
prepare to put down some dollars.
It’s low resolution and the very nature of VR
causes eye strain: after around 40 minutes
you’ll feel you have had enough. It’s not an
option for endurance racing. Certainly a lot
of fun, but consider VR has an add-on, not an
alternative to screens.
SIMP L A CE.C O 22/22