A mark of a good sim setup is the quality of your hardware. However, sim racing setups are a bit of a balancing act where your accessories are equally as important as your hardware itself. From sim racing wheels to sim racing gloves and much more, everything you possess in your arsenal dictates your sim racing skills, your quality and your efficiency.
Be it Formula One, iRacing, Gran Turismo, Assetto Corsa Competizione or any other sim racing title, your sim rig is just as crucial as basically everything else. For this piece, we will take a closer look at the beauty of sim rigs and what you should be looking for when picking one.
What Is A Sim Racing Rig?
So now that we have piqued your interest, what exactly is a sim rig? In simple terms, a sim rig is a basic structure that sim racers use to seat themselves and mount their devices. These include racing wheels, shifters, pedals and monitors. So, in general, a sim rig is a key building block to achieving your perfect sim racing setup. Sim rigs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, naturally. But that is just the fundamental difference.
Things get complicated with form, orientation, number of mounts, etc., taking precedence too. The main element of a sim rig is the seat. You are greeted by a range of seat types, shapes and materials. Then comes how the seat sits on the frame, the mounts’ layout, and the rig’s primary purpose. Sim rigs have a wide range of designs depending on their primary use. So, open-wheel sim racing will have a slightly different-looking sim rig than, say, rally.
Sim Rigs are the closest prototypes you can get to real-life racecars. The seats and the entire rig are meant to emulate a vehicle’s cockpit, and it precisely does that. Eventually, the size, style and colour boil down to personal preferences and your targeted racing category.
Why Do I Need A Sim Racing Rig?
Technically speaking, a sim rig would be an afterthought for most sim racers. That’s not because it’s crucial but because you can certainly race without one. However, there is only so much you can perform while sitting on a dining table chair at your desk or even a gaming chair. Having a dedicated setup is just the first step to achieving optimal performance.
Usually, you’d be mounting your racing wheel to the desk with the pedals placed firmly on the floor. This may be an ideal gaming position, but it isn’t an ideal racing position. Passenger cars have upright seats, but that is rarely the case when it comes to motorsport. The same distinction is visible in sim racing. The closer your sim racing setup resembles the real cars’ cockpits, the greater immersion and professionalism are offered. This is where sim rigs come into the picture.
What Features Make A Good Sim Racing Rig?
Sim rigs offer you an all-in-one place to fix all your devices. A versatile rig comes with mounts designed for your wheel, your pedals and even your gear shifters. It’s just like driving in a real racecar! You also get a more comfortable seating arrangement with a greater choice of materials and style than simple chairs. The sim racing community consensus is that a sim rig is a vital addition to your sim racing setup, and sooner or later, you will need one. If you do plan to buy one, keep the following in mind:
Form
Form refers to the shape of the sim rig. You have sim rigs that are more horizontal than vertical, and unless you plan on sleeping on a rig, it is better to stick to the forms recommended for the racing category you are interested in. Sim rigs designed for rally and endurance are more upright than the ones intended for open-wheel sim racing.
Size
This is important as this determines how well you will be able to use the sim rig. Taller sim racers will need to opt for more extensive, longer sim rigs to allow their feet to be stretched enough while using the pedals. Many manufacturers offer custom-size options if required, but you can always check out the dimensions to make a choice.
Number of Devices
Strictly speaking, you only have to worry about three devices. If you are an open-wheel or endurance sim racer, you only need to focus on the wheel and pedal mounts. But if you like to engage in rally sim racing, make sure you find rigs with proper gear shifter mounts and handbrake attachments.
Budget
Last but not least, budget. Sim rigs aren’t cheap and certainly cost a pretty penny. Think of it as an investment rather than a necessity. You will not suffer while sim racing without a sim rig but will benefit from it. This may be the only con to purchasing a sim rig, along with the requirement of proper space in your house/gaming room to accommodate the setup.
Our Sim Rig Recommendations
So, now that we know what to consider when looking for a sim rig, it’s time to show you a few models we think should suit most drivers. These are the most sought-after and used sim rigs at every price point that we believe will transform your sim racing experience!
Entry Level Option #1 – Next Level Racing F-GT: $499
One of our absolute favourites, this particular sim rig offers absolute bang for your buck. This sim rig is one of its kind with a dual seating mode. You can adjust the seat attached to the F-GT rig to suit either endurance racing or open-wheel racing. Not just that, the rig itself is a work of art with a sturdy and beautifully constructed frame and mounting structures.
You can also use this sim rig for flight simulators! Time to play some Microsoft Flight Simulator in the downtime, right? You certainly don’t get sim rigs that can do it all, and the Next Level Racing F-GT sim rig is the closest thing to sim rig heaven if such a thing even exists. Hence, this is our top pick for the best sim rig you can buy. The Next Level Racing F-GT sim rig is priced at $499.
Entry Level Option #2 – Playseat Trophy: $599
While not quite as cheap as the F-GT, the Playseat Trophy is another excellent choice at budget level. The Trophy is designed to work with pretty much every type of wheelbase on the market, from gear-driven to the most powerful DD devices. The pedal plate has also been designed to deal with the largest forces seen on the component, so even the heaviest breakers need not concern themselves about going through it.
It provides a wide range of adjustability to fit any shape and size of sim racer, and is also compatible with game consoles from Nintendo, Xbox and PlayStation. At a price of $599, you can’t go wrong with the Playseat Trophy.
Mid Level Option #1 – PRO SIMRIG PSR3: $565
While the entry-level rigs should be enough for most sim racers, thinner framed setups like the F-GT and Trophy are never going to be as strong as thoroughbred 80/20 steel profile rigs. This means they are more susceptible to flex, which can mean you lose some of the crucial details from a DD wheelbase.
This is where the PRO SIMRIG PSR3 comes in, as it provides the strength of an 80/20 rig for a price only a little higher than that of the thinner framed offerings. Due to the rig’s simple design, pretty much any peripheral can be attached to it and then shifted around to the driver’s preference. The PSR3 comes with pre-drilled holes to fit wheels from Fanatec, Moza, Thrustmaster and more.
For $565, the PSR3 is one of the cheapest and most durable 80/20 rigs on the market. While a little more expensive than the entry-level rigs, the PSR3 will almost certainly last the test of time better than its cheaper rivals.
Mid Level Option #2 – PRO SIMRIG PSR1: $770
The excellent PSR3 takes care of the lower end of the mid-market, though for hardcore DD users, even this may not put minds at ease. This is where the PRO SIMRIG PSR1 turns up to the party, as it’s essentially the PSR3 on steroids.
It features thicker and tougher materials to make the steel profile and aluminium brackets, ensuring they’ll deal with punishment for years to come. It also comes with a heavy-duty wheel mount, which was designed specifically to fit the most powerful DDs on the market.
At $770, it’s a good chunk more expensive than the PSR3, but for racers with top-end wheelbases, the extra toughness of this 80/20 rig means your pride and joy will be happy long into the future.
Top Level Option #1 – Playseat F1: $1,200
Only into racing F1 machinery? The Playseat F1 may be right up our street. The F1 replicates the driving position of a real F1 car, turning the immersion dial up to the max. There are various colours to choose from, and it is the go-to choice for a lot of esports racers.
The rig is compatible with all wheels and pedals and even with all major consoles/systems, making this an attractive product. The Playseat F1 Black is our personal favourite. The Playseat F1 sim rig starts at around $1200, though for those wanting to replicate their heroes, a $2,800 version called the Intelligence is also available.
Used by real-life drivers such as Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, it is built to deal with the most powerful wheels on the market. The seating position can also be changed to match a variety of cars, such as F1, F2 and LMP1 machinery.
Top Level Option #2 – Next Level Racing F GT 160: $1,500
Costing $1,500, the NLR F GT 160 is ideal for sim racers looking towards the future. NLR worked hard to strengthen it to the point where it can take the punishment of a full motion rig setup, making it ideal for sim racers looking to splash out on a state-of-the-art experience.
It comes with pre-drilled holes to fit most mainstream wheels, pedals and other peripherals. The F GT 160 can also be altered to suit different driving positions for different vehicles, making it suitable for all different types of driving.
It may be expensive, but the F GT 160 can be relied on to take anything you throw at it in its stride.
To Conclude
A sim rig is probably the most overlooked part of a sim racing setup, and now that you’re wiser, it is only a matter of time before you step up your sim racing game. If you simply want a cheap rig, Coach Dave Academy has you covered with our guide to the cheapest rigs currently on the market.
For more guides, lists and tutorials, make sure to visit Coach Dave Academy regularly! Stay tuned for more.
