Generic Sim Racing Buyers Guide | Make Educated Decisions

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A buyer's guide that doesn't mention a single product or affiliate link? Just practical and realistic objective things to look for when buying pedals, rigs, wheelbases and steering wheels? Impossible?!

Start: 0:00
Introduction 0:25
Pedals buying guide: 3:31
Rig/Frame buying guide: 9:21
Wheelbase buying guide: 14:08
Steering Wheel buying guide: 22:10
Shifters & Handbrake buying guide: 31:19

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[MisterEmoto]

Wall of text warning; I got into SIM racing about 3 weeks ago with a Logitech G29 then I quickly upgraded to a tubular Chinese cockpit with a racing seat which was not adjustable enough for my height and flexed so I bought a Next Level racing GT Elite aluminum profile rig and a moza R5 bundle, which was an amazing upgrade from the G29 but left me longing for more direct-drive power, so I ordered a Simagic Alpha Mini and heyskiveld sprint pedals and now I'm completely in love. Moral of the story I would have saved a lot of money in the long run if I had just ordered quality products in the beginning rather than trying to be cheap. I know not everyone's budget allows for it, but the old saying buy once cry once holds true

[peadookie]

Dude, this video is awesome. Doing this video without mentioning a product specifically gives it so much credibility.

Also, the advice is great. It's so easy to fall into the 'I need the best' mentality. And, as someone who just upgraded to a "budget" cockpit, my worries about flex, the strength of the profile, etc were waaaay overblown.

[Polymer]

I didn't think one could talk for 37 minutes without mentioning specific brands, makes and models and still be interesting: boy, was I wrong!
This is really well done, and nothing is superfluous.
I wished such a video was around when I first started, and it's refreshing to go through this with you here. Sort of take a step back, and look at it all from a neutral perspective!

[RachelJimenez]

A little added comment... Sometimes you'd be surprised how much you can improve your existing hardware with a little imagination, DIY, and even visiting some Etsy shops. I have the cheapest load cell pedals, but I've enhanced them with silicone elastomers. I have the basic wheel that came with my wheelbase, but I added a screen to it for $35. Those are just some examples.

[JallyTee]

As others have mentioned, if you have time but limit cash building things yourself is the way to go. If you have a low end wheel like a g29 and want to get the most out of it, build a plywood rig and get a cheap car seat. you will get a huge amount of enjoyment from the process that will bring you close to the immersion of high end setups.

[shawqialattar]

I think also as start good PC and GPU will give you advantage to upgrade your setup for VR or triple monitors.

[jamiemb]

"not worth upsetting family members", please come and convince my mother that sim racing is a worthwhile investment 😅

[GamingXPTV]

One of the most important thing to know imo is if you want results or immersion. I always sacrifice some time to get the most authentic experience i can get. I would never get triples instead VR becuse its much more immersive. I do rally and have a sequential shifter and a HandBrake. Im ok with that, could expend this money on a high end pedal but my choice is to have fun. I think most people stop having fun and start to get frustrated when they realise that they Will not be on Team Redline racing with verstappen. I dont want that and problably will never achieve this level. I have a job, a família, etc so sim racing is my hobby. I dont want to stress myself chasing results becuse i spent 3k on a new wheel. I just want to have fun

[stealthking]

Great video Laurence. Your opening comments reminded me of the first time I ever played a racing game... Geoff Crammond Microprose Grand Prix. Did not have anything even close to a rig and could not afford a joystick. Back then it was the Up, Down, Left, Right arrow keys for acceleration, brake and turning then the A key with spacebar for upshift and the Z key with spacebar for downshift (anyone else remember those combos LOL ). Despite all that, it was the best fun I ever had playing games on the computer. Thanks for that nostalgic But you're right about a wheel with an LCD built in. I just recently completed a DIY of one of those and it just looks amazing when you start up a game and it lights up with all the info showing on screen, however, the reality is that I hardly even look at the LCD during racing apart from maybe for adjustment of brake bias and how far ahead/behind my next opponent is.

[PadraigDoran]

I love these no nonsense generic guides. Same as the generic "what parts for a custom PC" guides with no brands and sponsors. I don't know a lot about the sim racing scene but listening to this I found out a lot more about the equipment used and the variations so thanks for making the video. Keep up the good work.

[slaphead]

I disagree with your opening comment about having as much fun with cheaper kit as you can with high end equipment.

The truth is that you can have way more fun with cheaper gear. With cheap gear you don't have that nagging "I've spent so much I really should do a race" feeling making it a bit of a chore.

I honestly think I was happiest with a G29 clamped to my desk with the pedals jammed up against the wall and two old shoes to stop my desk chair rolling backwards every time I braked. Those were the days.

Good call on the never getting into debt advice - I've seen too many people stuff themselves financially due to GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)

[GreenBlueWalkthrough]

Great video! To add... You must ask you self this question before diving into the sim racing gear rabbit hole... "Is a Gamepad good enough for you?" Because honestly it is for me and the only reson why I have simracing gear at all is to practice using IRL car controls for my IRL car. Which the only negatives to using a gamepad in Sim racing is immersion and lack of support.

[Salutiferus]

Really good video that teaches you not what to buy, but what to look for

[Smartie.]

Have to say I think this is your best video yet.

Totally agree with every single word you said and good on you for saying it. That said I will still buy the over pirced stuff as will way too many people, but good for you for saying it. You always give the best advice.

You can only give the great advice, you can’t make people act on it but this is all so true. Especialy the one about putting the time into your old equipment set up and not the same effort on the more expensive thing you have jsut bought.

Oh and the sidways upgrades. Done that one a few times. It worked once but the rest have been a waste.

[wwjnz]

Flex...

I use to have my wheel clamped to my desk. Then I got a wheelstand. When my weak belt drive wheelbase started giving a big amount of FFB. I felt the FFB through the wheelstand amd at my feet. It actually gave me more immersion than when I had the pedals on the floor. Now I want more vibrations and wobbling on the wheelstand. When I finally get a rig, I'm definitely getting tactile transducers. If this stand transmitting vibrations heightened immersion, I can only imagine how well some transducers will bring me into the sim.

QR flex. I delt with a flexy cheap QR. Definitely worth the coin getting rid of cheap quick releases.

[David-S-Garcia]

Very true that the most fun i have had was when i had a G29, and honestly my endless upgrading lately has turned into me trying to find that love for the sport once again... It is nice to look at though haha.

[terencedunn]

Great vid Lawrence. I had fun for years going back to the release of Grand Prix Legends, with cheap gear and a rig made of MDF. From the 90's. My upgrade from a logitech g25 kit to the simagic wheel base and pedals and vnm shifter was for immersion, not to be faster. Thanks again.

[YBFocus]

This is a seriously great video. Nice one!

One thing for me that I always see is people buying the newest thing from the latest manufacturer. Ye Olde Hype train.

The best gear, especially if you are on a budget, is buying the tried and trusted product from a long term great company. A set of pedals with 5yrs proven track record is a safer bet than the latest thing from a shack that popped up last week with no history.

[Racernumbersix]

Great video! Well done sir. Covered a lot of ground and gave well backed up reasoning.

[jc]

Best video I’ve seen talking about sim racing gear