There have been software updates which already supersede some of the things said in this video. Unfortunately, I had issues with my footage and had to scramble to use older footage which wasn’t ideal. The wheelbase isn’t installed on my rig anymore as I am reviewing other wheelbases also.
You should pass a wheel base onto me, i'd give a true unbiased opinion, someone who's not unappreciative that's home 24/7 caring for their mother. These TH-cam people don't know how good they got it.
@@dinxsy8069these "TH-cam people", for the majority of the successful ones, work very hard, long hours to make high quality content, very few of which are able to make enough money off of it to make it their career. You're just asking for free gear.
Just took delivery of the Alpha U and the P2000 pedal set based on your earlier reviews and am very happy with the state of my rig after ditching the Logitech Pro wheel and base after 2 months. Keep the content coming.
@@madgamer574 the ghub software was full of bugs causing FFB issues in every game. I exchanged many emails with Logitech support but none of the "fixes" solved the issues. On a positive note, ggub isn't needed for console play so I gave my logit2ch gear to my son.
FINALLY! I just found your channel and had to wait like 2 days for this. ;) Seriously this is perfect timing. Edit: I appreciate you pointing out the negatives unlike any other channel.
Can’t wait to order the SimMagic Alpha U. I was planning to purchase the wheel and base last month but my daughters school bills threw a curve ball into my plans. Can’t wait to pick this up and begin racing. Thank you for the great review!! Very informative.
I went for the asetek invicta, simply because of their quick release usb pass through solution. I think you're right, any of those wheelbases will make you happy.
I just recently had the same disconnect issue with Simagic Alpha and gt4 wheel. Contacted customer support and was told Channel 100 was the most stable, and it worked great again :)
@@LaurenceDusoswa I use it thousands of hours and I think in the last year I had one time it crashed ? The state it it’s today is so drastically different than what it was 2 years ago …. I just think if I’m Joe blow and I google simagic stuff your video is at the top of the list and 1/3 of it is about problems that don’t exist anymore. I’m not bashing on you I just think it’s a bummer that you see people on Reddit etc who think simagic is not quality gear based on old content. Maybe simucube has better software but at what cost ? And that’s even debatable but I haven’t used it enough to say for sure. So you can have amazing FFB , load cell pedals with amazing haptics , one of the best selections of wheel rims , for less than the cost of just the base from simucube or less than 1/2 the cost of one of their active pedals ?! My feeling is I’ve tried all the major brands now and for the money I don’t think anyone comes close to simagic and I wish more people realized that.
Oh and I forgot to mention that cost also includes a h pattern and normal shifter and hand brake. All that for the cost of just a base. Or just a single pedal ? Ya know what sure a Porsche is incredible. For 800k dollars. But so is a dodge charger hell cat for 50k.
@@SticksAandstonesBozo I believe you’ll see in this video that the software issues were solved. In fact, that’s why this review was delayed. But it would be disingenuous for me to do a long term review and skim over the experience that I and many others had at the time. If I released the video now, you have a point. But this was my experience. That’s why people watch my videos.
@@LaurenceDusoswa Oh I get it. And I fully understand and wouldn’t expect anything different. I’m simply saying it’s sad that 2-3 videos like yours are the most common when you search when it’s old information. That’s all. Boosted did a re - review and basically said yes all the problems of the past are gone. So that’s good but that’s like a 90 minute video so I don’t know how many people go to that for info. Anyways love your stuff as always I was just saying that specific point and totally understand this is what it was at that time.
This video convinced me to go with the alpha u. I had an Accuforce V2 previously. As of now, no regrets. Has really added something to my sim racing. Great wheelbase, software is getting a lot better. Accuforce and it's software has helped at least keep it semi relevant after all these years. But the tech inside just can't keep up with the newer options out there that are available at the same or better pricing. Thanks for the videos and all the work. Would love to see a folllow up to this.
Thanks for the support! I’m unlikely to make more video content on this but if you have specific questions, hop into my discord and feel free to ask me and other owners questions
I just did the same upgrade. I am still trying to dial in the Simagic. The Accuforce actually feels better to me, but guessing I just haven't found the right config just yet. With Accuforce the cloud profiles are just so well done. Was spoiled not having to make many adjustments.
I did my research for weeks before pulling the trigger on the alpha u. Price point you cant beat and the options for wheel is just insane. I ordered through simshop and it should be here tomorrow, I can't contain myself!
Thanks for another stellar review! I've been planning on getting a Simagic base after I've upgraded a my rig--that could be a while. I keep looking at the next level up: Alpha Mini, Alpha, and now you've got me seriously considering the Alpha U. I will have to see what the software situation looks like when I'm ready to pull the trigger. I hope you will make a follow-up review when they finally update the software package. Thanks again!
Thanks for pointing out both pros and cons. I bought this base thinking that the software will improve and still believe it will, but I am beginning to think that come Sim Expo 2023 there will be better solutions from other brands.
If yall arent using inirtia then you are missing out! But i also found friction is amzing. Yes it doesnt spin as freely when not in the sim. But once in the sim the wheel activates and god does it feel oh so good lol. Awesome video per usual.
@LaurenceDusoswa yeah I love the inirtia alot. Like alot alot lol. Also there friction setting is amazing. Even if when not in game makes the wheel very heavy luckily in game it opens right up and just feels perfect. I used to use no filters until I relaize how much better I could control the car with them. Turn in etc.
@LaurenceDusoswa btw i dont use much inirtia. I use more friction then inirtia. Inirtia just needs to be at 8 to 10% ive found with simagic the changes are dramatic even with smaller adjustments. The friction I run at 15 to 25%. The difference from 0 to 15% is massive.
I bought the Alpha because of your review and can't imagine why people would need more lol the Alpha is already more than what I use lol. Great review as always
I got the alpha u and am very happy I did. Honestly it’s easier to max out than I thought it would be. While I don’t drive it regularly at 100% it’s nice to have the option there for added realism with non power steering cars.
@Alec Millea yeah I absolutely love it. Came from the csl dd 8nm and they aren't even close. I would think even the mini is a massive upgrade to the csl dd just because of the much higher resolution simagic outputs. The wheels are some of the best quality vs price Ive had. It's just a great ecosystem all around. Are there better sure but not at this price range.
Only 100 euro difference between SimMagic and Simucube? That's a very easy decision to make. 🏁. Very happy Simucube owner here for the past three years.
Confirmation bias is a thing :) the SC2 offerings are great, but I outlined all the reasons why I would have this over the SC2. If I was forced to use an SC2 sport for the rest of my life, I’d still be pretty damn happy :p
Here in Canada simagic is far less than 100 euro if you take the Alpha U to simucube ultimate there is almost 2000$ difference and you get a wheel with simagic.
hahaha it's part of my uniqueness :p The hardware is just a tool for the job. I never resell it so a few scratches don't matter. in general it's a good test of how well a product wears over time too.
About the what you've mentioned about plug the power cable out everytime you've finished racing, Well, I have similiar issue. Upgrading from Logitech G27, I getting used to leave my old wheelbase plugged in everytime I turned off my PC. With my Alpha Mini, that's not the case. Yes, there's power switch at the cable, but in just 3 months the switch is basically useless. So What I did was purchase a 3-to-2 pin adapter with a switch included. So since then everytime I finished racing I simply turn the wheelbase off thru the switch from the adaptor. Job done. I really wish Simagic provides a switch behind the wheelbase.
Grand review - early days with my Alpha and while the software is certainly not as polished as Moza's pithouse, I did find it easier to get a great feel from the base plus it seems to retain my custom profile just fine (although I'm not switching games). No issue with the GT4 Carbon either altohugh did have to go through the super clunky firmware update process. Would be great once they get this all sorted as the hardware is top notch.
yeah the software does allow for good ffb with relatively little knowledge about what the settings do. Firmware update is a drag for the rims. But yeah the hardware is great
I'm still running the old Alpha Manager software with my alpha mini and GT-1-D wheel that I bought new on the first week of release. I have had zero issues with it, I did try the new software last year and just hated it so went back to Alpha manager as it works perfectly fine. I build a custom formula wheel so have no need for software updates I guess.
Interesting to hear issues with coil whine. I don't notice this on mine, but I also don't leave it powered on so I could certainly just be missing it. I've got the wheelbase power supply and my VR headset power plugged into a power strip that's on the rig and I only turn it on when I'm going to use it. A dedicated power button would be nice for sure!
I have my Alpha U, VR headset and USB hub for the pedals/peripherals all powered from the same IKEA Åskväder power strip with the extra Zigbee on/off switch attachment. Then I paired it with an IKEA Trådfri smart button. So pressing one button powers on or off the entire VR sim rig ✌️
That's a good idea for sure. I have thought about doing something like this but plugging out the power cable from the base works. it's just not elegant
Thank you for the great review! I also used Alpha U for about 8 months, but fortunately, there was no problem with the software, and the FFB presets for each game worked without problems. Actually, your review was the most helpful before I bought Alpha U, and it was helpful because you wrote a comment when I was thinking about upgrading from mini to U on Facebook in 2022 :)
Firstly thanks for your reviews Lawrence I really appreciate them! I bought an Alpha one month ago. I have the FFB at 12nm I do wonder if the Ultimate at 12nm would give exactly the same FFB details or it might be more detailed, particularly the lower forces. PS: Loved the livestream from the simracing expo!
I love the Simagic build quality, however I'm hating the Simpro manager an its eternal "beta" state. I have a Alpha Mini and I'm really thinking switch to VRS instead of Alpha U, just for the software. Great review as always, keep up the good work!!!
There is on/off sw on power cable, im using that one to power off/on. Auto switching profiles for games need to have on/ off button, true. Everything else is great, after 9 months of use.
For most people, having an on off switch between the power adapter and the wall socket is completely impractical. I am not going to crawl under my rig to turn off my wheelbase :D
For this Product I Believe it all Depends on Where Your Plug Strips are Placed I for Instance Have The Strip Attached to my Rig, and the Power Brick is Also Attached to my Rig. So Turning the DD on and Off is a Small Arms Reach away
Again another great informative review👌🏻 the software no doubt will improve in the future🤞🏻 as far as the power issue, I think it's really a non issue,the emergency power button supplied can function as power off. That's how I power off my DD2 for the past 4 years lol despite there being an actual on/off button right below it 😂
Hi Laurence. Awesome vid as per usual. I am having a major drama since the new update came out. The understeer vibration now is rediculous and well over powering. I have tried to adjust near everything, both in SimPro, and in my sim, but its just totally unpleasant to drive now. I dont know whats happened but its a weird issue to have.
You won’t regret the bump up. But similarly to getting 200hp extra out of your Ferrari, whether you needed it is questionable. But having it is nice. You won’t regret the upgrade anyway.
As an Add and Edit to this Video: Actually Simagic is not willing to give a Clutch update (separate buy) to their rims. So make sure, that you are buying YOUR Choice. (13. June 2023)
I was considering this base until the motor whine was mentioned. Persistent noise when not in use would drive me nuts. I'll have to keep tabs on if maybe some update fixes that
Great review and perfect timing as I’m thinking of switching to Simagic. Not sure between the Alpha and Alpha U. In your honest opinion, I’d it with the extra money?
Simagic alpha ultimate is the same price as the asetek forte here, but everybody is telling me I should go for the Forte, why is that? If you can't feel the difference to the Invicta, that's basically a no brainer..
So i went with the ultimate! Did I make the right choice with the ultimate over the alpha? Because i am one who uses around 14nm and I wanted to have that experience without much clipping. Thanks for this video you made me choose it haha. Someone tried telling me the alpha was faster wnd more detailed yet everyone else is telling me the ultimate picks up on everything that much more and is even quicker.
Without a proper side by side test bed and real metrics, it's hard to say. the slightest settings change can make a wheel feel faster, or more detailed, etc. But it might come at the cost of something else.
@@LaurenceDusoswaI have an ingersoll brand its a $500 torque gauge. Its extremely accurate and I have in fact done measurements on my dd+ my v1 alpha and my v3 ultimate. V1 alpha was 18.5nm, v3 ultomate wss 26nm. Dd+ was 15nm its holding torque was 15nm so it mskes it feel stronger then normal 15nm peak bases But what I felt is the ultimate just like you would shake my entire rig with details. The alpha did sometimes but not in the same impactful way. I've found the snap in my ultimate is stronger then the others the extra torque and motor strength is felt in ractuons and response. It's so fast and has such fast torque response that I had to adapt to it. Regardless I think that all of the somagic bases are amazing! Can't go wrong with any. All depends on the power you like or want. I went out of my way and had a friend sell me and alpha and I got a brand new ultimate just for peace of mind. I've now sold the alpha and feel much better about my choice. I'll never need another base and if the ultimate gives out I'll just buy another ultimate. I get why people day the ultimate feels like a simucube 2 pro because it reslly really does. But I got to see that at microcenter. I'm so happy I chose simagic I cannot believe how fast and snappy it is and how intense and free flowing ot feels. It's so so fluid and smooth It blew my mind. I get the dd+ hype but man I just did not enjoy that experience as much. I love love the wheelspeed setting that simagic has also. It almost reacts like somucubes slew rate setting. I will say I'm so so happy to see simagic get the respect they deserve. Going on the sim racing pages on Facebook and reddit. When peoole ask which wheelbases to get 90% of the comments are all simagic now. Finslly dimagic gets the respect and after using ther product I can't imagine using anything else. Unless I was a social media influencer then sure would love to try others but be tried enough to know which is good and which isn't as good. Something about simagics wheelbases just gel and click with me. I've found the limit of grip better then any other. That special somagic loading and unloading feel. I can push the limits of grip that much more and then boom snaps right back if I go a little to far. The new software is fantastic also! I just can't get over how smooth amd fast it is. Setting lap records and everything. Just due to it gelling with me.
@@LaurenceDusoswa I just bought the alpha u base and gt wheel- a few days ago- just familiarizing myself with everything- but so far it's great! I agree with you re the software- but i have a lot of confidence in these guys and am hopeful they'll get it all together reeel soon! :)
Ah yeah they just need to get the finger out. Apparently they’re on it. So I have every faith in it. Generally when they say they’re gonna get it done, they do
I went from a Simagic mini to the VRS base and never looked back. I personally had a pretty bad experience with the software and just found it difficult to find any real consensus on what certain settings did. People were trying to guess if settings in the new software were the same as the old and there didn’t seem to be anyone that could confirm.
@@markremillosa5081 I personally put it in another class altogether. It’s obviously more powerful which I wanted as I ran the mini at max. Aside from that I find the software much better and the ffb I find better too and it feels so smooth compared to the mini. I thought the VRS would be a stop over for a while and I’d eventually get an endgame Simucube pro, but I have zero desire to. I think companies that pop up quickly with similar designs to more established manufacturers can do ok with the hardware side of things, but it’s the software that they struggle to ‘clone’. If you are after a 10ish nm base though, I think the mini or the Asetek La Prima would be the choice though.
@@rover1374 thanks mate,,actually im coming from the alpha 15nm base,,torque is nos not an issue for me since im running my alpha 70% max,,just want to know if the vrs is better in terms of fbb details
@@markremillosa5081 no worries. Ah ok, I’m terms of details it’s hard to tell as one is just so much more powerful. I tend to deaden things a bit and then run higher ffb anyway.
Can you please share SimPro and Asseto Corsa settings with FFB tweaks if any, i've bought Simagic Ultimate and it's not even close to Simucube Pro, i cannot feel loss of grip as with SC Pro. Simagic just feels like i am turning a sausage. Corner, slip or quick turn wheel is not so much responsive, but when i hit the curb it can literrally break your palm, with very oversaturated force, if i add more smoothing then most details are lost to complete dsisatisfaction. Dunno simucube looks like perfect out of the box and simagic looks like endless fiddling to get something close to simucube.
I am slightly mor einclined towards moza because of the wheel prices and appearance. I already have the moza shifter also. Will I be missing much going with moza instead of simagic? I want this next setup to last some good years, like 5+ ...
check out the video from boosted media.. the simagic video he did recently.. i think it was posted 3 months ago.. goes indepth simagic vs moza and why.
@@LaurenceDusoswa i do not have coil whine on my alpha u. its quiet as can be and ive never powered it off since ive installed it. It maaay be an early unit issue, as i got mine almost a month ago.
I just purchased today, and can tell the software is totally different. As for no power button on the base, have always used plugs connected to Alexa and verbally tell her to turn off my rig, so everything turns off.
Hey Laurence, I am looking to buy a Simagic wheel base. I am stuck between the Alpha and the Alpha U. For me it would be arround a 200€ difference between the two. It's a bit tight for me spending the extra 200€ but it would be doable. I am afraid of thinking "what if" if i dont get the Ultimate. What would you recommend? Thanks!!
14:25 Are you 100% sure the wheel return speed setting is the same as slew rate on other bases? I have doubts on that. I think it simply mean max rotation speed, the actual slew rate cannot be adjusted.
You are correct. I hate getting bogged down in the details because there are mixed opinions but I am talking about the maximum rotation speed as you point out. The slew rate in this base is so good that it is noticeable in the response when you have the wheel speed set high. But the perceived slew rate itself can technically be reduced with the sliders.
Thanks for the review! What are those gloves with the grip strings you are showing at 16:20? I couldn't find ones with any grip strings apart from full zied gloves that also have a sleeve on them.
Hi Laurence, could you please share your Simpro settings for the Alpha U? I just bought this wheelbase with the FxPro and i need to set it up correctly for ACC and Rfactor2
Was almost scared to watch as have had my heart set on an alpha u for a while now 😱. Thank god no real deal breakers reported apart from a couple of minor niggles 🤔🤫😅 Would be back to confused world if not careful.🤯.. which fecking one do i get ??? No, not going back there it's horrible, defo the Alpha U 😍 Saving up to that price takes a while though, only another few months to go.😮 can't wait but gotta 🤣. Anyways. . Cheers for not throwing spanners in the works 😉haha. 🍻 😀👍
I honestly think the software is fine. I simply go to game settings and set every game to load their own custom profiles and never have a single issue with it
@@LaurenceDusoswa I do have a micro-oscillation issue that I don't know how to replicate. Sometimes after playing, my wheel would oscillate when idle until I power cycle
Right now there is no plan for me to review these. If you want me to review a set, contact your local reseller and express interest in my review. They can organise with simagic if they see value in it.
So I have the M10 and the D shaped GT wheel. Are you saying I'm likely to have problems using this with the Alpha U? Would a firmware update not fix it?
100% agree there software is so weak compared to the competition, moza have the ability to tune fequenices which makes a big difference when your trying to get the wheel to how you want it to feel.
In ACC Is the ultimate at 60% in game equal to the Mini at maximum ?? I tested the ultimate today at 35% and feel like the CSL 8nm. And it works out as 8nm from 23nm at 35% So by that logic the ultimate at 60% should feel like Mini at 13nm, which was very strong for me Can you shed some light for me as I want to decided ??
Hi, I always wanted to buy Fanatec stuff but last few weeks I will probably go for Simagic. In review you say that Fanatec has better wheel quality or did I missunderstood it? What do you think about comparing CSL DD with Alpha mini + some nice round wheel?
Hi, currently run a moza r9 with a gs gt wheel . I keep looking at the simagic alpha carbon bundle with the carbon gt4 wheel , apart from the obvious 6 extra nm what do i really stand to gain from another 1400£ outlay
the r9 vs alpha is more than a 6Nm difference. the alpha feels like twice the power. The GS wheel is lovely, but the simagic GT4 is also really really good. Ultimately it's up to you. try to get some hands on time with the GT4 rim as that might help you to make up your mind.
@@LaurenceDusoswa thats really a lot lot easier said than done lol, i have zero way of ever testing these products prior to buying ,its pay and hope .no one i know is even remotely interested in sim racing , no pyschical shops in the uk i know of stock anything like that .
Wait, did they remove the auto profile switch? Haven't updated the software in a while but I have a toggle on the top right to disable auto profile switching. I'm on 1.2.9
I'm not sure.. As I say, the software section will become outdated but I am sure this will be added if not already in the latest versions. I have other wheelbase reviews to complete now so haven't checked the software in a month or two
@@LaurenceDusoswa Well mine is probably 6 months or so since the last update and now I don't want to install the new version just to check if it's still there :D
Would you be able to tell the alpha & alpha u apart at ~14nms? I don’t need more power than the alpha but wonder if the increase in fidelity with the u is actually noticeable
I wondered the same thing - finally made the upgrade and I do notice a difference. I find with the alpha at 100% and the U at 65% (14.95nm), the small details are more pronounced with the U. Where this makes the biggest difference for me is when turning. With the alpha, I felt like the wheel was strong, but felt a bit muted through the turn. The U on the other hand reproduces the finer details though the turn. Now, is it worth the upgrade? I think the alpha provides more than enough for a great experience.
You can change the % increments of the shifts lights by clicking on the percentages on the left side of the shift light control window. You can customize them in 1% increments. Weird that yours as default appear to all be set 0% and red…
I actually lost footage and had to refilm this last night and didn’t have the wheel connected. That’s my bad. Next month I’ll find the footage in the wrong review folder somewhere 😂😂😂 when I last did it I couldn’t go in 1% increments
Awe makes a lot of sense! Thanks for the review mate! Brilliant job as always! I’ve got the alpha u and gts wheel and couldn’t agree more on your conclusions.
Dat nismo wheel though... I became enthralled with the new WRC game and ended up ordering the Alpha ultimate and P2000 pedals, along with their shifter and new hand brake.
Hey LD, I'm a brand new member of Simagic family as well. I recently bought myself an Alpha U in exchange of my Moza R9. I have to say, the ffb is insanely good. Really smooth and crisp. Also, how much did you have to mess around with intepolation levels?
Great review as always. As an owner i dont know what i do differently, but my firmware stays at the last preset when i turn it on. Also the presets are local files that can be deleted (i only play ac and iracing and dont need the others) In the beginning my gt4 had problems with the rotaties but a chat with my reseller told me to update the wheel and afterwards it was fine. Connection issues also went away. That being said, i have the newer iteration of the gt4 with carvon plate and rubber grips, maybe that is a difference.
I can't for wait for better software. Yes. it's taking too long. I do not try to use it at all. But I'd rather have good working software than a rushed product.
It's always been a bit unnerving to see such expensive pieces of sim gear on pavement but it hits different when it's simagic equipment as a Simagic fanboy lmao. Sweet vid like always Laurence, do you think that the Alpha is enough of an upgrade over the Mini or should i just save up and go for the U? Even though my rig is only rated for... 20nm ish but the Mini moves it a bit... It's the ASR3. How much does it flex your rig Laurence?? Oh yea Laurence i use a wireless power interruptor, think about something like a garage door opener that controls a mini extension that powers my rig, i hit the button and everything turns off at once, only way i figured out how to power off the base without unplugging cables.
at the same price, there is no choice needed between Simucube 2 Pro or the Alpha U, Simucube offer more, but yes there is a price as everything else in live
@@LaurenceDusoswa Hey Laurence, the Simucube would offer the peace of mind I would say. Also, since I didn't try the Alpha U, I continue thinking that Simucube will offer a better all around feeling in the end.
I have had the Alpha-U, P2000, and GT4 since Nov of last year.. I have never gotten the pedals to work and have relied on my Invicta pedals. While I have several complaints, I largely agree with the video.. when it's good, it's good. However, the software is a complete mess. We shouldn't have to bypass Windows Security to download the software because it is not signed. Build a legit app with proper code signing and certificates. It does seem if they invested at least half as much into the software development as they do product development things would be a lot better.
Just bought the AlphaU, but immediately noticed a annoying coil whine coming from the base. Swapped it for a different one, same. It's an almost perfect base, but the coil whine/grindy noise is very annoying to me.
@@LaurenceDusoswado you still use it? or did you switch? I can still send it back, considering to go to Simucube although I do like everything else about the Simagic AlphaU.
I still have mine although I constantly review different bases, so it’s not currently on my rig. I would look at getting a remote socket or something to control the power.
My friend has simagic alpha i think, 15-17Nm and he after testing mine SC2pro and other friends SC2pro stopped messing with simagic and bought sc2pro now he is 100% happy !
I was looking at simagic as they look like they have some good stuff. However, ive heard really bad things about their attitude and aftersales care. So it put me off. Which is a shame.
@@LaurenceDusoswa You write about an explanation in 20 minutes about this product This is a big one! I Compare the 23Nm Simagic Alpha U (ultimate) to the 10Nm Alpha Mini and 15Nm Alpha, as well as the Simucube SC2 Sport and SC2. I compare the GT1, GT4, GT Pro, FX Pro and GTS steering wheels too. I've condensed months of joy and frustration into less than 20 minutes for you. A thumbs up on the video is all I ask for in return ;) too little sleep or drunk lol ;l cheers
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
There have been software updates which already supersede some of the things said in this video. Unfortunately, I had issues with my footage and had to scramble to use older footage which wasn’t ideal. The wheelbase isn’t installed on my rig anymore as I am reviewing other wheelbases also.
Any chance we could get an update on the software updates? Did they address your concerns?
It would be nice to see an updated video covering the improvements.
Does the noise still exist and how annoying is this?
@@ddoroslovac I have an alpha U and I don’t notice any noise coming from it ever. I usually leave it on.
Do you plan on giving Simagic another review with the updated software?
Thanks for your comments and we will continue to improve!Keep Racing!
Thanks for the great products!
Any updates on software changing settings for no reason even though we selected a pre made profile?
You should pass a wheel base onto me, i'd give a true unbiased opinion, someone who's not unappreciative that's home 24/7 caring for their mother. These TH-cam people don't know how good they got it.
@@dinxsy8069these "TH-cam people", for the majority of the successful ones, work very hard, long hours to make high quality content, very few of which are able to make enough money off of it to make it their career. You're just asking for free gear.
You wont get a base this way dude. Go buy one lol@dinxsy8069
I've been loving my Alpha Mini!!!!!!!!!!! I win all my races!
hahaha I'm not sure it's THAT good :p but the mini is epic
Simagic really really does have the best looking equipment now ans there quality compared to 5 years ago is a massive massive leap
It’s really good stuff. Definitely one of my favourite brands
Just took delivery of the Alpha U and the P2000 pedal set based on your earlier reviews and am very happy with the state of my rig after ditching the Logitech Pro wheel and base after 2 months. Keep the content coming.
Awesome! Enjoy!
Curious, why did you get rid of the Logitech?
@@madgamer574 the ghub software was full of bugs causing FFB issues in every game. I exchanged many emails with Logitech support but none of the "fixes" solved the issues. On a positive note, ggub isn't needed for console play so I gave my logit2ch gear to my son.
upgraded to an alpha from a t300 a few months ago, couldn't be happier the thing is solid and have 0 complaints
Yeah the quality is great. what rim did you get?
@@LaurenceDusoswa I got he gt4 wheel, & recently got a gts wheel with no buttons for drifting / dirt races (:
@@LaurenceDusoswa What can you say on settling on getting the Alpha over the Alpha U or Mini, coming from the R9?
FINALLY! I just found your channel and had to wait like 2 days for this. ;) Seriously this is perfect timing. Edit: I appreciate you pointing out the negatives unlike any other channel.
Hahaha you’re lucky 😂 many have waited over 6 months for this review
Can’t wait to order the SimMagic Alpha U. I was planning to purchase the wheel and base last month but my daughters school bills threw a curve ball into my plans. Can’t wait to pick this up and begin racing. Thank you for the great review!! Very informative.
NICE! thanks for the comment and I'm glad you're being disciplined about the timing of your purchase.
I went for the asetek invicta, simply because of their quick release usb pass through solution. I think you're right, any of those wheelbases will make you happy.
Good solid advice and reasoning
I just recently had the same disconnect issue with Simagic Alpha and gt4 wheel. Contacted customer support and was told Channel 100 was the most stable, and it worked great again :)
I tried that also but it didn't work for me. I had to do the firmware upgrade on the wheel specifically.
I LOVE my Alpha Ultimate. I even think it’s slightly underrated at 23 Nm. I know I’ll never feel like I need more power again.
Yeah it’s a BEAST
Its kind of wild to have this out there when none of the software stuff has been a thing in nearly 2 years.
You want me to make another video😅 :) the software is still not great at times tbh. But it’s a lot better than it was.
@@LaurenceDusoswa I use it thousands of hours and I think in the last year I had one time it crashed ? The state it it’s today is so drastically different than what it was 2 years ago …. I just think if I’m Joe blow and I google simagic stuff your video is at the top of the list and 1/3 of it is about problems that don’t exist anymore. I’m not bashing on you I just think it’s a bummer that you see people on Reddit etc who think simagic is not quality gear based on old content. Maybe simucube has better software but at what cost ? And that’s even debatable but I haven’t used it enough to say for sure. So you can have amazing FFB , load cell pedals with amazing haptics , one of the best selections of wheel rims , for less than the cost of just the base from simucube or less than 1/2 the cost of one of their active pedals ?!
My feeling is I’ve tried all the major brands now and for the money I don’t think anyone comes close to simagic and I wish more people realized that.
Oh and I forgot to mention that cost also includes a h pattern and normal shifter and hand brake. All that for the cost of just a base. Or just a single pedal ? Ya know what sure a Porsche is incredible. For 800k dollars. But so is a dodge charger hell cat for 50k.
@@SticksAandstonesBozo I believe you’ll see in this video that the software issues were solved. In fact, that’s why this review was delayed. But it would be disingenuous for me to do a long term review and skim over the experience that I and many others had at the time. If I released the video now, you have a point. But this was my experience. That’s why people watch my videos.
@@LaurenceDusoswa Oh I get it. And I fully understand and wouldn’t expect anything different. I’m simply saying it’s sad that 2-3 videos like yours are the most common when you search when it’s old information. That’s all. Boosted did a re - review and basically said yes all the problems of the past are gone. So that’s good but that’s like a 90 minute video so I don’t know how many people go to that for info. Anyways love your stuff as always I was just saying that specific point and totally understand this is what it was at that time.
This video convinced me to go with the alpha u. I had an Accuforce V2 previously. As of now, no regrets. Has really added something to my sim racing. Great wheelbase, software is getting a lot better. Accuforce and it's software has helped at least keep it semi relevant after all these years. But the tech inside just can't keep up with the newer options out there that are available at the same or better pricing. Thanks for the videos and all the work. Would love to see a folllow up to this.
Thanks for the support! I’m unlikely to make more video content on this but if you have specific questions, hop into my discord and feel free to ask me and other owners questions
I just did the same upgrade. I am still trying to dial in the Simagic. The Accuforce actually feels better to me, but guessing I just haven't found the right config just yet. With Accuforce the cloud profiles are just so well done. Was spoiled not having to make many adjustments.
I did my research for weeks before pulling the trigger on the alpha u. Price point you cant beat and the options for wheel is just insane. I ordered through simshop and it should be here tomorrow, I can't contain myself!
What about the 15nm will that be almost the same ? I mean I can’t decide between those or just the mini..
Thanks for another stellar review! I've been planning on getting a Simagic base after I've upgraded a my rig--that could be a while. I keep looking at the next level up: Alpha Mini, Alpha, and now you've got me seriously considering the Alpha U. I will have to see what the software situation looks like when I'm ready to pull the trigger. I hope you will make a follow-up review when they finally update the software package. Thanks again!
The software will definitely get better
Thanks for pointing out both pros and cons. I bought this base thinking that the software will improve and still believe it will, but I am beginning to think that come Sim Expo 2023 there will be better solutions from other brands.
What Issues Are You having with the Software?
I have been assured from a reliable source that big software improvements are on the way
@@darwinLee81283 6:44
If yall arent using inirtia then you are missing out! But i also found friction is amzing. Yes it doesnt spin as freely when not in the sim. But once in the sim the wheel activates and god does it feel oh so good lol.
Awesome video per usual.
inertia is decent but I don't really use it much
@LaurenceDusoswa yeah I love the inirtia alot. Like alot alot lol. Also there friction setting is amazing. Even if when not in game makes the wheel very heavy luckily in game it opens right up and just feels perfect. I used to use no filters until I relaize how much better I could control the car with them. Turn in etc.
@LaurenceDusoswa btw i dont use much inirtia. I use more friction then inirtia. Inirtia just needs to be at 8 to 10% ive found with simagic the changes are dramatic even with smaller adjustments. The friction I run at 15 to 25%. The difference from 0 to 15% is massive.
I bought the Alpha because of your review and can't imagine why people would need more lol the Alpha is already more than what I use lol. Great review as always
The alpha is amazing. They're all great. But it's like having a 500bhp, 700bhp and 900bhp version of a supercar... hahahaha
@@LaurenceDusoswa ahahhaha yeah boy do I ever understand that 😆
I got the alpha u and am very happy I did. Honestly it’s easier to max out than I thought it would be. While I don’t drive it regularly at 100% it’s nice to have the option there for added realism with non power steering cars.
@Alec Millea yeah I absolutely love it. Came from the csl dd 8nm and they aren't even close. I would think even the mini is a massive upgrade to the csl dd just because of the much higher resolution simagic outputs. The wheels are some of the best quality vs price Ive had. It's just a great ecosystem all around. Are there better sure but not at this price range.
@@taxi615 couldn’t agree more! The quality to price ratio of simagic is unbeatable
Only 100 euro difference between SimMagic and Simucube? That's a very easy decision to make. 🏁.
Very happy Simucube owner here for the past three years.
Confirmation bias is a thing :) the SC2 offerings are great, but I outlined all the reasons why I would have this over the SC2. If I was forced to use an SC2 sport for the rest of my life, I’d still be pretty damn happy :p
Here in Canada simagic is far less than 100 euro if you take the Alpha U to simucube ultimate there is almost 2000$ difference and you get a wheel with simagic.
Appreciate the review. Seeing all your gear on the pavement and rocks almost gave me a heart attack 😂
hahaha it's part of my uniqueness :p The hardware is just a tool for the job. I never resell it so a few scratches don't matter. in general it's a good test of how well a product wears over time too.
The firmware updating process has been my complaint with Simagic, but luckily the community discord has made finding answers to everything easy
Yep and they’re working on making that process easier too
About the what you've mentioned about plug the power cable out everytime you've finished racing,
Well, I have similiar issue. Upgrading from Logitech G27, I getting used to leave my old wheelbase plugged in everytime I turned off my PC. With my Alpha Mini, that's not the case.
Yes, there's power switch at the cable, but in just 3 months the switch is basically useless. So What I did was purchase a 3-to-2 pin adapter with a switch included. So since then everytime I finished racing I simply turn the wheelbase off thru the switch from the adaptor. Job done.
I really wish Simagic provides a switch behind the wheelbase.
I never broke a switch, but the switch always ended up being wayyyy too far away from where I sit to be of any real use.
Grand review - early days with my Alpha and while the software is certainly not as polished as Moza's pithouse, I did find it easier to get a great feel from the base plus it seems to retain my custom profile just fine (although I'm not switching games). No issue with the GT4 Carbon either altohugh did have to go through the super clunky firmware update process. Would be great once they get this all sorted as the hardware is top notch.
yeah the software does allow for good ffb with relatively little knowledge about what the settings do. Firmware update is a drag for the rims. But yeah the hardware is great
I'm still running the old Alpha Manager software with my alpha mini and GT-1-D wheel that I bought new on the first week of release. I have had zero issues with it, I did try the new software last year and just hated it so went back to Alpha manager as it works perfectly fine. I build a custom formula wheel so have no need for software updates I guess.
yeah the software wasn't good enough for the product. Hopefully that's all changing now though
Interesting to hear issues with coil whine. I don't notice this on mine, but I also don't leave it powered on so I could certainly just be missing it. I've got the wheelbase power supply and my VR headset power plugged into a power strip that's on the rig and I only turn it on when I'm going to use it. A dedicated power button would be nice for sure!
Yeah that’s definitely an option. A power button is so simple though 😂
I have my Alpha U, VR headset and USB hub for the pedals/peripherals all powered from the same IKEA Åskväder power strip with the extra Zigbee on/off switch attachment. Then I paired it with an IKEA Trådfri smart button. So pressing one button powers on or off the entire VR sim rig ✌️
That's a good idea for sure. I have thought about doing something like this but plugging out the power cable from the base works. it's just not elegant
@@LaurenceDusoswa Does the alpha U not have a switch on the power cable? My Alpha mini has one
I did but it’s buried in my tidy cables. Its not a good place for a power switch. You may as well just use a wall socket switch.
@@LaurenceDusoswa ahhh gotcha. I have mine mounted where I can reach it but agree it would be nice to have it located closer to the wheel
Thank you for the great review!
I also used Alpha U for about 8 months, but fortunately, there was no problem with the software, and the FFB presets for each game worked without problems.
Actually, your review was the most helpful before I bought Alpha U, and it was helpful because you wrote a comment when I was thinking about upgrading from mini to U on Facebook in 2022 :)
haha nice! I try to respond to every comment. As the channel grows, it's a bit more difficult. Thanks for the great comment
I'm also considering an upgrade from mini to U. Is it worth it?
Firstly thanks for your reviews Lawrence I really appreciate them!
I bought an Alpha one month ago. I have the FFB at 12nm I do wonder if the Ultimate at 12nm would give exactly the same FFB details or it might be more detailed, particularly the lower forces.
PS: Loved the livestream from the simracing expo!
I love the Simagic build quality, however I'm hating the Simpro manager an its eternal "beta" state. I have a Alpha Mini and I'm really thinking switch to VRS instead of Alpha U, just for the software. Great review as always, keep up the good work!!!
Yeah it’s a tough one… I’ve been assured that it is being addressed so I would wait another while if I were yiu
I would also wait.
There is on/off sw on power cable, im using that one to power off/on.
Auto switching profiles for games need to have on/ off button, true.
Everything else is great, after 9 months of use.
For most people, having an on off switch between the power adapter and the wall socket is completely impractical. I am not going to crawl under my rig to turn off my wheelbase :D
For this Product I Believe it all Depends on Where Your Plug Strips are Placed
I for Instance Have The Strip Attached to my Rig, and the Power Brick is Also Attached to my Rig. So Turning the DD on and Off is a Small Arms Reach away
Chech out my comment, there’s a way to turn off auto profile. I explain it in the comment.
@@LaurenceDusoswa power sw is just right in front of my right hand ( 10 cm from base to right) no problem at all to push button.
@@1874rb i can try again, when i disable auto game, telemetry and rpm light is not working . I have gtc wheel.
I have the "normal" alpha and have 0 complaints so far
The 15Nm is epic. I would gladly have it (or the mini) as my forever wheelbase
Me too definitely
Again another great informative review👌🏻 the software no doubt will improve in the future🤞🏻 as far as the power issue, I think it's really a non issue,the emergency power button supplied can function as power off. That's how I power off my DD2 for the past 4 years lol despite there being an actual on/off button right below it 😂
That was my upset with this emergency stop though. It only disconnects USB, not power :(
Thanks for the comment ❤️
@@LaurenceDusoswa ah I missed that🤔 yeah that is a issue🙄
Hi Laurence. Awesome vid as per usual.
I am having a major drama since the new update came out. The understeer vibration now is rediculous and well over powering. I have tried to adjust near everything, both in SimPro, and in my sim, but its just totally unpleasant to drive now. I dont know whats happened but its a weird issue to have.
Oh weird. They set up a new customer service discord: discord.gg/ahK7WB4MYj
@@LaurenceDusoswa Thanks Mate, Appreciate that :)
@@LaurenceDusoswa I clicked the link but unfortunately it wont accept my invite :(
@@styxxtheanimal5720 did you resolve your issue?
Great and to the point thanks
You're very welcome. It's difficult to compress months of notes and feelings into one short video
Hi, nice review. So would you choose this Simagic Alpha U 23nm or Asetek Forte 18nm ? which would it be ? 🙂
honestly I don't know. I'd pick the one with the better software and quick release and that has to be the Asetek now.
Dem B-rolls!
You still think this review holds up? I'm an Alpha mini user with most of my gear being Simagic, a bump up is still highly recommended?
You won’t regret the bump up. But similarly to getting 200hp extra out of your Ferrari, whether you needed it is questionable. But having it is nice. You won’t regret the upgrade anyway.
As an Add and Edit to this Video:
Actually Simagic is not willing to give a Clutch update (separate buy) to their rims. So make sure, that you are buying YOUR Choice. (13. June 2023)
I was considering this base until the motor whine was mentioned. Persistent noise when not in use would drive me nuts. I'll have to keep tabs on if maybe some update fixes that
i dont have that issue. and there is a on off switch on the cord now
Great review and perfect timing as I’m thinking of switching to Simagic. Not sure between the Alpha and Alpha U. In your honest opinion, I’d it with the extra money?
If you have the money, yes :)
@@LaurenceDusoswa thanks vm
The review is finally here🎉🎉🎉
Simagic alpha ultimate is the same price as the asetek forte here, but everybody is telling me I should go for the Forte, why is that? If you can't feel the difference to the Invicta, that's basically a no brainer..
Im in the same situation. What did you go for?
@@NeurocracyWell after a lot of back and forth I went with the Simucube 2 pro.
@@GabrielHaller Okey, tried and true solution that. Just a even large sum of money :D
So i went with the ultimate! Did I make the right choice with the ultimate over the alpha? Because i am one who uses around 14nm and I wanted to have that experience without much clipping. Thanks for this video you made me choose it haha.
Someone tried telling me the alpha was faster wnd more detailed yet everyone else is telling me the ultimate picks up on everything that much more and is even quicker.
Without a proper side by side test bed and real metrics, it's hard to say. the slightest settings change can make a wheel feel faster, or more detailed, etc. But it might come at the cost of something else.
@@LaurenceDusoswaI have an ingersoll brand its a $500 torque gauge. Its extremely accurate and I have in fact done measurements on my dd+ my v1 alpha and my v3 ultimate. V1 alpha was 18.5nm, v3 ultomate wss 26nm. Dd+ was 15nm its holding torque was 15nm so it mskes it feel stronger then normal 15nm peak bases
But what I felt is the ultimate just like you would shake my entire rig with details. The alpha did sometimes but not in the same impactful way.
I've found the snap in my ultimate is stronger then the others the extra torque and motor strength is felt in ractuons and response. It's so fast and has such fast torque response that I had to adapt to it.
Regardless I think that all of the somagic bases are amazing! Can't go wrong with any. All depends on the power you like or want.
I went out of my way and had a friend sell me and alpha and I got a brand new ultimate just for peace of mind. I've now sold the alpha and feel much better about my choice. I'll never need another base and if the ultimate gives out I'll just buy another ultimate.
I get why people day the ultimate feels like a simucube 2 pro because it reslly really does. But I got to see that at microcenter. I'm so happy I chose simagic I cannot believe how fast and snappy it is and how intense and free flowing ot feels. It's so so fluid and smooth It blew my mind. I get the dd+ hype but man I just did not enjoy that experience as much. I love love the wheelspeed setting that simagic has also. It almost reacts like somucubes slew rate setting.
I will say I'm so so happy to see simagic get the respect they deserve. Going on the sim racing pages on Facebook and reddit. When peoole ask which wheelbases to get 90% of the comments are all simagic now. Finslly dimagic gets the respect and after using ther product I can't imagine using anything else. Unless I was a social media influencer then sure would love to try others but be tried enough to know which is good and which isn't as good.
Something about simagics wheelbases just gel and click with me. I've found the limit of grip better then any other. That special somagic loading and unloading feel. I can push the limits of grip that much more and then boom snaps right back if I go a little to far. The new software is fantastic also! I just can't get over how smooth amd fast it is. Setting lap records and everything. Just due to it gelling with me.
Great review - Thank you!
You’re very welcome! Thanks for the comment!
@@LaurenceDusoswa I just bought the alpha u base and gt wheel- a few days ago- just familiarizing myself with everything- but so far it's great! I agree with you re the software- but i have a lot of confidence in these guys and am hopeful they'll get it all together reeel soon! :)
Ah yeah they just need to get the finger out. Apparently they’re on it. So I have every faith in it. Generally when they say they’re gonna get it done, they do
I don't think it's a great idea to lay the equipment on concrete, maybe use some plastic cover next time? Overall great video!
Plastic looks crap on my videos ;)
I went from a Simagic mini to the VRS base and never looked back. I personally had a pretty bad experience with the software and just found it difficult to find any real consensus on what certain settings did. People were trying to guess if settings in the new software were the same as the old and there didn’t seem to be anyone that could confirm.
Hows the vrs compare to the mini?
@@markremillosa5081 I personally put it in another class altogether. It’s obviously more powerful which I wanted as I ran the mini at max. Aside from that I find the software much better and the ffb I find better too and it feels so smooth compared to the mini. I thought the VRS would be a stop over for a while and I’d eventually get an endgame Simucube pro, but I have zero desire to. I think companies that pop up quickly with similar designs to more established manufacturers can do ok with the hardware side of things, but it’s the software that they struggle to ‘clone’.
If you are after a 10ish nm base though, I think the mini or the Asetek La Prima would be the choice though.
@@rover1374 thanks mate,,actually im coming from the alpha 15nm base,,torque is nos not an issue for me since im running my alpha 70% max,,just want to know if the vrs is better in terms of fbb details
@@markremillosa5081 no worries. Ah ok, I’m terms of details it’s hard to tell as one is just so much more powerful. I tend to deaden things a bit and then run higher ffb anyway.
@@rover1374 thanks mate,,actually already order the vrs and patiently waiting hahaha😅
You didn't say much about the Gtc rim, trying to decide between it and the gt4 rim.
The GT PRO button plate is the same as the GTC pretty much. I just don’t have the GTC here. I’m not a huge fan of c japes wheels.
Can you please share SimPro and Asseto Corsa settings with FFB tweaks if any, i've bought Simagic Ultimate and it's not even close to Simucube Pro, i cannot feel loss of grip as with SC Pro. Simagic just feels like i am turning a sausage. Corner, slip or quick turn wheel is not so much responsive, but when i hit the curb it can literrally break your palm, with very oversaturated force, if i add more smoothing then most details are lost to complete dsisatisfaction. Dunno simucube looks like perfect out of the box and simagic looks like endless fiddling to get something close to simucube.
I am slightly mor einclined towards moza because of the wheel prices and appearance. I already have the moza shifter also. Will I be missing much going with moza instead of simagic? I want this next setup to last some good years, like 5+ ...
check out the video from boosted media.. the simagic video he did recently.. i think it was posted 3 months ago.. goes indepth simagic vs moza and why.
Simagic ffb is better in my opinion but moza is great too.
Is this review still relevant one year later? Have Simagic fixed any of these issues?
Software is greatly improved. Cool whine still exists and no proper power button option
@@LaurenceDusoswa i do not have coil whine on my alpha u. its quiet as can be and ive never powered it off since ive installed it. It maaay be an early unit issue, as i got mine almost a month ago.
I just purchased today, and can tell the software is totally different. As for no power button on the base, have always used plugs connected to Alexa and verbally tell her to turn off my rig, so everything turns off.
Hey Laurence,
I am looking to buy a Simagic wheel base. I am stuck between the Alpha and the Alpha U. For me it would be arround a 200€ difference between the two. It's a bit tight for me spending the extra 200€ but it would be doable. I am afraid of thinking "what if" if i dont get the Ultimate. What would you recommend?
Thanks!!
Which did you end up getting?
14:25 Are you 100% sure the wheel return speed setting is the same as slew rate on other bases? I have doubts on that. I think it simply mean max rotation speed, the actual slew rate cannot be adjusted.
You are correct. I hate getting bogged down in the details because there are mixed opinions but I am talking about the maximum rotation speed as you point out. The slew rate in this base is so good that it is noticeable in the response when you have the wheel speed set high. But the perceived slew rate itself can technically be reduced with the sliders.
Thanks for the review! What are those gloves with the grip strings you are showing at 16:20?
I couldn't find ones with any grip strings apart from full zied gloves that also have a sleeve on them.
Hi Laurence, could you please share your Simpro settings for the Alpha U? I just bought this wheelbase with the FxPro and i need to set it up correctly for ACC and Rfactor2
I don’t have it on my rig anymore but if you join my discord, there are loads of owners who can help
Was almost scared to watch as have had my heart set on an alpha u for a while now 😱.
Thank god no real deal breakers reported apart from a couple of minor niggles 🤔🤫😅
Would be back to confused world if not careful.🤯.. which fecking one do i get ??? No, not going back there it's horrible, defo the Alpha U 😍
Saving up to that price takes a while though, only another few months to go.😮 can't wait but gotta 🤣.
Anyways. .
Cheers for not throwing spanners in the works 😉haha. 🍻 😀👍
Hahaha I’m just reporting my findings. Thank Simagic for making a good product. Hope the software gets sorted soon too.
I honestly think the software is fine. I simply go to game settings and set every game to load their own custom profiles and never have a single issue with it
Yeah different people have different results. My experience has been non stop crap :p
@@LaurenceDusoswa I do have a micro-oscillation issue that I don't know how to replicate. Sometimes after playing, my wheel would oscillate when idle until I power cycle
So has the sotware been fixed now? Looks like it was the only problem!
They have vastly improved it, yes
How's the software today? Did Simmagic resolve the profile confusion as well as the idle vibration issues? User friendlyness imorio?
Software is a lot better but the coil whine remains
hi, you should review these guys from Brazil: Pro Racing Simuladores.
they make hardware?
will you do a review on the new p1000 pedals form simagic?
Right now there is no plan for me to review these. If you want me to review a set, contact your local reseller and express interest in my review. They can organise with simagic if they see value in it.
With all Due Honesty. Unless your Going to Invert Mount the P1000s
It is in your Best Interest Performance wise to purchase the P2000s
Any chance you could post your acc and simagic u settings? Mine should be here in a few days!
hop into my discord. we have a settings channel. if it's not there, just ask and we'll get settings in there
Hey Laurence, for competitive iRacing GT3 class would you choose this base over the forte?
So I have the M10 and the D shaped GT wheel. Are you saying I'm likely to have problems using this with the Alpha U? Would a firmware update not fix it?
as long as you update simpro and do the firmware update for your wheel, you should be fine
100% agree there software is so weak compared to the competition, moza have the ability to tune fequenices which makes a big difference when your trying to get the wheel to how you want it to feel.
Yep I hope Simagic gets their act together asap
In ACC Is the ultimate at 60% in game equal to the Mini at maximum ??
I tested the ultimate today at 35% and feel like the CSL 8nm. And it works out as 8nm from 23nm at 35%
So by that logic the ultimate at 60% should feel like Mini at 13nm, which was very strong for me
Can you shed some light for me as I want to decided ??
Hi, I always wanted to buy Fanatec stuff but last few weeks I will probably go for Simagic. In review you say that Fanatec has better wheel quality or did I missunderstood it? What do you think about comparing CSL DD with Alpha mini + some nice round wheel?
no, simagic is far superior quality. the alpha mini is a different league to the CSL DD. CSL DD is fun, but the alpha mini is a beast by comparison.
Hi, currently run a moza r9 with a gs gt wheel . I keep looking at the simagic alpha carbon bundle with the carbon gt4 wheel , apart from the obvious 6 extra nm what do i really stand to gain from another 1400£ outlay
the r9 vs alpha is more than a 6Nm difference. the alpha feels like twice the power. The GS wheel is lovely, but the simagic GT4 is also really really good. Ultimately it's up to you. try to get some hands on time with the GT4 rim as that might help you to make up your mind.
@@LaurenceDusoswa thats really a lot lot easier said than done lol, i have zero way of ever testing these products prior to buying ,its pay and hope .no one i know is even remotely interested in sim racing , no pyschical shops in the uk i know of stock anything like that .
Wait, did they remove the auto profile switch? Haven't updated the software in a while but I have a toggle on the top right to disable auto profile switching. I'm on 1.2.9
I'm not sure.. As I say, the software section will become outdated but I am sure this will be added if not already in the latest versions. I have other wheelbase reviews to complete now so haven't checked the software in a month or two
@@LaurenceDusoswa Well mine is probably 6 months or so since the last update and now I don't want to install the new version just to check if it's still there :D
Would you be able to tell the alpha & alpha u apart at ~14nms? I don’t need more power than the alpha but wonder if the increase in fidelity with the u is actually noticeable
Depends on the situation but with a large 330mm wheel, there could be subtle differences in detail even at the same overall power
I wondered the same thing - finally made the upgrade and I do notice a difference. I find with the alpha at 100% and the U at 65% (14.95nm), the small details are more pronounced with the U.
Where this makes the biggest difference for me is when turning. With the alpha, I felt like the wheel was strong, but felt a bit muted through the turn.
The U on the other hand reproduces the finer details though the turn.
Now, is it worth the upgrade? I think the alpha provides more than enough for a great experience.
@@iancharleycharles1486 i think u get more feeling and details with a asetek forte..
did they fix coilwhine yet ?
I'm not sure. But I'll be testing it again soon
You can change the % increments of the shifts lights by clicking on the percentages on the left side of the shift light control window. You can customize them in 1% increments. Weird that yours as default appear to all be set 0% and red…
I actually lost footage and had to refilm this last night and didn’t have the wheel connected. That’s my bad. Next month I’ll find the footage in the wrong review folder somewhere 😂😂😂 when I last did it I couldn’t go in 1% increments
Awe makes a lot of sense! Thanks for the review mate! Brilliant job as always! I’ve got the alpha u and gts wheel and couldn’t agree more on your conclusions.
Dat nismo wheel though... I became enthralled with the new WRC game and ended up ordering the Alpha ultimate and P2000 pedals, along with their shifter and new hand brake.
Hahaha Nice! Yeah the nismo wheel is my pride and joy :p
@@LaurenceDusoswa Cant go wrong with old logo. I have the new nismo wheel in my 33.
@@DarkFire9889look me up on TikTok if you like cars dude. I keep all my car related antics on there
How does this compare to the Fanatec DD1, if you can ?
Hey LD, I'm a brand new member of Simagic family as well. I recently bought myself an Alpha U in exchange of my Moza R9. I have to say, the ffb is insanely good. Really smooth and crisp. Also, how much did you have to mess around with intepolation levels?
I barely use interpolation. I never found it to have a meaningful impact.
Great review as always.
As an owner i dont know what i do differently, but my firmware stays at the last preset when i turn it on. Also the presets are local files that can be deleted (i only play ac and iracing and dont need the others)
In the beginning my gt4 had problems with the rotaties but a chat with my reseller told me to update the wheel and afterwards it was fine. Connection issues also went away. That being said, i have the newer iteration of the gt4 with carvon plate and rubber grips, maybe that is a difference.
thanks for the great comment. Yeah people have different experiences it seems.
I can't for wait for better software. Yes. it's taking too long. I do not try to use it at all. But I'd rather have good working software than a rushed product.
Seems there's new software out today! More details in my discord
It's always been a bit unnerving to see such expensive pieces of sim gear on pavement but it hits different when it's simagic equipment as a Simagic fanboy lmao.
Sweet vid like always Laurence, do you think that the Alpha is enough of an upgrade over the Mini or should i just save up and go for the U? Even though my rig is only rated for... 20nm ish but the Mini moves it a bit... It's the ASR3. How much does it flex your rig Laurence?? Oh yea Laurence i use a wireless power interruptor, think about something like a garage door opener that controls a mini extension that powers my rig, i hit the button and everything turns off at once, only way i figured out how to power off the base without unplugging cables.
Yeah the alpha u is a good upgrade from the mini. Sounds amazing but it’s true. I place them gently on the concrete and tarmac ;)
at the same price, there is no choice needed between Simucube 2 Pro or the Alpha U, Simucube offer more, but yes there is a price as everything else in live
I'm curious what you feel they offer which is 'more'. I have reviewed both with the same review process.
@@LaurenceDusoswa Hey Laurence, the Simucube would offer the peace of mind I would say. Also, since I didn't try the Alpha U, I continue thinking that Simucube will offer a better all around feeling in the end.
I have had the Alpha-U, P2000, and GT4 since Nov of last year.. I have never gotten the pedals to work and have relied on my Invicta pedals. While I have several complaints, I largely agree with the video.. when it's good, it's good. However, the software is a complete mess. We shouldn't have to bypass Windows Security to download the software because it is not signed. Build a legit app with proper code signing and certificates. It does seem if they invested at least half as much into the software development as they do product development things would be a lot better.
what's up with the pedals? they don't work at all?
Just bought the AlphaU, but immediately noticed a annoying coil whine coming from the base. Swapped it for a different one, same. It's an almost perfect base, but the coil whine/grindy noise is very annoying to me.
Yep the coil whine is a pain in the ass.
@@LaurenceDusoswado you still use it? or did you switch? I can still send it back, considering to go to Simucube although I do like everything else about the Simagic AlphaU.
I still have mine although I constantly review different bases, so it’s not currently on my rig. I would look at getting a remote socket or something to control the power.
@@LaurenceDusoswaif I may ask, do you think the SC2Pro would be silent? Considering to send it back :(
It should be silent according to other owners
hi,dear lawrence,i notice that you still in v134 firmware.and simagic has updated frimware to v159 now.and software too.v134 is too old i think
Yeah i actually lost a lot of my software footage and had to use very old footage. Believe me that I was in a far newer version than in this video 😅
My friend has simagic alpha i think, 15-17Nm and he after testing mine SC2pro and other friends SC2pro stopped messing with simagic and bought sc2pro now he is 100% happy !
You are comparing 15nm to 25nm… so the brand comparison is irrelevant. But I’m glad you’re happy :) I also reviewed the sc2 pro and it’s amazing.
Yeah the software pisses me off as well. I'll go into iracing and it will switch to iracing sim profile which sucks lol. I should delete it i suppose
Apparently newer versions of the software are better. it has been a good 2 months since I used it
I was looking at simagic as they look like they have some good stuff. However, ive heard really bad things about their attitude and aftersales care. So it put me off. Which is a shame.
Feel free to share. I have heard amazingly good things about resellers.
That not having a off/on switch killed it for me just sounds incomplete
Haha yeah it’s a bit weird
Having it built into the cable is strange, however, my Accuforce was the same way, so already had my work around in place.
@bobboberton1841 bought a alpha anyway and couldn't be happier
Mmm 20 min, funny
I’m lost 😅
@@LaurenceDusoswa Lost in 20 min, Oo come one man
@@frankd.b.9233 honestly i have no idea what you’re saying
@@LaurenceDusoswa You write about an explanation in 20 minutes about this product
This is a big one! I Compare the 23Nm Simagic Alpha U (ultimate) to the 10Nm Alpha Mini and 15Nm Alpha, as well as the Simucube SC2 Sport and SC2. I compare the GT1, GT4, GT Pro, FX Pro and GTS steering wheels too. I've condensed months of joy and frustration into less than 20 minutes for you. A thumbs up on the video is all I ask for in return ;)
too little sleep or drunk lol ;l cheers
Yeah, and the video is 19 mins long. I don’t understand what’s funny
Are there other wheels, compatible with the Alpha Mini wheelbase?
Like, Fanatec, Moza, Simcube?
Thank you in advance
only USB devices but nothing wireless. Actually there's one brand that does a wireless wheel but I can't think of the name
simedal x-gt R8 GT3 replica, I would love to own ;-)
@@pierrotlefou6456Simedal has long term durability issues. Rubber bumpstops wear down, magnets fall out, and carbon paddles can crack