Probably the most solid advice ever to be given in most hobbies, whether that is simracing or something else. Buy cheap and second hand to get into it, and once you know you want to continue buy the best you can afford/would ever want, don't fall into the continious upgrade path. Most high end simracing stuff will last you years, if not decades, so be smart and buy the stuff you wanna race the rest of your life!
Great recommendations Dave. One extra tip for anyone who wants to upgrade pedals and needs a sturdier rig is to build one out of wood. Lumber cost me £20 for 14 metres of 2x4. Box of wood screws for £5. Got a driver's seat for £30 from a scrapyard. A few hours of measuring, cutting and screwing later and the rig was more than sturdy enough for a Fanatec CSW 2.5 and CSL elite loadcell pedals. 3 years later and it's still holding up fine. Much more rigid than the cheap steel rigs and easily modifiable like aluminium profile. Saved me atleast a few hundred quid compared to a decent profile rig and seat
My F1GT is pretty sturdy, for the thin steel it uses. but I used some spacers to make it so. The figment was not tight without some extra work. About 20 big steel washers worked. I’ve thought about making a sim rig kit people can build out of steel. Similar to the F1GT I have, but with Corten steel panels and the rounded square or rectangular tubing. Somewhere like Coremark metals in minneapolis (formerly discount steel ).
It could easily be bolted together with no flex with some solid hardware. Heavier but cheaper than the profile rigs. We use that steel all the time making steel walls. I always tell people a plow truck could hit that thing and the concrete footings will break or come up before the steel gives. Though we pour 12 inch diameter concrete footing that are 4 feet deep and use at least two for every panel. All panel less than 10 ft in length. Where am I goin with this. Wood is just easier and cheaper for people.
@@bikerboy3k Built my rig back In 2020 during the first lockdown. Luckily have a lumber yard a 5 minute walk down the road from me, I asked how much I'd get for a £20 note and he gave me 14 metres, not sure what current prices are as I haven't needed more since.
I bought a brand new MOZA R9 base with the GS steering (1 week of use and enjoying a lot). Watched this video and think: Why not MOZA R9 instead of Fanatic DD? I'm curious about Dave Cam opinion about MOZA R9.
If you've enjoyed playing racing games for years, and think you might like to get into sim racing, I'd say skip the entry level wheel and pedals that you typically find at your local store. Just buy a Moza R5 wheel and pedal combo, or the Fanatec equivalent from the start. Odds are good that you'll want to upgrade from your Logitech or Thrustmaster within a month anyway. That's what I wish I would have done. It might be double the initial cost to you, but paying that upfront is better than paying for a starter wheel and then paying for the upgrade a month later.
Really helpful Dave. For somebody who subscribes but has no set up at all yet this has been extraordinarily useful. When I saw the vlog title I thought you were going to come in at around 10k but 5k for a very solid set up makes things very viable. Thank-you
I budget sim raced from the 90's. Logitech's first force feedback wheel was clamped to my computer desk until the internal cables broke. I must have gone through 4 or 5 FF logitech wheel/pedal sets over 20-30 years. ps1, ps2, ps3, ps4, and a few for my computers. 2 years ago I started realizing stuff like fanatec existed and triple screens were a thing. I wasn't about to do the slow crawl through technology when I was getting back into it so I did the deep dive: DD1, V3 pedals ASR6 frame triple monitors. Since building it I've used it every day except when on vacation or at home sick. Love it. Thanks for all your contributions to the hobby/industry Dave Cam
One thing I'd add to the video. Lots of people don't have the space for a full rig, in which case a quality foldable wheel stand is an excellent solution. I've been using the GT Omega Apex with a Moza R9 and Fanatec V3s for about six months now and its been an excellent setup. Don't forget to get locking casters if you're using an office chair, avoid Ikea chairs since they use non-standard sizes for their casters.
@@BurningBroadcast next level racing also offers the GT-Lite or F-GT-Lite, that thing can fold to about the size of a briefcase and offers the full driving experience of a rig without the cost or inconvenience, i've heard people say there is a bit of forward and backward flex which isn't great for when you're on the brakes but i plan on picking mine up soon from a local shop and with my setup against a wall i don't expect it to be an issue. If it is i'll come back here and kick myself and warn yall
Thanks Dave you’ve literally described a similar upgrade path that I went through it it definitely makes a lot of sense. Thank you for affirming my experience. I’m currently in the process of saving for the VRS DFP wheelbase.
@@robbown164 I just saw the review from Boosted Media for the VRS pedals. Definitely have my interest peaked. I was eyeing out the Invicta's or Forte's as well.
I thought the VRS wheel was locked to iRacing account holders only? I was under the assumption that one actually requires an active iRacing subscription to even buy and maintain one.
@@richardople I have them, they are every bit as fantastic as the review suggests. I've been using them for about 9 months now, and just picked up the clutch. I have had zero issues with them, and swapping to the red spring wasn't nearly as difficult as it was made out to be.
@@jfredett and @DaveCam, so I took your advice with the wait patiently, save and buy once mentality. I paid in cash for the VRS DFP Wheelbase, Cube Control GT Sport rim and the Asetek Invicta Series-S hydraulic pedals. It's absolutely transformed my sim racing immersion and experience. Thank you mate!
A lot of peoples problems with motion sickness or anything similar on vr is just from running it on a less than ideal system. Having a pc with good hardware and decent fps that doesnt fluctuate helps significantly
I might add that for lots of folk who use their pc for work and sim racing (such as myself) a big ultra wide display is the perfect choice in terms of productivity and gaming
Ultrawides are also great for sim racers in small spaces who don't have space for triples (or can't afford them) and don't want to buy a VR headset. Substantial upgrade over a single standard widescreen.
@@Sushi227 gotcha. And do you run one of these for your sim racing? If so, how big is it, what’s your viewing distance to the screen and what kind of FOV are you able to use?
@@DeltaInsanity I use a Gigabyte G34WQC, and for the price I'm happy with it. I run a weird FOV since I sit relatively far back, I've had to tweak it quite a bit to find something that works for my setup.
Here is my advice to anyone with a £1000 budget: - G27 Used, it comes with a clutch and buttons on the h-shifter which can be used as a handbrake for drifting (something that is missing from the later G29 models) - an aluminium rig, it made my G27 feel like a new wheel! So much better than a flimsy desk or steel rig - a vr headset such as Rift S, since going to VR I've never looked back. They are cheaper than triple screens, take up no extra space and you just can't beat it for realism. Only after all of this did I then go for a complete Fanatec setup (CSL DD, shifter and handbrake) You are 90% of the way there with a solid rig, VR and a trusty old G27.
Upgrading bit by bit makes it feel personal imo. I dont understand the people that empty their wallets just to get bored and sell it later. Great video!👌
I wouldn't over look the Simagic and Moza bases. The Simagic alph & mini and Moza R9 are great bases and come with very well priced and built wheel rim options. The rest of Daves advice here is pretty much spot on and the way I would approach sim racing if I started again
Solid advice. I considered a bunch of midrange gear at first, while borrowing a friend's entry-level setup, but eventually I just went all-in on my "final" rig setup. I'm really glad I just went straight for the good stuff. Another great pedal option to consider is Simagic, which sits at the opposite end from Asetek in terms of pedal throw length and feel. (I tried a friend's Asetek, set to shortest/hardest brake settings, and it was like a brick wall. Very much not my preference!) They sorted out the initial pedal wiggle, and they've been fantastic right out of the box on more recent production runs, with plenty of room for adjustment as always.
A year in on my first sim rig and love it! So glad I didn't spend too much as this setup works perfect for me.Went with the GTR Simulators GTA PRO rig,Fanatec CSL Elite F1 bundle with load cell kit.Added on a Fanatec WRC wheel for when a bigger round wheel is needed and all for under $1,200 U.S. dollars.The GTA pro rig has been awsome.can take full load for CSL elite no problem and the Fanatec CSL Elite base and pedals has been great as well.For me on Playstation 4 being able to use any Fanatec wheel,yes even the Xbox version wheels work on the CSL Elite and the adjustability of the GTR Pro are definitely worth checking out.
Great advice on saving money. It will be worth watching your video if one is unsure about sim racing. I took a bit different approach to buying sim gear because I am a big sucker for immersive simulation and knew it would be a blast for many years. So the first thing I bought was a solid aluminium profile. It was a must-have for its durability, versatility and future upgrades (endless options). The second purchase was a direct drive simucube 1 OSW 25nm and the BMW recliner seat (very comfortable). I still use the same direct drive and have no plans to upgrade unless it stops working. Next was triple 1080 27" screens, HE ultimates with the HE Plus upgrade kit and Ascher Racing button box for MOMO steering. The rest followed (shifters, tactile feedback, amps, third-party software, roof monitor upgrade etc...). 50k later, I have no regrets and love everything about it.
I watched this Dec 10, 2023. Heusinkveld pedals were ordered, received, and installed by Dec 16th. I was a 944 iRating when the pedals were installed and 2 weeks later on Dec 31, 2023 I am a 1387 and that's counting the -80 I received in a race where the sim wouldn't even load and iRacing said I disconnected. Good equipment does make a difference. Great advice!
I've been using the "buy once" strategy for a year now - slowly been saving up and buying parts of my rig. Using the golden rule for any kind of spending: "only spend big if you know you will use big". I am space limited, so can't go triple screens, so my item list is as follows: BenQ 34" Widescreen: £600. GT1 Evo + VESA mount: £550. GT Omega seat: £150. Simagic P1000 pedals: £750. Simagic Alpha Mini + GT4 wheel combo: £1150. That totals £3200, for a 10nm setup, triple loadcell pedals with hydraulic brake, and really good monitor. I am lucky that I have a pretty good PC already so I'll be using that to power it. One major reason I went with Simagic gear is their customer service. I have heard a few bad stories over Fanatic in this area, but only good things with Simagic. That needs to be a major consideration. Also, what PC you have to power a rig needs to be another consideration, especially if you’re deciding what displays you need to push pixels too. If you are looking for pure eye candy as well as smoothness, then a new GPU might be needed, and even though the cost of those have come down in the last year, that could easily go from £500-£1000!
I can recommend Simjack Pro pedals for 300 euros + tax, 3 loadcells, really customizable, clutch has bite point, 200kg brake LC. I started with 2 pedal set t300rs, then t3pa, then tlcm and now Simjacks, they're so much better than the tlcms.
I made a pretty good path in my opinion. I went from g27 for 10 years, upgraded to HE pedals while still using g27 wheel. Added bass shakers “huge upgrade”, got VR, then went DOF seat mover motion, added wind simulation, and finally added Moza r9. So far I am about $5,000 usd in and use Both VR and Super Ultrawide depending on the day. I don’t regret any of my purchases.
Good video Dave. It’s difficult when you starting out. I decided to go for the good stuff straight away, rightly or wrongly. Although I didn’t buy an aluminium rig which I wish I had. I’ve been sim racing for a couple of years now and fortunately I’m still enjoying. It’s crazy how much you can actually spend if you have the money. It’s all about the immersion😂. One thing also to consider is the computer spec to run the games, especially ACC and VR.
Noticed the Si Turnbull aluminium rig there Dave. Just bought one of his a few months back, finally got myself a rig! I’d personally disagree with the VR option. I had the oculus quest 2 then upgraded to the hp reverb 2 and thought it was a big upgrade. Close up graphics were very similar tbf but the world or stadium/track you drive in appears much more solid and detailed. Provides a more complete experience with better immersion. But that’s just me
The beautiful part about Sim racing is that you can also 3D print wheel rims for your wheel base at fractions of the cost of a top dollar wheel if you have a bit of technical know how with a 3D printer, love my VRS base and have made a Hyundai Elantra N TCR wheel to drive with, amazing customizability and a great investment
I started on a t300 and t3pa within a few months I was hooked them I got VR and was super hooked. Then I went to the simucube osw biss c encoder and loved it I changed to the heusinkveld pro pedals. Now I'm using simucube 2 Pro and simagic p2000 hydraulic pedals on a P1X and now have triple 1440p 32in 170hz and I'm happy now. So I completely agree always spend little bits at first on any hobby amd find out of you like it the upgrade. Also 100% agree pedals are more important than a wheel base mainly the brake so I always advise my mates to get the best pedals they can afford first. Great video Dave will help many
Funny, I did pretty much exactly what u recommend here over the last months :D Bought a used T500RS last year, built a aluminium profile rig over the winter and just recently bought the Fanatec CSL Elite Pedals. And these Pedals are insane, I´m getting faster each day since I use them ( which is only for a few days yet), they are REALLY great.. And Im really on a budget up till now, i bought used profiles from the company my gf works at and was under 300€ for the whole rig including seat.(altough atmittedly the seat could be better^^)
PEDALS! YES! So this. I had the V1 Fanatecs too, back in the day, then I went full load cell with some ZR Precision something-or-other... Now I'm on the Simagic P2000 hydraulic load cells. Literally no time to get used to them, and they just feel... right! The confidence and ability to brake and accelerate the same each lap is just worth it's weight in gold. I'd really like a DD wheelbase but I felt the pedals were going to give me the best improvement vs spend at that time, (I already have a home made 8040 rig so that's a done deal)
Yep, soooo familiar. I went through exactly the same path and had many things not twice but even three times the only difference you did it in 6 years I did it in one year!! Anyway great advise and I try to tell people the exact same things as you just did.. Greetings from the Netherlands and keep up with your great videos!
Great video thanks for sharing! I was going to build the aluminum rig myself, but ASR has a great deal for their entry level cockpit so I bought it at $350 USD with free shipping. I can bolster it as I grow in this adventure.
When it comes to VR I have a few recommendations, as an experienced VR user. This isn't a category you want to cheap out on, especially if you are prone to motion sickness. The Oculus Rift S runs at I believe 80Hz, and 90Hz is considered the minimum for a comfortable VR experience. In sim racing especially you want a framerate as high as you can push. The Quest 2 can go up to 120Hz, but you'll potentially be sacrificing clarity, unless your inter-pupilary distance is exactly one of the three available settings on that headset. Then there's the question of FOV. There are some extreme headsets like the Pimax 5K which go up to I think 210 degrees, while something like the Valve Index goes to 130 degrees, if you can get the lenses close enough to your eyes while retaining comfort. The Rift S will get you just under 90 degrees, which you will definitely notice. If you don't mind tunnel vision and you don't mind slightly sickening framerate, AND you don't mind not being able to read anything on the display in the vehicle, then the Rift S is a very good bargain, if you don't mind used as well. My personal recommendation is a Valve Index. Especially for sim racing, it has the best feature set. You can get the headset and light houses individually to save some money if all you plan on doing is sim racing, and you'll get the best tracking as well as a comfortable headset, decent resolution, and very high refresh rate. (The Index can go up to 144Hz) You'll find if you are prone to motion sickness, that it's going to take a while to get used to things, but you will get used to them. Eventually you will develop your VR legs, especially if you're only racing with it, as I find racing to be the most discomforting VR experience, personally. Good luck!
Great Video with some fantastic advice. Guess there a pleanty of us out there who could have saved some money. To everybody new to this hobby, listen to the man and you'll be on a good way to enjoy the World of SIM Racing.💪🤘
When I upgraded from my g27 pedals to my sprints I used plywood under my chair ran to the pedals and mounted them to the plywood to still use my desk as sim rig till I bought my cockpit great little hack to get to use good pedals before you can buy a rig
I used to use 28" Triples but now I am VR only and just cannot look back, you will need the hardware to support it however but if you get yourself a 4090 you'll be able to run iRacing pretty much maxed out on most tracks and I would highly recommend VR over Triples any day of the week for 1 very simple reason. Depths of Field, having the ability to see distances for what they are makes learning tracks and racing in places you don't know so much easier, I never forget the first time I tried VR in Dirt 2.0 I was hitting all the apexes first time and everything, simply amazing!
It takes time to get used to it for sure. I did 4 hours straight stint as part of a 3 man team for Sebring 12hour in LMP2. Also team of 2 regularly did the VRS endurance.
@@darrenduerden yeah I have a teammate that uses it with a combination fans, but for me it was just too uncomfortable. Currently on ultrawide as don't have space for triples
Also my Simrig has a GTX1660, i7-7700k, 32gb ram, 3 x 1920x1200 monitors (24") and a bucket seat + rails from a real car which I mounted on a wooden frame. Runs iRacing just fine - sure I turn some settings down but I'm there to race, not count the leaves on the trees.
Can't agree enough with the suggestions, although I am a firm believer of buy once cry once i also missed out on years of driving because of that attitude. There was always an upgrade right around the corner, or something that was marginally more expensive but eventually my cart total was thousands more than it was originally. The rabbit hole of sim racing is deep and you can likely spend your net worth on some of this gear. A couple years ago I finally bought my second (first wheel was when dad bought one decades ago) and it was just a Fanatec CSL elite, no clutch pedal and no round rim. This wheel has gotten me through so many laps I can't thank it enough... but what it taught me was that there's never going to be the perfect time for your perfect setup. Fanatec makes it easier being so modular which makes it easy enough to buy over time. Just purchased my next base being the DD pro this time with a shifter and handbrake. So looking forward to using a round rim again too for all my casual driving wants. I think it comes down to time vs money. How long would you have to wait for the better gear? how much is the 3 screens doing for you vs having a chassis. It'll be different for everyone but watching your video will definitely steer people along the right path. The amount of times I've seen people jump for DD's and just use their desk and office chair (granted I did this on the CSL elite but even that shook my entire 300lbs desk to its core when I didn't have my hands on the wheel for whatever reason.) Didn't even know you had a TH-cam channel, been hanging around the CDA forums for a while now and used many of your setups! thanks for all you do to help us rookies get around the track :)
Regarding breaks I started with Heusinkveld Sprints witch they were ok, then upgrade to the Ultimate and that was a good upgrade... but finally I went to the VRS DirectForce Pro Pedals and that... Was by far the best pedals I owned and I don't feel any more the need for a upgrade.
Heard this off several people and it's very much glossed over in a lot of videos. VRS are adjustable in every dimension, cost the same as Sprints and are often compared to Ultimates as being the better product. For the money I don't know why you'd go anywhere else. I love mine.
I can confirm this experience. Upgraded from the Clubsport V1 pedals to the VRS while a friend upgraded to the ultimate plus. I like the VRS much better and the build quality is unmatched for that price. They are unfortunately a bit tricky to get as the sell out very fast for obvious reasons :D
Great video with good advice. Just my 2 cents: - 10/12nm is more then enough for most people. I have an VRS 24nm base but ended up running it at around 33% power. It keeps me more focussed on driving then on keeping the car turning. - a good rim is almost as important as pedals I think. Find one with a grip that suits your hands and has all the buttons you want. I have a cube controls formula wheel but ended up using hocky stick grip tape to make the grips more beefy for my big hands
Hmm it would seem for most the 10-16nm range is the most common ‘sweet spot’ from most reviews. I was thinking of getting the Moza 16nm base as I really like their formula rims.
@@johanblume8944 at the time of posting thst message i had a cube controls formula sport rim. Right now I have sold everything and went the fanatec dd route to be able to play both ps5 and pc. Right now I have the mclaren v2 rim and I really love it, it has nice big grips and a good diameter (300mm)
This is what I did, except with thrustmaster, started with the tmx and bought the t3pa pros, did a wheelstand, upgraded to Next Level F-GT, alls I've replaced in 3-4 yrs is the wheel base to a TX. My next wheel base will be a fanatec, t3pa pro set are amazing built to last.
Thanks for this vid Dave, my father currently has a g29, and I'm looking into stepping into the sim world myself. I've been torn between the cheaper steel rigs/dd wheels but with the worry of wanting to upgrade further down the line. I'll definately continue to borrow my fathers G29 and save the extra few pounds on other hardware. Although a rig may be first for me due to currnetly being mounted on a desk.
Great video, and your great review👍 SIMDID's new FA7 steering wheel, if you are interested, you can check it out: th-cam.com/video/7Pr3na17Mz8/w-d-xo.html Wish you all the best.
The only thing I’d say different if you’re handy is build your own rig from wood instead of 80-20. When it comes to how stiff to make, err on the side of overkill. My plan is to use 2x12” boards for the uprights & mount for the wheelbase, 2x6 for the base & pedals all secured w/ steel brackets & bolts (so I can take apart & reassemble) & separate monitor stand. I could do this for a bit over $100 US, just as sturdy as a profile rig. And grab a car seat from a junk yard.
Yep, and I'd say 1440p is the minimum resolution that's acceptable for this screen size. Have 3x 32" LGs myself; use them mostly for software engineering work, which is where I'd love them to be 4k - but when I'm finally in iRacing my GPU thanks me. Couldn't go back to 27"s now.
I agree, tip #1 is the most important. I started out with a used G920 (got it for a fantastic deal) and a playseat challenge. I wasn't sure if I'd stick with sim racing but ACC got me hooked. I've since upgraded but can't imagine how annoyed I would have been if I bought higher end stuff first only to realize sim racing wasn't really for me. I also agree with your advice on the sim rig. I went from a playseat challenge to Gt-Omega Art cockpit and while it's definitely an upgrade, I wish I would have bit the bullet and went with an aluminum profile rig instead. I know that I will probably switch to an aluminum profile rig in the future, but wish I would have made the jump from the beginning. The tough part is where I'm located the demand for sim racing gear is extremely low so trying to get anything back (or just sell for that matter) is tough. I took 3-4 months to sell the playseat challenge and G920 at a deeply discounted rate. Overall, great video and great advice.
I somewhat agree except the screens, since triples will need serious firepower which would mean upgrading the PC if you don't have a decent one (1.5K+ Euros nowadays). Think a good wheel is more important than having triples. A single 32" 144+Hz will do fine, I'd prioritize wheel. I feel like Moza have a really affordable ecosystem, you can get all in it for like a grand (R9, CS, SRP pedals). Heard some horror stories with the QR on the Fanatec DD, so am a bit meh.
I’m so glad you made this video Dave, I was concerned your last video could put people off because they thought they needed £28k to get properly into sim racing. I think sim rigs are like 1st cars …. They’re supposed to be 💩 so you appreciate what a nice rig is 😂. But seriously, to your point, a g29 strapped to a desk with whatever pc and screen you can scrabble together will be fine. Agree with another comment and if your making a commitment to sim racing, an alu profile rig should be the 1st step - getting away from the truck driver position is a total game changer, after that it’s pedals. As for rigs, si turnbull rigs are fantastic!
Oh and don't forget a decent gpu. Good video, I need to jump up from my t gt to direct drive. The bonus with fanatec is their ecosystem is pretty good. Plus their prices.
Maintaining your hardware is so important too, I bought the Original Fanatec Clubsport Pedals 12 Years ago, and still use them today. Keeping everything clean, oiled, with all bolts tightened, plus one replacement loadcell sensor, mean my pedals have only cost me about €25 Euro a year!
I use only a Wheelstand Pro stand for my 8Nm CSL DD and CSL Elite pedals, works really well. It is cheap and takes up little space, it can be easily put away, perfect for a small apartment.
Love this! Watched your videos for the last year, finally bought some gear this weekend, before seeing this video 😅 Rule 1… ✅ I bought second hand a thrustmaster T248 with h pattern shifter and sparco hand brake on an omega gt rig, using it with a ps4 I already had on an LG 58 inch. AUS$ - 1100 GBP- 628.98 Honestly couldn’t be happier, I’m involved instead of watching now. I was very close to spending AUS$10,000. Love the videos, keep it up!
Oh, and the omega rig I’m in was slightly modified haha the bloke before me has done some adjustments and added an extra bar connecting the wheel frame to the gear stick mount, basically allowing me to move the handbrake and h shifter to multiple positions, I’m tall so that helps .
I built a 2 by 6 sled with 1 by 8 frame to mount a wheel base…used CSR Elite wheel off Craigslist…CSL Elite pedals new..and a $100 tv from Costco… But Now I’m hooked….God help me.
The initial purchase of any sim rig gear is a difficult one. Reason being you don't know if you're going to stick with it. I bought the g29 and a Playseat evolution. I ended up upgrading the pedals to fanatec csl elite load cell which are great for me. Next upgrade will be to aluminium rig with dd wheelbase. Dave has said it exactly right about how to go about it. Cheers dave👍
Great advice man. I started with Logitech just to try sim racing out. Then recently got a MOZA R9 + CRP pedals with Wheel Stand DD. Next I will jump to a fully highend setup and hand down the Moza R9, but that's a few years away, need a bigger room first.
Good advice, altbough I mainly got stuff I will probably upgrade later 2nd hand. I bought the CSL DD, V3 pedals and the Clubsport Formula 2.5 for a price that I can easily sell again (700 euro). Did decide to get a decent rig and screen from the start, because I knew these will be used for a long time. That said, the wormhole is there. Already thinking about switching from a 34" to a 49" ultrawide, and will probably get new pedals and a simucube wheelbase later too.
I got an awesome solution for people with small spaces, it's called pein pedal mount. It's a metal frame which you can put under your desk, you put the wheels of your deskchair in a frame, so your chair and weight keep the pedals in place. It's 100 euro but worth it for desk simmers. I have a 30 nm dd wheel I mount it with the fanatec clamp and dd mount on my desk, only had to make some extra holes. Then I make sure my desk is connected to the wall so it can't move. I have a pretty solid racing sim at my desk, it's off course not perfect because the pedals flex a little bit....but it's a cheap detachable solution which is good enough to enjoy simracing.
Totally agree there is a cheap way in. Just bought a used RiftS to see if I can handle VR. Upgraded to T-LCM pedals and having a load cell is very nice. Still sub £1k but I already had an old but decent spec pc.
I bought TLCM when they came out. At that time, they were decent cheap loadcell pedals, especially coming from G29 pedals. I modded them with 3drap and it transformed the braking experience, so I would definitely recommend looking into that mod. When I upgraded to Sprints late last year, it was a huge difference in immersion, but laptime wise, I could trailbrake with modded TLCM almost as good as with Sprints. So when/if you want to upgrade the pedals, I wouldn't upgrade to Elite 2 or something similar. Save for Sprints, and you will thank yourself later. Regarding Forte Pedals, watch Dan Suzuki video about them. They are "cheating" with their loadcell.
i agree to buy used at the very start. after that though dont be like me and do the leapfrog updates, go for the best thing you can possibly afford so your not just doing constant incremental upgrades and spending 3x more then you would have otherwise.
I’ve gone down literally this exact same route. Started with G920 and a GT omega wheel stand. Barely lost any money selling them. Wanted an aluminum profile rig but got a deal I couldn’t pass up on a used trak racer TR8 with a NRG seat. Moved triple 27” 1440p’s and did the fanatec GT DD and their CSL load cell pedals. On one hand I kind of wish I saved for the sprints and a simucube like I originally wanted to do but on the other what I have now is night and day more enjoyable than my Logitech was and at least now I will feel better spending the money on those higher end pieces.
Very sage advice Dave. I pretty much followed your recommendations too. Started with a G920 and wheel stand for many years, then did a load cell upgrade and mag shifter for that, which made a huge difference. Then a GT Omega Titan rig (still going) and then a set of CSL Elites load cell pedals and a Fanatec GT DD Pro, shifter, and handbrake. Still going strong on that with ACC, DR 2.0 and WRCG on Xbox Series X. Next steps will be a gaming PC, then 80/20 rig, triples and a Simicube 2 with HS sprints. Great thing about the Fanatec ecosystem in Oz is that the resale prices are really strong, so you can get 2 years of use for almost nothing when you upgrade.
You made me grin a lot at the beginning of the video :) I can completely support your story. Buy the right stuff, and don't try to go budget. I did (and had to) make smaller steps and upgrade everytime. Did not work out that bad, but it does cost more money. There is one big advantage: you discover the things that are important to you personally. Do you like a wheel with a lot of buttons or a button box? Do you like a wheel with a display, or prefer a fixed seperate display? My next step is to finally go Direct Drive (Fanatec CSL DD was not around then I went for a Fanatec wheelbase). Only one disadvantage: i bought into the Fanatec ecosystem (i love it!!!) and my wheels won't work on other wheelbases (without a converter kit). So I hope for a Clubsport DD or a newer generation of (Podium) DD1.
Obviously it's all subjective, but having just upgraded to a DD base, I can't imagine ever wanting more torque than the 9NM I'm getting from my R9. Unless you really need the higher torque output, the CSL DD could be enough.
Honestly I would suggest go to a sim racing center if there is one near you and just get a 1 month pass. Then you can decide if you want to build your own setup. I picked up an unlimited pass for $100 a month and the sim setup was a full rig with fanatec, 49 inch curved screen and D-box gen 5 motion sim. That would cost me like 20k to build plus still need a good PC to run it. So for a few months its only cost me a few hundred for a lot of fun over the winter. For me I've decided its more of a winter activity, as I enjoy the outdoors when its nice out. Its kind of like if you wanted to get in to karting, you can go rent a rotax max for a day with a team and see if you like it without spending all your money on a hobby that you may or may not really want to do all the time.
This friday I bought 2x 1080p 170hz screens for 420€. I problably should go for 1440p but I need to be realistic. My rig has a 2060 super watercooled by my self for 80€ and a g25 with more than 15 years. If I want 1440 o 4k I would need a much better graphics card and the screens wich cost more than double each one. Just use common sense guys. Great video Dave
I would recommend the Advance Sim Racing ASR6 for those of us in Canada over the Simlabs rig. I found the P1X too difficult/expensive here (Ontario). SRG did his usual review of it, and I can confidently say it's worth every inflated loonie.
I went from the G29 and Playseat Challenge straight into a TrakRacer rig, Heusinkveld Sprint pedals, Simucube Sport wheelbase, Cube Controls Formula wheel and a 34" 1440p ultrawide monitor when I had the money to afford it. It's more than plenty and I'll only be replacing/upgrading if and when something breaks.
Good stuff man; im at the point where my upgraded 920 needs to change. But im still sat on a tv and an xbox in gtomega cockpit. Gotta say though, 920/29s go for about £170 new if you time it right. Id advise someone jumping in to wait for sales, immediately buy an uprated throttle spring and axcsim brake upgrade… whole things still well under £250. Absolutely agree with the jumping straight to DD mind. Dont really see the point in the higher end belt driven stuff.
02:45 DO NOT get these pedals ASETEK FORTE are not TRUE loadcell pedals, they work the same way as potentiometer pedals, they messure TRAVEL not pressure of your foot
@@davecamyt i did, it uses like 10kg loadcell (or so) and a small spring to press it, Dan Suzuki did great breakdown on it, its not a pressure based break pedal Asetek got a lot of backlash for it that they had to make a video about it lol
Great advice overall Dave and to the point. One thing though that I have to 'question' (in the politest way); most other sim racing YTers advise to target the rig as the first upgrade when moving on from the likes of the G920, Thrustmaster etc. whereas you're suggesting pedals? Only just started in sim racing (XBOX, PlaySeat Challenge, G920, 32" curved 4K 120Mhz monitor). So far absolutely loving it, already thinking of upgrades in the future hence watching this video with so much interest but a little confused as to the first thing to upgrade without regretting it!
I've had a Thrustmaster TX for the last 3 years. The amount of detail I got from mounting that to a profile rig alone was mindblowing. At this point I'm only upgrading to a Simucube 2 pro because the tiny thrustmaster looks silly on my rig lol. Did you end up making a decision?
@@p0rt I did, went the whole way and upgraded everything - Fanatec CSL DD, Sim-Labs GT1 EVO, high spec PC & an ultra-wide monitor. Took weeks to get and days to set up but the difference is incredible in so many ways.
I started out with the logitech g29 + a playseat. (I do have a good pc) And like this man says, now i'm looking to upgrade the seat to an alliminium frame and than the pedals and steeringwheel. Last will be the 3 screen setup. I must say, the logitech with playseat works fine. I enjoyed it for 2 years, and now it is going to my sisters little son. If you are not sure you want to spend some real money, then I would absolutely recomend one of the cheaper wheels with a playseat. If you have money and you think you will be going to keep racing, then go for a good allu frame instead of the playseat. But I would still buy a "cheap" wheel and pedals. The prices are as such that if you are not 100% sure, I wouldn't recomend them to start out with. Total package will set you back more than 2.5k (don't forget you need a computer as well, mine costs 2.5k also). And that would not be high end. Bit much for a kid/teen/student I think. Great video, I agree with all of it! To all new racers, guys/girls, you are going to spend a shit ton of money, and you are going to buy stuf you will replace. Just pick something that you can efford without too much trouble.
After 6 years and lots of thinking and upgrading bit by bit from a g29 for products that seemed to me to be the most logical upgrade. So from g29 clamped ot my table, i am now at a csl DD, CSL pedals with LC and tuner kit(pedals with LC were technically first upgrade, but next upgrade had to end up going with them. Also, tuner kit really improved the experience IMO, I used stock plastic pedals for a year before getting the tuner kit, and it is 100% worth it, feels like how they were actually designed to be.) NLR WheelStand 2.0. That with one of those NLR office chairs(moveable armrest are more handy than you think, not just for driving either) comes out to like $1,000 USD. Fairly budget friendly. Not super hardcore, but a solid set up, and i def don't have room for a full sized rig. But I'd say if you only like $1,000 USD to spend, you'd be hard pressed to buy a more sturdy, solid, well enough built ready to go set up. The workingman's set up(lol, not saying Dave doesn't work for a living, or isn't blue color or anything, just more budget friendly is all I mean.)
I agree with everything but I’d put the cockpit ahead of the pedal set. The quality of FFB and consistency with the pedals is a huge step up on a rig even with an entry level wheel and pedal set. It makes sim racing instantly better.
Sitting on a T300 for 3 years now and was thinking of taking the reduced price of the Fanatec bundle for €500 incl. 8nm, the P1 wheel and the pedals. But then I know I would 100% upgrade to a Formula wheel that sits around €400, I'd need to add €150 for the load cell + plates and suddenly the €500 become over 1k, and I'd still have only 8nm and the entry level pedals. Now looking at Asetek, I think the jump is way higher and I won't feel the need to upgrade a ton. One thing I can recommend tho everyone even if you're still using entry level pedals, getting a sturdy rig + mounted seat improves your consistency dramatically anyway. So I'd argue the rig comes even before the pedals, because you need the rig for the better pedals, but you don't need the better pedals for the rig with big improvements in lap time.
Just bought a used Thrustmaster TMX Pro for $100USD. Also the brake pedal upgrade and Next Level Racing Stand Lite. Total $220USD. After a week I want to upgrade everything.
My equipment timeline is far slower and probably less efficient but I've not always been so hardcore with it. I don't have a rig and won't in my current setup without a lot of space and practicality sacrifices. Wheels: MS Sidewinder FFB Logitech DFGT Logitech G25 G27 Thrustmaster T500 Thrustmaster TX because the T500 caught fire. Pedals are the same story really. Associated pedals with the MS and Logitech Wheels. T3PA Pro with the 500 and then upgraded to the Thrustmaster T-LCM which I think I continually underrated and overlooked in videos like this. Absolutely ridiculous value for sub £200. My screen setup now is a 24" 1080p Dell screen from the mid 2000s, 2x 24" 1080 BenQ screens and a 20" Samsung screen for data - All for a total of £120 :D A great video but I think also people put too much into equipment and pressure to upgrade to higher tiers. I've always been put off stretching the bank for my equipment because I simply don't think I'll need it or, at my ability level, make full use of it.
I’d say, if you’re on the fence, just get a new t300 set. Wheel swapping can be done, it’s maybe the best belt drive out there, and it’s surprisingly nice to everyone that tries it. I’m biased as I have one. But I’ve treated it badly and it’s still running strong after 5 years. I left it in the garage for a few years. it gets 20 below sometimes. It was dusty often. Kids jerked the wheel often. The alcantara could use a refresh though. We never used gloves and I’m a landscape builder. My Hans are rough and never clean even after washing. I’m honestly surprised the pedals held up, I have them bolted the the floor, I use the rubber conical stopper, and I give it my all when braking hard. Anyway, I’ll shut up. See you on the track.
Do you have the t3pa pedals? My spring of the gas broke into 3 pieces. Discovered it just after warranty ran out. Still happy with the t300 after 2 years.
I agree with your recommendations Dave. Start very cheap to see if you like sim racing. After that you are going to save money, by saving money. Skip the middle tier and save up to go straight to the best gear that you actually want.
I agree Dave, but also not completely..the fact is that sim racing, at least for me, give me joy when I’m upgrading something, it’s a fundamental part of this hobby. Don’t get me wrong, spending less is always better, but waiting an year or even more to save money and then going all in, might took away some enjoyment.
For people like us who have been sim racing for the past seven years or so have witnessed the technological advancements of hardware. It's come along so far so fast, so we have definitely spent our fair share of money catching up with the new technology. I think now for the most part the technology is mostly at a standstill. There's just more developers with different options. Which is a good thing. I'd say that someone needs to decide whether they're going to sim race on console, pc, or both. Then start planning a budget from there. if they want to sim race on both platforms, Fanatec is the way to go. They are the only ones who offer direct drives, and pedals that are plug-n-play for both consoles, and pc. I'm not a big fan of them, but that is a great option.
i cant disagree with anything youve said, but id like to add on. the fanatec clubsport v3 pedals are absolutely fantastic, especially at the price point. also, if you have a circular hand saw and a drill you can build a 2x4 wooden rig for dirt cheap. i think i have less than $50USD worth of material in my rig.
This is actually fairly universal advice for most hobbies: 1. start off with a modest investment and see if it's for you. 2. think about how best to invest your money with a long term approach, which means assessing what's right for you and using your own judgement/knowledge. 3. accepting that gear or spending money won't necessarily mean more fun, and skill or improvement is more about experience than gear.
Brilliantly informative video Dave, just what you need to cut through the vast array of choice out there and help decide where the point of diminishing return lies. I’ve been running my current basic rig for about 15 years which consists of G29 wheel, BRD Speed 7 pedals (what are they I hear you say!), Playseat and projector display. One recent change about two years ago was to start using VR with a Rift S. my iRating has been up in the mid 2000’s at times when I used to take it more seriously but these days yo-yo’s up and down in the mid teens. A recent windfall has set me thinking of upgrading. I have actually bought an aluminium frame rig from Si Turnbull but I haven’t got round to building it yet, hopefully that’s happening this week. I really love the immersion of VR and was surprised to hear your comment that the Rift S is perfectly adequate? I was under the impression that the HP Reverb or HTC Vive Pro would be big improvements. At a cost obviously, but not much more than a 3 screen setup? Was your comment based on your basic preference for the screen setup? I will probably upgrade my wheel to the Fanatec DD Pro based on your advice here and possibly pedals at some point, but I really like my Speed 7’s even though the brake isn’t load cell, I kind of got tuned to it now I’ve used it so long!
Totally unrelated side note: that's a very nice coffee mug! Reminds me of the ones my grandpa would make with chaotic glazes Oh, and the advice to spend as much as you can stomach up front on the important parts is spot on
Probably the most solid advice ever to be given in most hobbies, whether that is simracing or something else. Buy cheap and second hand to get into it, and once you know you want to continue buy the best you can afford/would ever want, don't fall into the continious upgrade path. Most high end simracing stuff will last you years, if not decades, so be smart and buy the stuff you wanna race the rest of your life!
Great recommendations Dave. One extra tip for anyone who wants to upgrade pedals and needs a sturdier rig is to build one out of wood. Lumber cost me £20 for 14 metres of 2x4. Box of wood screws for £5. Got a driver's seat for £30 from a scrapyard. A few hours of measuring, cutting and screwing later and the rig was more than sturdy enough for a Fanatec CSW 2.5 and CSL elite loadcell pedals. 3 years later and it's still holding up fine. Much more rigid than the cheap steel rigs and easily modifiable like aluminium profile. Saved me atleast a few hundred quid compared to a decent profile rig and seat
My F1GT is pretty sturdy, for the thin steel it uses. but I used some spacers to make it so. The figment was not tight without some extra work. About 20 big steel washers worked.
I’ve thought about making a sim rig kit people can build out of steel. Similar to the F1GT I have, but with Corten steel panels and the rounded square or rectangular tubing. Somewhere like Coremark metals in minneapolis (formerly discount steel ).
It could easily be bolted together with no flex with some solid hardware. Heavier but cheaper than the profile rigs. We use that steel all the time making steel walls. I always tell people a plow truck could hit that thing and the concrete footings will break or come up before the steel gives. Though we pour 12 inch diameter concrete footing that are 4 feet deep and use at least two for every panel. All panel less than 10 ft in length.
Where am I goin with this.
Wood is just easier and cheaper for people.
14 meters of 2x4 for 20 quid ? I don't believe that for a second. Where did you buy it from ?
@@bikerboy3k Built my rig back In 2020 during the first lockdown. Luckily have a lumber yard a 5 minute walk down the road from me, I asked how much I'd get for a £20 note and he gave me 14 metres, not sure what current prices are as I haven't needed more since.
I bought a brand new MOZA R9 base with the GS steering (1 week of use and enjoying a lot). Watched this video and think: Why not MOZA R9 instead of Fanatic DD? I'm curious about Dave Cam opinion about MOZA R9.
If you've enjoyed playing racing games for years, and think you might like to get into sim racing, I'd say skip the entry level wheel and pedals that you typically find at your local store. Just buy a Moza R5 wheel and pedal combo, or the Fanatec equivalent from the start. Odds are good that you'll want to upgrade from your Logitech or Thrustmaster within a month anyway. That's what I wish I would have done. It might be double the initial cost to you, but paying that upfront is better than paying for a starter wheel and then paying for the upgrade a month later.
Really helpful Dave. For somebody who subscribes but has no set up at all yet this has been extraordinarily useful. When I saw the vlog title I thought you were going to come in at around 10k but 5k for a very solid set up makes things very viable. Thank-you
I budget sim raced from the 90's. Logitech's first force feedback wheel was clamped to my computer desk until the internal cables broke. I must have gone through 4 or 5 FF logitech wheel/pedal sets over 20-30 years. ps1, ps2, ps3, ps4, and a few for my computers. 2 years ago I started realizing stuff like fanatec existed and triple screens were a thing. I wasn't about to do the slow crawl through technology when I was getting back into it so I did the deep dive:
DD1, V3 pedals
ASR6 frame
triple monitors.
Since building it I've used it every day except when on vacation or at home sick. Love it.
Thanks for all your contributions to the hobby/industry Dave Cam
One thing I'd add to the video. Lots of people don't have the space for a full rig, in which case a quality foldable wheel stand is an excellent solution. I've been using the GT Omega Apex with a Moza R9 and Fanatec V3s for about six months now and its been an excellent setup. Don't forget to get locking casters if you're using an office chair, avoid Ikea chairs since they use non-standard sizes for their casters.
Or a 2x4 under the front wheels to lift them off the ground 😉
It took me a while but I did find some locking casters for IKEA chairs on Amazon UK.
You can also put the rear wheels of your chair into a pair of shoes, which will also lock it in place. Old trick but it's free and works
@@BurningBroadcast next level racing also offers the GT-Lite or F-GT-Lite, that thing can fold to about the size of a briefcase and offers the full driving experience of a rig without the cost or inconvenience, i've heard people say there is a bit of forward and backward flex which isn't great for when you're on the brakes but i plan on picking mine up soon from a local shop and with my setup against a wall i don't expect it to be an issue. If it is i'll come back here and kick myself and warn yall
i went with the next level racing dd stand
Thanks Dave you’ve literally described a similar upgrade path that I went through it it definitely makes a lot of sense. Thank you for affirming my experience. I’m currently in the process of saving for the VRS DFP wheelbase.
While you're there, the VRS pedals are sublime.
@@robbown164 I just saw the review from Boosted Media for the VRS pedals. Definitely have my interest peaked. I was eyeing out the Invicta's or Forte's as well.
I thought the VRS wheel was locked to iRacing account holders only? I was under the assumption that one actually requires an active iRacing subscription to even buy and maintain one.
@@richardople I have them, they are every bit as fantastic as the review suggests. I've been using them for about 9 months now, and just picked up the clutch. I have had zero issues with them, and swapping to the red spring wasn't nearly as difficult as it was made out to be.
@@jfredett and @DaveCam, so I took your advice with the wait patiently, save and buy once mentality. I paid in cash for the VRS DFP Wheelbase, Cube Control GT Sport rim and the Asetek Invicta Series-S hydraulic pedals. It's absolutely transformed my sim racing immersion and experience. Thank you mate!
A lot of peoples problems with motion sickness or anything similar on vr is just from running it on a less than ideal system. Having a pc with good hardware and decent fps that doesnt fluctuate helps significantly
I have all of this but sadly I still get sick :(
I’m happy to watch this today and having had the boxes of the Simlab GT1 Evo delivered today! Great tips.
I might add that for lots of folk who use their pc for work and sim racing (such as myself) a big ultra wide display is the perfect choice in terms of productivity and gaming
Ultrawides are also great for sim racers in small spaces who don't have space for triples (or can't afford them) and don't want to buy a VR headset. Substantial upgrade over a single standard widescreen.
@@Sushi227 when you mention ultrawides, are you referring to 21:9 monitors or 32:9?
@@DeltaInsanity To me at least, ultrawides are 21:9, super ultrawides are 32:9
@@Sushi227 gotcha. And do you run one of these for your sim racing? If so, how big is it, what’s your viewing distance to the screen and what kind of FOV are you able to use?
@@DeltaInsanity I use a Gigabyte G34WQC, and for the price I'm happy with it. I run a weird FOV since I sit relatively far back, I've had to tweak it quite a bit to find something that works for my setup.
What a lad! Thank you for giving us some wise advice that we usually don’t get! Have a great day and know that you’ve helped me and others!
Here is my advice to anyone with a £1000 budget:
- G27 Used, it comes with a clutch and buttons on the h-shifter which can be used as a handbrake for drifting (something that is missing from the later G29 models)
- an aluminium rig, it made my G27 feel like a new wheel! So much better than a flimsy desk or steel rig
- a vr headset such as Rift S, since going to VR I've never looked back. They are cheaper than triple screens, take up no extra space and you just can't beat it for realism.
Only after all of this did I then go for a complete Fanatec setup (CSL DD, shifter and handbrake)
You are 90% of the way there with a solid rig, VR and a trusty old G27.
Upgrading bit by bit makes it feel personal imo. I dont understand the people that empty their wallets just to get bored and sell it later. Great video!👌
Very real proposition
I wouldn't over look the Simagic and Moza bases. The Simagic alph & mini and Moza R9 are great bases and come with very well priced and built wheel rim options.
The rest of Daves advice here is pretty much spot on and the way I would approach sim racing if I started again
Totally agree. I've moved away from a full Fanatec setup and the Alpha mini is in another league to the CSL DD
Amazon Tube frame cockpit + G920 + HP Reverb g2 > Moza R5 bundle + Fanatec LC CSL > SimLab GT1 EVO > traded VR for triple 32s.
Solid advice. I considered a bunch of midrange gear at first, while borrowing a friend's entry-level setup, but eventually I just went all-in on my "final" rig setup. I'm really glad I just went straight for the good stuff.
Another great pedal option to consider is Simagic, which sits at the opposite end from Asetek in terms of pedal throw length and feel. (I tried a friend's Asetek, set to shortest/hardest brake settings, and it was like a brick wall. Very much not my preference!) They sorted out the initial pedal wiggle, and they've been fantastic right out of the box on more recent production runs, with plenty of room for adjustment as always.
A year in on my first sim rig and love it! So glad I didn't spend too much as this setup works perfect for me.Went with the GTR Simulators GTA PRO rig,Fanatec CSL Elite F1 bundle with load cell kit.Added on a Fanatec WRC wheel for when a bigger round wheel is needed and all for under $1,200 U.S. dollars.The GTA pro rig has been awsome.can take full load for CSL elite no problem and the Fanatec CSL Elite base and pedals has been great as well.For me on Playstation 4 being able to use any Fanatec wheel,yes even the Xbox version wheels work on the CSL Elite and the adjustability of the GTR Pro are definitely worth checking out.
Great advice on saving money. It will be worth watching your video if one is unsure about sim racing.
I took a bit different approach to buying sim gear because I am a big sucker for immersive simulation and knew it would be a blast for many years. So the first thing I bought was a solid aluminium profile. It was a must-have for its durability, versatility and future upgrades (endless options). The second purchase was a direct drive simucube 1 OSW 25nm and the BMW recliner seat (very comfortable). I still use the same direct drive and have no plans to upgrade unless it stops working. Next was triple 1080 27" screens, HE ultimates with the HE Plus upgrade kit and Ascher Racing button box for MOMO steering. The rest followed (shifters, tactile feedback, amps, third-party software, roof monitor upgrade etc...). 50k later, I have no regrets and love everything about it.
I watched this Dec 10, 2023. Heusinkveld pedals were ordered, received, and installed by Dec 16th. I was a 944 iRating when the pedals were installed and 2 weeks later on Dec 31, 2023 I am a 1387 and that's counting the -80 I received in a race where the sim wouldn't even load and iRacing said I disconnected. Good equipment does make a difference. Great advice!
Great gains! 😁
I've been using the "buy once" strategy for a year now - slowly been saving up and buying parts of my rig. Using the golden rule for any kind of spending: "only spend big if you know you will use big". I am space limited, so can't go triple screens, so my item list is as follows:
BenQ 34" Widescreen: £600. GT1 Evo + VESA mount: £550. GT Omega seat: £150. Simagic P1000 pedals: £750. Simagic Alpha Mini + GT4 wheel combo: £1150. That totals £3200, for a 10nm setup, triple loadcell pedals with hydraulic brake, and really good monitor. I am lucky that I have a pretty good PC already so I'll be using that to power it.
One major reason I went with Simagic gear is their customer service. I have heard a few bad stories over Fanatic in this area, but only good things with Simagic. That needs to be a major consideration.
Also, what PC you have to power a rig needs to be another consideration, especially if you’re deciding what displays you need to push pixels too. If you are looking for pure eye candy as well as smoothness, then a new GPU might be needed, and even though the cost of those have come down in the last year, that could easily go from £500-£1000!
Really good advice in this one m8. Cheers!
I can recommend Simjack Pro pedals for 300 euros + tax, 3 loadcells, really customizable, clutch has bite point, 200kg brake LC. I started with 2 pedal set t300rs, then t3pa, then tlcm and now Simjacks, they're so much better than the tlcms.
I made a pretty good path in my opinion. I went from g27 for 10 years, upgraded to HE pedals while still using g27 wheel. Added bass shakers “huge upgrade”, got VR, then went DOF seat mover motion, added wind simulation, and finally added Moza r9. So far I am about $5,000 usd in and use Both VR and Super Ultrawide depending on the day.
I don’t regret any of my purchases.
Good video Dave. It’s difficult when you starting out. I decided to go for the good stuff straight away, rightly or wrongly. Although I didn’t buy an aluminium rig which I wish I had. I’ve been sim racing for a couple of years now and fortunately I’m still enjoying. It’s crazy how much you can actually spend if you have the money. It’s all about the immersion😂. One thing also to consider is the computer spec to run the games, especially ACC and VR.
Noticed the Si Turnbull aluminium rig there Dave. Just bought one of his a few months back, finally got myself a rig!
I’d personally disagree with the VR option. I had the oculus quest 2 then upgraded to the hp reverb 2 and thought it was a big upgrade. Close up graphics were very similar tbf but the world or stadium/track you drive in appears much more solid and detailed. Provides a more complete experience with better immersion.
But that’s just me
The beautiful part about Sim racing is that you can also 3D print wheel rims for your wheel base at fractions of the cost of a top dollar wheel if you have a bit of technical know how with a 3D printer, love my VRS base and have made a Hyundai Elantra N TCR wheel to drive with, amazing customizability and a great investment
Don't forget us desk racers, in which I would highly recommend the Next Level Wheel Stand 2.0, chair wheel tray is key!
I started on a t300 and t3pa within a few months I was hooked them I got VR and was super hooked. Then I went to the simucube osw biss c encoder and loved it I changed to the heusinkveld pro pedals.
Now I'm using simucube 2 Pro and simagic p2000 hydraulic pedals on a P1X and now have triple 1440p 32in 170hz and I'm happy now. So I completely agree always spend little bits at first on any hobby amd find out of you like it the upgrade.
Also 100% agree pedals are more important than a wheel base mainly the brake so I always advise my mates to get the best pedals they can afford first.
Great video Dave will help many
Funny, I did pretty much exactly what u recommend here over the last months :D
Bought a used T500RS last year, built a aluminium profile rig over the winter and just recently bought the Fanatec CSL Elite Pedals.
And these Pedals are insane, I´m getting faster each day since I use them ( which is only for a few days yet), they are REALLY great..
And Im really on a budget up till now, i bought used profiles from the company my gf works at and was under 300€ for the whole rig including seat.(altough atmittedly the seat could be better^^)
PEDALS! YES! So this. I had the V1 Fanatecs too, back in the day, then I went full load cell with some ZR Precision something-or-other...
Now I'm on the Simagic P2000 hydraulic load cells. Literally no time to get used to them, and they just feel... right!
The confidence and ability to brake and accelerate the same each lap is just worth it's weight in gold. I'd really like a DD wheelbase but I felt the pedals were going to give me the best improvement vs spend at that time, (I already have a home made 8040 rig so that's a done deal)
Great video Dave a true wealth of knowledge shared, will get on to buying my pedals next as that is where i am at
Yep, soooo familiar. I went through exactly the same path and had many things not twice but even three times the only difference you did it in 6 years I did it in one year!! Anyway great advise and I try to tell people the exact same things as you just did.. Greetings from the Netherlands and keep up with your great videos!
Great video thanks for sharing! I was going to build the aluminum rig myself, but ASR has a great deal for their entry level cockpit so I bought it at $350 USD with free shipping. I can bolster it as I grow in this adventure.
Dave you're spot on with all your recommendations mate, great video
When it comes to VR I have a few recommendations, as an experienced VR user. This isn't a category you want to cheap out on, especially if you are prone to motion sickness. The Oculus Rift S runs at I believe 80Hz, and 90Hz is considered the minimum for a comfortable VR experience. In sim racing especially you want a framerate as high as you can push. The Quest 2 can go up to 120Hz, but you'll potentially be sacrificing clarity, unless your inter-pupilary distance is exactly one of the three available settings on that headset.
Then there's the question of FOV. There are some extreme headsets like the Pimax 5K which go up to I think 210 degrees, while something like the Valve Index goes to 130 degrees, if you can get the lenses close enough to your eyes while retaining comfort. The Rift S will get you just under 90 degrees, which you will definitely notice. If you don't mind tunnel vision and you don't mind slightly sickening framerate, AND you don't mind not being able to read anything on the display in the vehicle, then the Rift S is a very good bargain, if you don't mind used as well.
My personal recommendation is a Valve Index. Especially for sim racing, it has the best feature set. You can get the headset and light houses individually to save some money if all you plan on doing is sim racing, and you'll get the best tracking as well as a comfortable headset, decent resolution, and very high refresh rate. (The Index can go up to 144Hz)
You'll find if you are prone to motion sickness, that it's going to take a while to get used to things, but you will get used to them. Eventually you will develop your VR legs, especially if you're only racing with it, as I find racing to be the most discomforting VR experience, personally.
Good luck!
Incredible advice, this is the SECOND time I've heard a serious sim racer say the most important first upgrade are Pedals.
Great Video with some fantastic advice. Guess there a pleanty of us out there who could have saved some money. To everybody new to this hobby, listen to the man and you'll be on a good way to enjoy the World of SIM Racing.💪🤘
When I upgraded from my g27 pedals to my sprints I used plywood under my chair ran to the pedals and mounted them to the plywood to still use my desk as sim rig till I bought my cockpit great little hack to get to use good pedals before you can buy a rig
I used to use 28" Triples but now I am VR only and just cannot look back, you will need the hardware to support it however but if you get yourself a 4090 you'll be able to run iRacing pretty much maxed out on most tracks and I would highly recommend VR over Triples any day of the week for 1 very simple reason.
Depths of Field, having the ability to see distances for what they are makes learning tracks and racing in places you don't know so much easier, I never forget the first time I tried VR in Dirt 2.0 I was hitting all the apexes first time and everything, simply amazing!
If you run endurance VR is a headache (literally) I sent mine back.
It takes time to get used to it for sure. I did 4 hours straight stint as part of a 3 man team for Sebring 12hour in LMP2. Also team of 2 regularly did the VRS endurance.
@@darrenduerden yeah I have a teammate that uses it with a combination fans, but for me it was just too uncomfortable. Currently on ultrawide as don't have space for triples
G29 pedals + Leo Bodnar interface + Truebrake mod. Fantastic budget solution.
Also my Simrig has a GTX1660, i7-7700k, 32gb ram, 3 x 1920x1200 monitors (24") and a bucket seat + rails from a real car which I mounted on a wooden frame. Runs iRacing just fine - sure I turn some settings down but I'm there to race, not count the leaves on the trees.
Can't agree enough with the suggestions, although I am a firm believer of buy once cry once i also missed out on years of driving because of that attitude. There was always an upgrade right around the corner, or something that was marginally more expensive but eventually my cart total was thousands more than it was originally. The rabbit hole of sim racing is deep and you can likely spend your net worth on some of this gear. A couple years ago I finally bought my second (first wheel was when dad bought one decades ago) and it was just a Fanatec CSL elite, no clutch pedal and no round rim. This wheel has gotten me through so many laps I can't thank it enough... but what it taught me was that there's never going to be the perfect time for your perfect setup. Fanatec makes it easier being so modular which makes it easy enough to buy over time. Just purchased my next base being the DD pro this time with a shifter and handbrake. So looking forward to using a round rim again too for all my casual driving wants. I think it comes down to time vs money. How long would you have to wait for the better gear? how much is the 3 screens doing for you vs having a chassis. It'll be different for everyone but watching your video will definitely steer people along the right path. The amount of times I've seen people jump for DD's and just use their desk and office chair (granted I did this on the CSL elite but even that shook my entire 300lbs desk to its core when I didn't have my hands on the wheel for whatever reason.)
Didn't even know you had a TH-cam channel, been hanging around the CDA forums for a while now and used many of your setups! thanks for all you do to help us rookies get around the track :)
Regarding breaks I started with Heusinkveld Sprints witch they were ok, then upgrade to the Ultimate and that was a good upgrade... but finally I went to the VRS DirectForce Pro Pedals and that... Was by far the best pedals I owned and I don't feel any more the need for a upgrade.
Heard this off several people and it's very much glossed over in a lot of videos. VRS are adjustable in every dimension, cost the same as Sprints and are often compared to Ultimates as being the better product. For the money I don't know why you'd go anywhere else. I love mine.
I've never used the VRS pedals so I can't recommend them. 👍
I can confirm this experience. Upgraded from the Clubsport V1 pedals to the VRS while a friend upgraded to the ultimate plus. I like the VRS much better and the build quality is unmatched for that price. They are unfortunately a bit tricky to get as the sell out very fast for obvious reasons :D
Great video with good advice. Just my 2 cents:
- 10/12nm is more then enough for most people. I have an VRS 24nm base but ended up running it at around 33% power. It keeps me more focussed on driving then on keeping the car turning.
- a good rim is almost as important as pedals I think. Find one with a grip that suits your hands and has all the buttons you want. I have a cube controls formula wheel but ended up using hocky stick grip tape to make the grips more beefy for my big hands
Hmm it would seem for most the 10-16nm range is the most common ‘sweet spot’ from most reviews. I was thinking of getting the Moza 16nm base as I really like their formula rims.
What rim do you use with your VRS?
@@johanblume8944 at the time of posting thst message i had a cube controls formula sport rim. Right now I have sold everything and went the fanatec dd route to be able to play both ps5 and pc. Right now I have the mclaren v2 rim and I really love it, it has nice big grips and a good diameter (300mm)
This is what I did, except with thrustmaster, started with the tmx and bought the t3pa pros, did a wheelstand, upgraded to Next Level F-GT, alls I've replaced in 3-4 yrs is the wheel base to a TX.
My next wheel base will be a fanatec, t3pa pro set are amazing built to last.
Thanks for this vid Dave, my father currently has a g29, and I'm looking into stepping into the sim world myself. I've been torn between the cheaper steel rigs/dd wheels but with the worry of wanting to upgrade further down the line. I'll definately continue to borrow my fathers G29 and save the extra few pounds on other hardware. Although a rig may be first for me due to currnetly being mounted on a desk.
Great video, and your great review👍
SIMDID's new FA7 steering wheel, if you are interested, you can check it out: th-cam.com/video/7Pr3na17Mz8/w-d-xo.html
Wish you all the best.
The only thing I’d say different if you’re handy is build your own rig from wood instead of 80-20. When it comes to how stiff to make, err on the side of overkill. My plan is to use 2x12” boards for the uprights & mount for the wheelbase, 2x6 for the base & pedals all secured w/ steel brackets & bolts (so I can take apart & reassemble) & separate monitor stand. I could do this for a bit over $100 US, just as sturdy as a profile rig. And grab a car seat from a junk yard.
Triple 1440p 32” screens with diy bezel delete kits are fantastic!
Yep, and I'd say 1440p is the minimum resolution that's acceptable for this screen size. Have 3x 32" LGs myself; use them mostly for software engineering work, which is where I'd love them to be 4k - but when I'm finally in iRacing my GPU thanks me. Couldn't go back to 27"s now.
I agree, tip #1 is the most important. I started out with a used G920 (got it for a fantastic deal) and a playseat challenge. I wasn't sure if I'd stick with sim racing but ACC got me hooked. I've since upgraded but can't imagine how annoyed I would have been if I bought higher end stuff first only to realize sim racing wasn't really for me. I also agree with your advice on the sim rig. I went from a playseat challenge to Gt-Omega Art cockpit and while it's definitely an upgrade, I wish I would have bit the bullet and went with an aluminum profile rig instead. I know that I will probably switch to an aluminum profile rig in the future, but wish I would have made the jump from the beginning. The tough part is where I'm located the demand for sim racing gear is extremely low so trying to get anything back (or just sell for that matter) is tough. I took 3-4 months to sell the playseat challenge and G920 at a deeply discounted rate. Overall, great video and great advice.
I somewhat agree except the screens, since triples will need serious firepower which would mean upgrading the PC if you don't have a decent one (1.5K+ Euros nowadays). Think a good wheel is more important than having triples. A single 32" 144+Hz will do fine, I'd prioritize wheel. I feel like Moza have a really affordable ecosystem, you can get all in it for like a grand (R9, CS, SRP pedals). Heard some horror stories with the QR on the Fanatec DD, so am a bit meh.
Yes this is the correct advice. When starting get a cheap setup. Once you confirm you love sim racing, go all out.
I’m so glad you made this video Dave, I was concerned your last video could put people off because they thought they needed £28k to get properly into sim racing. I think sim rigs are like 1st cars …. They’re supposed to be 💩 so you appreciate what a nice rig is 😂. But seriously, to your point, a g29 strapped to a desk with whatever pc and screen you can scrabble together will be fine. Agree with another comment and if your making a commitment to sim racing, an alu profile rig should be the 1st step - getting away from the truck driver position is a total game changer, after that it’s pedals. As for rigs, si turnbull rigs are fantastic!
Oh and don't forget a decent gpu. Good video, I need to jump up from my t gt to direct drive. The bonus with fanatec is their ecosystem is pretty good. Plus their prices.
🏎️🏁 Brilliantly narrated mate 👍🏻 New Subscriber here. Cheers from Western Australia 🇦🇺🤝🏻
Thank you mate 😁
Maintaining your hardware is so important too, I bought the Original Fanatec Clubsport Pedals 12 Years ago, and still use them today.
Keeping everything clean, oiled, with all bolts tightened, plus one replacement loadcell sensor, mean my pedals have only cost me about €25 Euro a year!
Dave really is the best. Incredible advice.
I use only a Wheelstand Pro stand for my 8Nm CSL DD and CSL Elite pedals, works really well. It is cheap and takes up little space, it can be easily put away, perfect for a small apartment.
same it can handle more then 8 nm
Love this!
Watched your videos for the last year, finally bought some gear this weekend, before seeing this video 😅
Rule 1… ✅
I bought second hand a thrustmaster T248 with h pattern shifter and sparco hand brake on an omega gt rig, using it with a ps4 I already had on an LG 58 inch.
AUS$ - 1100 GBP- 628.98
Honestly couldn’t be happier, I’m involved instead of watching now.
I was very close to spending AUS$10,000.
Love the videos, keep it up!
Oh, and the omega rig I’m in was slightly modified haha the bloke before me has done some adjustments and added an extra bar connecting the wheel frame to the gear stick mount, basically allowing me to move the handbrake and h shifter to multiple positions, I’m tall so that helps .
I built a 2 by 6 sled with 1 by 8 frame to mount a wheel base…used CSR Elite wheel off Craigslist…CSL Elite pedals new..and a $100 tv from Costco…
But Now I’m hooked….God help me.
The initial purchase of any sim rig gear is a difficult one. Reason being you don't know if you're going to stick with it. I bought the g29 and a Playseat evolution. I ended up upgrading the pedals to fanatec csl elite load cell which are great for me. Next upgrade will be to aluminium rig with dd wheelbase. Dave has said it exactly right about how to go about it. Cheers dave👍
Pvc pipe , a few bits of wood , my playseat replica is sick , £50 in total bucket seat the race experience is awesome 😊
Great advice man. I started with Logitech just to try sim racing out. Then recently got a MOZA R9 + CRP pedals with Wheel Stand DD. Next I will jump to a fully highend setup and hand down the Moza R9, but that's a few years away, need a bigger room first.
So true. I got myself nlr fgt rig in July... and my alu profile rig arrived yesterday :D
You're doomed 😁
@@davecamyt And happy :D
Good advice, altbough I mainly got stuff I will probably upgrade later 2nd hand. I bought the CSL DD, V3 pedals and the Clubsport Formula 2.5 for a price that I can easily sell again (700 euro). Did decide to get a decent rig and screen from the start, because I knew these will be used for a long time. That said, the wormhole is there. Already thinking about switching from a 34" to a 49" ultrawide, and will probably get new pedals and a simucube wheelbase later too.
I got an awesome solution for people with small spaces, it's called pein pedal mount. It's a metal frame which you can put under your desk, you put the wheels of your deskchair in a frame, so your chair and weight keep the pedals in place. It's 100 euro but worth it for desk simmers.
I have a 30 nm dd wheel I mount it with the fanatec clamp and dd mount on my desk, only had to make some extra holes. Then I make sure my desk is connected to the wall so it can't move. I have a pretty solid racing sim at my desk, it's off course not perfect because the pedals flex a little bit....but it's a cheap detachable solution which is good enough to enjoy simracing.
Also gloves are very important and a lot of noobs dont realize that, I only have a CSL Elite and my hand blisters a lot if i dont use gloves
Totally agree there is a cheap way in. Just bought a used RiftS to see if I can handle VR. Upgraded to T-LCM pedals and having a load cell is very nice. Still sub £1k but I already had an old but decent spec pc.
I bought TLCM when they came out. At that time, they were decent cheap loadcell pedals, especially coming from G29 pedals. I modded them with 3drap and it transformed the braking experience, so I would definitely recommend looking into that mod. When I upgraded to Sprints late last year, it was a huge difference in immersion, but laptime wise, I could trailbrake with modded TLCM almost as good as with Sprints. So when/if you want to upgrade the pedals, I wouldn't upgrade to Elite 2 or something similar. Save for Sprints, and you will thank yourself later. Regarding Forte Pedals, watch Dan Suzuki video about them. They are "cheating" with their loadcell.
i agree to buy used at the very start. after that though dont be like me and do the leapfrog updates, go for the best thing you can possibly afford so your not just doing constant incremental upgrades and spending 3x more then you would have otherwise.
I’ve gone down literally this exact same route. Started with G920 and a GT omega wheel stand. Barely lost any money selling them. Wanted an aluminum profile rig but got a deal I couldn’t pass up on a used trak racer TR8 with a NRG seat. Moved triple 27” 1440p’s and did the fanatec GT DD and their CSL load cell pedals. On one hand I kind of wish I saved for the sprints and a simucube like I originally wanted to do but on the other what I have now is night and day more enjoyable than my Logitech was and at least now I will feel better spending the money on those higher end pieces.
Very sage advice Dave. I pretty much followed your recommendations too. Started with a G920 and wheel stand for many years, then did a load cell upgrade and mag shifter for that, which made a huge difference. Then a GT Omega Titan rig (still going) and then a set of CSL Elites load cell pedals and a Fanatec GT DD Pro, shifter, and handbrake. Still going strong on that with ACC, DR 2.0 and WRCG on Xbox Series X.
Next steps will be a gaming PC, then 80/20 rig, triples and a Simicube 2 with HS sprints. Great thing about the Fanatec ecosystem in Oz is that the resale prices are really strong, so you can get 2 years of use for almost nothing when you upgrade.
You made me grin a lot at the beginning of the video :) I can completely support your story. Buy the right stuff, and don't try to go budget. I did (and had to) make smaller steps and upgrade everytime. Did not work out that bad, but it does cost more money. There is one big advantage: you discover the things that are important to you personally. Do you like a wheel with a lot of buttons or a button box? Do you like a wheel with a display, or prefer a fixed seperate display? My next step is to finally go Direct Drive (Fanatec CSL DD was not around then I went for a Fanatec wheelbase). Only one disadvantage: i bought into the Fanatec ecosystem (i love it!!!) and my wheels won't work on other wheelbases (without a converter kit). So I hope for a Clubsport DD or a newer generation of (Podium) DD1.
Obviously it's all subjective, but having just upgraded to a DD base, I can't imagine ever wanting more torque than the 9NM I'm getting from my R9. Unless you really need the higher torque output, the CSL DD could be enough.
love this advice! i see too many "iracing simulators" up for sale from beginners who spent thousands and bough because of hype.
Honestly I would suggest go to a sim racing center if there is one near you and just get a 1 month pass. Then you can decide if you want to build your own setup. I picked up an unlimited pass for $100 a month and the sim setup was a full rig with fanatec, 49 inch curved screen and D-box gen 5 motion sim. That would cost me like 20k to build plus still need a good PC to run it. So for a few months its only cost me a few hundred for a lot of fun over the winter. For me I've decided its more of a winter activity, as I enjoy the outdoors when its nice out.
Its kind of like if you wanted to get in to karting, you can go rent a rotax max for a day with a team and see if you like it without spending all your money on a hobby that you may or may not really want to do all the time.
This friday I bought 2x 1080p 170hz screens for 420€. I problably should go for 1440p but I need to be realistic. My rig has a 2060 super watercooled by my self for 80€ and a g25 with more than 15 years. If I want 1440 o 4k I would need a much better graphics card and the screens wich cost more than double each one. Just use common sense guys. Great video Dave
I would recommend the Advance Sim Racing ASR6 for those of us in Canada over the Simlabs rig. I found the P1X too difficult/expensive here (Ontario). SRG did his usual review of it, and I can confidently say it's worth every inflated loonie.
Good advice Dave, I did go that route. The only thing you forgot is a decent PC.
I went from the G29 and Playseat Challenge straight into a TrakRacer rig, Heusinkveld Sprint pedals, Simucube Sport wheelbase, Cube Controls Formula wheel and a 34" 1440p ultrawide monitor when I had the money to afford it. It's more than plenty and I'll only be replacing/upgrading if and when something breaks.
My first wheel was a Logitech Driving Force GT. This has lasted me 20!! years 😅
Best hardware value for many I ever had
Good stuff man; im at the point where my upgraded 920 needs to change. But im still sat on a tv and an xbox in gtomega cockpit.
Gotta say though, 920/29s go for about £170 new if you time it right. Id advise someone jumping in to wait for sales, immediately buy an uprated throttle spring and axcsim brake upgrade… whole things still well under £250.
Absolutely agree with the jumping straight to DD mind. Dont really see the point in the higher end belt driven stuff.
Great recommendations mate! 🙂🫡
I got 3 1080p 32" screens this weekend... what a blast!!!
02:45 DO NOT get these pedals ASETEK FORTE are not TRUE loadcell pedals, they work the same way as potentiometer pedals, they messure TRAVEL not pressure of your foot
I suggest doing some research and not basing your conclusions one one video 👍
@@davecamyt i did, it uses like 10kg loadcell (or so) and a small spring to press it, Dan Suzuki did great breakdown on it, its not a pressure based break pedal
Asetek got a lot of backlash for it that they had to make a video about it lol
Yes I've seen Dan's video 👍
Great advice overall Dave and to the point. One thing though that I have to 'question' (in the politest way); most other sim racing YTers advise to target the rig as the first upgrade when moving on from the likes of the G920, Thrustmaster etc. whereas you're suggesting pedals?
Only just started in sim racing (XBOX, PlaySeat Challenge, G920, 32" curved 4K 120Mhz monitor). So far absolutely loving it, already thinking of upgrades in the future hence watching this video with so much interest but a little confused as to the first thing to upgrade without regretting it!
I've had a Thrustmaster TX for the last 3 years. The amount of detail I got from mounting that to a profile rig alone was mindblowing. At this point I'm only upgrading to a Simucube 2 pro because the tiny thrustmaster looks silly on my rig lol.
Did you end up making a decision?
@@p0rt I did, went the whole way and upgraded everything - Fanatec CSL DD, Sim-Labs GT1 EVO, high spec PC & an ultra-wide monitor.
Took weeks to get and days to set up but the difference is incredible in so many ways.
Great video Dave, some good info and insights into a sim racing setup
I started out with the logitech g29 + a playseat. (I do have a good pc) And like this man says, now i'm looking to upgrade the seat to an alliminium frame and than the pedals and steeringwheel. Last will be the 3 screen setup.
I must say, the logitech with playseat works fine. I enjoyed it for 2 years, and now it is going to my sisters little son. If you are not sure you want to spend some real money, then I would absolutely recomend one of the cheaper wheels with a playseat. If you have money and you think you will be going to keep racing, then go for a good allu frame instead of the playseat. But I would still buy a "cheap" wheel and pedals. The prices are as such that if you are not 100% sure, I wouldn't recomend them to start out with. Total package will set you back more than 2.5k (don't forget you need a computer as well, mine costs 2.5k also). And that would not be high end. Bit much for a kid/teen/student I think.
Great video, I agree with all of it! To all new racers, guys/girls, you are going to spend a shit ton of money, and you are going to buy stuf you will replace. Just pick something that you can efford without too much trouble.
After 6 years and lots of thinking and upgrading bit by bit from a g29 for products that seemed to me to be the most logical upgrade. So from g29 clamped ot my table, i am now at a csl DD, CSL pedals with LC and tuner kit(pedals with LC were technically first upgrade, but next upgrade had to end up going with them. Also, tuner kit really improved the experience IMO, I used stock plastic pedals for a year before getting the tuner kit, and it is 100% worth it, feels like how they were actually designed to be.) NLR WheelStand 2.0. That with one of those NLR office chairs(moveable armrest are more handy than you think, not just for driving either) comes out to like $1,000 USD. Fairly budget friendly. Not super hardcore, but a solid set up, and i def don't have room for a full sized rig. But I'd say if you only like $1,000 USD to spend, you'd be hard pressed to buy a more sturdy, solid, well enough built ready to go set up. The workingman's set up(lol, not saying Dave doesn't work for a living, or isn't blue color or anything, just more budget friendly is all I mean.)
I agree with everything but I’d put the cockpit ahead of the pedal set. The quality of FFB and consistency with the pedals is a huge step up on a rig even with an entry level wheel and pedal set. It makes sim racing instantly better.
Sitting on a T300 for 3 years now and was thinking of taking the reduced price of the Fanatec bundle for €500 incl. 8nm, the P1 wheel and the pedals. But then I know I would 100% upgrade to a Formula wheel that sits around €400, I'd need to add €150 for the load cell + plates and suddenly the €500 become over 1k, and I'd still have only 8nm and the entry level pedals. Now looking at Asetek, I think the jump is way higher and I won't feel the need to upgrade a ton.
One thing I can recommend tho everyone even if you're still using entry level pedals, getting a sturdy rig + mounted seat improves your consistency dramatically anyway. So I'd argue the rig comes even before the pedals, because you need the rig for the better pedals, but you don't need the better pedals for the rig with big improvements in lap time.
Just bought a used Thrustmaster TMX Pro for $100USD. Also the brake pedal upgrade and Next Level Racing Stand Lite. Total $220USD. After a week I want to upgrade everything.
My equipment timeline is far slower and probably less efficient but I've not always been so hardcore with it. I don't have a rig and won't in my current setup without a lot of space and practicality sacrifices.
Wheels:
MS Sidewinder FFB
Logitech DFGT
Logitech G25
G27
Thrustmaster T500
Thrustmaster TX because the T500 caught fire.
Pedals are the same story really.
Associated pedals with the MS and Logitech Wheels. T3PA Pro with the 500 and then upgraded to the Thrustmaster T-LCM which I think I continually underrated and overlooked in videos like this. Absolutely ridiculous value for sub £200.
My screen setup now is a 24" 1080p Dell screen from the mid 2000s, 2x 24" 1080 BenQ screens and a 20" Samsung screen for data - All for a total of £120 :D
A great video but I think also people put too much into equipment and pressure to upgrade to higher tiers. I've always been put off stretching the bank for my equipment because I simply don't think I'll need it or, at my ability level, make full use of it.
I’d say, if you’re on the fence, just get a new t300 set. Wheel swapping can be done, it’s maybe the best belt drive out there, and it’s surprisingly nice to everyone that tries it. I’m biased as I have one. But I’ve treated it badly and it’s still running strong after 5 years.
I left it in the garage for a few years. it gets 20 below sometimes. It was dusty often. Kids jerked the wheel often.
The alcantara could use a refresh though. We never used gloves and I’m a landscape builder. My Hans are rough and never clean even after washing.
I’m honestly surprised the pedals held up, I have them bolted the the floor, I use the rubber conical stopper, and I give it my all when braking hard.
Anyway, I’ll shut up.
See you on the track.
Do you have the t3pa pedals?
My spring of the gas broke into 3 pieces. Discovered it just after warranty ran out.
Still happy with the t300 after 2 years.
@@nieko3038 yeah. I smash the brake hard. I have a rubber conical stopper on it tho.
I agree with your recommendations Dave. Start very cheap to see if you like sim racing. After that you are going to save money, by saving money. Skip the middle tier and save up to go straight to the best gear that you actually want.
I agree Dave, but also not completely..the fact is that sim racing, at least for me, give me joy when I’m upgrading something, it’s a fundamental part of this hobby. Don’t get me wrong, spending less is always better, but waiting an year or even more to save money and then going all in, might took away some enjoyment.
For people like us who have been sim racing for the past seven years or so have witnessed the technological advancements of hardware. It's come along so far so fast, so we have definitely spent our fair share of money catching up with the new technology.
I think now for the most part the technology is mostly at a standstill. There's just more developers with different options. Which is a good thing.
I'd say that someone needs to decide whether they're going to sim race on console, pc, or both. Then start planning a budget from there. if they want to sim race on both platforms, Fanatec is the way to go. They are the only ones who offer direct drives, and pedals that are plug-n-play for both consoles, and pc. I'm not a big fan of them, but that is a great option.
i cant disagree with anything youve said, but id like to add on. the fanatec clubsport v3 pedals are absolutely fantastic, especially at the price point. also, if you have a circular hand saw and a drill you can build a 2x4 wooden rig for dirt cheap. i think i have less than $50USD worth of material in my rig.
Great video Dave, as always 😊👍🏻
From my experience I would say a decent rig comes before pedal upgrade
This is actually fairly universal advice for most hobbies: 1. start off with a modest investment and see if it's for you. 2. think about how best to invest your money with a long term approach, which means assessing what's right for you and using your own judgement/knowledge. 3. accepting that gear or spending money won't necessarily mean more fun, and skill or improvement is more about experience than gear.
Brilliantly informative video Dave, just what you need to cut through the vast array of choice out there and help decide where the point of diminishing return lies. I’ve been running my current basic rig for about 15 years which consists of G29 wheel, BRD Speed 7 pedals (what are they I hear you say!), Playseat and projector display. One recent change about two years ago was to start using VR with a Rift S. my iRating has been up in the mid 2000’s at times when I used to take it more seriously but these days yo-yo’s up and down in the mid teens. A recent windfall has set me thinking of upgrading. I have actually bought an aluminium frame rig from Si Turnbull but I haven’t got round to building it yet, hopefully that’s happening this week. I really love the immersion of VR and was surprised to hear your comment that the Rift S is perfectly adequate? I was under the impression that the HP Reverb or HTC Vive Pro would be big improvements. At a cost obviously, but not much more than a 3 screen setup? Was your comment based on your basic preference for the screen setup? I will probably upgrade my wheel to the Fanatec DD Pro based on your advice here and possibly pedals at some point, but I really like my Speed 7’s even though the brake isn’t load cell, I kind of got tuned to it now I’ve used it so long!
Great advice. thanks bud.
Totally unrelated side note: that's a very nice coffee mug! Reminds me of the ones my grandpa would make with chaotic glazes
Oh, and the advice to spend as much as you can stomach up front on the important parts is spot on